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  In the Forbidden Forest, Fawley cast the Killing Curse at Dumbledore, a streak of green light rushing toward him.

  Dumbledore didn't move from his spot. With a simple gesture, a brokerunk flew into the path of the curse, blog it.

  Fawley attacked wildly, his wand tinuously shooting curses, but none of them caused Dumbledore much trouble.

  Dumbledore barely shifted his position. He elegantly waved his wand, effortlessly defleg every one of Fawley's attacks.

  If earlier it had been Fawley toying with Eda, now the situation had pletely reversed.

  Fawley was the one being toyed with. However, Dumbledore wasn't mog him; he wasn't the type to do such things. The differeweewo was simply too vast.

  Fawley was still standing on the ground, while Dumbledore had already soared into the stratosphere. The gap between them was so immehat it rendered Fawley's every attack powerless.

  This realization was hard for Fawley to accept.

  He had always been called a genius, reized by Voldemort and given the opportunity to join the Death Eaters.

  But before he could officially join, Voldemort had fallen.

  Fawley had always bmed himself, believing that he had joioo te, uo help Voldemort. He thought that if Voldemort had taken him in earlier, personally training him as a fidant, everything would have been different.

  "Haa.. haah.."

  Breathing heavily, Fawley was overwhelmed by a growing sense of helplessness.

  He knew he wasn't a match for Dumbledore, but he had never imagihe gap between them would be so vast.

  However, after fighting with Dumbledore today, Fawley finally realized how childish all of his schemes had been. In front of Dumbledore, he was like nothing more than a child.

  Of course, he had only fought against Dumbledore. If it had been Magall or Snape here instead, he would likely have had the same realization.

  Dumbledore began his terattack. As an old man, he needed his rest, not to be standing in the Forbidden Forest in the cold wind after all. With a slight turn of his wand, a dazzling white light shot toward Fawley.

  Fawley swung his wand wildly in the light, but no matter what he did, the light tio envelop him. Whip-like tendrils of light struck him repeatedly, and Fawley let out furious howls.

  The brilliant white light illuminated a rge part of the Forbidden Forest. When it finally faded, Fawley reappeared. He was on his kightly bound by vihat had seemingly sprung from nowhere.

  No matter how much he struggled, the more he fought, the tighter the vines ed around him.

  Exhausted, Fawley shouted, "Are you going to kill me, Dumbledore?"

  Dumbledore looked at Fawley, who was firmly bound. There was a hint ret in his eyes. Purely in terms of magical ability, Fawley was indeed a talented wizard. Even during wartime, his bat skills would have been quite formidable.

  But Fawley had taken the wrong path, choosing a road from which there was urn.

  If he had taken the right path, he could have achieved much more. Instead, he had fallen into dark magic, being nothing more than aioner who relied on the Killing Curse.

  "No, I won't do that. But you will pay for what you've done," Dumbledore said calmly. "For Daniel Bell, and for Eda—you will answer for both attacks."

  "Pay? You're sendio Azkaban?" Fawley sneered. "They'll wele like a hero when I arrive."

  Dumbledore said, "Perhaps. But I think the Dementors will wele you more warmly. Though I don't like those creatures, they are the true masters of Azkaban."

  "I'll be watg you from Azkaban, waiting for the day my master kills you! I'll celebrate that day properly!" Fawley cursed venomously.

  "Even if I die, there will always be others to stand against Voldemort. Someone will defeat him," Dumbledore said, pausing thoughtfully before tinuing. "This world has never cked heroes. They will always appear when they are needed."

  "I have no iion of debating this with you. You'll see that day e. Darkness has never been able to fully obscure the light," Dumbledore added.

  He raised his wand and cast a Stunning Spell at Fawley. Bound tightly, Fawley immediately fell unscious.

  ...

  Eda y oretcher, staring bnkly at the dazzling white light. She didn't really want to leave. She wao see Dumbledore teach Fawley a lesson with her own eyes.

  She also wao see what it was like when Dumbledore, the greatest wizard, fought. She was curious about how he did it.

  Eda wao watch, but she couldn't. She could only lie oretcher. After having her life threatened, endurireme mental stress, aedly casting spells, Eda was now utterly exhausted. She couldn't muster any energy, and even her hair had lost its usual vibrancy.

  Usually, Professonagall was very perceptive, but this time, she didn't notice Eda's desire to stay. Instead, thinking that Eda was in pain, Magall sped up her pace rather than slowing down.

  The three of them, along with the floating stretcher, quickly exited the Forbidden Forest.

  Outside, they were met by a fully armed Hagrid and the anxious Weasley twins, who had been pag in circles.

  As soon as the twins saw the group, they ran straight over.

  During the time Eda was in dahe twins had been tormented with worry. If Filch hadn't deyed them, perhaps Eda would have had someoo sult with. She might not have goo the dungeons alone and wouldn't have been kidnapped by the sinister Fawley.

  Worry and guilt had been tormenting the twins' hearts. If Hagrid hadn't forcibly held them back, the brothers would have followed Dumbledore and the others into the Forbidden Forest.

  ""Eda, are you okay?"" the two called out loudly, their evident. The moment they saw that Eda was alive, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

  "Keep your voices down, Weasleys," Professonagall said with a displeased expression. "She needs rest."

  The twins nodded repeatedly, but they didn't leave. Instead, they stayed by the stretcher, holding tightly to Eda's hands, afraid of losing her again.

  "I'm fine. I'm sorry for making you worry," Eda whispered, smiling at the twins to signal that they worry anymore.

  Seeing Eda's smile only deepehe twins' guilt. Fred said, "ime, we'll stand in front of you. No, wait, there won't be a ime. You'll never be in danger again."

  Gee added, "You won't be alone anymore. We'll protect you."

  "Unless we're dead, we won't let anyone hurt you again," the twins said together.

  "We're not going to die. We'll all live well," Eda smiled again, even though the effort took a lot out of her.

  Snape, the trio f each other, seemed to recall some unpleasant memories. He spoke up, interrupting their warm moment. He had a knack for pying the role of a disruptor or mood-destroyer.

  He said, "Weasleys, you better stop talking to her, or I don't mind giving Twist another bottle of Sileion."

  Threatened by She twins and Eda fell silent. The twins were afraid of disturbing Eda's rest, and Eda herself had no energy left to speak.

  "Professor, how is she?" Hagrid approached and asked in a low voice, though even when he lowered his voice, it was still loud.

  Professonagall replied, "Nothing serious. Eda just o rest. You stay here and wait for Dumbledore; he'll be out soon."

  "Alright, Professor," Hagrid said. He gently patted Eda's head before leaving the group to return to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

  All of them quickly returo the castle, takio the hospital wing arustio Madam Pomfrey's care. The momeouched the bed, she fell into a deep sleep.

  The twins wao stay and watch over her, but Professonagall firmly drove them out, forcibly esc both of them back to the on room.

  Just as Professonagall had said, not long after they left, a figure emerged from the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

  "Who's there?" Hagrid raised his crossbow, aiming at the figure.

  "It's me, Hagrid."

  "Dumbledore, Professor!" Hagrid reized Dumbledore's void saw his figure emerging from the forest.

  Behind Dumbledore floated Fawley, bound tightly and unscious. Hagrid quickly hoisted Fawley over his shoulder and asked, "What do we do now?"

  "Professonagall should have already written to Minister Fudge. Once he arrives, we'll hand Fawley over to him," Dumbledore replied.

  "Will he be sent to Azkaban?" Even someone as strong as Hagrid shuddered at the mention of the notorious prison.

  "Perhaps," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "It all depends on how Fudge chooses to ha. The Ministry hasn't captured a Death Eater in a long time."

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