A moment later, a short, bespectacled wizard and a tall, thin man with heavily slicked-back hair swaggered out of the middle door. Judging by the direction they were facing, both were initially heading toward the noise coming from the left-hand room. Upon noticing the commotion and the two figures in the main corridor, they halted, locking eyes with the Harris brothers.
"Enemy attack! The Auror has escaped!" The two men, dressed in what appeared to be heavy, shapeless wizard cloaks, were stunned for only a moment. Their horror-stricken expressions quickly morphed into panic. They screamed, instantly whirling around, desperate to run back inside for help.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"Stupefy!"
The Harris brothers reacted almost simultaneously, their spells flying. However, due to the distance, Allen's Petrification Charm struck the space the tall wizard had already vacated. Albert, anticipating his opponent's momentum, fired his Stunning Spell. The intense red light from the wand tip accurately struck the bespectacled wizard.
The man froze mid-sprint, rigid as a statue, and slammed straight into the hard stone wall. He had already lost consciousness before impact, courtesy of the spell. Stunning Spells were the mainstay of dueling; they effectively and temporarily neutralized an opponent, making them a practical and reliable tool for a wizard seeking to win a confrontation.
Having successfully neutralized one enemy, Albert didn't pause to appreciate his success. The wizard's screams were still echoing, undoubtedly alerting those deeper inside. "Allen, I'll hold them off! You escape now… Damn it!"
Albert watched his little brother, wand in hand, move toward the central chamber instead of toward the main exit, and had no choice but to follow.
Realizing he had unexpectedly taken out yet another opponent, Allen quickly assessed the balance of power. He stepped forward decisively, deliberately crushing the bespectacled wizard's wand under his heel, then entered the central chamber. He slowed down for a few seconds, allowing Albert, who was busy finishing the immobilization of the fallen wizard, to catch up.
Passing through a short, curving passage, the brothers stepped out onto a vast, circular stone sanctuary—the Portico of the Moon God. The palace was ringed by large, animal-shaped stone statues, each topped with an enchanted lantern. The lamps burned with an unquenchable magical fire, illuminating every detail of the chamber.
The room's focal point was the enormous statue leaning against the far wall. In the heart of the palace stood the colossal, four-armed figure of the Moon God, Chandra: one hand held a scepter; another, a vial of Elixir symbolizing immortality; the third, a lotus flower; and the final hand was held in a gesture of protection.
He rode a three-wheeled chariot drawn by ten immaculate white horses, as pure as jasmine blossoms, seemingly mid-voyage across the sky. A round, bright yellow gem was set into the statue's forehead, its surface occasionally shimmering with light, proclaiming its extraordinary nature.
Suddenly, and somewhat belatedly, the System alerted Allen: The gem on the statue's forehead is a fake.
Four panicking wizards were already clustered around the statue. Two were of Indian descent, wearing thick, ornate turbans. Another, a ghostly figure, crouched beneath the statue's pedestal.
This man had a bald, unnaturally swollen head and dark rose tattoos around his eyes. He wore tattered robes and, like many Indian ascetics, was barefoot. His body was covered in scars, and his presence suggested a higher status than the others.
"Rose? Herman Shriver! The Death Eater Herman Shriver! I saw him in the Department files. How is he like this? Wait a minute…" Albert was momentarily shocked, then his gaze snapped to his little brother. "Get back now!"
Allen flashed a confident, unsettling smile at his brother. Seeing the target, he immediately activated whatever remaining energy was fueling his "Academic Genius Aura." This was the ultimate trump card that would allow him and his brother to engage four opponents simultaneously.
Although using the aura caused him a fleeting sense of internal distress—as though he were receiving angry psychic shouts from multiple sources—Allen, the budding Ravenclaw, felt a superstitious unease with such an unstable power.
According to the stories in the Ravenclaw library, heroes with unstable powers either met a terrible end if they ignored the warnings, or their stories were abandoned mid-plot.
Seizing the tactical advantage of the distance and the enemy's momentary confusion caused by the aura's activation, Allen was ecstatic. The Moonstone was right there. He reached into his pocket, retrieved his small leather pouch—magically enchanted with the Perfect Extension Charm—opened his system storage, and pulled out his Neptune broomstick. He swiftly mounted it, wand raised.
"Albert, I'll draw their fire! You focus on the offense!"
"You damn fool! Get back here right now!"
Ignoring his brother's furious roar, Allen used his speed to instantly widen the distance between himself and the enemy. Albert, seeing no other option, took advantage of the distraction to sneak behind a large animal statue for cover.
Meanwhile, the four wands following Allen continued to fire spells. Thanks to the distance and his flying speed, Allen easily anticipated and dodged the attacks. The spells ricocheted off the ancient reliefs on the dungeon ceiling, sending stone fragments and sparks showering down.
Both sides were now fully engaged, each determined to end the confrontation decisively.
Albert, having watched his brother deliberately court death, abandoned all pretense of Auror Code. Though he dared not use the Unforgivable Killing Curse, powerful Dark Arts spells began to flow from the borrowed Jewish wizard's wand. While the wand's unfamiliarity slightly hindered his casting speed and effect, the explosive magic—splashes of fire and acid—forced the two turbaned Indian wizards to divert energy into shielding themselves.
As Allen zipped around on his broomstick, waving his wand and searching for the optimal point of attack, Herman Shriver dodged a particularly powerful blast from Albert. Using the dust kicked up by the blast, and fueled by his heightened academic power, Allen quickly cast a Transfiguration Spell on the ground behind Herman from a distance.
Several sharp Lego toy pieces instantly appeared, their normally rounded plastic knobs now transformed into razor-sharp, metallic cones.
Sure enough, mere seconds later, the barefoot Herman, darting backward to escape Albert's next spell, screamed as the base of his right little toe and the front of his foot were impaled by one of the sharp Lego pieces. Allen winced, unable to watch the man jump around in pain.
Allen then turned his attention to the turbaned Indians, setting their headwear alight. One, unable to react quickly enough, caught fire as his thick turban burst into flames. His companion frantically helped him remove the burning cloth, revealing the man's hairline and his greasy, matted hair, which looked horrific after being covered for so long.
At that moment, Herman looked like he wanted to unleash a powerful curse, but the intense pain restricted his effort to a strange, short vocalization. Even his breathing stopped his attack, the pain forcing him to bend over and attempt to pull the agonizing Lego piece from his wound.
Albert, the professionally trained Auror, seized the perfect opportunity and unleashed a barrage of targeted spells. Although Herman ignored his injury and raised an Ironclad Charm to block the first wave of attacks, his lack of mobility and shattered concentration left him vulnerable. Albert's follow-up Stunning Spell found its mark, and the Death Eater collapsed, unconscious.
The remaining three wizards were momentarily stunned by the sight of their most powerful member defeated so quickly. Their shock quickly turned to rage, and they launched a unified attack, focusing their wands on both Allen and his brother.
However, the Indian magic system, more specialized in long, elaborate curses and rituals than rapid combat dueling, proved no match for the European system. The tall, thin man who had been the first to flee was a mere subordinate to the three main cultists and was hardly a skilled fighter.
Moreover, Albert was a highly trained Auror, and Allen, despite having to limit his Dark Magic usage in front of his brother, possessed enough knowledge and luck, bolstered by the aura. Thanks to the powerful defensive charms on his wizard's robes and his strategic application of Transfiguration, the two-versus-four battle was quickly brought to an end.
Finding the three remaining Indian wizards unconscious, Albert swiftly shattered their wands, quickly stripped them of their clothes, and used a Transfiguration Charm to turn the garments into ropes, binding them tightly. He then cast the Petrification Charm on the rest of them.
"When did you get so damn awesome, you little menace?" Albert, feeling a wave of relief and adrenaline after the successful defense, shouted excitedly at his little brother's performance. Then, realizing his behaviour was utterly inappropriate, he quickly adopted a stern expression. "When we get back, I'm telling Mum and Dad to give you a serious talking-to! You were Sorted into Ravenclaw! Why are you acting like one of those reckless little lions?!"
"Albert, aren't you going to take that gem? Be careful not to touch it directly; it might be heavily cursed," Allen subtly diverted his brother's attention. Albert nodded, leaping toward the statue and using his wand to carefully try and pry the gem loose from a distance…
The System confirmed that the stone Albert was now holding was indeed a fake, but it also silently marked the location of the real stone. This made Allen even more suspicious of the System's true motives. It seemed the entire purpose of this mission was to detect valuable items nearby and trigger a quest under the pretense of retrieval.
He couldn't dwell on it. As Albert began wrapping the fake gem in a cloth to avoid accidental contact, Allen pretended to observe him, sidling toward the Moon God statue's base. Knowing Albert's gem was a decoy, Allen searched around the pedestal and discovered the real, smaller yellow jewel hidden in a secret compartment beneath the base. Allen gently wiped the jewel and swiftly slipped it into his storage pouch.
"Allen, wait a moment more." After securing the fake jewel, Albert walked over to the unconscious, bound, and petrified Death Eater, Herman Shriver. Just as he had done with his own roommate earlier, Albert sprayed him with a focused jet of clear water. As the Death Eater regained consciousness and his eyes started to focus, Albert began casting the advanced Soul-Siphoning Charm on him.
Through the extracted memories, the secrets of the Moonstone's guardians were revealed. The key figures were several Indian cultists. During the British colonial era, the Moonstone had been transported to Britain.
To ensure its magical efficacy, several powerful, pure-blood English wizards connected to the cult secretly constructed this underground palace and erected the statue of the Moon God, Chandra. They were attempting to use the Moonstone, combined with human sacrifice, to concoct a powerful Elixir of Pseudo-Immortality—a derivative effect similar to the Philosopher's Stone.
However, while this pseudo-immortality elixir possessed a certain life-extending power, its incredibly brutal manufacturing method created a counter-curse by infusing the victim's rage into the potion.
Lacking the sophisticated tools to break this curse, those who consumed it would suffer immense swelling and physical deformation, eventually leading to their death through prolonged, escalating torture.
This current generation of cultists had allied with Herman Shriver, a loyal subordinate of the mysterious Dark Lord, who wanted to use the elixir to resurrect his master. The Indian wizards, meanwhile, wanted to leverage Herman's purported expertise in curse-breaking. Herman, succumbing to temptation, eventually sampled the potion himself, which was what had rendered him slightly insane.
After gathering the critical information, Albert cast a deep sleeping charm on Herman Shriver. Then, looking at his brother, he efficiently cast the Obliviate Charm on everyone else, thoroughly erasing Allen from their memories.
"I'm sorry, Allen. This time you should have at least earned a Third-Class Order of Merlin, but I truly think it's best if you don't tell anyone about this… Your remarkable first-year success is one thing, but it's crucial you hide your talent in Dark Magic for a few more years… You may not know, but this is a particularly sensitive topic for many people."
"It's alright, Albert, I completely understand… it's probably because people easily associate Dark Arts with the younger version of the Dark Lord," Allen readily accepted the excuse, which he had actually hoped Albert would provide. "Don't worry, Albert. I only found a few old books left by previous generations in the Ravenclaw Common Room and the Room of Requirement; I'm not obsessed with them."
"Thank you for risking your life to save me…" Albert nodded, then, realizing his tone was too stiff, changed tack.
"As a thank you, I won't tell Mum about today. Of course, don't blame me if you make a mistake and they find out. About your broom… did you have an older student cast the Undetectable Extension Charm, or did you do it yourself? Be careful not to stuff too much in there. If the spell is cast poorly and fails, the contents could crush you… Anyway, let's fly out first. I need to notify the Ministry immediately."
"Your brother is extremely popular at school. It was a Ravenclaw girl who helped me with the charm," Allen bragged, seizing the opportunity. He took out his flying broomstick. They both climbed onto it.
Only then did Allen awkwardly recall the unusual seating arrangement often depicted on the emblem of the Knights Templar. He suppressed his embarrassment and flew away with Albert.
After leaving the underground temple, Albert used Apparition to send Allen back to Aunt Josephine's house, only to find her soundly asleep. He didn't have time for a lengthy chat; he needed to immediately report back to his Department and request reinforcement to handle the remaining cleanup.
Albert Apparated him back onto his bed, leaving Allen feeling slightly dizzy. The comfortable bed slowly soothed his tense nerves. Allen checked the spoils from his adventure. The first item was the Plesiosaur hide. Without the Moonstone and his own money, he could sell just this one hide for enough Galleons to sustain himself and Ron for years.
The System's reward was exceptionally useful, aligning exactly with Allen's needs: a permanent magical skill called "Animal Communication."
This permanent magical ability, similar to Parseltongue but less reliable, only allowed Allen and the specific animal he was interacting with to understand each other's language. Unlike true Parseltongue, it didn't allow Allen to learn or fluently speak the animal's language. When he spoke a sentence, that particular owl would understand it, but another owl might not.
Still, it was far better than Hagrid, who relied purely on instinct, countless personal experiences, and brute-force affinity to communicate with magical creatures.
Allen set his next learning goal as mastering Apparition. Although typically taught in the sixth year at Hogwarts, the most crucial elements of this teleportation technique were the Three D's: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation (Composure), all of which were fundamentally mental.
Despite the limits imposed by his physical age and development, Allen did not consider himself a typical minor, so he felt confident about learning the skill. Crucially, having spent the night on a broomstick, braving the cold and storm, and then being whisked back by Albert in the blink of an eye, Allen was immensely envious of the ease of Apparition.
The next day, Owen Harris arrived with a large smile to pick up his youngest son, Allen, and his youngest daughter, Emily. Meanwhile, Aunt Josephine woke up early to go to Diagon Alley for a new wand, muttering that she had found the one she had misplaced in the corner of the bathroom the previous night.
Back home in Dorset, Allen was greeted with a sumptuous traditional English lunch: parsley soup, ham and eggs, cardamom tarts, veal with plum sauce, candied shrimp for dessert, delicious Butterbeer to wash it all down, and, of course, Mrs. Harris's signature rich cheesecake.
Allen, who had been active all night and barely eaten, and Albert, who had been starved even longer, became the main force at the table, finishing nearly all the food.
After lunch, Albert pulled Allen aside and whispered that he had received a large sum of Galleons as a departmental commendation and bonus. Even better, Albert had been granted a two-month vacation.
Albert, a genuinely kind man, felt he had let his hard-working little brother down and wanted to give all the prize money to Allen.
Allen didn't refuse the offer, accepting half. Despite being a first-year wizard who couldn't visit Hogsmeade, he rarely used the generous allowance his parents gave him. Unlike other wizards his age, he was not used to asking older students to buy him gifts.
Still, Christmas gifts for his many friends were a considerable expense, especially as he wanted to avoid giving anything too Weasley-esque. Allen had planned to use the Philosopher's Stone to procure gold, but his brother's bonus solved the problem.
For the rest of his vacation, Allen finally enjoyed the peaceful life he had craved before the holidays. He happily spent his time reading and playing with his little sister, Emily.
In this peaceful atmosphere, he secretly acquired the chalk-white moss he had ordered, and with the adults around the house, he boldly began practising Apparition, a skill reserved for those over seventeen. Unlike many adult wizards who struggled with simple charms, few failed the Apparition license test.
Allen managed to cross the room from the edge of his bed before returning to school, but a slight deviation in his position terrified him. Nearly half his body was momentarily stuck outside the room. He decided against continuing his reckless Gryffindor-like experiment, concluding that he would sneak out to the anti-Apparition-free zones near Hogwarts and continue his studies there upon his return.
On Christmas Day, Allen received a flood of gifts. Even the know-it-all Lady sent one: a large box of unsweetened dark chocolates shaped like horseshoes, a toothbrush, and a tube of toothpaste. As if worried that Allen, a pure-blood, wouldn't know how to use Muggle dental products, she included a long, detailed note with instructions and tips on oral hygiene.
The most heartwarming gift was a self-portrait drawn by his little sister, Emily; the most serious was a rare magic book from his second brother, Len; and the most surprising was a handsome, cold, and aloof-looking owl from Albert.
Allen named him Benny and sincerely hoped he would be an owl clever enough to keep his distance from a certain first-year Hufflepuff girl. Rumour had it that this girl, whose penchant for eating owls had infuriated Professor McGonagall, had become a significant distraction.
As for the gifts Allen sent to others, they were simple but practical: small leather pouches enchanted with a Perfect Extension Charm. While their capacity was limited, they were far more durable and reliable than the items older students procured by applying a flawed Continuum Charm to their bags. Moreover, they were quite expensive, especially for younger wizards.
Meanwhile, while Allen enjoyed the warmth of family, Harry was alone, lost in the fantasy of a family reunion created by the Mirror of Erised. Without Dumbledore's gentle intervention, Harry might never have willingly woken up from that false, comforting illusion.
Regardless of human desires, time marches on. Reluctantly, Allen waved goodbye to his family and boarded the Hogwarts Express.