Struggling to survive at Hogwarts

Chapter 365 Dividing the Troops

"Hermione..."

"Slow down..."

In the crowd, Ron and Hermione stood out from the others as they ran against the flow of people. Hermione was particularly agile, which made it difficult for Ron to catch up.

"Hurry up!"

Hermione called out without turning her head.

The two ran one after the other toward the Slytherin basement, but the closer they got to their destination, the fewer obstacles they encountered.

Aside from the fact that there were few people, Hermione also noticed something else: the Slytherin people didn't care about the two of them.

To be precise, it was a kind of disregard.

Normally, Hermione would definitely put in 100% effort to figure out what was going on, but today was a special case, so even though she sensed something was wrong, she could only grit her teeth and run to the basement.

As for why they ran to the basement instead of the second-floor bathroom.

That was Hermione's explanation.

"What exactly are you thinking?"

"Given... Blake's style, are you sure she would place the entrance to such an important training ground in a place that everyone knows about?"

Upon hearing this, the other two fell silent.

The study group's core members' ever-increasing combat skills led them to believe that this was the effect of the Defense Against the Dark Arts course.

Go ahead and fool me!

"Slytherin Common Room!"

"That's where they gather most frequently; there must be clues there!"

Therefore, based on Hermione's guess, the two rushed towards the Slytherin common room.

Soon, the open doors, without any password, confirmed Hermione's suspicions, and at the same time, the shadow of Thea's betrayal deepened in her heart.

If she could make such timely arrangements, then... could she really not have guessed that Harry was not dead?

Or was it all her arrangement?

Before she could think any further, Hermione was dragged inside by Ron.

Hermione and Ron's progress is steady, and Harry's is not far behind.

Based on the image he saw in his "mind," he found his destination—the Room of Requirement.

After all, there's no place in the entire Hogwarts that looks more like a junkyard!

—A statement of affirmation from a student who studied for many years but dropped out.

Harry, who rushed in based on a guess, had actually thought about what would happen if his password was wrong.

A room that looks like a garbage dump?

Is it the same room that Voldemort visited many years ago?

Before he could guess the final answer, a voice from above made him instinctively draw his wand.

"Ha—don't get excited, Harry."

Her singing-like tone, coupled with her elfin appearance, easily reminded Harry of her.

"Luna? What are you doing here..."

Hearing the sounds of fighting outside, Harry's doubts grew, but he didn't put his wand away.

Luna ignored Harry's wariness, looking out the window in the direction of the door, her tone still that peculiar one:

“I just brought in a few wounded soldiers… I saw Draco, he went up to the seventh floor.”

The seemingly disjointed conversation suddenly made Harry tense; the words "seventh floor" and "Draco" appeared simultaneously...

Harry's gaze towards Luna shifted, but he ultimately said nothing, taking a few steps up the stairs and rushing towards the seventh floor.

"When did Luna pick up that charlatan Trelawney's tone... she's really causing trouble!"

Harry muttered to himself for a moment, but his actions were swift.

Luna, who had been standing still, was eventually woken up by her companions.

"Don't just stand there!"

"...No, I was just giving directions—"

Luna's slow, deliberate tone made it difficult for anyone to listen to her in such a noisy environment. Sure enough, the man shouted once and continued rushing towards the door.

The battle continues.

Harry, reminded by Luna, tried his best to suppress his feelings, but some unsettling speculation once again took hold of his mind.

Draco and... Black are so close, and yet under these circumstances, he went to an address that has absolutely nothing to do with the battlefield...

It's hard for Harry not to equate these doubts with "leading the way".

Whose advice did he take?

The answer is obvious.

He got the answer, but the questions in Harry's mind only grew.

He suppressed his immense fear and began to consider another possibility:

What if there was never any betrayal, and this was just a drama staged by someone driven to desperation?

"Experiment", "blood draw", "prize"...

The words that Harry had deliberately forgotten resurfaced and filled his mind.

All the speculation vanished when Harry successfully followed the three people ahead into the Room of Requirement, and when he was discovered, Draco didn't hesitate to draw his sword at him!

"Are you crazy?!"

Harry was both surprised and angry, but he couldn't explain why.

"I merely accomplished what Thea failed to do!"

Draco's sharp retort successfully dispelled all of Harry's earlier speculations.

Draco didn't know Thea killed him?!

why? !

Did Blake not say that?

Or was he also kept in the dark?

Or perhaps, all that acting... was just wishful thinking on his part?

Next, someone who was delusional and was exposed on the spot, and who was so angry that he decided to take his anger out on a certain blond bastard!

Draco was puzzled, but decided to follow his heart anyway!

After all, he had wanted to teach this ungrateful bastard a lesson for a long time!

Inside the house, where every request was granted, the two fought fiercely, no less intense than the battle outside.

As time went on, Hogwarts, having gained the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support, had completely gained the upper hand.

But Dumbledore, who was in the midst of it all, still showed no joy on his face.

too weird!

This battle was fought so strangely!

Even though the other side launched the sneak attack first, Hogwarts had already set up a battle formation before the Order of the Phoenix could provide reinforcements, clearly indicating that they were prepared in advance.

Not to mention the specific situation during the battle. Apart from the initial Death Eaters who still had some fighting spirit, the situation became increasingly unfavorable as the fighting progressed. Were the later Death Eaters just there to make up the numbers?!

Why aren't you exerting any effort at all?

As for why it took so long...

Dumbledore slowly turned his gaze to the group of Dementors looming overhead, their long, dark shadows looming above the battlefield—

Half a minute later, a beam of white light that could illuminate the entire Hogwarts slowly shone from the tip of Dumbledore's staff.