...... Back under the starry sky, Harry had never felt so happy.

The waters of the Atlantic Ocean were frighteningly cold, but Harry still held on to holding Dumbledore firmly under his armpit.

It had been a failed trip, Harry thought as he swam towards the nearest reef.

Thankfully, the waters were calm enough, perhaps because in the middle of the reef, visible to the naked eye, Harry had easily found a place to stay.

Harry helped Dundedo to the nearest rock and walked up himself.

He braced Dumbledore's cold, wet and shivering body, trying to concentrate on their destination: Hogsmeade. Harry closed his eyes and gripped Dumbledore's arm tightly, and then he felt an uncomfortable depression.

With Dumbledore's apparition, which Harry had never expected before, it made Harry regret a little, regretting not letting Fawkes come along.

However, according to Dumbledore, there were some minor problems with him, and now Fawkes, although he is not leaving, is not willing to get close to him.

This made Harry a little confused, abandoned by the Phoenix?

It may not be appropriate, but Harry had seen all of Fawkes' farming tools, and Van Lin had even gotten a piece of brown wood.

In Oriental parlance, this is the sycamore, and the phoenix dwells on it.

This made Neville and Seamus excited for a while.

But now it seems that Dumbledore's problem is really big.

Originally, they had come to see Voldemort's masterpiece, the destroyed Azkaban.

In fact, Harry did see that the majestic Azkaban had almost been razed to the ground.

This was important, at least until now, Dumbledore had officially corrected Harry's usual impression of Voldemort.

As the chosen one, more or less, Harry always had some small advantage in the constant confrontation with Voldemort.

Voldemort may be invincible to others, but to Harry, it's just a barely equal opponent.

Harry couldn't help but be a little unconcerned, to be exact, he had defeated Voldemort many times, hadn't he?

Disrupting Voldemort's plans is undoubtedly a fact of another sense.

But so far, Harry seems to have only sabotaged Voldemort's inconsequential plans, as his father Jaime had done.

But it didn't help.

Even with the twin wands, Harry was nowhere near the point where he could compete head-on with Voldemort, especially with the addition of new powers, the balance would be shattered in an instant, even if his father's soul was ......

Harry thought, with the distortion of the surrounding space, Harry couldn't help but want to throw Dumbledore out, but Harry grabbed Dumbledore's arm, and for a moment, Harry felt that his fingers were about to freeze, and Dumbledore's body was too cold.

Before Harry could open his eyes, Harry knew that the phantom shift had worked: the smell of the salty sea breeze was gone.

He and Dumbledore, dripping with water, appeared in the middle of Hogsmeade's dark path.

It was a terrible time, and as soon as he closed his eyes, Harry could almost see the bleak green light destroying Azkaban, the roaring skulls in the sky, and a large serpent.

Suddenly, Harry came to his senses, and he blinked, but saw nothing, except for the shining streetlights and some lit windows lining the streets.

"We're back, Professor!" Harry whispered with difficulty, and he suddenly felt a pinprick in his heart.

Dumbledore's body suddenly lost control, and he almost died in the ocean......

Dumbledore staggered to his feet. For a moment, Harry thought that his unskilled illusion transfer had accidentally left Dumbledore behind, and he looked at Dumbledore's face, which was even more pale in the light of the streetlights.

"Professor, are you okay?"

"It's much better," said Dundelido weakly, the corners of his mouth twitching, "at least for now, I still have a little strength, and the sea really doesn't taste very good." ”

Then, what frightened Harry the most was that after saying this, Dumbledore fell to the ground, and visible to the naked eye, a flash of blue light spread quickly on Dumbledore's skin like a worm......

"Professor...... You ......" Harry looked at Dumbledore in surprise.

"Oh, it's okay......" Dumbledore frowned, and in less than two seconds, Dumbledore's body was back to normal, but his face was pale......

"Professor...... It's okay, Professor, you'll be fine, don't worry......" Harry looked around desperately, trying to ask for help, but didn't see anyone.

All he could think of was to take Dumbledore to the school hospital as soon as possible, no matter what.

"We have to go to the hospital as soon as possible,...... Madam Pomfrey......"

"No," said Dumbledore, "I need to see Professor Snape...... But I want to ...... I can't walk fast right now......"

"Alright...... Listen, Professor...... I'm going to knock on the door now and find a house where you can stay...... Then I'll go to Pomfrey......"

"Severus," said Dumbledore, with great firmness, "I need Severus......"

"Well, Snape...... Harry said with some reluctance, "but I'm going to leave you for a while so I can ......"

But before Harry could walk away, he heard someone running in: someone saw them, someone knew they needed help.

Harry turned around and saw Lady Rosmerta, dressed in high-heeled plush slippers and a dragon-skin coat, hurrying towards them.

"I was pulling the curtains when I saw your apparitions appear here! Thank God, I don't know what to do...... What's wrong with Albus?" She paused, gasping for breath and looking at Dumbledore with wide eyes.

"He's hurt," Harry said, strangely, but in fact, how and why Dumbledore was hurt, Harry didn't know at all.

Dumbledore didn't have any scars on his body, and his current embarrassment was only soaked in the icy Atlantic Ocean for a while.

"Ms. Rosmerta, I'm going to the school now to get someone to help, can you send the principal three brooms?"

"You can't go there alone now! Don't you realize... You don't see ......?"

"If you can help me take care of him here," Harry continued, not seeming to hear her, "I think you could send him to ......"

"What's going on?" Dumbledore asked.

"Rosmerta, what's going on?"

"Yes...... Mark of the Dark Devil, Albus. Miss Rosmertha pointed to the sky, which was the direction of Hogwarts.

Suddenly, the fear in her words scared Harry...... He turned his head to look in the direction that Miss Rosmerta was pointing...... Right there, floating above Hogwarts.

It turned out that what he saw before was not an illusion, it was real, there was really a dark mark in the sky above Hogwarts, but he was too serious, and all his attention was on Dumbledore.

The skull glowing with a dazzling green glow had a viper in its mouth, and the Death Eaters marked any building with the Dark Mark before entering it... Wherever they appear, people are murdered......

"When did it appear?" Dumbledore asked, grappling so tightly on Harry's shoulders that he struggled to get to his feet, so much so that Harry's shoulders began to ache.

"It must have been a few minutes ago, it wasn't there when I let the cat out, but it was ...... when I went upstairs"

"We must go back to the castle at once," said Dumbledore. "Rosmerta," he commanded Ms. Rosmerta, though he was still a little shaky as he stood, "we need broomsticks......

"There are two in the back of the bar," she said, looking very scared, "and I'm going to run over and get ......"

"No, Harry can. Harry immediately raised his wand. "Rosmerta's broomstick is flying!"

A second later, there was a loud bang, and the front door of the bar was slammed open, and two broomsticks were already flying down the street, stopping on either side of Harry, floating slightly, hanging waist-high.

"Rosmerta, please send a message to the Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore said as he mounted the nearest broomstick, "and no one must have known about the Hogwarts accident yet...... Harry, put on your cloak of invisibility. ”

Harry obediently rode his broomstick, took the cloak out of his pocket, put it on, and disappeared into thin air. Ms. Rosmerta stumbled back to her bar. At this time, Harry and Dumbledore flew from the ground into the air on broomsticks.

They sped towards the castle, Harry glanced at Dumbledore beside him, ready to catch him if he fell, but the Dark Mark spurred Dumbledore like a stimulant.

Harry had never seen Dumbledore so serious, Dumbledore hunched over his broomstick, his eyes fixed on the Dark Mark and his long silver-white hair fluttering behind him, flying in the night sky.

Harry looked at the skull mark in front of him, and the feeling of fear was as if a poisonous gas was spreading through his body, from his brain through his lungs, to all parts of his body......

How long had they been gone? Did Vanlin, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all be lucky to escape now? Did they have a gold coin mark to summon the rest of the school?

Or are they members of Neville, Luna, and if so...... I've told them to keep an eye out in the hallway, and told them not to stay in bed and evacuate to a safe place...... If any friend died, he should be held responsible, shouldn't he?

They were flying in the darkness, below the winding alleys they had walked before, and Harry could only hear the sound of the night air blowing in his ears, and the sound of Dumbledore muttering strange spells.

He felt like he suddenly understood why his broomstick shook for a moment as they flew across the edge of the playground: Dumbledore was casting a spell to lift the castle's protective charm so they could fly straight into it.

The Dark Mark was flashing in the sky above the highest point of the Astrological Tower, the castle, did that mean that death had already taken place there? Dumbledore had passed by the tower and dropped his broom; Harry landed next to him a few seconds later and looked around, the tower was empty.

The door of the spiral staircase leading to the castle was locked.

Surprisingly, there were no signs of struggle and no dead bodies.

So, what does this mean?

Harry looked at the tongue above their heads that shone with an evil light, the green skull of a giant serpent.

Perhaps, there are no Death Eaters, the Dark Devil mark......

"Is this a real Dark Mark Mark? Is there anyone who has already !Professor?" Harry saw Dumbledore grasp the clothes on his chest with a slightly trembling hand in the faint green light of the mark.

"Go wake up Severus," Dumbledore said weakly but clearly. "Tell him what happened and bring him to me. Don't do anything else along the way, don't talk to anyone, don't take off your invisibility robes. I'm waiting for you here. ”

"But......" Harry said worriedly, Dumbledore's state of mind made him very uneasy, and Harry wondered if Dumbledore had a wand......

Such a frail Dumbledore, he was like a real old man at the moment.

"You swore obedience to me, Harry...... Go quickly!"

Without saying anything, Harry hurried to the door that led to the spiral staircase, but as soon as his hand touched the iron knocker, he heard running footsteps from the opposite side. He looked back at Dumbledore, who motioned for him to get out of there.

Harry took a few steps back and drew his wand.

Suddenly, the door was slammed open, and a man rushed over and shouted, "Get rid of your weapons!"

Suddenly, Harry's body became stiff and unable to move, and he felt himself fall backwards, leaning against the wall of the tower, like an unsteady statue, unable to move or speak.

Harry didn't understand why...... Isn't it a spell that immobilizes people except for your weapons...... And at that moment, in the light of the Dark Mark, he saw Dumbledore's wand arc in the air and fly to the bottom of the rampart, and he understood...... Dumbledore immobilized Harry with a silent spell, which deprived him of the opportunity to protect himself.

Dumbledore stood against the rampart, his face pale, but he showed no signs of panic or nervousness.

Dumbledore simply looked at the man who had disarmed him and said, "Good evening, Draco." ”

Malfoy stepped forward, scanning the surroundings to see if it was just him and Dumbledore.

His eyes were on the second broomstick.

"Who else is here?"

Suddenly, Fan Lin, who was following behind, felt a tightening heart.

Don't think about it, it must be Harry, it looks like Dumbledore has already asked Harry to hide in advance with the invisibility cloak.

Speaking of which, it's kind of weird now.

Dumbledore looked like he was about to die on the side, while Van Lin and Harry were hiding on one side, hiding their bodies with invisibility cloaks, and on the other side, threatening Dumbledore,

"That's the question I should ask you. Are you acting alone?" Dumbledore looked like he was in a teaching class.

This made Malfoy a little reserved.

After all, Dumbledore could have taught Voldemort a lesson in such a tone.

"No," Malfoy said nervously, "I have backup." There are a lot of Death Eaters in your school tonight. ”

"Oh, oh," Dumbledore said, as if Malfoy had just flaunted to him an ambitious homework plan.

"Good. You've found a way to get them in, haven't you?"

"Well," Malfoy replied, gasping, "right under your nose, and you don't even realize it!"

"Clever," said Dumbledore, "let me imagine that you were lucky not to be discovered by Van Lin, but at first I thought it would be inside the Chamber of Secrets...... But it's not very important now, is it...... Forgive me...... Where are they now? You don't seem to have any support.

"They met your guards. They are now fighting below. They won't fight for long...... I came up first...... I have a task to complete. Malfoy said nervously.

"Oh, then, you must hurry to finish it, my dear child. Dumbledore said mildly.

Silence patronized them. Harry stood stiff with his invisible, paralyzed body, staring at the two of them.

He craned his ears to hear the sounds of Death Eaters fighting in the distance. In front of him, Draco Malfoy was just staring at Albus Dumbledore, who was, incredulously, smiling.

Van Lin had been thinking about whether to kill Malfoy here, or get him out, and maybe he could make some deal with Lucius anyway.

It's important, isn't it?

For a long time, Van Lin had never had access to Lucius, but he was a smart man.

"Draco, Draco, you're not a murderer. ”

"How do you know?" said Malfoy at once. He seemed to realize how childish the answer sounded. Harry saw Malfoy's face flush in the green light of the Dark Devil's mark.

"You don't know what I can do," Malfoy said more forcefully, "You don't know what I've done!"

"Oh, actually, I know. Dumbledore said softly, "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley." You've been trying to kill me for a year, but you're getting more and more desperate. Forgive me, Draco, but I have to say those are fragile attempts...... It's so vulnerable, and honestly, that I doubt you're really putting your mind to it......

"I've been working hard for a year, and tonight ......

Suddenly, everyone heard a low shout coming from somewhere at the bottom of the castle. Malfoy stiffened his gaze behind him.

"Someone played well. Dumbledore gushed, "But you just said ...... Yes, you managed to get the Death Eaters into school, and that, I have to admit, I thought was impossible...... How did you do that?"

But Malfoy didn't say anything: he listened to what was going on down there, and looked almost paralyzed like Harry.

This is fundamentally ......

Malfoy was resisting, and Malfoy had been reluctant to admit it, but his body kept telling him what to do.

Turn around and get out of here?

Vanlin thought, slowly moving towards Dumbledore.

"No, don't come......" Suddenly Dumbledore swept to Van Lin's position, which made Van Lin a little surprised, however, Van Lin still honestly obeyed Dumbledore's arrangement, but when Van Lin wanted to ask something, Dumbledore took the lead in cutting off the link between the two.

"Maybe you'll have to continue this mission yourself," Dumbledore suggested, "What if your backup is killed by my guards?" Ah, you don't really need help...... I don't have a wand now...... I couldn't defend myself. ”

Malfoy just stared at him.

"I understand. Dumbledore said kindly, and Malfoy neither moved nor spoke.

"You're scared and don't dare to act before they come. ”

"I'm not afraid!" Malfoy growled, but he still didn't make any moves to hurt Dumbledore. "You're the one to be afraid of!"

"But...... I don't think you're going to kill me, Draco. Killing is not as simple as pure hypothetical...... So tell me, while we wait for your friend...... How did you get them in? Looks like you've been thinking about it for a long time to find a way. ”

Malfoy looked as if he was trying to suppress what he wanted to shout or roar. He swallowed, took a few deep breaths, and glared at Dumbledore as he pointed his wand at his heart. Then, as if he couldn't control himself, he said, "I repaired the broken vanishing cabinet that no one had used for a long time, the one that disappeared last year when Monty was stuffed in. ”

"Ahh Dumbledore's sigh was like a moan, and he closed his eyes for a moment. Very smart...... That's a couple, I guess?

"The other one is at the Boggin Bock Magic Shop. Malfoy said truthfully, "They made a passage between the pairs. Monty told me that he was stuck there when he was stuffed into this place at Hogwarts, but he could hear what was going on in the school and what was happening in the shop, as if a cabinet was going between two places, but he couldn't get anyone to hear him...... Eventually, he managed to apparition and get out there, even though he didn't pass the exam. Because of this, he was almost dying. Everyone thought it was a good story, but I was the only one who understood what was going on...... I'm the only one who knows that if I fix the broken cabinet, I'll find a way into Hogwarts. ”

"Very well," Dumbledore muttered, "so the Death Eaters can help you by reaching the school through the Vanishing Locker...... Very clever plan...... Well, as you said, right under my nose......"

"Yes," Malfoy said, as if he had strangely taken courage and comfort from Dumbledore's praise.

"Yes, that's right, but there was also a while, Dumbledore continued, isn't it, when you're not sure if you'll be able to fix the cupboard, you turn to some crude and unplanned method, like trying to give me a cursed necklace and getting it to someone else...... Poisoning the wine, even though I only have a very small chance of getting ......"

"Yes, you still don't realize who's behind this, do you?" Malfoy said with a sneer, Dumbledore's body slid down the wall a little, his legs obviously not able to support the weight of his entire body, and Harry struggled hopelessly, without making a sound, trying to break free from the spell that had trapped him.

"After I saw the facts, I understood," said Dumbledore, "and I was sure that the man was you." ”

"Then why didn't you stop me?" asked Malfoy.

"I tried, Draco. I command Professor Snape to keep an eye on you. ”

"He didn't listen to your orders, he promised my mother ......"

"Sure, that's what he told you, Draco, but ......"

"He's a two-faced, you stupid old man, he's not doing things for you, and you think he is!"

"We have to admit that we have differences on this matter, Draco. I trust Professor Snape......"

"Very well, you can't control the situation at all right now!" Malfoy sneered. "He helped me a lot...... He wants to win honor for himself...... Want to get involved in some action......

"What are you doing? Are you working on a necklace? That's stupid, it's capable of blowing everything away......

"But I didn't tell him what I was doing in the Room of Requirement, he won't wake up tomorrow morning, when it's all over, and he'll never be the Dark Lord's most valued person anymore, he doesn't have anything to compare to me, nothing!"

"Very satisfying," Mr. Dundedo said mildly. "Of course, we all like to appreciate what we do with our own efforts...... But in any case, you must have an accomplice...... Someone in Hogsmeade, that person who can hurt Katie is the ...... The ......" Dumbledore closed his eyes and nodded, as if he were asleep, "...... Of course...... Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Dementor Curse?"

"Did you know last?" said Malfoy, mockingly. There was another shouting downstairs, louder than the last one. Malfoy glanced back uneasily, then at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore continued, "So poor Rosmerta was forced to ambush in her own bathroom and give the necklace to any Hogwarts student who came in alone?, as for the poisoned mead...... Naturally, Rosmerta was able to poison it before giving it to Slughorn, believing it to be my Christmas present...... Yes, ingenious...... Very ingenious...... Of course, poor Filch wouldn't want to check a bottle that had been sold from Rosmerta's shop...... Tell me, how do you communicate with Rosmerta? I think we monitored all the ways we communicate inside and outside of the school. ”

"Magic coins," Malfoy said, as if he had been forced to speak, though his hand holding his wand shook violently. "I own one and she owns the other, I can pass on a message to her......"

"Is this the secret method of contact used by the group that called itself the Dumbledore Army last year?" Dumbledore asked. His voice sounded soft, and he seemed to be talkative, but Harry saw him sliding two feet down as he said those words.

It must be admitted that the Headmaster was very insidious, and if it wasn't for the preparation in advance, Van Lin would have thought that something was really wrong with Dumbledore.

However, he really didn't look very good, as if he had just been fished out of the water.

"Yes, I take inspiration from them," Malfoy said, smiling distortedly. "I was inspired by Granger the Mudblood, and thought of poisoning mead because I heard her in the library discussing Filch's inability to recognize potions......"

"Don't use that rude word in front of me," Dumbledore said.

Malfoy let out a shrill laugh. "Do you mind if I say 'mudbloods' when I'm going to kill you?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said, and Harry saw Dumbledore's feet slip forward a little more, but he still struggled to get up straight. "But if you're going to kill me, Draco, you've been friendly for a few minutes now. We're both here alone. I'm more helpless than you are, and you can easily deal with me, but you're still not moving......"

Malfoy's mouth twisted unconsciously, as if he had tasted something bitter.

"Now, about tonight," Dumbledore continued, "I have some confusion as to how these things came about...... You know I'm leaving school?, but, of course," he replied to his own question, "Rosmerta saw me leave, and I'm sure she informed you with magic coins......"

"Yes," Malfoy said. "Still, it's more Snape, he gave you the potion, that's ......"

"I did drink some potion...... And then I came back...... After some changes. Dumbledore muttered. "So you decided to design a trap for me?"

"We've decided to put the Dark Mark above the Astrological Tower and get you here as soon as possible to see who's been killed," Malfoy said. And it worked. ”

“...... yes, uh, no ......," Dundedo said. "But am I going to be killed, then, hasn't anyone been murdered yet?"

"Someone's death," Malfoy said, his voice seemingly raised an octave. "One of yours...... I don't know who it is, it's dark there...... I collapsed over the corpse...... I wanted to wait there for you to come back, but only someone from your Order of the Phoenix broke in......"

"Yes, they did," Dumbledore said. There was a loud bang and some screams below, louder than the previous two, and it sounded like the sound of people fighting on the spiral staircase that led to where Dumbledore, Malfoy, Harry, and Van Lin stood.

Harry's heart pounded violently in his invisible chest, but it didn't make a sound......

Someone died...... Malfoy walked over his corpse...... But who is he?

"There's no time, one way or another," Mr. Dundedo said. "So let's discuss your options, Draco. ”

"My choice!" exclaimed Malfoy. "I'm standing here with my wand in my hand...... I'm going to kill you!"

As if trying to find a little courage, Malfoy yelled loudly.

"My dear child, let us have no more pretenses. If you were going to kill me, you would kill me as soon as you disarmed me, and you would not stop to have this pleasant conversation with me about methods and means. ”

"No, it's just proof of your stupidity, Dumbledore!" Malfoy roared uncontrollably, "just like you're doing now, Snape betrayed you, you stupid old man, he called the Death Eaters, he took over the whole plan, including your injuries, and the magic went berserk......"

"I trust him, Draco!" Dumbledore looked at Malfoy calmly, his body was not falling, and Dumbledore had no intention of picking up his wand.

"So, having said that, I think, you're getting a little impatient, in fact, I'm getting a little tired today, so, come on, Draco!" Dumbledore said calmly, without any resistance.

Malfoy's hands trembled a little, and it was visible to the naked eye that a lot of sweat was pouring out of Malfoy's forehead in the originally cold weather.

There was a stalemate for about two minutes, but Malfoy still didn't have any intention of condensing his magic.

"I don't have any choice!" Malfoy said, suddenly as pale as Dumbledore. "I have to! He's going to kill me! He's going to kill our whole family!"