The Gathering of Dark Forces Once More

Fishein Wilderness.

Deep within the wilderness, a fissure almost swallowed by moss and black stone stretched downward. At the end of the fissure lay a forgotten underground cavern.

The cavern was not natural.

The rock walls still bore traces of magical burning, cutting, and shaping. The runes had long since weathered away, yet they continued to slowly seep cold, sinister magic, like the breathing of some enormous creature.

This was one of Walpurgis's temporary meeting places.

Flames burned slowly at the center of the stone platform. They were no ordinary flames, but compressed netherfire, providing light while giving off almost no heat. The flickering firelight illuminated the cavern in shifting brightness and shadow, casting the silhouettes of four figures onto the rock walls, stretching them long and twisted.

Herpo stood closest to the entrance.

He had just returned from the outskirts of Hogwarts, his cloak still carrying unmelted snow and the damp scent unique to the Forbidden Forest. He did not speak at once. Instead, he raised a hand and tossed a piece of obsidian engraved with intricate patterns into the flames.

The flames trembled slightly.

Then Hogwarts took shape as a warped projection—layer upon layer of protective wards, magical nodes constantly being reinforced, and faintly visible countermeasure arrays.

"More tightly guarded than I expected."

Herpo finally spoke, his voice low and restrained. "Not only the castle itself—the surrounding terrain has also been reworked. Dumbledore is building Hogwarts's defenses to the highest wartime standard."

Voldemort stood in the shadows on the other side.

Summoned by Herpo, he had set aside all his affairs and rushed over. His black robes were spotless, but his aura was colder than ever.

Ever since the battle at the Department of Mysteries, while Herpo had been busy scouting Hogsmeade Village and investigating Hogwarts's defensive measures,