Storm Over Hogsmeade

On Saturday morning, the sky outside Hogwarts was a gloomy gray, with thick clouds hanging low as if they might collapse at any moment.

This was the first day of our trip to Hogsmeade Village this semester.

Over the past few weeks, security measures around the school have become increasingly stringent. Students have been whispering among themselves, with many believing that they will probably not be allowed to travel to Hogsmeade Village this year.

The moment the announcement was posted, the common room erupted in a long-suppressed cheer.

Being able to leave the castle, even for just a few hours, is an almost luxurious relief for students who are constantly in a tense atmosphere.

A longer line than usual formed in front of the oak gate.

Filch (Dumbledore had reinstated and then invited back) stood in the doorway, his back ramrod straight, his expression a mixture of smugness and wariness. His Secrecy Sensor hummed softly and harshly in his hand, and whenever a student approached him, he would deliberately linger for a few seconds, scanning the Secrecy Sensor from head to toe, as if he wanted to check even the loose threads in their socks.

"Name."

Daphne Greengrass.

"Stand still, don't move."

The Secrecy Sensor was so close it was almost touching her clothing. Daphne remained unfazed, merely raising an eyebrow slightly, a hint of Slytherin- esque cold sarcasm playing at the corners of her lips.

Cho Chang whispered from behind, "He's become more neurotic than before."

"Dumbledore brought him back because he valued his paranoia," Astoria whispered in response.

When it was Luna's turn, the Secrecy Sensor suddenly emitted a short, sharp screech.

Filch immediately tensed up: "You—"

"Oh," Luna said thoughtfully, "It might be my carrot earrings. They sometimes absorb ambient noise."

Filch stared at her for a few seconds, then reluctantly waved his hand.

Once the last name was checked, the group almost simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

As you pass through the oak gate, the wind and snow rush towards you.

At the edge of the white world, a tall and slender figure stood quietly by the path leading to Hogsmeade. His dark cloak remained perfectly still in the wind, as if even the blizzard had deliberately avoided him.

Skylar was there.

He didn't wave or look around deliberately; he simply turned his head slightly as they approached.

"You've arrived earlier than we expected," Daphne said.

"A proper gentleman shouldn't keep beautiful ladies waiting," Skylar said with a gentle smile. "Let's go; this weather isn't suitable for staying outside for long."

The streets of Hogsmeade Village were covered with a thick layer of snow, and there were few pedestrians. The wind whistled through the eaves, making the place seem particularly deserted. Because of the bad weather, the group had no interest in strolling around and went straight into the Three Broomsticks.

As soon as the door opened, the warm air from the Three Broomsticks enveloped them, instantly washing over them with the aroma of Butterbeer, roasted chestnuts, cinnamon, and tobacco. Madam Rosmerta, busy behind the bar, nodded to them from afar.

Skylar led them through the noisy lobby and pushed open an inconspicuous oak door deep in the backyard. This was the private room he had reserved for the girls in advance.

The private room was small, but extremely comfortable. It had no windows; the walls were inlaid with dark oak and adorned with several old Quidditch Match paintings. Incendio the fireplace, the sofas were upholstered in soft, dark brown velvet, and the central coffee table was set with steaming Butterbeer, sherry, a plate of freshly baked caramel apple pie, and several small dishes of roasted almonds. The air was warm and sweet, like a small world completely isolated from the blizzard outside.

The group took off their cloaks and sat around on the sofa, instantly feeling the chill dissipate from their bodies.

Holding her Butterbeer mug, Cho Chang exhaled a puff of white breath and sighed contentedly, "Finally, it's warm... The wind outside was so strong it almost cracked my face."

Luna sat on the single sofa in the corner, legs crossed, holding a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, and said dreamily, "The snowflakes are in a bad mood today. They're arguing, that's why it's snowing so heavily."

"To be able to drink this in this weather is already a blessing," Morrie said with a smile.

Astoria leaned back on the cushions, her tone light and cheerful. "Compared to the atmosphere in the common room, this place is like another world."

The atmosphere gradually relaxed.

When the conversation turned to the Slytherin students who graduated last year, Daphne picked up a Butterbeer, took a sip, and casually asked, "By the way, what about Montague? Before he graduated last year, he was always talking about wanting to play professional Quidditch and join the Britain national team as Chaser."

"He joined a second-rate England team," Skylar replied with a smile. "He has decent talent, but he's too impulsive. I heard he was benched for a while after clashing with the coach."

Cho Chang chuckled and shook his head, "His temper... serves him right."

Morrie, arms crossed, her dark hair gleaming in the light, replied, "And Warrington? He left last year looking very serious, saying he was going to 'do something big'."

Skylar paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, and said in a deep voice, "He currently works at Shield Security Consulting Company. I trust his abilities and loyalty. Once he's familiar with the business, I plan to transfer him to Eastern Europe to develop new markets."

"Eastern Europe?" Daphne immediately looked up alertly, her long blonde hair swaying slightly. She narrowed her eyes and said, "Are you planning to open a second branch there?"

Skylar shrugged, his tone remaining calm. "I haven't decided on a location yet, it could be Ukraine or Romania. Both places border the Black Sea and frequently face threats from Russia or Middle East Eastern black magic practitioners, so I believe the demand for security services will be significant."

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door of the private room.

"Would you like anything else, darling?"

The still-charming Madam Rosmerta entered carrying a tray, her smile as kind as ever, her tone as gentle as ever.

"No need, thank you."

Skylar's gaze lingered on her for less than a second.

Just as Madam Rosmerta turned to leave, his gray pupils suddenly contracted.

"Etc."

The voice was very soft, yet it was like an invisible command.

Madam Rosmerta froze on the spot, her smile still on her face, but suddenly it stiffened.

Skylar slowly stood up, his wand already at his fingertips. He didn't raise it, but simply tapped the air lightly with the tip, as if parting an invisible veil.

The next second, a very faint, almost transparent silver-gray mist flashed in Madam Rosmerta's pupils—a characteristic trace left over from being controlled by the Imperius Curse for a long time.

The girls in the private room fell silent instantly.

Daphne was the first to react, her voice trembling. "She's being controlled?"

Skylar did not answer, but simply whispered to Madam Rosmerta, "Stupefy."

Madam Rosmerta collapsed limply.

Skylar took out his specially made Marauder's Map, glanced at it, and said softly, "In the underground wine cellar, there are three people, but they are not the Death Eaters I know."

He then said, "Daphne, you and Astoria stay here and are responsible for ensuring Madam Rosmerta's safety." Astoria wasn't good at fighting, and with Daphne by her side, Skylar could feel at ease.

"Yes," Daphne said without hesitation or argument, "Be careful."

The underground wine cellar was cold and damp, filled with the smells of aged wine, mildew, and a faint stench of blood. Torches flickered on the walls, casting long shadows.

Skylar walked at the front, followed by three girls, all gripping their wands tightly.

As we rounded the last bend, three figures in black robes suddenly appeared before us.

All three were masked, revealing only their eyes. Two of them had dark skin and almond-shaped eyes with the sharpness typical of Middle East Easterners; the third was short and stocky with light brown eyes and a cruel smile on his lips.

"Walpurgis, I thought you were already like stray dogs, yet you still dare to come to Hogsmeade Village," Skylar said sarcastically.

The leader of the men in black robes let out a low laugh and said in heavily accented English, "Young Master Malfoy, it's an honor to meet you. I heard you've been very busy lately... We were just passing through and thought we'd drop by to see an old friend."

"Now that you know it's me, why don't you surrender?" Skylar said coldly, his wand already raised. If he could, he didn't want to cause too much damage here; there were still many innocent students and other customers in the bar, and the wines in these cellars were quite valuable.

Without a word, the three men simultaneously raised their staffs.

"Dark Domain!"

A strange black mist simultaneously erupted from the tips of the three men's staffs. It wasn't ordinary black mist, but a near-solid darkness that devoured light. The torches went out instantly, and the entire wine cellar was plunged into absolute darkness, where nothing could be seen.

Skylar immediately activated his Magic Eye. His gray pupils, which normally allowed him to see through the flow of magic, now felt like they had hit an invisible wall—the black mist wasn't just a simple obscuring effect, but actively devouring, distorting, and swallowing all light and perception. Magic Eye could see was endless, writhing darkness, like countless tiny tentacles crawling across his retina.

"Skylar, not only the Lumos and the Fire-Making Spell, but all the illumination spells are failing." Morrie's voice came from the left, calm yet urgent. She had tried three different illumination variants in succession, all of which were instantly swallowed by darkness. "This isn't ordinary black mist; it's some kind of ancient spell that can devour all light."

Cho Chang gave a low shout, and with a flick of her sleeve, a large number of snow-white paper figures swarmed out from her cuffs, silently dancing in the darkness. These paper figures were not decorations, but her unique "Paper Spirit Guards"—each of them could take a fatal attack in place of its master, and could also act as detection tentacles. They spread out in the darkness with an extremely soft flapping sound, forming a three-dimensional protective net.

"The enemy is very good at hiding," Cho Chang said in a very low voice, "My little paper dolls can't find them... What do we do now?"

A very soft chuckle came from the darkness, a whisper in English with a heavy Middle East accent, "Little Britain wizards... in the dark, you are blind."

Before he could finish speaking, three chilling killing intents attacked from different directions simultaneously.

"Avada Kedavra-- "

Three green lights suddenly shone in the darkness, like the fangs of three venomous snakes, rushing straight at Skylar, Morrie, and Cho Chang.

"Undying Avatar!"

Skylar's reaction was astonishingly fast. With a wave of his wand, a puppet that looked exactly like Skylar appeared in front of him. The green light struck the puppet and exploded with a teeth-grinding bang, blasting the Undying Avatar to smithereens.

"Luna, make your move!" Skylar whispered, a slight smile playing on his lips. Luna hadn't participated in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, but that didn't mean Luna was weaker than the other girls; it just meant she was better suited to playing to her strengths in special circumstances.

Luna's voice rang out from the other side of the darkness, soft as a dream, yet carrying an undeniable firmness. "It's time for you to step in, babies."

Her slender fingers gently caressed the Pandora's Box pendant around her neck, and she murmured an ancient incantation.

As the locket was opened, a depressing buzzing sound echoed from all directions in the darkness. From the sound alone, one could tell that a group of unknown flying creatures had filled the entire space, their numbers probably unimaginably vast.

Luna's exclusive Insect Master technique - Wrackspurt Swarm!

Thousands upon thousands of Wrackspurt swarmed out of the locket. They were as small as grains of rice, yet their piercing wingbeats spread like a small black storm throughout the narrow wine cellar. In the darkness, their shapes were invisible, only their maddening buzzing could be heard, like countless tiny needles piercing the eardrums at the same time.

"What's this?!"

The enemy's panicked voice rang out for the first time, mixed with unfamiliar Arabia curses. This was followed by the sounds of "smack, smack, smack," painful gasps, and the whooshing sound of a wand swinging into the air.

The Wrackspurt is a variant of the vampire horsefly specially bred by Skylar. They are extremely aggressive, and if they bite a human, they can cause mental confusion, irritability, and loss of reason. If a person is bitten too many times, there is a high probability that they will go insane and completely go crazy.

As the Wrackspurt launched their dense attack, Skylar had pinpointed their location. He was about to deliver a silent, Silencio Cruciatus Curse, but his opponent reacted even faster—

With a loud bang, three Blasting Curse slammed into the stacked barrels of wine simultaneously, sending wine and flames flying everywhere.

"Withdraw!"

The three of them simultaneously Apparition, black mist swirled up, and they vanished instantly behind a hidden door at the end of the wine cellar.

The dark spell dissipated, and the torches were relit.

The wine cellar was a mess; wine barrels were broken, and wine was spilled all over the floor.

Skylar put away his cane, his face grim.

"They're not here to kill," he said in a low voice, "Just to scout ahead and familiarize themselves with the surroundings. Their real target is Hogwarts."

Morrie frowned and said softly, "They don't look like Death Eaters..."

Skylar nodded, his expression grave. "Middle East accents, they must be from Cobra."

The Cobra Organization is the most notorious dark wizarding force in the entire West Asia region. Its reputation is no less than that of the Death Eaters in Britain or the Cairo Black Market in Egypt. Originally loyal to Jafar Yahya, this power fell into the hands of the Vile Herpo Herpo Jafar was possessed and reborn.

"Cobra?" Cho Chang asked, somewhat puzzled. "They've already entered Great Britain?"

"Hmm," Skylar said while casting spells to repair the damage, "I obtained intelligence about them a few days ago; about forty people have already infiltrated Great Britain."

After saying that, he turned to look at the girls, his gray eyes reflecting the firelight. "Don't tell anyone about tonight's events. But from now on, everyone needs to be prepared."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, their gazes falling on the exit of the hidden door, where only a wisp of residual black mist remained.