Chapter 579: A Duel to the Death

Chapter 579: A Duel to the Death

Chester Ton Avery panted, ignoring the sounds inside and outside the castle. The world in his eyes was tiny. He was hiding in the Broom closet under the first-floor spiral staircase, peering through the keyhole to observe the outside.

This was where Filch stored buckets, mops, Broomsticks, and various cleaning tools, but Filch hadn't been here for a while. Avery immediately chose this place because the Broom closet had many advantages: it was sufficiently hidden and inconspicuous; it was close to the entrance hall, which made it easy to escape; and he could observe people coming down from other floors through the keyhole.

Avery believed his status was far higher than Umbridge's because he was a pure-blood ‘Avery,’ while Umbridge was just a ‘relative’ of the Selwyn family, a joke his cousin had told him.

Just like this time, the Dark Lord, out of respect for the Avery family, granted him a ‘weapon,’ making his task much easier.

He heard a high, shrill cry, followed by Umbridge’s piercing scream echoing through the empty corridor. She shouted, “Avery! I’ve got it! Come out, come and save me!”

Avery wished he could kill her. This woman was utterly stupid...

He quickly rushed to the Broomsticks stacked against the wall, picking out two—those were the Broomsticks he had hidden. Then, he angrily yanked open the door and ran in the direction of the sound, only to be startled: a beautiful Phoenix was chasing Umbridge, spewing fire from its mouth.

“Obstacle Charms!”

Avery waved his wand over Umbridge’s shoulder and shouted. A red light struck Fawkes but slid off. Although it didn’t work, it did slow Fawkes down, causing it to rise and hover in the air.

Umbridge, with her short legs, dashed over. She had returned to her original form as the Polyjuice Potion had worn off, meaning her plan to use Mafalda as a scapegoat had completely failed.

“Did you get it?” Avery asked eagerly.

“I did.”

“Both items in the Headmaster’s office?”

“Both! I didn’t expect Snape to be—” Umbridge said as she ran, her voice hoarse. She didn’t stop when she passed Avery but grabbed a Broomstick from his arms and left him behind.

Avery nearly fumed. He cast several curses at Fawkes and then turned to run. Catching up with Umbridge, he growled, “Give me the items, you’re exposed!”

“No!” Umbridge shouted. They ran into the entrance hall, where a crowd had gathered—some were students resting after clearing the shade, some were young wizards who had sneaked out to watch, and a few were Ministry of Magic employees standing by the oak doors.

“Remarkable,” Winky Tackross said, looking into the distance. He heard hurried footsteps and turned to see Avery and Umbridge running toward them, with a very beautiful bird in pursuit.

“Where have you been?” he immediately stood up, his long-standing frustration suddenly erupting, “You lazy cowards, you’ve disgraced the Ministry of Magic—”

“Get out of the way!”

Avery waved his wand, and the spell hit Tackross in the chest. He slumped against the wall and fainted.

The entrance hall erupted in screams, with some shouting in outrage and others looking bewildered, clearly unsure of what was happening. But a few reacted quickly—both Ministry of Magic employees and students who had been resting after the battle—raising their wands in alert.

Avery thought, This is it!

He pulled a small wooden box from his chest and threw it high into the air. The box paused under everyone’s gaze before the lid popped open, and a tall, thin man in a black robe appeared.

He was tall and gaunt, with no hair and a red, piercing gaze that slowly swept over the crowd. Everyone was stunned and involuntarily backed away, shoving and screaming, no one daring to meet his eyes.

Despite the improbability, it was Voldemort.

Seizing the opportunity, Umbridge and Avery slipped out of the entrance hall as if they were on a leisurely stroll.

‘Voldemort’ let out a high, cold laugh, raising his wand, the tip glowing green.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s just a shape-shifting Boggart!” Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom suddenly appeared, shouting. They had been waiting for this moment. Frank raised his wand and shouted, “Riddikulus!”

The ‘Voldemort’ lazily waved his wand, and the spell had no effect.

Frank’s face was one of shock. ‘Voldemort’ pointed his wand at him, and a voice whispered in his ear, “Voldemort modified this Boggart to fix its form to his own image, perhaps adding some flavor, but it’s still a Boggart, just more intimidating to look at…”

Green light shot out. A sandglass with red gems in a corner suddenly jumped in front of Frank Longbottom, the green light shattering it and scattering the red gems. Alice Longbottom’s face was tense, her wand raised.

Frank Longbottom quickly joined Alice, explaining the situation and hinting that Felix didn’t intend to show up.

“We can handle it,” he said. The students ran into the Great Hall, a few of the braver ones looking back as they ran.

Felix watched for a moment and, seeing that the Longbottoms could handle the mutated Boggart, he rushed off to a distance. He was trying to minimize his direct involvement and had not made any public appearances at the school. Remus was also helping him by blurring his timeline, allowing Felix to appear 'just in time' at crucial moments.

Umbridge and Avery mounted their Broomsticks, hardly believing their good fortune that they had actually managed to escape. The two Brooms sped over the stone steps and flew out of the school grounds. The professors and students who were still clearing the shades on the hillside saw them but did nothing to stop them, merely looking on with disdain. They assumed the two were deserters.

"Hand over the item, Umbridge. I'm in charge of this operation", Avery shouted as he leaned over his Broom while flying.

"Dream on!" Umbridge retorted, maneuvering her Broom to keep a distance from him, but Avery kept closing in. Umbridge's eyes darted around; she had already made up her mind. Once they were outside the school's boundaries, she would Apparate immediately and deliver the item directly to the Dark Lord.

There was no other way. Mafalda had been rescued by someone, and the accursed Phoenix was in hot pursuit. She was completely exposed.

The Dark Lord had promised to help her clear the obstacles in the Ministry and assist her in becoming the Minister of Magic. Now, that dream was shattered, and her only option was to align herself with the Dark Lord. But how she did so was crucial. If she could present him with what he most desired, she would undoubtedly become a key figure among the Death Eaters.

Avery, however, was an obstacle...

Boom! A loud explosion echoed from a distance, and the ground shook. Harry's body swayed, nearly falling off Sirius's back. Despite the confusion, he realized what had happened—the noise was too significant to ignore—

A mountain had collapsed.

Harry's eyes widened in shock, just like everyone else's. Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw Umbridge and Avery flying on their Brooms in the sky.

Without a second thought, he grabbed the Firebolt and dashed out.

"Harry?"

Felix, following at a leisurely pace, gazed in the direction of Hogsmeade, inwardly marveling at the intensity of the battle. Could Voldemort have been defeated by Dumbledore? What had he done?

No one could account for every detail and unexpected turn of events.

Not even Dumbledore, and certainly not Felix. After much deliberation, they had concluded that Voldemort's primary goal was the Horcruxes, and everything else was a distraction. Therefore, the school was the focal point, and at least one of them needed to monitor the situation there, ready to provide support at any moment.

But the choice of who would do this was not up to them; it depended on where Voldemort appeared. When Felix realized that the attack on the castle was just a diversion, he knew Dumbledore would not return anytime soon.

Voldemort chose to keep Dumbledore occupied, and Dumbledore, in turn, wanted to keep Voldemort tied up, allowing Felix to steer events in the direction they desired.

Eliminating Voldemort's supporters was a secondary concern. The real challenge was convincing Voldemort that his two Horcruxes were intact and in Dumbledore's possession, and that Dumbledore was on the brink of death...

Once Voldemort accepted this 'setup,' his options would be severely limited, with the Horcruxes serving as bait.

Felix and Dumbledore preferred to take the initiative. They couldn't afford to wait passively for opportunities, spending the next ten or twenty years on constant vigilance against Voldemort's schemes. At least, Felix was not willing to do so.

...

"Is that the battlefield between the Dark Lord and Dumbledore?" Umbridge asked, her face pale with shock. Their speed unconsciously slowed down.

"You should call him 'Master'!" Avery shouted.

Umbridge did not respond. She heard a faint, shrill noise, thinking she had misheard. A red light grazed her hair, and she gasped, leaning low over her Broom and looking back.

It was Potter!

He was flying towards them on his Broom, with a few others following, but Potter was the fastest. His movements were incredibly agile, accelerating his Broom and firing spells. In a blink, Avery was hit by a Stunning Spell and fell off his Broom.

Umbridge was terrified. She frantically pointed her wand behind her, shouting, "Incarcerous! Incarcerous! Bind them quickly!" Then, gritting her teeth, she turned her Broom towards Hogsmeade, with only one thought in mind: to leave the Anti-Apparition zone and seek refuge with the Dark Lord.

She had already planned how she would report the situation. As for Dumbledore? No need to worry. As long as the Dark Lord wanted the locket and diadem, he would do everything to protect her.

Another Stunning Spell came at her, missing but jolting her out of her reverie.

The persistent Potter!

She was furious. Turning her head, she saw Harry was close, aiming his wand at her. A silver stag emerged from the tip of his wand. Umbridge paused, confused. Was Potter delirious, using a Patronus on her? What was he thinking?

She wasn't a Dementor.

Umbridge disregarded everything, desperately accelerating her Broomstick. Suddenly, a sharp pain surged through her head, as if she had been struck by a solid object. Her vision went dark, and she nearly fell off her Broom like Avery had. She touched the back of her head and found it covered in blood.

"Ow!"

Umbridge felt both resentment and shock. Could a Patronus actually hit someone? For a moment, she wondered if she had ever truly learned this spell. The silvery light reappeared above her, and she quickly steered her Broom to the side. The Patronus's hoof trampled her hand gripping the Broom handle, causing her to cry out in pain and nearly fall off.

After regaining control of her uncooperative Broom, the sound of the Patronus's hooves on the air echoed behind her. Umbridge turned back in despair, only to see the silver stag above her, its front hooves raised high. She knew it was over; she was just a moment away from being able to Apparate.

"Bang!"

The Patronus suddenly dissipated. Umbridge turned around in disbelief—Potter was not far away, his face full of surprise. Her eyes moved past Potter to see Snape riding a Broom, his wand raised with a menacing expression.

If one only looked at the result, it might seem like a mistake, with Snape's spell accidentally hitting Potter's Patronus and causing more harm than good.

But Umbridge knew Snape was a spy. Overwhelmed with joy, she flew the last stretch, soaring over Hogwarts' walls.

She could smell the taste of freedom and power. She didn't care who gave her the power, as long as she could hold a high position. She stared at the battlefield in the distance, preparing to Apparate.

She had never tried Apparating while flying at high speed, but she was confident. At least in this moment, her desire for power and her desire to be by the Dark Lord's side were one and the same.

"Horcrux, come to me", a young, calm voice said. The voice sounded familiar to Umbridge, but she couldn't immediately place it or understand what was being said. Horcrux? What was a Horcrux?

Then she felt a lightness in her pocket and watched in horror as the locket and diadem flew out, tracing almost identical arcs to land in the hands of a man who suddenly appeared outside the school's walls—

It was Felix Hep!

Umbridge didn't even have time to feel fear; instead, an absurd thought flashed through her mind: the diadem and locket were Horcruxes. In the next instant, she vanished, successfully Apparating away.

Felix quietly put the locket and diadem into his pocket. "Professor Hup?!" Harry circled the spot where Umbridge had disappeared on his Firebolt, but to no avail, finally landing in front of Felix.

"Harry", Felix nodded. "You did well, and you were very brave. Everyone was very brave."

"It's a shame Umbridge got away", Harry said, his expression filled with regret. Then, as if a thought struck him, he asked urgently, "So her target was really the Horcrux? You and Headmaster Dumbledore haven't destroyed it yet?" He added, somewhat reproachfully, "That's too dangerous. Luckily you arrived in time; if she had taken it—", he shuddered, unable to imagine the consequences.

More Brooms landed around them. As their feet touched the ground, Moody, Tonks, and Sirius surrounded Snape.

"What's going on?" Felix asked, feigning surprise.

Moody, Tonks, and Sirius didn't speak, only glancing at Snape. Snape coldly said, "It might have been my spell going off target, hitting Potter's Patronus instead of the enemy..."

"Are you saying it wasn't on purpose?" Sirius glared at him.

"So that's what happened", Felix said. The others were surprised by his casual tone and looked at him.

Harry also scrutinized the professor, his thoughts more complex than anyone else's. Snape had prevented him from entering the Headmaster's Office, allowing Umbridge to secure the Horcrux. If not for Professor Hup's timely appearance—how had he appeared so conveniently?

Harry remained silent. At least the Horcrux wasn't lost, and only Umbridge had escaped. He could accept this outcome. He recalled a possibility he had considered earlier: that Snape was a spy.

Felix explained, "Harry's Patronus is very special, even surpassing the typical Patronus. Severus knows little about Patronuses and might have thought his spell could pass through it... It was likely an accident."

Snape stood expressionless, not offering any further explanation.

After a moment, Moody gruffly said, "Let Dumbledore handle it. He's in Hogsmeade?" He was asking Felix.

"It's quite a commotion, isn't it?" Felix looked into the distance, estimating that the battle was ending—because of Umbridge. He had subtly set a trap for her, unsure if it would prove useful...

In Hogsmeade village, Voldemort and Dumbledore faced each other, a cloud of dust rolling toward them from their previous battlefield, where a mountain had collapsed. The dust was just the aftermath of the fight.

"Is that all you've got?" Voldemort roared. "It seems I've hit a nerve. Was that your brother? He looks like a neglected child, see his dirty clothes!"

Dumbledore waved his wand, and the spell's power completely transformed the terrain. Every stone, every tree, every blade of grass, and even the air itself seemed hostile to Voldemort. The attacks could come from any direction. Voldemort vanished from one spot and reappeared on the other side.

He raised the Elder Wand—there was a loud crack, and a short, plump woman materialized out of the air. Voldemort's eyes widened; it was Dolores Umbridge. How did she get here? She shouldn't be here, whether she succeeded or failed.

"Mysterious, oh—Master, save me!" Umbridge cried, her face radiating ecstatic relief. She had finally escaped from Felix Hep! But the response she received was a pair of crimson snake eyes. Umbridge's eyes became vacant and hollow, and the scenes of the past half-hour flashed before her:

"You were too careless! Someone is coming. I'll hold them off. Remember, the password is 'ruins.'" Snape hissed, his voice low. Disguised as Mafalda, Umbridge's eyes widened, and she froze in place. The giant beast blocking the path obediently jumped aside.

"Go, quickly!" Snape growled, pushing her into the spiral staircase.

She stumbled and fled, while Snape straightened his robes and walked in the opposite direction...

Another scene: in the Headmaster's Office, Umbridge opened a drawer—Voldemort's snake-like nostrils flared sharply. The drawer contained the Horcruxes he had long yearned for: the locket, the diadem, and even his former yew wand, along with the destroyed diary and Gaunt ring...

Next, Umbridge was being chased by a Phoenix, which sang a high, piercing song and sprinkled golden fire.

The scene shifted again. She was riding a broom, with Avery beside her. These two fools had managed to escape, but no, with Severus's help, they were truly clever. His undercover work could continue... The situation took a sudden turn for the worse when Avery was knocked off his broom, and a peculiar Patronus appeared...

It was Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, once again trying to thwart him.

Then Voldemort heard a voice say, "Horcrux, come to me." The diadem and locket flew out of Umbridge's pocket, and he felt a deep, powerless reach. But this was just a memory. His heart sank to its lowest point as the Horcruxes landed in Felix Hep's hands. Who else could take them from him? Even he couldn't manage it.

Voldemort realized that he had failed again, and his subsequent plans were now useless.

Without warning, he disappeared and reappeared at a distance, ignoring Umbridge's pleading gaze. He stared at Dumbledore and said through gritted teeth, "Give me the diadem and the locket. I know you have them, Dumbledore! I swear I'll leave Britain and never return."

Dumbledore shook his head slightly, "We both know that's an empty promise."

"You know what I'm capable of. You can't protect everyone!" Voldemort shouted madly, his red eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity. He was almost losing his mind, both from the loss and near-recovery of the Horcruxes and from the curse on Dumbledore—no, it wasn't a curse, but a death sentence from the two Horcruxes.

Dumbledore gazed at Voldemort and said softly, "You don't really think such threats will work, do you?"

"You're the Muggles' protector. If they die in large numbers because of you—"

"I know who the real murderer is. If anyone dies, it will undoubtedly be your doing, Tom. This will only strengthen my resolve to stop you", Dumbledore interrupted, staring at his right hand for a moment. "I've always believed that you were my responsibility. But my time may be running out, and I hope to buy time for those who come after me..."

"Do you want to duel to the death?" Voldemort caressed the Elder Wand, his tone laced with surprise. "Why would I grant you that wish? You're already dead!"

"Oh, I'm afraid you don't have a choice", Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Consider this: I left those two Horcruxes behind to preserve valuable relics for the school. I just hadn't figured out how to purify them, so I delayed... But now, I'm dying. I might have a year or two left, but why keep them at all?"

Voldemort's eyes seemed to burn with a predatory hunger as he stared at Dumbledore. The old man's deep blue eyes were calm like a vast, endless sea, unshaken by anything.

"Just the two of us?" he asked, calming down.

"Just the two of us", Dumbledore said calmly.

"A bet on the Horcruxes?"

"A bet on the Horcruxes."

"Hypocrite!" Voldemort sneered. "You want to die in agony, and I'm happy to oblige."

Dumbledore let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief. Suddenly, Voldemort raised his wand, his lips moved, and a green light flashed. Dumbledore deftly turned his wand, and a stone transformed into a shield in front of Umbridge.

The Killing Curse was deflected.

The spell had never been aimed at Dumbledore but at Umbridge. She screamed in belated realization, trembling and ashen-faced.

"You still meddle in others' affairs, Dumbledore", Voldemort said coldly.

"She will face the Wizengamot, but she won't die by your hand", Dumbledore said solemnly.

Voldemort laughed coldly and, before leaving, added, "That Felix Hep you chose as your Heir? He's even more ruthless than you. He wanted her dead, and now that you've saved her, he won't be pleased..." Then he vanished.

"Take some time to put your affairs in order!"

Dumbledore's gaze swept over the fallen Umbridge, and he sighed softly.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end