Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 115: Battle End
"Ron, have you found Harry?" asked Hermione anxiously.
Since afternoon Harry had gone missing, the two of them had been searching in the castle and even asked others but they didn't found him at all. It was already 5:30 p.m. almost night, yet there was still no sign of Harry anywhere.
"No… I asked around, but no one seems to know where he is," replied Ron, frowning.
"Should we report it to a professor?" Hermione asked, worry deepening in her voice.
It took Ron a few seconds to nod. Before either of them could move, they saw Professor McGonagall entering the Great Hall.
Hermione ran toward her. "Professor, Harry is missing!" she blurted out.
McGonagall blinked in surprise. "Please repeat that, Miss Granger."
"Since this afternoon, we haven't been able to find Harry," Hermione explained quickly. "He even skipped Potions class. We've searched everywhere and asked everyone, but we still can't find him."
Before McGonagall could respond, footsteps echoed through the hall. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott came running toward them.
"I heard you're looking for Harry?" Susan asked, a little breathless.
"Yes! Do you know where he is?" Hermione questioned urgently.
Susan shook her head, then turned to McGonagall. "Professor, Dudley is missing too. We couldn't find him anywhere. I think both of them might be doing something dangerous."
McGonagall's face tensed. "I'll inform Professor Dumbledore immediately. You all return to your dormitories and wait there."
She hurried toward Dumbledore office but before she reached the door, Snape suddenly appeared from the corridor, causing her to almost stumble.
"Careful," Snape said dryly.
"Severus, two of our students are missing," said McGonagall sharply.
"Who is missing?" Snape asked, his tone more annoyed than concerned.
"Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley. They've been gone since this afternoon," she replied.
Snape sneered. "Them again? I'm not surprised, that potter brat just skipped my potion class. Those two are nothing but troublemakers."
McGonagall glared at him, her patience wearing thin. Is he serious right now?
"I am serious, Severus," she said tightly. "They're missing, and we don't know whether they're in danger or not."
Snape raised his voice. "Trinky!" he called.
With a soft pop, a small Hogwarts house-elf appeared. "Yes, Professor Snape?"
"Find Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley," ordered Snape. "Ask the other house-elves for help."
"Yes, Professor!" Trinky replied before disappearing with another pop.
Snape smirked. "That should solve it easily enough," he said, brushing past McGonagall without another word.
McGonagall clenched her jaw, taking a moment to calm herself. Snape arrogance was insufferable.
But thirty minutes later, it was Snape turn to panic. Trinky reappeared, trembling.
"Professor Snape! All the Hogwarts elves searched everywhere, but we still cannot find Harry Potter or Dudley Dursley!"
Snape expression darkened. Without a word, he strode quickly to Dumbledore office, where several professors had already gathered.
"Severus," greeted Dumbledore calmly.
"Dumbledore, have you found any clue where they went?" Snape asked urgently.
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. The house-elves reported the same, they couldn't find either of them."
Suddenly, a bright, glowing Patronus in the shape of a bird burst into the room. Dudley's voice echoed from it, filled with panic.
"PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE! WE'RE BEING ATTACKED BY VOLDEMORT! COME HELP US AT BONES MANOR!"
The room fell silent. Every professor was too stunned to speak.
"They're outside the castle?" McGonagall exclaimed. "How did they leave Hogwarts unnoticed? No matter, we must help them at once!"
Dumbledore waved his wand, sending his own Patronus flying from the office to call for reinforcements. Then he turned to the others.
"Severus, you'll stay here and protect the students. The rest of you, come with me," he said.
The professors exchanged grim looks before following Dumbledore out of the office.
---Bones Manor---
"Do you know where Bones Manor is located?" asked Dumbledore, his voice calm but laced with urgency.
"Yes," replied a few voices.
"No," said others.
"Those who don't know, hold the hands of those who do," said Dumbledore. "We will side apparate there together."
Everyone did as instructed, but when they tried to apparate, the familiar pull of magic resisted them. They failed.
A wave of unease spread through the group. Dumbledore sharp eyes glinted as he realized what it meant.
"It appears they've placed Anti-Apparition Wards around the area," said Dumbledore grimly. "We need to apparate closer to that place, somewhere just outside the ward's boundary."
Even though he tried to maintain his composure, the tension in his voice made it clear that he was deeply concerned. The professors exchanged anxious glances. The great Albus Dumbledore rarely looked troubled but tonight, even he seemed on edge.
"Let's go to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement first," Dumbledore ordered firmly. "We need Madam Bones' address before it's too late."
The group nodded and followed. It took around ten minutes for them to secure the location near Bones Manor, but by then, panic had already begun to ripple through the Aurors ranks. Dumbledore himself had personally informed them that Madam Bones was in grave danger.
Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody were the first to respond to his patronus and gathered an auror to fight. After everything was ready, Dumbledore and them apparated near the which is 500 meter away from the manor. Though the wards made it prevented them to apparate closer, they could still heard the thunderous explosions from spellfire echoed through the night, guiding them toward where the battle just happen.
"Let's go!" said Dumbledore.
And though his beard was long and his age showed in his face, the Headmaster moved with the energy and stamina of a man half his years. His robes billowed behind him as he sprinted toward the flashes of green and red light, shocking even the Aurors who followed they had never seen Dumbledore move so fast.
The others followed in haste, but as they neared the area, the explosions abruptly stopped. The air fell eerily silent, the faint smell of smoke and scorched earth filling their lungs.
Then, suddenly, the Anti-Apparition Wards vanished, lifted.
Everyone froze. A chill swept through the group. The meaning was unmistakable. The battle had ended.
Professor McGonagall knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, her voice breaking.
"No… NOOO!" she cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Not my students!"
Professor Bathsheda Babbling rushed to her side, helping her up. "Don't give up, Minerva," she said, though her own voice trembled with fear. "We still have a chance, they might be alive."
McGonagall forced herself to stand, wiping her tears with a trembling hand. She walked toward the manor, her heart pounding wildly.
When they arrived, the sight before them made her stop in her tracks.
Harry lay motionless on the ground. Dudley stood beside him, dirt and soot covering his face, while Amelia Bones sat nearby, clutching her wand tightly.
"Professors, you're late," said Dudley with a tired grin, his voice rough but alive.
"Yeah," added Harry weakly from the ground, forcing a faint smile.
Dumbledore approached, his expression softening with relief and concern. "What happened here, my boy?" he asked quietly.
"Voldemort came," said Dudley.
Several people flinched at the name.
"But we managed to hold him off," Dudley continued. "Long enough, at least. When they heard the sound of Apparition, they ran."
Dumbledore looked at him in disbelief. His students, two children had faced the darkest wizard alive and lived to tell the tale and for once, even Albus Dumbledore had no words.
Author Notes: There is 30 advanced chapter on my patreon.
Chapter 143: Hunt The Last Horcrux
Chapter 144: Breaking Gringotts
Chapter 145: Pureblood Method
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