The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 361 The Deadly Curse

Wizards are often driven by emotions.

Their deep-seated emphasis on and investment in emotions makes them appear particularly sentimental.

Similarly, this characteristic also makes them value and cherish that feeling more than the average person.

This point is also confirmed by many people in the story.

Lily's sacrifice, Snape's unwavering devotion, Sirius's willingness to enter Azkaban to atone for his sins, and even Bellatrix and Barty's near-mad obsession...

All of this demonstrates the wizard's sensitivity.

Of course, this persistence is also reflected in actions.

……

Unlike other Death Eaters, who are either cowardly yet intelligent, or brave yet insane.

Batistuta always combines the advantages of both.

Fiendfire, as the most difficult form of dark magic to control, is not so easy to use. The backlash from Fiendfire is always the biggest headache for the user, because it is indiscriminate in its attack on friend or foe, and a fully grown Fiendfire will even target the user first.

Currently, there is only one known person who can skillfully wield the Fiery Blaze.

In the scene, after seeing the sky full of fiery flames, he understood how troublesome Svenburn was, and he also understood his master's discomfort. Forcibly controlling so many fiery flames was not an easy task.

That seems to be the end of the matter.

But in the past two days, the denigration and ridicule in the newspapers have caused Little Barty an extreme amount of pain and torment.

The circulating film mirrors and the Daily Prophet became the source of his suffering, the latter being even more so.

Whenever he thought about the contents of the newspaper, every word and every punctuation mark seemed to transform into a venomous snake, tearing at his heart.

For followers, it is the most unacceptable thing for their worshipped master to be insulted and slandered.

When he learned that the other party was hospitalized due to injury and could not even receive Fudge when he visited, Barty Jr. began to plan his revenge.

……

Vincent Crabbe, despite his simple-minded appearance, was quite a figure in Slytherin.

Especially recently, with Draco launching the school's monthly magazine, his status has risen accordingly, given that he is one of only two followers.

"Where are you going again? Aren't you taking me with you?" Gao asked curiously in the dormitory.

This question also aroused the curiosity of the other roommates, since Crabbe had been in a hurry lately, and sometimes they could not see him for a whole day on the weekend.

"I'll go buy some candy; Mr. Swinburne always gives you all the Christmas sweets."

Crabbe grinned sheepishly, his tone tinged with a hint of jealousy, like a child who had run away from home after being bullied.

On the other side, after hearing the answer, Gore reached up and scratched his head, saying somewhat embarrassedly:

"How about I share half with you... no, I'll give you a third."

"Keep it for yourself! But thank you so much!" Crabbe smiled faintly, but his true feelings were revealed at the end.

He had been a servant of the Malfoy family since childhood, but the only person he truly cared for was the honest and simple-minded Goyle in front of him.

Moreover, Gore sharing a third of his candy might seem insignificant to others, but Crabbe knew very well that this was true friendship.

"That's what you didn't want..." Gore shook his huge head, then muttered under his breath, "It's not my fault! Really, I gave it away."

Seeing this familiar scene, Crabbe's eyes flashed with a hint of reluctance.

But when his gaze fell on the candies, a trace of reluctance turned into determination.

Crabbe knew that Swinburne looked down on him, which was evident from these cheap candies.

Even things he didn't need, he wasn't given any of from his first Christmas at school. He wasn't even assigned errands or odd jobs.

Everything was Goyle's job, but he wasn't jealous of Goyle, because his friend was too stupid to be jealous.

But everything has a source, and that source is Svenburn, who despised him from beginning to end.

In fact, because of this subtle change, Draco stopped seeking his help for many things and instead went to Goyle instead.

……

As Crabbe pondered this, he stepped out of Slytherin's bedroom.

His mind was filled with memories of what happened at Hogsmeade two months ago. Barty Jr. was right; all the disdain stemmed from a lack of ability.

If one possessed great power, there would be no need to be someone's follower, eat leftover candy, or even pretend to be stupid all day long...

Knowing it was an unforgivable curse, Crabbe still willingly accepted it. Two months of continuous study had made him truly feel powerful; if he wanted to, none of the four people in the dormitory would have made it out alive.

This existing ability is merely the magic taught to him by Barty.

But this morning, he received another message from Barty the Younger, saying that if he did one last thing, he would not only be able to meet the Dark Lord, but could even be personally taught dark magic by him.

Walking toward the school hospital, Crabbe touched the teacup in his pocket through his robe; it was the key that Barty had given him.

Whether successful or not, one can escape Hogwarts using a Portkey.

This is all the confidence he has.

……

The second floor of the castle.

When confronted by Madam Pomfrey, Crabbe immediately used the Imperius Curse.

This was not out of kindness, but rather because he wanted to use the other person's voice to lull Svenburn inside, and at the same time find cover in case of failure.

"Go over there, knock on the door! Then open the door."

Seeing that the Soul-Stealing Curse was taking effect, Crabbe issued the order as planned, completely unaware of the horrified look in the portrait beside him.

At the same time.

Mrs. Pomfrey walked dejectedly to the outside of the ward and gently knocked on the door.

After a brief knock, the door was gently opened.

Inside the room, the moment she heard the knock on the door, Hermione jumped off the bed and stood demurely to the side.

Although she didn't know who the person was, she felt it was inappropriate for her to sit on the edge of the bed; it would seem unladylike.

……

The door was pushed open.

Pomfrey, dressed in a white nurse's uniform, appeared outside the door frame.

"Thank you, Mrs. Pomfrey!" Ino said politely as she turned her head from her hospital bed.

But this time he did not receive the usual response. He only saw Mrs. Pomfrey enter the room and quickly step aside, giving up half a body space.

Behind Madam Pomfrey, Crabbe, with a fierce expression, also raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra, eating a giant melon!"

A green beam of light, filled with hatred and representing death, shot straight toward the hospital bed.

At the same time, the cry of a phoenix echoed in the room, and Fox stood in front of Ino.

Everything seemed to have turned out alright, with only a few close calls.

But everyone present, including Fox, overlooked one person.

Because she was standing by the bed, Hermione was the first to see Crabbe raise his wand. Relying on her Moonstone necklace with the Ironclad Charm, she leaped out in one swift motion.

(End of this chapter)