"No, no!" Young Rookwood quickly waved his hand, explaining in rapid succession, "I truly admire you!"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Ranrok, who was struggling desperately beside him, making "uh-uh" sounds, and he said viciously,
" Young Master Malfoy, I want to capture Ranrok, the Goblin leader who instigated this trouble, to vent my anger."
Upon hearing this, Ranrok struggled even more fiercely, making more rapid "ooh-ooh" sounds from his gagged mouth. He looked at Draco, then at Hermione and the other, hoping they could stop him.
Falling into the hands of this dark wizard who harbors resentment towards him and has just lost an arm would be worse than death.
"Don't go too far," Draco said.
Young Rookwood adopted a fawning expression and assured him, "Don't worry! I know what I'm doing. I absolutely won't let it die. I'll make it regret ever being born."
"You decide what to do. Anyway, it's dead, and I'll hold you responsible." Draco shrugged indifferently.
"Yes, yes! I understand!"
Young Rookwood dared not say another word. He picked up the severed arm, then dragged Ranrok away, staggering step by step.
Finally, everyone left.
"Let's go," Draco said to the two of them.
The two followed behind, their feelings somewhat complicated.
Recalling what had just happened, Draco's absolute strength, ruthless decision-making, and ability to control the overall situation stirred up an indescribable emotion within them.
After walking a short distance, Draco suddenly stopped, slapped his forehead, and exclaimed in frustration:
"Oh no! I forgot about the important thing!"
"What's wrong?"
The two were startled by his sudden reaction.
"Those negative emotional energies haven't been completely sealed off yet!"
Hermione and Professor Babbling were stunned upon hearing this.
The two women looked at each other, completely forgetting about the thrilling battle they had just witnessed.
"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go back!" Hermione urged.
Without a word, Draco turned and ran back, and Hermione and Professor Babbling didn't dare to delay and hurriedly followed.
"I'll handle this, you can rest." Draco stopped Hermione and Professor Babbling from raising their canes again.
He raised his wand, and a soft white light enveloped the remaining energy. In the blink of an eye, the lingering negative emotions were obediently absorbed into the container, and the seal was completely completed.
"Alright, mission successfully completed!"
Draco retrieved his wand.
Hermione and Professor Babbling stood there, watching the finishing touches come to an end, a sense of absurdity rising within them.
It felt like I was just a bystander the whole time, while Draco was the one doing all the work.
Draco seemed to read their minds, "So, from now on, remember to stick close to me, understand?"
"Then... can I hug you?" Even the usually serious Professor Babbling couldn't help but make a joke.
"Professor, well... you'd probably have to ask the owner of this 'thigh' first, Miss Granger Hermione Granger,"
Draco grinned mischievously and said, "Let's see if she minds other women having physical contact with me."
Hermione's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple.
She never expected Draco to pull this stunt, and she certainly didn't expect Professor Babbling to join in the joke!
She pinched Draco's soft side hard and stammered, "Who... who minds!"
Return to the Map Chamber and face the guardian.
Only then did Hermione's tense nerves truly relax.
Hermione couldn't help but exaggerate Draco's feat of using Fiendfyre to devour and purify the negative emotional energy.
She vividly described how the black flames roared like a living dragon, burning away all the nauseating dark emotions, her words filled with pride in Draco's powerful magic and control.
The four guardians were shocked upon hearing this.
Having guarded this place for centuries, they have witnessed many inheritors confront this power, but none have ever dared to directly use such extreme Dark Magic as Fiendfyre to achieve the purpose of purification.
This is absolutely unheard of!
The shocked reaction of the four Guardians was undoubtedly the strongest endorsement of Draco's strength. Hermione looked at them, and her pride in "my boyfriend is amazing" grew even stronger.
However, after the initial shock, a look of relief and joy immediately spread across the faces of the four guardians.
"Great! Now that the energy has been purified, we can finally rest. This long vigil seems to have come to an end," Rookwood said with deep emotion.
"I'm afraid that won't work," Draco, throwing cold water on the idea.
"Could the seal have failed?" The four guardians looked at him in confusion, their eyes regaining their seriousness.
"While the negative emotional energy has been suppressed, a very small amount still remains," Draco explained. "You must wait for the next guardian to inherit your will."
Upon hearing this, Hermione and Professor Babbling both showed a hint of embarrassment and apology on their faces.
They exchanged a glance, a wave of guilt washing over them.
Just now in the Repository, because Ranrok alarmistly said that Fiendfyre might get out of control and affect Hogwarts,
Out of concern, they strongly urged Draco to stop the fire from burning, forcing Draco to extinguish the Fiendfyre prematurely.
If Draco had allowed Fiendfyre to consume all the energy back then, perhaps... it really could have solved the problem once and for all?
"I'm sorry, Guardians. We were so worried about the school's safety that we asked you to stop early..."
Hermione sincerely apologized, and Professor Babbling quickly echoed her sentiments, expressing her apologies to the four Guardians.
The four guardians were taken aback, then exchanged glances.
"So be it, it remains. Nothing in this world is ever truly perfect. Even the moon has its waning phases, let alone this complex and intricate world of magic." Rackham didn't seem to be blaming him.
Professor Fitzgerald nodded and added, "As long as this power doesn't leak out again or fall into the hands of bad guys like Ranrok, we haven't failed in our duty."
True protection is never about creating a miracle once and for all. It's more like a long relay race, requiring the perseverance and vigilance of generation after generation.
Professor Bakar said earnestly.
Rookwood laughed heartily,
"We were prepared for a long wait, and even mentally prepared that it would never be completely eradicated."
They were not discouraged by not being able to rest in peace.
Conversely, seeing the crisis temporarily contained,
Seeing that Draco remained clear-headed at the crucial moment gave them an unprecedented sense of relief; this "imperfect" ending, in fact, made it feel more real to them.
Hermione and Professor Babbling felt a huge weight lifted from their hearts after hearing these words.
It turns out that what the guardians valued was not the perfection of the result, but the responsibility and commitment shown during the process.
A sense of admiration arose spontaneously in their hearts.
Draco was also somewhat surprised by their magnanimity.
"I didn't expect you professors to have such a broad perspective. It seems that Hogwarts' peace and tranquility today is indeed inseparable from your perseverance," Draco praised.
The guardians all smiled.
Being understood and recognized by such a younger generation is undoubtedly a precious comfort to them after a long period of waiting.
It is because of people like them who, even when they make mistakes or face imperfect outcomes, still stay true to their original aspirations and continue to correct their errors.
This is how the world can maintain a delicate balance amidst turmoil. Their greatness lies not in never making mistakes, but in never giving up their responsibility to protect.