Chapter 610: Lucius: Danger! (Edited)

So he violently lunged out from the corner while simultaneously changing into his basilisk form.

Tom had a very precise understanding of his role: today, he would be the support, leaving the main attacker, Dumbledore.

What control ability could be stronger than the absolute control of a basilisk?

Tom transformed into a giant basilisk over three meters long and slithered forward towards Voldemort.

Voldemort, of course, knew the basilisk and how terrifying they were. Though his heart was roiling, he reacted quickly: he closed his eyes to avoid looking directly at the basilisk, and at the same time, he recalled to push the Horcrux that was beside him in front of him.

It wasn't an act of goodwill, but he wanted to use the Horcrux as a shield. The Horcrux understood Voldemort's intentions and, therefore, lowered its head, showing an indignant look on its face.

Once Tom became the basilisk, Voldemort didn't feel that the situation was unfavorable. Although the basilisk's eyes were terrifying, as long as he didn't look directly at them, he wouldn't be petrified.

Voldemort felt that he just needed to be cautious about that. Although his fighting ability was affected, he trusted he could win with the advantage of him and the Horcrux fighting together.

But then, a spell from Dumbledore utterly dismayed him.

Dumbledore raised his wand and quickly created mirrors around him, reflecting the basilisk's body and its eyes. This way, the likelihood of Voldemort looking directly into the basilisk's eyes would significantly increase.

Dumbledore's mirrors completely eliminated the possibility of Voldemort winning. He couldn't look in Dumbledore's direction anymore! This was ridiculous!

Voldemort felt that he no longer had a chance to win. How could he face Dumbledore if he couldn't use his eyes? Moreover, his arm was injured, and his soul was being burned.

He felt he had to retreat; if he didn't do it soon, he probably wouldn't have a chance anymore.

But fleeing was also a form of wisdom. Once the Dementors returned to Azkaban, even though they wouldn't dare to directly intervene in the three-way confrontation, they would play a significant role in making the place a location where Apparition couldn't be used.

Voldemort turned into a cloud of smoke, and at that moment, a loud explosion occurred by his side.

Voldemort: !!!

It was his Horcrux! It cast an explosive spell towards the ceiling!

Azkaban's precursor was a dark wizard's residence, and after the Dementors moved in, they didn't bother to renovate the castle's interior. Therefore, the castle's interior wasn't as solid as the outer walls. With an "explosive enchantment," the hallway was successfully destroyed by half.

After being hit by the shockwave from the explosion, Voldemort felt a tingling in his chest, and his head was filled with stars. But still, he chose a direction and quickly slid along the floor. The Horcrux also took the opportunity to run towards the window in the hallway, preparing for a leap of faith.

However, at that moment, Dumbledore's magic also arrived. Under his wand's control, the water on the ground outside the castle flew through the window and turned into a thick paste that enveloped the Horcrux's face.

The water coming in their direction became extremely viscous, as if it were glue, and quickly turned into a cocoon taller than a person that wrapped around the Horcrux, suffocating it.

In the blink of an eye, a rosy, undulating, and blurry figure appeared in its place. It was clear that the Horcrux struggled to break free from that suffocating water cocoon.

Aqua Volatem! Tom recognized the name of the spell Dumbledore used.

Taking advantage of Tom's body being wrapped by the Aqua Volatem spell, he found the right angle and looked directly at the Horcrux trapped in the water cocoon. The Horcrux didn't expect this, and under Tom's gaze, it was petrified.

Basilisk eyes, activated!

Although Tom's gaze wasn't as powerful as a true basilisk that could kill someone, it was still enough to petrify the Horcrux for a short time. While the weakened gaze wasn't enough to permanently petrify the Horcrux, with Dumbledore present, this time would be sufficient.

After seeing the Horcrux petrify, Dumbledore lifted the Aqua Volatem spell. The Horcrux, which had lost its support, fell to the ground and became Dumbledore's prisoner. Unfortunately, Voldemort escaped while the situation was in chaos. In this ambush, he paid a high price: he lost a Horcrux and was hit by Dumbledore's spell. The days ahead wouldn't be easy for him.

Tom returned to his human form and stood next to Dumbledore, looking at the fallen body of Umbridge with a strange expression.

"Professor Dumbledore, you're not going to let her live, are you? She's one of that person's Horcruxes!" Tom really feared that Dumbledore would have a moment of weakness and make a grave mistake.

Dumbledore waved his hand, indicating to Tom not to worry; he still had a firm heart.

"I'm just reflecting on the fragility of life," Dumbledore said, looking at the body on the ground with a deep feeling.

"A moment ago, she was a living person, and in the blink of an eye, she's gone. Her body was used to create a Horcrux by Riddle, and her actions have surprised me... But they've also been effective. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have had trouble." In Dumbledore's mind, the decision he made had been a victory with a slight advantage. If it hadn't been for Tom's final surprise attack, his confrontation with Voldemort could have lasted much longer.

"Plus, that transformation was truly powerful." Dumbledore didn't forget to praise the basilisk that Tom had become.

Dumbledore took an attitude of not delving too much into Tom's transformation into a basilisk. He had no intention of investigating why he could transform like that. In his view, every little wizard had their own extraordinary experiences, and if Tom Yodel had something special, that was normal, as long as he used that power for the right things.

What could be more right than facing Voldemort?

Tom looked at the body of Umbridge, which had already stiffened, without showing any emotion. Didn't he know who Dolores Umbridge was? A typical opportunist who supported the strongest. Dying here and leaving behind a moderately respectable name was the best thing that could happen to her.

"Come on, destroy the Horcrux quickly, we don't want more trouble," urged Tom. He really didn't want any more complications.

The destruction of a Horcrux required a special method. To do this, Dumbledore extended his left arm, and suddenly, a distant and ethereal chant sounded in the emptiness. Soon, Fawkes the Phoenix appeared holding the Sorting Hat in its talons, in front of both of them.

After tossing the Sorting Hat at Dumbledore's feet, Fawkes flew off in anger. Tom, with a sharp eye, noticed that the phoenix made a disdainful gesture towards Dumbledore before departing.

"The true Gryffindor can always receive help from the Sorting Hat," Dumbledore said proudly as he showed Tom the Sword of Gryffindor he had taken from the Sorting Hat.

Tom: ...

Is it King Arthur who can pull the sword from the lake, or is it Gryffindor who can pull the sword from the hat?

Tom's gaze was drawn to the Sword of Gryffindor, all silver with rubies embedded in the hilt and Godric Gryffindor's name engraved on the blade.

As someone who had worked with armor, Tom immediately recognized that the sword was made of Goblin Silver.

"One of the objects left by Godric Gryffindor, the founder of Hogwarts," explained Dumbledore as he held the sword. "Made by goblins, it has some rather peculiar properties, like the ability to absorb things that make it stronger. Gryffindor carried it on his adventures and killed countless magical creatures and monsters. The blade has been imbued with magic and is capable of destroying Horcruxes."

Dumbledore took the sword firmly and raised it above his head, pointing it at Umbridge's body on the ground. The Sword of Gryffindor pierced Umbridge's chest, and Tom felt like he heard a piercing scream. Black smoke emerged from Umbridge's body, and some black blood spurted from her chest.

Under this strong stimulation, the Horcrux broke free from the basilisk's petrification and began to wriggle like a snake, but the Sword of Gryffindor was embedded in the ground like a nail, holding it firmly in place.

Dumbledore remained unmoved, unaffected at all. Thus, he used all his strength to drive the sword into the Horcrux until it stopped struggling.

"Done," said Dumbledore as he pulled out the sword. As he did, a stream of black blood gushed from the wound, along with spirals of black smoke.

Soon, Umbridge's body dried up. Her small body shrank even further.

"Come on, it's been a fruitful day," Dumbledore said cheerfully as he extended his arm to Tom. First, he took Tom out of Azkaban, and then, using Apparition, he took him back to Hogwarts.

When Tom and Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts, Voldemort also returned to Malfoy Manor.

A cloud of black smoke appeared, and Voldemort, with a pallid face, appeared in the garden of Malfoy Manor, scaring the peacocks there.

At this moment, Voldemort wasn't as calm and composed as when he left. His wizard robe was torn to shreds from the battle, and his entire left arm was wrapped in Dumbledore's golden flames, causing him constant pain.

Voldemort had been fleeing all this time and didn't even have time to cleanse the flames from his arm. Now, after returning to Malfoy Manor, he finally had the energy to deal with the flames. As an ancient pure-blood family, the Malfoys had means to conceal their lair. Without Lucius' consent, not even Dumbledore could enter here.

So, this means this place is safe for Voldemort. He drew his wand and tapped his left arm several times. The golden flames disappeared, revealing his small, blackened, and dry arm after being burned by the flames.

Although the visible flames had disappeared, Voldemort could still feel the torment that Dumbledore's spell inflicted on his soul. A thousand knives couldn't compare to a fraction of this pain.

Dumbledore's spell was like slow torment for Voldemort, making him feel the pain in his soul every minute and second, it was an extremely terrifying magic. Moreover, this spell would gradually destroy Voldemort's own soul, which meant that his life was on a countdown. If he didn't have Horcruxes, he would die in the midst of pain. This process could last for a year, five years, or even ten years.

Ah!

Voldemort tried using various spells to alleviate his pain, but none worked. Finally, filled with rage, he screamed furiously. His wand flew in the air, and a series of green flashes rained down in the garden, killing all living creatures.

The moment Voldemort entered the mansion, Lucius Malfoy noticed it. However, being cunning, he didn't rush to greet him immediately. Because by observing his condition, it seemed that something was not right.

After Voldemort's outburst, Lucius felt relieved. If he had just rushed outside, he might have been the scapegoat for Voldemort's wrath. In his fury, Voldemort wouldn't consider much, and even Death Eaters like Lucius could be mercilessly killed.

After Voldemort had vented his anger on the white peacocks, he felt a bit calmer and began to think of a solution.

Seeing his master calming down, Lucius slowly advanced, preparing to greet him. It's not that he liked attracting trouble, but this time he couldn't avoid it.

After all, this was his mansion, and sooner or later, he would have to face Voldemort.

While Voldemort was contemplating a solution, his eyes lit up when he saw Lucius, and he suddenly had a brilliant idea.

He only needed to make a small sacrifice, and he could free himself from this pain.

So, Lucius heard those words that almost made him lose his soul.

"Lucius, where is that book I asked you to keep years ago?"

...

On the surface of the sea, a small fishing boat swayed with the waves. The sailor standing at the bow, fishing, rubbed his eyes, as it seemed he had seen a figure on the water's surface.

Someone's life was at stake, so he quickly informed his companion. Both of them stopped the boat and started searching the water's surface.

"I think I saw someone."

"Where?"

"Then it disappeared..."

"I'll stop the boat first."

...

As the two men stared wide-eyed, frantically searching for traces of the swimmer, a hand as white as foam suddenly grabbed the side of the boat. Then, a black-haired woman climbed aboard.

Bellatrix couldn't imagine what she had experienced, but when she stepped onto the boat's firm deck, she knew she was still alive.

"Are you okay? William, fetch a blanket and prepare a cup of hot tea." The sailor heard the noise and ran toward Bellatrix, eager to assist the shipwrecked person, unaware of the dangerous smile on the woman's lips...

Several hours later, a shuddering sailboat washed ashore. A woman with a yellowish complexion descended from the boat and staggered toward the horizon.

In the boat's cabin, two bodies lay crosswise, their open eyes showing confusion and disbelief. If only they had heard the story of the "Farmer and the Snake" when they were young, they probably wouldn't be so perplexed. They had saved a pure-blood venomous snake.