Chapter 384

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Hermione and I left the hall in the company of Dumbledore and Mr. Guber, with Lady Greengrass and her daughters one step behind us.

"I must admit," the Headmaster spoke as we walked down the corridors, passing other wizards looking suspiciously at Dumbledore, "I was somewhat surprised and in some ways pleased by your decision regarding Mr. Nott."

"I was merely expressing an opinion, the reasons for which are quite obvious."

"And it is commendable that you are in no hurry to send anyone to the Dementors. Perhaps once rehabilitated, Mr. Nott can regain his sanity..."

Passing by the turn into another corridor, we witnessed an interesting scene of communication between Selwyn and his father, surrounded by Aurors escort. These two were covered by the charms of privacy, but you could easily read from the boy's lips the angry: "You recommended it yourself, and now you can't get me out." The answer was only: "Don't worry, son." Interesting. We had to go the other way, so we walked past.

When we reached the Atrium, Dumbledore waved his wand, creating a Patronus, but it flew into the wall before it had time to form completely.

"You may return to Hogwarts, young people. The address is Hogwarts, Hospital Wing."

"And you?" I glanced at the Headmaster.

"I still have things to do at the ministry," the Headmaster replied with a slight nod to himself, immediately turning around and leaving our company.

Daphne and Astoria went to the fireplaces, quickly moving to the said address, while Lady Greengrass approached me, placing a simple silver chain in my hand.

"Hurry up, the activator is standard," she said without explanation, but no explanation was needed.

Delphine managed to step aside a couple of meters before Hermione immediately caught up with her, starting to talk about something while remembering to put privacy charms around them. I waited. The conversation didn't last more than a couple of minutes, and judging by the gestures, whatever Hermione was asking, she got an emphatic no, and then she came toward me.

"Let's go," the girl's voice sounded displeased.

We moved by the fireplace into the hospital wing of Hogwarts and found ourselves in a room filled in the sun's rays that was almost over the horizon. There were no visitors here now, and standing at the side was Madam Pomfrey, who waved her wand at the sight of us and touched the fireplace with it, seemingly blocking access.

After greeting our healer, whom we saw in person for the first time today, Hermione and I went to the exit of the hospital wing, and as soon as we left the door, I immediately turned to the girl.

"I have to go."

"I know. Be careful," she turned to me with a slight smile, giving me light and quick kiss.

I turned around and walked quickly toward the exit of the castle, casting various concealing spells on myself at the same time. Now and then, in the corridors, there were groups of students of different ages, tired after a day of classes or happy that the day was gradually coming to an end.

When I got outside the castle, I went to the border of the anti-apparation charms, and as soon as I went beyond it, I activated the chain-portkey. I walked softly through space and found myself on the familiar ground in front of Lady Greengrass's wooden country mansion, which was already waiting for me on the doorstep. All in black and in a black robe with a hood. Seeing me, Delphine quickly walked up the stone-paved path.

"We're going after the training material," she held out her hand to me, and as soon as I took it, we were pulled into the vortex of apparation.

We were standing in the middle of a dark coniferous forest. The sky was already dark enough to see the stars and the light of the full moon on the rare clouds. If it weren't for the forest, it would be possible to see the moon itself, but it seems not today. My eyesight is good enough, and the Cat's Eye spell should not be applied - bright flashes of a possible clash are not what I would like to see while under this spell.

Delphine pulled out a small bag from under the hem of her robe and shook out about two dozen large dark clumps of matter with one gesture. I felt around me a rather large movement of magic from Delphine to these clumps, the contours of which quickly swam, began to swell, inflate, turning into incomprehensible black creatures on four legs, with three long sharp tails, and the features of these creatures, as well as the size, inspired only one desire — to run as fast as possible, and scream for help as loudly as possible.

As soon as the Delphine took a step forward, these creatures scattered at great speed in a cone through the forest in the direction of Lady Greengrass' movement. I followed her silently.

"I invited you," Delphine said softly, "counting on your help. The ability to dispel defensive structures you've shown might come in handy. Yes, and as support in case of an emergency."

"Breaking down defenses is that hard?"

"Remember how much work it cost you to circumvent Dumbledore's simple age line. Of course, it was complicated, but nevertheless, it was just an age line. The protection of houses is much more complicated, more massive, and their breaking takes a very long time or breaks down by bare force. I am not a supporter of the extraction of power through rituals and sacrifices, and if there is an opportunity to get around this unpleasant nuance, then it should definitely be used."

"By the way, do wizards have nowhere else to take power from?"

"What do you think?"

We walked through the forest, stepping over tree roots, jumping over small ravines, and avoiding magically active areas and plants.

" That's why, "Delphine continued, "Professor Flitwick has been struggling with the creation of magic accumulator for years. And that's why sacrifice rituals appeared at the time. Without these rituals, the wizard has only one source of power — himself."