https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-922-The-Blasted-Bridge-and-the-Biting-Cabbage/12938108/
Chapter 921: Battle at Hogwarts
Chapter 921: Battle at Hogwarts
When Fred and George found Kyle in the Entrance Hall, he was busy searching for the younger students.
Somehow, word had gotten out, and before the evacuation, rumors had spread among the students that Voldemort was coming to Hogwarts.
As a result, some students with a strong sense of justice immediately decided to stay and share the fate of Hogwarts.
They sneaked out of the evacuation line and hid in various corners of the school, while the professors were busy sending off most of the students and didn't have time to search for them individually.
The task of finding these students fell to Kyle, the most idle person in the entire school.
When Fred and George approached, three small, hunched figures were already trailing behind Kyle, their heads bowed.
"It's understandable for fifth and sixth-year students to want to stay, but what are you second-years doing here?" Kyle said with a dark expression, "You're not even as tall as the Death Eaters. What can you do if you stay..."
"We can poke them with our wands," a young voice whispered, "My wand is made of ironwood, and it's really hard."
"Ambitious," Kyle gave a thumbs up, "But you still can't stay."
"Why not!"
"Because I'm a professor, and I have the final say!" Kyle kicked them one by one, sending them to Professor Sinistra, who was waiting at the castle gate.
The Astronomy professor would then take them to Hogsmeade.
Although the Knight Bus had already left, Professor McGonagall had also prepared alternative means of transportation.
Older students would use the Disillusionment Charm and be taken away by the Hogsmeade shop owners, while younger students would ride on Cleansweep broomsticks.
The journey might not be as comfortable, but the Knight Bus wasn't much better either.
"Hey, Kyle!" Fred greeted him, but before he could say more, Kyle, with gleaming eyes, pulled him away.
Searching for people in Hogwarts... this was a job tailor-made for Fred and George, who knew all the hiding spots.
Indeed, with Fred and George's help, Kyle's efficiency increased severalfold, and he quickly found the remaining students in the castle.
Ginny was among them, also underage, and Fred and George had intended to let her go, but unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley happened to come along.
"You're not old enough!" Mrs. Weasley frowned at Ginny, "I don't allow it."
"Why can Ron stay then!" Ginny shouted in frustration.
"He's of age, but you're not, so you must go home!" Mrs. Weasley said, grabbing her arm.
Ginny struggled to free herself from her mother's grip.
"No, I'm a member of Dumbledore's Army..."
"...That's just a gang of kids!"
"It's a gang of kids preparing to face the Dark Lord," Fred tried to speak up for his sister, "Not many people have the courage to do that."
"Shut up, she's only sixteen!" Mrs. Weasley turned angrily, "She's too young, and how dare you two conspire behind my back!"
"Oh, it's not my fault," George quickly sold out Fred, buying himself a moment of peace.
Kyle didn't even glance at them, pushing past Mrs. Weasley without a second look.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Professor McGonagall was looking for me."
"I'll come with you!" George quickly caught up.
At this moment, every life saved was crucial.
Brotherhood? That didn't matter.
...
The two returned to the ground floor, and in the short time they were gone, it seemed like more people had arrived.
The enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall was dark and shimmering with faint stars. Many people with disheveled hair and travel cloaks sat at the four long tables.
They were all graduates who had rushed back upon hearing the news, some with anticipation and others with tension. But everyone who chose to return to Hogwarts at this time had made a significant decision.
Professor Sinistra was the busiest person in the room, constantly moving around.
"Kyle, what do we do next?" George asked eagerly, mainly wanting to find an excuse to leave the castle and avoid Fred's potential retaliation.
"We..."
"It seems I'm not too late," a voice interrupted Kyle.
Two beautiful witches stood side by side at the entrance to the Great Hall.
"Conna?" Kyle blinked, thinking he was mistaken, "How..."
"Is it strange to see me?" Conna and Fleur approached and asked.
"To be honest, a little," Kyle admitted.
He had anticipated this situation; Conna's personality made it impossible for her to stand idly by while Voldemort was on the move. She was bound to return.
However, this battle was almost an impromptu decision. Before this, everyone thought Voldemort was still searching for the Ravenclaw Crown, and no one expected him to target Hogwarts.
If it weren't for Fred and George spreading the news immediately, there might not have been many people here at this time.
However, Conna and Fleur were in France, and even if they received the news, it seemed like there wasn't enough time for them to return.
"We came back a while ago," Fleur said, "after Dumbledore's funeral."
"What?" Kyle was taken aback, "How come I didn't know?"
"Because you've been at Hogwarts all this time," Fleur explained.
"Conna thought that after Dumbledore's death, Britain wouldn't remain peaceful?"
"She was right. It hasn't been long since then, and the Dark Wizard is already making a move on Hogwarts."
Kyle looked at Conna.
However, she seemed a bit distracted, constantly looking around as if searching for someone.
"Kyle, have you seen Uncle Severus?"
"No," Kyle replied, "I've been busy evacuating students, and I haven't seen Professor Snape... He might have gone to Hogsmeade to use Apparition to send students away."
"Alright," Conna nodded, not doubting his words, and quickly joined the graduating students.
Meanwhile, Harry, who was still on the eighth floor, asked the same question.
"Snape? He was chased away!" Ron said with a delighted expression, "Professor McGonagall saw the Dark Mark on his arm, and he confessed to being a Death Eater. They fought, and in the end, he broke through the window and fled."
"Ha, I knew it! He's a Death Eater!" Harry exclaimed, "Looks like my decision was right."
"Absolutely," Ron smacked his lips, "You have no idea what Snape has been up to since becoming Headmaster. He wanted Death Eaters to teach us and even tried to lock all the students in the Common Room."
"Fortunately, Professor McGonagall discovered his identity in time," Hermione added.
"It's a pity he escaped," Harry sighed.
"There was no other way," Ron said, "Death Eaters are experts at escaping."
"That's true..."
"I know you're preparing to resist!"
Harry's voice was drowned out by another sound that echoed through the castle, a voice that was high-pitched, cold, and seemed to come from everywhere, as if every stone in the castle was speaking.
"Your efforts are futile. I don't want to kill you, and I don't want any wizard to shed blood."
Everyone fell silent.
In the Great Hall, some faces turned pale, and everyone was under immense pressure.
Despite their decision to resist Voldemort, the moment they heard his voice, fear instantly took over their minds.
"Hand over the Crown, and I will let all of you go unharmed... Hand over the Crown!"
Voldemort's voice became slightly hysterical towards the end, clearly losing patience.
Then...
"Buzz..."
Something seemed to vibrate, and the entire ceiling was illuminated.
The Mega Shielding Charm set up by the professors in advance had taken effect, blocking a speeding curse.
Kyle quickly left the Great Hall and went outside the castle.
Through the lit-up sky, Kyle saw that Death Eaters had surrounded Hogwarts, all wearing the same black cloaks like a massive dark cloud.
No wonder he arrived so late; it seemed like he had been summoned.
However, the professors seemed to have received the news in advance and were not overly surprised.
The first spell was ineffective, but it seemed to be a signal, and the next moment, thousands of spells rained down like a downpour.
Various colors of light flashed in the sky, and the surroundings of Hogwarts were as bright as day.
Professor McGonagall stood at the forefront, calmly formulating battle plans. She, Flitwick, and Sprout led their respective combat teams to three strategic high points: Ravenclaw Tower, Gryffindor Tower, and the Astronomy Tower.
These three locations offered a wide field of vision, making them more suitable for casting spells.
"Lupin, Arthur, take a group of people to the grounds... We also need people to guard the entrances to the school's passages. The Aurors checked them last time, and I suspect the Death Eaters know about them too."
"Sounds like our kind of job," George said with a smile, "I need to find Fred quickly. See you later, Kyle."
He turned and ran, and Fred happened to be coming down the stairs.
The two of them quickly gathered a few familiar Gryffindors and dispersed to various corners of the school.
Everyone had their tasks, except for Kyle... He was forgotten again.
But that was fine.
Kyle, acting nonchalantly, carried his flying broomstick and sat down to watch.
At that moment, a beetle suddenly landed on a stone in front of Kyle and transformed into a witch.
"What have you done!"
"Why are the Dark Lord and Death Eaters launching a large-scale attack on Hogwarts!"
Rita Skeeter was almost going crazy. She had come to find Kyle to fulfill his promise... that exclusive report he had agreed to.
She arrived safely, but now she couldn't return! The area around Hogwarts was almost entirely surrounded by Death Eaters, leaving no escape, not even for a beetle.
"This has nothing to do with me," Kyle shrugged, "As you can see, we're just defending ourselves."
"You..." Rita Skeeter suddenly remembered Kyle's previous words.
So, it was all true?
The Crown could really attract Voldemort... Otherwise, why would he have never appeared, but as soon as she used a special channel to publish the report about the Crown, he came straight to Hogwarts.
There was also another matter. When Kyle was at the pub, he didn't change his appearance, so she specifically attached a high-definition photo, which was also at Kyle's request, including the photo he provided.
Why was secrecy necessary the first time in Diagon Alley, but not now? There must be some connection she was unaware of.
Rita Skeeter stared at Kyle, seeking an explanation.
But Kyle merely spread his hands, obviously not intending to satisfy her curiosity.
In fact, the photo was a hint he had given to Voldemort, intending to let him know who had taken the Crown.
Kyle believed that his name still held some weight with Voldemort, as he had caused him no small amount of trouble and had been on Dumbledore's side.
With a Horcrux in his possession, Voldemort would undoubtedly be on edge, instinctively thinking of his other Horcruxes and seeking to ascertain their status.
Voldemort knew Dumbledore too well; he was certain that once Dumbledore uncovered the Horcrux secret, he would relentlessly pursue the truth until all of them were destroyed.
Under these circumstances, the exposed Ravenclaw Crown became less significant. He had to first confirm the status of the other Horcruxes.
After running a quick check and discovering that all the Horcruxes had been destroyed, he would naturally come looking for Kyle.
After all, each Horcrux represented a life... The diary, the crown, the cup, the pendant box, and the Resurrection Stone were all gone, which meant he had been 'killed' five times.
As for who did it... Voldemort's first thought would naturally be Dumbledore, but since Dumbledore was already dead, his hatred would naturally shift to Kyle.
Harry had been hated for killing him once, let alone Kyle, who had 'killed' him five times. Could Voldemort let this go?
If he could, he wouldn't be Voldemort. So, he came, driven by a desire for revenge... and a certain fantasy.
From his previous words, it wasn't hard to tell that he still hoped the piece of soul in the crown was unharmed.
But Voldemort didn't consider that the crown had become so new; how could it possibly still hold his filthy soul?
Kyle couldn't help but laugh out loud, which only made Rita Skeeter angrier.
"Isn't this perfect?" Kyle said with a smile, "The final battle against the Death Eaters, is there any news more explosive than this?"
"You're the only reporter here, don't you understand what this means?"
Kyle's voice was light and airy, as if imbued with a certain magic, causing Rita Skeeter's entire body to tremble.
The final battle against the Death Eaters...
Indeed, there was no news more explosive than this, not even if Dumbledore suddenly came back to life.
She was going to be rich!
Rita Skeeter's breathing quickened.
The wealth she sought wasn't in useless Galleons, but in the honor that would come from publishing this news. Regardless of who won or lost, her name would become a household name.
"Even if this is dangerous, it's worth it..." Rita Skeeter clenched her fists.
But soon, she calmed down, as there was still one crucial thing missing. Without it, everything she had just thought of would be in vain.
"Here, this is for you," Kyle took out a brand new camera and handed it over, "I bet you don't have one of these, right?"
"How did you know?" Rita Skeeter's heart raced.
Indeed, what she lacked was a camera. Without photos, her words would carry little weight, and people wouldn't believe her.
"Oh, how did you get this!" Rita Skeeter was amazed, her red-nailed hand tightly gripping the camera.
"This is my treasure, a French import, very precious," Kyle glanced at her and warned, "Be careful, don't you dare break it."
"Don't worry, it won't break!" Rita Skeeter assured him, secretly deciding that she would protect this camera at all costs, even if it meant becoming a human shield against curses.
"Also, I want half of the profits from this report," Kyle continued.
"Okay..." After a moment's thought, Rita Skeeter agreed, "But on one condition, we can split the profits, but my name must be listed first."
"That's not a problem," Kyle nodded.
He wanted Galleons, and this arrangement suited both him and Rita Skeeter.
Soon, Rita Skeeter transformed back into a beetle and disappeared into the darkness.
Kyle didn't ask where she was going or invite her to join Hogwarts to receive protection from the professors and the Order of the Phoenix.
Rita Skeeter was an expert at hiding herself.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Another dazzling display of 'fireworks' exploded overhead, signaling another wave of attacks from the Death Eaters.
This time, the Impregnable Charm that the professors had cast earlier couldn't hold, and it shattered under the onslaught of curses.
At Voldemort's command, the Death Eaters surged forward like a tidal wave.
Voldemort also moved, with a clear target in mind, heading straight for Kyle, who was sitting by the edge of the Black Lake.
He had seen Kyle earlier, and the latter's unmoving stance was a direct provocation to his nerves.
"Your opponent is me!"
At the crucial moment, an old wizard with a white beard stepped in front of Kyle.
"You finally came, Professor Dumbledore... wait, why are you here?"
"What's your problem?" Aberforth's expression darkened. He glared at Kyle, "Or do you want me to leave and let you deal with Voldemort yourself?"
"No, I was just joking."
Kyle said this, but he still scrutinized Aberforth up and down, searching for any signs of a Polyjuice Potion.
It was impossible. They had agreed beforehand that Aberforth would attract Voldemort's attention while Dumbledore handled the rest.
Why was there a sudden change of plans? Could Aberforth handle Voldemort?
"Stop looking, it's not a Polyjuice Potion, it's me," Aberforth waved his wand forcefully, and a red-glowing whip deflected Voldemort's Killing Curse.
The clean and swift move relieved Kyle.
"That bastard has other things to do, so he sent me to save your life."
"Other things..." Kyle was confused, "At this point, what could be more important than killing Voldemort?"
"How should I know?" Aberforth's expression was equally grim, "I asked, but that bastard didn't tell me. He just said that... unless that matter is resolved, the Voldemort can never be truly eliminated."
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
