"Ha!"
A Killing Curse shot towards Sagres from the side.
Without hesitation, he abandoned the chance to continue attacking Voldemort, transformed into the shadow of a raven, and soared into the sky before diving back down like an arrow the next instant.
By then, Voldemort had violently torn the remaining creature from his body and seized the opportunity to inject all of Nagini's blood into the wound at his waist.
The gaping wound healed at a visible rate, but his eyes were already filled with unmistakable panic.
He could feel death knocking once again.
Sagres's figure flickered continuously across the graveyard, every appearance accompanied by a deadly spell.
His attacks came as swiftly as lightning, forcing Voldemort into constant retreat. He could do little more than cling to life through repeated Apparition.
"Is dodging all you know how to do, Tom?"
Sagres's voice came from every direction, each word striking at Voldemort's nerves.
His figure was almost impossible to track across the battlefield. One moment he appeared atop a tombstone, the next behind a Death Eater, launching attacks from unpredictable angles every time he reappeared.
Voldemort roared furiously, and blood-red Fiendfyre erupted from his wand, twisting and coiling into the shape of an enormous serpent that lunged at Sagres.
But Sagres merely gave a light wave of his wand, his voice cold.
"A fool who never learns!"
As the fiery serpent approached him, its crimson flames suddenly faded. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a pale raven of fire that turned in mid-air and flew straight back towards Voldemort.
Caught off guard, Voldemort could only Apparate away again, dragging a Death Eater in front of himself as a human shield.
But Sagres's next attack followed immediately.
A streak of red light struck the Death Eater, and with a wet splatter, blood sprayed across Voldemort.
"Keep running, Tom."
Voldemort was now utterly terrified, his heart in his throat.
He could truly feel death breathing down his neck.
For someone who had already "died" once before, Voldemort feared death far more than an ordinary person ever could.
He frantically Apparated again, but Sagres followed him like a shadow.
"Mortuos Resuscita! Arise!"
The corpses within the ring of fire rose in response and hurled themselves viciously at the panicked Dark Lord.
The surviving Death Eaters had long since descended into chaos. Aside from Barty, who was still fighting the enormous fiery wolf, everyone else was desperately trying to Apparate away and escape.
Sagres briefly broke off his pursuit and swept his wand towards the sky.
Two newly forming Apparition lights were abruptly cut off, and moments later, dismembered body parts fell from above.
Meanwhile, the reanimated corpses had already swarmed Voldemort. Wormtail stretched out his silver right hand and seized the hem of Voldemort's robes.
"Get out of the way!"
Voldemort roared and violently swung his wand.
A sharp Cutting Curse severed Wormtail's arm at the shoulder, but the silver hand remained firmly clamped around the fabric of his robe.
That momentary delay was enough.
Sagres suddenly appeared directly in front of Voldemort, his wand moving so quickly it was almost impossible to follow.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three streaks of red light shot towards Voldemort in a triangular formation.
The first struck an obstructing corpse.
The second grazed the hem of Voldemort's robes.
Voldemort tried to Apparate away, only to discover that the surrounding space had been completely sealed.
He raised his trembling wand to defend himself, but was already too weak to cast even the simplest spell.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Under the horrified gazes of the remaining Death Eaters, the final crimson beam struck Voldemort directly.
"No!"
Voldemort's roar died abruptly in his throat.
His crimson eyes widened in disbelief, reflecting Sagres's stern face.
Splash!
The once-arrogant Voldemort collapsed into a pool of dark-red, boiling blood that slowly seeped into the soil of the graveyard.
His wand rolled to one side and, in the next instant, was swallowed by the flames.
Dead silence enveloped the entire graveyard.
The Death Eaters stared blankly at the pool of blood. Some stumbled backwards, while others let their wands fall from their hands without even noticing.
Barty Crouch Jr. knelt on the ground, his face bloodless, his lips trembling without producing a sound.
Sagres repeatedly waved his wand, and the pale flames surrounding the graveyard surged violently. Several magical creatures formed from fire leapt out from within them.
The Death Eaters, having completely lost the will to fight, scattered and fled beneath the pursuit of the fiery beasts.
But none escaped.
One after another, they were consumed by the raging flames and reduced to ashes.
Sagres slowly lowered his wand and walked towards Barty, who was still kneeling on the ground.
The fanatical follower was foolishly stroking the dark-red blood, as though still trying to find some trace of his master within it.
"Guess what your fate will be," Sagres said calmly.
Barty suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with frenzied hatred.
"Kill me!"
"No."
Sagres gently shook his head.
"You are different from your master. For him, death is the most terrifying punishment. But for you..."
"Kill me!" Barty repeated, his face ashen.
Sagres continued shaking his head. He leaned down slightly, bringing himself closer to Barty.
"I will turn you into the first step leading into the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Day after day, year after year, every student entering and leaving the castle will tread upon you. Exposed to wind and sunlight, worn down by rain and snow, you will remain conscious until the very end of your life."
A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Barty's lifeless eyes.
Sagres straightened and added expressionlessly, "Believe me, I will do exactly as I say."
...
When the enormous raven Noctis brought Harry back to Hogwarts Castle, the entire castle was shrouded in oppressive chaos.
The professors hurriedly organised the students inside the Great Hall, every face filled with unease and fear.
"Merlin's beard! What is that? A dragon?"
Professor Flitwick stood in the Great Hall, the first to spot the enormous dark shape in the night sky.
Professor McGonagall, holding her pointed hat, looked up and narrowed her eyes, trying to make it out.
After the initial shock, she recognised the raven's distinctive silhouette.
"No, Filius, that's Greengrass's raven... and it looks like it's carrying someone."
Snape's black robes billowed as he strode forward, a sharp gleam flashing in his dark eyes.
"It's Potter."
Even as he spoke, the enormous raven gracefully circled down and landed, slowly folding its broad wings.
Harry slid from its back, his body still trembling slightly as his feet touched the ground.
Noctis let out a low cry and gently nudged Harry's shoulder with her dark head, as though comforting the shaken boy.
"Harry!"
Professor McGonagall was the first to rush forward, her face deathly pale.
"Thank Merlin, you're alive..."
Dumbledore followed close behind. His blue eyes, behind his half-moon spectacles, swiftly swept over Harry from head to toe, checking him for injuries.
When his gaze fell upon Harry's missing finger, his pupils contracted slightly.
"Madam Pomfrey," he said in a low voice to the school nurse waiting nearby, "please tend to Harry's injuries immediately."
Harry, however, shook his head. Although his face was pale, his voice was unusually firm.
"Professors, you need to go and help Professor Greengrass immediately. Voldemort... he's returned."
The words fell like a massive stone into a still lake.
The surrounding professors gasped, while the students who had gathered nearby immediately began whispering in horror. The murmurs rapidly spread through the crowd.
"He's in a place called Little Hangleton," Harry hurriedly added. "There's a graveyard beside a church. Voldemort is there, and so are many Death Eaters!"
Just as everyone was still reeling from the revelation, Noctis suddenly spoke.
"There's no need to come."
With that, she spread her enormous wings and, beneath everyone's astonished gazes, soared into the sky before quickly disappearing into the darkness.
___
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