Chapter 409

How to get close to Voldemort? Or break through his defenses… He is stronger, more experienced. And in the end, he's just angrier! This is important, given his dark magical specialization. From a tactical point of view, I just need to wait for some kind of mess with his participation, guess the moment, and get closer by striking with a sword. But when will it be? It's hard to say. And problems can start at any moment — I have attracted his attention. I have to finish him off. If you believe the rumors at Hogwarts and Tonks' words, then cases of missing wizards have already become more frequent. I can bet that ordinary people as well.

How to overpower Voldemort in a direct confrontation? Direct and uncompromising?

"I'm detecting the birth of a brilliant idea," Rowena's snide voice in my head knocked me off this very thought. "Go see Delphine."

"Why?"I said out loud, unwittingly, but it was this mistake that managed to get my thoughts back on track. Without warning about my visit in advance, I apparated at the coordinates known to me to the place to which I had access.

Once on the apparation platform near Lady Greengrass's country house, which was still covered with snow, I walked along the path to the wooden mansion, inadvertently admiring the barely visible pale blue snow around and the tall coniferous trees of the forest standing very close to it. A soft yellow light was burning in the house's windows, which gave hope that Delphine was at home.

When I reached the door, it swung open to let me in, and then slammed shut when I walked in. Standing in the vestibule, which was level below the general floor, I enjoyed breathing in the warm air with pine scents wafting through it. The source of the scent interested me, and as soon as I cleared myself with magic and walked into the spacious main hall, lit by the fireplace and a couple of lights, I immediately noticed the decorated Christmas tree. Everything on it was as it should be - colorful shiny balls of different sizes, stars, soft yellow lights like garlands…

"Without an invitation," came Delphine's voice, coming from the big sofa in front of the fireplace.

There was no reproach in this voice — just a statement of fact. I walked across the hall and sat down in an armchair that stood, as it were, between the sofa and the fireplace. Delphine was sitting relaxed on this big sofa, dressed in a rather simple and long light dress. Her thick braid of almost white hair rested habitually on her right shoulder. In her hands, Lady Greengrass was holding a book that she had apparently been reading before my visit — not much light, but enough, and there are spells for such situations.

"I apologize for the late unannounced visit," I apologized, looking at Delphine.

She closed the book, placed it on her lap, and looked back at me.

"Has something happened?"

"I need your help."

Delphine nodded, like, "Go on." But I turned my gaze to the decorated Christmas tree.

"Christmas?"

"A good reason for a beautiful decoration," Lady Greengrass shrugged.

"Can you arrange the same ritual as last time?"

"Why?"

I stared at Delphine for a few seconds and didn't know exactly what to say. But... What's the point of spreading secrecy out of the blue?

"In that state, I plan to destroy the Dark Lord."

Delphine opened her eyes wide in surprise, looking at me.

"What nonsense..." she shook her head dejectedly.

"Lady Greengrass..."

But Delphine interrupted my beginning speech with a stopping gesture of her hand.

"I didn't spend a lot of time and effort on your training so that you would go and kill yourself at the Dark Lord."

"I have calculated and thought everything out..."

"You're forgetting about the prophecy," she said somewhat harsher.

"And we don't know its contents," I responded similarly to her. "Dumbledore is silent, and Potter has lost this prophecy. That's it."

"And if indeed only young Mr. Potter is capable of defeating the Dark Lord? Then how will your fight end, no matter how strong you make yourself?"

"I'll slip on my robe like Dumbledore."

Delphine looked at me in surprise.

"You don't know yet? Ohhh..."