Hogwarts Wasteland: The Witch from the Borderlands

The dark green magical cannon fire struck the Hogwarts barrier, creating ripples, but fortunately it didn't shatter directly like the large hole from before.

Snape led the way, guiding the dark wizards like a dark cloud as they flew in, passing through the breach in the barrier and landing on the grass. The biting wind and snow poured in with them, turning the earth white.

"How warm it is, and there are cowardly and despicable children everywhere." Beside Snape, the mad Bellatrix took a deep breath as if enjoying herself. Her body was covered with terrifying black and green patterns, like the aftereffects of some forbidden magic. Wisps of black smoke emanated from her body, and even the dark wizards around her avoided her.

Snape remained silent, his black robes billowing around him like a dark cloud, his eyes fixed on the castle gates ahead.

There, some students who had been outside were screaming and running inside, while a red-haired figure rushed out of the gate.

It was Lily. She was having lunch in the Great Hall and was the first professor to arrive. She spotted Snape standing at the very front.

"Severus!" Lily's face was as cold as ice. She quickly pulled out her wand and reached for her usual potion pouch with her other hand.

"All students, go to the auditorium! The professors will be here soon!"

She was on high alert. Snape alone was already dangerous enough, but now a group of elite Green Flame Party members had arrived. She alone couldn't hold out for long.

Fortunately, Snape didn't seem to be in a hurry to start fighting. He beckoned with his finger, and a black-robed man who had been tortured beyond recognition flew over lying flat.

"He's the spy you planted within the Green Flame Party, isn't he?" Snape asked, his voice low and cold, like an icy spring on a winter night, sending chills down your spine.

"Mundungus!" Lily recognized him at a glance. Although he looked miserable and had suffered a lot, he was still breathing, as his chest was still rising and falling.

"Hogwarts magic is really hard to break. If it weren't for the connection we made with this rat, we don't know how long it would have taken us to find this place."

"My master will not forget the disgrace you have inflicted upon him, and his disgrace is our disgrace," Snape said calmly. Bellatrix, standing beside him, timely unleashed a Cruciatus Curse, which struck Mundungus, who immediately let out a scream.

"Damn it!" Lily tried to step forward and cast a spell to snatch Mundungus back, but Snape wouldn't let her have her way.

He lifted his cloak, and several strangely shaped grenades flew out, exploding in the open space between the two men. Thick, eerie blue smoke burst forth, immediately enveloping the entire lawn.

Visibly, those precious green spaces in the wild withered and rotted instantly, and even the soil turned into black mud under the erosion of the toxic fog.

Lily had no choice but to stop and retreat. Snape was a Potions Master no less than her, and she dared not be easily touched by the poisonous fog. She waved her wand, and a whirlwind rose up, blowing the poisonous fog toward the other party. With her other hand, she reached into her magic bag, took out several potions, and poured them into her mouth.

The next moment, Snape unleashed an even stronger whirlwind. His magic was already superior to Lily's, and his magic alone was enough to overwhelm her.

Lily knew this, of course. The previous whirlwind was just a delaying tactic. Facing the oncoming poisonous wind, she took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. A white mist formed in front of her and quickly reacted with Snape's poisonous mist, neutralizing it into harmless water vapor.

"This is the first gift Master has given you!" Bella shouted excitedly from the side, her wand glowing with a deathly green light as she pointed it at the defenseless Mundungus.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Lily was in a panic, but Snape was an insurmountable obstacle in front of her.

A dazzling green light flashed, and everyone thought Mundungus was surely dead.

But the next second, Mundungus's groans continued, and he opened his eyes in confusion, wondering why he wasn't dead.

A lifeless mouse lay on his chest, then slowly transformed back into its original form—a piece of cloth turned to ash, part of the fabric on his chest.

"This level of Transfiguration," Snape frowned.

To imbue inanimate objects with life, so perfectly that it could even fool the Death Curse—even Dumbledore, the master of Transfiguration, never demonstrated such an ability.

It was McGonagall. She appeared at the Great Hall entrance with a serious expression, accompanied by professors and upperclassmen. She was wearing the Deathproof Coat, the one Hermione had sewn herself.

"No one is allowed to harm children or comrades in my school!" The Hogwarts Vice-Headmaster's voice boomed like a thunderclap, his resounding call echoing throughout the castle.

The next moment, the earth seemed to come alive. A rock-formed chimera, shaking its lion's head, rose from the soil. Its tail was a venomous snake, while its head spewed fierce flames. The rock monster, as tall as a three-story building, stared at the black wizards with its lava-like eyes and roared fiercely.

"Back off!" Snape shouted, unleashing several powerful spells, but neither Divine Strike nor Thunderous Explosion were effective against the monster.

But the dark wizards had nowhere to retreat. Behind them, the iron fence that was originally meant to prevent the students from falling suddenly grew wildly, turning into a huge steel jungle.

It was Professor Sprout, her eyes wide with rage, her plump, round face puffed up, manipulating the magic of plants to transform the iron fence into a sprawling, flesh-eating steel hell.

While the dark wizards were dodging the rocky chimera and the steel jungle, Sprout cast a spell to drag Mundungus into the thick iron fence, preventing him from being harmed further.

Bellatrix looked around, then suddenly transformed into a black cloud and darted away from the side. The next second, she appeared on the left side of the crowd, her wand flashing green light, screaming as she tried to ambush McGonagall.

But a beam of silver light shot out like lightning, annihilating the death curse before it could take shape.

It was Flitwick, his living silver prosthetic hand flicking out his wand as he slowly walked toward Bella: "I will be your opponent."

A loud phoenix cry drew everyone's attention. They looked up and saw a dazzling phoenix fly out of the barrier from the top of Hogwarts Tower and crash into the menacing cloud of skulls. Then, a huge explosion and flash of light came from within the cloud.

"Hogwarts students and teachers! Defend against the enemy!" McGonagall shouted.

The centaur Ferenze roared and leaped out of the crowd, drawing his bow and pointing it directly at a werewolf among the dark wizards. Close behind him was Filch, dressed in a butler's uniform.

The next second, all the professors and senior students joined the battle.

Everyone has found their rival.

The clash between Lily and Snape, two Potions Masters, made this deathly place filled with all sorts of mysterious fog unapproachable. Snape's magic was superior, but Lily had absorbed Hermione's perfumery theories and gained a new understanding of potions. The two continued to sabotage each other's potions in the increasingly thick fog, while simultaneously applying new potions.

Bellamin appeared somewhat overwhelmed by Flitwick, the former dueling champion. In terms of combat experience, she was no match for the half-elf professor, but the power she gained through forbidden magic was incredibly destructive. She wielded powerful killing curses with great skill and unleashed a barrage of vicious dark magic. Even the professor of spells had to be careful. Overall, however, Flitwick still held the advantage and was gradually forcing Bellamin to retreat, slowly compressing her space to dodge.

McGonagall's rock chimera and Professor Sprout's steel jungle chased after the group of dark wizards. They desperately shot spells backward, but could only slightly hinder the two professors' combined efforts.

Organized by Quirrell and other professors, the senior students unleashed a dense rain of spells, striking hard against these madmen who dared to invade Hogwarts.

"No! We have to get down there and help!" Harry, who was watching from the window, was so excited that he grabbed his flail and was about to rush out.

But Hermione grabbed her arm: "You're a first-year student, don't go causing trouble. Just stay here. The professors have a huge advantage right now."

But she was still uneasy; the Death Eaters wouldn't knowingly charge in to their deaths when they were outmatched.

Just then, a crisp, cold bell rang in her ear.

Her expression changed drastically: "Oh no! It's Lucius!"

The next moment, the ringing intensified, like death calling in one's ears, while the restless black spring boiled on the other side.

She heard the frenzied roars of the ghosts, and looking up, she saw a phoenix fall from the sky amidst the green clouds, transforming into a streak of light and returning to the top of Hogwarts Tower.

A figure slowly emerged from the green clouds, laughing wildly as he unleashed a terrifying green light from his pale wand, shattering a large chunk of Hogwarts' barrier once again.

McGonagall's expression changed. Ignoring the fleeing dark wizards, she leaped onto the head of the chimera. The next second, the chimera transformed rapidly, its enormous wings unfurling as it became a ferocious rock dragon, soaring into the sky.

She knew that someone had to stop that person, that dark wizard who had transcended death—Voldemort!