Unlike the rough, crude tunnels outside, the stone corridors inside the Chamber of Secrets had been carefully polished. On both sides stood exquisitely carved yet eerie statues of the basilisk.Beneath the statues flowed narrow pools of water, like twin moats, quietly circulating.
The air was damp and cold—exactly the kind of environment snakes favored.
Chu Yang walked forward step by step. At the very center of the chamber stood a massive stone face. There was no doubt about its identity: the legendary Salazar Slytherin himself.
Behind that statue lay the basilisk's lair.
Just like the mechanism in the bathroom above, the statue's trigger required Parseltongue. Chu Yang therefore chose the same straightforward solution as before.
He formed hand seals.
Once again, Chu Yang used Earth Release.
Earth Release · Splitting Earth Turning Palm.
He slammed both palms onto the ground. The floor began collapsing section by section until Salazar Slytherin's statue shattered with a thunderous crash.
Behind the rubble, a pitch-black opening was revealed.
Hiss—hiss—hiss…
The sound of a massive serpent slithering and flicking its tongue reached Chu Yang's ears.
A colossal shape silently emerged from the opening.
The basilisk was enormous—its body alone was nearly two meters thick. It coiled upward, looming over Chu Yang from above.
Chu Yang kept his eyes closed, refusing to meet its gaze.
The basilisk's eyes were like Medusa's—direct eye contact meant death, and even indirect contact caused petrification.
A trace of humanlike mockery flashed deep within the basilisk's pupils as it slowly advanced toward him.
Though Chu Yang's eyes were shut, his Observation Haki was fully deployed. Every movement of the basilisk was crystal clear to him.
The corners of his mouth curled upward slightly.
Suddenly—
The ground bulged.
Thick green vines burst out of the earth, wrapping around the basilisk's massive body like iron chains, locking it firmly in place.
Enraged, the basilisk twisted violently, trying to break free. Its furious hissing echoed throughout the chamber.
Unfortunately…
Not only did the vines fail to snap, more and more of them grew, tightening relentlessly.
After struggling violently for a while, the basilisk opened its massive jaws and began spewing venom.
A pungent stench filled the air, dizzying and nauseating. Chu Yang retreated a few steps.
The venom slowly corroded the vines binding the basilisk.
Seeing this, Chu Yang smiled.
The reason he hadn't killed the basilisk immediately was precisely to force it to expel as much venom as possible.
Aside from destroying Horcruxes, basilisk venom had many other uses. Chu Yang wanted to collect a large quantity of it.
Before long, the basilisk realized something was wrong. No matter how many vines its venom dissolved, more instantly grew to replace them.
It stopped spitting venom and used its remaining strength to thrash wildly.
"Not stupid… but it's too late," Chu Yang muttered.
He increased his chakra output. The vines rapidly thickened into massive trees, crushing the basilisk against the ground. They continued to grow, engulfing its entire body and even bursting through the chamber's ceiling.
Chu Yang collected most of the venom the basilisk spat out before dying. The remainder flowed into the pools surrounding the chamber.
Uncertain whether the water system connected back to the school, Chu Yang chose to destroy the entire Chamber of Secrets.
The violent tremors even reached the Slytherin dormitories.
Professor Snape thought it was an earthquake and immediately ordered the students to evacuate to the courtyard.
Halfway through, the tremors stopped. The students stood in the corridors, staring at one another in confusion.
Snape frowned deeply.
Elsewhere, Chu Yang had already returned to the cabin. Not long after, Albus Dumbledore returned with Sirius Black, bringing the final Horcrux with them—the Slytherin locket.
"All the Horcruxes have been gathered," Dumbledore said with a relieved smile, the weight on his heart finally lifting.
"Headmaster, I found this in the Forbidden Forest. It might be effective against Horcruxes," Chu Yang said, handing over a vial of basilisk venom.
Dumbledore examined it carefully, then took out a silver instrument engraved with intricate runes and poured a drop of venom onto it.
The silver instantly melted.
Dumbledore's eyes lit up. "Such potent venom can indeed damage Horcruxes."
Once a Horcrux was damaged beyond repair, the soul fragment bound to it would be completely destroyed.
"So that means once Harry's issue is resolved, all of Voldemort's Horcruxes can be destroyed?" Sirius asked in disbelief.
"I feel like I'm dreaming as well," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "But I believe this, too, is part of destiny."
As he spoke, Chu Yang clearly felt Dumbledore glance at him.
"In Voldemort's current state," Dumbledore continued, "he cannot create new Horcruxes anytime soon."
Sirius frowned. "Then he's no different from an ordinary man—one life. The problem is how to kill him again."
If Voldemort chose to hide, no one could find him. That had been the case for over a decade.
Dumbledore smiled faintly. "What I've been doing hasn't been completely secret. At the very least, someone in the Ministry will have guessed my intentions. Voldemort will receive the news soon enough."
In other words, Dumbledore knew there were still Death Eater remnants within the Ministry.
Chu Yang frowned. "You let them find out on purpose? Even to lure Voldemort out, that's extremely dangerous."
"It is dangerous," Dumbledore admitted. "Without your help, this might have been the greatest mistake of my life. Fortunately, everything went smoothly."
"How many people in the Ministry are tied to Voldemort?" Sirius asked.
Dumbledore shook his head. "Perhaps one or two… perhaps more."
Horcruxes were Voldemort's final trump card. Once he confirmed they were gone, he would stop at nothing.
The Death Eaters hiding in the shadows would become equally unhinged.
They might even target Hogwarts itself.
That was why Dumbledore had sent Harry to the Forbidden Forest from the very beginning.
Dumbledore took a vial of venom from Chu Yang and returned to the school, devoting all his energy to modifying the spell.
Sirius remained behind at the cabin.
A week later, the Ministry suddenly sent inspectors to Hogwarts. They stayed an entire day, spending the longest time in the headmaster's office, as if searching for something.
After they left, Dumbledore summoned the staff, explained the situation, and declared that Hogwarts was entering a state of emergency.
Not long after, news arrived of a mass breakout from Azkaban.
"Don't be afraid, Harry. Close your eyes and take deep breaths."
"It might hurt a little. Endure it—just hold on until the ritual is complete."
Harry nervously shut his eyes.
Dumbledore stood opposite him, guiding him calmly.
The modified spell was complete. Today was the day the soul fragment would be removed.
Watching from afar, Sirius looked even more nervous than Harry.
Hermione and Ron had been locked inside the cabin by Hagrid—he was afraid they'd run around and disrupt the ritual.
So they could only press against the window, staring outside anxiously.
"Why does Yang get to be out there?" Ron complained.
Hermione said enviously, "Because he passed his O.W.L.s…"
Ron blinked. "What test?"
Hermione rolled her eyes and stopped bothering to explain.
In truth, Chu Yang had not only passed his O.W.L.s, but—under Dumbledore's special permission—had also taken and passed a N.E.W.T. exam. He simply chose not to publicize it.
The ritual began.
Visible magic condensed into a blue stream flowing from the tip of Dumbledore's wand.
The stream looped through the air and gradually poured into Harry's body as Dumbledore chanted.
A blinding light erupted from Harry.
A pained groan escaped his throat, followed by muffled cries.
The process of tearing out the soul fragment was far more agonizing than Harry had imagined. This was far beyond "a little uncomfortable."
But he had no strength to protest—only meaningless syllables spilled from his mouth.
Painful as it was, the effect was immediate.
Chu Yang saw a smoky, mist-like mass slowly emerging from Harry's body.
That was Voldemort's soul fragment.
Once separated from its host, it began dissipating rapidly.
Harry's own soul was completely unaffected—only his body suffered.
Dumbledore raised his wand high, his voice suddenly ringing out. The magic surged like invisible hands, forcefully dragging the soul fragment free.
In an instant, the remaining fragment was ripped out completely.
The light vanished.
Harry collapsed, unconscious.
Sirius rushed over and checked him.
Thankfully, Harry's breathing was steady—he looked as though he were simply asleep.
Dumbledore wiped sweat from his brow.
Then he noticed a chair had been placed beside him—Chu Yang had already brought it over.
"Thank you," Dumbledore said as he sat down, catching his breath. "Most Horcruxes had nearly severed their connection to Voldemort due to time. Harry's was different."
"You mean Voldemort sensed what happened here?" Chu Yang asked.
Dumbledore nodded. "He'll come soon. Before that, we must destroy the remaining Horcruxes."
He laid them all on the ground and poured basilisk venom over them.
Sizzle—
A corrosive hiss filled the air, followed by shrill, terrified screams. The Horcruxes writhed like living things, their cries filled with panic.
When the venom was gone, the screams faded. The Horcruxes deformed and melted, leaking blood-red fluid.
Chu Yang flicked his wand. The ground collapsed, burying the remains. The earth closed, restoring everything to normal.
"I must return," Dumbledore said solemnly. "Voldemort could arrive at any moment. Protect Harry—and protect yourself."
Chu Yang nodded.
Dumbledore Apparated away with Hagrid.
Sirius walked over and said quietly, "Hogwarts will be the main battlefield, but we should prepare here as well."
"Do whatever you want," Chu Yang replied indifferently, sitting down to read. He didn't care how large an army Voldemort could muster.
Besides Death Eaters, it would just be dark creatures—giants, perhaps.
Seeing Chu Yang's casual attitude, Sirius said nothing more and began setting magical traps around the area.
At dusk, Firenze appeared and walked up to Chu Yang.
"My people have detected werewolf activity nearby," he said gravely. "The giants and other dark creatures deep in the forest are also stirring. They are all coming for Harry Potter."
Chu Yang smiled faintly. "Riddle really does have a wide social circle."
Firenze asked, "Should we strike first?"
Chu Yang shook his head. "No need. Your people would suffer heavy losses. Let them come—have the War Tree deal with them."
"You should lie in ambush first. Once their attention is drawn to the War Tree, launch a surprise attack."
"Ignore the giants. Focus on clearing out the other dark creatures."
Firenze understood immediately and departed to carry out Chu Yang's orders.
Soon, the centaur tribe melted silently into the forest, waiting for the right moment.
Night fell.
Inside the small cabin, Harry, Hermione, and Ron waited nervously, with Sirius guarding them nearby.
Chu Yang stood with the unicorns by the lakeside, calm and still. Under the moonlight, the once-placid lake suddenly rippled. The water trembled, waves spreading outward in widening circles.
The vibrations intensified. Pebbles at Chu Yang's feet began to bounce.
With several meaningless, thunderous roars, a giant burst out of the forest, stopping on the far side of the lake to face Chu Yang from a distance.
A second.
A third.
More and more giants emerged from the darkness, accompanied by numerous dark creatures, all glaring greedily at Chu Yang and the small cabin behind him.
Chu Yang swung himself onto a unicorn's back and yawned. After waiting so long, he was almost sleepy.
At the same time, the giant leader charged, and the rest of the dark creatures followed close behind.
Boom—!!!
A sound like mountains collapsing exploded across the battlefield. The giants halted mid-stride and turned back, terror suddenly flashing in their eyes.
Before them, a colossal ancient tree rose slowly, blotting out the sky.
A single vine hanging from the tree was nearly as thick as a giant's waist.
These dark creatures were monsters, but the behemoth before them was a monster among monsters.
Before the giants could retreat, the War Tree swung its massive arms. Countless vines swept across the battlefield, flinging more than a dozen giants into the air at once.
Hogwarts.
Dumbledore led the entire faculty in erecting a magical barrier around the school.
Outside the barrier, Voldemort and the Death Eaters watched like predators.
At this moment, Voldemort was possessing Barty Crouch Jr., whose father—Barty Crouch Sr.—was the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
During the last purge of remaining Death Eaters, Barty Crouch Jr. had been imprisoned at the age of nineteen.
As a result, the elder Crouch—once a likely candidate for Minister of Magic—was demoted to his current post, his ambitions permanently crushed.
Crouch Sr. despised his son, but his wife worried endlessly over him, her health deteriorating rapidly.
Before her death, Mrs. Crouch drank Polyjuice Potion to assume her son's appearance. With her husband's manipulation, she swapped places with him in Azkaban.
Not long after, she died there—under her son's name.
Barty Crouch Jr. did not gain freedom. His fanatical devotion to Voldemort terrified his father, who kept him imprisoned at home.
Until Voldemort learned of his existence…
Crouch Sr. was now under Voldemort's Imperius Curse.
He had secretly assisted Voldemort with many matters—including the mass breakout at Azkaban.
The Ministry of Magic, too, had fallen under Voldemort's influence.
Even so, Voldemort could not suppress the panic gnawing at his heart.
Because he could no longer sense a single Horcrux.
The diary, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, the Gaunt ring, Slytherin's locket—
Aside from Ravenclaw's diadem, Voldemort had personally confirmed the others.
Gone.
There was only one person in the world capable of taking all his Horcruxes.
Dumbledore.
Voldemort seized full control of Barty Crouch Jr.'s body and strode to the barrier. He pressed a hand against it, sending ripples across its surface like disturbed water.
Staring coldly at Hogwarts atop the cliff, Voldemort slowly spoke:
"Attack."
The moment the order fell, countless spells rained down on the barrier, dazzling from afar like multicolored fireworks.
Dementors also circled above Hogwarts—mercenaries Voldemort had hired with promises of gain.
Inside the castle, older students herded the younger ones into the Great Hall.
Draco Malfoy trembled among the crowd.
He knew his parents were outside, standing with Voldemort.
After losing the diary, Lucius Malfoy had nearly been killed. Only by hastily pledging loyalty had he reclaimed his position as Voldemort's servant.
Lucius had written to Draco, ordering him to act as an informant and help capture Harry Potter at the crucial moment.
At his age, Draco could barely withstand such pressure. He had been on the verge of collapse for days.
Fortunately, Harry was in the Forbidden Forest. Draco couldn't help even if he wanted to—and secretly felt relieved.
Dumbledore and the combat-capable professors gathered in the courtyard, maintaining the barrier while discussing how to face Voldemort.
Someone suggested appealing to the Ministry for aid, only to be mocked by Snape.
"The Ministry is a sieve," Snape sneered. "No one knows how many Death Eaters are hiding there. Voldemort can stand openly outside these walls—do you really think they're unaware?"
"Go take a look. You'll find plenty of familiar faces waiting for you out there."
His words sparked heated debate among the teachers.
Professor McGonagall cut through the noise, her voice ringing out. "Headmaster Dumbledore is still here."
That single sentence was like a stabilizing draught. The arguing ceased.
Yes.
Dumbledore was still here.
As long as he stood, they believed Voldemort could be defeated.
Dumbledore smiled at them. "Do not fear. Magic will guide us forward."
Forbidden Forest.
The War Tree's violent arrival immediately halted the advance of the monstrous coalition.
It was like a reef rising suddenly in a raging current.
The giants at the front suffered devastating losses.
Each sweeping strike from the War Tree sent unlucky giants crashing head-on into its blows.
The War Tree became a living millstone, tearing flesh and scattering blood wherever it moved.
Werewolves, with their agility and sharp minds, avoided its attacks. Seizing the gaps between strikes, they counterattacked.
They clambered up roots and vines, swarming onto the War Tree's body and tearing at it viciously.
The War Tree twisted, trying to shake them off, but there were too many. Even when a few fell, more surged forward to replace them.
Its immense size was a terrifying advantage—yet also a glaring weakness.
After the werewolves, spiders and other dark creatures followed, climbing up and joining the frenzy of tearing and biting.
The War Tree let out deep, pained groans.
On the ground, only the giants remained. Too bulky to climb, they redirected their fury toward Chu Yang and the unicorn herd, charging with spiked clubs raised.
Chu Yang erupted in brilliant blue light, thunder rumbling around him.
He swung his arm, and from the tip of his wand burst a streak of azure lightning.
This was a spell born of long research—combining Lightning Release ninjutsu with inspiration drawn from games.
Lightning Chain!
After the lightning struck the first giant, it began to jump continuously from one giant to another, dealing sustained, large-area damage and inflicting abnormal states such as paralysis along the way.
Chu Yang had considered using Steam Danger Explosion, but the power of an infinite chain of explosions was simply too great. By the time the war ended, no one knew what the Forbidden Forest would be reduced to.
At the very least, the lake in front of him would be gone for good.
So he decisively abandoned that idea.
As dazzling lightning erupted, the giants' charge was forcibly halted.
The centaur tribe, which had been lying in ambush, launched a surprise attack under Firenze's command.
The giants who had endured the first wave of damage were almost all paralyzed. Facing the centaurs' charge, they were nothing more than lambs waiting for slaughter.
The outcome had been decided from the very beginning.
At the same time—
Under the siege of numerous dark creatures, the War Tree collapsed with a thunderous crash.
It had drawn the bulk of the enemy's firepower, creating the opening the centaurs needed.
Chu Yang rode over on a unicorn.
A tide of unicorns followed closely behind him.
Unicorns were peculiar magical creatures. Individually, they were weak.
But when gathered together, the holy power within them stacked and amplified.
Pure white radiance descended like heavenly light, dispelling the dark creatures clinging to the War Tree.
The werewolves howled under the blinding holy glow, while the spiders scattered in panic.
Chu Yang flew up to the crown of the tree and poured life energy into the War Tree.
Moments later, the War Tree rose again, resuming its slaughter of the dark creatures driven back by the unicorn herd.
From inside the cabin, Sirius stared in shock at the scene before him.
Only now did he truly understand why Chu Yang had been so dismissive of the magical traps he had set.
The battle in the Forbidden Forest quickly drew to a close.
The centaurs began cleaning up the battlefield.
Unicorns disliked bloody scenes and gradually retreated, vanishing back into the depths of the forest.
Only a single unicorn remained, carrying Chu Yang back to the cabin.
"It's over, Mr. Black. But until the battlefield is fully cleared, don't let Harry and the others come outside."
Sirius pushed open the cabin door and looked at the youth on the unicorn's back.
The boy who had emerged from a sea of corpses showed not a trace of fear on his face—calm to a terrifying degree.
A chill crept into Sirius's heart. Even Voldemort, at the same age, had never possessed such composure.
"What about Hogwarts?" Sirius asked.
"I'll handle it, Mr. Black."
"So… Voldemort is really finished this time, isn't he?"
"Of course."
The boy's expression and tone brimmed with absolute confidence.
Once the enemies in the Forbidden Forest were dealt with, all that remained were Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and a few Dementors.
They might be slightly harder to deal with than giants and other dark creatures.
But only slightly…
After the centaurs finished cleaning up the battlefield, Chu Yang called out, "Firenze!"
Firenze bounded over in a few leaps and bowed. "At your service, Chu Yang."
Chu Yang nodded. "Then let's go. It's time to bring Voldemort's legend to a complete end."
The unicorn neighed and immediately carried Chu Yang toward Hogwarts.
The centaur tribe followed closely behind.
The War Tree brought up the rear. Each step it took covered ten meters, its speed not slow in the slightest.
Through the cabin window, Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched Chu Yang's departing figure.
The two boys were filled with longing.
"He really looks like a general," Ron murmured.
Harry nodded repeatedly.
Voldemort and the Death Eaters were still blocked outside by the barrier.
With Dumbledore presiding over the situation, the barrier was as solid as an iron wall.
Voldemort was pacing like an ant on a hot pan.
According to the plan, the dark creatures and werewolves in the Forbidden Forest should have arrived by now with Harry Potter, helping them destroy the barrier.
But so much time had passed, and there was still no movement at all.
Where had they gone?
"Those damned, filthy, low-grade beasts! I should never have expected anything from them!"
"And those werewolves too! Their intelligence has regressed from human to monster!"
Voldemort cursed furiously, urging the Death Eaters to intensify their assault.
Within the crowd, Lucius quietly observed Voldemort. He realized that the Dark Lord's return this time was far too rushed.
It was time to find a way out.
Lucius had never been a loyal believer of Voldemort—just a shameless opportunist.
Just as he slowly retreated toward the back of the group, the ground suddenly began to shake, the tremors growing stronger by the second.
Voldemort froze for a moment, then burst into wild laughter.
"Hahahaha! Our reinforcements have arrived!"
"We're about to break this castle!"
"Dumbledore will never stop me!"
The Dark Lord stood at the very front, arms spread wide as he faced the Death Eaters, his expression solemn, like a king addressing his subjects.
The Death Eaters dropped to their knees one after another, prostrating themselves devoutly at his feet.
Lucius also prepared to kneel—but when he saw the colossal figure behind Voldemort, he froze stiff.
Voldemort lowered his arms and stared coldly at him. "Our Mr. Malfoy… it seems you don't share my optimism?"
The Death Eaters turned their heads, fixing Lucius with equally icy gazes.
Yet compared to the murderous looks of the Death Eaters and Voldemort, Lucius found the massive tree-like being looming right behind them far more terrifying.
Lucius raised a trembling arm and pointed behind Voldemort.
Only then did Voldemort notice the terror on Lucius's face. His heart lurched as he slowly turned around.
The Death Eaters followed his gaze.
"What… what the hell is that thing?!!"
On the other side, the teachers of Hogwarts also saw the War Tree and immediately descended into chaos.
Snape's gaze went vacant.
Even the usually composed Professor McGonagall lost her composure. "Where did Voldemort find such a monster? At this rate, the outer barrier won't hold!"
Professor Flitwick clenched his wand and took several deep breaths.
Professor Sprout clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and began to pray fervently.
Other teachers shouted in panic, the entire courtyard thrown into disorder.
"Silence!!!"
Dumbledore's authoritative voice rang out, and everyone turned to look at him.
"That is not an enemy," he declared. "It is a friend."
Dumbledore's voice rose with excitement. "Now—open the protective barrier. It's time for our counterattack!"
The teachers were still stunned when Hagrid pulled a long-sealed wand out of his umbrella and roared, "I've waited for this moment for a very long time!"
It had been Voldemort who framed him for Myrtle's death, preventing him from graduating Hogwarts and banning him from using magic.
Burning with rage, Hagrid was the first to charge out.
Professor McGonagall snapped back to her senses and quickly organized the teachers to open the barrier.
Dumbledore stepped forward, with Snape following closely behind.
As they crossed the bridge, they heard the centaurs' battle cry echoing outside.
Firenze led the charge, racing at the very front.
What he shouted wasn't "For Hogwarts," nor "For Dumbledore," but—
"For the glory of Chu Yang!!!"
Nearby, Chu Yang—riding a unicorn—smacked his lips.
He swore he had never taught Firenze to say anything like that.
The fanaticism on that guy's face made him look even more like a Death Eater than the actual Death Eaters…
The moment McGonagall and the others stepped out of the main gates of Hogwarts, they exchanged blank looks.
"…Excuse me," someone muttered, "what exactly did that centaur just say?"
"I think I just heard Chu Yang's name?"
"So did I."
"If we're not all hallucinating at the same time, then what he shouted just now really was 'Yang.'"
"I have to say… Yang really does have friends everywhere."
Very soon, they saw Chu Yang slowly approaching on the back of a unicorn.
"Merlin's beard! A unicorn actually letting a man ride it?!"
"This is the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen in my life!"
Amid the waves of astonished cries, Chu Yang dismounted and gave a slight bow to Dumbledore and the professors.
Dumbledore asked, "The Forbidden Forest?"
Chu Yang replied, "Voldemort's reinforcements are all dealt with. Everyone's safe."
Snape, who knew the truth, stared in disbelief and turned to look at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore said nothing, only smiled.
The War Tree entered the battlefield and immediately began driving away the Dementors.
Although they could fly, their altitude didn't even reach half the tree's height.
The centaur charge was swift and fierce.
By the time the Death Eaters reacted, many had already fallen beneath iron hooves.
In just a single exchange, more than half of the Death Eaters were dead or wounded.
The heavily damaged Death Eaters fought back desperately.
But the centaurs were incredibly fast, and with the battlefield in chaos, the hit rate of spells plummeted.
Voldemort flew into a rage, raised his wand, and prepared to act personally.
A white flash shot in from afar and struck the wand in Voldemort's hand.
Dumbledore walked forward slowly. "This is the end, Tom."
Voldemort stared coldly at Dumbledore, burning with resentment.
If he had truly been reborn and regained his own body, there was no way Dumbledore could have knocked his wand away so easily.
Voldemort demanded angrily, "Dumbledore, why do you oppose me again and again? You yourself come from pure-blood stock—why won't you accept my pure-blood ideals?"
Dumbledore looked at his former student and shook his head in disappointment. "Tom, the pursuit of pure blood is not a justification for inflicting violence on others. Stop deceiving yourself. What you want is power—nothing more."
Voldemort sneered. "Don't judge me with that sanctimonious expression. Aren't you immersed in power yourself?"
"Most of the upper ranks of the Ministry are your students. Magical academies in other countries revere you as well. As for Hogwarts—need I even say more?"
"You stand in the spotlight yourself. What right do you have to accuse others of craving power?"
Dumbledore sighed.
"Tom Riddle," he said calmly, "as a former Dark Lord, I find your bearing in this final moment… disappointing."
"Can't a loser just shut up and die quietly?"
Holding the unicorn's reins, Chu Yang stepped out from the crowd and walked toward Voldemort.
Hearing that familiar voice, Voldemort suddenly recalled the memories of being gravely wounded—twice.
"It's you?!"
Voldemort staggered back in terror.
Everyone stared at Chu Yang in shock. Why would Voldemort be afraid of him?
As Chu Yang passed by Voldemort, both Dumbledore and Snape tightened their grip on their wands.
Voldemort was stunned—Chu Yang didn't stop to speak to him at all. He truly just walked past.
A humiliation he had never known before surged up in his chest.
Voldemort spun around, eyes bulging, glaring at Chu Yang's back.
A Muggle-born orphan—just lucky enough to possess magical talent—daring to ignore him?!
But Chu Yang didn't care in the slightest.
To him, the safety of his companions mattered far more than some Dark Lord. Who would bother conversing with a short-sighted, manic lunatic?
"No one has ever dared treat me with such contempt!"
Magic surged in Voldemort's hands.
In the entire wizarding world, his mastery of wandless magic was second only to Dumbledore's!
Even without a wand, he could cast the Killing Curse!
"Avada Keda—"
Before the incantation could be completed—
An even more brilliant light erupted from behind Voldemort, piercing straight through his body.
The same body—belonging to "Barty Crouch Jr."
Voldemort's expression froze as the pain of his soul tearing apart slowly spread.
At the end of his life, Voldemort sneered at Dumbledore. "To destroy me, you sacrificed Harry Potter. From now on, you'll be tormented by your conscience every single moment."
"Dumbledore… you'll become a more pitiful creature than I ever was…"
At that moment, a small figure appeared on the battlefield and shouted loudly, "I'm not dead!"
Voldemort looked up, his pupils shrinking violently.
Accompanied by Sirius, Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed back to the school despite the danger.
Although Dumbledore had warned them not to leave the Forbidden Forest, Harry refused to hide.
Sirius respected his decision and brought him along.
Harry's appearance shattered Voldemort's last shred of belief.
Why wasn't Harry Potter dead?!
That was the final question in Voldemort's mind as his soul vanished completely.
With Voldemort's soul gone, Barty Crouch Jr.'s own consciousness reclaimed his body—but he felt no joy, because he knew exactly what that meant.
Barty Crouch Jr. collapsed to his knees, letting out a heart-rending scream.
To him, Voldemort had been both his faith and a father figure.
Sensing Voldemort's disappearance, the Death Eaters stood there blankly, as if their souls had been ripped away.
The centaur warriors ceased their attack and gathered around Chu Yang to receive healing.
With Voldemort dead, the Dementors also withdrew from the skies above Hogwarts.
Dumbledore watched the departing Dementors and said gravely, "I never imagined the Dementors would side with Voldemort."
Professor McGonagall said with lingering fear, "They were never trustworthy."
Hagrid coughed lightly. "Well, I wouldn't lump them all together like that. Some magical creatures are quite lovable, Professor McGonagall."
McGonagall fell silent, unwilling to argue with Hagrid the beast-lover.
Most of the professors sided with McGonagall.
After this battle, the Dementors would never again be trusted by the wizarding world. Their removal from Azkaban was only a matter of time.
Snape stood there in a daze, staring at the spot where the Dark Lord's soul had vanished.
He never dreamed things would end so smoothly.
The day Lily was killed by Voldemort felt like yesterday.
"Headmaster Dumbledore is amazing—he took care of Voldemort just like that. Don't you agree, Mr. Black?"
"Of course! That's Dumbledore—the greatest wizard in the world!"
Snape cast a deep look at Harry, who was celebrating with Sirius, then turned away alone and left.
After the battle, Minister for Magic Fudge finally arrived with the Aurors.
Fudge looked around—Death Eaters bound and subdued everywhere, watched closely by centaur warriors.
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief and turned to the Aurors behind him. "If I remember correctly, centaurs hate wizards, don't they?"
The Aurors nodded.
"Your timing is impeccable, Minister Fudge," Professor McGonagall said gently—though it sounded like mockery in Fudge's ears.
"We came as fast as we could, Professor McGonagall," Fudge replied with a bitter smile, then straightened his tie and walked up to Dumbledore. In a low voice, he asked, "Where is… 'that person'?"
The towering Dumbledore looked down at Fudge, his sharp gaze forcing the minister to avert his eyes.
"From now on, there's no need to avoid saying Voldemort's name," Dumbledore said firmly. "As Minister for Magic, I hope you'll set an example."
"Tom Riddle is completely dead."
Dumbledore's resonant voice reached every corner of the battlefield.
The news of Voldemort's death left Fudge stunned.
Only after a moment did he come back to himself, trembling. "Is he… really dead this time?"
He was terrified that Voldemort would one day "return" yet again.
"Tom Riddle is truly and definitively dead…"
As he said this, Dumbledore's gaze drifted toward Chu Yang.
Looking at that boy—so similar to Voldemort in some ways—he fell momentarily silent.
Then he said solemnly, "Voldemort will never return."
(End of Chapter)