Chapter 154: Destroying the Horcrux

On the third day after exams ended, Gryffindor faced Hufflepuff in the final Quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor emerged victorious, with Harry catching the Golden Snitch.

However, since Gryffindor had lost to Slytherin earlier, and Slytherin—George's house—remained undefeated throughout the season, the Quidditch Cup ultimately went to Slytherin.

With exams over, classes finished, and all Quidditch matches concluded, the scores for the four houses were tallied for the year:

Fourth place: Hufflepuff, 335 points.

Third place: Ravenclaw, 352 points.

Second place: Gryffindor, 353 points.

First place: Slytherin, 734 points.

Slytherin's dominance was attributed to their flawless Quidditch record, George's scoring prowess, and Professor Snape's rather biased habit of awarding points.

On the fourth day after exams, the year-end banquet took place.

The Great Hall was adorned in Slytherin's green and silver to celebrate their overwhelming victory in reclaiming the House Cup after losing it to Gryffindor the previous year. A massive banner depicting the Slytherin serpent hung behind the main table.

As the top first-year student and the biggest contributor to Slytherin's points, George was the center of attention among his housemates.

At the banquet, Dumbledore cheerfully recounted the year's events and praised George, Harry, and their companions for their role in dealing with the basilisk.

Aware of the vast points gap, and needing to award points to both Harry and George for their contributions, Dumbledore refrained from his usual dramatic overturning of results. This year, Slytherin retained the House Cup.

A week later, exam results were announced.

George topped the first-year rankings, while Hermione claimed the first spot for the second years.

The day after the results were posted—mid-June—Hogwarts officially went on summer break.

Suddenly, wardrobes were emptied, and belongings were packed into trunks. Notices were sent to all young witches and wizards, with one key reminder: no magic during the holidays.

From older students, George learned this rule wasn't absolute. In magical spaces like the Hogwarts Express or Diagon Alley, magic was generally tolerated. Even in Muggle areas, minor spells like Lumos wouldn't draw attention, though anything dramatic like fire spells or transfiguration in public would earn a summon from the Ministry of Magic.

Escorted by Hagrid, the students crossed the Black Lake to Hogsmeade Station and boarded the Hogwarts Express. Unlike his journey to Hogwarts, George now sat with fellow Slytherin first-years rather than Ginny, Luna, and Colin.

As a notable Slytherin and their most outstanding first-year, George understood that despite his friendships with students from other houses, his primary circle would naturally consist of his housemates.

Sitting with Slytherins had its perks. Many of their families held influential positions in the wizarding world, and their conversations often revealed valuable information.

The train departed Hogwarts, leaving the magical school behind and entering the Muggle world. The countryside grew lush and orderly, dotted with small towns. Students swapped their robes for jackets and casual wear.

Around 4 PM, the train arrived at King's Cross Station, Platform 9¾. Unlike Christmas, when only a few students returned home, the summer departure created long lines at the station.

An old guard at the barrier allowed only two or three students through at a time to avoid a large group suddenly emerging from a solid wall, which might alarm the Muggles.

"George, visit me this summer!"

"George, I'll write to you!"

"George, don't forget to reply!"

"George, call me if you have time—I gave you my number!"

Familiar voices called out as friends waved goodbye, each whisked away by their parents. Even Harry was begrudgingly picked up by his loathed aunt and uncle.

Finally, George stood alone at the station.

Unlike others, no family awaited him. His adoptive father in this world had been dealt with by his own hands.

Yet George felt no sadness. He wasn't truly a child and appreciated the freedom of being unencumbered by noisy, demanding adults.

With a wave of his wand, he summoned the Knight Bus and returned to his shop in Knockturn Alley.

After tidying his room, George retrieved Tom Riddle's diary and a basilisk fang.

Over the past year, he had extracted nearly all the useful dark magic from the Horcrux. Failing to earn its trust, the fragment of Voldemort's soul had grown suspicious of him.

George decided it was time to destroy the Horcrux. Keeping it was a liability. Voldemort's cunning was not to be underestimated, and any oversight could have dire consequences. If discovered in possession of the diary, all his plans would unravel.

Holding the basilisk fang, George prepared to pierce the diary.

Suddenly, the diary trembled violently, emanating dark magic in an attempt to seize control of him.

George merely smirked, releasing a burst of holy light, the signature of his light magic, which repelled the dark energy entirely.

"You'll regret this! You'll regret this!" Voldemort's voice howled in frustration as George repeatedly stabbed the diary with the fang, delivering over a dozen blows.

To ensure thorough destruction, he conjured a small Fiendfyre flame, reducing the already-ruined diary to ashes.

Fiendfyre, after all, could also destroy Horcruxes.

With the task completed, George pondered his next steps for the two-month summer break.

Staying in his shop to practice magic felt like a waste. Now free from the restrictions of Hogwarts, he had far more opportunities.

"Perhaps I should master Apparition this summer," he mused.

During his confrontation with Jose in the other world, George had realized the urgency of learning Apparition. Next time he faced an overwhelming opponent, he needed a reliable escape.

Even in the world of Fairy Tail, mages capable of teleportation were exceedingly rare.