HP/LOTM: Visionary - 371

Chapter 371: Dumbledore Sets Out Again, Crisis Approaches, and Counterattack

"Looks like you angered them?" An aged voice came from behind Aiden.

Aiden replied in an equally teasing tone, "One should stay peaceful during the holidays, shouldn't they?"

"Also, your display in Lithuania was truly remarkable."

"Oh, speaking of which, I sensed a powerful mind roaming beside us. I wonder if you have any clues?"

Dumbledore, old and cunning, easily redirected the topic back to Aiden.

"We?" Aiden caught the keyword.

"Yes, it's been almost sixty years!" Another elderly voice came out.

"Wow, you're quite bold with this move. I'm guessing not long from now, the entire Europe will be in chaos. Two Dark Lords, hahahaha," Aiden couldn't help but laugh.

"Come on, let's go in. Don't keep Molly and the others waiting for you. Christmas is a wonderful time to reunite with family," Dumbledore waved his hand, and all three were transported inside simultaneously.

"Your control over hatred has grown stronger... no wait, you're allowing it to erode your body. What are you trying to do!"

Aiden saw Dumbledore's condition and immediately reached out to suppress the fragment of hatred.

"See, I told you he'd have a way," Dumbledore said with a smile to Grindelwald.

"Hmph," Grindelwald let out a cold snort.

"What exactly are you thinking? Why can't you just retire and enjoy your later years?" Aiden held his forehead.

"When people grow old, they become impatient with handling certain matters. After all, I don't have much time left. Because... I'm exhausted. I'm truly too tired, Aiden."

Dumbledore's eyes half-closed, for the first time without concealment, displaying his unseemly state before others.

"In that case, the reports about you in the Wizard Daily can't continue. If Tom sees through it, it will put us in a passive position," Aiden said, tapping his chin.

He turned his gaze toward Grindelwald. No wonder Dumbledore brought him out. It seemed he was still unable to let go.

"Why look at me? I no longer have the strength to spark another revolution. The time ahead belongs to you all. Besides, I learned from Albus that you, little bastard, want to do the same thing as me. Only you're more insane... and more capable."

Grindelwald hesitated for a moment, then revealed his own situation.

"Forget it, today is a rare holiday. Let's not discuss these things. Will you join us, Professor?" Aiden asked.

"No, I plan to take a walk with Gellert. Tell them I'm going traveling, and the rest of the matters are left to you."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. Grindelwald stepped forward and linked his arm with Dumbledore's. The two old men Apparated and disappeared.

Lupin rushed out with a wand in hand. Upon seeing it was Aiden, he relaxed with relief.

"I just sensed someone using Apparition," Lupin explained awkwardly.

He couldn't be blamed for such a strong reaction. These days, the Death Eaters' frenzied harassment had made them struggle at every step.

"It's nothing," Aiden said, patting Lupin's shoulder. The two walked into the living room.

Upon entering, Aiden saw Ginny sitting beside Harry, preparing to feed him pie. However, from the message Edmund transmitted earlier, it seemed Ginny had broken things off with Dean.

After all, a certain dragon had applied some influence on Dean, making him microscopically attentive to Ginny for a period of time. As an older brother, Aiden naturally understood his younger sister's preferences. After being influenced, Dean's actions precisely hit Ginny's sore spots, and naturally, the two parted on bad terms.

Poor Dean still didn't know why he failed.

This scene was also noticed by Ron, caught between a good brother on one side and a sister on the other. After much hesitation, Ron decided to insert himself between the two.

Then he pretended nothing happened.

"By the way, let me inform you all that Dumbledore said he has matters to attend to and is leaving for Europe. For the time being, your activities must enter a state of concealment. And be extremely careful. Try to avoid direct conflict with the Death Eaters."

At the evening banquet, Aiden reminded everyone. Their expressions varied, but they all nodded, accepting the news.

At night, on the third floor of Grimmauld Place, Harry was looking at the Black family tapestry.

Ginny, wearing a nightrobe, walked up.

"Oh, Ron has already fallen asleep," Ginny said, looking at Harry.

"No, I think he probably hasn't yet," Harry said, somewhat flustered.

"Your shoelace is loose," she said, bending down to tie it for Harry. "Merry Christmas, Harry."

"Yeah, Merry Christmas," Harry replied. Their faces drew closer and closer.

On the sixth floor, Aiden, in his nightclothes, suddenly opened his eyes.

He sensed a search force from the sea of collective consciousness approaching.

The next moment, Aiden appeared on the roof of the old house. The maze in the sea of collective consciousness rapidly transformed. The prophetic search force was firmly trapped within the maze.

Simultaneously, Discernment activated. Following the connection between life and the sea of consciousness, Aiden began searching. Finally, he discovered Death Eaters conducting a ritual in a suburb of London.

"There are even centaurs? Though having centaurs for conducting prophecy isn't strange."

With them all in view, Aiden's body shed a dozen clones, which followed the currents of the sea of collective consciousness toward them. Magic wrapped around the shadows, following them as they sank into the Death Eaters' islands of consciousness.

Through Discernment, Aiden rapidly grasped their weaknesses, weaving nightmares to trap them. Simultaneously, the carried magic rapidly transformed into curses, stripping away their lives.

The Death Eaters thus silently perished in their sleep, with no one discovering them and causing no panic.

But the ritual continued. It seemed that Tom was the true conductor of this ritual.

"How interesting."

Aiden's right hand gently clenched in the void. The dream gathered in his hand, forming a longbow. Magic and nightmare fragments mingled together, forming an arrow.

He raised his hand, pulling the bowstring to maximum. Aiden's entire body flickered in the moonlight.

Releasing.

The arrow carrying the Discerner's fury, like burning steel, cut through the sky. It inflicted punishment of iron and fire upon the defiant.

Boom!

Raging magic reduced the entire wooden house to ashes.

Simultaneously, the nightmare arrow pierced the center of the ritual, following the connection in the sea of consciousness, as it pursued Tom. The arrow burst out from the glowing mirror before Tom's face.

Her pupils contracted to pinpricks. Magic surged, wanting to modify reality to resist this attack.

But the arrow flashed with white light, scattering her chaotic magic. Then her chest was pierced by the arrow.

Nightmares followed like shadows. A massive dragon claw descended from above, grasping Senior Tom.

Crackle. Everything around Senior Tom transformed into shattered mirror fragments scattering.

Every broken shard reflected her terror. Finally, only her anguished howls echoing in endless nightmares remained.

"Hmph, disturbing people's sleep in the middle of the night."

Aiden casually crushed the longbow. Luminous particles scattered from his hand.

He Apparated once more, returning to bed.