021 Luna: “Expecto Patronum!”

**3:00 PM.**

With no news and the explosion in Ravenclaw, Harry, worried to the point of bursting, couldn't wait any longer and went to the Headmaster's office to inquire.

Only to learn from Professor McGonagall that Dumbledore wasn't at the school; he had gone to capture the imposter, Sirius!

Hearing this, Harry could wait no longer.

Although Hermione warned it might be a trap from Voldemort, he feared it might be real.

With a fake Sirius appearing and his godfather not exposing it, something was wrong.

Fate took its course, and everything seemed to return to its original trajectory.

Harry decided to go to the Department of Mysteries, the place he saw in his dream.

Ron, Hermione, and Luna wouldn't let him go alone, so they joined him.

The school was in chaos, with caretaker Filch injured and sent to the hospital.

They easily used the Floo Network to reach London.

Finding the Department of Mysteries was simple.

Entering through the hidden telephone booth, they found themselves in a corridor.

There was no one guarding it.

The black stone bricks on both sides emitted an eerie vibe, old-fashioned incandescent lamps casting a deathly pale light.

Harry and the others felt their hearts racing, unease creeping in.

Luna, however, looked around with curiosity.

Nothing unexpected happened; they pushed through an unlocked door, entering a room.

But calling it a room wasn't quite right; it was more like a giant warehouse.

Rows of shelves, four or five meters high, held countless prophecy orbs.

Ron looked around, then turned back, speechless:

"Harry, are you sure Black will be here? I think Professor Trelawney would love this place more."

"No mistake."

Harry said, his eyes fixed as he hurried to a spot.

Soon, he stopped before a crystal ball.

In the vision, Black was tortured here by Death Eaters, but now, he was nowhere to be seen.

Anxiety gnawed at Harry.

Just then, Hermione spoke:

"Harry, the prophecy orb is glowing."

They all looked, seeing the orb activate as if sensing something.

A woman's voice sounded:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, marked by the Dark Lord as his equal, possessing unimaginable power..."

"Unimaginable... un...im...agi... unimaginable..."

The prophecy stuttered like a broken record, accelerating rapidly!

Until it became a line, the light inside growing blinding!

*Crash!*

The crystal ball shattered!

A terrified voice echoed in the darkness:

"No!!"

"How could a prophecy shatter!"

A crazed woman rushed out, her expression filled with terror as if seeing a ghost.

Several Death Eaters followed, equally shocked.

Lucius, wearing a mask, was among them but showed understanding.

He didn't know the exact reason.

But he was certain it related to that terrifying woman and another prophecy.

Maybe 'right' was correcting 'wrong'?

Who knew what Voldemort would think without the prophecy orb.

Bellatrix, with a cold expression, glared at Harry and the others, snarling:

"If we can't get the prophecy orb, kill the ones it's about!"

She cast a spell without hesitation

"Avada Kedavra!"

Greenlight illuminated the dark space!

This time, Harry didn't just stand by like when Cedric died; he instantly cast his spell!

"Expelliarmus!"

Intense magical energy clashed, causing numerous crystal balls to explode and shatter.

The other Death Eaters began their attack as well, and the young wizards fought back.

Nearly everyone was fighting... except Lucius.

He hid decisively.

To him, Voldemort was merely a pawn of that terrifying woman, potentially doomed any day, so risking his life for Voldemort seemed foolish.

He sneaked away.

But even without Lucius joining the fight, Harry and his friends didn't have it easy.

They were outmatched by the adult wizards.

They could only resist while retreating in desperation.

Luna, however, seemed quite at ease.

With guidance from the 'book spirit,' she precisely used the right spells to repel enemies.

She even managed to counterattack and knock out a Death Eater with a Stunning Spell during one evasion.

Though it was a chaotic battle, Harry and his friends noticed and were both happy and shocked.

Who knew the eccentric girl had such formidable skills.

Ron even thought she could become an Auror!

But this drew Bellatrix's attention.

She hurled sharp insults, followed by a swift, vicious Bone-Breaking Curse.

Luna casually ducked, evading it.

This finally enraged the mad woman!

Bellatrix pointed her wand at her arm, activating the Dark Mark!

The excruciating pain didn't bring her suffering but sheer joy.

She glared at Luna with malicious delight, laughing manically:

"Mr. Lovegood is about to lose his daughter. I guess the next issue of The Quibbler might be its last."

As she spoke, the distant door burst open.

Like a shadowy flood, hordes of Dementors swarmed in, causing the temperature in the Department of Mysteries to plummet!

"Madness, pure madness!"

Hiding, Lucius slipped away, and the other Death Eaters retreated.

Though these creatures were Voldemort's minions, with no Ministry control, who knew if they wouldn't attack their allies!

If they still understood the concept of allies.

The young wizards regrouped.

They remembered there was someone who could cast a Patronus Charm, the Dementors' bane.

But just as Harry tried recalling a happy memory to cast "Expecto Patronum," searing pain shot through his scar, causing him to collapse in agony!

Due to the altered plot, without learning Occlumency, Harry briefly connected with Voldemort under the Dementors' influence.

A deadly situation!

Ron paled, unable to believe Harry would falter now.

Hundreds of Dementors were already present, with more arriving.

Would they be sucked dry?

Just then, Luna seriously stepped forward.

She began swinging her wand like in class, muttering:

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Expecto Patronum...."

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