Chapter 751: Enough—It Was You Who Betrayed!!
The moment Harry caught that thought from Voldemort—no need to spare Darren anymore—his first instinct was to tell Darren to run.
He almost spoke.
But before he could even move, Alecto had already collapsed to the ground.
There was no warning, no struggle. She just dropped.
Darren stood behind her, wand still raised, his expression calm as if he had simply finished something ordinary.
Harry froze for a second. He wanted to say something, but Darren didn't even look at him. Instead, he stepped back slightly and turned his attention toward the statue again.
"We don't have time," Darren said quietly. "She was waiting here. She must have been hiding under the cloak."
Only then did Harry notice the invisibility cloak partly trapped under Alecto's body.
So that was why they hadn't sensed anything when they came in.
Before Harry could react further, Darren suddenly moved again. He picked up the cloak and threw it straight toward them, and at the same time cast a concealment spell over their bodies.
Harry caught the cloak almost on instinct and pulled it over himself.
That timing saved them.
Because just as he covered himself, the door to the Ravenclaw common room was pushed open again.
A group of Ravenclaw students rushed in, still in their pajamas, clearly having been disturbed. The moment they saw Alecto lying on the ground, their expressions changed instantly—shock, disbelief, and even a hint of relief.
"She's dead?" someone whispered.
"It looks like it…"
"So… does that mean no one's watching us anymore?"
"Should we call a professor?"
Another student shook his head. "No need. She set up a detection charm earlier today. If something happened to her, the professors would already know."
Harry's expression darkened slightly when he heard that.
So she had planned for this.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed again.
"Alecto!"
Amycus rushed in, his face twisted with anger. He looked around wildly, his wand already raised.
"Who did this? Which one of you—"
But his voice gradually faltered.
The anger on his face turned into something else.
Fear.
"She called him…" he muttered. "She summoned the Dark Lord… and still let Potter escape…"
The room went silent.
"What are you talking about?" one of the students asked.
Before Amycus could respond, another voice came from behind.
"Explain."
Professor McGonagall stepped in, her face cold and controlled, but the anger in her eyes was obvious.
Amycus turned to her, and suddenly his expression changed. He seemed to have thought of something.
"That's right… that's perfect," he said quickly. "We'll tell the Dark Lord it was these students. They attacked Alecto, forced her to call him, and let Potter escape."
He pointed at the Ravenclaw students without hesitation.
"Some of them will die, sure. But we'll live."
The students' faces turned pale.
McGonagall's voice was firm and sharp. "No. I will not allow that."
Amycus sneered. "You won't allow it? Do you still think this school is under your control? You helped Darren escape before—don't think we didn't notice. We just didn't bother reporting it."
His tone grew colder.
"But this time, we'll tell him everything."
He didn't get to finish.
A spell struck him directly.
Amycus collapsed to the ground without a sound.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Darren stepped out from concealment, lowering his wand. There was a faint smile on his face, but it didn't feel like he was pleased.
"Sorry," he said softly. "I hurt someone again."
McGonagall stared at him in shock for a second before quickly walking toward him.
"Darren, why are you here?" she asked anxiously, checking him over. "I heard about Gringotts—are you injured?"
Darren shook his head lightly. "I'm fine."
"What about Harry?"
Harry removed the cloak, and Ron and Hermione dropped their concealment spells as well.
McGonagall took a step back, clearly startled.
"You three… how dare you come back like this? You need to leave immediately. I can send you away—"
"No," Darren interrupted her.
"Voldemort is coming. We can't delay any longer."
Her expression tightened. "He's coming, and you still refuse to leave?"
Before Darren could answer, Alecto stirred slightly on the ground.
She tried to speak.
Darren raised his wand again without hesitation.
"Imperio."
The spell was quiet, but it was unmistakable.
McGonagall froze.
"You…" Her voice trembled slightly. "How can you use that?"
Darren gave a small, strained smile.
"I couldn't before," he said. "Snape was right. I didn't have that kind of intent."
He paused briefly, then added in a softer voice,
"But now… I do."
McGonagall's eyes reddened.
Harry swallowed hard.
For a moment, he almost forgot everything again—forgot what he had just learned about Darren.
Almost.
But not completely.
Just then, the pain in his scar flared again.
"He's getting closer," Harry said quickly, his voice tense. "He's already on his way."
Darren's expression changed immediately.
"Professor, we need to move now," he said firmly. "Notify all the professors. Evacuate the students through the Room of Requirement and send them to the Hog's Head. Quietly. No delays."
He didn't hesitate at all.
"We can't let more people die for us."
McGonagall looked at him for a long moment, then nodded.
"I understand."
She raised her wand and began sending out Patronuses one after another, clearly informing the rest of the staff.
Then she bound both Carrows tightly.
"Go," she said. "We move now."
They followed her out of the common room and rushed through the corridors.
The castle already felt different.
Tense.
On edge.
When they reached the sixth floor, Darren suddenly stopped.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward a row of armor.
"Who's there?"
A figure stepped out slowly.
Snape.
He looked at them, his expression unreadable.
Then his gaze settled on McGonagall.
"Minerva," he said quietly. "Are you certain you want to stand with them? With fugitives?"
Before McGonagall could respond, Harry felt anger surge through him.
But it wasn't Harry who spoke.
"Enough."
Darren's voice cut through the corridor, calm but firm.
He looked directly at Snape.
"It was you who betrayed."