Umbrella USA Branch

By the Black Lake, Hermione, held in Allen's arms, found worry rising in her heart after their roles shifted. What Allen was doing would draw a great deal of opposition to him—whether from those conservative pure-blood families, the even more conservative International Confederation of Wizards, Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix under him, or even, once word of this got out, ordinary wizards, in whose minds Allen would become a target of hostility.

Hermione was not worried about her own safety, but if some member of the Harris Family were forced into an accident by those cornered people retaliating in secret, what Allen's reaction would be was something she did not dare think too deeply about.

Allen understood Hermione's thoughts. He covered the hand she had clasped around his with his other hand and gently stroked the back of it to soothe her. "Of course I've already considered your safety. I know doing this will bring danger to them. For that reason, back in ancient times I used the Viking Berserkers who invaded England and burned, killed, and plundered the Anglo-Saxons to create and store away a batch of fairly high-quality Death Knights with Necromancy. The traits of undead creatures, their outstanding personal martial skill, plus the fact that they can be equipped with any weapons and gear we give them, make them very good personal bodyguards. They can protect their masters' safety at any time and are extremely reliable. As it happens, I'll take you to have a look, and bring them back along the way..."

Allen stretched out his arm for Hermione to take, and their figures immediately vanished from the shore of the Black Lake, arriving in a cave deep beneath Hogwarts' Black Lake. Hermione looked in astonishment at the scene beyond the watery curtain on