Escape or Death

Lupin looked exceptionally dashing at that moment.

Anton did not answer him.

The effects of the Eye of the Wizard potion were gradually fading, yet he could still clearly see the "Magic Image" of the magical mark on his arm.

Though he did not know whether it really was a "Magic Image," that was not important.

Through the Eye of the Wizard's vision, the black-patterned mark became three-dimensional. A raised square lay at its center, formed from dark green threads into a spider covered in eyeballs.

Several curved lines formed its legs. Those legs pierced into his arm and extended upward through his flesh and blood, from his elbow to his shoulder, and finally to somewhere he could not see. But he knew that farther up was his head.

He did not know what this curse was.

He had read plenty of Harry Potter fanfiction, but those dozen or so books were merely the tip of the iceberg among the countless novels he had read. He could not remember most of their contents at all.

The only thing he vaguely remembered was probably the Demon King's Mark Draco Malfoy had revealed by pulling up his sleeve in some short video.

"Protego!"

The Shield Charm blocked the Cruciatus Curse the Old Wizard had fired again.

Lupin rushed to his side and grabbed him. "I'm going to Apparate us out of here. No matter what happens, make sure you hold on tight to me!"

Anton shook his head. His dazed eyes followed a faint thread seemingly extending from the spider in his hand into the distance, where they met the Old Wizard's eyes.

The Old Wizard clutched his head with his left hand and let out a shrill wail, as if his whole brain were about to split apart. He looked at Anton. "You saw it, didn't you? You saw it! You can't escape! I promise you, as long as you give me back my wand, I'll help you remove this curse!"

"Give me back my wand, now!" His roar was accompanied by anguished cries.

Anton raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."

He smiled and brushed Lupin's hand aside. "You should leave quickly."

As he spoke, he slowly walked toward the Old Wizard, swinging his Old Wand. "It's a deal."

As he passed the table that had been used to brew potions, the Old Wizard's attention was drawn to the swaying Old Wand in his hand. He did not notice Anton grabbing the sharp dagger used for cutting potion ingredients with his left hand.

"Kid, you can't trust him!" Lupin shouted anxiously from behind.

Anton stopped walking and pressed his lips together. "A lot of things can't be solved by running away. If the outcome is death..."

He turned and gave Lupin a brilliant smile. "Then I choose to face it!"

What would running away accomplish now? As long as the magical spider remained on his wrist, he would have to live in constant fear, every moment of every day, waiting for the Old Wizard to hunt him down!

He had been marked. Once the Old Wizard recovered, he could Apparate right to his side, and he would still die.

He was no longer the mediocre office drone who had achieved nothing before transmigrating. Though he had become a ten-year-old child, the many hardships he had endured had instead made his mind more mature.

At the very least, he could calmly face any consequence brought about by his own choices.

Even death.

At this very moment, his heart had never been more resolute.

"Take this chance and leave quickly."

With that, he walked toward the Old Wizard again, his face full of sincerity. "Teacher, I was wrong. It was like I'd been possessed. I shouldn't have treated you that way. Are you all right?"

The Old Wizard was not all right at all. Seeing Anton bring him the wand, he let out a breath of relief and collapsed into a sitting position, pressing both hands hard against the sides of his head as though it would split open if he let go.

"Quick, give me the wand."

Lupin stood there in a daze, Anton's words echoing repeatedly through his mind. A lot of things can't be solved by running away...

Ever since his best friends, The Potters, had perished together with the Dark Lord, and Sirius Black had been thrown into Azkaban for betrayal, he had rejected Dumbledore's arrangements and wandered from place to place.

He did not know how to face any of it. The only thing he could do was run away.

But running away was useless. The cries of agony from The Potters and Wormtail seemed to pierce through time and space, while Sirius Black's mad, piercing laughter seemed branded into his mind, tormenting him every moment, everywhere he went!

At last, Anton arrived beside the Old Wizard.

With an anxious expression, he moved to help the Old Wizard up and hurriedly passed the Old Wand into his left hand. His oversized, ill-fitting Wizard Robe tangled around his hand, and in the Old Wizard's anxious gaze, the wand seemed ready to fall at any moment.

Anton slipped his right hand beneath the man's armpit, using his small body to support the Old Wizard.

"Give me the wand! Why are you holding me up, you idiot?"

Why was he holding him up?

Heh. Why did he think?

Anton's face was full of concern, but his right hand suddenly grabbed the Old Wizard's hair and yanked hard. The tremendous force jerked the Old Wizard's head back, exposing his wrinkled neck.

The Old Wand fell from his left hand, and the sharp dagger tore through the Wizard Robe's sleeve and plunged viciously into the Old Wizard's neck!

Bang!

A massive shockwave struck, instantly sending Anton flying.

The force was immensely powerful. Anton watched helplessly as he hurtled toward the wall. He hurriedly raised both hands to protect his head, shut his eyes, and prayed that he would not be badly hurt.

Then, suddenly, he felt himself become weightless. An arm that was not particularly strong caught him.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Lupin's weathered face, covered in scars. His beard was unkempt, yet his face was full of smiles. "This sort of thing should be left to adults."

But at that moment, a familiar shrill roar rang out.

"Cruciatus Curse!"

The spell flashed and instantly struck Lupin.

"Ah~~~~" The gentle smile on the old man's face did not last even two seconds before he let out a miserable scream. He fell to the ground, his whole body twisting, convulsing, and trembling.

Anton looked up in shock. The Old Wizard was trembling as he got to his feet, the Old Wand clutched in his hand.

"You're very special, my precious apprentice."

"See that? That is the true reaction to being hit by the Cruciatus Curse."

"But sadly, you're going to die too!"

The Old Wizard's gaze was ice-cold as he pointed at Anton. "Avada..."

Anton did not dodge. He stared at the Old Wizard in shock.

Under the lingering effects of the Eye of the Wizard potion, he could see countless dark green cracks rapidly spreading and writhing around the dagger in the Old Wizard's neck.

As the Old Wizard drew upon his magic, the cracks suddenly erupted with powerful magical fluctuations.

"Bang~"

A visual explosion of magic, like a silent thunderclap—the cracks rippled and warped into a wondrous pattern.

That pattern was incredibly captivating, holding his gaze firmly.

Anton wanted to keep watching, but the potion's effects completely vanished.

With his normal vision restored, blood had already gushed profusely from the Old Wizard's neck. Before he could finish chanting the Killing Curse, a flood of blood poured from his mouth.

His eyes rolled back, and he finally croaked for good.

Anton's expression hardened as he strode forward. In the mysterious Wizarding World, there were too many ways to fake one's death. He had to make sure the Old Wizard was dead!

However, with the Old Wizard's death, the entire house suddenly began to shake.

Countless lights burst from the ground. The lines of light were exactly the same as those he had seen through the Eye of the Wizard.

Anton had no idea what was happening. Dark Magic was scarcely described in the original work, so he could not possibly determine what would happen next.

He hurriedly helped Lupin up, only to find him pale-faced and constantly twitching, his whole body limp against Anton.

"Damn, you're heavy!"

After some thought, he simply stuffed Lupin back into the trunk reinforced with the Undetectable Extension Charm. After thinking again, he stuffed the Old Wizard in as well.

He shut the trunk, picked up the Old Wand, pushed open the door, and desperately rushed outside.

All in one go.