Support me and be 20 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
******
"Thousands of years ago, the magical world has been battling a persistent enemy. It has many names: the Abyss, the Underworld, Hell, the Shadow Realm, and more. Different wizards from various places have called it by different names, but this enemy is always the same. The tools they use to fight the magical world are known as demons. In Europe, we call them the Demon Race."
When Voldemort, who had turned into a cloud of black smoke, mentioned the Abyss, Professor Flitwick's words from that Charms class clearly came to Harry's mind.
Because of his age, Harry was not allowed to openly investigate the Abyss, even though Professor Flitwick had given him a small hint. The library held few records about the Abyss—just some basic knowledge and common facts.
For instance, the demons used by the Abyss to fight against the magical world were more like magical minerals brought to life, different from inanimate objects animated by Transfiguration. Take, for example, the stone guardians in the third chamber that Professor McGonagall had created. Demons, however, possessed complete cognitive abilities, with their own language, script, and power systems.
Although lower-ranked demon soldiers were not very smart—they seemed like enchanted rocks sharing a single walnut-sized brain—those ranked Centurion and above had basic intelligence. The Thousand-Man Commanders were no different from ordinary humans, and the Demon Lords, commanding ten thousand demons, were often even sharper than most people.
Each Demon Lord was an extremely cunning and dangerous monster. In the war against the Abyss, victory in a brutal battle often depended on when the wizards managed to eliminate the demon leader.
A black and red glowing magic circle was now trembling violently. Though they were in an underground room beneath Hogwarts Castle, this was not as deep as the Chamber of Secrets. Still, they remained within the bounds of Hogwarts' magical protection.
"Let me tell you a secret, Harry Potter."
While waiting for the spectacle to unfold, Voldemort didn't mind exchanging a few words with Harry. He loathed Harry deeply, but he didn't want him to die confused and unaware—that would be too boring. What Voldemort wanted was to see a beast cornered in despair, struggling to survive, only to be tortured bit by bit with each futile counterattack. Whether Harry died here bitterly or cried out, begging for mercy, it would be far more entertaining than a dull, meaningless death.
"Do you think the Abyss is far from you? In fact, the Abyss is right beneath your feet."
"The reason Hogwarts was built here is because, a thousand years ago, this was the largest Abyssal entrance in all of England."
"The four founders shattered the entrance using extraordinary means and relocated Salazar Slytherin's family castle here to suppress the last traces of the broken gateway."
"This is the closest spot in England to the Abyss! That's why I can so easily draw on its power."
"Ha! Pathetic!"
After attempting to use Sectumsempra on the magic circle and the distorted shadow hovering over it, Harry spat in disgust.
"I can understand being someone's dog, but being a dog to things that aren't even human? That's really impressive."
"You can only imagine what expressions your Death Eaters would have if they saw you groveling at the feet of your demonic masters."
Betrayal among people is just infighting. Humans are naturally good at it, so it's not surprising. But siding with the Abyss, the enemy of the magical world, is a crime that would earn you the hatred of all. It's a treasonous act that would make everyone rise against you.
If joining Voldemort's ranks meant betraying the magical world with him, most Death Eaters, aside from the most fanatical extremists, would likely sever ties immediately. Following him in his evil deeds and betraying their own world are two completely different things.
"How naive," Voldemort said airily. "I've fought those creatures on the battlefield before. Do you truly believe that, throughout history, wizards haven't studied the power of the Abyss?"
"I've just delved deeper into it than anyone else, gained a better understanding of it. Slandering me without thinking could get you skinned alive, your bones crushed, and your flesh sliced into a thousand pieces to feed the Dementors."
"I think that death would suit you well. If you're not reduced to pulp soon, I might give it a try."
The twisted shadow on the magic circle was now solidifying. The space torn open by the magic circle linked to the depths of the Abyss beneath Hogwarts. The demons, who hated all magical creatures, suffered massive losses as they crossed through the passage Voldemort had barely breached—only about one in ten survived. But demons are fearless, relentless beings, and once they caught the scent of magic, they pushed forward without hesitation.
Their heavy bodies crushed the sturdy floor as they landed. Standing just under five feet tall, they were shorter than Harry, but their bodies, which gleamed faintly with a metallic sheen and carried the weight of solid stone, were incredibly dense. Each weighed at least half a ton, making them walking tanks with a natural defense score of 10.
Voldemort's confidence stemmed from the fact that demons from the Abyss were a severe threat to wizards and spellcasters alike. They fed on magic, passively absorbing the magical energy from the air, which drastically slowed the recovery of any wizard's magical reserves. Their tough outer skin was a superb anti-magic shell.
Even low-ranking demons posed a challenge for spellcasters. Any spell that hit them would require a saving throw. If the spell's strength was less than 10, it would be completely ineffective, and 10% of the spell's magic would be absorbed, further empowering the demon. Weak area-of-effect spells would do nothing but heal them.
Even if a spell had a strength higher than 10, it would be reduced by 10 before the next saving throw was made.
When demons are born, they aren't made of stone; they appear more like flesh-and-blood creatures, with liquid similar to blood flowing through their bodies. Multiple magic cores within them are connected by blood-like veins. As demons absorb magic, they continually ignite their internal cores. Starting as mere cannon fodder, they can ascend in rank, and when they reach the level of a Demon Lord, commanding thousands, these cores fuse into one, beating like a heart.
With each ascension, a demon generates a new layer of skin to encase its body. To kill a Ten-Man Commander demon, you'd need a spell with a strength of 20+ to pierce two layers of armor and shatter two fully activated magic cores. The same goes for higher-ranked commanders—Centurions, Thousand-Man Commanders, and so on. Every promotion adds an additional health bar.
(End of chapter)