Chapter 346: Professor Attacked
Under Elrond's care, the affected students only needed to receive regular treatments. The rest of the time, they could move about freely, attend lessons, and even play Quidditch as usual.
At most, two months would be enough to clear away every trace of the Ring's influence, leaving not a single lingering harm.
When Kael heard this, he finally let out a long breath. "Thank you," he said earnestly. "Truly, thank you, Lord Elrond. Without you, I would have no idea how to face these children's parents."
With Saruman still hidden among the students and no way to root him out, Kael had already been considering sending everyone home for a time.
Every extra day the students spent in the castle was another day of risk.
Saruman had gone entirely mad and would stoop to anything. First, he had tried to unleash the Black Death Plague on them all. Then he had wielded the Dwarf‑ring's evil power to erode and twist the children's minds.
Elrond shook his head, brushing aside Kael's thanks, and his expression grew serious. "What is your plan for Saruman?" he asked. "So long as he hides among the students, their safety is under threat. This cannot be allowed to continue. He must be found and captured as soon as possible."
"If he is driven to some desperate, wild act, the damage may be beyond mending."
He paused, then added, "And Arwen already senses that something is wrong at Hogwarts. She only pretends otherwise out of respect for your wishes. But I can feel how full of worry her heart is. If this is not resolved quickly, it will not help her recovery."
At the mention of Arwen, Kael was pierced with guilt.
He had always known how keen and perceptive she was. She had likely seen through the truth the very moment he "persuaded" her to go to Rivendell to rest.
She had only feigned ignorance for his sake, so as not to burden him further.
"Do not worry, Lord Elrond," Kael said at once. "I will end this quickly. Saruman will not be able to dance much longer. The Marauder's Map I am making will be finished in a week. Once it is complete, no matter where he hides, I will drag him into the open."
Elrond's shoulders eased. He nodded. "In that case, I will stay and help you. We will see the Map finished as swiftly as possible."
Delight flickered across Kael's face. "That is wonderful. With your aid, my lord Elrond, the Map will be ready all the sooner."
When Elrond had helped Kael forge the Philosopher's Stone, he had taken it upon himself to study runes and alchemy. By now, his grasp of both magic and alchemy outstripped even Kael's.
With Elrond at his side, the time needed to complete the Marauder's Map could easily be cut in half, if not more.
Elrond went on, "The most important thing now is to do everything we can to protect the students until the Map is done, and at the same time avoid alarming Saruman into some more extreme act."
Kael, Gandalf, and Galadriel all agreed.
On Elrond's suggestion, the three bearers of the Elven Rings decided to join forces and lay the strongest possible defences upon Hogwarts.
Galadriel drew upon Nenya, the Ring of Water, and used the dark waters of the Black Lake below as her conduit to raise a powerful magical barrier.
It would not only prevent intruders from entering, but also keep anyone inside from slipping out.
Gandalf poured the power of Narya, the Ring of Fire, into every flame within the castle. Wherever the firelight reached, it carried light, courage, and hope.
Those of honest heart felt a gentle warmth sink deep into their bones.
Those harbouring evil found it like sunlight blazing upon Orcs, a burning that brought only pain.
Elrond, for his part, used Vilya, the Ring of Air, and the fruit of the White Tree from Kael's garden to brew a powerful protective draught.
Borrowing Saruman's own poisoning method, he had the potion mixed into the drinks the students took every day.
As they sipped, unaware, each child was quietly wrapped in Vilya's protection. For as long as the potion lasted in their blood, no corrupting power could take hold of them.
And since Saruman now existed as a spirit, he was likely possessing students to move about unseen. Anyone wearing him as a second soul and drinking the draught would be wracked with pain.
Yet to Kael's disappointment, no student showed any obvious reaction.
Saruman was too wary. Either he had not drunk any of the tainted drinks, or he had drunk them and hidden the pain flawlessly.
Even so, he could not be comfortable now.
The castle blazed with light. Every corridor and corner was lit; every dormitory and common room had a roaring fire in its hearth; the Great Hall shone with candles and lamps that never went out.
All those flames burned with the power of Narya. Any wicked soul caught in their glow would suffer and weaken.
No matter who Saruman wore as a mask, he could not escape the firelight within Hogwarts. Like a vampire afraid of the sun, he had to endure constant agony and still show no weakness.
Outside, Galadriel's barrier sealed every escape. There was nowhere for him to run.
Kael, meanwhile, worked at the Marauder's Map with Elrond's help, pouring all his effort into finishing it.
Hidden somewhere within the wards, Saruman must have felt danger closing in.
That night, Professor Luke, the Charms teacher, was on patrol when he reached the second floor.
There, in a corner where the fire burned low, he saw two students lying motionless on the floor.
The portrait on the wall beside them was slumped in its frame, unconscious from some unknown spell.
Luke's face changed at once. He hurried forward, dropped to one knee, and checked both students.
They were in a deep state of unconsciousness, clearly struck down by magic. He drew his wand and swept it over them. "Rennervate."
The spell struck home. Their eyelids fluttered, and signs of wakefulness returned.
One of the boys opened his eyes first, blinking in confusion as he pushed himself up.
"Professor Luke? What… what happened to me?"
Seeing him awake, Luke quickly helped him to his feet. "What happened?" he asked. "Who attacked you? Did you see them?"
The boy opened his mouth to answer, then suddenly went white as chalk. His eyes widened in horror as he stared past Luke's shoulder.
Luke's heart jerked. He spun on the spot, wand snapping up. "Expelliarmus!"
The red jet of light shot down the corridor, blazing so bright it lit the whole passage.
But there was no one there.
Baffled, Luke started to turn back to question the boy again.
A spell slammed into his back from point‑blank range.
His body locked at once. Petrified, he could not move a muscle. His face stayed fixed in an expression of shock, only his eyes still alive, filled now with disbelief and dawning terror.
The student who had woken first, now cold‑eyed, levelled his wand and Stunned his still‑drowsy classmate.
Then he strolled over to stand before the frozen Luke. On his young face, a smile far too old and cruel twisted into being.
He looked the professor up and down the way a hunter sizes up prey. "Professor," he said, voice soft with mockery, "I will be borrowing your body for a while."