Hermione's newspaper lay on the table, like a cruel crow of ominous fate, a harbinger of terrible doom and imminent destruction. Harry, looking at its headline, felt the horror that had lived in his heart since the start of the new war in London. He couldn't believe the reality of what was happening and knew that this horror would stay with him forever.
London on the brink of catastrophe: Monstrous clashes between Death Eaters and army checkpoints!
Dear readers, today's news about the situation in London is simply shocking. After a series of UFO attacks on the city, mass disappearances of people, and mass killings, the situation is only getting worse. This time, an unknown creature resembling a Yeti has entered the battle. Witnesses claim that this creature attacks army posts in the city and instantly erases them from the streets of London. As soon as it appears on the street, it instantly erases everything in its path, leaving only disturbing traces behind.
The extraordinary and strange creature attacks army posts in London, wiping them out from the streets of the city in a matter of moments. Another wave of horror has engulfed everyone living and working in the metropolis. Local residents, shocked by what is happening, call this phenomenon the "London Monster." Most witnesses claim that the creature looks like a huge and ominous Yeti.
Although rumors of the London Monster have just started spreading throughout the city, there have already been several attacks where people have witnessed horrifying scenes of it pulling soldiers out of their vehicles and tearing them apart in front of random bystanders. The government has declared the creature dangerous and has urged all citizens to be cautious.
Local residents are in a state of panic and helplessness, not knowing what this creature is and how to fight it. Authorities are still trying to unravel the mystery of this new horror, but they have already begun taking action and have deployed all their forces to combat the new threat.
Unfortunately, this is not the only problem Londoners face. Death Eater attacks are becoming increasingly brutal and merciless—they not only attack military posts but also blow up tanks and torment patrols to the point of insanity. Due to the terror of the Death Eaters, the fighting has spread to all areas of the city, and the army cannot handle all the problems at once.
Local residents live in fear, not knowing what to do. Many have already left the city, fearing for their lives. But who knows where is safe in such strange times? Who will be the next victim of this unknown predator? There are countless questions, but if we remain vigilant and continue to fight, we may find answers and survive in this grim world. In the meantime, authorities are urging everyone to stay in their places and only go out on the streets if absolutely necessary.
It is still unknown what this creature is and how to fight it. The only thing known about the creature is its enormous height and strength. But who it is and where it came from remains a mystery. The local police and army personnel still do not know how to deal with this new horror that has led to a new wave of panic and chaos in London. Some experts speculate that it may be the result of a genetic mutation caused by environmental pollution. Others believe it may be related to the terror of the Death Eaters, who continue to operate in the city.
So, we stand on the edge of the abyss, fearing that even worse awaits us in the near future. Let us pray that Londoners can regain their safety and peace in this vast city. The only thing clear now is that London is on the brink of catastrophe, and the authorities must act immediately to protect the citizens. We will keep an eye on developments and keep you informed of all the news. Stay tuned, citizens, and stay vigilant!
Harry finished reading the article, then, with a serious expression on his face, he placed his spoon on the plate and pushed it aside. Hermione and Ron looked puzzled since the moment they noticed that Harry hadn't touched his food.
- Aren't you hungry? - Hermione asked.
He paused for a moment, sighed, and said:
- I can't participate in the War for the Grail. It's too much responsibility. I understand that we need to fight Voldemort, but fighting for the Grail... it's too much for me.
- What? - Ron almost choked on his scrambled eggs, hearing such unexpected news.
Harry nodded, realizing that Ron couldn't understand his feelings. But it didn't help the young wizard deal with his dreams, which literally didn't let him rest at night.
Ron hesitated with annoyance, barely lowering his hand into the basket of pastries.
- I thought you were a pure-blood hero, Harry! And it turns out... you're just a human. - he grumbled, puffing up his cheeks.
- Not funny, Ron! - Hermione reprimanded him, swinging a newspaper at him.
- Hey! - Ron waved her away. - I'm just trying to joke... We all need some positivity in these difficult times, don't you think?
Hermione just huffed angrily in response and immediately shifted her gaze to Harry. He toyed with his morning pudding with a spoon, but couldn't eat a single bite. His dreams didn't let him rest, and he felt that he wasn't ready for such responsibility. But for a second, he even wondered why Fred and George didn't support Ron. He expected to hear their sparkling joke about Ron in any similar situation, but on that morning, even they seemed out of sorts. In general, the entire hall looked as if the students were not at the table, but anywhere else... Somewhere outside.
- Did you have a nightmare again? - Jeanne guessed, moving closer to him.
Harry nodded, unable to utter a word. He felt fear and helplessness engulfing him, like darkness, and didn't know how to fight it.
- He already has several Servants on his side. - Jeanne remarked, trying to convince Harry to join the fight for the Grail. - Innocent people have already suffered because of his Servants.
Harry looked at her hopefully, expecting to hear something reassuring, but saw only the seriousness on her face. Harry looked at her with confusion. He couldn't understand why she insisted on him joining the fight for the Grail.
- Whether you want it or not, this war has already started. - Jeanne continued, trying to convey the seriousness of the situation to Harry.
Jeanne's words shocked Harry, Ron, and Hermione, leaving them frozen in horror. Unintentionally overhearing their conversation, Masha suddenly made a quiet sound, similar to Fou's squeak, but no one paid the slightest attention to her - everyone was immersed in thoughts of the terrible war looming over them, a war whose heavy footsteps could be heard more and more distinctly behind the ancient and mighty walls of Hogwarts. They all knew that this war had already begun. Harry, in horror and sadness, lowered his gaze and sat silent for a few seconds, then looked at his friends, but still didn't utter a word. In response to his silence, Jeanne dropped her face, disappointedly shrugged her shoulders, and sighed with regret.
- You said something good happened, right? - Ron tapped Harry on the shoulder, trying to understand what was going on. - For the one who must not be named, correct?
Harry nodded. Jeanne looked at him intently and lowered her face thoughtfully.
- What does that mean? - Ron was puzzled and couldn't understand what was happening.
- Nothing good, Ron! - Hermione intervened, trying to prevent possible panic.
The newspaper lay on the table like a living creature, capable of conveying its dark news to disobedient ears. Harry's eyes darted back and forth between some future temporary period, with a vague longing and worry, and then to the past, where he and Ron miraculously survived many horrible events. He was engulfed with fear in the face of a new war. Harry looked at the newspaper as if it were a portal to another world. He felt that something was wrong, that the world in which he lived no longer existed. He felt his soul sinking into the abyss of fear and despair.
In the surrounding air hung a mixture of the smells of resin, soot, and dirt. Harry vividly sensed the foreboding that the most horrific events in London were only just beginning. The mind of the young wizard helplessly struggled with unknown things that now permeated every new day and every news article on the front pages of the newspapers. The newly awakened forces commanded by Voldemort unleashed all the horrors in the world: Death Eaters prepared tortures, unknown creatures jumped out from around the corner, and UFOs twinkled in the haze.
Harry imagined with trembling horror a completely destroyed London, abandoned castles, and ruined houses, but he could not bring himself to believe that all this was not the madness of an inflamed imagination, but reality.
And who knows what other dark forces will rise to the surface, who knows what awaits around the corner? Harry felt like a tiny speck of dust, worn out and worn down. Who was he amidst all these horrors and events? In such moments, he wished his friends were with him, he needed their courage and loyalty.
But again and again, the same thought kept popping into his head - even that won't help. Whether he was afraid or not, reality would come and strike him forcefully on the head. He knew it, he knew it firmly, but fear did not want to leave him, even in the face of such doom.
Regardless of what was happening there, it bore no resemblance to their previous encounters with supernatural creatures, such as crocodiles and butterfly people. This was something completely different: the feeling of crackling and coldness, emanating in dead silence, could become their last memory. The day of death had come too early.
- Where will we go at the end of this term? - he asked, unexpectedly deeply immersed in memories of his life, of a life he could never return to.
He felt small, like a dry autumn leaf before the face of a hurricane-like wind - a non-humanly ominous shadow of Voldemort and the Dark forces. He didn't know what awaited him ahead, but he understood - he would not escape the depths of that true horror and fear in which the Dark Lord reigned. With each passing day, a new war threatened the lives of more and more human masses, and Harry became more fearful that he would eventually surrender and lose in this confrontation. He feared that he would ultimately have to go against himself.
A spiritual haze surrounded him, every step filled with anxiety and danger, and it was impossible to predict where his next steps would lead him. Harry felt a stronger wave of fear wash over him, making him feel insignificant, like a mere speck of dust in the face of Voldemort and his cruel followers. He understood that they were now on the brink of abyss, and there might not be any chances of escape left.
"We'll be going back to where there will be a war," Ron nervously remarked, sensing the shared apprehension.
"Whatever it is, we won't run away," Hermione declared determinedly, instilling everyone with her faith.
"We'll fight them," Jeanne smirked arrogantly.
But the newspaper continued to stare at Harry, as if laughing with its enigmatic and skeptical laughter, slipping out of his control and leading his mind into the uncharted depths of an uncertain future that seemed more mysterious and terrifying with each passing day.
All the students from Dumbledore's Army were in the Room of Requirement, painstakingly studying the instructions for the War for the Grail, surrounded by candles. The room was silent, with only the torches on the walls illuminating them, creating a sense of a mysterious path that they were about to embark on. Suddenly, Harry felt the gaze of Fujimaru on him, who despite his youth, seemed like a wise old man. At the same time, Fujimaru appeared as a melancholic poet today, always praising broken hearts and unforgettable sunset colors.
"What are the main rules in the War for the Grail?" Harry asked puzzledly.
"There are two paths to victory. You can either destroy all the enemy Servants or be the first to reach the Grail, if its location is precisely determined," Fujimaru carefully replied, scrutinizing the students.
Glancing at each other, the students realized that this choice was not as simple as it may have seemed, as the enemy already had their own Servants, and defeating them might not be an easy task. And Harry couldn't help but think about one thing - Voldemort will lead this War and there are no guarantees of safety for anyone who participates. He had a sense of foreboding, anticipating the most terrifying part of the confrontation - Voldemort will definitely challenge each of the Masters in Dumbledore's Army and won't stop at anything. Others understood the same, which spread a general fear among everyone, but no one wanted to retreat.
"But what if we have special circumstances, and... we cannot participate in this War individually?" Hermione asked with a tremor in her voice.
"Then this War of the Holy Grail may resemble others, where two clans participated. Your Servants will fight together on one side, while the enemy's Servants will be on the other," Fujimaru replied convincingly.
This sparked a lively discussion, and a path was already being planned in their hearts because this choice was their last, and the students had to make it without the possibility of turning back.
Harry stared into the void, trying to make sense of all the information that had just been given to him. The War for the Grail, Voldemort, Servants, Masters - it all sounded horrifying. And if you add two warring clans to the mix? In essence, it meant that he and his friends had to forget about their personal grievances and disagreements in order to survive until victory.
"Where will we find out how many Masters there are on the other side?" Ron asked. "What if we can't gather enough?"
"If you don't have enough Masters on your side, the Grail can add a new Master to your side - the one it deems most worthy."
Whispered excitement filled the Room of Requirement.
"But what if a Servant, not under our command, disrupts all our plans and starts giving orders to other Servants as if they were a Master? We don't know who we'll encounter," Agatha asked.
"That can indeed happen," Fujimaru answered after a short pause. "But such abilities can only be possessed by a Servant of the Ruler class. Sometimes, the Ruler can even summon the Grail itself if something goes wrong during the War."
"Prince Rulers are incredibly rare, aren't they?" Luna asked, looking at Fujimaru with curiosity.
"Yes, you're right, Lavgood. Rulers are rare Servants who can control the course of the War and even change the rules. But if such a Servant were to appear, they would become a threat to all Masters," Fujimaru replied, looking at Luna with respect.
"What if we don't want to participate in this War?" Harry asked.
"You can refuse to participate in the War for the Grail. But be prepared, other Masters or Servants may attack you," Fujimaru answered, looking at Harry with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"But we can't just sit and wait to be attacked!" Hermione exclaimed, clenching her fists.
"Exactly! We must protect our friends and loved ones!" Ron supported her, looking at her with admiration.
"Then you must be prepared for the fact that the War for the Grail is not a game. It's a brutal battle where victory comes at a high cost," Fujimaru said, looking at all the students with a serious expression.
Ron began to feel that the Holy Grail War program was approaching a grand plan of action, where no concessions were included. He nervously clenched his wand in his fist and glanced at Harry, as if seeking comfort in his eyes.
"Is that all you can tell us?" he asked, hoping for a more reassuring answer.
"It's also important not to forget that during the War for the Grail, you can negotiate with other Masters and appoint allies for yourselves," Fujimaru added. "You don't have to kill each other indiscriminately."
Harry had heard this information many times before and firmly knew that if they didn't unite their forces, everyone in this room would be doomed.
Ron shivered. It seemed that his entire body trembled from an unknown chill. This War seemed like something they should have been preparing for for years, but despite all the difficulties, it appeared unusual and unbelievable. How could you prepare for a battle with creatures you had never heard of before?
"And if we lose?" Hermione asked in a less confident voice than usual. "What will happen to us?"
"After the Grail reveals itself, one of the Masters will have the opportunity to fulfill their wish. If the Master and their wish are approved by the Grail, it will be granted. If a Master loses their life during the battle for the Grail, they will lose that opportunity," Fujimaru spoke as if reading from a book. "And remember, only a Servant can touch the Grail."
"It sounds terrifying," Ron murmured, subdued. He felt a cold sweat running down his neck.
"But don't forget - your Servant will fight for you," Fujimaru said in a mentor-like tone, simultaneously shaking his head. "Every Master has their own Servant, chosen for them by the Grail, to whom they are loyal."
"I hope my Servant will be strong enough," Ron said, trying to steer his thoughts in a more optimistic direction.
"Why should the Servants help us in the first place? What is in it for them?" Dudley asked for the first time since the conversation started. "If they are all so different, it's doubtful that some of them want to save humanity."
"That's a very valid question," Fujimaru reacted. "In reality, the Servants also want to obtain the Grail because... each Servant has their own desire."
Everyone gasped and exchanged glances.
"But how then can we obtain the Grail if we have to share it with our Servant?"
"What desire can a Servant strive for?" Ron asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
"It depends on the Servant's class," Fujimaru explained. "And on the value that desired object holds for them. But be careful - you never know what desires lie within the hearts of the Servants. Without exaggeration, they can be very unpredictable."
"And how destructive can these desires be?" Luna suddenly asked, who had been silently watching the dialogue from a distance.
"Very," Fujimaru replied, frowning. "You must always keep that in mind during the War for the Grail. The main thing is that the goal for which the Master and Servant are fighting is worth it and has been discussed in advance. Otherwise, the War can lead to catastrophe."
At the last words, the students in the Room of Requirement shuddered as if the sky had suddenly exploded with thunder and lightning nearby.
"That's all," Fujimaru abruptly declared, getting up from his chair. "You must be prepared for the War for the Grail, my friends. The time is approaching."
Harry nodded understandingly. He couldn't imagine just how brutal and merciless this War would be. But he had no intentions of giving up. In this battle, not only his life was at stake, but the lives of those he loved. Because only this victory would force Voldemort to retract his dirty claws and allow them to restore peace and tranquility to their world.
The students cautiously stood up and, one by one, left the Room of Requirement. Thoughts were swirling in their heads, and their hearts were tied in tight knots of apprehension. But one thing was clear - they had to prepare for this challenge and face it together, as true Masters.