Chapter 30. While You Sleep
The silence was pierced by a woman's scream.
"No, please, don't!"
He recognized that voice.
"I haven't achieved anything yet, I haven't accomplished anything!"
The voice rang in the darkness, with distinct notes of crying.
"Why is it always me?"
The beautiful face of Olga-Maria appeared against the backdrop of a fiery sphere depicting the Earth. Distorted by fear, it receded too quickly to do anything. In a matter of seconds, the body of the chief entered Haldias, and her lips fell forever silent. Closing her eyes, she helplessly slumped before disappearing forever.
Fujimaru opened his eyes and woke up. The events of the past still returned to him in memories and dreams, despite his efforts to forget about them as soon as possible.
He remembered perfectly well how his encounter with Olga-Maria Animusphere went wrong. She would just snort and constantly call him "nameless" - she herself belonged to noble blood, the distinguished and wealthy Animusphere family, mages who always studied the stars and sought answers to all questions, gazing at them. Then he had the misfortune of falling asleep in the middle of the corridor after the experiment on ray shifting, being late for the first assignment and even falling asleep right in front of her. He still could not forget the look from his chief as she approached him. She was beside herself with anger that one of the Master candidates could be so careless about his duty. That day everything changed very quickly when him, Olga-Maria, and Mash were thrown into the city of Fuyuki, which never existed and now will never exist again.
"You're just a human, needed to fill the numbers!" echoed her words in his ears.
"Oh, did someone curse you by any chance?" Fujimaru recalled Kukulina's words addressed to Olga-Maria.
On that day, he and Mash saved Olga-Maria's life several times, only to later learn that all this time they were only dealing with a projection of her consciousness, which had not yet faded in the chief's brain after a powerful explosion that shattered the command center. Professor Lev was exceptionally precise; he knew where Olga-Maria would be standing and planted the bomb so that the explosion would happen right under her feet.
She wanted to save humanity, but she couldn't save herself.
Now he is at Hogwarts, a place where he could never have ended up in his life if he hadn't found that job advertisement. Back then, he was in desperate need of money and was ready to go far away for a long time in the hope of a stable income. He had just recently finished his training, and now he was hardly distinguishable from the numerous Hogwarts students outwardly, but he was so different from them on the inside.
None of them ever challenged the king of magic, engaged in a naval confrontation with pirates, fought against the knights of the Round Table, fought against the gods of antiquity, or stood on the brink of death with Jack the Ripper's knife at their throat, with Koyanskaya holding them hostage. Whom of these children would he tell about his adventures? Nobody would believe him.
Perhaps the only one who would believe him is Jeanne Alter, whom he sent here, but she won't tell anyone their secrets. Now they have a new adventure ahead: a battle against Voldemort - an extremely skilled dark wizard who has already begun his quest for the Holy Grail. At least for now, it seems like he doesn't have any Servants, but that could easily change at any moment. Who knows how many Servants are roaming this world without their own Master? Who knows, maybe Voldemort will encounter Merlin and find the treasures of Gilgamesh?
Ritsuka got dressed and left his office. At the doorstep, a small blue-and-white creature, resembling a squirrel, jumped on him.
- Fou! - exclaimed the creature.
Fujimaru smiled and gently stroked the creature, after which Fou jumped down to the floor and quickly dashed off in a direction only known to him.
- Stay and watch! - the voice of the Director firmly echoed in his head. - Behave like a true Master!
Unable to simply stand and watch, Ritsuka couldn't bear to see Mash holding her ground against Saber Alter on her own. Who would have thought that King Arthur would exert all her strength to destroy this girl? A girl artificially created only to satisfy someone's research ambitions and eventually become a pseudo-Servant, which she ultimately did. A girl who intrigued that mysterious Fou so much that he always ran wherever he pleased. On Ritsuka's first day in Chaldea, the list of people Fou liked expanded to include him.
The sun briefly peeked out from behind the clouds and delighted Ritsuka. Mash would like this. It's much better here than in the mountains of Chaldea, where it's always cloudy or snowing and the sky is never visible. She loves the sky, and for sixteen years of her life before meeting Ritsuka, she only dreamed of seeing the sky and basking in the sunlight. A girl with impeccable purity of character and soul, unaffected even by the horrifying adventures when everyone was ready to betray them and danger lurked from every corner, when they were afraid to close their eyes at night in fear of unexpected attacks.
But in Hogwarts, it's quiet, peaceful, and all dangers are only outside this huge castle. Smiling at the sun that appeared, Ritsuka imagined Mash peacefully sleeping somewhere in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, with golden rays playing on her cheeks and smiled even more. Soon, the time allotted for sleep would be over, and this girl would open her incredible purple eyes to greet the bright morning.
He looked at the sun and these clouds, mentally taking a break from Chaldea. In his mind, the recent dialogue with Jeanne Alter played out.
The morning brought its surprises. One of such surprises was the latest article in the Daily Prophet, completely capturing the attention of many in the Great Hall. Even Ambrose, who was trying to eat breakfast with the most indifferent expression possible, was taken aback by such news.
While the wizarding world remains in shock, the Daily Prophet reports that the walls of Azkaban, the infamous prison for wizards, collapsed as a result of intentional actions by none other than the Dark Lord himself. Witnesses report that the Dark Lord personally and his group of followers infiltrated the prison, using dark magic to destabilize the walls and leave the guards helpless to prevent the collapse. The Dementors, once restrained by the enchantments surrounding the prison, were freed from their captivity and unleashed, sowing terror and despair.
The consequences of this audacious attack were immediate and devastating. Dozens of the most dangerous Azkaban prisoners, including convicted Death Eaters, escaped into the wizarding world, and their actions have already led to chaos and destruction. The Ministry of Magic is attempting to contain the situation, but there is no doubt that the Dark Lord's latest move poses a serious threat to the safety and stability of the entire wizarding community.
"The fall of Azkaban is an unprecedented tragedy," said Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge in a public statement. "We are doing everything possible to recapture the escaped prisoners swiftly and prevent further harm, but now more than ever, we need the cooperation and vigilance of wizards."
Rumors are circulating that the Dark Lord's ultimate goal in releasing the prisoners was to assemble a new army of Death Eaters, ready to wage war against the Ministry and take the place of the most powerful wizard in the world. If true, the wizarding world faces a dark and uncertain future, where anyone can become a potential ally or enemy, and no one, not even the greatest heroes and authorities, can be relied upon to protect against the danger.
While the wizarding world remains frozen in shock and fear, the Daily Prophet stands with all those striving to find justice and order in the face of this unprecedented threat. We will continue to report on this situation as it unfolds, providing our readers with the information they need to stay safe and informed in these uncertain times.
Harry knew that this would happen one day and was waiting for this news. Despite everything, he greeted it with a trembling heart. Now all the Death Eaters were gathered, which meant Voldemort was ready to act even more decisively than before. All that was left was to guess when and where he would strike next, and until that day, just live as usual.
Looking up from the newspaper article, he inadvertently caught Fujimaru's gaze. He looked at him with pity. Neither of them knew how much they had in common.
As Harry was leaving the Great Hall, he encountered Fujimaru at the door once again. He was walking ahead and clearly wanted to talk to him.
"Good morning, Harry," Fujimaru greeted him.
"Good morning, sir."
Harry looked at Fujimaru's face and once again wondered why he was addressing him formally, considering their small age difference.
"How do you like our breakfast today? I especially enjoyed the chicken, it turned out particularly well today."
"What are you talking about?" Harry didn't understand.
"Well, never mind. Let's get to the point. The day starts with such exciting news. In my opinion, it was a big mistake on the Ministry's part not to organize a program for your protection..."
"You want to train us?" Harry's eyes widened.
Fujimaru felt awkward.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not a great wizard..." he hesitated. "And, well, I have experience in an area that you will never be taught at school."
"Really?" Harry's eyes lit up. "In what?"
At that moment, Fujimaru became completely flustered.
"In my third year, we had a professor, Remus Lupin. He taught me how to defend against Dementors using the Patronus charm," Harry recounted with admiration.
"I have encountered dangers scarier than Dementors," Fujimaru spoke sheepishly. "But I can't summon a Patronus. Can you show me?"
Harry was taken aback, but quickly composed himself.
"I can show you if you want. Come to the eighth floor today at eight in the evening."
Fujimaru reached out his hand to Harry, who awkwardly shook it.
"See you later, Harry Potter."
"See you later, Mr. Fujimaru."
- Ritsuka, and you're on a first name basis.
Fujimaru continued to arrange the possible sequence of events in his head. He had never personally spoken to Jeanne Alter, and Mash had never been able to approach her, seeing how Jeanne was always accompanied by the golden trio. But Fujimaru felt that he needed to talk to her. Waiting for her to finish her classes, he casually approached her. She was returning from the potions and absentmindedly twirling a parchment with a satisfactory grade in her hands.
"Miss D'Arc?" he addressed her.
She didn't even pay attention to his question, continuing to think about something tensely.
"Miss..."
"What now?" She swung her wand.
Fujimaru flinched at her reaction. He still remembered how she almost killed him during that battle. There were no other Servants around to immediately come to her aid and challenge her. The blond girl replaced anger on her face with her usual self-satisfaction and lowered her wand, still smiling.
"Oh, how delightful..." she sneered condescendingly. "What brings you here, Mr. Fujimaru?"
Her permanent companions - Harry, Ron, and Hermione - stopped on their way from the dungeons and watched them from a distance. Fujimaru couldn't help but feel like a mesmerized rabbit in front of a python in their company.
"I wanted to inquire about some observations," Fujimaru cautiously started.
He tried his best to keep a calm expression, but Jeanne's face, filled with even more self-satisfaction, made his attempts to deceive anyone futile.
Behave like a true Master!
The face of his superior and her voice, vividly popping up in his memory, returned seriousness to Fujimaru's face. Even Jeanne stopped smiling and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Your Vol-de-mort is quite a pathetic one," her self-satisfaction quickly returned to her face. "Broke after the first jab in the chest. Now it's going crazy, wanting to absorb more power. It's like a little pet hamster - show it a carrot and it runs after it."
"Things are bad, Jeanne," Fujimaru spoke as indifferently as he could. "They're really bad."
"How bad?" she wondered.
"What do you think?"
Fujimaru's gaze gave Jeanne an exhaustive answer to her question. She lowered her head for a second and then raised it. Fujimaru had never seen anyone happier in his life. She burst into laughter and winked at him before leaving, still chuckling.
"What did he say to you?" Ron asked her.
"He said that things are bad," she answered.
"Then why are you laughing?"
"The worse everyone around me is, the more I enjoy it!" she exclaimed in delight and then added, "It's so fu-u-un when everything is just simple!"
"Awesome! I wish I had your optimism."
"Let's see what he'll say today in the Room of Requirement," Harry said.
"You invited him to the meeting of the Dumbledore's Army?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"Yes. We talked after breakfast today, and... I thought it was a good idea," Harry replied.
Hermione absentmindedly twisted her hair around her finger, deep in thought.
"We'll see."
An evening lesson at Dumbledore's Army began as usual. This time, the lesson was devoted to Shield Charms. Not everyone managed to perform this spell well on the first try, but Harry immediately noticed Dudley's talent for defense - he was the first to learn how to shield himself, and when Harry and Hermione held a series of training duels, Dudley was the only one whose shield remained unbroken.
Fujimaru silently watched their training.
"Do you want to show us something, Mr. Fujimaru?" Hermione asked him.
Fujimaru picked up a handful of stones from the shelf. He threw them in front of him, and a wall of glowing patterns appeared in the air before him.
"I learned this trick from my former boss," Fujimaru commented on his actions with a slight embarrassment. "As you can see, this defense is not as perfect as Protego, but it can protect you without requiring a wand. Try to break it."
Harry and Hermione sent different spells at his shield, but couldn't get through to Fujimaru.
"You could attack from behind," Ron remarked.
"Good observation," Fujimaru replied. "Unfortunately, this defense only works like this. It's advanced magic, much more complex than usual, so for now, I'm just demonstrating."
The students applauded.
"And when will you teach us?" Hermione asked.
"When you pass the Patronus test," he awkwardly smiled.
He looked at the faces of those present. It was particularly noteworthy for him to see Jeanne and Mash among the ranks of Dumbledore's Army. Mash sat apart, while Jeanne stood out, actively participating in the lessons. But what caught Fujimaru's attention the most was the perplexity on the students' faces, and he understood them: here, a gathering of many students who until this summer had no idea that Hogwarts and the magical world even existed.
"I know many of you are scared of what's happening and forced to wonder what is really going on," Fujimaru's voice sounded firm, although somewhat pensive. "But I know the answer to your question. The Holy Grail has awakened."
"You're joking," Neville exclaimed. "The legendary Holy Grail - the dream of many wizards - does it exist? I can't believe it!"
"Is this true? Really? Are you sure?" the students whispered to each other.
Fujimaru patiently waited for the whispers to die down.
"Only the Holy Grail can make a muggle into a wizard, let alone multiple muggles around the world. And it is a very complex and dangerous artifact," Fujimaru explained.
"It sounds like you're familiar with the Grail," Hermione speculated.
"Well, you could say that, Hermione," Ron interjected. "The International Confederation of Wizards wouldn't have sent a person here without a reason. They must have people like him."
"He looks too young to be a specialist..." Hermione muttered under her breath.
"Wait a moment..." Neville thoughtfully mused. "Could it be that the Grail can act on its own?"
"It's possible that it acts on its own will. Or maybe someone else's will," Fujimaru cryptically glanced at Neville. "In any case, the Grail is preparing all of us for the War to come."
"Do you think the Grail created so many wizards for its own protection?" the students were beyond puzzled.
"Not just wizards," Fujimaru clarified. "The Grail needs Masters - mages capable of summoning great Servants and fighting for it in the upcoming War."
For a moment, the Room of Requirement fell into complete silence.
"I've read about the Holy Grail and the Servants," Hermione spoke up. "And I think we have no chance of summoning even one of them."
"Your name, miss?"
"Granger, Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Prefect."
Fujimaru smiled.
"Let's assume it's not entirely hopeless. But let's start with the basics. What do you know about Servants?"
"Usually, a Servant is a being from a higher realm, a kind of copy of a historical or mythical figure and all the memories accumulated by humanity about them throughout history," Hermione explained.
"That's correct. Who else can tell me about Servants?"
"Servants are almost always their own individuals," Neville hesitantly spoke up. "They can have their own interests and hobbies."
"Exactly, Mr..."
"Longbottom," he replied timidly.
"Yes, Mr. Longbottom. Despite their duty to serve as tools in the Holy Grail War, all Servants first and foremost remain human. What other primary characteristic do all Servants possess? Anyone want to guess?"
"May I?" Ron asked. "I'm Ron Weasley."
"Go ahead, Mr. Weasley."
"Servants possess inhuman strength, luck, endurance, so any encounter between an ordinary person and a Servant in a real battle can be their last."
"That's also correct. Some Servants have the power to alter reality and affect the entire surrounding universe."
"But where is all this going? Do you want to teach us how to summon Servants?" Hermione asked, more direct than ever.
"Not quite, Miss Granger. But it's important to understand the threat we're facing. The Grail creates Masters to summon Servants and fight in the war. We must stop them before they can do so, or else we risk the safety of the wizarding and muggle worlds. And in order to do that, we must be prepared and know what we're up against. We must be able to defend ourselves against potential Servant attacks and understand their weaknesses. Unfortunately, we cannot learn anything about the Grail's plans or prevent the creation of new Masters. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves to encounter hostile Servants."
"But what if we have to summon Servants ourselves for assistance?" Neville interjected. "After all, no one besides other Servants can fight against them."
"That is possible, Mr. Longbottom. However, it's important to remember that summoning a Servant comes with great risk and should only be done as a last resort. Additionally, we must understand that not all Servants are the same, and some may be more inclined to ally with us than others. But let me be clear: our main goal is to prevent the Grail from falling into the wrong hands. We cannot allow them to threaten the safety of our world."
"But what if Voldemort wants to create such Masters?" Harry interrupted. "How do we stop him from doing that? What if he comes across wandering Servants without their own Masters?"
His words made many students shudder.
"That's when you need to understand what I'm offering you. It doesn't matter if you have your own summoned Servant or not; the Grail is not the kind of reward given posthumously. As for Voldemort, we must be vigilant and prepared to defend ourselves against any threats he may pose. It's important to remember that we are not alone in this fight. We have each other, and together we can overcome any obstacle."
When the class was over and the students started to disperse, Fujimaru remained in the Help Room for a few more minutes.
"So, did you talk about it with Jeanne today?"
Ritsuka nodded.
"Hermione has long talked about how little you have in common with the people assigned to such positions."
Fujimaru smiled wryly.
"She's not wrong. I've never been someone who fits into authorities and their bureaucratic systems. However, this situation is bigger than any of us. The threat posed by the Grail is enormous, and we must do everything possible to stop them. That's why I put myself in this position. It's not what I like, but it's necessary for the greater good."
"I understand that. But be careful, Ritsuka. The danger you're exposing yourself to is immense."
"I know. But I also know that I'm not alone on this path. I have all of you. We will work together to protect the world. That's all that matters."
The two young people looked into each other's eyes for a long time, and then finally clasped hands in a firm handshake.