CHAPTER 42: THE HUNTER'S PATH
Harry soared through the crisp mountain air, marveling at the breathtaking landscape below. Glacial lakes shimmered like jewels, nestled among snow-dusted peaks and sprawling meadows teeming with wildlife. Despite the serenity of the scene, Harry couldn't shake the sense of urgency that gripped him—Voldemort's presence loomed somewhere amidst this majestic wilderness.
"I thought I caught movement to the left," Sirius's voice broke Harry's reverie, grounding him back to their mission.
Harry nodded, adjusting his course to sweep leftward in wide arcs, scanning the dense forest below. Disillusioned and flying just above the treetops, they remained nearly invisible to all but the most keen-eyed observer.
"There," Harry whispered urgently as he glimpsed a figure darting through the trees below, heading towards the foothills of the mountains.
They followed cautiously, keeping pace with the mysterious figure. Through breaks in the canopy, Harry discerned black wizarding robes and a flash of straw-colored hair—a telltale sign.
"I'm sure that's him," Harry murmured as he guided his broom towards a clearing about a mile ahead. With practiced ease, he landed silently and dismounted, Sirius following suit.
Crouched low behind a thicket, Harry gestured for Sirius to join him. "We need to proceed cautiously from here. He might be close to his destination."
Sirius nodded grimly, his gaze fixed ahead. "Let's move quietly. We can't afford to lose him now."
They advanced stealthily, mindful of every rustle and crackle underfoot. The forest grew denser as they neared the base of the mountains, the air thick with the scent of pine and the distant murmur of a nearby stream.
"I think he's just ahead," Sirius whispered, his hand on his wand, ready for any sign of trouble.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the trees ahead—a lone figure with a purposeful stride, unmistakably their target. Voldemort's ally stopped at the edge of a small clearing, his back to them as he gazed towards the looming mountains.
"What do you reckon he's up to?" Sirius muttered, eyes narrowing as they observed from their concealed vantage point.
Harry shook his head, uncertainty gnawing at him. "Not sure, but we can't afford to let him out of our sight now."
They watched in tense silence as the figure seemed to mutter an incantation, a faint glow enveloping his wand. Harry's pulse quickened—whatever Voldemort's agent was planning, it couldn't bode well for their mission to thwart the Dark Lord's resurgence.
"Should we apprehend him now?" Sirius whispered, his hand twitching towards his wand.
Harry hesitated, weighing their options. "Not yet. Let's see what he does next. It might give us a clue about Voldemort's plans."
They remained hidden, observing with baited breath as the agent completed his spellwork, his figure outlined against the backdrop of the towering mountains and the fading light of the day.
"So this is where we ambush him?" Sirius asked, his voice low but intense.
"Yes, but no magic," Harry cautioned, his tone serious.
"What? Why not?" Sirius frowned, puzzled by the restriction.
"Because this whole area is under surveillance by the Albanian Auror Corps and Dumbledore," Harry explained, his gaze scanning their surroundings. He unclipped a dagger from his belt and handed it to Sirius.
Sirius inspected the blade, running his thumb cautiously along its edge. "Is this Goblin-made?" he asked, admiring its craftsmanship.
"Careful! Don't touch the blade," Harry snapped, concern flickering across his features.
"Why not?" Sirius withdrew his hand quickly.
"It's coated with basilisk venom. Even a scratch could kill you in less than a minute," Harry clarified, his expression grave.
Sirius nodded solemnly, carefully sheathing the dagger and securing it back on his belt. "What about you? What are you using?"
Harry drew a pistol from the holster on his vest, ejecting the magazine to check its load before swiftly reloading and chambering a round. "This," he stated, his voice steady as he handled the firearm with practiced familiarity.
Sirius eyed the pistol, his brows furrowing slightly. "Muggle weapon?"
"Yeah, sometimes the old ways are more effective," Harry replied, his eyes fixed on their target ahead.
They waited in tense silence, their senses attuned to any movement or sound from the figure in the clearing. The agent finished his incantation, the air shimmering faintly around him as he seemed to be completing some sort of protective enchantment.
"Now?" Sirius whispered, his hand twitching towards his wand.
Harry shook his head. "Not yet. Let's wait until he makes his next move. We need to know what he's up to."
They maintained their vigil, muscles tense with anticipation as the agent's silhouette grew clearer against the backdrop of the mountains and the fading light of the day.
Harry nodded, a sense of familiarity settling over him as he checked the pistol once more. "Yeah, it's a modified Muggle firearm. Quite handy for situations like this."
Before he could finish, a thunderous explosion echoed through the forest, shaking the ground beneath them.
"What the hell was that?" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes widening as they turned towards the direction of the disturbance.
"I don't know. Let's find out," Harry said decisively, holstering the pistol and swiftly mounting his broom again.
"Think someone else is after him?" Sirius asked, climbing on behind Harry.
"Not that I know of," Harry replied, concentrating as he disillusioned both of them with a tap to his head before kicking off into the air.
They traced the trail of chaos caused by the explosion, quickly locating its source. In a clearing not far away, three men clad in deep purple robes clashed with Crouch Jr. The area resembled a warzone, with craters in the ground and burning trees filling the air with smoke. Two unmoving figures in purple robes lay sprawled on the ground, casualties of the skirmish.
Crouch Jr. held his ground adeptly against the attackers, his movements precise and calculated. Spells flew back and forth, lighting up the darkening sky with bursts of color and energy. Despite being outnumbered, he seemed to have the upper hand, deflecting curses and retaliating with skillful strikes of his own.
"We need to intervene," Harry said tersely, his eyes fixed on the ongoing battle.
Sirius nodded grimly, his expression hardening as he readied his wand. "Let's go."
They swooped down towards the fray, Harry leading the charge with Sirius closely behind. As they approached, Crouch Jr. caught sight of them, his eyes narrowing briefly before refocusing on his opponents.
"Need a hand?" Harry called out as they landed a safe distance away.
Crouch Jr. glanced at them, assessing quickly before nodding once. "I can handle them, but your help wouldn't hurt."
Sirius joined Harry's side, his wand at the ready. "Who are these blokes?"
"I have no idea, but they're not friendly," Harry replied grimly, watching as the men in purple robes regrouped, eyeing them with suspicion.
The lead attacker sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "You should not have interfered, Potter. This does not concern you."
Harry tensed, recognizing the tone and the venom in the man's voice. "It does now."
Without another word, spells erupted anew as the skirmish resumed with heightened intensity. Harry and Sirius fought alongside Crouch Jr., their movements coordinated and precise. The attackers proved formidable, their spells fueled by dark intent and relentless determination.
Minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity as the battle raged on, each side refusing to yield. Harry's heart raced with adrenaline, his focus razor-sharp as he countered curses and unleashed powerful charms in return. The forest echoed with the clash of magic and the shouts of combatants, the air thick with the scent of burning wood and ozone.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of spellfire and dueling, the last of the attackers fell. Panting heavily, Harry surveyed the aftermath—the ground littered with fallen enemies and scorched earth.
"Is everyone alright?" Harry asked, turning to check on Sirius and Crouch Jr.
Sirius nodded, his breathing labored but steady. "I'm fine. You?"
"Yeah, I'm good," Harry replied, relief washing over him as he assessed the situation.
Crouch Jr. straightened, his demeanor composed despite the chaos around them. "Thank you for your assistance."
"No problem," Harry said, though his mind was racing with questions about the attackers and their motives.
As they stood amidst the aftermath, the gravity of their mission weighed heavily upon them. The encounter had been a stark reminder of the dangers they faced, and the lengths to which Voldemort's allies would go to thwart them.
"We should report back to Dumbledore," Sirius suggested, breaking the silence that had settled over them.
Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's get out of here."
With one last look at the smoldering battlefield, they mounted their brooms and soared into the twilight sky, leaving behind the scene of their unexpected confrontation.
"Are those Albanian Aurors?" Sirius asked, his gaze drawn back to the ongoing struggle below as another Auror fell to a purple spell.
"Yes, and they seem to have bitten off more than they can chew," Harry replied dryly, observing the dwindling numbers of the Albanian Aurors.
"Shouldn't we help?" Sirius looked concerned as the last standing Auror faced overwhelming odds.
"No, I don't want my magical signature anywhere near this scene. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in an Albanian prison?" Harry's tone was matter-of-fact.
"No, British prison was enough for me," Sirius answered quickly, his expression grim.
"They don't have Dementors, but they do have issues with Lethifolds getting into the prison and consuming prisoners," Harry reasoned quietly as the last Auror fell to a decapitation curse.
From their vantage point in the air, Harry and Sirius watched as Crouch Jr. checked the fallen Aurors, dispatching two with the Killing Curse before disappearing into the forest.
"Where's he going?" Sirius asked, confusion evident in his voice.
"He's laying low. That skirmish will have drawn a lot of attention to this area," Harry explained softly, following Crouch Jr.'s path from overhead.
"So what do we do now?" Sirius inquired, his eyes scanning the horizon.
"We wait until tonight, then we take him down," Harry said firmly as they continued northward on their brooms.
They trailed Barty for hours, the terrain rugged and unforgiving as he led them further from where Harry suspected Voldemort's presence lay. It made sense; Crouch Jr. wouldn't risk leading his pursuers directly to his master.
Around three o'clock, Harry spotted Barty approaching a rocky mountain. He watched as Crouch Jr. began to ascend, heading towards several fissures in the rock that likely led to a small cave system.
"He's going into one of the caves," Sirius exclaimed quietly, eyes fixed on their target.
"I know. That might complicate matters," Harry murmured, his senses on high alert as he heard a familiar sound in the distance—the soothing, haunting melody of phoenix song.
"Damn it, Dumbledore's here," Harry cursed under his breath as a burst of flame erupted below them, heralding Dumbledore's sudden appearance on the ground.
Dumbledore seemed serene and focused as he started climbing the mountain, wand sweeping back and forth before him.
"Now what?" Sirius whispered nervously, his eyes darting between Dumbledore and the cave entrance.
"Stay out of it. I'm good, but I'm no match for him in a fight," Harry cautioned, his gaze drawn to Fawkes as the phoenix took flight.
Fawkes soared up beside them, emitting a cheerful trill of greeting before circling over Dumbledore.
"What was that about?" Sirius asked, alarm evident in his voice.
"Fawkes being Fawkes—a bit of a smartass," Harry muttered, watching the phoenix intently.
"But he knows we're here," Sirius argued, his concern growing.
"As long as we don't pose a threat to Albus, the bird doesn't mind us being here," Harry shrugged, his attention returning to Dumbledore as the Headmaster disappeared into the cave entrance.
"We're not going to get Crouch, are we?" Sirius asked, his tone tinged with a hint of relief.
"Not here, we're not," Harry agreed grimly as the entrance to the cave glowed with green light.
"Stupid move. You never go at Dumbles with the Killing Curse," Harry muttered in disappointment, shaking his head.
"No, from what I've seen, the best way to duel him is to keep him moving. He tires out after a while," Sirius added quietly.
"Yeah, he likes to stand his ground and overwhelm his—" Harry began to say, interrupted abruptly by a deafening explosion.
"BOOM," Sirius finished, the force of the blast sending smoke and dust billowing from the cave opening.
Soon after, they watched as Dumbledore emerged from the cave, levitating a bound and unconscious Barty Crouch Jr. behind him.
"Fawkes, if you would be so kind," Dumbledore requested politely.
They observed as Fawkes swooped down, taking Barty in his talons before disappearing in a burst of flame.
"Alright, we're done here," Harry whispered, maneuvering his broom away from the area before Dumbledore could notice their presence.
Three hours later, Harry and Sirius touched down at the edge of the forest, dismounting from their brooms.
"Finally. If I never see another broomstick, it'll be too soon," Sirius muttered, steadying himself as he walked a bit shakily.
"Tell me about it. The cushioning charms only go so far," Harry agreed, his movements fluid as he shrunk the broom and tucked it into his robe pocket.
"So, can we go home now?" Sirius asked hopefully, his weariness palpable.
"Yes, the sooner we're out of these alert wards, the better," Harry replied, taking the lead as he guided them out of the forest.
It took about an hour before they crossed beyond the wards' boundary. Harry offered Sirius his arm for support, knowing they both needed it after the intense day they'd had.
As they walked out of the magical alert wards, Harry and Sirius found themselves on a quiet path leading away from the forest. The evening air was cool and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos they had left behind.
Sirius leaned slightly on Harry's arm, his exhaustion evident. "I don't know about you, but I could use a hot meal and a good night's sleep."
Harry nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of the day settling on his shoulders. "Definitely. Let's get back to the safehouse first."
They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds the rustling of leaves underfoot and the occasional distant call of a nocturnal creature. The safehouse wasn't far now, a secluded cottage nestled in a copse of trees, hidden from prying eyes by powerful concealment charms.
As they approached, the door swung open silently, revealing a warm glow from within. Mrs. Abbott, the kind witch who managed the safehouse, stood in the doorway with a welcoming smile.
"Welcome back, dears," she greeted them warmly, her eyes flickering with concern as she took in their tired expressions. "You both look like you've been through a lot."
"Just a typical day," Sirius replied with a tired grin, though his eyes betrayed his relief at being back in the safety of the house.
Harry nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Mrs. Abbott. It's good to be back."
Mrs. Abbott ushered them inside, where a comforting aroma of stew wafted from the kitchen. The cozy sitting room was lit by a crackling fire, casting flickering shadows on the walls adorned with protective runes.
"You two go rest. Dinner will be ready shortly," Mrs. Abbott insisted kindly, her motherly demeanor soothing their frayed nerves.
Harry and Sirius exchanged a glance of gratitude before heading upstairs to their respective rooms. The stairs creaked softly underfoot as they ascended, the weariness of the day finally catching up to them.
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