thefictionvixens Chapter 195 The Silent Hogwarts
Chapter 195 The Silent Hogwarts
Chapter 195 The Silent Hogwarts
Since that night at the Black Lake where she "seduced" Voldemort, Karen attempted two more similar decoy maneuvers.
One time, at midnight the following day, he moved to another spot on the edge of the Forbidden Forest where faint traces had been found before. He once again held aloft the gleaming, bright blue alchemical detector, radiating magical ripples, even deliberately letting its light sweep across the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, his posture even more "arrogant" than the previous night. A biting wind whipped his cloak, and he stood in the snow, all his senses taut, awaiting the return of that chilling, malevolent lock-on.
However, there was nothing there.
Deep within the Forbidden Forest, only the hooves of owls and the whistling of the wind through the withered branches could be heard. There was no chilling malevolence, no slithering of snakes, not even a trace of unusual magical energy. It was as if Voldemort and his basilisk had never existed, or perhaps the confirmation of the previous night was enough for him.
The second attempt was two days later, at dusk, just before nightfall. Karen chose a relatively open clearing near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. This time, he didn't use the detector. Instead, like a true tracker, he crouched down and carefully "poke" the snow with the tip of his wand—of course, there were no marks; he was just putting on a show.
Silence remained. There was no spying, no locking, no response. Voldemort had vanished completely, like a stubborn rock sunk into the deep sea.
An eerie stillness descended upon the castle. Enhanced protective spells cast a faint glow on the windows, and the professors patrolled more frequently, but no new "incidents" occurred. Even the students, who had been terrified, gradually calmed down under the professors' continued reassurance and the strict security measures. The castle, at the end of the holiday, even regained a semblance of its former tranquility.
"He gave up?" Madame Perenaerts' voice came through the two-way mirror. Karen was in the Eagle's Nest, reporting to Nico and Castor in France. Perenaerts sat beside her, his face grave.
“No, madam,” Karen shook her head, her eyes behind her glasses unwavering, “he’s just waiting. He’s confirmed the pursuer is me.”
A second-year student might pose a lower threat level to him, but his target is now clearer. He no longer needs to test the waters; he's waiting for me, or rather Dumbledore, to let his guard down, or for what he considers a foolproof opportunity. He looked at Nico and Castor in the mirror. "Professor Castor, he's more patient than we thought. He was unusually anxious before because he couldn't prolong the host's life force through the unicorn, but it seems he doesn't need to worry about that anymore."
Nico pondered for a moment, stroking his beard. "Cunning, extremely cunning. It seems Voldemort has very likely transferred his soul into the Basilisk. He no longer feels the same urgency as before, especially after confirming his opponent's existence and abilities. He's assessing you, Cullen, and also assessing Dumbledore's reaction. This silence is more unsettling than a direct attack."
Professor Castor appeared at the edge of the glasses, his face still somewhat pale, his left arm completely concealed by a long sleeve, but his grey eyes remained as sharp as ever. "Patience is a hunter's quality, Karen. Don't be fooled by appearances. He's gathering strength, or waiting for an opportunity to strike decisively. Your eyes are a huge obstacle to his infiltration of the castle to obtain the Philosopher's Stone; he must eliminate you." His voice was low and calm. "You did the right thing. Continue your preparations. Fear stems from the unknown. When you know he will come, the rest..."
It's about being prepared to receive them.
"I understand, Professor Castor." Karen nodded, her unease subsiding under her mentor's analysis and transforming into a more resolute vigilance.
Castor continued, "The new toy Nico gave you should have arrived by now. Your contingency plan against the basilisk was quite thorough. Now, just be careful; he'll definitely make his move."
The "new toy" the teacher mentioned refers to the "Complete Soul Prism," which Nico had just completed and urgently delivered. It's smaller than the prototype received for Christmas, and its form has changed to a smooth, flat disc with a flowing silver-gray halo. At its center is an extremely fine, seemingly self-rotating black crystal, which appears to have some connection to the Touch of Hermes. Its operation is simpler and more intuitive; Karen only needs to inject a wisp of mental energy to instantly activate it, forming an invisible force field cage in the target area that is extremely sensitive to soul energy. Once it detects abnormal soul fluctuations (especially those with tearing, cursing, or parasitic properties), it will immediately issue an alarm that Karen can perceive and attempt to perform forbidden and imaging analysis.
"The principle is based on the 'resonance lock' and 'phase restriction' of soul energy," Nico explained in the mirror, gesturing with his finger. "The core is that miniature 'Hermesian Touch,' which greatly enhances the prism's sensitivity and binding power to unstable soul fragments. Karen, combined with your Eye of Truth, it should be able to warn of Voldemort's true form or the Basilisk's cursed soul approaching several seconds, or even tens of seconds, in advance. Remember, although it's easier to use than the previous version, it still has a certain delay after use; be sure to judge the timing carefully."
"Thank you, Professor Nico! This is so important!" Karen carefully put the warm, silvery-gray disc close to her body, right next to the phoenix tail feathers.
The last few days of the Christmas holidays passed in this unsettling calm. Fewer students remained in the castle, and footsteps echoed in the empty corridors. Karen didn't relax for a moment. Like a worker ant building its nest, he repeatedly reinforced his defenses.
Dumbledore wouldn't let him leave the castle, so he re-examined all possible points of basilisk intrusion within the castle. He completely welded shut the entrance to the pool in the abandoned girls' restroom on the second floor, haunted by Moaning Myrtle's vengeance, after consulting with Professor McGonagall. He had obtained the iron bars from Hagrid, then added powerful reinforcement and anti-locking charms himself, and etched hidden magical runes onto the surface of the bars.
It was connected to a miniature vibration alarm on his wrist. Several other dilapidated sewer openings in the castle and low ventilation shafts near the Forbidden Forest were reinforced and monitored in a similar manner.
The Eagle's Nest's defenses were enhanced once again. In addition to the existing protective magic array, Karen installed multiple trigger traps at the entrance: stepping on the wrong floor tile would spray powerful adhesive; forcibly breaking the lock would trigger blinding light and a piercing buzzing sound; the walls were embedded with layers of dragon blood-activated material that could absorb magical shocks; and the ceiling even had a mechanism that could instantly lower reinforced iron mesh.
He repeatedly deduced Voldemort's possible attack methods:
The first option is a direct, frontal assault. This is the most direct and dangerous, but also Cullen's preferred method. The basilisk launches its main attack, while Voldemort uses dark magic to disrupt or control it. The countermeasures: Use the glasses to defend against the gaze, the rooster crowing device to distract the basilisk, and alchemical smoke bombs to create chaos. Simultaneously, activate the phoenix tail feathers without hesitation. Use the terrain to maneuver and stall until Dumbledore arrives. If the situation is urgent and Dumbledore's support cannot be secured, then use the Fiendfyre curse to finish him off, even if it destroys his soul, as Cullen still knows the whereabouts of the other Horcruxes.
The second tactic is a feint. Voldemort might use other events, such as creating chaos elsewhere or attacking other students, to draw attention and weaken defenses before ambushing the lone Cullen. Countermeasures: Maintain constant alert with Dumbledore, avoid being easily mobilized by unexpected events, and remain at pre-established safe points or in densely populated areas. Always pay attention to warnings from the Soul Prism.
The last possibility is that he would take advantage of being alone, which is the most likely scenario. Voldemort would certainly believe that Cullen is most vulnerable when she is alone, and in his eyes, Cullen would likely only be a junior wizard with the talent to detect traces of magic. He certainly wouldn't think that Cullen has the strength to fight him.
Solution: Remain vigilant at all times, carry all defensive items with you, and keep them ready to be activated at any time.
Under the lights of the Eagle's Nest, the young alchemist's figure appeared exceptionally slender, yet remarkably resilient. He practiced the use of the Soul Prism repeatedly: he simulated various evasion and counterattack routes in the event of a Basilisk attack; he deduced the traps Voldemort might set. As the holidays ended and students returned to school, Karen had a premonition that Voldemort's next attack might occur around the time of the return-to-school date.