Tang Sanzang's Flesh
Harry nodded, walked to the base of the church's broken dome, and looked up at the dawning eastern horizon.
The operation was over, and the results far exceeded expectations, but Harry felt little joy.
The destruction of Silver Fox Stronghold and the acquisition of evidence may temporarily relieve Veratia's pressure and give them more initiative in the fight against Voldemort, but it also means that their confrontation with Voldemort has entered a more intense and dangerous phase.
He wasn't worried about anything else, except that Voldemort would become even more insane and cause even greater carnage.
"Potter," Kingsley walked over and patted him on the shoulder, "Well done. But next time you dismantle a door like this, maybe you could ask first?"
You know what, he's actually quite humorous.
Harry smiled. "Next time, for sure."
By the time the squad, escorting the prisoners and carrying the captured evidence, returned to the temporary command post in London via the Portkey, it was already dawn.
Hermione and Ron immediately came forward. Seeing that everyone was safe and had made a great haul, they both breathed a sigh of relief, but were then shocked and furious at the contents of the seized evidence.
The message was immediately relayed to Veratia, and a few minutes later, she sent Harry a text message via her phone.
"Evidence received, all is well. Subsequent interrogations and evidence processing will be handled by the Confederation's special task force. Harry, you can rest now. The vote is imminent; we await good news."
Silver Fox and his cronies were handed over to the interrogation department directly under the International Confederation of Wizards, while the evidence involving Europe officials was strictly controlled by Veratia with the authority of the president, as a trump card for a critical moment.
The Bone Fragment and Scrolls made of human skin discovered in the Nott Family Library were then meticulously deciphered by a team composed of Bill and Lupin, along with experts from the Confederation.
A temporary calm had returned to Grimmauld Place, Number 13, but a tense atmosphere hung in the air, as if a storm was brewing.
Headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards.
The atmosphere at the final emergency meeting before the Security Council vote reached a fever pitch. Opposition representatives, led by officials from several continental Europe countries, delivered impassioned speeches, criticizing the Purification operation as costly and yielding limited results, causing divisions within the Confederation, and questioning whether President Grindelwald's autocratic rule had jeopardized the democratic process.
They strongly advocated for the establishment of an action oversight committee to strictly monitor subsequent actions.
When it was Veratia's turn to speak, she did not immediately refute, but instead signaled to her assistant to turn on the magic projection.
The first thing played was a fragmented video extracted from the Nott Family Bone Fragment —a Snow Mountain Altar, Blood Sacrifice wails, and energy being injected into a distorted figure.
Although it lasted only a dozen seconds, the evil and terrifying atmosphere instantly gripped the hearts of everyone present.
The meeting room was completely silent; the faces of the delegates who had just been speaking so vehemently were now pale.
Next, Veratia showed photos of some documents seized from the Silver Fox Stronghold, obscuring specific names but highlighting the scope of the communication network, the scale of the supply list, the Holy Grail Project explicitly mentioned, and the words "Miss Merope's Will."
Finally, she said in a calm voice, "Gentlemen, this is not an ordinary gang activity, nor is it a regional conflict. This is a malignant tumor centered on a resurrected Dark Lord, targeting destructive dark rituals, infiltrating multiple countries, and endangering the entire Civilization civilization! Silver Fox is merely a blood vessel extending from this tumor in Europe. Last night, we severed this blood vessel and obtained crucial evidence."
Her sharp gaze swept across the room. "Establish an oversight committee? To engage in indefinite debate and obstruction in a war of life and death? That's tantamount to slow suicide. I now demand that this proposal be rejected immediately, and that the Purification operation be granted greater authority and resources so that we can press our advantage, strike at the heart of the matter, and utterly destroy Voldemort before he completes his evil ritual!"
The opposition still tries to argue, questioning the authenticity of the evidence and the urgency of the action.
But Veratia added at the opportune moment, "Our investigation also shows that some representatives who strongly oppose the action, their relatives or close associates, appear to have had some regrettable contact with this network."
She didn't present any concrete evidence, but her meaningful pause and cold gaze made the representatives instantly feel uneasy, breaking out in a cold sweat, and unable to utter a single rebuttal.
The situation has completely reversed.
The final vote overwhelmingly rejected the proposal to establish an oversight committee and passed a resolution to expand the powers and resources of the Purification operation, consolidating Veratia's authority like never before.
The news sent a wave of excitement through Grimmauld Place.
Hermione was the happiest, as it meant she could coordinate international intelligence more smoothly and push forward with follow-up operations.
However, the joy of victory did not last long.
That afternoon, Bill brought the preliminary results of deciphering the Bone Fragment and the Scrolls made of human skin, and the conclusions were chilling.
"This is not merely a ritual to enhance oneself." Bill started a video call on his phone. His face was clearly pale from staying up late, but his eyes were unusually serious. "Harry, based on the scroll's records and the soul imprint on the Bone Fragment, the Dark Lord is attempting an ancient forbidden technique. It requires a specific location where Astronomy magic converges, using a large number of powerful souls as fuel and sacrifices, combined with specific rare substances, with the ultimate goal of transforming himself into something akin to Bound Spirit or an embodiment of regional rules."
"Bound Spirit god?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"You can understand it as," Cassandra continued, "That he is no longer a wizard who can be easily killed or defeated with a spell. Once the ritual is successful, his existence will be forcibly bound to the magical source of that mountain range, and even a wider area of land. As long as that land is not completely depleted or annihilated, he is almost impossible to truly destroy. He can manipulate the natural magic within his range for his own use, perceive everything, and in a sense, he is nearly immortal. To destroy him, it might be necessary to destroy the entire region, and the resulting ecological disaster and magical disorder would be global."
The sound of people gasping for air echoed in the Living Room.
"He wants to become a living disaster?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"Worse," Bill said with a wry smile. "The scroll mentions that in this state, he can continuously absorb the Life Force and soul energy of living beings within range to sustain and enhance himself, like a never-ending black hole. Moreover, the Bone Fragment required for the ritual—we suspect that Voldemort may have believed that some of the inherent properties of the Philosopher's Stone could replace or enhance the effect of this Bone Fragment. After all, the Philosopher's Stone involves the supreme mysteries of immortality and transformation."
All eyes were on Harry.
Harry was silent for a moment.
He finally understood why Voldemort was so obsessed with the Philosopher's Stone. Not only had he tried to steal it years ago, but even now, after gaining a new body and immense power, he still kept his sights set on himself, who was now fused with the power of the Philosopher's Stone.
Why are you so persistent?
"So," Harry began slowly, "He needs that specific location, a large number of offerings, and various rare materials, but he may also see me, or the power of the Philosopher's Stone within me, as a crucial catalyst or complement to the ritual?"
"Very likely," Cassandra nodded. "That explains why he's been building his network steadily in South America, without rushing into a full-scale attack. He's waiting for the right moment, gathering resources, and possibly also observing you, Harry. The changes in you after absorbing the Philosopher's Stone are both a threat and a huge temptation to him."
Harry never expected that Voldemort would hold such a view.
"We must destroy that altar first, ruin his ritual preparations!" Hermione clenched her fist. "We can't let him finish!"
"But we don't know the exact location; the Andes Mountains too vast. The previous ambush of our team indicates that the area is heavily guarded and likely riddled with traps and deceptions," Ron pointed out the practical difficulties.
"Silver Fox's interrogation might provide more clues," Kingsley said, having just returned from the Confederation's interrogation room. "That guy's very stubborn; even with Truth Serum, he only revealed some peripheral information. He either doesn't know the core details or is under a powerful sealing spell. But he mentioned that the Guardian of the Holy Grail don't seem to be ordinary wizards; they might be some kind of secret magical clan native to South America."
The clues seem to be pointing to an even more mysterious realm.
Just then, Harry suddenly felt a slight burning sensation on the back of his left hand.
He raised his hand and noticed that the long-faded lightning-shaped scar left from his connection with Voldemort was now flickering with an intermittent green light. It didn't hurt; instead, it stirred a kind of throbbing sensation, like a distant call.
"Harry?" Cassandra immediately noticed his unusual behavior.
"A scar—" Harry stared at the back of his hand, his brow furrowed, "very faint, but it's moving. Direction—"
He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the unseen pull, "Southwest. Very far away, but—it's becoming clearer and clearer."
Was Voldemort actively sensing him? Or was it because he had used a large amount of magic yesterday, standing out like a torch in the night, that it triggered some kind of resonance?
"Is he trying to locate you? Or attract you?" Hermione asked nervously.
"I don't know." Harry lowered his hand, the faint glow of the scar fading. "But this isn't a good sign. We must act quickly; we can't wait passively."
The plan must be adjusted. On one hand, we must continue to decipher all the intelligence obtained from the Silver Fox Stronghold and the Nott family to find the exact location and defense details of the Thorned Holy Grail Altar. On the other hand, we need to begin preparing a powerful elite force capable of overcoming all obstacles and striking at the heart of the ritual. This force will not only face Voldemort and his henchmen, but may also encounter unknown enemies and a complex and treacherous natural magical environment.
Harry knew that he was inevitably at the heart of this force.
This is not only because of his power, but also because of the inextricable and tangled fateful connection between him and Voldemort, and the terrifying fact that he might become a key element of the ritual.
"We need more comprehensive preparations." Harry looked at everyone, his eyes resolute. "Magical items, supplies, targeted protection, understanding of the local environment—and personnel selection. This won't be a simple raid; it could be a fierce battle."
Cassandra stood up. "I'll contact all the ancient families and scholars who might be able to help, especially those with expertise in South America magic. We can delve even deeper into the Malfoy family's library and connections."
Hermione nodded. "I'll coordinate with the Confederation's intelligence network to focus on analyzing all information in the Silver Fox communications related to the Andes Mountains, archaeology, mining, and unusual weather, and cross-referencing them."
Ron patted his chest. "George, Fred, and I will think of a way to get some new gadgets suitable for the mountains and to combat Dark Arts. Bill and Charlie might have some connections too."
Kingsley: "The Auror Office will begin a secret selection process for its most elite and reliable personnel, conducting intensive joint training focused on rapid breakthroughs, operations in harsh environments, and Dark Arts ritual tactics."
There is a clear division of labor, and everyone knows what they are supposed to do.
Tense yet orderly, immense pressure, yet no one backed down.
Over the next few days, Grimmauld Place seemed to transform into a high-speed wartime command post and research and development center.
Messages from owls and Patronus Accio like snowflakes, the Floo Network in the fireplace frequently lit up and went out, and a tense atmosphere always filled the air.
Hermione practically lived in the study, cross-referencing the massive amount of information fragments seized from the Silver Fox Stronghold with the Confederation's vast database.
She maintained near-constant contact with Bill, the Gringotts Curses Specialist in Brazil, piecing together bit by bit the areas where Voldemort might be performing his evil rituals.
Lupin, on the other hand, used the connections he had built up during his early travels and battles against dark forces to try to reach those on the fringes who knew about the secret magical communities of South America.
Through the Malfoy family's ancient and extensive network of connections, Cassandra sent out consultation requests to several Europe families renowned for their extensive knowledge and rich collections. At the same time, she began to organize the Malfoy family's treasures for items that might come in handy—from protective cloaks that could withstand extreme environments and the erosion of Dark Arts to ancient instruments that could detect magical flows and spatial anomalies.
Ron and his Twins brothers, along with their old crew from the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, worked day and night, combining Charlie's information about Fire Dragon and dangerous Magical Creatures with Bill's description of the South America jungle and mountain environments, to create a series of improved versions of Weasley Is Our King products.
Five days later, Bill reported a breakthrough.
By comparing the frequency of the remaining soul imprints on the Bone Fragment with the star chart recorded on the Scrolls made of human skin, and combining this with several vague geographical coordinates deciphered by Hermione from the Silver Fox's communications, they successfully narrowed down the possible location of the altar to a narrow area on the southeastern slope of Aconcagua Mountain, on the border of Argentina and Chile.
The terrain there is treacherous; it is marked as an impassable wasteland on Muggle maps, and local wizarding legends also describe it as a dead zone.
"Perhaps this is the final location," Hermione asserted, "If I'm not mistaken."