Collapsed skyscrapers lay askew on the ground, crisscrossing like fallen dominos. Ruins of concrete and steel were piled up haphazardly, resembling small, jagged mountains.
The city was choked by a thick, dark grey fog.
The fog was so dense it blotted out the sky; only in the rare places where the mist thinned could a few beams of sunlight pierce through.
Highways were snapped in half, bridges had collapsed, and twisted rebar protruded from broken concrete like exposed nerves.
Rey walked through this world, staring at the post-apocalyptic cityscape, a complex mix of emotions swirling in his heart.
His mental world had collapsed like it was doomsday, yet he was still alive.
He was alive, sane, and seemingly normal. It was almost hard to believe.
Rey tried to use his will to move the grey fog in the sky.
The result was obvious: the clouds moved slowly with the wind, following their own laws. Rey was just a bystander here. His "willpower" or mental commands had absolutely no effect.
Rey couldn't control anything here. He was like a ghost, standing by and watching.
Perhaps there was one thing he could still do in his own mental world: get a good night's sleep.
---
A dreamless night passed.
When Rey woke up, the sky was bright.
People who are exhausted fall asleep easily, whether in the real world or the mental one.
Rey didn't know when he had fallen asleep.
He only knew that upon waking, his mind felt infinitely better than it had yesterday. His memories were no longer a chaotic whirlwind, and his brain no longer felt like sludge. His mental state seemed to have returned to normal.
Rey sat on the wooden bed for a moment, dazed. After scanning his surroundings, the events leading up to this moment came flooding back. He immediately got out of bed, put on his shoes, and pushed open the wooden door of Hagrid's hut.
Thwack... Crack...
Distinct, rhythmic sounds came from outside.
As Rey opened the door, he saw Hagrid in the clearing to the right, chopping wood.
"Oh, you're awake."
Hagrid naturally saw Rey open the door. He paused his work and shrugged. "Wizards need to stay in shape too, you know." It was clear he was using woodchopping as a workout.
"Hey, Hagrid. Long time no see," Rey said, stepping out of the hut and greeting him warmly.
It felt like years since he had seen Hagrid. Seeing him now brought a sense of warmth and familiarity. Though, seeing Hagrid wielding a massive axe to chop firewood was a first for Rey.
The fact that Hagrid actually enjoyed chopping wood personally was certainly an eye-opener.
After the greeting, Rey immediately started heading up the slope. He was preparing to go to Hogwarts.
He had something incredibly important to confirm.
In the moment before he returned, Helena had stayed behind to block Caractacus Burke. Rey needed to know how she was. Was she hurt? Did she...
Furthermore, Helena's fate was Rey's biggest concern. With his interference in the timeline, had she managed to escape the Bloody Baron?
These were things Rey desperately needed to verify. Anything related to Helena was a priority. He needed to get to Ravenclaw Tower immediately.
If Helena hadn't become a ghost, he would find her, no matter the cost.
She had promised him. She promised she would live for a thousand years and have many children with him.
---
Hagrid noticed Rey's urgency. After a brief pause of confusion, he sprinted ahead and blocked Rey's path. "Whoa, whoa there. Little Rey, where's the fire?"
"I'm going back to the school, of course, Hagrid."
Rey looked up at the half-giant blocking his way and answered with surprise.
"Oh, no. Now isn't the time to go back to the school."
Hagrid placed a massive hand on Rey's shoulder, bent down, and spoke very seriously.
"Then when can I go back?" Rey was stunned. Since when was there a specific time for returning to school?
"Well, not until we catch that vampire. That's Dumbledore's order."
When speaking of Dumbledore, Hagrid's tone was filled with reverence.
"Catch the vampire?"
Rey repeated the phrase, then asked, "Hagrid, tell me. How long have I been missing?"
"Three months. Oh wait, it should be almost four months now. Where have you been all this time?" Hagrid asked, clearly curious about Rey's disappearance.
Rey was shocked by the time jump, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"Hagrid, I really have something urgent to do. Can you please let me pass?" Rey pleaded.
Sometimes Hagrid could be incredibly stubborn, especially when executing Dumbledore's orders.
"It's for your own safety, Rey."
Hagrid shook his head, his expression resolute. Seeing Rey's disappointment, he added comfortingly, "Don't worry, I won't let him get away this time. You've recovered quite a bit—do you remember what the vampire looked like?"
"Professor Doric is the vampire. He was the one chasing me back then."
Rey hadn't mentioned this when he first woke up yesterday because his brain was mush, and he hadn't thought about it. But since Hagrid asked, there was no need to hide it.
"Professor Cabor Doric!?"
Hagrid's eyes went wide, staring at Rey in disbelief.
He looked around to ensure no one was listening, then squatted down and whispered to Rey, "Little Rey, that is a very serious accusation. Besides, Professor Doric is an Auror. He's killed more vampires than I can count."
Hagrid clearly didn't believe it, which left Rey feeling a bit helpless. "I know all that. But Hagrid, please believe me. He is the vampire."
"How is that possible? Dumbledore personally drew Professor Doric's blood for testing. If he were a vampire, he wouldn't have fresh blood."
"What?"
Now it was Rey's turn to be surprised.
Vampires don't have fresh blood; that was an undeniable fact. Yet Dumbledore had drawn fresh blood from Doric? How was that possible?
Rey felt like he was on the verge of figuring it out, but he couldn't quite grasp where the problem lay.
"You probably don't know yet. After you disappeared, Agnes told Dumbledore about your suspicion that Professor Doric was a vampire..."
Seeing Rey's confusion, Hagrid began to explain the story of Dumbledore testing Doric's blood.
---
Rey couldn't figure it out, so he stopped trying. He just wanted to get back to the school.
Hagrid's massive frame showed no sign of moving. Helpless, Rey turned around.
However, just as he turned, a black shadow flashed through the woods.
"Who's there?!"
Rey shouted and immediately sprinted forward to give chase, acting as if he recognized the person.
"Wait! Who is it?"
Alerted, Hagrid immediately grabbed the running Rey and shouted.
"Hagrid, that person looks just like the vampire who attacked me! It might be Professor Doric!"
Rey struggled, trying to pull away to chase, but Hagrid stepped in front of him, taking the lead. "Let me go! You go back to the school and find Professor Dumbledore!"
Although Hagrid trusted Dumbledore's test results, a person fleeing through the Forbidden Forest was definitely suspicious.