Voldemort had one fewer Horcrux, but this time, the Horcrux had been destroyed by his own hand.
By now, only one of Voldemort's Horcruxes remained—the great serpent, Nagini.
The sky gradually began to brighten, but the people in the castle had remained awake all night.
The war had come at a tremendous cost. The Great Hall should have been a place where teachers and students gathered, but now it was filled with corpses.
Sobs echoed throughout the castle, yet people still gripped their Wands tightly because they had no idea when the war would begin again.
While everyone else mourned and prepared for battle, Eli seemed somewhat out of place. He looked as though he were searching for something.
"Where did it go?" Eli muttered as he widened his eyes and searched everywhere. He had just come out of the Headmaster's Office.
"Sorting Hat, Accio!" Eli called softly, but there was no response.
He scratched his head in frustration. "Tsk, as expected, I can't summon it."
Just as he was at his wit's end, the old, battered hat in a pile of ruins finally caught his eye.
Eli hurried over, picked up the hat, and shook it. "Ahem, ahem, ahem... Stop it, you brute!"
The largest crease on the Sorting Hat opened and closed as it emitted an ugly, duck-like voice.
But Eli acted as though he hadn't heard a thing. He examined the hat from every angle, yet no matter how he looked, he couldn't find the Sword of Gryffindor.
Not long ago, the Sword of Gryffindor had disappeared again because it never stayed in one place for long, just like its owner, Godric Gryffindor.
But this sword was the best weapon for destroying Voldemort's final Horcrux—the great serpent, Nagini.
Harry had already risked himself alone. They couldn't let