The corridor fell into a terrible silence.
The sounds of battle outside the castle seemed distant now, like thunder far away.
Albus felt the air grow cold.
Standing at the end of the hallway was the most feared wizard in history.
Lord Voldemort.
Tall.
Pale.
His snake-like face carried no emotion.
Only absolute confidence.
His red eyes slowly moved from Delphi…
To Albus.
To Scorpius.
Studying them carefully.
Scorpius felt his entire body freeze.
"This," he whispered under his breath, "is very bad."
Albus couldn't argue.
---
Delphi stood proudly beside him.
Her voice carried excitement.
"Father, these are the boys I told you about."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The time travelers."
His voice was soft.
Almost calm.
But it carried a terrifying authority.
Albus swallowed hard.
Being this close to Voldemort felt like standing near a storm of dark magic.
Voldemort stepped forward slowly.
"You have caused… quite a disturbance in time."
Scorpius whispered nervously,
"That was mostly his idea."
Albus elbowed him.
Voldemort tilted his head slightly.
"Curious."
His gaze fixed on Albus.
"You look familiar."
Delphi answered proudly.
"He is the son of Harry Potter."
For the first time, Voldemort's expression changed.
His eyes burned with interest.
"The son of my greatest enemy."
He stepped closer.
Albus forced himself not to move.
Voldemort studied his face carefully.
"So…"
"History continues even after victory."
Scorpius muttered,
"Victory?"
Delphi corrected softly,
"Soon, father."
---
Footsteps echoed somewhere deeper in the castle.
Someone was approaching.
Fast.
Albus knew who it was.
Harry.
He was coming down this corridor.
The moment history had been building toward.
Delphi raised the Time-Turner slightly.
"Everything is ready."
Voldemort nodded slowly.
"The boy will arrive soon."
Albus suddenly realized the full plan.
"You're not trying to kill him before the duel."
Delphi smiled.
"No."
"That would be too simple."
Scorpius frowned.
"Then what are you doing?"
Delphi's eyes gleamed.
"We're going to change something much more important."
---
Voldemort lifted his wand calmly.
"In the original timeline…"
He spoke the words almost like a teacher explaining a lesson.
"The Potter boy survives long enough to destroy my final Horcrux."
Albus felt cold.
"Which means he can defeat you."
Voldemort's red eyes narrowed.
"Precisely."
Delphi finished the explanation.
"So instead…"
"We remove the Horcrux."
Scorpius blinked.
"You're going to destroy it earlier?"
Delphi shook her head slowly.
"No."
"We're going to protect it."
Albus's mind raced.
"There was one Horcrux Voldemort didn't know about."
Scorpius whispered,
"The one inside Harry."
Delphi nodded.
"Exactly."
"If that piece of soul survives…"
"Then my father cannot be killed."
Voldemort raised his wand slightly.
"And this time…"
"History will end differently."
---
The footsteps grew louder now.
Approaching the corridor.
Harry was close.
Delphi whispered,
"The moment has arrived."
Albus looked at Scorpius.
Both of them understood something.
They couldn't let this happen.
If Voldemort protected the Horcrux inside Harry…
The Dark Lord would become immortal.
Forever.
Albus raised his wand.
"Scorpius."
"Yes?"
"New plan."
Scorpius sighed.
"Please tell me it doesn't involve attacking Voldemort."
Albus took a deep breath.
"It absolutely involves attacking Voldemort."
Scorpius groaned quietly.
"Fantastic."
---
The footsteps stopped at the end of the corridor.
A familiar voice echoed.
"Tom."
Harry Potter stepped into view.
His wand was raised.
His eyes locked onto Voldemort.
The final confrontation of the wizarding world had begun.
But this time…
Two boys from the future were standing in the middle of it.
And history was about to change again.
---