"Don't stay here, because there are more important things waiting for you to do." Chen Songyuan sighed. "Anyway, you know these things in your heart. I know you can't stay here, so don't use such words to anger me."
"Who knows? What if I suddenly change my mind and don't leave? It's only a thousand years, I can afford to wait. "
"You can wait, but I can't. In twenty years, the whole plan will be on the right track. We need your existence to control this forward ship. After all, we can't find another Mystic Bird, right?"
"Well, okay, I will activate the memory in my mind under the right circumstances and then leave here. There is a high probability that I will leave as you wish, after everything is over."
"That's great."
Chen Songyuan said happily. He did not look like a calm person.
"I will wait for you in the future."
"See you in the future, say hello to Earth for me."
…
It was unknown whether Chen Songyuan heard the last sentence or not. Anyway, he had disappeared after Jon finished speaking.
Even if he heard it, he might not be able to ask.
But that's it. Anyway, the general situation was clear.
All the things he did when he came to this world, except for what he really wanted to do, the rest was because he came with a mission.
Unexpectedly.
At this point, he still had to carry out a mission.
Since Chen Songyuan said that the things here should be done well and let them go according to the original ending, then Chen Songyuan could enter Earth smoothly.
Well, if that was the case.
It did not conflict with his original plan.
After talking for so long with the phantom left by Chen Songyuan and wasting so much time in the deep sea, something should have happened down there.
But no matter what happened, it had nothing to do with Jon. That was what they had to go through. It was better for them that Jon did not intervene.
He did not like to always change other people's lives.
There was no other way, but it was better not to change it.
Otherwise, this story would not be convincing.
Most of the time, the beauty of a beautiful story lay in the fact that so many people had truly died in it.
Therefore, he went to take a look at Helga before returning to the Hogwarts.
Aberforth had basically finished filming his scenes, so he had nothing else to do. So when Jon appeared in the bar, he eagerly asked Jon when he could leave.
"He left very quickly. Things will be over soon, won't they? I think the final battle is coming, and we don't have to wait too long. I've already prepared the passage. I just came back from the ancestral world, and all the people who died in this accident … all our people can get a chance to be reborn. I've chosen a beautiful place where they can live freely. "
He had just gone to the world of Helga mainly for this matter.
"However, are you sure you don't want to see Dumbledore again?"
Aberforth shook his head.
"Well, if you insist, then I'll go with you. Then I'll leave first. I think the other side needs some immediate treatment, so I'll go take a look … Eh? They seem to have been discovered. "
Jon's figure suddenly disappeared from the bar. The next moment, his figure appeared in the castle, but no one saw him. His Phantom Spell was much more powerful than the Invisibility Cloak. After all, his strength was there.
…
When Jon appeared, Alecto's finger just happened to touch the Dark Mark on her arm.
It was obvious that Harry was affected to a certain extent, probably by Voldemort's emotions. But before he could counterattack, a spell came from another direction and knocked Alecto to the ground.
It was Luna who released a stun spell.
"I used to practice stun spells when I was in D.A. training," Luna said with a slightly surprised voice, "I didn't expect it to make such a loud sound."
In an instant, the ceiling began to tremble.
The sound of running became louder and louder behind the door leading to the dormitory. Luna's spell woke up the sleeping Ravenclaw students.
"Luna, where are you? I need to go under the Invisibility Cloak! "
Luna's feet suddenly appeared, and Harry quickly ran to her side.
As soon as she put the Invisibility Cloak on the two of them, the door opened. A group of Ravenclaw students in pajamas rushed into the common room.
There was a gasp and a shriek of surprise at the sight of Alecto lying unconscious on the ground.
Slowly, they moved to her side and looked at the beast that could wake up at any time and attack them.
Then, a brave freshman rushed over and poked her back with his big toe.
"I think she might be dead!"
He shouted with joy.
"Oh, look," Luna saw the Ravenclaw students surrounding Alecto and whispered happily, "They're so happy!"
"Yes … That's great …"
Harry closed his eyes, his scar throbbing painfully. He took the initiative to enter Voldemort's thoughts again …
He walked in the tunnel leading to the first cave …
He decided to check the locket first before coming back …
That wouldn't take long …
There was a knock on the door of the common room, and the Ravenclaw students were startled.
Harry heard the falcon-shaped knocker outside the door say in its gentle, musical voice, "Where did the missing thing go?"
"I don't know! You shut up! "
A rough voice roared, and Harry knew it was Alecto's brother, Amicus.
"Alecto? Alecto? Are you there? Did you catch him? Open the door! "
The students of Ravenclaw were frightened and gathered together to whisper.
Then, there was a sudden series of loud noises, as if someone had fired a shot at the door.
"Alecto!
If he's here and we don't catch Potter — do you want to end up like the Malfoys? Answer me! "
Amicus roared and pushed at the door with all his might, but the door did not open.
The Ravenclaw students retreated, and the most frightened ones hurried upstairs to their bedrooms.
Harry was wondering if he should blow the door open and knock Amicus out to stop him from doing anything else.
Just then, a very familiar voice came from outside the door.
"Excuse me, what are you doing, Professor Carlo?"
"I'm trying — to — get — through — this damn — door!" Amicus shouted. "Go and get Florivio! Get him to open the door, quick! "
"But isn't your sister in there?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Didn't Florivio let your sister in at your urgent request earlier this evening?
Maybe she can open the door for you?
You don't have to wake up half the people in the castle. "
"She didn't answer, you old woman! Open the door for me! Quick! Open it now! "
"No problem, if you want," Professor McGonagall said.
Professor McGonagall said with a terrifying chill in his voice.
The knocker rang softly, and the musical voice asked again, "Where did the missing thing go?"
"Into nothingness, that is, into everything."
"Well said."
Amicus rushed through the door waving his wand, and the few Ravenclaw students who were left behind ran for the stairs in a panic.
Like his sister, Amicus was a hunchback, with a pale, doughy face and small, beady eyes.
These eyes immediately saw Alecto, who lay motionless on the floor.
He let out a cry of anger and horror.
"What have they done? These little bastards! " He shouted. "I'll cast a spell on them and make them tell me who did it — what will the Black Lord say?"
Amicus stood in front of his sister, pounding his head with his fist, and screamed, "We didn't catch that boy, and they killed my sister!"
"She's just knocked out," Professor McGonagall said impatiently as she crouched down to check on Alecto. "She'll be fine."
"Bah, she's in big trouble!"
Amicus roared. "She'll be finished if the Black Lord catches her!
She actually summoned him here. I can feel my mark burning. The Dark Lord thought we had captured Potter! "
"'Caught Potter'?" Professor McGonagall said warily. "What did you say, 'caught Potter'?"
"He told us Potter might break into Ravenclaw Tower, and asked us to summon him as soon as we caught Potter!"
"Why would Harry Potter break into Ravenclaw Tower? Potter's from our school! "
Harry heard a trace of pride in Professor McGonagall's puzzled and angry voice, and at once he felt a surge of love for Mileva McGonagall.
"He told us Potter would come here!" Carol said. "How should I know?"
Professor McGonagall stood up, her sharp eyes darting around the room, glancing twice from where Harry and Luna were standing.
"We can blame it on the hairy kids," Amicus said, his fat, pig-like face suddenly becoming sly. "Yes, that's what we'll do.
Let's just say that Alecto was ambushed by those hairy kids who lived above. "He looked up at the dormitory and stared at the star-filled ceiling," We'll just say that they forced her to put on the mark, which gave the Dark Lord false information … He can punish them.
What's the difference between a few hairy kids and a few hairy kids?
"That's the difference between truth and lies, between courage and cowardice!"
Professor McGonagall turned pale.
"Anyway, that's the difference that you and your sister can't understand.
But there's one thing I have to make clear: you can't blame the Hogwarts students for many of your stupidity.
I won't allow it. "
"What did you say?"
Amicus closed in on Professor McGonagall aggressively. His face was only inches away from Professor McGonagall.
Professor McGonagall didn't flinch, but looked at him with disdain, as if he were a disgusting thing stuck to the toilet seat.
"It's not up to you to allow it, Mileva McGonagall.
Your days are over.
We're in charge here now, and you have to support me, or you'll have to bear the consequences. "
He spat in Professor McGonagall's face.
Jon suddenly sighed. If he hadn't asked Professor McGonagall to cooperate with their act at this moment, Professor McGonagall could wave her magic wand and turn this retard into a pig.
But on the other side, Harry ripped off his Invisibility Cloak, raised his wand, and said, "You shouldn't have done that!"
Just as Amicus turned around, Harry shouted, "Gouge the Heart!"
The Death Eaters were suddenly suspended in the air, twisting and turning in the air like people who had fallen into water. They struggled and howled in pain.
With a loud crash and the sound of broken glass, he smashed into the door of a bookshelf, and then fell to the ground unconscious.
"I understand what Béla Trix meant," Harry said, his blood rushing and roaring in his head. "You need to be really cruel."
"Potter!"
Professor McGonagall clutched her chest and whispered, "Potter — you're here! Really — how could —? "
She tried to calm herself down. "Potter, this is stupid!"
"He spat at you."
"Potter, I — you're really — really a good samaritan — but didn't you think —?"
"Oh, I know."
Harry comforted her.
Somehow, her nervousness calmed him down.
"Professor McGonagall, Voldemort is coming."
"Why, can you say that name now?"
Luna asked with interest as she ripped off the Invisibility Cloak.
Seeing another student breaking the rules, Professor McGonagall couldn't take it anymore. She staggered back a few steps and fell into a chair nearby, clutching the collar of her old plaid dressing gown tightly.
"I think it doesn't matter what we call him anymore," Harry said to Luna. "He already knows where I am."
In a distant corner of Harry's mind — a corner that was connected to the burn, the raging scar — he saw Voldemort sitting on the eerie green ship, skimming across the dark surface of the lake … He would soon reach the island where the stone basin was …
"You have to run away," Professor McGonagall said softly. "Quick, Potter, the sooner the better!"
"I can't," Harry said. "I have one more thing to do.
Professor, do you know where the Crown of Ravenclaw is? "
"The — Crown of Ravenclaw?
How would I know — hasn't it been missing for centuries? "
She straightened up a little. "Potter, it's stupid of you to enter this castle at this time. It's so stupid —"
"I have to," Harry said. "Professor, there's something hidden here. I have to find it. It may be the crown — if I can talk to Professor Flitwick —"
Suddenly there was movement and the sound of broken glass: Amicus woke up.
Before Harry or Luna could react, Professor McGonagall suddenly stood up, pointed her wand at the Death Eater, and said, "Soul out of body."
Amicus got up, went to his sister, and picked up her wand. He obediently shuffled to Professor McGonagall and handed over his own wand. Then he lay down beside Alecto on the floor.
Professor McGonagall waved her wand again, and a silver rope appeared out of thin air. It wrapped around the Carlo siblings like a snake, and tied them together firmly.
"Potter," Professor McGonagall said, ignoring the Carlo siblings' situation completely, and turned to Harry. "If the devil really knows you're here —"
Before she could finish, a sharp pain of anger rushed to Harry's head, making his scar seem as if it was on fire.
In a flash, he looked down and saw a stone basin. The potion in it had become clear, and he saw that the golden locket under the potion was gone —
"Potter, are you all right?"
A voice said. Harry came back to himself: he was holding Luna's shoulder to steady himself.
"Time is running out. Voldemort is getting closer.
Professor, I'm following Dumbledore's instructions. I have to find what he wants me to find!
But when I'm searching in the castle, I have to evacuate the students. Voldemort wants me, but he won't mind killing a few more people, especially now — "
"You're following Dumbledore's instructions?"
Professor McGonagall repeated. A look of surprise slowly appeared on her face, and then she stood up straight.
"When you're searching for this — this thing, we'll stop the devil and protect the school."
"Is it possible?"
"I think it is," Professor McGonagall said calmly. "You know, we teachers are very good at magic. If everyone gives it their all, I believe we can hold him back for a while.
Of course, we have to do something about Professor Snape — "
"Let me —"
"— If the Black Lord is at the door, the Hogwarts will be besieged, and we do have to evacuate as many innocent people as possible.
The flight network is under surveillance, and we can't use apparitions in the school — "
"There's a way," Harry said immediately.
He explained in detail the passageway that led to the Pig's Head Bar.
"Potter, we're talking about hundreds and thousands of students —"
"I know, Professor, but if Voldemort and the Death Eaters put their attention on the school, they won't care about who can use apparitions from the Pig's Head Bar."
"That makes sense."
Professor McGonagall agreed.
She pointed her wand at the Carlo siblings, and a silver net immediately fell on their tied bodies. It wrapped them up and hung them in mid-air like two huge and ugly sea creatures under the blue and gold ceiling.
"Let's go. We have to wake up the other deans. You better put on that invisibility cloak. "
She strode towards the door and raised her wand. Three silver cats with speckles around their eyes jumped out from the tip of the wand.
The three guardians ran forward nimbly, and the spiral staircase was filled with silver light. Professor McGonagall, Harry, and Luna rushed downstairs.
They ran through the corridors, and the guardians left one by one.
Professor McGonagall's plaid dressing gown rustled on the floor. Harry and Luna, who were under the invisibility cloak, trotted behind.
After going down another two floors, they suddenly heard someone's soft footsteps.
Harry heard it first. His scar was still stinging.
He fumbled for the map of the survival point in the leather pouch around his neck, but before he could take it out, Professor McGonagall seemed to have noticed someone too.
She stopped in her tracks and raised her wand to prepare for battle as she asked, "Who's there?"
"It's me."
Severus Snape walked out from behind a suit of armor.
Harry's heart was filled with hatred as soon as he saw him.
Harry only remembered that Snape had committed a heinous crime, and almost forgot what he looked like. He forgot that his greasy black hair hung like a curtain around his emaciated face, and he forgot how cold and merciless his black eyes were. He wasn't wearing his pajamas, but his usual black cloak. He also raised his wand and prepared for battle.
"Where are the Carlo siblings?"
"They should be at the place you told them to go, Severus."
Snape walked forward and quickly glanced around Professor McGonagall. He seemed to know that Harry was there.
Harry also raised his wand and was ready to attack.
"I have a feeling," Snape said, "that Alector caught an intruder."
"Really?" Professor McGonagall said, "Where did this feeling come from?"
Snape moved his left arm slightly. The black demon's mark was branded on the skin there.
"Oh, of course," Professor McGonagall said. "I forgot that you Death Eaters have your own secret communication method."
Snape pretended not to hear Professor McGonagall. His gaze was still searching the air around her as he inched closer to her. However, from his expression, he didn't seem to realize that he was doing that.
"I remember that you shouldn't be patrolling the corridor tonight, Mileva."
"You have a problem with that?"
"I'm just curious. What made you get out of bed so late at night?"
"I think I heard something."
"Really? It seems to be very quiet everywhere. "
Snape looked straight into her eyes.
"Did you see Harry Potter, Mileva? If you did, I must emphasize — "
Professor McGonagall made her move.
Her wand swung in the air. Harry thought that Snape would definitely fall unconscious to the ground. Unexpectedly, his Iron Charm was so agile that it made Professor McGonagall lose his balance.
She waved her wand at a torch on the wall. The torch immediately flew out from its stand.
Harry, who was about to chant a spell for Snape, had no choice but to quickly drag Luna aside to avoid the falling flames.
The flames turned into a ring of fire and filled the entire corridor. It flew towards Snape like a noose —
Then, it was no longer a fire, but a huge black snake. Professor McGonagall blew it up into black smoke.
Within a few seconds, the black smoke changed shape and solidified into a dense cluster of daggers that chased after Snape.
Snape had no choice but to use the armor in front of him. The daggers hit the breastplate of the armor one by one.
"Mileva!"
A shrill voice said. Harry, who was still shielding Luna from the shuttling spell, turned back to look. He saw Flitwick and Professor Sprout running in from the corridor in their pajamas. The obese Professor Slughorn was panting behind them.
"Stop!"
Flitwick raised his wand and screamed, "You are not allowed to kill people in Hogwarts anymore!"
Flitwick's spell hit the armor that Snape was using as a shield. With a crash, the armor came to life.
Snape struggled to break free from the iron arms that were squeezing him, and threw the armor at his attackers.
Harry and Luna quickly dodged, and the armor hit the wall and broke into pieces.
When Harry looked up again, Snape was running for his life. Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout were chasing after him.
Snape ran into a classroom quickly. After a while, Harry heard McGonagall shouting, "Coward! Coward! "
"What's wrong? What's wrong? "Luna asked.
Harry pulled her up from the ground. The two of them put the invisibility cloak behind them and ran down the corridor into the empty classroom. McGonagall, Flitwick, and Professor Sprout were all standing in front of a broken window.
"He jumped."
McGonagall said as Harry and Luna rushed into the classroom.
"You mean he's dead?"
Harry ran to the window quickly, ignoring the shouts of Flitwick and Sprout when they saw him suddenly appear.
"No, he's not dead," McGonagall said angrily. "He's not like Dumbledore. He still has a wand in his hand … and he seems to have learned something from his master."
Harry saw a big, bat-like figure in the distance. It was flying through the darkness toward the wall. He couldn't help but feel scared.
Heavy footsteps and heavy breathing sounds came from behind: Slughorn had caught up with them.
"Harry!"
He panted, massaging his big breasts in bright green silk pajamas. "My dear child … what a surprise … Mileva, please explain … Severus … how …"
"Our principal is resting for now," McGonagall said, pointing at the big hole in the shape of Snape in the window.
"Professor!"
Harry shouted, covering his forehead with his hands.
He saw the lake full of zombies pass by him. He felt the gloomy green ship gently hit the shore of the underground lake. Voldemort jumped off the ship with a murderous look.
"Professor, we must seal off the school. He's coming!"
"Very well, the devil is coming."
McGonagall said to the other teachers. Sprout and Flitwick gasped. Slughorn snorted in a low voice.
"Potter has a job to do in the castle according to Dumbledore's instructions.
We must do our best to provide cover so that Potter can finish what he wants to do. "
"You must know that no matter what we do, we can't keep the mysterious man out of the school for long, right?"
"But we can restrain him."
Professor Sprout said.
"Thank you, Pomona," McGonagall said. The two witches exchanged a serious, knowing look, showing the friendly virtues of helping each other at this moment. "I suggest that we set up a basic guard around the school, and then gather the students and meet in the auditorium.
Most of the students must be evacuated, but if there are adult students willing to stay and fight, I think we should give them the chance. "
"Agreed," said Professor Sprout, hurrying to the door. "I'll meet you in the auditorium with my students in twenty minutes."
She trotted away, and they heard her murmuring, "Antidote, Devil's Web, Knotted Vine Pods … Yes, I'd like to see how the Death Eaters deal with these."
"I can start here," said Flitwick.
He couldn't see outside, but he pointed his wand out of the broken window and whispered a very complicated spell.
Harry heard a strange whistling sound. It seemed that Flitwick had released the power of the wind on the playground.
"Professor," said Harry, walking up to the little Magic Spells teacher, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but it's very important. Do you know where the Crown of Ravenclaw is? "
"… The Crown of Ravenclaw?"
Said Flitwick in a shrill voice. "It's never wrong to have a little wisdom, Potter, but I don't think it's very useful in this situation!"
"I'm just asking — do you know where it is? Have you ever seen it? "
"Seen it? In the memory of the living, no one had ever seen it!
Gone long ago, boy! "
Harry felt a kind of despair and nervousness. What, then, was the Horcrux?
"We'll meet you and the Ravenclaw students in the auditorium, Flitwick!"
Said Professor McGonagall, motioning to Harry and Luna to follow her.
They had just reached the door when Slughorn began to wheeze.
"Oh," he gasped, his pale face dripping with sweat and his walrus whiskers quivering. "What a mess! I don't know if it's wise to do this, Mileva.
He's sure to find his way in, and it's going to be very dangerous for anyone who tries to stop him- "
"I want you and the Slytherin students to meet me in the auditorium in twenty minutes," said Professor McGonagall.
"If you want to take the students away, we won't stop you," said Professor McGonagall.
"But if any of you try to sabotage the resistance, or take up arms against us inside the castle, we'll fight to the death, Horace."
"Mileva!"
"The Slytherin Academy should decide who to serve," said Professor McGonagall, interrupting him. "Go and wake your students, Horace."
Harry didn't stay to see Slughorn hesitate. He and Luna rushed out after Professor McGonagall.
Professor McGonagall stood in the middle of the corridor and raised her wand.
"Stone dolls — Oh, for heaven's sake, Filch, don't now —"
The old caretaker staggered out and shouted, "The students are out of bed! The students are running into the corridor! "
"As they should be, you gibbering idiot!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "Go and do something useful! Go and get Pippin! "
"Pi — Pippin?"
Stammered Filch, as if he had never heard of the name.
"Yes, Pippin, you fool, Pippin!
Haven't you been complaining about him for more than twenty years? Go and get him, quick! "
Filch apparently thought Professor McGonagall had lost his mind, but he still shrugged his shoulders and staggered away, muttering something under his breath.
"All right — stone dolls, move out!"
Yelled Professor McGonagall.
All the statues and armors in the corridor jumped down from their racks. Harry heard a rumbling sound coming from upstairs and downstairs, and knew that their companions in the castle were doing the same.
"Hogwarts are under threat!"
Shouted Professor McGonagall. "Guard the border, protect us, and do your duty for the school!"
Following the sound of clashing and shouting, a group of moving statues swarmed past Harry. Some were slightly smaller, some were larger than life, and some were animals.
Those clanging armors were waving swords and spiked balls with chains.
"All right, Potter," said McGonagall. "You and Miss Lovegood had better go back to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall. I'll go and wake up the other students of Gryffindor."
They parted at the next landing. Harry and Luna ran to the secret entrance of the Room of Requests. On the way, they met groups of students, most of whom were wearing traveling cloaks over their pajamas, and were escorted to the Great Hall by teachers and prefects.
"That was Potter!"
"Harry Potter!"
"It was him. I swear I saw him!"
But Harry didn't look back. They came to the entrance of the Room of Requests.
Harry leaned against the enchanted wall, which immediately parted to let them in. He and Luna hurried down the steep stairs.
"What —?"
Harry was shocked to see the inside of the room. He slid down a few stairs.
The room was full of people, much more crowded than when he had been there.
Kingsley and Lupin were looking up at him, as were Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and Aria Spinnett, Bill and Fleur, and the Weasleys.
"Harry, what's going on?"
Asked Lupin, meeting Harry at the bottom of the stairs.
"Voldemort is coming. The school is on lockdown. Snape is running for his life. What are you doing here? How did you know? "
"We sent a message to the rest of Dumbledore's army," explained Fred. "No one wanted to miss the fun, Harry.
Then, D.A. notified the Phoenix Society, and the situation snowballed. "
"What first, Harry?"
Shouted George. "What's the situation?"
"They're evacuating the younger students. Everyone is to gather in the Great Hall and wait for orders," said Harry. "We're fighting."
There was a roar, and people rushed to the foot of the stairs.
Harry pressed against the wall and let them run past him. There were members of the Phoenix Society and Dumbledore's army, as well as members of Harry's old Quidditch team. They all drew their wands and rushed to the main floor of the castle.
"Come on, Luna."
Dean held out his hand as he passed.
Luna took it and followed him up the stairs.
The crowd thinned. Only a small circle of people remained in the Room of Requests. Harry went over.
Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Ginny. Lupin, Fred, George, Bill and Fleur stood around her.
"You're not old enough!"
Mrs. Weasley shouted at her daughter as Harry approached. "I won't allow it! Boys can, but you must go home! "
"I won't!"
Ginny shook her head and wrenched her arm from her mother's grasp.
"I'm from Dumbledore's army —"
"— it's a gang of teenagers!"
"A gang of teenagers ready to fight the Mysteries. No one else would dare do that!"
"She's only sixteen!"
Cried Mrs. Weasley. "She's too young! What were you two thinking, bringing her — "
Fred and George looked a little ashamed.
"Mother's right, Ginny," said Bill gently. "You can't do that. It's right that people under age should go away. "
"I won't go home!"
Cried Ginny, her eyes shining with angry tears. "My family's here. I can't wait there alone and know nothing —"
Her eyes met Harry's for the first time. She looked pleadingly at Harry, but he shook his head. She turned angrily.
"Well," she said, looking at the passage to the Pig's Head, "I'll say good-bye now. Later —"
Suddenly, a series of rustling sounds were heard, followed by a thump. Another person climbed out of the tunnel, swayed a few times, and fell down.
Then he got up and sat in a chair nearby, looked around through his crooked horn-rimmed spectacles, and said, "Am I too late? Has it started already? I just knew it, and — and — "
Percy stammered and could not go on. He had obviously not expected to meet so many relatives.
There was a long silence, and at last Lotus ran up to Lupin and said in an obvious attempt to break the deadlock, "By the way — how's little Teddy?"
Lupin blinked at her in surprise.
The silence of the Weasleys was freezing like ice.
"I — oh, yes — he's all right!"
Cried Lupin. "Yes, Tonks is with him — at his mother's."
Percy and the rest of the Weasley family were still staring at each other.
"Look, I've brought a picture!"
Cried Lupin, pulling a photograph out of his jacket and showing it to Lotus and Harry. It showed a baby with a tuft of turquoise hair, waving a chubby little fist at the camera.
"I'm a fool!"
Roared Percy, so loudly that Lupin almost dropped the picture. "I'm an idiot, I'm a vain fool, I'm a — a —"
"An ambitious bastard who loves the Ministry of Magic and is cut off from his family."
Percy swallowed hard.
"Yes, I am!"
"Well, you can't make it any clearer than that," said Fred.
He held out his hand to Percy.
Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and drew Percy into her arms and held him close. Percy patted his mother on the back and looked at his father.
"I'm sorry, Father," said Percy.
Mr. Weasley blinked rapidly, and then rushed to hug his son.
"How did you come to understand, Percy?"
"It's been a while," said Percy, putting a corner of his travelling cloak behind his spectacles and wiping his tears. "But I had to get out somehow. It's not easy in the Ministry. They're always putting rebels in prison.
Then I finally got in touch with Aberforth. He tipped me off ten minutes ago that the Hogwarts were going to put up a strong resistance, so here I am. "
"Yes, we do want the Prefect to set an example at a critical time like this," said George, imitating Percy's imitation of Percy.
George said, imitating Percy's solemn demeanor vividly. "Let's go upstairs and fight. Otherwise, all the decent Death Eaters will be caught."
"So I can call you Mrs Weasley now?"
Said Percy, shaking hands with Fleur, and the two of them dashed up the stairs with Bill, Fred and George.
"Ginny!"
Roared Mrs. Weasley.
Ginny, taking advantage of the reconciliation between the family, also tried to sneak upstairs.
"Molly, what do you think," said Lupin.
"Why don't we let Ginny stay here? At least she'll be there and know what's going on, but not at the centre of the battle. What do you think?"
"I —"
"That's a good idea," said Mr. Weasley firmly. "You stay in this room, Ginny, do you hear?"
Ginny did not seem to like the idea, but under her father's unusually stern look she nodded. The Weasleys and Lupin also dashed up the stairs.
"Where's Ron?" asked Harry. "Where's Hermione?"
"Gone to the Great Hall, I'm sure," cried Mr. Weasley over his shoulder.
"I didn't see them on the way," said Harry.
"I think they said they were going to the lavatory," said Ginny. "Not long after you left."
"The lavatory?"
Harry strode across the room to an open door at the edge of the Room of All Things, and examined the lavatory on the other side.
It was empty.
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