"Who's there?" Voldemort barely had time to react when John, with unwavering resolve, slashed his sword towards the hand that clutched the Philosopher's Stone. The severed limb, surprisingly devoid of blood, shriveled rapidly.
"Come out!" With his remaining hand, Voldemort swung his wand, releasing a jet of green light towards John. Anticipating the attack, John rolled to the side and, with a swift sprint forward, swung his great sword like a windmill, severing Voldemort's other hand. With a swift motion, John pointed his wand at Voldemort's chest and unleashed a dazzling white light. "Reducto!" At that moment, Voldemort's frail body shattered, and John collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
"Fortunately, his current state is nowhere near as formidable as it was in the Forbidden Forest," John thought to himself. His actions, though seemingly effortless, had drained him significantly. Dodging the Killing Curse had been a close call; had Voldemort been in better condition or less complacent, thinking victory was within his grasp, that moment could have been John's last. Thankfully, his extensive training had honed his instincts, allowing him to narrowly escape death.
After catching his breath, John noticed Harry struggling nearby. Voldemort might be dead, but the dark magic lingered. John retrieved the Sorcerer's Stone, and from Harry's perspective, the battle had seemed almost spectral. Voldemort's arms were severed in an instant, and then his body exploded. Harry was still processing the scene when he saw the Philosopher's Stone levitating.
"Is that you, Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked, looking towards the stone with hope.
Before John could respond, the remnants of Voldemort coalesced into a wisp of black smoke, charging towards Harry with a malevolent visage. Without a second thought, John hurled his weapon at the smoke in an attempt to intercept it. However, the smoke wasn't tangible; the sword passed right through, and the smoke enveloped Harry, who screamed and then fell unconscious.
By the time John reached him, the smoke had dissipated. After calling Harry's name several times to no response, John, in disbelief, gently slapped Harry's face, hoping for some sign of consciousness. Seeing no reaction, he began to prepare a series of potions, hoping one might revive the boy.
"I believe Mr. Potter is simply overcome with fright," came a calm, aged voice. John looked up to see Dumbledore standing there, appearing as if he had just returned from a journey.
"John Wick, I think it's time to lift the Disillusionment Charm," Dumbledore reminded him gently.
Realizing he was still under the charm, John released it, revealing himself. He scratched his head, slightly embarrassed, and greeted, "Professor Dumbledore."
Dumbledore's eyes held a hint of relief. "It seems you've chosen the right path and haven't been swayed by the lure of power."
John caught a glint of something in Dumbledore's words, realizing the headmaster had been aware of his and Quirrell's pursuit of the stone. It seemed Dumbledore had been orchestrating events from behind the scenes, perhaps never having left the school at all. John responded respectfully, "I owe it all to the teachings of the school."
Unbeknownst to John, Dumbledore had indeed hurried back upon learning of the intrusion. Had John not intervened when he did, Voldemort might have succeeded in his quest.
Dumbledore then picked up Harry, and with a wave of his hand, the lingering flames dissipated. "Let's take Harry to the infirmary. Poor boy, I wonder if he'll be fit for the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw."
As they were about to leave, John, still holding the Philosopher's Stone, glanced at Dumbledore, who seemed not to notice. After a moment's hesitation, John asked, "Professor, what should we do with the Philosopher's Stone?"
Dumbledore stopped, a smile playing on his lips. "I'm pleased to see you're an honest young man. Remember our agreement. I don't think my old friend Nicolas Flamel would mind if his Philosopher's Stone was in the hands of a little wizard who showed such bravery and integrity." Nico Flamel! John halted in astonishment, his expression blank, reminiscent of a Niffler that had misplaced its treasure.
Three days had elapsed since the incident, yet John's mood remained unsettled. He meticulously combined dragon's blood with marshland soil and delicately shaved powder from a unicorn's horn using a silver knife. The vibrant red stone lay on the table as John busied himself crafting amulets, infusing them with dragon blood and various materials. Under his precise craftsmanship, a medallion featuring stars encircling a wand slowly took shape.
John then retrieved a pen barrel crafted from snowy owl feathers, tipped with silver, to engrave runes upon it. "The final step," he murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow. He placed the pieces of the badges into a crucible for soaking. Upon adding the magic stone and stirring, the water transitioned from red to black, and finally cleared. John extracted the badge, now housing the Philosopher's Stone, its appearance akin to a river of stars. He adorned it on his chest, noting its capacity to resist three types of damage and its six slots for future enchantments. The badges were designed to sense one another. Having made nine in total, he stored the remaining eight.
Turning his attention to a larger crucible, John added fire dragon blood and the last of the unicorn horn, sealing it until the contents fully melded. He then poured the molten silver into a pre-prepared mold, the hissing sound filling the room. Once cooled, John unveiled a silver longsword from the mold. However, his attempt to enhance the sword with the Philosopher's Stone resulted in the sword turning gold - a testament to the stone's power to transmute materials into gold, but not in the way John had hoped. Disheartened, he remarked, "Even with the Sorcerer's Stone, refining the sword of Gryffindor proves too challenging." He considered selling the golden sword as he prepared for the year-end banquet.
The Great Hall buzzed with excitement. Harry, recently discharged from the hospital wing, was disheartened by Gryffindor's loss to Ravenclaw in his absence. Slytherin's green and silver banners celebrated their seventh consecutive House Cup victory. John, seated with his fellow Slytherins, observed Malfoy's smug demeanor and the 160-point gap between Slytherin and Gryffindor. He mused that without Malfoy's influence, the outcome might have been different.
Dumbledore, addressing the assembly, praised Slytherin's victory, eliciting a thunderous applause. However, his tone shifted as he mentioned recent events warranting additional points. The hall fell silent, anticipation hanging in the air. "Firstly, Mr. Ron Weasley, for his unparalleled chess victory, earns Gryffindor House 50 points," Dumbledore announced. "Secondly, Miss Hermione Granger's exemplary logic in the face of danger merits another 50 points for Gryffindor." The atmosphere tensed as Dumbledore continued, signaling a potential shift in the House Cup standings. Harry Potter had demonstrated fearless bravery and extraordinary valor. In recognition of this, Dumbledore announced, "For his remarkable courage, I am awarding Gryffindor House 60 points!" This announcement caused a stunning turnaround. Gryffindor, which had been trailing behind, suddenly pulled even with Slytherin. The contributions of the trio had ignited a wave of cheers throughout Hogwarts. Dumbledore raised his hand, calling for silence, and with a smile, he shared a piece of wisdom, "Courage comes in many forms. It requires immense bravery to face our enemies, but sometimes, it takes even greater courage to stand up to our friends." He then continued, "For this reason, I would like to award Mr. Neville Longbottom 10 points."
The hall erupted in an uproar. Members of Slytherin voiced their discontent, while students from the other houses celebrated as if the very foundations of Hogwarts were being shaken. Draco Malfoy expressed his displeasure by loudly tapping his goblet on the table, casting a shadow over the Slytherin table with their gloomy expressions. With Gryffindor now in the lead, everyone, aside from Slytherin, seemed pleased with the outcome.
John couldn't resist commenting, "Gryffindor really does get a lot of points, don't they? Just keep adding them, right?" He shook his head in disbelief, observing the forced smile on the face of the Slytherin Head of House.
"Quiet, please, everyone," Dumbledore called for attention once more. However, instead of concluding the ceremony, his gaze shifted to John. "Lastly, Mr. John Wick..."
This unexpected mention of John Wick caught everyone off guard, creating a palpable sense of anticipation. Dumbledore's ability to recognize the various forms of bravery within the student body, and his decision to acknowledge them publicly, underscored the values that Hogwarts sought to instill in its students. The atmosphere was charged with excitement and curiosity about what Dumbledore would say next.
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https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge