HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 439

Chapter 439: Conspiracies Stirring

Under the cover of night, Sean, Hagrid, and Madame Maxime brought Grawp into the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts and settled him in a cave deep within the woods.

Sean and Hagrid used magic to furnish the cave with all manner of living necessities, then cast enchantments to mark the boundaries of Grawp's territory. So long as no one came deliberately searching, they would not stumble into his domain.

Of course, Grawp would have to stay put. If he wandered off and was discovered, the protective magic would lose all its effect.

"Hagrid," Sean said, "do you know that someone from the Ministry has replaced you as the Care of Magical Creatures professor?"

The moment Sean asked, Hagrid's face shifted from surprise to confusion, then settled into something lost and hollow. Sean could tell at once that the great fool had had no idea.

He gave Hagrid a brief summary of recent events at Hogwarts, instructed him to continue on as the school's gamekeeper, then turned and headed back to the castle. He still needed to use the Time-Turner to loop back, attend classes, and continue his research. Time was not on his side.

Under a Disillusionment Charm, Sean passed through the entrance hall. He glanced up at a notice announcing that Trelawney had been placed on probation. Hardly any of the students would notice or care. Trelawney had never been popular among them to begin with. If Umbridge thought she could use the Divination professor to flex her authority, she had badly miscalculated.

Having lived through the same day twice in different ways, Sean found himself thinking, absurdly, that life at Hogwarts was actually more exhausting than spending a day fighting giants.

Speaking of giants, the ordinary warriors aside, Oranides and Kuklops—the tribe's king and his left hand—had granted Sean some genuinely valuable abilities.

[Duel Won!]
[Conditions Met: Victory Against Titan-Blooded Giant.]
[System Commencing Random Ability Extraction from Defeated Target: Cyclops Giant Descendant (Kuklops).]
[Opponent Strength Assessment: Elite. Drawing Three Abilities.]
[Extracting...]
Sean felt his body surge with primal strength and resilience, followed by a searing pressure building behind his eyes—twin beams of concentrated energy threatening to burst forth from his vision.
[Extraction Complete!]
[New Talent Acquired: Giant Physique LV3]
[New Talent Acquired: Giant Strength LV3]
[Raw Ability Acquired: Titan Eye Prism LV4]

[Warning: Extraction target is not the same species as host. Unable to perfectly inherit. Searching for solutions…]
[Searching…]
[Based on host personality, search complete.]
[Modifying extracted abilities to match host's racial characteristics and physical condition.]
[Modification Complete!]
[New Ability Acquired: Spirit Vision Eye Prism LV4]

Kuklops's first two talents were not worth much comment. But during the fight, Sean had noticed something: like Argos, Kuklops was far larger than an ordinary giant. That was because both had awakened a portion of Titan blood. Yet their physical strength and conditioning did not actually exceed the elite warriors by much.

What truly surprised Sean was Kuklops's Titan Eye Prism ability.

After the panel modified and merged it, the power had transferred perfectly to Sean. Once he activated Spirit Vision, he could fire twin beams of scorching, razor-edged light from his eyes, just as Kuklops had. If Sean ever lost his wand, he would struggle to pass for Superman, but he could certainly manage a passable impression of Homelander.

[Duel Won!]
[Conditions Met: Victory Against Titan-Blooded Giant.]
[System Commencing Random Ability Extraction from Defeated Target: Hundred‑Handed Titan Descendant (Oranides).]
[Opponent Strength Assessment: Elite. Drawing Three Abilities.]
[Extracting...]
An overwhelming wave of physical power crashed through Sean's body—muscles, bones, and skin all reinforcing to inhuman levels—followed by the phantom sensation of multiple spectral limbs extending from his form, ready to strike with devastating force.
[Extraction Complete!]
[New Talent Acquired: Giant Physique LV4]
[New Talent Acquired: Giant Strength LV4]
[Raw Ability Acquired: Titan Hundred Arms LV1]

[Warning: Extraction target is not the same species as host. Unable to perfectly inherit. Searching for solutions…]
[Searching…]
[Based on host personality, search complete.]
[Modifying extracted abilities to match host's racial characteristics and physical condition.]
[Modification Complete!]
[New Ability Acquired: Titan's Hand LV1]

[Compatible abilities detected. Merging…]
[Titan's Hand LV1 + Arcanum Manus LV3 → Titan's Hand LV4]

Oranides's Titan bloodline had granted him multiple arms and immense strength and durability. Titan's Hand had merged with Sean's existing Arcanum Manus, transforming it into something akin to Voldemort's Withering Hand—a unique hand-based spell all his own.

But unlike Voldemort's rotting touch, Sean's Titan's Hand was infused with the pure, overwhelming might of the Titan giants.

Naturally, Harry and the others were overjoyed by Hagrid's return.

And since Hagrid was no longer a professor, Umbridge, for once, left him alone. Every day, he carried food to Grawp or visited him to teach him words, and Umbridge never caught wind of it.

Thanks to the Howler bombardment incident, Fudge had stopped granting Umbridge further authority, which left her paralysed at Hogwarts. Gradually, her frustration with Fudge curdled into anger and resentment. Anyone who stood in her way—even her patron, the Minister for Magic himself—earned nothing from her but hostility. Gratitude was not in her nature.

She was just that sort of creature.

When Umbridge returned to the Ministry to handle some routine business, she went to see Fudge and asked for expanded powers. But after the recent scandal, Fudge wanted to shelve the matter. Besides, the Ministry had problems of its own. Scrimgeour, backed by Amelia Bones, had joined forces with Griselda Marchbanks and the others to make Fudge's life a living hell. He intended to deal with that before turning his attention back to Hogwarts.

Fudge's attitude and priorities clearly infuriated Umbridge. But her power flowed from him. She could hardly oppose him openly. All she could do was return to Hogwarts and wait.

Just as she was about to step into the Floo Network to travel to Hogsmeade and from there back to the castle, a familiar figure appeared in front of her.

"Madam Umbridge, I wonder if I might have the honour of a word with you?"

Umbridge's eyes brightened at once. A smile spread across her toad-like face as she nodded. "Of course, Mr Bulstrode. I would be delighted to speak with you."

Late that night, in the Gryffindor common room, Harry lay drenched in sweat, his body twitching.

A moment later, his eyes flew open. He sat bolt upright with a strangled shout.

Ron and Neville, who shared his dormitory, both jerked awake and hurried to his bedside.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry looked at Ron and grabbed his arm, panic bright in his eyes. "Ron, I saw your father. Mr Weasley. He—he was attacked by Voldemort's snake. He's badly hurt. We have to help him. If we don't—if we don't—"

In that instant, all the colour drained from Ron's face.