Aragog's elephant-sized body trembled, his eight blind, milky-white eyes rolling.
"The werewolves claim the darkest lands in the east. The centaurs and unicorns own the southern shore of the lake. Only this northern patch belongs to us..."
"The one who disappeared was my great-great-grandson. He was very clever and could say over a hundred words..."
"That day... he was going to catch a Red Cap to eat, to celebrate his birthday..."
"He died in the Red Caps' territory?" Harry narrowed his now-restored emerald eyes.
"No, that was our territory," Aragog instinctively retorted. But then he seemed to notice Harry's displeased look. "It... it used to be the Red Caps' territory."
"They're small, so they hide in burrows and ambush any animal that passes by. My descendants and I had no choice but to see that justice was done."
"The spot... is only five hundred feet from here. Cross a ravine, then head west."
"West, one hundred and fifty meters."
The instant Harry's voice fell silent, he vanished from the spot. Aragog relaxed, and the clicking of his pincers dancing on the web finally sounded again.
Ripples stirred in the branches of a twisted tree, its limbs like black earth rising from a bog. Harry's figure emerged.
"Is it right here?"
A silver streak shot from his arms and plunged into the pitch-black mud.
The bodies of the Dark Killers were essentially their corresponding weapons. That was why Daolon Wong had given them the names Gan, Wen, and Cui (staff, blade, and hammer).
Now, the Sith Sword Hilt, which had become Harry's Horcrux and been tempered by the magical knowledge in the Dark Killer Transformation Ritual, could naturally wield the Horklump's power to burrow underground.
In just a breath, the Sith Sword Hilt had sunk a hundred meters into the earth.
Harry closed his eyes, letting the hunger transmitted by his Horcrux fill his mind.
Closer, closer!
Right here!
Nearby!
Clink—!
A clear metallic clang rang in Harry's ears. Delight bloomed in his emerald eyes.
Voom—!
The silver-white Venom Dragon opened its scarlet eyes and snapped its jaws at the diadem, which had returned to its rusty appearance.
Satisfaction.
The magical runes on Ravenclaw's Diadem enhanced wisdom. Voldemort's soul energy seemed to dance in the Venom Dragon's mouth, then traveled down its throat and into its belly.
"No!"
Inside the Defense Against the Dark Arts Office, a cloud of black smoke exploded from Quirrell's turban, forming an exposed face.
"My Horcrux! Albus Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore, who had been listening solemnly to Lucius Malfoy, suddenly looked up, a puzzled glint in his eyes. "Tom is furious... Has he realized you've broken free of the Imperius Curse?"
"You're stronger."
Delight shimmered in Harry's eyes as he gripped the silver-white hilt.
Voom—!
A scarlet blade of light illuminated Harry's ecstatic face.
Voldemort's furious face turned calm. "The dragon egg hasn't hatched. Something must have happened to Malfoy, too. I failed because I was too merciful and didn't prepare to sacrifice Lucius's life. Choosing the Acromantula instead exposed my Horcrux."
"It also revealed something else. Dumbledore is as hypocritical as ever. He knows a great deal about Horcruxes. A man so well-versed in the mysteries of the soul must have conducted his own experiments. That's how he learned the magic to sense Horcruxes. Even the dark magic of the Forbidden Forest couldn't interfere."
"Quirinus."
"At your command, Master." Quirrell, who had been too afraid to breathe until now, hurriedly answered.
"Go to Gringotts. No, go to Little Hangleton."
The face crumbled into black smoke and sank back into Quirrell's turban.
"You're lucky. You're going to witness Slytherin's Legacy, the origin of my secret to immortality."
[Voldemort's Vigilance Continued] (100 experience points, 1 Gold Talent entry). The loss of yet another Horcrux has made Voldemort wary. Find the Resurrection Stone within two school years.
Again?
Harry's smile faded.
The silver talent draw he had just received, the boost to his magic, and the joy brought by Ravenclaw's wisdom runes all turned to stone.
Could Voldemort sense when a Horcrux was destroyed?
How could that be!
Harry remembered that in the original timeline, Voldemort hadn't sensed the destruction of a single Horcrux.
Even during the final battle, when Voldemort was in the Forbidden Forest, he hadn't sensed the destruction of the diadem by Crabbe's Fiendfyre or the stabbing of Hufflepuff's Cup with a Basilisk fang.
What was going on?
Could it be that Voldemort had briefly been united with the diadem while moving it, strengthening their connection?
After returning to the castle, Harry was still pondering the reason.
The cheerful atmosphere in the Great Hall, the students' bizarre costumes, the sky covered in shimmering words, the cloying scent of pumpkin... None of it caught his attention—not even Marcus Flint, who was dozing off like a "real Troll."
"Harry, Harry, look at me!" Draco had really turned into a little Dragonman. Pearl-like scales covered his whole body, and his forehead sprouted sparkling, multicolored eyes without pupils. He even had a plump, long tail and a round belly.
"The Australian Opaleye is the prettiest kind of Fire Dragon," Harry said.
"So that means I'm sure to win first place, too?"
"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Ron interrupted Draco.
The Gnome Ron wobbled his potato-shaped head. "Even that Troll Flint is more likely to win than you. He looks just like a real Troll!"
"Who would like a Troll!" Hermione appeared, drawing a chorus of gasps.
"Y-you're Hermione?" "How is that possible?" Ron and Draco stammered.
Seamus, dressed as a Niffler, rubbed his eyes. Neville, dressed as a Ghoul, was speechless, too.
Now, Hermione's bushy brown hair had become smooth. She still had her adorable buck teeth, but dressed as a Fairy, she shimmered with a dazzling, lifelike glow.
It was exactly like the glow of the beautiful little figures holding wooden sticks on the decorative tree, who were called Fairies. Her transparent wings seemed to have grown in proportion, too.
Marcus Flint, dressed as a potato and wrapped up from head to toe, was surprised for a moment. But the next second, he watched "himself" begin muttering to himself.
Stop sleeping and wake up! You idiot, you lazy pig!
Wait, what are you doing?
You're me!
The Troll eventually woke up. He started eating his own gray nose, mooing and grinning foolishly.
The surrounding Slytherins immediately moved away, leaving an empty space around him.
"Flint, you really want to win first place that badly? Did you have to go this far?" Draco said, impressed.
"When it comes to the accuracy of the imitation, I admit defeat." The competitive Hermione turned around.
Tonks, dressed as a Doxy, had removed its fangs, black fur, and extra limbs, but kept its pointed ears, dark skin, red eyes, and curvaceous figure, making her look like a dark elf from a fantasy novel. She left the Great Hall, wondering whether to keep a little of the black fur.
Gemma, dressed as a Centaur with a horse's lower body, her torso covered in bandages, and a strap and wooden bow on her back, let out a cold laugh. The clop of hooves following her, she confidently strode into the Great Hall.
Before you continue