The days of hanging out at Hogwarts

Hermione and Nancy, who were present, endured the discomfort and stood by to observe the living Horcrux.

The fresh plant fragrance could not cover up the strong smell of blood. Their faces became paler and the acid in their stomachs was surging. They had to hold their breath to suppress the urge to vomit.

Several adult wizards gathered in front of the snake tree. Dumbledore retracted his hand covering Vincent Crabbe's face. The vigorous vitality of the snake tree immediately poured in, dispelling the magic of Transfiguration left on his face. The face that had been restored to its original appearance immediately degenerated and was covered with dense snake scales again.

The body kept its eyes closed throughout the whole process and seemed to have completely lost consciousness.

Dumbledore frowned slightly and said in a deep voice: "Voldemort has completely changed this body. The snake scales have completely replaced his skin."

Fontana and Snape remained silent and continued to observe this twisted black magic creation, but Fontana focused on the snake tree, and Snape was more concerned about Crabbe, who carried the soul fragment.

Loren lowered his eyes, and his strange eyes swept over the whole body. Crystal blue light and shadows floated, and the surging magic in the body was revealed in the field of vision.

Three beams of light of different colors flowed in it. The magic of the emerald snake tree was the strongest, and it continued to flow in from the umbilical cord of flesh and blood connected to the tree core, repairing the injuries of the body and maintaining the most basic physiological activities.

The second was the black magic entrenched in the chest. Obviously, that was where Voldemort's soul was entrenched. Like the center of the whole body, it transported magic to various parts of the body like a heart, and returned to the center after completing the cycle. It absorbed the life of the snake tree to strengthen itself, and at the same time slowly transformed this body.

Finally, the magic that was so weak that it was almost colorless seemed to belong to the original owner of this body, Vincent Crabbe.

But now it was like a candle that was about to burn out, dim and weak, constantly being eaten away by black magic, and could go out at any time.

"..."

Loren's eyes flickered, as if he remembered something. He reached out and touched the pendant on his chest, took out the strange soul stone, and looked at the body from a different perspective.

There was only a rich black color, without any other emotional fluctuations, proving that the original soul of the body had completely disappeared. Now the inside of the tree hole was just an empty shell that allowed Voldemort's soul fragments to reside.

Vincent Crabbe was gone, just like Peter Pettigrew.

Fontana's eyes swept over Crabbe and the umbilical cord, and the structure of the entire snake tree unconsciously emerged in his mind. There were living creatures inside and magical wood outside. This twisted and strange structure made people feel inexplicably familiar... His expression gradually became serious.

"This is a wand."

Dumbledore spoke slowly, and after a long thought, his tone was a little complicated: "As a descendant of Slytherin, Voldemort regarded himself as the heir of Slytherin and was always keen on pursuing Slytherin's relics. He also did not let go of the snake tree. During the time he was hiding in Ilvermorny, he must have tried to reawaken the snakewood wand, but he found that the core of the original wand had turned into part of the snake tree, and the original snakewood wand could no longer be awakened."

Others stared at this strange body, and the old headmaster's steady voice sounded in their ears:

"So he planned to make a new core, a special and powerful core that could match the core of this snake tree."

...

The mountains dyed red by the setting sun, the brilliant sunset seemed to ignite the mountains and forests, and the outer walls of the castle and the spire of the tower were coated with a layer of red light.

Loren leaned against the railing of the corridor and put the last orange peel into his mouth. He only had a handful of orange peel left in his hand. He rolled it up and threw it at the bushes next to him.

He aimed several times, but he didn't make a move.

When visiting someone else's school, you should pay attention to etiquette when you go out.

If it were in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, this kind of organic fruit peel is not some difficult-to-degrade plastic garbage. Throwing it under the tree will feed slugs and ants. It will be decomposed into plant nutrients in a few days, which is green and environmentally friendly.

Loren took a few steps and threw the orange peel into the trash can at the corner of the corridor. When he returned to the original place and looked to the side, Hermione and the two graduates of Ilvermorny were still sitting on the steps. The oranges in their hands were intact. The three of them were distracted and obviously still thinking about the snake tree.

After cutting open the snake tree in the morning and finding the living Horcrux, several professors did not deal with it immediately. Instead, they dismissed the students and the three stayed in the woods alone to study. He didn't show up for lunch, and it's been almost a day now, and there's still no result.

It's not like we haven't destroyed Horcruxes before, so we have experience in dealing with them. Sword, snake fang and Fiendfyre are all three. Can Ron handle them?

What's so good about this?

Of course, it's to find a way to save Vincent Crabbe and remove Voldemort's soul fragments without damaging his body. Apart from that, Loren couldn't think of any other reason.

He didn't really want to get involved in such trouble.

It had nothing to do with hating Vincent Crabbe, but simply because the soul in that body was no longer there, and to some extent he was dead. Unless Professor Snape held a resurrection ceremony, Loren couldn't think of any other way.

Looking at the sunset that was getting darker and darker, dinner time was approaching. When Loren was hesitating whether to peel another orange, steady footsteps sounded next to him.

The four young wizards who were thinking hard heard the sound, raised their heads quickly, turned their heads and looked at the white-bearded professor walking to the side, with the same curiosity in their eyes.

Dumbledore watched from afar, the fatigue on his face slightly relieved, and a smile appeared in the corners of his eyes:

"The most enviable thing about Ilvermorny is that the school is located in the mountains, and the sunrise and sunset are beautiful."

"Principal Dumbledore, have you come up with any ideas?" Nancy asked.

Hermione was also curious, not because she was kind-hearted. She thought Vincent Crabbe should be punished, but the crime he committed was not enough to be sentenced to death.

"Unfortunately, we didn't."

"In that case..." Nancy looked dazed and didn't finish the rest of the words.

"Many wizards sacrificed themselves under the wands of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. In order to completely eliminate Voldemort and to repair the snake tree, we have expected to pay a corresponding price." Dumbledore's tone was a bit complicated. After a pause, he continued, "But I ask Gilbert to wait for two more days, because the one who bears this price is Vincent Crabbe and his relatives."

Pickley and Nancy seemed to understand.

Hermione showed a thoughtful expression. Loren looked up at the principal, only to see the old man nodded slightly at him.

…

In a single-family house in Brooklyn, New York, Lucius handed a Gringotts key to Rodolphus: "This underground vault of Gringotts in New York was bought from someone else. It contains thousands of gold Galleons and some house deeds. They are all wizard residences. It should be used as a base for the next transfer."

Suspected to be the secret keeper of the Fidelius Charm and the current second-in-command of the Death Eaters, Rodolphus took the key: "Very good, Lucius, the Dark Lord will remember your contribution."

Watching him turn and leave, Lucius took a long breath, pressed his chest and rubbed it slightly, feeling that the depression accumulated by taking out a large sum of wealth again was slightly relieved.

In the water tank next to the cabinet, the ornamental goldfish was floating quietly, but its eyes were bulging out from its belly. The clear water that had not been changed for two weeks was a little turbid, mixed with whiskey and wine, which was also the cause of the goldfish's death. Other Death Eaters could only destroy it, and could not take out Galleons to support daily expenses in this strange country.

"I hope that old Goyle and his friends will drink less and not have any other expenses."

Lucius sat silently on the sofa. Only he knew that the whispers he was mumbling now were not his real thoughts.

That thought could not be spoken out, and could not be heard by anyone. If something unexpected happened, he would become a goldfish with its belly turned upside down in the water tank.

As if sensing the betrayal thoughts in his heart, at the moment when these thoughts flashed through his mind, a slight burning and slight tingling feeling emerged on the inside of his arm, where the Dark Mark was branded.

Lucius broke out in a cold sweat on his back, suspecting that Voldemort's dark magic had improved again and could even spy on his thoughts.

Rodolphus, who had just gotten the vault key and walked out, also felt the burning pain. He immediately turned back, opened the door, and saw Lucius sitting stiffly on the sofa. He couldn't help but wonder: "The Dark Lord has called, why are you still sitting here?"

"It's the Dark Mark calling for a gathering."

Lucius breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that he was scaring himself. He got up and walked to the next room with Rodolphus: "Calling all Death Eaters to gather, has anyone collected any important information?"

"We'll know later."

The call of the Dark Mark was getting stronger and stronger. Before the burning pain became unbearable, Lucius and others had arrived at the gathering room.

The spacious room was decorated in the style of a Muggle, with tiles fitting tightly together and painted walls that were particularly white. In the middle of the room was a long square table with neatly arranged chairs on both sides, clean and simple.

Those familiar faces were already waiting here, Rookwood, Rabastan, old Goyle, old Crabbe, old Nott... All the Death Eaters sat down one by one, looking down at the table in silence.

No one looked up at the figure sitting in the main seat, only Lucius couldn't help but glanced there subconsciously when he entered the door.

Wearing a loose black cloth robe, the pale snake face seemed to have more scales, but those were not scales, but mottled marks on the skin, scars left after being burned, and new pink tender flesh, making the face even more terrifying.

"Lucius, Rodolphus, my most loyal family, sit next to me..."

The hoarse and mocking voice was a little changed because of the high tone, like a python hissing when exhaling hard, which made people shudder.

The two nodded in response and sat down next to the main seat obediently. Many thoughts flashed through Lucius' mind. He lowered his head and eyes skillfully to cover all his gazes and expressions.

This was originally the place where Snape and Bellatrix lived, but they are not here now, which makes people miss them.

"It's so happy that we can still get together here." Voldemort said calmly, "I know that after what you experienced that night, I believe there is still a more powerful magic, enough to defeat me and protect you, in the hands of Albus Dumbledore who protects mudbloods and half-bloods.

"Those hypocritical enemies did hinder my progress for a short time, relying on conspiracy, deception, and power that does not belong to them.

"I know that many people are ready to move, just like sixteen years ago, you think I am no longer capable, and try to return to my enemies again, saying that you are innocent, forced, and under the Imperius Curse...

"But I must remind you again that I have found a way to avoid death, and I have gone further on this road than anyone else. "

The room was silent. Voldemort's eyes wandered over their faces. That extremely oppressive gaze seemed to be able to penetrate their minds and peek into their deepest thoughts.

Some Death Eaters were shaking constantly, and fear was almost written on their faces. They couldn't help but bury their heads even lower. Some Death Eaters had already lowered their heads before their eyes met, and their expressions could not be seen clearly.

Voldemort looked at a Death Eater who had lowered his head in advance: "Rookwood, I asked you to explore the intelligence. Did you collect any useful information?"

Rookwood trembled slightly, and his throat tightened.

As a senior Death Eater, he knew very well that if he could not come up with intelligence that satisfied Voldemort at this time, it would be used to warn other Death Eaters.

"Master, I bribed a staff member of the Magic Congress, who is from the Law Enforcement Department, and got the internal structural drawings of the Woolworth Building."

"..."

Voldemort did not speak, and tapped the table lightly with his slender fingers. The slight sound echoed in the quiet room. The sound seemed to knock on his heart. Rookwood's breathing began to quicken and his voice began to tremble.

"An editor of the New York Ghost has been under my Imperius Curse. His sources can help us."

"..."

Large beads of sweat appeared on Rookwood's forehead: "Also, next week I can meet with the staff of the Treasure and Crucible Management Department, which is now the Finance Department. Perhaps we can intervene in the election of the next President of the Magic Congress to control the wizard government here and prepare for a counterattack."

"I am very happy, Rookwood. It seems that you are still my loyal servant."

Voldemort stood up and slowly approached, putting his hand on his shoulder: "I also have a piece of information to tell you, a surprising news."

Rookwood breathed a sigh of relief, but his body and expression were full of gestures, showing fear and respect.

Voldemort was very satisfied with his reaction and walked slowly around the table: "I have a friend who works in the Ministry of Magic's Transportation Department. Just a few hours ago, she asked someone to send me a letter to tell me that an acquaintance has completed the entry and exit procedures and is about to leave for New York. He is an old friend of ours. I think we should hold a welcome ceremony for him. What do you think?"

"Who?" Rodolphus asked tentatively.

Voldemort's voice suddenly turned cold: "Harry Potter!"