The Maze Ends

"Where is she—" Skylar asked in a hoarse voice, barely suppressing his anger.

"Hahaha, you really care about her... Let me tell you, someone else took her away. Hogwarts' defenses are no joke; I don't have the ability to get her out of the castle right under Dumbledore's nose... So, don't even think about getting her whereabouts out of me, even if you kill me, you won't find out from me--"

"You must be in a lot of pain right now, right? You only have one choice now—" Barty Crouch Jr.'s tone was full of cruel pleasure, "That big shot in the organization wants to see you. If you take me with you to see her, maybe you'll find out where she is?"

Voldemort had not yet recovered to his full strength, and there was only one person capable of kidnapping Hermione from Hogwarts Castle without a sound—

It's plum blossoms...

Skylar's heart ached slightly, and a long-lost, intense unease once again lingered in his mind.

May has captured Hermione... What is she planning to do?

The scariest thing is, if she really intends to harm Hermione, what should I do...?

Should I really fight with Mei...?

"Tell me!" Skylar said in a deep voice, "How do we leave here? How do we see Mei?"

"See that trophy? It's a Portkey, originally meant to teleport the first Champion to touch the Goblet of Fire out of the labyrinth and appear before the judges' stand, but I used Confundus Charm to change the teleportation location to that person's location—" Barty Crouch Jr. pointed his finger towards the Goblet of Goblet of Fire, "Now take me with you, let's go touch the Goblet of Fire together, and then we can see that person."

"Thank you, I understand," Skylar had calmed down by now; what had to be faced had to be faced. "And—"

Goodbye, Barty Crouch Jr. Crouch Jr.

"What do you want to do?!" Barty Crouch Jr.'s face turned pale instantly, a very bad premonition rising in his heart. "Don't you dare do anything reckless. Don't you want Granger's life?"

"Avada--"

"You bastard!" Barty Crouch Jr. yelled, "You're crazy! You'll regret this!"

" --Avada Kedavra!" A green beam shot out from Skylar's wand, mercilessly reaping Barty Crouch Jr.'s life, leaving only Barty Crouch Jr.'s lifeless corpse slowly falling backward to the ground.

"Fool..." Skylar sneered, "Since you know nothing, what's the point of keeping you alive? Since Mei's target is me, do you think she'd directly turn against me for your sake? I thought so highly of you, don't you see anything at all—"

"You're just a discarded pawn..."

The moment Barty Crouch Jr. died, the four Shadow Demons, unable to resist the scent of the corpse, rushed onto Barty Crouch Jr.'s body, slowly enveloping it in black shadows, and began to feed.

Skylar waved his hand, and the Slytherin's Locket flew out of his arms and opened. A green phantom rushed out of the box and materialized in mid-air. The whole process was very fast. By the time the phantom fell to the ground, it had already transformed into Jormungandr, who was the size of Giant.

The black shadows reacted swiftly, trying to escape, but under Jormungandr's glare, they all seemed frozen in place, unable to move.

The Basilisk's Snake Eyes have the ability to harm spirits, and Jormungandr, after his battle with the purple flame Giant in Susan's bloodline, had already forged his mind and regained all the Basilisk's innate abilities. He may even have evolved to be more powerful than an ordinary Basilisk because he had devoured the purple flame Giant's bones and Skylar's flesh and blood.

Although the Shadow Demon is far more unpredictable than the Ghost, it still cannot escape the category of spirit. At this moment, it was invaded by the curse power on the Snake Eyes and was instantly transformed into four stiff gas bodies surrounded by smoke, as if they were fixed in an invisible container.

While the method of creating Shadow Demon wasn't exactly a secret, it was only passed down within a few ancient and powerful families; it wasn't something that could be found everywhere. Skylar stored them all in his Suitcase Space; these Shadow Demons were valuable for his research.

Skylar frowned slightly as he looked at the mangled corpse of Barty Crouch Jr.. He waved his wand and cast a Vanishing Spell Charm, "Disappear!", erasing Barty Crouch Jr.'s body.

As for the evidence to be shown to Mr. Crouch, the people killed by the Killing Curse can be traced back using a specific Prior Incantato, without needing to perform the Muggle -like disgusting acts of cutting off heads or leaving corpses.

"Go back, Jormungandr," Skylar said affectionately, stroking Jormungandr's massive serpentine body to soothe the hissing, protesting snake. Jormungandr had finally managed to stretch its limbs, but it hadn't even been a minute before it was being pulled back—

I should have kept putting those Shadow Demons to myself and played around with them a bit.

Jormungandr gently patted Skylar's shoulder with its serpent tail to express its displeasure before transforming into a green light and flying back into the locket.

After dealing with the Shadow Demon, Barty Crouch Jr.'s corpse, Jormungandr, the scene returned to calm. Skylar raised his head, squinting slightly as he gazed at the Goblet of Fire, which was Winky in the distance.

His gaze turned cold, and he then gently touched the Serpent Ring on the ring finger of his right hand with the palm of his left hand.

The Serpent Ring shimmered, as if conveying some message.

"Is everything ready?" Skylar's lips curled slightly, his eyes calm and expressionless. "I'm counting on you for this whole thing, so don't let me down—"

"Sarf."

Skylar carefully checked his equipment.

The pure silver dagger, the Supreme Robe, the Night Star Cloak, the Duelling Gloves, the Anti-Dizziness Bracelet, the Diadem of Wisdom, the Slytherin's Locket, the Wind-Setting Boots, the Guardian Ring, and the Philosopher's Stone were all equipped and worn, each in its place. Then, Skylar used magic to bring each item to its strongest state, causing Skylar to radiate streams of magical light around him.

Skylar strode forward and walked briskly to the center of the field.

His clear, unblemished grey eyes were fixed on the blue sparks churning and rising and falling inside the Goblet of Fire, and he remained silent for a long time.

A myriad of thoughts flashed before his eyes, enveloping him like fleeting shadows—

It includes Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, Daphne, Morrie, Astoria, Luna...

There were also other friends who were close to him, and members of the Sleeping Dragon Society who trusted him completely...

Then...

The scenes from the memory have turned into...

It's Meredith's feigned arrogance, her charming smile... and...

Hermione's face, streaked with tears on the eve of the Yule Ball...

He sighed silently, looked up, smiled, and said softly, "Hermione, May—"

"I am coming..."

His hand touched the Goblet of Fire, his feet instantly left the ground, and he and the trophy transformed into a swirling vortex of color, disappearing swiftly amidst the whistling wind.

The pedestal where the Goblet of Fire of Fire was placed is now empty, as if Skylar and the goblet had never been there.