Harry Potter: Archmage of Another World

The night was dark and cold. Gusts of wind gently swept through the air as the trio followed the path laid before them. Along the way, ancient trees swayed as though bidding them farewell.

When they finally exited the forest and looked out into the open, most of their group had already returned to the valley's entrance. Clearly, the others were still clueless about the situation here and were animatedly chatting about what they had seen earlier in the day.

As Hermione, Ron, and Harry returned, their Gryffindor classmates gradually gathered around them, curious to know if they had found anything. Hermione had warned Ron and Harry in advance to keep their mouths shut. Faced with everyone's questions, the three deftly avoided answering and changed the topic.

About ten minutes later, Loki and his group also emerged from the darkness, clearly with no new discoveries.

"The valley isn't that big, and we've searched every inch of it. If we still can't find them after such a thorough search, it's likely they aren't in the valley at all," Parvati muttered with a hint of annoyance. To her, exhausting so much effort for a few missing students was hardly worth it. "If they aren't here, we should just leave sooner rather than later."

Draco Malfoy lazily shouted, "I told you we didn't need to waste time on those losers. Who knows where they're off having fun right now? We've spent the whole day searching, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're already back at the wizard's tower laughing at us for being fools."

Some others seemed to agree with Malfoy, grumbling that they should forget the matter and focus on their own mission. Loki, however, kept his amber eyes trained on Hermione, as though sensing something unusual.

"There's some truth to what Draco says," Hermione finally interjected, scanning the crowd. "I suggest we rest here for the night and leave first thing in the morning. Completing the mission should remain our top priority."

Several people looked toward Loki and Thor for confirmation. In a place like this, strength meant everything, and their decision carried the most weight.

"Our aimless searching will yield nothing," Loki said calmly. "As Hermione suggests, let's finish the mission and return to the tower. With Mr. Augustus's abilities, finding the missing people afterward won't be difficult."

Thor smiled lightly and waved his hand. "Let it be so. I have no objections."

Seeing both of them agree, the group relaxed, breaking into small clusters to discuss the following day's plans.

In the night, Fred let out a small, relieved smile.

Loki's group gathered at the center, carefully constructing a defensive magic formation. While the valley seemed safe, no one was willing to take risks in unfamiliar territory.

"Shouldn't we tell them what's happening beforehand?" Harry whispered to Hermione, his voice tinged with concern. "If the treants break the illusion in an hour and Loki or Thor isn't prepared, they might be caught off guard by the demons' attacks. That could put us all in danger."

"I agree," Ron added, nodding. "We should tell them. After all, they're our strongest fighters. If they know in advance, they'll have time to prepare their defenses."

Hermione remained silent for a moment before speaking softly. "It's not that I don't want to tell them, but we still don't know who among us the demon traitor—what the treants called the succubus—is attached to. Acting hastily now could make us too obvious."

Pausing briefly, she continued, "If the demons catch wind of our plan and discover the treants' involvement, those treants will sacrifice themselves for nothing. Worse, we'll have no chance of escaping this place."

"That's true," Harry admitted, scowling. "If those demon scum know what we're planning and prepare their altar in advance to summon some powerful creature from the Abyss, we'll all be doomed."

Ron leaned closer, lowering his voice. "So, who do you suspect? Who's the succubus disguised as? It must be someone using seduction or trickery to lead us astray."

"There are only a few likely suspects," Hermione replied calmly, her face serious. "Based on how people have spoken and acted over the past two days, I've narrowed it down to four individuals. Of course," she added, "the least suspicious person might pose the biggest threat to us." Her gaze flickered toward the darkness where George and another figure were sitting.

"The least likely person has the greatest potential to ruin everything," she said softly, shifting her focus toward Loki's group. "That's what worries me most. If it turns out to be them, this plan might fail entirely."

"In a place like this, logic and reasoning are of little use," she said with a sigh. "That's why I haven't approached them yet. Our power is too small—so small that we must rely on those we suspect just to survive. If those suspicions are confirmed, then we're as good as dead."

Hermione exhaled deeply and added, "For now, all we can do is wait. Wait for the treants to break the illusion. And, of course," she said with a hint of dry humor, "pray that the most suspicious person is actually the traitor, and not someone we least expect. After that, we'll need to explain everything to our strongest fighters and ensure they're ready for battle. That's all we can do. Doesn't seem so useless after all, does it?" She smiled faintly and fell silent.

Harry clenched his fists. As someone who had escaped Voldemort's clutches multiple times, Hermione's words stung his pride. He hated the feeling of being a weakling, of relying on others to protect him. Power was everything. Without it, everything else was just an illusion. The key to the door of strength was already within his grasp—he only needed to take the first step.

Time ticked by, and suddenly, faint ripples spread across the sky. Loki and Thor sprang to their feet, their gazes locked on the distant shadows of the forest. An immense surge of natural energy was coalescing, raw and vibrant with life.

Fred stood up abruptly, his black eyes flashing with shock and anger. "What are those fools doing!?"

A deafening roar mixed with a tidal wave of energy swept across the valley. Even the slowest among them realized something was wrong. Everyone leapt to their feet in alarm as a vast sea of green light erupted across the sky, filling the world with its brilliance.

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