HP/LOTM: Visionary - 398

Chapter 398: The Transfer and Fierce Battle

"He doesn't want to leave," Vernon said bluntly, answering for Harry. He did not want the magical world's troubles touching his child.

"Yes. I don't," Harry said. With parting so near, he went along with Vernon's wishes.

"But where's he going?" Dudley pressed.

The Dursleys did not know how to answer and could only brush him off with rough words.

An Order member assisting with the transfer could not stand it any longer. She came over to comfort Harry. "Don't take it to heart. They don't know how important you are in the fight against Voldemort."

"Er, they don't. In fact, they think I'm a good-for-nothing layabout," Harry said lightly, waving it off as if it did not bother him at all.

"I don't think you're a waste of space."

A voice broke in between them. Harry looked up in confusion. It was Dudley who had spoken. Though his face was flushed red, it was enough to surprise Harry.

"Oh… er… thanks, Dudley," Harry said stiffly.

The seventeen-year-old Muggle boy before him had truly changed. He had learned to look back at his own terrible past, and it had filled him with shame. He had wanted to apologise to the person he had hurt, but the rift was too deep. Clumsy as he was, all he could do was leave a cup of cold tea outside Harry's door each day.

"Oh, my Dinky Diddydums, you said thank you," Petunia gushed, rushing over to hug Dudley as if he had been the one to offer thanks and help someone.

The two Order employees glared at Petunia.

Dudley pulled free of his mother's embrace, stepped up to Harry, and held out his hand.

"Goodbye, Harry," Dudley said quietly.

"All right…" Harry reached out and shook it. "Goodbye. Take care, Big D."

Harry gave him a small smile, accepting the unspoken apology.

After Dudley left the room, only Petunia and Harry remained.

Petunia stood frozen, mouth slightly open. For a long moment, she stared at her nephew. Her hand rose slightly, as if to reach out, then she just muttered a goodbye and turned to leave.

"Goodbye," Harry said softly, relief in his voice.

Petunia stopped at the door. She looked at Harry for a moment, something timid and uncertain in her eyes. In the end, she could not bring herself to say anything more and hurried out to join her husband and son in the car.

That night, Harry packed his belongings alone and sat in the empty sitting room. He rose and went to the small cupboard under the stairs, pulling the light cord.

Looking at that cramped little space, childhood memories surfaced. Not pleasant ones, but childhood all the same.

"What's the matter? Having second thoughts?" a pleasant female voice said from behind him.

Harry immediately drew his wand and pointed it toward the sound.

A girl stepped into view. She had brilliant golden hair and deep, captivating blue eyes. Her face was exquisite yet somehow unmemorable, and she wore a black-and-gold evening gown. She looked as beautiful as a fairy stepped out of a storybook.

"Arthursi. Arthursi Prewett," the girl said, extending a slender, gloved hand.

"Harry Potter," Harry said, shaking it out of politeness.

"Prewett?" Harry seemed to catch something, then a surge of memory rushed into his mind.

In the first- and second-year memories flooding back, a figure that had always been missing suddenly filled in.

"You!" Harry's eyes widened in shock at the means that had altered his awareness without him ever noticing.

"Keep this secret. The fool in the hazy realm hasn't lifted my concealment yet, which means everything's still going according to his story," Arthursi said with a light laugh.

Harry swallowed and nodded. "Why are you here?"

"To take you to the Weasleys," Arthursi said, inspecting her nails.

"You? Alone?" Harry said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Who else could bring you there without a scratch on you?" Arthursi smiled, then pulled a suitcase from her pocket and scooped Harry into it in one smooth motion.

She tucked the case containing Harry into her coat pocket, put on a lady's wide-brimmed hat, and stepped outside. The light was just right. Well, perhaps not quite so right, given certain troublemakers in the area.

Arthursi raised her wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

A massive silver dragon burst from her wand and shoved back the Dementors closing in from the side.

The power of prophecy locked onto the dragon hidden in her mind. Arthursi's expression soured.

Countless trails of black smoke streaked down from the sky and landed. Death Eaters emerged from the smoke. They had no idea what they were about to face.

"Hu." Arthursi exhaled softly. Invisible psychic breath became a storm that swept over every Death Eater.

Already corrupted in mind by their practice of Dark magic, they could not erect mental barriers strong enough to withstand the breath. After all, not everyone was Grindelwald, able to remain mentally steadfast even after drowning in Dark magic.

Mental spikes carrying a Manipulator's will shattered their minds. One by one, they collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

"You're... much... more ruthless... than me," a halting young voice said in Arthursi's ear.

"Just tell me if it works or not," Arthursi said, rolling her eyes.

"It... works." The voice stretched longer, yawned, then seemed to fall asleep and went silent.

"Idiot," Arthursi said fondly, making a quiet decision.

If he would not kill, then she would do it. Whether the edge of Prewett's blade was still sharp, Arthursi would make the doubters find out for themselves.

Suddenly, a figure in a black robe appeared behind Arthursi. "Avada Kedavra!"

The green curse shot straight at Arthursi, but her body dissolved into silvery-white petals.

The Killing Curse missed. Arthursi turned and shoved. Vast magic bent reality at her will, blasting the Death Eater into the air and blowing the mask off their face.

A familiar face appeared before Arthursi. She looked at the person with a complicated expression.

"Father... Head of House Greengrass," Arthursi said coldly, naming the intruder.

"The Dark Lord has returned. Prewett is asleep. Why follow them down a dead end? Come back with me. She likes beautiful girls. You would be safe at her side," Astheno said, reaching out.

Father and daughter stood frozen in the wasteland.

"I didn't think you could break through by sheer will... no, it's the hazy realm's influence, isn't it?" Arthursi said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"And who told you I'm with the Order?"

Arthursi looked up. Her captivating blue eyes seemed to flash with light. Her pupils shifted from round to vertical slits. Under the flow of magic, she began transforming from human to dragon.

Soon, a massive dragon with golden scales, a lithe frame, and an enormous body stood before Astheno.