Watching the clouds disperse overhead, Wizet let out a long breath. His tense lips relaxed into a broad smile. "It's done!"
The little Thunderbird plunged from high above. Just before it struck Wizet in the face, it deftly flicked its long tail, circled him once, and landed lightly on his shoulder.
"Chirp!"
It shook its wings, lifted its head high, and gave a clear chirp, as though asking for credit.
Wizet raised a finger and stroked the feathers beneath the little Thunderbird's chin. "It's a good thing you helped. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known what to do!"
At his words, the little Thunderbird smugly narrowed its eyes and let out a string of contented chirps.
It did not simply bask in its own success. It stretched its neck, brought its fluffy head closer, and rubbed against Wizet's cheek, as though saying, "Thanks for your hard work, too."
Sirius Black walked over, looking past Wizet at the Ritual Magic Array on the ground ahead. "Wizet, does that mean it's finished?"
He rubbed his chin, a hint of confusion in his voice. "It feels as though nothing's changed. Or rather... it isn't quite what I imagined..."
"But it certainly caused a stir..." he recalled. "That lightning bolt that suddenly came down gave me quite a fright!"
Beside him, Harry nodded in agreement. "The rain came so suddenly, too."
The sudden icy rain stirred his memories, reminding him of the Dementor attack two years earlier. He let out a breath, still shaken by the recollection.
When the rain began, a vague unease had crept into his heart. He had even prepared himself to summon his stag Patronus at once to drive off any Dementors that appeared.
"I was terrified, too!" Nymphadora Tonks said with feeling. When the lightning struck earlier, her hair had