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Chapter 721: You're Not Allowed to Speak About Her Like That!!
"… But didn't Harry Potter come to rescue him?" Ted asked quickly.
Griphook scoffed.
"Of course he didn't."
He didn't mention that the Death Eaters had planned to starve Darren for a few days and then force him to call Harry Potter for help.
Clearly that plan had failed.
Darren Potter had been determined to die.
But Voldemort had placed magic on him that prevented him from harming himself.
So the only thing he could do was refuse food.
Of course, when the Death Eaters reported this, the story changed.
Voldemort supposedly did not allow Darren to starve because it would make him appear too cruel.
That was the official explanation.
But there were probably other reasons.
"I heard Voldemort summoned Severus Snape and scolded him," Griphook continued.
"After that, Snape personally forced Darren Potter to eat every meal.
Apparently he even threatened him using his friends."
Harry felt tears roll down his face.
They knew Darren must have been suffering terribly.
What kind of life was he living at Hogwarts?
"And after that?" Dean asked.
"Didn't I just tell you?" Griphook said impatiently.
Dean hurriedly apologized, and only then did Griphook continue.
"After that, Darren Potter began eating again.
But he kept trying to find ways to help Harry Potter.
Eventually they did something rather dramatic.
He and the Weasley girl, that Longbottom boy, and a rather strange girl sneaked into Snape's office."
"They stole the Sword of Gryffindor and the Sorting Hat."
"The Sorting Hat?" Ted asked quickly.
"Why would they steal that?"
Even Griphook sounded uncertain.
"I'm not entirely sure.
Apparently Darren Potter only told them to take the Sorting Hat.
But they touched the sword as well and triggered Snape's protective enchantments.
Of course, it's also possible that the sword was their real target, and the Sorting Hat was just a cover.
Snape certainly believes that."
"Were they caught?" Dean asked nervously.
"Of course they were caught.
But Darren Potter managed to get the others out before Snape arrived.
Snape saw them—but he had no proof.
All he could prove was that Darren Potter had been there and that something had been stolen."
"And then?" Dean asked again quietly.
"Then came the punishment.
Snape ordered Darren Potter to assist with school maintenance.
Filch supervised him."
"But… he doesn't have magic," Ted said.
"Exactly. No magic.
Under the watch of the entire Slytherin House, Darren Potter had to clean the Slytherin common room by hand.
Eventually he collapsed from exhaustion.
They carried him to the hospital wing.
He stayed there for a whole day before they sent him back."
Harry felt his entire body trembling.
They had imagined Darren being tortured at Hogwarts.
But hearing it like this—
It felt even worse.
Cleaning.
Humiliation.
Collapsing from exhaustion.
In Harry's mind he could picture Darren struggling to finish the endless work.
Slytherins mocking him.
Finally he tried to stand up—
And simply collapsed instead.
Dean and Ted sounded equally disturbed.
Harry heard Dean whisper again,
"And after that?"
"I don't know much more," Griphook replied.
"But the last thing I heard was that Snape became afraid Darren Potter would try to steal the sword and the Sorting Hat again.
So he moved both of them into a vault under heavy protection."
Griphook snorted.
"Though personally I think they're all fools.
I've seen the sword myself.
That one is a fake.
A copy made later.
The real Sword of Gryffindor is long gone."
"Did you tell the Death Eaters about that?" Ted asked.
"Of course not.
They're busy enough already.
Why would I help them?"
Ted laughed.
"Oh right—you mentioned the Weasley children earlier. What happened to them?"
"Well, Darren Potter got them out before they were caught.
But it was still easy to accuse them afterward.
Snape gave them some excuse punishment.
They were sent to help Hagrid take care of dangerous creatures."
Their voices grew quieter.
Then Griphook suddenly asked,
"So… do you believe in Harry Potter?"
Ted answered first.
"Yes.
If Darren Potter believes in him that strongly, that's good enough for me.
If Darren can suffer like this and still resist, then we can't give up either."
Dean agreed.
"Our lives are already destroyed anyway."
Then Ted added thoughtfully,
"It's not easy supporting a boy who's vanished from the world.
He hides so well.
Darren Potter was captured and he still hasn't appeared.
Sometimes I wonder if he just ran away."
Silence fell.
Harry slowly pulled the Extendable Ear away.
He looked at Hermione.
"Darren… Ginny…"
Hermione ignored him.
She seemed to have remembered something.
Quickly she pulled a small frame out of her beaded bag.
Inside it was a portrait.
Phineas Nigellus Black.
Harry blinked in surprise.
"You still brought that?"
Hermione ran a hand through her hair.
"Darren told me to take it.
He didn't explain why at the time.
But now I think I understand."
Her eyes lit with excitement.
"He planned to communicate with us through Phineas.
Maybe even returning to Hogwarts was part of his plan."
Harry didn't completely understand.
But he did know one thing.
Phineas's portrait hung near the Sorting Hat and the sword.
If someone had tried to steal them, he would definitely know.
Unless he had been asleep.
Hermione didn't believe that.
She leaned toward the portrait and whispered,
"Headmaster Phineas… Mr. Black… are you there?
Please come out.
We need to ask you something."
Nothing happened.
Just as they began to lose hope, Hermione suddenly raised her voice.
"Sir, please come out!"
The portrait shifted.
Phineas appeared.
"'Please' does work occasionally," he said smugly.
"Do remember that in the future."
Hermione immediately turned the frame around.
"Cover his eyes!"
They wrapped a piece of cloth over the portrait.
Phineas shouted in outrage.
"What are you doing?!
This is outrageous!
I refuse to tolerate such disrespect!
Remove this immediately!
You are insulting a great man!"
"I'm sorry," Harry said quickly.
"We just need to ask you a few questions."
Phineas stopped struggling.
"You must be the fugitive Harry Potter, I presume."
Harry decided to keep him talking.
"Yes. I need to ask about the sword and the Sorting Hat.
And… how is my brother Darren?"
Phineas sniffed disdainfully.
"I must say, Darren Potter is remarkably cautious.
A very intelligent boy.
He understood that only the Sorting Hat needed to be taken.
But that girl…"
He shook his head.
"…was an idiot."
"Don't talk about my sister like that!"
Ron shouted angrily.
Phineas raised his chin arrogantly.
"And who exactly are you?
I certainly don't recall being introduced to someone of such poor manners."