Magic drained away in an instant.
Blood sprayed high into the air, splattering Hoffa's head. The dark wizard who had grabbed him staggered backward, clutching at his chest before collapsing to his knees with a thud. His wand slipped limply from his right hand.
He clutched his chest desperately, only to discover a massive wound that extended from his abdomen to his forehead, slashing his face into two uneven halves.
With his one remaining eye, he glared fiercely at Hoffa, his lips moving soundlessly, producing only faint gurgling noises.
The sensation of having his magic completely drained left Hoffa pale. He stumbled backward, finally leaning against a tree to prevent himself from collapsing.
"Pathetic."
Schmidt advanced instead of retreating. He kicked his injured companion aside and pointed his wand directly at Hoffa.
"Cruciatus!"
A cruel red light shot forth.
Hoffa's pupils contracted to pinpoints, but in that moment, he found himself unwilling to retreat. Having conquered his fear, a strange strength deep within him compelled him to stand firm.
He spat on the ground and, gripping his blade, charged straight at the Cruciatus Curse.
If he had to die, he would ensure he took his opponent down with him.
Schmidt hadn't expected such ferocity from a mere boy. Even so, he showed no intention of relenting, his expression cold and unmoved.
Hoffa raised his blade.
The curse cast a crimson glow on his face.
But then, a nearby ancient oak suddenly came to life.
The massive tree uprooted itself and leaped, landing squarely between Hoffa and Schmidt. Its enormous branches crossed together, shielding Hoffa.
The Cruciatus Curse struck the sturdy tree trunk and dissipated completely.
Hoffa collided with the trunk, dazed from the impact.
Schmidt lowered his wand and took a slow step back.
Hoffa, pale, turned to see what had happened.
Standing at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest was a tall man in gray robes with auburn hair and a long beard.
It was Dumbledore.
Schmidt's expression remained impassive as he raised his wand decisively. A blue bolt of lightning shot toward Dumbledore.
Dumbledore spun his cloak, vanishing into thin air.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Schmidt. All around him, the trees began to come alive, one after another, uprooting themselves wherever he set foot.
The colossal oak carefully placed Hoffa on the ground, then pressed one hand against the earth.
Countless branches erupted from the soil, rapidly growing and intertwining. The ground seemed to pulse as dozens of smaller tree-like creatures emerged.
These creatures wielded wooden swords, their eyes glowing an eerie green.
The swarm of tree guardians surrounded Schmidt, layer upon layer, sealing him in completely.
Hoffa's heart pounded. This... this is Transfiguration at its peak!
Schmidt narrowed his eyes and softly muttered, "Albus Dumbledore."
"Yes, it's me," Dumbledore replied calmly. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to act so recklessly. The war hasn't even begun, and you're already rushing toward imprisonment?"
With a casual flick of his wand, golden light surged forth, illuminating the night like day. The sheer magical force in the air made Hoffa's scalp tingle as he hid behind the tree guardians.
Schmidt's face grew grim. He raised his wand, conjuring rows of metallic shields before him. Yet, the golden light pierced through them effortlessly.
In a desperate move, Schmidt grabbed the unconscious Aglaea from beside a tree and used her as a human shield.
Dumbledore swiftly raised his wand.
The piercing golden spell abruptly veered off course, slicing through several thick tree trunks before vanishing into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
"Schmidt, have you really fallen this far? It's truly a pity," Dumbledore remarked with a sigh. "I remember when you were much more charming."
"For a brighter future, necessary sacrifices must be made," Schmidt replied nonchalantly.
Dumbledore sighed again.
"Yes, I understand. But bringing two companions and a host of magical creatures to Hogwarts—it's rather audacious of you."
With lightning speed, he flicked his wand again.
A sharp stone wall erupted from the ground, slicing upward like a blade. In an instant, it severed Schmidt's arm.
Schmidt's severed arm, still holding Aglaea, flew into the air. Dumbledore caught both the wand and the unconscious girl in a single swift motion.
Despite losing an arm, Schmidt merely smiled faintly. Without hesitation, he turned to flee.
Vines erupted from the ground, entangling him like a cocoon within seconds.
It seemed like everything had ended.
But that was only Hoffa's perception. After carefully placing Aglaea down, Dumbledore's expression remained tense.
The Schmidt ensnared by the vines began to twist and collapse. To Hoffa's astonishment, he transformed into a translucent, jelly-like creature with many tentacles—a mimic jellyfish—limp on the ground.
Nothing else remained.
"A decoy jellyfish," Dumbledore murmured, lowering his wand. "I should have expected this."
Then, putting away his wand, Dumbledore carried Aglaea in his arms and approached Hoffa.
At that moment, Hoffa's tense heart finally eased. Dumbledore's arrival had lifted the immediate threat of death, but it also introduced a new concern.
Having entered the Forbidden Forest, what consequences would he face?
Would he be expelled?
Dumbledore stood before Hoffa, his piercing blue eyes gazing down at him silently. The look made Hoffa uneasy.
"Brave, but reckless," Dumbledore said slowly. "I didn't expect to encounter you here."
Hoffa didn't know how to respond, so he remained silent.
"Do you still have strength left?" Dumbledore asked sternly.
Hoffa nodded quietly.
"Take her back to the castle and to the infirmary. Find Healer Rainer. I'll handle things here," Dumbledore instructed, handing the unconscious Aglaea to Hoffa.
Five minutes later, Hoffa, carrying the unconscious Aglaea on his back, emerged from the Forbidden Forest, panting heavily as he made his way toward the castle.
The castle was ablaze with light. Heads of houses, staff, and prefects were hurrying toward the scene of the incident.
Hoffa caught glimpses of Professor Melis from Gryffindor, Professor Slughorn from Slytherin, and Professor Herbrow from Hufflepuff. Yet, he didn't see Professor Goschak or Headmaster Dippet.
Avoiding the crowd, Hoffa took a side path to return to the castle.
On the castle lawn, students from all houses were laughing and playing, enjoying the leisure of the evening. The air carried the faint scent of flowers and dried grass, and the cool breeze of an autumn night stood in stark contrast to the harrowing events outside.
They were blissfully unaware of the carnage in the Forbidden Forest or the massacre of an entire centaur tribe less than twenty kilometers away.
But their joy did not affect Hoffa. His mind was weighed down with worries—about Joey, Aglaea, and most of all, his own uncertain fate.
The infirmary was in a secluded tower on the east side of the castle, far from the main building.
By the time Hoffa reached it, his legs felt like jelly. Exhausted from overusing his magic, his head throbbed as if it had been split open by an axe.
Thankfully, the infirmary nurses had been alerted in advance and came running to assist him from afar.
In his previous life, Hoffa only knew of Madam Pomfrey as Hogwarts' healer. But now, he didn't see her—perhaps she was still a student or interning at a hospital.
The infirmary was currently overseen by a tall, elderly man named Rainer, with graying hair and a mask covering his face.
After checking Aglaea's breathing, Healer Rainer turned to a nurse and said, "Prepare an isolation room. Take both of them inside for disinfection and examination."
"I'm not poisoned," Hoffa protested.
Rainer ignored him, merely shooting him a sharp glance.
After a series of humiliating disinfection procedures and medical examinations, Hoffa was finally placed in a general ward.
Physically, he had suffered little damage, but the mental toll was significant. The overuse of magic had left him in a state of hyperactive exhaustion, making it impossible for him to rest peacefully for two days.
During this time, he fully grasped the meaning of solitude. In his previous life, whenever Harry was injured, a group of friends would always visit him.
But Hoffa? He sat alone on his bed for two days. Aside from nurses changing his bandages and bringing him liquid food, no one visited.
Fortunately, the meditation technique from the Milarepa Path allowed him to repair the mental damage caused by his magical overuse, making the ordeal more bearable.
Two days later, Miranda and a few dormmates finally came to see him.
They brought candy and Chocolate Frogs. Miranda was shocked by Hoffa's injuries and mentioned that the school had kept his condition under wraps. No one knew what had happened in the Forbidden Forest that night.
Unlike the worried Miranda, the other dormmates seemed more concerned about Aglaea than Hoffa's well-being.
When Miranda asked what had happened in the forest, Hoffa instinctively avoided telling the truth.
He brushed it off, saying he had fallen off a horse and remembered nothing afterward. This disappointed Miranda.
"You're always so secretive, Hoffa," she said.
Hoffa didn't know how to respond, so he used the excuse of needing rest to send his friends away. As Miranda left, he noticed the sadness on her face.
That night, Hoffa finally managed to get some proper sleep.
The next morning, when sunlight streamed into the hospital room, he noticed that Aglaea had been moved from the emergency ward and was now asleep in the bed to his right.
To his left, he saw Joey lying on another bed.
Although Joey's face was pale and bruised, his condition didn't seem life-threatening.
"You're awake?"
Hoffa, just beginning to relax, was startled by a voice nearby.
He turned to see someone sitting in the shadowy visitor's chair.
It was Dumbledore.
With his hands clasped on his lap, he was quietly watching Hoffa.
(End of Chapter)
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