But as ARC dug deeper, it found something else—a corruption in the system.
"Harry… there is a fragment of hostile will hidden within the castle's magic. It is parasitic, older than the diary Horcrux. It is spreading."
"What is it?"
"A magical echo of Tom Riddle. A backup copy. He stored a part of his consciousness not just in objects, but in the very castle he called home."
Harry's blood ran cold. "A Horcrux inside Hogwarts?"
"Yes. Buried deep in the code of the Founders' enchantments. He is watching. Learning. Waiting."
And with that, the war changed.
This wasn't just about defeating Voldemort. It was about purging him from the very heart of Hogwarts itself.