[230] Would You Follow

"What are you doing?" Harry panted.

The summer air should have been scorching, but the Dark Mark filled it with an indescribable chill.

"If I said I was taking you to your death, would you believe me?"

Harry shuddered. Before he could answer, Hall chuckled. "It's okay if you don't believe me. You just have to die."

"You're not Hall!"

But Hall's strength was far beyond Harry's. He gripped Harry's wrist and kept running.

Only two Death Eaters. Voldemort couldn't have truly resurrected — at most, he'd possessed Nagini via his Horcrux fragment. Nagini was his last hope. But Voldemort had another hope, one he himself was unaware of, even better than Nagini: Harry Potter.

Hall pulled Harry towards the Death Eaters, towards Nagini.

"Harry, I know you can do it!"

Harry's mind was chaos. If this was really Hall, why would he take him to his death?

"You... take money?"

Hall gave him an odd look. "Don't worry. I'll come back for the money after this is over. You'll pay me quickly."

Harry felt a sudden calm. Whatever Hall was doing, as long as he came back for the money, there wouldn't be a big problem.

They found the two Death Eaters and the enormous white serpent — Nagini.

Bellatrix stood loyally beside the snake, her eyes gleaming with cruelty. "Master! Kill them all! There'll be a way to reshape your body!"

Voldemort, trapped in Nagini's body, had a sinister look in his eyes. He hated Harry, but he hated Hall even more. It was all that red-haired Slytherin's fault.

"Avada Kedavra — "

The green light of death hurtled towards them.

"Harry!" Hall shouted.

Harry reacted quickly. "Expelliarmus!"

A dazzling light flashed. Hall's pre-placed runes erupted — protect, deflect, purify.

The moment Harry met the white serpent's gaze, his entire body trembled. A nameless fear swept over him. Instinct screamed that he was going to die.

But he couldn't retreat. Hall was still behind him.

Harry gritted his teeth. Then he heard the thud of his body hitting the ground, and maniacal laughter. His consciousness began to shut down. The last thing he heard was Sirius's roar.

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Sirius had gone straight to find Dumbledore. The only saving grace was that both of them had come at the students' invitation.

After hearing Sirius's account, Dumbledore and Snape exchanged a glance. Their expressions were serene, as if they had realised something.

"That boy knew what was going to happen today," Dumbledore murmured. He recalled a possibility he had long suspected — the relationship between Hall and Grindelwald. If Hall could truly foresee the future, what was he planning? Why had he invited them here?

"Go find them now!" Snape's voice was sharp. The Dark Mark. Just thinking about what would follow made it hard to breathe.

The three of them sprang into action.

Dumbledore pointed the way. "The Dark Mark. They went that way."

Sirius's voice was filled with terror. "What is he trying to do?!"

Snape snapped back. "Shut up, you stupid dog! Hall isn't reckless!"

Sirius gritted his teeth. Fine. He had to trust Hall.

Dumbledore remained silent. He had vaguely guessed what Hall was planning — something he himself had always wanted to do. He knew about Voldemort's Horcruxes. He even knew about the one Voldemort himself didn't know about.

They raced towards the Dark Mark.

They arrived as the green light shone. They heard the thud of Harry's body hitting the ground.

Sirius, his eyes bloodshot, transformed into a large black dog and lunged.

Nagini felt a surge of satisfaction. Harry Potter was dead. He, Voldemort, was destined to return.

In his excitement, Voldemort turned on Hall. "Avada Kedavra — "

Sirius lunged to block. Hall kicked the large dog flying, rolled, and grabbed Harry's body, dodging the curse.

"Don't go crazy!" Hall snapped.

Voldemort launched another attack. Hall kept dodging, clutching Harry, refusing to strike back.

Snape raised his wand. Before he could cast, Dumbledore stopped him. "Severus, calm down. Look at Hall — what is he planning? Trust him."

Dumbledore believed Hall could defeat Voldemort's Horcruxes. He had already destroyed so many. Dumbledore hoped for a miracle.

Hall continued to dodge — even with Bellatrix and the other Death Eater joining the pursuit. He was sensing Harry's condition. Cold. Stiff. Seemingly dead. But Hall knew this wasn't the end.

"Hiss... you can't escape!" Voldemort's cold serpentine eyes fixed on Hall.

Then Hall smiled. The body in his arms began to warm. Harry was awakening.

"Now it's my turn. Fiendfyre!"

A vast amount of magic erupted like a boundless ocean. Everyone present was deeply shocked. Dumbledore felt he couldn't breathe. Was this the magic of a wizard?

A massive, monstrous Fiendfyre raged. It took the form of a prehistoric behemoth.

"To die by the sword of Gryffindor would be too kind."

In the raging flames, Voldemort — reduced to his last Horcrux in Nagini's body — heard Hall's final mockery before being completely reduced to ashes.

"This ending suits you best."

"By the way — Harry, welcome to your new life."

"Hall, you've really gone too far!"

"Mhm."

"Hall, you should have told us!"

"Mhm."

"Hall, you planned this behind our backs!"

"Mhm... hmm?"

The battle was over, and Hall was surrounded by Draco and the three Gryffindors. Even Dumbledore and Snape couldn't squeeze in.

Sirius, now a large black dog, stayed close to Harry, wagging his tail, his wet eyes filled with worry.

Hall's friends continued berating him. He simply let the words flow past his head.

Seeing his perfunctory attitude, they rolled their eyes.

"It happened so suddenly, I couldn't tell you all," Hall finally said, brushing it off.

"What if something like this happens again — " Draco started.

"There won't be a next time." Hall smiled. The wizarding world was about to enjoy a long period of peace. He winked at Harry, who sat opposite him in silence.

Harry thought about the immense magical power he had felt when he woke up. He didn't dare speak.

Draco and the others had arrived too late, seeing only ashes. That was why they dared to be so bold. Didn't they see that even Sirius, who was most worried, didn't dare meet Hall's eyes?

Sirius's back was still stiff. The instant that power erupted, he felt his life was completely in Hall's hands.