Disappeared?!
Amortus was dumbfounded. He gazed at the spot where the black witch had stood a moment ago, his expression one of shock and confusion.
Is it Apparition or Portkey?
A thought flashed through Amortus's mind, but it was quickly dismissed by him.
It is well-known that Hogwarts is protected by numerous powerful magic spells within its campus. The common ways wizards use portkeys or apparate are not feasible here. The magic core that powers the spells used to protect the school comes from the vast amount of magic accumulated over centuries in Hogwarts Castle. It's a force on another level, and even if the four heads of house were to be reborn, they might not be able to break through the defense system that was set up by themselves in the past.
But the reality is that the mysterious black witch, with a resentful glare at Amortus as the Disapparition spell took effect, unwillingly vanished into thin air.
Stunned, Amortus scanned the surroundings, hoping to find some clues, but the black witch had indeed left this place and was not simply hiding.
How is that possible? Although they were in the Forbidden Forest, they hadn't broken through the walls that Hogwarts had set up within the forest. Theoretically, they were still within the school grounds.
Amortus had no more interest in continuing to suppress the unextinguished flame. He stepped forward cautiously, approaching the spot where the black witch had stood moments ago.
The Disapparition spell had not come completely empty-handed. There was a pool of crimson blood on the ground, which appeared to be left behind by the black witch.
Not far away, the sound of disordered footsteps could be heard, indicating that the professors from the school had finally arrived. Amortus, fixating on the blood on the ground that had not yet completely seeped into the soil, wore an expression of unwillingness.
A powerful witch, who was secretly watching him from the shadows, was angry with him, and yet he knew nothing of her identity. This made Amortus feel a strong sense of dissatisfaction in his heart.
"You left a clue,"
Amortas muttered to himself, and before Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape arrived, he took out a small bottle, using it to draw the blood on the ground into it. Then, he cast an Ice Spell on the bottle.
"I will find you."
.............
Snape and McGonagall were not the first to arrive at the scene; Dumbledore arrived before them.
Suddenly, a brilliant scarlet light flashed in the air filled with the smell of heat and burnt aroma. Albus Dumbledore appeared mid-air with his phoenix's claws, appearing out of nowhere and landing smoothly on the ground, his agility and nimble movements making it hard to believe he was an elderly man over a hundred years old.
Upon landing, Dumbledore quickly surveyed his surroundings. As he saw the stunned Amortas standing amidst a patch of charred earth and the unconscious Gryffindor team members, as well as the Bill still hanging in mid-air, the blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles flashed with a gaze that could capture one's soul, radiating intense fury.
In the world that cannot be seen, in his rage, Dumbledore was like a black hole with immense gravity. Upon his appearance, the magical ocean was as if affected by the powerful tidal force of a full moon, surging and roaring as if its sound could be heard!
Dumbledore's first action was to put out the unextinguished flame left by Amortas. He simply waved his wand carelessly, and the pale flame as well as the golden flame summoned by Amortas disappeared completely.
"Hand over your wand, Mr. Blaine."
Dumbledore's tone was calm yet laced with an unyielding resolve that left no room for refusal.
Amortas did not want to hand over his wand. Everything that had happened tonight could be explained clearly, so he hesitated for a moment, but that brief hesitation almost caused him great trouble.
Tonight, Amortas finally witnessed the unknown side of Albus Dumbledore, who had always been friendly and kind to the students of any house.
At this moment, Dumbledore was the legendary figure who had faced and defeated the first Dark Lord, Grindelwald, the most powerful wizard of his time who had suppressed the second Dark Lord for nearly thirty years without allowing him to reign havoc, and the Head of the International Confederation of Wizardry, whose reputation could stand up against that of the Ministry of Magic alone.
For Dumbledore at that moment, not to comply with the order was equivalent to rebellion!
Without any feints or buildup, Dumbledore simply raised his wand and used a simple Disarm Spell.
But with the powerful and unmatched magic behind it, the spell's light slicing through the air instantly ionized to produce hundreds of thin filaments of lightning. Amortas could only feel his scalp tingling and his face paleening.
The silver-black magical vortex that had been able to easily fend off Charlie and the others' attacks was shattered in an instant by the impact of the Disarm spell's light!
However, this did not mean that Amortas would just stand by and be captured. He too had his pride.
In the blink of an eye, he waved his wand broadly, pulling from thin air a massive metal shield adorned with an intricately carved golden snake, shimmering with silver light, and placing it in the path of the spell.
Bang!
The deep reverberation was like a thunderous boom echoing across the land in the dead of winter, spreading instantly across thousands of rivers and mountains.
Amortas felt a myriad of stars flash before his eyes, and his legs gave way, causing him to stumble back several steps.
Dumbledore seemed to have not expected Amortas Blaine to block his spell, and for a moment, his blue eyes flickered with surprise. But, that was all it was—a brief moment of shock.
"Stop, Professor Dumbledore!"
Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape finally arrived, and when they saw the devastated, decaying Forbidden Forest in front of them, Professor McGonagall stumbled slightly and put her hands over her mouth in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Snape was more resilient than she was. He charged straight at Dumbledore, who was about to cast another spell, and loudly shouted to stop him.
"Wait a moment, Dumbledore! There must be a misunderstanding here!"
Severus Snape stepped forward boldly and rudely, grabbing Dumbledore's hand to stop him from continuing to attack.
Afterward, sweating profusely, Snape glanced around the area. Upon seeing Bill Weasley suspended upside-down by the Inverting Charm spell, his breathing grew more rapid.
"Clockwork is to the ground."
He released Bill, who promptly fell over, landing awkwardly and sliding to one side. Bill's face was comical with fear as he landed.
It wasn't until Professor McGonagall jumped over Snape and Dumbledore to comfort him softly for a long time that he came back to his senses and realized the current situation.
"Professor McGonagall, I saw it. Someone used a Killing Curse just now. I swear I saw it clearly!"
Bill's trembling words echoed like a gust of wind, leaving everything silent and still.
Gripping Dumbledore's hand, Snape could feel the wrinkled skin on his palm suddenly tighten as if trying to escape his grasp.
"Hand over your wand, Amortas!"
With his face tightening, Snape looked at Amortas Blaine standing alone, his tone firm beyond doubt,
"Believe me, Amortas, the misunderstanding can be cleared up...I believe you as well!"
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