Inside the empty house.
Dawn stood alone in the very center.
The wounds on his palm and the corner of his eye had already healed completely in the flames, but scattered pools of blood and tiny fragments of flesh could still be seen across the floor.
After waking from the dream, Dawn had tried more than a dozen times in succession.
Every single time, Merlin appeared just in time and cast a spell, forcing Dawn to stop himself from turning the hourglass.
It was undoubtedly a terrible situation.
But from another perspective...
Could it also mean that returning to the past really was the best way to resolve his predicament?
Was that why the Grand Sorcerer kept interfering again and again?
Dawn gripped the cold hourglass and fell into thought.
What should he do?
Should he find someone to protect him and hold Merlin back while he used the Time-Turner?
Dawn narrowed his eyes.
The first person who came to mind was Dumbledore's aged face.
Of all the powerful wizards he knew, Dawn had interacted with the old Headmaster the most.
But...
Anyone could see that Dumbledore was not on the same side as him and was even openly hostile toward him. There was no way the old Headmaster would agree to such a request.
Unless Dawn forced him.
But at such a critical moment, having someone who was only protecting him because they had been coerced...
Dawn was not quite reckless enough to trust his life to that.
Dumbledore was crossed off the list.
Then Dawn remembered Grindelwald, imprisoned in Nurmengard Tower and practically reduced to a statue waiting for someone to come and visit him.
What if Dawn tied Dumbledore up, put him inside a gift box, and sent him over?
Would this former Dark Lord be willing to help?
Dawn thought there was a very good chance.
But after thinking it over and taking everything into consideration, he still shook his head and removed Grindelwald from his list of candidates.
The reason was simple.
A wizard needed firm convictions.
Grindelwald's ideals had collapsed. He had been betrayed by his lover, then spent so many years suffering alone inside a tower.
Dawn seriously doubted whether Grindelwald still possessed even half the strength he had possessed at his peak.
Then who else was there?
Dawn went through the famous wizards of the magical world one by one.
Newt, the master of magical creatures, came to mind, along with others like him.
But although such people were exceptional in particular fields, they were not famous for their strength. Against Merlin, they might simply lack the power necessary.
Dawn's brows furrowed more and more deeply.
Then he suddenly thought of that thin, frail old man with whom he had dealt so many times.
He could not help sighing.
"Nicolas Flamel..."
He narrowed his eyes as memories of his interactions with the alchemical master churned through his mind.
Clearly, he had once again remembered all the ways Nicolas had helped him.
"If Nicolas Flamel were still alive..."
Dawn murmured inwardly.
But suddenly, his expression changed.
He shook his head and threw away the strangely weak thought.
The person who was most reliable and who deserved his trust above all others was always himself.
Relying on others too much would only diminish his potential as a wizard.
Dawn firmly believed this.
He looked at the small golden hourglass and changed his line of thought.
Could he perhaps find a breakthrough by targeting Merlin himself?
For example, could he take advantage of how much Merlin cared about the Time-Turner, set a trap, and completely kill him in one move?
Dawn's pupils shifted as countless ideas intertwined in his mind.
But in the end, he could not come up with an effective plan.
It was true that revealing such obvious concern was equivalent to exposing a weakness.
But against a legendary wizard who could appear and disappear at any time, who might even be following Dawn constantly, and who knew him like the palm of his hand...
Targeting him was simply too difficult.
Dawn slowly paced around the room.
Chaotic thoughts raced through his mind, stirring up scene after scene from his memories.
Until, at a certain moment, he suddenly remembered what had happened last year.
His footsteps stopped.
Right!
The Death Arch!
Dawn's eyes lit up.
He remembered the icy sensation he had experienced when he entered it back then, a coldness that had never left him despite possessing the phoenix trait.
Merlin had survived all the way to the present day, but there were many methods of achieving longevity.
There was no guarantee that he was immune to the death contained within that arch.
Dawn rubbed his chin.
It was worth trying.
If Merlin really could not enter that place, then Dawn could simply use the Time-Turner inside the Death Chamber.
Still...
There was no need to rush.
Dawn had not yet prepared himself to return to the past.
Even if the arch really was effective, revealing it too early would only make it easier for Merlin to interfere.
Therefore...
It was best to wait for the right moment.
Dawn lowered his eyelids halfway.
The pupils hidden beneath them grew increasingly deep.
Time slowly passed.
The brilliant midday sunlight squeezed through the windows and curtains, leaving streaks of light across the floor and walls.
The shifting light finally snapped Dawn back to reality.
He rubbed his head.
The tangled thoughts receded like a tide, leaving behind only the damp traces of what had been.
Dawn stuffed the golden hourglass back into his wallet and stopped provoking Merlin.
He decided to return to the castle first and continue searching for Ravenclaw's legacy, so that he could uncover the secret behind the creation of the Sorting Hat.
Of course, the books in the Ravenclaw common room could be read anywhere.
But if the Fidelius Charm was useless against Merlin, and Dawn did not want to remain constantly vigilant against an attack while reading...
Then perhaps he could gamble on the Grand Sorcerer still possessing some semblance of conscience.
Would Merlin really dare attack him without restraint inside the library, where countless young witches and wizards gathered?
Hmm...
Perhaps this idea could also be applied when using the Time-Turner.
Dawn committed the sudden thought to memory, then cast the spell.
Pop!
He disappeared from the temporary hideout.
Incidentally, before leaving, Dawn had already collected the remnants of the first Time-Turner after it had been shattered, along with the strange grains of sand scattered around it.
They might prove useful for future research.
Pop!
His surroundings changed.
In the blink of an eye, Dawn arrived at Hogwarts.
He did not immediately head toward the library.
Instead, he went to the private space he had created and prepared to put all the remaining belongings inside into his wallet so he could carry them with him.
But...
The moment he reached the floor where his private space was located, Dawn saw an envelope quietly stuck to the wall nearby.
It had two words written on it.
"For Dawn."
Who had sent it?
Dumbledore?
Dawn raised an eyebrow.
Although he had never announced that he had created a private space here, there was no doubt that he could never keep something like this hidden from the old Headmaster's network of eyes and ears throughout the castle.
He reached out, pulled down the envelope, and opened it.
"Dear Mr. Ryan."
Dawn's brows immediately furrowed.
The opening address alone was enough to irritate him.
He endured it and continued reading, only to discover that the letter had actually been written by Fudge.
"Yesterday afternoon, the Department of Mysteries was infiltrated by an unknown individual.
The Death Arch leading to death was attacked and destroyed by the intruder.
Please do not worry, however. I have already suppressed the matter and contained all its effects."
Crack!
The parchment immediately crumpled in Dawn's hand.
The supposedly durable material even began developing tiny tears.
Dawn's expression suddenly hardened.
Then it became vicious and violent.
After several changes, it finally returned to calm.
"Merlin..."
"Ambrosius..."
He spoke the name expressionlessly.
He had only just listed the Death Arch as one of his backup options.
And now he was being told that the arch had been destroyed yesterday afternoon?
Anyone could see that this absolutely had something to do with the Grand Sorcerer.
And more importantly...
Merlin really did know Dawn extremely well.
The bastard must have been hiding somewhere in the shadows, watching who knew how many of Dawn's secrets.
Now that he was targeting him, his actions were terrifyingly fast and precise.
Dawn took a deep breath and forced down his discomfort.
He hated the feeling of having no privacy, of being watched constantly by someone.
But...
What the hell did Fudge mean by "please do not worry"?
Dawn frowned.
The phrase seemed completely nonsensical.
He read it twice more before finally understanding what the Minister for Magic meant.
That damned Fudge probably thought Dawn had done it.
Perhaps, in Fudge's mind, Dawn had destroyed the arch as an act of revenge because he had once been thrown through it.
"Idiot."
Dawn was already in a bad mood and cursed under his breath.
"Pop!"
The air exploded once again.
Dawn no longer cared about secrecy.
He Apparated directly to the Department of Mysteries, intending to see what the scene looked like for himself.
The sunlight vanished in an instant.
The ancient corridor disappeared.
In its place was a solid, heavy circular ceiling, a series of doors leading to different rooms, and the surrounding darkness.
Dawn was familiar with this place.
He glanced around once, immediately found the direction of the Death Chamber, pushed open the door, and strode inside.
A cold wind swept through the room.
The raised platform was still there.
But the enormous archway had disappeared.
Only large chunks of broken stone remained, along with several pieces of cloth that were no longer transparent but had turned gray-white, quietly piled upon the platform.
"Mr. Ryan, you've arrived..."
A flattering voice suddenly came from the darkness beside him.
Then came the sound of footsteps.
Tap, tap, tap.
Dawn turned his head and glanced over.
He had already noticed the Minister for Magic standing nearby, so he was not surprised.
"Fudge, did anyone see the attacker's true appearance?"
"Rest assured, absolutely no one did!"
The Minister for Magic immediately answered.
"I also warned every Ministry employee who discovered that the arch had been destroyed. They will all keep their mouths shut."
Fudge had anticipated that Dawn might come here.
He had waited here for quite some time and now bent forward earnestly, making his promise with complete sincerity.
But when Dawn heard this, he clicked his tongue impatiently.
"Fudge, this has absolutely nothing to do with me..."
He had intended to explain something.
But when he saw the expression on the old man's face, the unmistakable look of "Yes, yes, I understand," he immediately lost the desire to speak.
Forget it.
Why should he care what this idiot thought?
Dawn pushed past him.
He walked around the platform, picked up a piece of stone, and confirmed that it contained no special power.
After thinking for a moment, he cast a restoration spell on the remains.
At once.
The broken stones and scraps of cloth silently floated upward and gathered together.
In an instant, they reconstructed themselves into the towering archway.
But when Dawn looked inside, he discovered that the chilling sensation was gone.
He cautiously stepped through it.
He emerged directly from the other side.
Its connection to death had disappeared.
Dawn frowned.
"Fudge, bring me every piece of information in the Department of Mysteries related to this arch."
"Ah, I prepared them for you long ago, Mr. Ryan."
Fudge immediately pulled a stack of documents from his sleeve, smiled obsequiously, and handed them over with both hands.
His ability to read the situation and cater to his superiors had clearly improved considerably during this period.
Once Dawn accepted the documents, the Minister for Magic continued explaining in a quiet, helpful voice.
"Mr. Ryan, according to the records, once this arch is destroyed, it immediately appears again attached to another doorway somewhere within Britain.
And even if the original arch is restored, it will no longer have any connection with death."
Fudge recited information he had only recently reviewed.
"The records indicate that this stone archway is the third form it has taken since its rebirth.
Before this, it appeared as a wooden door in a private residence, a gate to a pigsty, and an arch bridge along the River Thames in London."
Hearing that, Dawn raised an eyebrow.
"Wait. An arch bridge?"
"Yes."
Fudge nodded with an ingratiating smile.
"According to the speculation of several Unspeakables, any object possessing a door or doorway structure could potentially become attached to death."
Dawn remained silent and continued reading through the documents.
Fudge hesitated before quietly adding, "Also... I've already mobilized all available Ministry personnel and sent them throughout the country to search for whatever it attaches itself to next."
He spoke carefully, occasionally glancing upward to check Dawn's expression.
He was worried that Dawn might be displeased with him for acting without permission.
But as Minister for Magic, Fudge also understood that if this arch caused a disturbance in the Muggle world, his position would truly become precarious.
Dawn nodded without emotion.
He did not particularly care.
Or rather, this happened to align with what he wanted.
If Merlin had destroyed the arch, that proved the man most likely could not enter it.
Dawn naturally could not let such an opportunity slip away.
The only problem was...
He glanced at the pitch-black surroundings. Merlin was very likely nearby, following him.
Dawn began wondering how he could avoid the Grand Sorcerer's attention.
"Fudge, once you find the arch, don't announce it. Immediately write its location down on paper and personally come to the castle to find me."
After thinking for a moment, Dawn gave the instruction.
He did not know whether it would actually work, but he could not think of a safer method.
The Minister for Magic found the order rather strange.
But he had long since grown accustomed to not asking unnecessary questions.
He simply nodded.
Dawn frowned as he finished reading the documents. There was no other useful information.
He casually folded them and slipped them into his sleeve.
Finally, he walked around the platform one more time. Seeing nothing else of interest, he was about to leave.
Then he suddenly stopped.
After thinking for a moment, he drew his wand and pointed it at Fudge.
°Crucio°
A vivid flash of light vanished in an instant.
Fudge suddenly heard the incantation of the Cruciatus Curse.
His body instinctively jolted.
He looked up.
But it was already too late to dodge.
"AAAGH!"
A miserable scream echoed through the chamber.
The agonizing pain surged through his body once again.
Fudge's face turned deathly pale as he collapsed to the ground, gritting his teeth and trembling violently.
Dawn snorted.
After venting some of the frustration in his chest, he felt considerably better.
"From now on, call me Richter. Ryan sounds absolutely terrible."
He looked down at Fudge's eyes, which were filled with disbelief, grievance, and resentment, and casually offered his explanation.
You absolute lunatic!
Fudge cursed furiously in his mind.
But he immediately lowered his head, hiding every trace of negativity from his eyes.
He did not dare let Dawn see any of it.
Only after hearing an explosive sound and seeing a fleeting flash of fire did he tentatively raise his head again.
FUCK!
This could not continue.
Otherwise, sooner or later, he was certain that lunatic would kill him.
Fudge's eyes bulged with terror at the thought of his future.
But when he saw the vivid red mark of the magical flame around his wrist, sorrow filled his heart once again.
After dealing with the matter in the Department of Mysteries, Dawn did not stay any longer.
He returned to the private space he had created within the castle, counted the remaining books and other belongings inside, and took everything with him.
Then...
He prepared to go to the library and continue deciphering the clues among the young witches and wizards.
But after descending only a few floors, an old man with a white beard suddenly appeared in front of him, completely ruining those plans.
Dawn's pupils contracted.
His wand was instantly clenched in his hand.
But after calming down, he realized that the figure before him was not Merlin.
It was Dumbledore, whose crooked nose had been bent even further out of shape.
"Headmaster, do you need something?"
Dawn helplessly relaxed his grip.
The old Headmaster stared at him, his brows tightly furrowed.
He seemed to be hesitating over something.
After a moment, he finally sighed.
"Child, although this is somewhat sudden, could you come with me for a moment? There is a patient... I would like to hear your opinion."
A patient?
Dawn raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He knew that Dumbledore was extremely wary of him treating illnesses.
And now the old Headmaster had actually come to him voluntarily?
Dawn found this rather intriguing.
After thinking for a moment, he did not refuse.
He gestured for Dumbledore to lead the way and followed behind him.
Besides that, Dawn also wanted to see whether he could use this opportunity to negotiate something with the old Headmaster.
Perhaps protection against Merlin?
With different thoughts running through their minds, the two descended the stairs one after another.
Before long, they reached the first floor and entered the hospital wing.
There were a lot of people inside.
It was not just Dumbledore.
All four Heads of House and Madam Pomfrey were gathered around a hospital bed as well, all of them wearing solemn expressions.
Harry and Hermione were there too.
What exactly had happened?
The corner of Dawn's eye twitched.
His curiosity grew.
Ignoring the complicated looks from the other professors, he shouted, "Move," and squeezed his way into the crowd.
When he saw the figure lying on the hospital bed, his eyes immediately narrowed.
"Ron Weasley?"
Dawn spoke in surprise.
He had never expected the patient the old Headmaster had called him to see would be this fellow.
But very quickly, he stopped caring about that minor detail.
All of his attention was drawn to Ron's current condition.
The red-haired boy's eyes were tightly shut.
A ghostly milky-white light surrounded his body.
From the knees downward, his legs were incredibly faint, almost as though the color had been washed away and was on the verge of disappearing completely.
Dawn narrowed his eyes and immediately began observing and recording Ron's special patterns.
Casually, he asked, "What's happened to him?"
"Last... last night, we secretly went into Professor Snape's office..."
Hermione's eyes were red, and her voice was choked with emotion as she quietly explained.
"He accidentally drank a bottle of gray-green potion, and then he became like this..."
Harry stood beside her, his face equally filled with worry and regret.
Dawn's mouth twitched.
How should he put it?
Sometimes, he genuinely felt that Ron was an impressive sort of idiot.
The boy had apparently been willing to drink an unidentified potion without hesitation.
He really was reckless.
But...
What kind of potion had such a peculiar effect?
Dawn turned his head and looked toward the Head of Slytherin, who stood nearby with his arms crossed and an extremely dark expression.
Feeling that gaze, Snape frowned in disgust.
He clearly did not want to answer.
But considering that someone needed treatment, he pinched the bridge of his nose and explained.
"Recently, I have been attempting to recreate the legendary Resurrection Stone and develop a potion capable of using longing to establish a connection with the thoughts, or perhaps the soul, of the dead.
And what this idiot drank was an experimental sample that had not yet been tested.
I had not even determined the proper brewing method. It was simply produced by accident."
Snape's expression was ugly as he spoke.
It was obvious that he deeply resented Ron for recklessly breaking into his office and damaging one of his precious experimental samples.
___________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/BloodAncestor