True anger, in its most terrible form, is utterly silent.
After Severus left hastily from the headmaster's office to prepare the life-sustaining potions, Bryan and Dumbledore remained standing on opposite sides of Hermione's conjured sickbed.
Their gazes were lowered in concentration upon the unconscious body of Hermione who lay between them. The surging emotions emanating from these two renowned and powerful wizards caused the magical ocean that existed in the invisible air surrounding them to stir aggressively creating waves of magical energy.
The countless portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses on the walls of the office, usually eager to give their unsought opinions and commentary, fell uniformly and unusually silent. Even Phineas Nigellus Black, notorious for his sarcastic comments and general disdain for students, watched with solemnity.
Finally, after some moments of tense silence, Dumbledore took decisive action.
He began to mutter ancient incantations under his breath in a melodic, rhythmic stream. His elder wand moved through the air sketching mysterious and complex trajectories that left faint traces of silvery light momentarily in the air before dissipating.
The tip of the legendary wand gradually began to brew and accumulate a sacred light that grew increasingly dazzling with each passing second. The light expanded and intensified until it seemed as though a miniature version of a bright, full moon was delicately hanging on the tip of Dumbledore's wand.
Bryan could see that Dumbledore was performing a very ancient magic. So, he remained calm, quietly waiting for the result.
The light in Dumbledore's eyes behind his half-moon spectacles had transformed from its usual twinkling warmth to something incredibly solemn and focused. His chant-like incantations gradually decreased in volume and then ceased completely as he lowered his wrist slowly pressing that radiant "bright moon" at his wand tip directly into Hermione's unconscious body.
A sharp, anticipatory glint flashed through Bryan's purple eyes as he observed this critical moment. With perfect timing, he seized the precise opportunity to release his suppressive grip on Hermione's innate magic and the curse raging within her body, allowing Dumbledore's purifying light to encounter the dark magic directly.
In the invisible world of magical energies, the moment the insidious magical toxins that had been spreading throughout Hermione's body encountered this moon conjured by Dumbledore's ancient spell, they disappeared in an instant, much like a handful of water scattered across the surface of a scorching iron plate would evaporate into nothingness.
The radiant moon-like orb "rolled over" Hermione's body with steadily eradicating the clusters of black toxins wherever it passed, leaving purified channels of magical energy in its path.
To the physical eye, the most visible change was that the faint black smoke that had been continuously rising from Hermione's body had now rapidly dissipated as the curse was forcibly expelled from her system. A healthier, rosier color gradually returned to her pale cheeks.
This visible improvement was undoubtedly a heartening change that would have elicited expressions of relief and joy from most observers. However, neither Dumbledore nor Bryan showed any outer signs of joy or optimism.
The "bright moon" completed its initial purification sweep of Hermione's body and then advanced with momentum toward her right arm—the apparent epicenter where the curse had established its strongest foothold.
What unfolded next looked like a strategic military campaign more than a medical procedure.
The "bright moon" that had merged into Hermione's body and temporarily settled at her right shoulder suddenly separated and transformed into thousands of white threads of magical energy. These lights charged toward Hermione's forearm like a battalion of determined soldiers marching resolutely into battle against a formidable enemy.
As if sensing impending destruction, the concentrated dark clouds on Hermione's forearm churned violently as though trying to relocate and escape the approaching purification. However, through their combined magic, Bryan and Dumbledore had carefully sealed off all possible escape routes for the dark magic, leaving it no choice but to face the oncoming light.
Victory seemed imminent, yet Dumbledore maintained careful, meticulous control over his powerful magic throughout the process. He was aware that if this bright moon filled with his huge magical power were to lose stability even shortly, then Hermione whose own magical reserves had been severely depleted might lose her life to his healing spell.
The glossy white threads began striking the dark clouds at an extremely high frequency similar to that of a heavy rainstorm scouring accumulated filth from dry ground. As seconds stretched into minutes, the concentrated dark clouds gradually began to fade and diminish while continuing to tremor and pulsate...
This intense internal magical battle was not without physical manifestations and impacts on Hermione's unconscious body. Her right hand began to twitch uncontrollably even in her coma. Beneath her pale skin, blood vessels arched and twisted like wriggling earthworms that appeared quite hideous.
Noting these concerning developments, Bryan pressed his index and middle fingers together and then gently placed them on Hermione's trembling forearm.
He did not interfere with Dumbledore's attempt, but if the situation took a turn for the worse, he needed to respond immediately.
Whoosh—
The instant the dark clouds completely dissipated; a fresh breeze spontaneously appeared by the bed. Bryan and Dumbledore's gazes converged across the bed, both appearing somewhat shocked.
There was simply... nothing beneath where the dark clouds had been. The curse seemed to have been entirely purified!
"No curse seed—" Dumbledore blurted out in astonishment, breaking the tense silence that had engulfed the office. His eyebrows wrinkled together in puzzlement, as his expression became incomparably solemn and troubled.
'A curse without a seed?' Bryan silently thought about this confusing situation. 'This made no sense at all.'
Bryan had previously done research on the Blood Curse and had successfully grasped an understanding of this evil curse originally invented by the dark wizard Herpo the Foul in ancient times.
Through this work, he had confirmed what magical theorists had long maintained: any curse, no matter how simple or complex, must possess a central core—the so-called curse seed from which its malicious effects radiate outward.
Directly destroying the curse seed would always and thoroughly eliminate the curse itself.
Both Bryan and Dumbledore had worked under the belief that the curse seed afflicting Hermione was concealed within the dark clouds that had taken root in her forearm. Yet unexpectedly, after meticulously stripping away this outer disguise through Dumbledore's ancient purification ritual, they discovered that the core contained absolutely nothing.
"Bryan!"
Just as Bryan was deeply pondering this perplexing mystery in a momentary state of daze, Dumbledore's face suddenly transformed with alarm.
Bryan's eyes immediately refocused on Hermione's arm. The dark clouds that Dumbledore had just dispelled suddenly reappeared without any warning or magical trigger, once again firmly entrenching themselves on Hermione's right forearm. Even more disturbing, the re-formed curse appeared even more concentrated and vigorous than before.
There was no time to theorize about how this bizarre and unprecedented situation had occurred. Unwilling to conduct further experimental procedures on the already severely weakened Hermione, Dumbledore immediately retracted the "bright moon" he had pressed into her body.
With a flick of his wand, he withdrew the purifying energy, allowing it to harmlessly dissipate into the magic of the castle. Simultaneously, Bryan pressed his fingers together with force, completely sealing the flow of magic in the affected area of Hermione's arm with his immense power, creating a magical quarantine to prevent further spread.
With these emergency containment measures implemented, Bryan carefully withdrew his fingers from Hermione's skin while Dumbledore also waved his hand to scatter the remnants of the bright moon that had been ineffective against this unusual curse. Their intense gazes intersected in the air above Hermione's unconscious body.
"What are your thoughts, Bryan?" Dumbledore asked solemnly.
"A curse must have a core—" Bryan furrowed his brow, the light of contemplation continuously flashing through his eyes. "This is an unbreakable principle of curse creation, Headmaster. The curse seed of the hex afflicting Hermione seems to be physically separated from the curse manifestation itself. Only through such an arrangement could it have resulted in this outcome. But why did the curse spontaneously reappear after being dispelled??"
"This strange behavior reminds me of the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position—" Dumbledore observed thoughtfully, a hint of deep weariness flashing across his face.
This comparison was indeed suitable and insightful.
Bryan had also once held the Defense Against the Dark Arts professorship. The mysterious curse on this position existed in the form of a magical contract or bond. The precise moment any wizard or witch accepted the teaching post, the curse would fall upon them. However, Bryan recalled that the curse seed of this potent hex did not reside in the voodoo doll he had used as his substitute.
"You believe—"
"I do not think this is Voldemort's handiwork—" Bryan fell silent for a moment before shaking his head, dismissing this possibility. "From any angle, he has no logical reason to target or harm Hermione specifically at this particular time."
This point was naturally clear to Dumbledore without Bryan's reminder. The truly troubling aspect of the situation was that the hex afflicting Hermione could not be permanently lifted even through the combined efforts of the two of them. This raised an alarming question: how many Dark wizards currently in existence possessed this extraordinary level of magical skill and knowledge?
They had to identify and locate the caster with quickly. In that brief but meaningful exchange of glances, Bryan and Dumbledore immediately reached this unspoken consensus.
The urgency came not only from the possibility that the curse seed afflicting Hermione most likely remained in the caster's possession—serving as an anchor for the curse's persistent regeneration—but also because regardless of whom Hermione had unintentionally offended or why she had been targeted, using such a cruel method to poison a young Hogwarts witch during the school term was undoubtedly a deliberate and serious provocation against Hogwarts.
If they did not identify the person responsible and ensure they paid an appropriate price for this, then as the administrators of this school, how could they possibly face the hundreds of young wizards and witches entrusted to their care?
Especially when considering students like Hermione who came from non-magical backgrounds. Her parents had never heard of Hogwarts before receiving her letter, and they still viewed magic as a mythical concept beyond their understanding, yet they had still trusted the magical world enough to send their only child into it. Hogwarts, and by extension Dumbledore and the entire faculty, owed them not just an explanation but also justice and the assurance that such an attack would never be repeated.
"They have arrived—"
The momentarily silent Dumbledore suddenly raised his head, his magical senses detecting movement in the spiral staircase beyond his office door. As expected, the sound of the guardian gargoyle shifting aside could be heard outside.
It was Professor McGonagall, accompanied by Harry.
"Albus, Bryan—"
Professor McGonagall was panting heavily, apparently having run all the way back from Hogsmeade. Even the strict bun at the back of her head had loosened, and her robes were soaked with mud.
Upon seeing Hermione lying on the abrupt sickbed in the headmaster's office, her eyes immediately moistened again, her expression pained.
"She...Hermione--"
Professor McGonagall's voice carried a thick dampness. Her trembling tone was laced with fear, dreading...dreading a terrible answer.
"Don't worry, Minerva," Dumbledore assured her gently, understanding her unspoken question. "Miss Granger's condition has stabilized."
"How is Ron?" Bryan interjected, looking at Professor McGonagall with concern.
Earlier in Hogsmeade, amidst the chaos and his focus on the critically injured Hermione, he had noticed Ron fainting and falling badly, but had prioritized the more immediate life-threatening situation and had no opportunity to judge the boy's condition.
"Alastor examined him at the scene—" Professor McGonagall sniffled, suppressing her tears in an effort to maintain her professional composure in front of a student. "He sustained some injuries due to impact from the fall. Poppy is treating him now in the hospital wing—"
Bryan nodded with relief at this more positive news, and finally turned his gaze toward Harry, who had remained unnaturally silent throughout the conversation.
"Well then, Mr. Potter, I believe you witnessed the entire sequence of events personally. Please share with us everything you know."
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