Chapter 368: Venturing into the Dark Forest

Disclaimer: 

Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K Rowling.

I own nothing but the original characters I make.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 368: Venturing into the Dark Forest

Harry and Daphne appeared in the middle of a grassy clearing, the moon casting just enough light to reveal their surroundings.

"Huh? I thought we were going back to the castle... This is..." Daphne looked around and spotted the wooden house where the groundskeeper lived, with the ominous Dark Forest looming behind it. "The Dark Forest?"

"This is close to where the signal was triggered. I think it came from inside the forest," Harry said, his gaze fixed toward the trees as he tried to detect any signs of disturbance.

"I didn't realize the forest was inside the wards. Are they that big?" Daphne had never explored the Dark Forest herself, but she knew it extended far beyond the castle grounds.

"No, the forest is massive. Only the entrance near the castle is within the wards' range... and that's where it happened."

"What about the Headmaster? Wouldn't he have sensed it too?" Daphne asked.

"I'm sure he did, but he must have his hands full right now." Harry pointed his wand at the castle and sent his Patronus. A brilliant silver owl flew towards it at great speed.

"A message?" Daphne noted.

"I told him not to worry, that I'll investigate. He's likely handling other things at the moment." Harry glanced at her. "And..."

"Don't even think about it. I'm coming with you." Daphne flashed her wand. "See? I'm ready. Just give me a second to transfigure my shoes and dress into something more... practical."

Harry nodded, pulling out his goblin steel staff and adjusting his enchanted jewelry. He wasn't sure what they'd find in the forest, but he wanted to be prepared for anything. He then tranfigured his elegant suit, back into its original form... some heavily enchanted black robes he bought over the summer.

Once they were both ready, they ventured into the Dark Forest.

"It should be... somewhere around here." Harry used a detection spell his father had taught him, one designed to trace the use of illegal dark magic. Soon, they found the spot. "There!"

Daphne lit her wand, casting a soft glow so they could see more clearly.

At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but upon closer inspection, they noticed burn marks on a nearby tree.

"This must be it. But... I can't tell what specific spell was used. Wait, what's this?" Harry knelt down, observing the burn marks encircling deep cuts in the tree's bark.

He cast the detection spell again, directly over the marks, and found only faint traces of dark magic. "This wasn't what triggered the alarm... I think this was done with a cursed blade, not a spell."

"Harry, look." Daphne was kneeling near the base of the tree, pointing to the ground.

There were small stains of blood scattered around, pooling at the roots and trailing off in a haphazard pattern.

"Blood…" Harry moved his light around. "But no body."

"I can use this... hold on." Daphne waved her wand over the bloodstains and began chanting in Old English. Slowly, a red mist emerged from the blood, hovering in the air before starting to drift away.

"The person who shed this blood is still alive! We can follow this to find them," Daphne said.

"Then let's not waste any time. Whoever's been attacked, we need to help them."

Harry and Daphne moved quickly through the forest, following the red mist as it guided them deeper into the trees.

"We're outside the castle wards now... be careful," Harry warned.

While within Hogwarts' territory, Harry had access to several magical tools and protections, but out here, they could only rely on their own abilities.

"You know, I never thought our date would end up like this," Daphne remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

"What? You don't find it romantic? A beautiful forest, at night, alone..." Harry teased.

Just then, a distant scream pierced the night. "Ahhh! Stop!"

"We're not alone though," Daphne said, her voice tense.

"I see it... stay close," Harry told her as they approached the source of the noise.

They emerged into a small clearing with a pitch-black pond at its center.

Two figures stood near the water. One, taller and looming, was gripping the other and seemed to be leaning into their neck.

Harry was about to intervene when the taller figure turned and released their victim.

In the faint moonlight, Harry and Daphne could now see who it was.

The taller figure was not a Hogwarts student. The limp body of the other person, their neck twisted grotesquely, was unmistakable.

"Karkaroff…" Harry muttered in shock.

The Durmstrang Headmaster's eyes were wide open, blood dripping from his mouth and the gaping wound in his neck. His head hung at an unnatural angle, his face frozen in terror.

"And who might you be?" The tall figure, now revealed, glanced at Harry and Daphne with a calm, almost amused expression. His bright eyes flicked to Daphne. "Ah, a young couple looking to spend time together on this beautiful night... how unfortunate you had to witness this."

"You killed him." Daphne's voice was steady as she stared at Karkaroff's lifeless form.

"I did," the tall man admitted without hesitation. "But don't mourn for him. He was a coward and a traitor. There was nothing good to say about him. He's much better off now…"

"You're…" Harry noticed the blood staining the man's mouth and the unnatural gleam in his vibrant yellow eyes. "A vampire."

The man's eyes widened in approval. "Very good! You must be an excellent student to figure it out so quickly."

"Who are you?" Daphne asked sharply.

The vampire shifted his gaze to her, a strange smile forming on his lips. "Mmm... you two are remarkably calm for being in the presence of a murderer. How curious that is. But if it's my name you want, my lady..." He bowed slightly, his tone mockingly polite. "My name is Rabastan Lestrange... at your service."

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