Chapter 346: Chapter 346: "Battle in the Hall of Prophecies"
The shadows shifted slightly as Sirius Black watched the scene before him. Charles and his friends stood in the center of the Hall of Prophecy, surrounded by Death Eaters. Though the odds were stacked against them, their faces were set with determination, and their wands were raised. Near Sirius, a group of disillusioned Aurors crouched in silence, their wands ready.
Sirius caught Amelia Bones's eye, and with a slight nod, he signaled it was time to act. Amelia gestured toward a towering shelf of prophecy orbs. One of the Aurors, a tall witch with a focused expression, flicked her wand toward its base.
A loud crack echoed through the hall as the shelf collapsed. Hundreds of glass spheres tumbled to the ground, shattering in unison. The destruction unleashed a storm of ghostly whispers that filled the chamber, their eerie, overlapping voices echoing off the walls.
Sirius felt a small smirk tug at the corner of his lips, though a wry thought crossed his mind: The Unspeakables are going to lose their minds over this. The Hall of Prophecy was one of the most tightly controlled spaces in the Ministry, and the damage they were causing would undoubtedly stir up trouble later.
Still, there was no time to worry about that now. Amelia's decision to act had been the right one. This fight was inevitable, and containing it without destruction had been impossible from the start.
"If anything, the Unspeakables should be thanking us," Sirius thought with grim amusement. "They let Death Eaters and a group of teenagers waltz into one of the most dangerous parts of the Ministry. That's on them."
Magnus and his Death Eaters stumbled to a halt, caught off guard by the sudden chaos. Shattered glass crunched underfoot as they tried to regain their footing, their confusion evident. "What the—?" one of them shouted, but the words were lost in the thunderous response.
"Attack!" Amelia Bones commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. The Aurors surged forward, their wands flashing as they unleashed a barrage of spells. The sudden assault disoriented the Death Eaters, forcing them into a frantic defense.
"About time!" Fred shouted, spinning just in time to dodge a jet of green light aimed at him.
"Focus, Fred," George snapped, stunning a nearby Death Eater with a precise spell. "We'd rather not see you flattened under your own brilliant commentary."
Sirius, his wand blazing with energy, moved swiftly to shield Charles and the others. "Stay behind us!" he barked, his voice firm and commanding. "This is our fight now."
But Charles refused to back down. He stepped forward, his wand steady, and stood beside Hermione. "We can hold our own," he insisted, his voice resolute. "We've come this far—let us help."
Hermione, Ron, and Neville exchanged determined glances, their expressions unyielding. They tightened their formation, standing shoulder to shoulder as spells whizzed past them. Ginny positioned herself slightly behind, her sharp eyes scanning for danger. "Incoming, left!" she shouted, warning her brother just in time.
The chamber erupted into a maelstrom of battle. Flashes of red, green, and gold lit up the darkness as spells ricocheted off walls and shelves. The Aurors fought with practiced precision, coordinating their attacks to keep the Death Eaters on their heels. But the dark wizards quickly recovered from their initial surprise, counterattacking with ruthless efficiency.
Despite the chaos, Charles and his friends fought back fiercely. Ron disarmed a Death Eater with a perfectly timed Expelliarmus, the man's wand clattering loudly to the floor. Hermione conjured a shimmering Protego shield, deflecting a series of hexes aimed at Neville. With newfound confidence, Neville fired off a rapid succession of Stupefy spells, knocking back two Death Eaters attempting to flank them. Ginny, quick and clever, hit another with her signature Bat-Bogey Hex, leaving the masked wizard screeching as he clawed at his face.
Yet, the battle was anything but easy. The Aurors and Charles's group faced a grim disadvantage. Their orders were clear—stun, not kill—while the Death Eaters cast deadly curses without hesitation. The dark wizards' attacks were relentless, their intent to maim or kill evident with every spell. Worse still, they outnumbered the combined forces of the Aurors and the young witches and wizards.
In the heart of the chaos, Sirius Black was a force to be reckoned with. Over the past year, his skills had sharpened considerably through his vigilante work, and he now moved with a fluid, almost predatory grace that left his opponents struggling to match him. With his wand a blur of motion, he engaged Magnus and two of his German allies simultaneously, deflecting curses and retaliating with pinpoint precision. Though outnumbered, Sirius stood his ground, his focus unwavering.
"After everything you've done to disrupt my operations, you still dare to stand against me?" Magnus snarled, his voice venomous.
Sirius smirked, sidestepping a sizzling purple hex and deflecting it with a casual flick of his wand. "So, you're Magnus Blutreich. I've been wanting to meet you for ages." He dropped his voice into a mockingly polite tone. "Care to surrender? I've got a godson who always gets the big villains, and I figured it's my turn to have some fun."
Magnus's eyes narrowed dangerously, his expression darkening. "Trying to be funny, are you? Why does everyone who stands against us have this irritating habit?" His voice dripped with disdain. "I should never have allowed you to speak. Let me fix that mistake."
Sirius chuckled, unfazed, as he parried another curse with ease. "We'll see about that."
Magnus's fury boiled over, his face twisting with rage. He barked something in German to his compatriots, and together they launched a flurry of spells at Sirius. The air around them crackled with energy as curses and hexes collided mid-flight, sending bursts of light and heat rippling through the chamber. Despite the relentless assault, Sirius matched them step for step, his movements fluid and precise.
The intensity of their duel drew them away from the main battle. Spells ricocheted off walls, shattering remnants of broken shelves as they fought their way into an adjoining chamber.
The room they entered was circular, dominated by a foreboding stone archway draped with a fluttering black veil. The whispers emanating from the veil blended with the echoes of the ongoing battle, creating an eerie harmony of death and chaos. The dim light from the flickering sconces cast long, dancing shadows across the chamber, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
"You're good, Black," Magnus sneered, his wand weaving intricate patterns in the air. "But you're still outmatched!"
The tide of the fight was shifting. More Death Eaters poured into the room, spotting an opportunity to corner Sirius, one of the Aurors' strongest fighters. With his back to the archway, Sirius found himself surrounded. Spells flew at him from all directions—streaks of crimson, green, and purple light aimed to overwhelm him. For a brief moment, it seemed like there was no way out.
From across the room, Amelia Bones locked eyes with the chaotic scene. Her breath caught as she realized what was happening. "Sirius!" she screamed, panic slicing through her voice. But she was too far away, locked in her own duel, and unable to reach him in time.
Chapter 347: Chapter 347: "The Veil of Chaos"
The onslaught closed in. Sirius braced himself, his wand raised for what felt like an impossible defense. But just as the spells were about to strike him, a gleaming figure leaped into their path.
Harry's clone, clad in shining armor, appeared seemingly out of nowhere, its movements fluid and precise. The magical construct threw itself directly into the line of fire, taking the full brunt of the destructive curses aimed at Sirius.
The clone's form crackled and shimmered under the force of the spells, holding just long enough to shield Sirius. Then, with a final surge of energy, it released a brilliant burst of light. The explosion of magic forced the Death Eaters to stumble back, shielding their eyes against the sudden glare. As the light faded, the clone dissipated into sparkling fragments that rained down like falling stars.
Far outside the Ministry, Mira, the loyal house-elf, trembled with effort. She sat cross-legged in the safety of an empty room nearby, her small frame shaking as she maintained the tenuous magical connection that allowed the clone to bypass the Ministry's ancient, formidable wards.
It had taken everything she had to guide the clone inside. The Ministry's protections were among the strongest in the wizarding world, designed to keep out even the most skilled intruders including house-elves. Mira had tried to enter the building herself, but the magical barriers had repelled her with such force that she had been left gasping for breath.
But Mira was not one to give up. With sheer determination and a deep well of loyalty to her master, she had found a way. From her position outside the Ministry, she had focused all her energy on controlling the clone. The process was agonizingly difficult, the Ministry's wards constantly threatening to sever her connection. Every movement of the clone required immense concentration, and even then, her control was limited.
When she had sensed Sirius's situation, Mira had made a split-second decision. The clone, weakened by the wards and unable to fight at full strength, would serve as a sacrificial shield. It was the only way to save Sirius, and Mira had acted without hesitation. She had guided the clone into the path of the curses, using it to absorb the brunt of the attack.
Now, as the clone's form dissolved into nothingness, Mira let out a shaky breath. Her body ached from the strain, and her magic felt drained, but a small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. "Mira is glad Master Sirius is safe," she whispered to the empty room, her voice trembling with emotion. "Mira did her duty."
Back in the chamber, Sirius lowered his wand, his chest heaving. His eyes flicked to where the clone had stood moments before, and he murmured under his breath, "Thanks, Mira."
Before he could fully process what had happened, Amelia rushed to his side. Her face was pale, her relief evident despite the fury in her expression. "You reckless idiot!" she snapped, though the sharpness in her voice was softened by the tremor of emotion. "You almost got yourself killed!"
Sirius shrugged, his trademark grin returning to his face. "Almost doesn't count."
Amelia huffed, shaking her head, but a small, reluctant smile tugged at the corner of her lips. The moment of reprieve was short-lived, though, as the sounds of the ongoing battle echoed through the room, pulling them back into the fray.
---
Despite the clone's heroic sacrifice, Magnus's Death Eaters pressed their advantage, their curses flying fast and lethal. Sirius and Amelia fought side by side, their wands moving in seamless coordination. Offensive and defensive spells wove together as if choreographed, a testament to their skill and experience. Yet, no matter how well they worked together, the Death Eaters' unrestrained use of deadly curses kept them dangerously close to overwhelming the pair.
Just as the situation seemed dire, a loud crack echoed through the chamber. James and Lily Potter, along with the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, burst into the room. Alastor Moody led the charge, his magical eye spinning wildly as he assessed the chaotic battlefield in an instant.
"You're late!" Amelia barked, not bothering to mask her frustration as she blocked a curse aimed at her back.
Moody grunted, his wand moving in a sharp arc to deflect another incoming spell. "Had to wait for Dumbledore's orders. But we're here now."
Amelia's eyes flashed with anger, her gaze promising a reckoning later. She had explicitly told Moody to reinforce her directly, and she wasn't about to forget his disobedience. But now wasn't the time to argue; the battle demanded their focus.
The arrival of the Order shifted the tide. Their combined strength bolstered the Aurors, and their presence threw the Death Eaters into disarray. James Potter darted into the fray, his wand slashing through the air as he fired off rapid, precise spells. Lily followed close behind, her movements fluid and deliberate, her shield charms deflecting curses aimed at her allies.
"Sirius!" James called, spotting his old friend amid the chaos. "You always did know how to throw a party!"
"Yeah, well, you're late to the fun as usual!" Sirius shot back, his grin returning despite the grim situation. He ducked a hex and retaliated with a blasting curse that sent two Death Eaters sprawling.
The Order's arrival was the turning point. Spells filled the air faster and more furiously than ever, the chamber a blur of light and sound. Slowly but surely, the combined forces of the Aurors and the Order began to gain the upper hand. Death Eaters fell one by one, either stunned, bound, or forced to retreat under the relentless assault.
Magnus, seeing his forces crumbling, knew the mission was lost. The prophecy was beyond their reach since they had the wrong boy. His numbers were dwindling, and retreat was the only option. But Magnus Blutreich was not the kind of man to leave without a parting gift.
His sharp eyes fell on Remus's unconscious form, lying near the edge of the room where Hermione and Ginny stood guard. The two girls had foolishly followed everyone into this room while guarding Remus. They did not want to retreat to safety while their friends fought.
Magnus's lips twisted into a cruel smile as he raised his wand, the tip glowing with a sickly black light.
"If I can't have victory," he hissed, his voice filled with malice, "I'll take something just as precious."
Before anyone could stop him, the dark spell erupted from his wand, streaking across the room like a bolt of shadow. It struck Remus square in the chest. His body convulsed violently, then crumpled to the ground, his breathing shallow and strained.
"MOONY!" Charles's anguished scream cut through the chaos.
Magnus, his moment of cruelty complete, turned on his heel and bolted toward the exit, a shadow disappearing into the chaos.
Charles's vision blurred with tears, but the grief quickly morphed into something darker. Rage surged through him, hot and uncontrollable. The voices of his parents and friends calling his name were distant echoes, drowned out by the pounding of his heart. All he saw was the man who had hurt his family.
"Charles, no!" Lily screamed, but her son was already gone, disappearing through the doorway in pursuit of the dark wizard.
James moved to follow, but another wave of spells from the remaining Death Eaters forced him back. They could only watch helplessly as Charles raced after Magnus, driven by grief and fury into what could only be a trap.
Meanwhile, Charles sprinted down the twisting corridors, his breath ragged, his grip on his wand tight enough to make his knuckles ache. He barely registered the eerie blue flames flickering in sconces as he ran, his mind consumed by one thought: He's not getting away.
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
33 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment