Chapter 773: Please Pull Him Back!!
"Albus… now, can you tell me what you're planning to do to save him?"
Snape finally spoke.
His voice was tight, his face still filled with unease that refused to fade.
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Even now—
even knowing Darren wasn't Lily's child—
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he understood something clearly.
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He loved that boy.
Not because of blood.
Not because of anything else.
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Just… because it was Darren.
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Though—
when he thought about it—
that trace of shared blood still brought a strange, quiet comfort.
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If you stretched it far enough—
wasn't this child still, in some way…
his and Lily's?
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"Just bring him back…"
Snape's eyes were red.
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"I can give anything."
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"When I came back to Hogwarts… the first thing I heard…"
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"…was that he died for Potter."
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"…killed by the Dark Lord."
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His voice nearly broke.
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"I almost lost my mind."
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He already knew.
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Back when Darren appeared in the Shrieking Shack—
he had known.
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Darren had heard everything.
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That conversation.
The truth about his blood.
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Regret had eaten at him ever since.
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He had even wished—
that Darren could forget it all.
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But it was too late.
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Even before he had closed his eyes—
he had feared this ending.
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And now—
it had happened.
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When he saw Darren's body—
all that remained in him—
was desperation.
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"Bring him back… please…"
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Snape covered his eyes.
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"Dumbledore… please…"
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Dumbledore let out a quiet sigh.
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"Don't worry."
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"I said he can be saved—then he can be saved."
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He looked at Darren.
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"From the moment I learned he carried Voldemort's blood…"
"I knew… this choice would come sooner or later."
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"So…"
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"I left something with him."
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"The Resurrection Stone."
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"He may have guessed… but I made him keep it on him."
"He never took it off."
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"The Resurrection Stone can hold a soul for a short time."
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"So now…"
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"We only need to enter a near-death state while holding it…"
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"…and we can reach where Darren's soul is."
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"Then…"
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"We bring him back."
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"We show him where he belongs."
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Dumbledore paused.
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"Grindelwald and I have tested this before."
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"Someone must guide the soul back."
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"Without guidance… even with the Stone… the person will still die."
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His eyes darkened slightly.
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"I believe Tom had some idea of this as well."
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"That's why… in the end… he intended to leave with Darren."
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"But…"
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"He never got the chance."
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Dumbledore looked at them.
A faint smile returning.
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"So—"
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"Will you come with me?"
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Harry and Snape both nodded at once.
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Without hesitation.
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A strange thought passed through both their minds—
almost identical.
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Why hadn't he said this earlier?
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What if Darren's soul had already left?
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What if—
he had been alone there all this time?
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Dumbledore reached for the stone around Darren's neck—
but paused.
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A flicker of pain crossed his face.
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Even he—
felt a trace of fear.
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"…Hmm?"
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He took the Resurrection Stone.
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Then froze.
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For a moment—
he couldn't sense any soul at all.
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Then suddenly—
it appeared.
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Faint.
Flickering.
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So fast—
he almost thought he imagined it.
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Perhaps—
after all this time—
the soul had begun to drift away.
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Dumbledore sighed softly.
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Darren…
wouldn't hesitate to walk toward death.
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Not even for a second.
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He motioned to them.
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"Hold it."
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Snape and Harry each touched the stone with a finger.
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Dumbledore raised his wand.
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At once—
they felt it.
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Life—
slipping away.
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Draining.
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Their bodies grew cold.
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Heavy.
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Just as consciousness began to fade—
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Dumbledore's hand joined theirs.
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And everything—
went dark.
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...
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When Harry opened his eyes—
there was only fog.
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Endless fog.
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He couldn't see anything.
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Then—
he realized—
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he wasn't wearing clothes.
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A soft robe appeared before him.
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He quickly put it on.
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And then—
his vision returned.
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The fog melted away—
revealing something vast.
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A wide, empty hall.
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A place he knew.
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King's Cross.
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Silent.
Still.
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Then—
a sound.
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A faint groan.
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Harry turned—
following it.
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And froze.
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Darren.
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Sitting in the corner.
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Holding something in his arms.
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A child.
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No—
something worse.
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Its skin looked raw—
as if peeled away.
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It trembled.
Crying.
Moaning.
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Darren held it tightly—
but it didn't help.
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The thing still whimpered.
Still suffered.
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Harry didn't care.
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It was Darren.
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That was all that mattered.
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His chest tightened.
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He rushed forward—
wanting to hold him—
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But suddenly—
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the thing in Darren's arms—
changed.
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Twisted.
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And became—
Voldemort.
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Harry's heart slammed.
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He moved instantly—
ready to protect Darren—
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But someone stopped him.
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Dumbledore.
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His expression was serious—
but calm.
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He held Harry back.
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"Wait."
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Harry struggled.
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But then—
he saw it.
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Voldemort—
wasn't attacking.
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He was pulling Darren—
as if searching for something.
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An exit.
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And Darren…
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did nothing.
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No reaction.
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No resistance.
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No awareness.
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He simply followed—
wherever he was pulled.
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Like a puppet.
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Like something empty.
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Harry's breath caught.
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"…Headmaster…"
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Dumbledore's brow furrowed.
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"…He doesn't want to come back."
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His voice was low.
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"At the moment of death…"
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"…he sealed himself."
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"What remains here…"
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"…is only instinct."
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Harry stared—
unable to believe it.
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"…Then what do we do?"
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Dumbledore's gaze hardened.
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"…There's only one way."
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A pause.
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"…Defeat Voldemort."
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Harry's heart sank.
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He almost laughed—
but nothing came out.
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He had fought Voldemort in the real world.
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And now—
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even here—
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he had to fight him again.