[186] Twilight of the Youth

Where did those lunatics go? Good question.

Hall listened. Snape didn't notice his expression change.

"Fudge is furiously investigating pure-blood families. Such rare unity." Snape chuckled bitterly. "If he can't find those people soon, the Minister for Magic might not be Fudge much longer."

"Who does he think is at Hogwarts?" Hall played ignorant.

Fudge suspected Dumbledore was hiding Death Eaters at Hogwarts.

Hall paused. Nurmengard.

If that was the case — this did have something to do with him.

"Do you know what happened to the escapees?" Snape asked on a whim.

"Headmaster, how would a normal person know what a madman thinks? But if I had to guess..." Hall gestured. "Maybe they aren't even in England anymore. They'd go find another way. Whether they find it is another matter — you can't trust the luck of outlaws."

Snape's heart pounded. "The potion's finished. You can go."

Hall took Draco and left.

In the common room, Draco didn't ask about the conversation. He understood now — that world wasn't one he could enter yet. He'd become stronger.

The Quidditch match resumed. Flint hurled a hundred Galleons at Hall for a guaranteed win.

Hall accepted. For Slytherin.

He scored relentlessly through Ron's goal all game.

"Oh — this is a massacre of three Weasleys by one!" Lee Jordan roared. "Why can't this last Weasley belong to Gryffindor? Three hundred and ten to seventy!"

Fred and George patted Ron's shoulders. "Sixteen goals. From your beloved brother."

Ron's eyes welled up. He was cutting Hall off — for an hour!

"Exams are coming. If you want to enjoy summer vacation..." Hall beckoned to Harry and Hermione. The study group reunited in Ravenclaw's Founder Chamber.

"Let's strive for straight A's!" Hermione's eyes burned.

Ron was led in, still sobbing.

A seductive voice whispered in his ear.

"Do you want to become smarter? Smarter than your brother?"

Ron blinked. "Are you crazy or am I crazy? Smarter than Hall? Really?!"

Ron wasn't eating right now. Otherwise, he would've spat out his food.

Brother? He knew the difference in intelligence between himself and Hall, okay?

"Ron, who are you talking to?" Hall hadn't let his guard down around Ron. He'd witnessed Ron's luck more than once. He hadn't forgotten.

There was something else in the Ravenclaw Chamber.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from NovelPhoenix. Support the author by reading it there.

But Hall hadn't expected it. He'd only taken a little precaution, and Ron had actually stumbled onto it.

Hall: "?"

What kind of magical luck was this?

"Hall!" Ron heard Hall's voice and quickly ran to his side, whispering everything he'd just heard.

Ron's commotion drew the others' attention.

Hearing his words, confusion crossed their faces.

"We didn't hear anything else," Harry said hesitantly.

Hermione frowned. "Ron, are you sure you heard anything?"

Draco crossed his arms. "Maybe it's an excuse to skip studying."

Hermione and Harry fell silent, looking at Ron with hesitant eyes.

"I didn't! I didn't! I'd never use such methods!" Ron was practically exploding.

"You would," Hall interjected.

Ron looked even more aggrieved.

"I didn't say I didn't believe you," Hall added. "I was planning to deal with it later... I didn't expect to be provoked like this."

Hall frowned. Voldemort, that's all. What else did he want to cause? "Don't you even know how many he's already taken down?"

Harry looked confused. "Hall, what are you talking about?"

The murderous aura radiating from Hall was palpable.

"The Ravenclaw tiara, defiled by some noseless bastard."

Hall thought for a moment, then decided not to hide it. Voldemort didn't have many Horcrux fragments left. The most important and most difficult to destroy... Hall's gaze swept over Harry.

Instantly, Harry felt a chill run down his spine.

"Found it. Now figure out how to destroy — well, let's destroy that filthy thing on it."

Hall had wanted to say destroy it directly, but then he thought... the tiara was Ravenclaw's keepsake, wasn't it? If possible, it'd be best to return it. If it was half destroyed, there was nothing he could do.

"Horcruxes..." Hermione murmured, thoughtful.

"Doesn't sound like anything good."

Hall gave her a confirming look. Indeed.

"That Horcrux..." Harry seemed about to ask more, but Hall gestured for him to stop.

"I won't hide anything I can tell you, but don't press me on things I can't." Hall shrugged. "I won't tell you."

The others: "..."

Damn it. Hall wouldn't even fool them.

But after confirming Hall wasn't lying, they cheered.

"Alright, let's look for it together."

The five of them split up to search the chamber.

"The Ravenclaw crown... sounds like a very precious treasure," Draco said, curious.

Hall gave him an affirmative look. It really was. Ravenclaw's crown — a true treasure crafted by fairies, enchanted by Ravenclaw himself. The crystallization of wisdom obtained only at the end. But Voldemort turned it into a Horcrux... what a waste.

"I found it!"

Just as Draco and Hall were diligently searching, they heard Ron's excited voice.

Draco glanced at Hall. Hall gave him a questioning look.

"Your brother's luck..." isn't it a bit too good?

Draco thought back — wasn't Ron the first person to hear the seductive voice from the crown? And now he'd found it too.

"...Actually, I've always been curious about this too." Hall's face was solemn. Where was the supposed protagonist? Judging by luck alone, Ron seemed more like the protagonist.

"Never mind. Finding it is a good thing." Hall wiped his face and strode toward Ron. "Where's the crown?"

"Here! Here!" Ron excitedly held up a beautifully crafted crown studded with large gemstones.

"Wow! This is so beautiful!"

Ron looked at the crown with admiration. The Crown of Wisdom? No, no, no. He still thought the gemstones looked much prettier. And Hall would definitely love it.

"Don't hold it up. I'll give it to Headmaster Dumbledore later." Hall took the crown from Ron's hands. He was afraid the little ones present might be bewitched. The noseless bastard didn't have many talents, but when it came to bewitching people, he was truly exceptional.

"Can't we figure out a way to solve the crown problem ourselves and keep it?" The other three had no objections, but Draco stroked his chin and offered his suggestion.

"..."

"Draco, when did you start liking shiny things?" Wasn't this supposed to be his character? How did Draco steal it? After losing his protagonist status... would he also lose his protagonist persona?

Hall banished those thoughts and looked at Draco.

"I just think it's really pretty. I'd like to collect it..." Draco pouted.

Hall immediately interrupted Draco's fantasy. "Don't even think about it. It's impossible. Helena is still here."

"..."

Draco had almost forgotten about the ghost lady. He truly couldn't bear to tear his gaze away from the crown.

Hall felt he couldn't stand being in the Ravenclaw Chamber for even a second longer. If he didn't leave soon, something else was about to happen. He'd better hand the crown to Dumbledore quickly.

Dumbledore: "?"

Dumbledore looked at Hall, who appeared before him wearing the crown, and took off his glasses to wipe them repeatedly. He took another look. It really was the Ravenclaw crown.