Chapter 140: Chapter 140: "Duel in the Forest Part - 1"
A week before the final exams were scheduled to start, Charles and his friends were told they would have detention at 11 PM. Harry learned about their detention time through the Hogwarts rumor mill, which allowed him to plan accordingly.
That night, Harry intended to confront Quirrelmort once and for all, aiming to rid Hogwarts of Voldemort's presence inside the school for this year. He had extracted all he needed from Voldemort's mind: recordings of the magic and rituals Voldemort had performed on himself, the location of the cave containing the Inferi, and details of the protections at his ancestral Gaunt home.
Harry faced a challenge with accessing a Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts. From Voldemort's memories, he understood that Voldemort could access the vault if Bellatrix was unavailable, thanks to her instructions to the goblins. Unfortunately, this arrangement was of no use to Harry as it did not extend to him, leaving him without a way to access the vault directly.
The goblins in the wizarding world stay out of conflicts like wizarding wars. They don't care who's in charge as long as their business at Gringotts continues without interruption. They neither oppose nor support Voldemort because they aren't afraid of him.
Voldemort was wary of the goblins instead. He knows they hold sensitive information about his true identity and lineage—details that could damage his reputation among his followers who value blood purity.
While Voldemort might have wanted to eliminate the goblins to keep his secrets safe, he respects their strength because he's encountered their powerful magic before. He's not ready to confront them until he's sure he can handle their magical defenses.
The portrayal in some films where Voldemort rampages through Gringotts after his Horcrux is stolen isn't accurate. That dramatic scene doesn't happen in the books and Harry was sure it would not happen in this real wizarding history.
Harry now faced a tricky problem: how to get the Horcrux from Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts. The straightforward approach wasn't an option, which meant he had to consider more complex strategies.
Aside from this issue, Harry's exploration of Voldemort's memories had been fruitful, providing all the information he needed. With no further use for Voldemort's presence at Hogwarts, Harry felt it was time to eliminate the risk he posed once and for all.
Harry wasn't sure how things would go in this world, since he didn't want to go back to the third-floor corridor and wasn't sure if Charles could beat Quirrelmort like the canon Harry did. He was also unsure if the magical protection that saved the canon Harry, which came from his mother sacrificing herself, was the same in this world with his grandmother's sacrifice.
It was also unclear whether this magical protection would cover Charles too, considering they were both present under the protective magic that night. So, Harry was left wondering if the protective magic was on him, Charles, or both of them.
Given the unpredictability of whether Charles's touch would neutralize Quirrelmort as it once did for canon Harry, the risk was too great. Harry feared the consequences if Voldemort were to discover the stone was a fake and react violently, potentially endangering everyone at Hogwarts.
Determined to avoid such risks, Harry resolved to confront Voldemort directly. With a rare opportunity to catch him isolated in the Forbidden Forest, far from Dumbledore's watchful gaze, Harry prepared to end the threat once and for all, ensuring the safety of all without relying on uncertain magic.
As the sun set, casting long shadows across Hogwarts, Harry got ready for what he expected to be a decisive duel. This would be his first magical duel to the death, but he felt prepared.
At eleven o'clock, Harry, disguised in his Arthur disguise and hidden under his invisibility cloak, waited near the castle exit. Filch arrived first, followed by Malfoy and then the golden trio of Charles, Hermione, and Ron.
"Follow me," Filch commanded, lighting a lamp and leading the way outside. His voice took on a menacing tone as he spoke to the students, "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, eh? Hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."
Harry quietly trailed Filch and the students, thinking to himself how sadistic Filch was.
As they approached Hagrid's hut, a voice boomed in the distance, "Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
Charles perked up at the prospect of working with Hagrid; it seemed less daunting than the punishment they feared. However, Filch quickly dashed these hopes, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy -- it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."
Ron whimpered at these words, and Malfoy froze in his tracks.
"The forest? We can't go in there at night. That's dangerous. I'll complain to my father. You'll be out of your jobs if you send me there. I heard there are all sorts of things in there like werewolves," Malfoy protested.
"That's your problem, isn't it?" Filch sneered, clearly enjoying the fear in Malfoy's voice. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you? Your father can't help you here."
Hagrid approached them from the darkness, his large crossbow in hand and Fang, his boarhound, by his side. "It's time to go. I've been waiting here for long. Let's get going," Hagrid announced.
"I'll be back at dawn," Filch added with a sinister tone, "for what's left of them," and he walked away, his lamp receding into the night.
"Don't need to be too scared," Hagrid reassured them as he led them to the forest's edge. "The forest is dangerous but with me here, it will be a walk in the park."
He pointed to a trail leading into the forest, highlighted by a silvery glow on the ground. "Look there," Hagrid said, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. We're gonna try an' find the injured poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asked, his voice laced with fear.
"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," Hagrid assured them. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in different directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."
"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, eyeing Fang's long teeth.
The group then split into two: Charles, Malfoy, and Fang went one way, while Hagrid, Ron, and Hermione took another path to search for the injured unicorn.
Chapter 141: Chapter 141: "Duel in the Forest Part - 2"
Meanwhile, Harry had already slipped away. He didn't stick around to listen to their conversation; he had other plans. As soon as they reached Hagrid's hut and he had a good sense of where the group would enter the forest, Harry sped off on his own mission. He was in search of the injured unicorn, having spotted signs of unicorn blood near the forest's edge earlier.
Moving swiftly through the forest, Harry was actually flying—a technique he had learned from Voldemort's memories. This method of flying was reminiscent of the flight technique seen in the "Dragon Ball" anime series, where characters use Qi to hover and navigate. Here, however, magic was the source of power for flight.
This advanced magic allowed him to float and navigate quickly through the air. The only catch was that it required a significant reserve of magical energy, which, fortunately, Harry possessed.
With a swift and silent flight, which allowed him an excellent vantage point over the forest, Harry quickly spotted the silvery bright injured unicorn lying on the ground a short distance away. Nearby, a sinister, hooded figure—clearly Quirrelmort—was preparing to prey on the unicorn for its blood.
Without a moment's delay, Harry swooped down, shouting, "Stupefy!" aiming a stunning spell directly at Quirrelmort. The dark figure, alert and agile, leaped to the side, narrowly evading the spell. Harry was cautious with his spell choice; he needed to ensure nothing went wrong and harmed the unicorn accidentally.
Immediately after, Harry cast a stasis spell on the unicorn to stabilize its condition and prevent further harm, ensuring it would survive a little longer while he dealt with the imminent threat.
Harry's attention then snapped back to Quirrelmort, who, realizing his cover was blown, started to sprint away through the underbrush. Harry chased after him. Quirrel's speed was no match for Harry's superhuman speed and Harry quickly caught up.
Quirrelmort, cornered and desperate, spun around, his wand slashing through the air as he shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" The deadly green light of the Killing Curse shot towards Harry, who reacted just in time.
A huge block of stone appeared in the path of the spell, blocking the deadly curse. Quirrelmort, panting heavily from the exertion, didn't let up; he fired curse after curse, each met with large stones and barriers quickly conjured by Harry, effectively stopping the spells in their tracks.
Harry found that his opponent was too weak. Either Quirrel's body was too weak to exert Voldemort's full strength or Voldemort in his current state was weakened.
As the duel continued, despite Quirrelmort's desperate attempts, his magic was waning; the continuous exertion was draining him visibly.
Harry observed Quirrelmort's fading strength and decided to prolong the duel to exhaust him completely before delivering a decisive blow. However, just as the tide of the battle seemed to turn fully in Harry's favor, a sudden noise—a whimper—interrupted the focus of their duel.
---
Deep in the forest under the night sky, Charles and Malfoy, accompanied by Fang, pushed deeper into the woods. Their constant chatter, a mix of petty disputes and jokes, seemed to be their way of masking their nervousness about the dark, dense forest around them.
Suddenly, Malfoy tensed. "Did you hear that?" he whispered.
Charles paused, listening. "Yeah, I heard it too. Let's see what it is."
Malfoy bit his lip, hesitating. "But what if it's whatever's been attacking the unicorns? It could be dangerous. Maybe we should send up the red sparks now?"
Charles shook his head, his voice firm. "No, that might scare it off. We should try to see who or what it is first. You're not scared, are you?"
Malfoy straightened up, trying to look braver than he felt. "If you're not scared, then neither am I."
With a mix of curiosity and caution, the two boys moved toward the source of the noise. As they got closer, they began to see the flashes of light from spells being cast.
Peeking through the bushes, they stumbled upon a scene they hadn't expected: a fierce duel unfolding in the darkness, spells flashing back and forth. They were about to back away when a stray spell hit a nearby rock, sending shards flying towards them. One struck Fang, who yelped and bolted back towards Hagrid.
Startled by the sudden chaos, Draco turned and fled successfully, but Charles wasn't as lucky. In his panic, he tripped over a root and tumbled to the ground, his heart racing as he realized how dangerous their situation had become.
---
Harry and Quirrell were alerted by a noise and turned to see Fang and two boys trying to escape. Recognizing Charles Potter among them, Quirrell seized the chance to eliminate him and escape from the challenging situation.
Raising his wand, Quirrell yelled the lethal curse, "Avada Kedavra!" aiming directly at Charles, who is helplessly sprawled on the ground. The bright green light of the curse speeds towards Charles, his face etched with terror.
Just in time, Harry summoned a large stone that intercepted the deadly spell, protecting Charles. Harry then positioned himself between Charles and Quirrell to prevent another attack.
Realizing he could not win the duel, Quirrellmort used the brief moment Harry was distracted with Charles to cast the most powerful spell he could muster under his weakened condition—the dangerous Fiendfyre.
As a massive, snake-shaped fire surged toward him, Harry reacted swiftly. He conjured a robust dome of magic, effectively containing the fiery blaze to prevent it from spreading and consuming the Forbidden Forest. The potential destruction from such uncontrolled Fiendfyre was immense; it could have obliterated this part of the forest and all its inhabitants if not contained.
In the middle of this chaos, Firenze the centaur appeared, launching arrows at Quirrelmort. Seeing no opportunity to counterattack Harry while he was preoccupied, and facing the new threat from Firenze, Quirrelmort chose to flee the scene in frustration.
Firenze then approached Harry and said, "Wizard Arthur, other centaurs are coming. You keep the fire under control. I will take this boy out and come back to help."
Charles, regaining his senses and still in shock, blurts out, "Who are you? Who was that guy? What are you doing in Hogwarts? I nearly died here."
Harry chose not to respond to Charles's questions, instead gesturing to Firenze to take him away. Harry was frustrated because Charles's presence had cost him the perfect chance to defeat Quirrelmort once and for all. Now, he would have to wait for another opportunity.
With Firenze and Charles moving away from the scene, Harry turned his attention back to the daunting task at hand—the fierce fire still raging within the magical dome he had conjured.
Settling his nerves and focusing intensely, Harry conjured a counter-fiendfire, his fiendfire was shaped in the form of a thunderbird and it started battling Quirrelmort's serpent-shaped fire. The clash was intense, with Harry's thunderbird eventually overcoming the snake. After the battle, Harry carefully extinguished his own magical fire.
Looking around, Harry surveyed the aftermath. The duel had scorched the earth, leaving a barren, circle-shaped clearing in the middle of the dense forest. The ground was charred, devoid of any life that had been there before.
Now that the immediate danger had passed and he was alone, Harry couldn't help but feel irritated at the two first-year students whose untimely interruption had allowed Quirrelmort to escape. If only they had arrived a minute later, Quirrelmort might have been defeated for good.
As the sound of hooves echoed through the forest, Harry saw Dorran and several other centaurs approaching, bows at the ready.
"Thank you for your help, Wizard Arthur. You have protected our home," Dorran said, gratitude clear in his voice.
Harry, tired but determined, responded, "There's no need for thanks. I was here to end the dark wizard's threat for good, but those unexpected visitors threw a wrench in my plans. He won't get away next time."
Concerned about the unicorn, Harry asked, "Where is the unicorn? It needs healing."
Dorran looked solemn as he replied, "Hagrid and his group are with the poor child now. They believe it's too late for the unicorn and are planning to put it out of its misery."
Harry didn't want to give up on the unicorn yet. "Tell them to leave the forest. Once they're gone, I'll try to heal the unicorn. I believe it can still be saved, but I don't want to be seen while working on it."
"Understood," Dorran agreed, preparing to send the group away.
Once the coast was clear, Harry approached the unicorn. By now, he had become adept at treating such injuries and quickly set to work. The unicorn's wounds were severe, but Harry's skilled hands managed the healing efficiently.
Before leaving, Harry made one last request to Dorran, "If the dark wizard returns, let me know. I'm exhausted now and need to rest, but keep me informed."
With a final nod to Dorran, Harry disappeared into the night, his thoughts already on his next encounter with Quirrelmort. He checked his map and saw that Quirrel was back inside the school, so no immediate threat lingered.
However, Harry was certain Quirrelmort would attack again soon. Today's interruption meant Quirrelmort would be desperate for the unicorn blood to sustain his decaying body. Harry was ready; next time, he would make sure no intruders could disrupt his plans.
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