Chapter 384: Dream
Chapter 384: Dream
The surroundings were dark and cold, but Harry was no longer entirely unfamiliar with such an environment.
During the summer at 12 Grimmauld Place, he had experienced this dream many times.
The specific details of the dream often faded upon waking, but the darkness and chill were deeply etched into his mind.
The perspective remained the same: "He" was seated in a single armchair, with a Great Serpent coiled around "him." The serpent occasionally flicked its tongue, its gaze as cold and cruel as its master's, both staring down at the Wizards kneeling on the floor.
"Has Chris begun the action?" "His" voice was still that raspy, icy tone.
The short, fat Wizard, whose limbs and forehead were pressed to the ground, trembled uncontrollably as "he" answered the question.
"Yes, yes, Master. They have made contact with the creatures in Azkaban. Those beings can't wait any longer. Even if we don't seek them out, they will start on their own."
"This time, I will not be disappointed, and no one will disappoint me."
The raspy voice echoed through the room, not harsh but calm, as if having a casual conversation, yet it made every Wizard on their knees tremble uncontrollably.
Harry could also feel this unspoken torment and fear.
"No, no, Master! No one will dare to disappoint you, no one will dare!"
"You know I don't want to hear that, Wormtail. I don't want to hear that you won't dare. You've never dared, but when has such cowardice ever brought me any good news?"
No one kneeling below dared to speak. The air seemed to stop moving, and the room fell into a dead silence.
Harry felt uncomfortable. His vision was restricted, and he could not control where he looked. His gaze remained lowered, fixed on the Wizards kneeling on the floor.
He couldn't see how many there were, but he could make out at least a dozen.
Time dragged on.
This particular dream seemed to last an unusually long time, but Harry gained no useful information. Voldemort and the Death Eaters appeared to be waiting for something.
The waiting was excruciating, and Harry could do nothing but wait with them.
After an indeterminate amount of time, just as Harry was feeling drowsy in his dream, a series of loud cracks suddenly rang in his ears!
"He" lifted "his" head, and in the field of vision, countless Wizards Apparated into the room!
Seeing the mostly pale, gaunt faces, Harry was initially stunned. But when he recognized a few familiar faces, he felt a wave of fear wash over him!
The "popping" sounds of Apparition continued, and more ragged Wizards appeared. Among them were some who, though haggard, looked significantly better than the others.
Among these better-off Wizards were Ludo Bagman and Igor Karkaroff, who had been recently imprisoned!
Seeing these two, Harry finally understood what Voldemort and the Death Eaters had been waiting for!
The Death Eaters had broken out of Azkaban!
"Regulus told Kreacher to destroy the object", Kreacher said sorrowfully. "But Kreacher tried many methods—axes, fire, Spells—but none of them had any effect on it."
Dumbledore looked at him gravely.
"Where is this object now?"
Kreacher lifted his head and spoke in a shrill voice.
"Kreacher always kept it in the glass cabinet on the second floor, alongside the other treasures of the Black family. But yesterday, Harry Potter took it! Sirius Black generously gave it to him! No matter how much Kreacher tried to persuade Sirius, he wouldn't listen!"
Dumbledore suddenly stood up from his chair, and Sherlock did the same.
Their faces both turned grim.
No one knew what kind of danger Voldemort's Horcrux might pose. The diary from years ago had already caused enough trouble for Hogwarts. What this locket might do, they couldn't even imagine, and they dared not think about it.
Especially since it was now in Harry's possession!
"We must return to the school as quickly as possible", Sherlock said in a grave tone.
Dumbledore wasted no time. He raised his arm to summon Fawkes, and then, together with Sherlock, used the phoenix's Apparition to transport them directly to the Gryffindor common room.
They had listened to Kreacher's account of the past events for a long time at 12 Grimmauld Place, and now it was well past midnight. The common room was deserted.
Dumbledore and Sherlock didn't linger. They quickly found Harry's dormitory and pushed the door open.
As soon as they entered, Sherlock felt that familiar burning sensation in his left arm!
This invigorated him, confirming that the locket hadn't caused any other incidents and was still with Harry.
Ron and the others were sleeping soundly, and Sherlock's entry didn't wake them.
When they pulled back the curtains of Harry's bed, they immediately saw that something was wrong.
Harry's face was contorted in pain, his forehead drenched in sweat, and he was tossing and turning in bed. Sherlock immediately noticed the locket hanging from the head of Harry's bed!
The locket was still emitting a faint green glow. Without hesitation, Sherlock reached out and took the Horcrux in his hand.
The burning sensation reached its peak and then slowly faded, no longer stimulating Sherlock's sensory nerves.
The moment his hand touched the Horcrux, the green light disappeared, and Harry suddenly sat up in bed.
He was breathing heavily, as if he had just undergone intense exertion, and was drenched in sweat.
At that moment, he saw Sherlock and Dumbledore.
"Professor! The Death Eaters have escaped from Azkaban! They've all broken out of prison! They've already met Voldemort! There were so many! I saw Ludo Bagman and Igor Karkaroff!"
Harry's voice was loud, and Ron, Seamus, Neville, and Dean were all jolted awake.
They sat up in their four-poster beds, looking at Sherlock and Dumbledore with confusion, unsure why the two of them had suddenly appeared.
Hearing Harry's words, Dumbledore and Sherlock exchanged a glance before turning to Harry.
"Come, Harry. I doubt you have the heart to sleep now. Let's go to my office, and you can tell us everything."
(End of Chapter)
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