The Department of Mysteries was the most enigmatic place in the entire Ministry of Magic. From the very founding of the Ministry, a peculiar stone archway had stood here.
It could be said that the entire Ministry was built as a massive defensive structure, constructed by wizards for the purpose of guarding the Department of Mysteries.
Inside the Department, aside from the central stone arch and the slope beneath it, there were only doors leading to other chambers.
This unadorned stone arch had no barrier, only a frame. One could see through it to the other side, yet within that transparent void there had always floated a gauzy mist, visible only upon close inspection.
The archway led to another dimension. No one who had ever stepped through it had returned. That was why it was known as the Gate of Death.
And yet, such a perilous place had no protective measures whatsoever. Any wizard could walk in and take a look. Now, two opposing groups of intruders had arrived here.
"Take back the prophecy orb! Kill Wormtail! Defeat Voldemort!"
The young lions shouted their slogans with soaring momentum, while the Death Eaters seemed oddly restrained. They showed little sign of fighting back against the children's attacks, though the young lions themselves were oblivious to this.
As planned, Harry Potter was struck by a Cruciatus Curse. His consciousness retreated into the depths of his mind, and Voldemort's awareness surfaced.
Though he had chased Wormtail here with the children, Voldemort had not cast a single spell along the way.
"You brats, did you really think we'd be afraid of you?"
Peter Pettigrew was once the kind of man who could slaughter an entire street of Muggles without blinking. These children meant nothing to him—if they weren't wizard-born, he wouldn't even hesitate. Kill them? Then kill them.
"Hand over the prophecy orb, or we'll cut off your hand."
Morin waved his wand with a vicious expression, threatening Peter Pettigrew.
"Cut off his hand! Cut off his hand! Cut off his hand!"
The young lions behind him echoed the chant, just as they would back at Hogwarts.
Death Eaters? Nothing to be afraid of, nothing more than that!
Voldemort glanced at Wormtail and gave a barely perceptible nod.
"Capture them all!"
Today, Wormtail's mission in leading the group here was to boost his master's prestige. Such things had been done by Death Eaters before—it was propaganda, no different in nature from casting the Dark Mark into the sky.
At Wormtail's command, the six Death Eaters, including himself, dissolved into black smoke and streaked through the Department of Mysteries. The children's spells lost all targets, striking nothing but empty air.
The young lions panicked. Why were their spells missing, when moments ago their aim had been perfect?
As soon as their will to attack faltered, the black smoke rushed at them, scattering them. One by one, or in pairs, the Death Eaters seized them, holding them fast.
"Weren't you so good at fighting and chasing? What do you have to say now?"
Neville Longbottom had Pettigrew's wand pressed against his throat, leaving him unable to utter a word.
The only one left uncaptured was Harry Potter. The handsome Harry suddenly became the last hope of the young lions.
"Save me, Harry! I don't want to die!"
"Run, Harry! Go find help right now!"
The children's cries rose and fell, voices of desperation overlapping.
"I agree—it would be better if you went for help."
Wormtail played the part of the petty villain perfectly. Today, he was the ultimate boss.
"I will never abandon my companions to escape alone!"
With Harry Potter's face, Voldemort proclaimed words of righteousness so false they made even him sick.
This was meant to be the moment Harry cut through his foes, rescuing his companions. If all went well, at worst he would be suspected of channeling Voldemort's power. But as long as the young lions could testify that Harry remained Harry, no one could truly doubt him.
But fate had other plans. The Order of the Phoenix would never be unaware of Harry's movements. Once he had left Hogwarts, the news reached not only Lucius Malfoy but also Sirius Black, waiting at the Black family home.
It was Regulus Black who had notified them both.
"Harry! Don't panic! We're here!"
Led by Sirius Black, members of the Order of the Phoenix burst through the entrances around the chamber. Beams of white light streaked across the Department, quickly striking down the Death Eaters.
Soon the two sides were like twin serpents, one black and one white, coiling and clashing throughout the hall.
The children were gathered together under protection. Even so, the Order outnumbered the Death Eaters.
The Death Eaters began to falter. This was not how things were supposed to go. In the chaos, Wormtail's entire arm was hacked off—his silver hand. The Order member who seized it quickly retreated with the grisly prize.
"No! You forced me! Then die with me! Mutual destruction!"
Suddenly crazed, Wormtail unleashed a spell no one had ever heard before.
As the incantation left his lips, his body detonated like a bomb. The blast, like a directional landmine, hurled bloody shrapnel forward. Caught in the storm of flesh and force, Death Eaters and Order members alike were wounded. But Wormtail's true target was the children.
"Watch out! Get down!"
Sirius Black shouted. The children stared blankly as the storm of blood rained down upon them.
"Protego Maxima!"
Harry raised his wand, casting a defensive spell that shielded the young lions. But he himself was struck by the gory blast.
"Harry! Are you all right?"
Sirius rushed toward him, anxious, only to be shoved aside. Harry glanced first at the unconscious children, then at the fleeing Death Eaters, then at the Order members in pursuit. At that moment, it seemed only he and Sirius remained conscious.
"Why did you come to disturb me?"
Harry asked suddenly, out of nowhere.
"Harry! What's wrong with you? Are you all right?"
A terrible premonition rose in Sirius's heart, but he still trusted his godson.
"So this is the treasure of the Department of Mysteries—the Gate of Death, standing here since time immemorial."
Step by step, Harry moved toward the stone arch, as if driven by curiosity to see what lay beyond.
"Harry! Stop! Don't go near it—it's dangerous!"
Sirius leapt in front of him. Just one step behind Sirius stood the archway. The mist shifted gently, almost brushing against his back.
"Do you know what lies beyond this arch? Once you find out, remember to tell me."
Harry gave a light push. Sirius toppled backward.
"Harry! I only hope you're still truly Harry."
The soft mist wrapped around Sirius Black, gentle yet irresistible.
He had time for only that one sentence before his whole body was swallowed into the arch.
"No! Sirius! What's happening? Someone tell me what's happening?"
Harry's body was suddenly reclaimed by himself. He saw his godfather falling into the arch. Though he didn't understand what was happening or what the arch truly was, he understood enough—Sirius was vanishing into a place from which there was no return. Which meant Sirius Black might already be dead.
As Sirius's figure disappeared, Harry tried to rush after him. But Lupin appeared, seizing him in a tight hold, dragging him away from the arch.
"Harry! This isn't your fault. This isn't your fault."
Remus Lupin had seen the whole thing. He knew Harry had been possessed by Voldemort, but he had been too entangled with Death Eaters to intervene. After Sirius fell through the arch, the Death Eaters seized the chance to retreat, and only then could Lupin come to Harry's side.
But in truth—did Harry really need saving?
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