"Reducto!!"
"Crucio!!"
"GET BACK HERE, YOU RAT!! YOU WON'T BE GETTING AWAY NOW!!"
"I'LL KILL YOU, PETER!!"
Harry looked deadpan at the chaos happening in the middle of the forest. It was honestly ridiculous. Snape—Professor Snape—was dueling Herman, while Lupin and Sirius were chasing Peter, who had turned into a rat and was fleeing like the coward he was.
He was basically blind without his glasses, yet he could still tell who was there and who wasn't.
Sirius and Remus had vanished deeper into the forest after Peter, leaving Professor Snape to deal with the Dark wizard.
Where was Dumbledore, anyway?
"Harry!!"
Harry turned toward the familiar portal opening nearby. Tony and the Ancient One stepped out, and Tony immediately rushed to him, panicked and frantic. He untied him quickly and pulled him into a tight hug. Harry stiffened at how cold the metal armor felt against him, but warmth blossomed in his chest regardless.
"Oh my god! Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Tony's helmet lifted, exposing his face as he checked him over. "Oh thank god, you're okay."
"Interesting." The Ancient One looked at the intense battle between the Dark wizard and the school staff member. "Dark curses aren't very effective against each other… If they continue, their magic will drain, and they will lose the battle."
"That's Snape, right?" Tony still held Harry against him. His mask lifted down and night vision showed him a clear image. "Huh! Not bad… He's good."
"Indeed." The Ancient One lifted her hand. "However, the battle is over." The golden robe appeared, shooting toward Herman, who was caught off guard, and the golden robes wrapped around him tightly.
"What the?!"
"Expelliarmus!!"
Herman's wand flew out of his hand and landed in Snape's hand. Snape looked toward Potter, Stark, and a bald woman he had never seen before wearing robes. "Who are you?" His question was aimed at the woman.
"A friend." She looked at Tony and Harry. "I must leave now. The danger is tamed… for now. Don't skip your lessons, Tony. Because another task is about to begin… Same goes for you too, young Harry. Things aren't going to be better next year… No matter how much I prevent the tragedy… it will still happen."
With that said, she turned around and left through the portal that appeared and disappeared as she walked through it.
Tony sighed. "Great… Why can't she speak straight instead of riddles? Geez…"
Herman thrashed on the ground, trying to untie himself, but it was impossible. Whatever these robes were, they were draining his strength, and he felt sick.
"Are those robes safe?" Harry asked curiously. "What are they?"
"I have seen these robes before…" Snape said, ignoring Herman cursing at them. "They drain your strength and magic… keep them sealed."
Tony moved fast, pushing Harry behind him and pointing toward the direction where he heard noises and more than one person running toward them. He lowered his hand when he saw it was none other than Sirius and Remus. "Where were you two?!"
Sirius and Remus froze momentarily upon seeing Tony. Their anger at Peter vanished in the blink of an eye. They wondered who told him. "H-How did you get here?!" Sirius stuttered and sweated.
"Ha! You two thought I wouldn't know?" Tony sneered. "You are in big trouble! Starting with that old mold sitting inside his office!" He turned to the side and waved his hand, creating a portal similar to the Ancient One's, except the sparks were blue.
"Come on, let's go." Tony grabbed the startled Harry and pulled him through the portal.
Remus walked over to where Herman was on the ground tied in golden robes. He pulled him from the ground and dragged him toward the portal. Sirius and Snape followed behind them.
As they walked through the portal, it disappeared behind them, and they found themselves inside the Headmaster's office.
Harry was awkwardly standing while Tony was chewing out Albus, who was sitting behind his desk and trying to make himself smaller. Tony's anger wasn't something to take lightly, and he was furious.
Snape found himself liking Stark. No one could speak to Albus like this except himself, so it was refreshing to see someone give him a proper scolding. If only Minerva were here. She would have approved of this.
At least he's not yelling at us, Sirius thought, gulping.
What he didn't know was that Tony planned to confront him and Remus as well, but first he wanted to put this old fossil in his rightful place.
———————
If Gellert were to put words to disappointment, it would still be disappointment. Can you believe this?
Looking around, he found no ambush waiting for him or any wizard in sight. The only thing that awaited him was a well-placed bomb inside the so-called Riddle mansion.
Did they seriously think something like this could harm him? Gellert Grindelwald? Please.
He left the area before Muggles arrived. He had no interest in speaking with them. He was familiar with this place—Albus had shown him memories of where poor Sr. Tom Riddle, father of the Hellspawn, lived with his parents, who mysteriously died along with his parents and any people who work for them in mansion. Well, it was Tom Riddle Jr. who killed them and later visited the Gaunt family, the last living relatives of his.
Gellert placed a Disillusionment Charm over himself as he walked through the empty streets, heading toward the house—or whatever was left of it. The village was called Little Hangleton.
He had a vision not too long ago: a cursed ring hidden in the Gaunt family shack. If Albus had come here to retrieve that ring, he would have been cursed and died.
Clenching his fist, he headed over there—to get rid of the filth that would have killed Albus.
And to find out just where and how many Horcruxes that abomination had created.