msmithbooks Chapter 171 Phoenix Lament
Chapter 171 Phoenix Lament
Chapter 170
"Professor," Ann walked up to a tumbling cauldron with a notebook full of notes, and stirred the potion twice with a glass rod, and a burst of yellow-white smoke came out of the potion, "I think shrunken figs and rose petals It would be better to lighten the weight of these two materials a little bit."
Slughorn walked to Ann, and Ann handed over the notebook. He flipped through the notebook, and then stirred the potion in the cauldron.The probe looked at the pot of medicine next door.There were more shrunken figs and rose petals in the pot.
"Indeed," said Slughorn, in an ariad tone. "Oh, Ann, to be of the Roland family, and so gifted in herbalism and potions—"
"Thank you." An said with a smile, "I just researched various magic plants in depth, and it is inevitable to deal with potions. The publication of this new research paper on potions is thanks to Professor Snape and you. !"
"Oh, what a pity that Severus, who has raised such a gifted child, cannot sign the paper." Slughorn said regretfully, but there was no sense of apology in his tone.
"Professor, I think most of the credit lies with you for stabilizing the medicine of this potion so quickly and making it commercially available. And I heard that you also taught Professor Snape back then. In this way, you are my The teacher's teacher is even more meaningful."
"Ghost spirit." Slughorn blinked, and strode forward to a wooden frame, "Last time you said that you wanted to know the properties of the shell of the giant snail and the powder of the horn of the horned camel, ha, that It’s really hard to find things in books. I have the notes of two potions masters in my collection here, so you can take a look.”
"Great!" Ann looked admiring, "I don't think I can see it elsewhere—"
Slughorn handed Ann the two notebooks, and Ann took them and put them in her bag.He turned his head and glanced at the small golden clock on the wall, "Okay, boy, it's time for you to go back. Even with Dumbledore's special approval, you'd better go back early, now—"
Before he could finish speaking, a sudden muffled explosion sounded upstairs.Then the door of Slughorn's office was suddenly opened from the outside.
Professor Flitwick looked terrified, and he shouted excitedly, "Dumbledore is not here, there are Death Eaters in the castle! There is a Dark Demon symbol on the Astronomy Tower!"
After speaking, he ran out, looking in the direction, he should be heading for Professor Snape's office on the first basement floor.
"Professor?" Ann frowned and turned her head.
Slughorn looked stunned, motionless, and stammered, "But—how—"
"Professor Slughorn!?" Ann walked in front of Slughorn, "Professor! It seems that something happened in the castle. I think the Ministry of Magic must be notified of this news as soon as possible. Moreover, we must find someone who is familiar with Huo The people from the defense magic of Gervoz Castle go to help!"
"Ah—" Slughorn came back to his senses, but his face looked pale, "Yes, inform the Ministry of Magic and send someone quickly."
His hand holding the wand trembled a little, but he still walked up to a blank portrait in the office, and cast a spell with complicated movements, "It's ok... Theodore will know the news and notify the Ministry of Magic immediately. ..."
"Dark Arts?" he murmured, "Should we go to Severus? He's the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at school, and he's familiar with castle defenses..."
"Professor Flitwick has gone, I think—" Slughorn ran out of the office before Ann could finish.Ann had no choice but to follow, she was really afraid that something might happen to the old professor on the way.
The road from the first floor to the first basement floor was unobstructed, but there were constant explosions from above the castle.
The door to Snape's office was flung open, and Slughorn called out, "Severus, the castle—"
Ann followed in doubt.
In the office, Snape wasn't there, Flitwick passed out on the floor, and two people that Ann didn't expect were squatting next to Flitwick, one on the left and the other on the right.
"Ann?" Hermione called, and then rushed forward, and Ann hugged her.
"you?"
Luna stood up in a daze, and pointed to the unconscious Flitwick on the ground, "Professor Snape is not here, he went out to help, he asked us to take care of the collapsed Professor Flitwick."
"Severus went to help?" Slughorn said pleasantly, "That's great—"
"What are you two doing in Professor Snape's office?" Ann said, holding Hermione's hand, squatting next to Professor Flitwick to check.
"DA action!" Luna said cheerfully, "Harry asked us to monitor Professor Snape."
"Surveillance?" Ann said, and cast a quick revival on Professor Flitwick with her wand.
"It didn't work, Ann, we tried," said Hermione. "What's going on outside? All we heard was Professor Flitwick yelling that there are Death Eaters in the castle."
"Oh, not only are there Death Eaters, but there is also a Dark Demon symbol on the Astronomy Tower!" Slughorn walked back and forth with a pale face, "Hogwarts is not safe anymore—"
Hermione covered her mouth and shuddered.Ann quickly hugged Hermione, "The Ministry of Magic has been notified, and they should send someone right away."
"Professor!" Ann called to stop Slughorn, "We should send Professor Flitwick to the school hospital."
"The school hospital?" Slughorn froze for a moment, then nodded, "That's right! The school hospital's defensive magic is one of the strongest in the entire castle..."
Upon arriving at the University Hospital, Slughorn sat down in the nearest chair with a pale face.
"What's going on?" Madam Pomfrey checked Professor Flitwick in her pajamas, "I heard some noise from upstairs?"
"Death Eaters have appeared in the castle, ma'am," Ann said, "and a dark symbol has appeared on the Astronomy Tower."
Madam Pomfrey shook her hand, "What? Where's Dumbledore?"
"He's out!" said Slughorn. "He must be going—"
The door of the school hospital was once again opened with a spell. Ron supported the unconscious Neville, while Lupine and Tonks helped a man with blood on his face and walked in.
"They escaped." Lupine seemed to know what Slughorn wanted to ask when he stood up.
"Ann, I need a strong sedative." After Madam Pomfrey finished speaking, she frowned and hurriedly greeted the person.
The door of the school hospital opened again, and Harry and Ginny walked in.Harry looked at Neville lying on the bed, and went to Bill's bedside, Ron, Luna, Tonks and Lupine, where Hermione was holding Ann.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Lupine asked worriedly.
"I'm fine... how's Bill?"
No one answered.As Harry moved closer, he saw a grotesque, unrecognizable face lying on the pillow.Madam Pomfrey was wiping his wounds with a pungent green ointment.
"Can't you cure him with a spell or something?" he asked Madam Pomfrey.
"There are no spells that can heal these wounds," Madam Pomfrey said. "I've tried all the spells I know, and none can heal a werewolf bite."
"But wasn't he bitten by a werewolf on the full moon?" said Ron, looking down into his brother's face as if he could heal his wounds with his gaze. "Fenrir Greyback didn't become Wolf-shaped, so Bill certainly can't turn into a—a real—”
He looked at Lupine uncertainly.
"Yes, I don't think Bill will turn into a real werewolf," said Lupine, "but that's not to say nothing has changed. These are curse wounds. They can't heal completely, and—and Bill may in future Some werewolf traits."
"Dumbledore might know what to do," said Ron. "Where is he? Bill was on his orders to fight those madmen, Dumbledore is responsible for him, he can't just let it go—"
"Ron, Dumbledore's dead," said Ginny.
There was a moment of silence in the ward.
"Impossible!" Lupine roared.Slughorn slumped down in his chair, muttering, "Really?"
"It's true, I saw it with my own eyes," said Harry.
Hermione buried her head in Ann's neck and sobbed softly. Ann bit her lower lip and hugged her tightly.
At this time, the cry of the phoenix came from a distance.Somewhere in the darkness outside, the Phoenix Fox was crying out in mournful agony, in a voice like a moving, pathetic dirge.This dirge echoed in the campus and in the windows of the castle.
When the singing stopped, there was another silence in the school hospital.Until Mag pushed the door and walked in.She has battle marks on her body, a few scratches on her face, and her robe is torn.
"Molly and Arthur are coming this way, and here are some Aurors. Oh, thank you, Slughorn, for notifying the Ministry in time. The Minister will be here in about 15 minutes," she said, Slughorn Horn shook his head.
McGonagall turned to Harry, "Harry, what's going on? I heard from Hagrid that you were with Professor Dumbledore?"
"Snape killed Dumbledore," said Harry.
The school hospital once again fell into a state of silence.
"I was there, I saw it with my own eyes. We went back to the Astronomy Tower because the Dark Mark is there... Dumbledore was sick, he was weak, but I think when we heard someone running upstairs , he had realized it was a trap. Dumbledore had me immobilized with a spell, and I couldn't do anything, I was wearing the Invisibility Cloak—and then Malfoy came in through the door, disarmed him—"
"—more Death Eaters came—and then Snape—Snape did it, Avada Kedavra." Harry broke off.
McGonagall stared at him for a moment, then shook heart-wrenchingly.Madam Pomfrey ran forward a few steps, conjured a chair with magic, and placed it behind McGonagall.
"Snape was a master of Occlumency," said Lupine, his voice harsh and different from usual, "that's a fact we all know."
"Severus—oh? Snape?" Slughorn looked shocked, paler still.
"But Dumbledore swears that he's from our side!" Tonks said softly, "I always thought that Dumbledore must know something about Snape, which we don't know..."
"He's always implying that he has unbreakable reasons to trust Snape," murmured Professor McGonagall, wiping the corners of his tearful eyes with a plaid lace handkerchief, "I mean...from Snape's history... ...Of course people will have doubts about him...but Dumbledore made it clear to me that Snape's confession was absolutely from the heart...he didn't want to hear a bad word about him!"
"I'd like to know how Snape convinced him," said Tonks.
"I know," said Harry, "that Snape tipped off to Voldemort, causing Voldemort to go after my parents. Then Snape told Dumbledore that he didn't realize the consequences of what he did, and he was very sorry for him." The news leaked out, and he regrets their deaths."
"Dumbledore believed him?" Lupine asked in disbelief. "Dumbledore believed that Snape was sorry for James' death? Snape always hated James..."
"It's all my fault," said Professor McGonagall suddenly, looking bewildered, wringing a wet handkerchief in her hands, "my fault for telling Flitwick to call Snape at night." , and I asked him to help us! If I hadn't informed Snape of what was going on here, he probably wouldn't have joined the Death Eaters. I don't think Snape knew until Flitwick told him The Death Eaters are here, didn't know they were coming."
"It wasn't your fault, Minerva," Lupine said firmly. "We all needed more help then, and we were glad to know that Snape was coming..."
"So when he got here, did he join the Death Eaters straight away?" Harry asked.
"I don't know exactly how it happened," said Professor McGonagall, distractedly. Vi patrols the corridors for any eventuality... Remus, Bill, and Nymphadora are all joined... We patrol together. Everything seems to be peaceful. All secret passages outside Knowing that no one can fly in, every entrance into the castle is shrouded in powerful magic. I still haven't figured out how the Death Eaters got in..."
"I know," said Harry, briefly explaining how Malfoy had set up a pair of Vanishing Cabinets to create a magical passage, "so they slipped in through the Room of Requirement."
After Harry finished speaking, he glanced at Ron and Hermione, as if to say, I told you that Malfoy has problems, but you still don't believe it.
"I screwed up, Harry," said Ron despondently, "we did as you said, checked the Marauder's Map, and saw no Mal
Fuck was up there, and we figured he must be in the Room of Requirement, so I, Ginny, and Neville ran over to guard there... but let Malfoy slip through. "
"We watched for an hour, and he came out of that room," said Ginny, "alone, clutching that disgusting withered hand—"
"His 'Hand of Glory,'" said Ron, "only the one who holds it can see the light, remember?"
"Anyway," Ginny went on, "he must be checking to see if it's safe for Death Eaters to sneak in, because as soon as he saw us he threw something into the air and it went dark—"
"—Stealth guns imported from Peru," said Ron bitterly. "It's Fred and George's. I'd like to know who they're doing business with."
"We tried everything - fluorescent lights, flames," Ginny said, "nothing could penetrate the darkness, so we had to grope our way out of the hallway, and we heard someone rushing past ...apparently because Malfoy has the Hand of Glory and can see and guide them, but we dare not cast any spells or throw anything for fear of hitting one of our own. Run away."
"Luckily," said Lupine hoarsely, "Ron, Ginny, and Neville ran into us almost immediately and told us what was going on. A few minutes later we found the Death Eaters running towards the astronomy Ta. Malfoy obviously didn't expect so many people on guard, he seemed to use up his invisibility guns quickly. The battle broke out, they scattered, and we went up to give chase. A Death Eater named Gibbon broke through and ran away Now, run to the stairs of the tower—"
"To unleash the Dark Mark?" Harry asked.
"Yes, that must have been the case, they must have arranged it before they left the House of Requirement," said Lupine, "but I think Gibbon would not like to be left alone waiting for Dumbledore, as he went back downstairs and joined the fight." , and was hit by a Killing Curse that missed me."
"Ron was staring at the Room of Requirement with Ginny and Neville," Harry said, turning to Hermione, "so you're—?"
"Outside Snape's office, yeah," Hermione whispered, tears glistening in her eyes, Ann didn't say anything, just patted Hermione on the back, "with Luna. Stayed outside for a long time, nothing happened... We don't know what happened upstairs, the Marauder's Map is at Ron's place... Then Professor Flitwick broke into the basement, he yelled that there were Death Eaters in the castle, I don't think he even noticed that Luna and I were there, and he ran straight into Snape's office. Then we heard a loud thump, and Snape came running out. He saw us, and— -Then--"
"What?" Harry urged her.Ann glared at Harry.
"How stupid of me, Harry!" whispered Hermione in a thin voice, "He said Professor Flitwick was paralyzed and we should go in and look after him, and he went - and he went to help fight the Death Eaters - —We didn't realize it at the time, and we stepped aside—"
At the end, Hermione choked up again.Ann sighed, and wiped the tears from Hermione's face distressedly.
"It's not your fault," said Lupine firmly. "You didn't know, Hermione, and no one here knows."
"We entered the office later," Luna's voice became less erratic, "We wanted to see if we could help Professor Flitwick, we used the quick awakening spell on him, but it didn't work. Later, An and Sla Professor Ghorn came in."
Seeing Harry turn to herself, Ann said, "I was in Professor Slughorn's office, and Professor Flitwick broke in suddenly to remind him that there are Death Eaters in the castle and the Dark Demon symbol on the Astronomy Tower. After finishing speaking, he ran away in a hurry. Professor Slughorn notified the Ministry of Magic, and he also proposed to find Snape to teach... Well, after entering the office, I saw the unconscious Professor Flitwick, I Suggest sending it to the school hospital."
"So he went upstairs?" said Harry. "He found the fighting place?"
"We're in trouble, we're at a disadvantage," Tonks whispered. "Gibbon is down, but the rest of the Death Eaters seem to be fighting it out. Neville was wounded, Bill was shot by Fenrir Graber." K's onslaught...it was pitch black...spells flying everywhere...the boy Malfoy was gone, he must have slipped, down the stairs to the tower...then more Death Eaters followed him In the back, one of them cast a spell to seal the stairs behind them... Neville charged straight ahead and was thrown into the air—"
"None of us were able to break through the barrier," said Ron. "That big Death Eater was still casting spells all over the place, and the spells bouncing off the wall almost missed us..."
"And then Snape showed up," said Tonks, "and then he disappeared—"
"I saw him running towards us, but it just so happened that a spell from that big Death Eater hit, and after I dodged the spell, Snape disappeared," Ginny said.
"I saw him run straight past the barrier, as if it didn't exist," Lupine said. "I tried to run after him, but was thrown into the air just like Neville..."
"He must be familiar with a spell we don't know about," McGonagall said softly, "after all—he's a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... I thought he was busy chasing Death Eaters up the tower... "
"He was," said Harry furiously, "but he was chasing after them to help them, not to stop them... I'll bet you had the Dark Mark to get through that barrier - so what happened after he came down the stairs what?"
"Well, the big Death Eater just cast a spell that knocked half the ceiling down and broke the barrier blocking the landing," said Lupine. Rush forward. Then Snape and the boy appeared in the dust - obviously, neither of us attacked them -"
"Just let them pass," said Tonks in a hollow voice, "and we thought they were being chased by Death Eaters—then the other Death Eaters and Fenrir Greyback came back, and we fought Get up—I think I heard Snape yell, but I don't know what he yelled—"
"He yelled, 'It's over,'" Harry said, "which means he's done what he was going to do."
Everyone was silent.
The door of the hospital was knocked open suddenly, everyone was startled.Mr. and Mrs. Weasley strode in, followed by Fleur, her beautiful face full of terror.