Harry Potter: The Rise Of Malfoy

Chapter 72

The following morning in the Great Hall, Hagrid reported to Dumbledore, speaking loudly about his discovery of unknown individuals illegally hunting near the Forbidden Forest. The significant amount of blood found on the ground hinted that one of them might have sustained injuries. In response, Professor Sprout stood up to inform everyone that several pots of a valuable herb known as white fresh, which is prized for healing external wounds, had been stolen from the greenhouse.

The students, who had been listening in, began speculating whether the injured hunter could possibly be Sirius Black. It was common for wizards to hunt for food, and beyond magical creatures, the Forbidden Forest was home to wild deer and foxes. It was plausible that during such a hunt, one could encounter threatening magical beasts that might cause harm.

That evening, as Sirius Black crept into the greenhouse, he was unexpectedly ambushed by a shadow.

This time, however, he was ready and managed to roll away just in time to avoid the green light of the Killing Curse.

The assailant was a short, balding man with gray hair and a face resembling that of a rat—Peter Pettigrew, the very person Sirius had been longing to take revenge on.

With red eyes and shaking voice, Sirius barked, "Traitor! How dare you show your face to me again!"

Seemingly unperturbed, Pettigrew sneered, "Sirius, who do you think you are? It seems those twelve years in Azkaban have made you lose touch with reality."

Pettigrew's eyes glinted coldly, "I'm not the same person I once was; I possess new powers and no longer fear you. Once I eliminate you, my existence will remain hidden, allowing me to return to my human form and start anew, while you will die forever known as a traitor..."

At that moment, Professor Lupin emerged from his hiding spot, flanking Pettigrew, and said bitterly, "It's you! Peter! Not enough that you killed James; now you seek to murder Sirius as well, you despicable rat! I will ensure that you pay for this today!"

Simultaneously, Lupin and Sirius drew their wands, with Lupin having brought Sirius's wand. Despite Pettigrew significantly enhancing his powers, his inherently timid and cautious nature remained unchanged. He was acutely aware that he could never hold a candle to Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard of the century.

Realizing that today's plans had completely unraveled with Dumbledore's presence, all he could envision was a return to a life on the run. Though miserable and stifling, it was at least preferable to facing immediate doom.

Reflecting on this brought waves of humiliation and rage to his heart, and he shouted wildly, "Best friends? They view me as nothing more than a lackey! Just a gopher who obeys orders! When have they ever regarded me as an equal friend?"

At the tip of his wand, five peculiar green sparks flared up one after another, vividly visible in the darkness.

Sirius was momentarily taken aback, as memories surged back to that Muggle street twelve years past. He recalled this spell; Pettigrew, weeping before him, had conjured five green sparks that led to the destruction of an entire street.

He shouted, "Danger!" Both he and Lupin were gravely injured and unable to move, resigning themselves to the prospect of death. He felt no fear of dying, but overwhelming unwillingness—he had failed to avenge his friend James and had unwittingly endangered Lupin.

Locking eyes with Lupin, both exchanged grim smiles and reached for one another's hands, ready to face death together.

However, their demise was averted. Dumbledore stood between them, erecting a magical barrier of radiant white light to deflect Pettigrew's attack, offering the traitor his chance to flee into the Forbidden Forest.

Sirius rasped, "Don't focus on us! He's escaping! If he makes it into the Forbidden Forest, he can Disapparate…"

Dumbledore's expression was thoughtful as he replied, "Not necessarily…"

Indeed, while Pettigrew darted into the Forbidden Forest, he did not Disapparate as Sirius had anticipated—not from a lack of desire, but rather from an inability.

The dark magic he had recently wielded was a form of sacrificial magic. Twelve years prior, he had sacrificed a finger when confronting Sirius, and now facing Dumbledore, he dared not take risks, sacrificing his entire right hand instead. The hand, now missing a finger, lay discarded as corrupted flesh on the ground, the price for wielding such dark power.

Due to the extensive drain of magical energy and significant blood loss, he was left incredibly weakened, incapable of performing the complex Disapparating spell.

He intended to hide in the Forbidden Forest temporarily, allowing his strength to return enough to Disapparate away. As he staggered deeper into the woods, an unseen curse struck him from an ambush within a dark thicket. Despite his caution, he was unaware of the approach until a full-body-bind curse left him immobile.

Soren lowered his invisibility charm, stepping forward with a faint smile, "Hello, Peter Pettigrew. Pleasure to meet you. I am Soren Malfoy; you should be familiar with my name, right?"

Pettigrew croaked, "Of course, I know you. You are the second son of the Malfoy family, also known as Hogwarts' future star. Your father and I are both Death Eaters; please help me and get me out of here. I will certainly repay you."

Soren, intrigued, asked, "Really? Are you attempting to deceive a child with empty promises? Why not enlighten me on how you intend to repay me?"

Clinging to a glimmer of hope, Pettigrew hastily replied, "I can grant you power. I can share the secret of how I gained this power. With your talent, if you obtain this power, surpassing Dumbledore will be very close at hand."

Soren nodded, "That is indeed enticing, but unfortunately, I don't require it…"

Refusing to give up, Pettigrew continued to entice Soren with descriptions of the strength this power promised. When Soren remained unmoved, Pettigrew finally acquiesced, asking, "What is it that you seek?"

Soren smiled, replying, "You know, like all Slytherins, I am quite ambitious. I wish to have your loyalty…"

Pettigrew pondered for a moment before offering a sycophantic smile, saying, "It would be an honor to pledge my loyalty to you, an exceptional future powerhouse."

"Your compliance is surprisingly quick, yet I remain suspicious. You previously betrayed the Order of the Phoenix and then went into hiding after Voldemort's fall. You're not a reliable servant."

"No, I won't. They aren't like you; they're too fanatical. Young master, you've inherited the Malfoy traits—that ability to assess situations and keep yourself safe. Following you is the right choice."

"That said, I still have to take precautions," Soren said as he retrieved a vial from his pocket. "This is a potion I crafted myself. Should you dare betray me after consuming it, you will suffer a painful demise from a myriad of arrows piercing your heart. Drink it all, and I will accept your loyalty and allow you to leave."

Though reluctant, Pettigrew had no option but to drink the potion.

What he didn't foresee was that Soren's concoction was entirely fabricated; no such potion existing in reality. Even if it did, Soren wouldn't possess it—it was actually a potion that would induce confusion instead. After consuming it, Pettigrew found his mind clouded, allowing Soren to cast a hypnosis spell, extracting the secrets behind his sudden surge in power without restraint.

Surprisingly, Pettigrew hadn't returned to Voldemort.

His newfound powers stemmed from a clandestine organization known as the "Shadow of the Dragon," comprised entirely of formidable dark wizards, some of whom were outlined as infamous fugitives from Voldemort's era.

After leaving Hogwarts, a young Tom Riddle had come into contact with these individuals, acquiring many secrets concerning dark magic, including methods for enhancing his magical prowess through dark transformations. Riddle, in his student days as Voldemort, had appeared captivating, starkly different from the terrifying figure he evolved into; his grotesque appearance resulted from these dark practices.

Pettigrew didn't possess much knowledge about this organization.

He knew they sought a particular Hogwarts student and had been transformed by some dark influence, resulting in his rapid empowerment.

In return, Pettigrew took an unbreakable vow to assist in abducting this student. Currently clueless about the student's identity, the organization instructed Pettigrew to first handle Black, a potential threat to their schemes, before disclosing further plans to him.

The "Shadow of the Dragon," a group absent from the original narrative—why had they appeared at Hogwarts, and what hidden agenda did they have?

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