Tragic Hero-Snape / Schrödinger's Weasleys...

During the Triwizard Tournament approximately 25 years ago, a woman named Delphi suddenly appeared and disrupted the proceedings, causing Cedric Diggory to suffer a great humiliation during the match...

As for the method of this humiliation, it occurred during the third match when Cedric Diggory was tricked into riding a broom made of a purple feather duster, flying out of the maze in a halo of holy light, and finally crashing headfirst into the audience...

In short, this meant he could no longer compete with Harry Potter for the championship, which directly led to Harry Potter touching the Portkey alone, facing Voldemort alone, and finally returning to Hogwarts alone with the Triwizard Cup.

This presents a problem, however, because without Cedric Diggory's body as evidence, Harry Potter's claim about Voldemort's return becomes even less credible.

And also because Dumbledore and the others didn't need to appease Amos Diggory, Harry Potter was always surrounded by a lot of people, and Barty Crouch Jr. Crouch. never found an opportunity to make a move.

As a result, Barty Crouch Jr. Crouch.'s identity was never revealed, and Voldemort's return remained unknown to outsiders for a long time. It wasn't until he fully regained his power and orchestrated a major prison break in Azkaban that the Britain Wizarding World belatedly realized that the Dark Lord had returned!

But by then, it would be too late.

The rest of the plot is basically the same as the 'original book' that Harry knew, only a darker version, with more people dying than in the 'original book'.

However, there is another important figure who cannot be ignored in order for history to take such a dark turn: Cedric Diggory, who survived.

He suffered extreme humiliation and became the laughingstock of the entire school after the Triwizard Tournament, which directly led to a drastic change in his personality and his joining the Death Eater after graduation... and a Death Eater whose madness and shrewdness were no less than that of Barty Crouch Jr. Crouch Jr.

In the final Battle of Hogwarts, he beat Narcissa Malfoy to the punch, exposing Harry Potter's feigned death and directly causing the untimely demise of Voldemort's chosen the Boy Who Lived.

Immediately afterwards, when Voldemort, carrying Harry Potter's corpse, intimidated Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory brutally murdered Neville Longbottom, another Prophecy son who had bravely stood up against Voldemort, in front of the entire school...

The two the Boy Who Lived Prophecy were both indirectly or directly killed by him alone.

Chapter 752 Tragic Hero - Snape

At this moment, in the backyard of the Death Eater House, Harry, his friends, and others, after gaining a general understanding of the origins of this dark dimension, briefly discussed their next plan.

So, are we going to cross forward immediately now?

Hermione couldn't immediately see the point of staying here. She knew that Harry had come to this time and space to change something, so he had to keep traveling forward.

And then there's that old man he's always been interested in, who died over twenty years ago, so it's impossible to run into him now.

"No, we should stay here." However, Luna Lovegood shook her head, offering a different opinion. "Staying here at this time would be convenient, just like we were at the bar."

"That makes sense." Harry nodded, agreeing with Luna Lovegood's statement.

As outsiders, the more Harry, Harry, and his friends walked through this world full of Death Eater, the less they were hindered.

After all... when they encounter people or things they don't like, they can simply kill them without hesitation. Since everyone in sight is an enemy, they don't need to have any psychological burden.

But if he were to travel back to those relatively peaceful periods of time, the people who would cause him trouble wouldn't be these Death Eater, but rather those original 'righteous people'.

Those people's lives are very precious, and Harry can't just deal with them casually. Otherwise, he might be labeled as someone who disrupts the harmony and stability of the Wizarding World and secretly sided with the Death Eater.

"I think we can make some initial contact with the Rebellion. If I'm not mistaken, the Shrieking Shack we just saw should be their stronghold. Judging by the time that's been there, Miss Weasley Granger Weasley should have completely integrated into their group by now." After a moment's thought, Harry offered his suggestion.

The resistance organization he mentioned was a guerrilla group discovered in Theodore Nott's memories, dedicated to opposing Voldemort's dark rule, essentially similar in nature to the Order of the Phoenix formed by Dumbledore.

The original members of this resistance organization came from the Defense Against the Dark Arts (DA), Dumbledore's Army, a defense society that Harry Potter once founded to teach students how to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Including Harry Potter, Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Neville, and the Weasley siblings in this timeline were all members of the DA. After the deaths of Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, they resolutely formed a resistance organization and went underground to continue their fight against Voldemort and the Death Eater.

Now, more than twenty years later, the resistance organization has either withdrawn or been killed, and it has reached a dead end.

High-ranking members of the resistance, such as middle-aged Hermione and middle-aged Ron, have been wanted for several years, with no regard for their lives.

So they definitely need help now, and middle-aged Hermione should also understand that it's better to resolve conflicts than to create them, so cooperation is still possible.

At the same time, Harry also wanted to take the opportunity to meet someone in the organization he was truly interested in.

"Now that we've managed to catch a big fish like Theodore Nott, there's no need to bother searching for shrimp in the Knockturn Alley anymore," Harry explained to the two women. "Coincidentally, I discovered something very important in Theodore Nott's memories, which can serve as an excuse to visit someone in the Resistance."

"Whom are you going to visit?" Hermione asked curiously.

Severus Snape.

The fact that the Severus Snape is still alive in this timeline is a pleasant surprise for Harry.

It seems that the other party completely sided with Voldemort after Dumbledore's death, and continued to do his old job as Headmaster of Slytherin House and Potions Professor... Of course, now he also has the title of Vice-Headmaster, and has been doing this diligently for more than twenty years.

But Harry didn't think that Severus Snape was the kind of person whose will could be easily swayed. After all, his mother's charm was undeniable.

Therefore, it is highly likely that the Severus Snape is still fighting alongside the resistance.

Harry learned from Theodore Nott's memories that the Rebellion had been secretly protecting wizards of ordinary birth for years, while also trying to take away ordinary people who had awakened magical talents before the Death Eater.

They gathered these people together, teaching them magic while carefully concealing their whereabouts, hoping that one day they could become the spark that saves the world.

So here's another question: how did the resistance know, and when, that ordinary children would awaken magical talent?

The answer, of course, lies in Hogwarts' Quill of Acceptance and Book of Admittance. That book clearly records the detailed information of all the children who have awakened magical talents. The Rebellion can use this record to determine where the ordinary-born young wizards live.

This set of records used for screening can only be viewed by the headmaster and vice-headmaster. That's why Snape stayed at the school and became vice-headmaster, with the aim of using his position to provide intelligence to the Rebels!

Harry could imagine how much suffering the Severus Snape must have endured over the years.

So before leaving this dark age, Harry wanted to see him one last time.

At least... let him see again the eyes that he'd always been secretly watching...

"What should we do with those people?" The plan had been decided, but just before they were about to leave, Luna Lovegood quietly called out to Harry.

She tugged at Harry's sleeve, hesitantly pointing to the quiet bar behind her...

"This... Theodore Nott, go back to your pub!" Harry's face was ashen as he amplified the Imperius Curse, manipulating Theodore Nott back into the pub.

At this point, the main entrance to the Death Eater House leading to the London streets had already been sealed off by Harry, who had also cast Anti-Apparition Jinx... meaning that now only the back door remained as an exit.

"Hermione, Luna Lovegood... you two Apparition to the other side of the street and wait for me there..." As he spoke, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the shrunken Dragon Norberta ...

Meanwhile, the Zouwu in the other pocket suddenly jumped out and perched on Harry's shoulder like a kitten, as if encouraging him in this way.

"No! I'll be with you!" Suddenly, Hermione stepped forward firmly and grasped Harry's hand. "No matter what you have to do, I'll be by your side! Even if... even if we have to face bloodshed, even if we're covered in blood!!"

"Whether you're a good guy or a bad guy, I'll be with you." Luna Lovegood calmly stood on Harry's other side, also taking his hand.

"Alright then... Norberta, do it." Harry nodded slightly, steeling his resolve as he gave the order to Norberta.

"Roar!!" The dragon returned to its original form, roaring with murderous intent, and used a burst of dragon fire to completely ignite the entire tavern, also swallowing up all the sins within!

Hermione and Luna Lovegood, trembling all over, held Harry's hand tightly, enduring the scorching heat and acrid stench of the flames, until the entire pub was reduced to ashes!

They want to, and are transforming into, stronger and more mature individuals, and from this day forward, they can finally be absolutely certain...

The three of them... will never be separated!!

"Woo! Awooo! Awooo!"

(Norberta: Hey! You're underestimating us! There are definitely four people!)

Zouwu:...

(So, should I include myself too...? But I'm male, I'm so conflicted~)

Chapter 753 Schrödinger Mr. and Mrs. Weasley

Meanwhile, back at the Shrieking Shack, middle-aged Hermione spent a long time managing to extract some information from the witch who had suddenly barged in earlier, and finally understood why the senior student who had miraculously survived was so excited.

Of course, middle-aged Hermione also used almost all her willpower to restrain herself and barely managed to keep her emotions in check, preventing her from lunging at the other person with a desperate lion hug...

Penelope Clearwater, that's the name of the witch who just popped up. Although they weren't in the same house, she was already Prefect in Ravenclaw when Hermione first enrolled, and later became the head of the student council. By any measure, she was a senior.

Because the two had been in the same boat as the Basilisk, petrified together, the middle-aged Hermione had always had a good relationship with the other. In fact, when she was on the run in seventh grade, she even lied to the Snatchers, claiming to be 'the Half-blood Penelope Clearwater'... Unfortunately, she was eventually exposed.

As for why she didn't recognize Hermione immediately despite their good relationship, it's because Hermione never expected to run into her here!

In this timeline, Penelope has been dead for over twenty years...

In the original timeline, when middle-aged Hermione embarked on her escape in seventh grade, Penelope, Muggle-born- born, had already been captured by Dolores Umbridge's Muggle-Born Registration Commission and sent to Azkaban.

Sadly, although Harry Potter ultimately defeated Voldemort, Penelope did not return safely from Azkaban...

Middle-aged Hermione vaguely remembers that Percy cried for a long time because of this, and even fell ill for a long period of time.

However, in this altered timeline, Penelope was fortunate enough to survive and even joined the resistance, where she has been fighting ever since.

"That bastard Draco Malfoy deserved it all, I wouldn't be wrong to kill him now! But since you're the one who brought him back, you can spare his life if you want. I'll go and notify my scattered comrades, and once they return, we'll hold a public trial for this guy!!"

Penelope was utterly thrilled by Hermione's powerful attack that captured the Death Eater father and son. She didn't doubt Hermione's stammering fabrication of the story, told her to rest well, and then hurriedly left with her 'captive'.

Seeing the Malfoy father and son being led away bound and gagged while unconscious, middle-aged Hermione could no longer hide the shock in her eyes.

The darkness of the world's situation was far beyond her imagination!

In Voldemort's magical world, Muggle-born wizard are considered guilty of 'stealing' magic the moment they awaken their magical talents, and all adult Muggle-born are sent to Azkaban and, without exception, tortured to death by Dementor... just like Penelope in that timeline.

However, after Draco Malfoy took office as the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he went even further and enacted a series of more cruel laws... or rather, tortures!

He abolished the Wizarding World's tradition of not punishing underage wizards, and locked all the Muggle-born wizards abducted by the Death Eater in the Hogwarts dungeons for the Pure-blood wizards to torture from a young age, ostensibly for magical 'practical training'. And if Muggle-born wizard unfortunately died during the 'training' process... well, that was it.

One character worth mentioning is Scorpius Malfoy, a Death Eater known as the "Scorpion King" at school. He's only in fourth grade, but his hands are already stained with the blood of innocent Muggle-born.

As for those Muggle-born individuals who were tortured in school until adulthood but miraculously survived, they would still be thrown into Azkaban after the age of 17, and without exception, they would be tortured to death by Dementor!

Such tragedies happen almost every day!!

The middle-aged Hermione also heard Penelope say that Draco Malfoy would even send Death Eater to abduct ordinary Muggle from time to time, and then raise them like livestock on the edge of the Forbidden Forest to serve as 'materials' for the Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies!

What will become of these 'materials' in the end? Middle-aged Hermione knows without even thinking...

Without a doubt, Hogwarts at this point had completely degenerated into a bloody concentration camp, and the Muggle and Muggle-born individuals imprisoned there were probably no better off than prisoners of war during the war...

Besides the extremely dark state of this world, another thing that shocked middle-aged Hermione was...

"We're not married?!" *2

After Penelope finally left the room, middle-aged Hermione and middle-aged Ron stared at each other for a long time before exclaiming in unison.

In this timeline, they are close partners, partners who can entrust their backs to each other. But perhaps because they have fought side by side so many times, they have not sparked even the slightest romance, and they are still single to this day.

Similarly, their two children were never born.

"Rose and Hugo have vanished! I've never been married to you, this..." Middle-aged Ron muttered in disbelief, "We've shared a bed for so many years, and suddenly it's all like this..."

At this moment, the words Penelope had casually mentioned during their 'chat' kept echoing in his mind.

'No matter what, you and Hermione can never be together, that's something we all know.'

No... why can't they be together?

Why can't they be together?!

Does that mean I'll never be as good as Harry Potter?

Even though he's long dead, I still have to live in his shadow for over twenty years?!

"I think you should check on Ginny first." Unlike the irritable middle-aged Ron, the middle-aged Hermione didn't seem to care much about the fact that they weren't married.

In her view, it was already a fait accompli, so what was the point of dwelling on it?

Moreover, she really had a lot of issues to think about, so she chose to send Ron, a middle-aged man who was clearly going to hold her back, directly to comfort his crying sister.

That's right, middle -Ginny is also crying her eyes out right now.

Because she also discovered something terrifying... Luna Lovegood's Prophecy had truly come true!

In Harry Granger's timeline, he couldn't be with Harry; when they finally returned to their original timeline, everything had changed beyond recognition!

Harry Potter died more than twenty years ago, and he and she... never had any children!

Chapter 754 Middle-aged Hermione, No One to Help Her

When only middle-aged Hermione and the middle-aged Weasley siblings remained in the cabin, a long-awaited quiet finally returned.

Middle-aged Hermione knew, of course, that this situation should be called repression, but she had no time to care about that now, because she desperately needed such an undisturbed environment...

"Ugh... Harry! Al! Waaaaaah!!"

However, before she could even get started, middle-aged Ron said something wrong that made middle -Ginny burst into tears, which also snapped a string in middle-aged Hermione's mind.

"Ron! Please, can you stop her from crying? I really need some quiet time to think!!" Hearing Ginny's wailing, which sounded like an ambulance, Hermione was extremely annoyed.

"You... alright, alright, we won't bother you anymore, okay? Ginny, let's go!!" However, faced with his wife's predicament, middle-aged Ron not only failed to show understanding but also chose to confront her with even greater frustration.