The Days I Hunted the Dark Lord with the Savior

He walked to Runcorn's body, knelt down, and closed his still-open eyes.

This Goblin was once his enemy, defeated by him, then manipulated by Voldemort, and finally died in a cave in a foreign land, without a single member of his kind by his side.

It has to be said, it's somewhat pathetic.

"I will find him," Harry said softly.

He stood up and looked at his teammates.

"Let's find a place to rest first. It's not safe here; a new patrol could come at any time."

The five quickly retreated, retracing their steps and stopping at a natural ice cave they had passed earlier.

Dyg placed Anti-Detection Curse and warning magic at the cave entrance, and Silva checked the surrounding environment and confirmed that it was safe for the time being.

The ice cave wasn't large, but it was big enough for the five of them. Tonks used magic to start a small fire; there was no smoke, so their location wouldn't be revealed.

The warmth of the flames dispelled the chill and eased my tense nerves a little.

Harry sat near the cave entrance, keeping in touch with Veratia through the Philosopher's Stone ProMax II.

"----How's the situation in Peru?"

Veratia's voice came through the communicator, a little static but still clear. "The Peruvian Ministry of Magic has confirmed the location of the Temple of the Sun. It's in the middle of the Andes Mountains, at an altitude of 4,300 meters, an Inca Ruins. According to their records, there was indeed a large Magic Array there, used to worship the sun god thousands of years ago, but it was later abandoned."

What did Voldemort set up there?

"I don't know. No unusual Magic Fluctuation have been detected in Peru in the last six months—either Voldemort's concealment methods are too sophisticated, or—" Veratia paused, "Or that place isn't the core at all."

"What Runcorn said before he died probably wasn't a lie," Harry said. "He had no reason to lie to us. And his state at the time—I could tell—made it clear he had truly been betrayed by Voldemort."

"I know," Veratia said, "But we still need to prepare for the worst. I've ordered the main force to turn towards Peru, but it will take time. They won't arrive until at least tomorrow morning. How far are you from the Temple of the Sun?"

Harry looked at Silva.

Silva, who was studying the map, looked up when he heard this. "The straight-line distance is about 300 kilometers, but there are several mountain ranges in between. Without the Portkey, it would take at least three days to hike there."

"Three days is too long," Cassandra said.

"Indeed," Dyg nodded, "By the time we got there, Voldemort would have already completed the ritual."

There was a moment of silence on the phone, then Kingsley's voice came through. "Harry, are you still able to move? If so, I can apply for an emergency Portkey — the Confederation has several hidden coordinates, one of which is in Peru, about fifty kilometers from the Temple of the Sun."

Harry looked at his teammates.

Tonks shrugged. "I'm fine."

Dyg held up the empty bottle in his hand. "One more Magic Restorative Potion, and I can run."

Silva nodded. "Okay."

Cassandra didn't speak, she just looked at Harry, her eyes calm.

"Okay," Harry said into the communicator.

"Okay," Kingsley said. "I'll activate the Portkey in ten minutes. I've already sent the coordinates to Dyg's probe; get ready."

The communication ended, and silence fell over the ice cave.

Tonks suddenly laughed, "You know, when I was on a mission before, I'd only run from one block to another. This time, it's been all the way from Chile to Peru, across the entire Andes Mountains."

"You can write a memoir later," Dyg said seriously. "The title will be 'The Days I Chased the Dark Lord with the Savior.'"

"How much would that cost?" Tonks' eyes lit up.

"At least ten Galleon a book," Dyg said with a laugh.

"Too cheap, at least fifty would be." Tonks rolled his eyes.

The two chatted back and forth, lightening the atmosphere slightly. Silva leaned against the wall, laughing heartily, while Cassandra gently shook her head.

Harry looked at them, a warm feeling welling up inside him. These people were clearly exhausted, and they knew that even more dangerous battles awaited them, yet they could still joke and laugh.

Ten minutes later, the Quartz Probe in the Dyg lit up with Blue Light.

"The Portkey has arrived," he said.

The five people formed a circle, their hands clasped together.

The Blue Light grew brighter and brighter.

Then, the familiar sense of distortion washed over me.

Peru, in the central Andes Mountains.

A flash of Blue Light appeared, and five figures emerged on a desolate hillside.

The Caspian Sea exceeds four thousand meters, and the air is so thin that it's difficult to breathe. All around are continuous snow-capped mountains, gleaming silver in the moonlight. In the distance, a majestic peak stands on the horizon, its summit faintly revealing the outline of a massive stone building.

Temple of the Sun.

"That is—" Tonks murmured.

--

Harry didn't answer; he had already closed his eyes and extended his senses.

The Ley Lines became even more complex here, with countless tiny tributaries weaving into a vast network that eventually converged towards the mountain peak. At the center of that convergence, he could sense an immense, suffocating dark magical power slowly and steadily increasing.

He was all too familiar with those Magic Fluctuation.

It's Voldemort.

"He's there." Harry opened his eyes, his voice low.

Cassandra walked up to him. "Is it too late?"

"I don't know," Harry said, "But we have to go."

Silva had already begun surveying the terrain. Pointing to Fang Yi, she said, "From there, we can avoid most of the open terrain. We'll need to cross two ice slopes, pass through a glacier, and then we'll reach the valley below the temple."

How far?

"About twenty kilometers," Silva said. "In our current condition, it will take four to five hours."

"Then let's go," Harry said.

Without saying a word, the five followed Silva toward the moonlit mountain.

The rest of the journey was at a very high altitude, and every step required a tremendous amount of physical exertion.

The air was thin and oxygen was scarce, so even after taking medication to help people adapt to high altitudes, they still felt dizzy.

The ice beneath our feet was incredibly slippery; a slight misstep could send us sprawling. The surroundings were deathly silent, save for the sound of the wind and the occasional distant roar of an avalanche.

Silva took the lead, her steps steady, as if such an environment was just commonplace for her.

Dyg followed closely behind, his Quartz Probe constantly lit, monitoring the surrounding magical fluctuations.

Tonks ' hair had turned a snowy silver-white, and she would occasionally look up at the distant mountain peaks, her eyes filled with vigilance.

Harry and Cassandra walked at the back, neither of them speaking, simply following silently.

At three in the morning, they finally arrived at the valley below the Temple of the Sun.

Standing here and looking up, the ruins are even clearer.

Built atop a mountain peak, it is constructed from massive piles of stones and gleams mysteriously in the moonlight.

A steep stone staircase winds its way up the valley to the temple entrance.

Above the temple, the clouds in the night sky were slowly swirling, forming a huge vortex.

At the center of the vortex, a faint, dark red light could be seen flickering.

"Has it already started?" Tonks asked.

Harry closed his eyes and extended his senses.

The dark magic was intensifying at an alarming rate, each pulsation stronger than the last.

"It's not finished yet," he said, "But it'll be soon. We have to get there within half an hour."

It takes at least forty minutes to get from the valley to the summit.

"Run," Harry said.

The five of them began to run frantically up the stone steps, which were thousands of years old, with smooth surfaces and some parts even weathered and cracked. A slight misstep could lead to a fall into a bottomless abyss, but they had no time to hesitate.

Silva was still at the front, leaping and climbing the stone steps like a nimble lynx.

Tonks followed closely behind, his hair color having changed from snow-white to a tense red.

Dyg was panting, but he kept walking.

Harry pushed his senses to the limit as he ran.

He could sense the immense dark magic within the temple ahead, and he could sense Voldemort waiting there.

Waiting for his arrival.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the temple entrance.

It was a massive Stone Gate, covered with ancient Inca Runes. At that moment, the Runes were emitting a dark red light, flickering in rhythm with the Magic Fluctuation within the temple.

"The door is closed," Tonks said, panting.

"No," Harry said, "It's waiting for us."

He walked to the Stone Gate, stretched out his hand, and placed it on the gate.

In an instant, the dark red light intensified! A powerful suction force emanated from inside the door, as if trying to pull him in entirely!

"Harry!" Cassandra exclaimed.

But Harry did not back down. He channeled his magic into his palm, and the platinum and crimson light clashed fiercely.

"Open it!"

Boom!

The Stone Gate burst open with a roar! Behind the gate was a long passage, at the end of which a vast space and flickering red light could be vaguely seen.

"Walk!"

The five men rushed into the temple.

The walls on both sides of the passage were also covered with Runes, which were now all lit up, their dark red light illuminating the path ahead. The air was filled with intense dark magic, and every breath felt like inhaling blades.

At the end of the passage was a huge circular hall.

The hall is over a hundred meters in diameter and tens of meters high at the top. The dome is engraved with intricate Starry Sky Pattern and is slowly rotating. In the center of the hall is a huge Magic Array with complex and sinister patterns. Dark red light flows through each line, as if blood vessels are pulsating.

At the center of the Magic Array stood a huge Crystal Pillar. Inside the Crystal Pillar, countless dark red energy streams were churning and surging, emitting a deep rumbling sound.

In front of the Crystal Pillar, a figure stood quietly.

She wore a gorgeous dark green dress, and her obsidian-like hair swayed gently in the magical breeze.

Her skin was deathly pale, her features were exquisitely beautiful beyond her gender, and her eyes were a deep crimson red.

It's Miss Merope, Voldemort's gender-bending form.

She slowly turned around and looked at Harry.

A hint of regret flashed in his crimson pupils.

"Harry Potter." Her voice was clear and melodious. "You've come—a little earlier than I expected."

Harry raised his wand, and a platinum-gold light shone from its tip.

"Tom," he said, "It's all over."

"Finish?"

Merope tilted her head slightly, raised one hand, and her slender, pale fingers traced lightly in the air, a dark red light flowing from her fingertips.

"Harry, you're still so naive," she chuckled. "You think killing Runcorn and finding this place is the end of it?"

She took a step forward, her dark green skirt swaying gently in the red light of the Magic Array.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time." Her voice suddenly became softer. "How many years have passed since you first stopped me at Hogwarts? We've been entangled for so long, it's time for a resolution."

"Speaking of which," Merope said, looking at Cassandra, "This is the Malfoy family ancestor, isn't she? We have a history, actually. I once disguised my diary as her notebook, which caused quite a stir at Hogwarts."

Cassandra didn't say anything, but her expression was one of utter disgust.

Harry gripped his wand tightly, the white-gold light flickering erratically at its tip.

"Runcorn said you used him as bait," he said. "You never intended to share your power with him from the beginning."

O

"Runcorn?" Merope chuckled, a smile breathtakingly beautiful yet utterly cold. "That self-important Goblin, does he really think I'd stand on equal footing with him? He's just a nobody. I need someone to hold you back, someone to wear you down, someone to test your limits."

Her gaze fell on Harry, a glint of fanaticism flashing in her crimson eyes.

"You certainly didn't disappoint me. Runcorn may be a waste, but he was still the Goblin leader a hundred years ago. The fact that you could kill him so quickly shows that your abilities have far exceeded my expectations."

"So this was all part of your plan?" Cassandra asked coldly. "Runcorn was the bait, Tornador Peak was the bait, and this is the real heart of the matter?"

Merope looked at her and said with a smile, "I must say, you are much smarter than your good-for-nothing descendant Lucius. Yes, Tornador Peak was just a decoy. I had Runcorn set up a fake ceremony there, consuming most of your energy. And here I am, quietly preparing for the real Return of All Souls."

She raised her hand and pointed to the enormous Crystal Pillar.

"See this? This is the true essence of the Andes. The ritual at Tornador Peak only extracted a small portion of the Ley Lines, but this... God can extract the essence of the entire Andes Mountains! Once I complete the ritual, I will be the ruler of this land. Immortal, indestructible, and eternally existent!"

Harry stared at the Crystal Pillar, his senses extending into it. The dark magic within was immense and suffocating, but it was indeed not yet fully formed.

There is a critical node at the core; if the energy flow could be cut off there—

"You're thinking of how to break it?" Merope laughed. "It's no use, Harry. This spell is connected to my soul; as long as I live, it won't stop. Your only option is to kill me."

She opened her arms wide, her smile both radiant and wild.

"Come on, haven't you always wanted to kill me? Now, I'm right here."