Chapter 71
Chapter : Shadows and Light
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Alex McKinnon-Black’s POV
The cold was biting. Even indoors, there was a deep chill that seemed to seep into every corner of Hogwarts. It wasn’t the usual Scottish winter, either. This was something else entirely—the effect of Dementors. I could feel it gnawing at the edges of my mind, whispering thoughts I’d tried to bury long ago. Thoughts of futility, of everything I was doing here amounting to nothing, like a fragile illusion waiting to shatter.
My perception of reality had been changing ever since I’d arrived in this world, but the Dementors were intensifying everything, making my fears almost tangible. Sometimes, I even wondered if it was all in my head, some mad dream where I was living out this existence in the Harry Potter universe. But there was no time to give in to doubt. Not when there was so much to be done.
I spent every spare moment practicing the Patronus Charm and helping others do the same. I’d managed to teach a handful of students how to summon even a wisp of silver mist, but most of them were struggling. The Dementors’ very presence seemed to sap their hope and happiness, and it was affecting everyone’s magic. Yet I couldn’t let this fear grip us. If nothing else, we needed defenses.
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Hogwarts Common Room - Rowena Ravenclaw’s Journal
After another long day, I found myself in the Ravenclaw common room, staring at the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. Helena, or the Grey Lady, had given me a clue—a cryptic remark about where her mother’s personal journal might be hidden. Apparently, Rowena had left more than just wisdom behind.
After some probing and a careful look behind the statue, I finally found a hidden compartment. In it lay a leather-bound journal, untouched for centuries but pulsing faintly with magic. I flipped it open with a strange feeling of reverence, wondering what secrets the great Rowena Ravenclaw might have left behind.
The journal entries described the crafting of the diadem—a masterpiece of magical creation that not only stored knowledge but enhanced perception and allowed for a limited form of mind-reading. The magic was complex, delicate, and powerful. It was clear that Rowena had known more about the mind than any witch or wizard in her time, maybe even since. I read on, entranced, until I found something astonishing: Rowena had traveled to Kamar-Taj, learning the mystic arts from those who guarded Earth’s realms. No wonder her knowledge was so far-reaching.
Armed with this new insight, I felt like I was standing on the edge of discovery. Perhaps this diadem could be adapted somehow, reimagined into something even more useful—a magical database, a mental amplifier to help against the mental toll Dementors brought. The challenge would be making it safe, of course, but the possibilities were endless.
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The Capture of Pettigrew
Just as I was processing Rowena’s insights, my blood tracker spell alerted me. Pettigrew. He was hiding, skulking somewhere close. I’d tracked him down before, and this time, I didn’t plan to let him slip away.
I moved swiftly, casting a Disillusionment Charm to cloak myself and follow the pull of the spell. He was skittering around like a rat, looking for a safe place, but he wouldn’t find one. A well-timed Stupefy spell caught him off guard, and he collapsed. This time, I’d placed charms on him to prevent his transformation or any attempts at escape.
Yet, I hadn’t found Bellatrix with him. Which meant she was either lying low or working with others. Either way, I couldn’t afford to dwell on it. With Pettigrew in custody, I had a bargaining chip, and perhaps, just perhaps, I could coax some information out of him.
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Distracting Dumbledore and Snape
Dumbledore’s interest in me had grown lately, and I knew that he and Snape were keeping close tabs on my movements. They were cautious, curious, and, I suspected, suspicious. It was only a matter of time before they pieced together more than I wanted them to know.
So, I needed to create a distraction. My mind raced with possibilities as I considered ways to keep them busy. Something that would draw their attention away from my activities with the Winter Soldier and the Starks. Perhaps a project with explosive potential? Or maybe a series of minor misdirections, layered over time to keep them guessing?
For now, I had enough on my plate. The Dementors, Pettigrew’s capture, and my experiments with the diadem would have to come first. But I knew one thing—I couldn’t allow anyone, not even Dumbledore, to derail what I was working toward. I would need to outthink and outmaneuver the greatest wizard of this time, and that required patience, precision, and an iron will.