HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 390

Chapter 390: Attack

"You've already lured Harry's uncle and aunt away?"

"That's right. I invented an award. They went to collect it."

"An award? What award?"

"England's Best Suburban Lawn Award."

"It's remarkable they actually believed in such an award and went to collect it. Are all Muggles so easily fooled by letters from unknown sources?"

"Of course not. They're just special cases. Harry's uncle and aunt, especially his uncle, are somewhat..."

"Simple-minded?"

"Exactly. You remember the elder Goyle and Crabbe from the Death Eaters? About the same level."

"Then I understand perfectly."

Standing outside Number 4 Privet Drive, Tonks raised her wand and cast the Unlocking Charm. The five entered the house. Before they could ascend the stairs, they spotted Harry standing on the first-floor landing with his wand drawn.

Seeing Sean and the others arrive, Harry's face broke into a broad smile. He descended the stairs swiftly. However, when Harry reached them, Moody raised his wand slightly and told Lupin, "Remus, ask him something only the real Harry Potter would know."

Lupin looked startled. "He's Harry. There's no mistake."

"Better safe than sorry. Death Eaters might have arrived first and used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Harry and deceive us!"

Moody remained perpetually vigilant, especially after last year's Hogwarts incident. He was particularly wary of Death Eaters using disguises.

Seeing Moody's insistence, Lupin relented and asked Harry, "When I was your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, what spell did you privately ask me to teach you?"

"The Patronus Charm, Professor."

"Correct. It's Harry."

Moody nodded and immediately beckoned. "Come quickly, Harry. We need to move you now. According to Dumbledore's estimate, Death Eaters are likely planning an attack at any moment."

Harry didn't hesitate. He descended and joined the group.

"All right, let's go."

The six stepped outside and closed the door. Moody waved his wand, and five broomsticks flew into everyone's hands except Sean's.

Noticing Sean's empty hands, Tonks asked with surprise, "Sean, where's your broomstick?"

Sean pursed his lips. "I don't have one. I don't use them."

"Then how will you travel?"

Instead of answering immediately, Sean transformed into dark smoke and rose into the air, hovering above the ground. Understanding dawned on Tonks. The others mounted their broomsticks and ascended alongside Sean, heading toward Grimmauld Place under the protection of Disillusionment Charms.

They flew over the city, occasionally passing close to Muggles standing by high-rise windows. Because of their concealment spells, these people couldn't detect them. When passing one apartment, Tonks even waved cheerfully, though the Muggle couldn't see her.

As they crossed the Thames, Tonks called out to Sean, "Looks like we'll have an uneventful journey!"

Sean observed the thick fog spreading ahead, his expression growing grave. "I wouldn't count on it."

The moment he finished speaking, Moody at the front shouted urgently, "Everyone, be alert! That fog ahead isn't natural!"

His warning put everyone on guard. Sean watched the rapidly approaching mist, drew his wand from his waistband, and aimed it at the fog.

"Tempestas Ventorum!"

Sean murmured the incantation, and a powerful gale rose before them like a massive invisible barrier, colliding with the rapidly approaching fog. The mist churned and scattered in all directions. But moments later, the fog seemed to gain sentience, gathering again and surrounding the group, engulfing them completely.

Seeing this, everyone realized the fog was clearly magical in nature. Harry and the others drew their wands and braced themselves. Sean suddenly accelerated, drawing alongside Moody at the front. "Professor Moody, I'll scout ahead. I'll leave the others to you."

"Go ahead. Kill a few Death Eaters while you're at it!"

"Will do!"

With Moody's approval, Sean immediately changed course. The dark smoke around him erupted, propelling him through the fog above and skyward.

The moment he entered the fog, Sean came under attack. He deflected an incoming curse with his wand and immediately retaliated with Sectumsempra toward the source. Hearing flesh tear and agonized screams, Sean's lips curled into a cold smile. Accelerating further, he burst through the fog. Spotting the massive Dark Mark floating above the clouds, Sean fired a blazing bolt of blue-white lightning directly at it.

Just as the lightning was about to strike the Dark Mark, a sickly green beam shot from within it, colliding with the lightning and erupting in brilliant cascading sparks.

"Sean Bulstrode... We haven't come looking for you yet, but you've delivered yourself to us."

Seeing Barty Crouch Jr. emerge from the Dark Mark, Sean immediately recognized he was using some levitation charm to hover, not true flight ability like Sean and Voldemort possessed.

Neither side intended pleasantries. The moment Barty finished speaking, over a dozen trails of dark smoke burst from the massive Dark Mark. Some plunged into the fog to reinforce the Death Eaters below, intent on surrounding Harry and the others. The rest streaked toward Sean, determined to eliminate Voldemort's most wanted enemy.

Wizards cannot cast spells while Apparating. To attack Sean, they had to materialize briefly in mid-air, cast their spells, then Apparate away again. This technique wasn't particularly difficult, but it required considerable proficiency to execute properly. A single miscalculation could materialize you directly in front of your enemy - a fatal mistake.