Suspended high above the courtyard, Harry and Draco each grabbed one of Carlo's arms with all their strength.
At that exact moment, the broomstick beneath Carlo finally gave up.
Crack.
The handle split apart.
The remaining twigs shattered into fragments, scattering through the air before the broken shaft plummeted toward the ground with a heavy thud.
The situation had spiraled completely out of control.
Madam Hooch reacted instantly.
"Arresto Momentum!"
The spell shot from her wand and struck Carlo immediately.
His fall slowed at once.
A second later, Madam Hooch swept in on her broom, expertly maneuvering beneath the three boys before carefully pulling the unconscious Carlo away from Harry and Draco.
Neither of them had escaped unharmed.
The violent collision and collapsing broom had left both boys covered in bruises and cuts. Nothing appeared serious, but neither looked particularly comfortable.
Madam Hooch glanced over them quickly.
"Hospital wing. Immediately."
Neither Harry nor Draco argued.
Meanwhile, Madam Hooch carried Carlo behind them, her expression unusually grim.
The flying lesson ended shortly afterward.
The excitement that had filled the courtyard vanished completely.
Students from both Gryffindor and Slytherin drifted away in scattered groups, replacing cheers and laughter with nervous whispers and worried speculation.
After returning their brooms, Leo and the others hurried toward the hospital wing as well.
They wanted to see whether Harry and Draco were alright.
The atmosphere inside the infirmary felt tense the moment they arrived.
Madam Pomfrey was already bustling around preparing potions and medical supplies while muttering darkly about reckless students, dangerous broomsticks, and her complete lack of appreciation from anyone under the age of seventeen.
After examining Harry and Draco, however, she visibly relaxed.
"No broken bones," she announced firmly. "Cuts, bruises, and a few minor impacts. Honestly, I've treated worse injuries caused by students tripping over staircases."
Harry and Draco both looked mildly offended by the comparison.
While everyone else focused on the two injured boys, Leo's attention gradually drifted toward Carlo.
The moment he approached the unconscious student, he felt something strange.
A mysterious energy pulsed faintly from Carlo's body.
It carried an indescribable attraction.
Without realizing it, Leo found himself slowly stepping closer.
It was almost as though an invisible force was pulling him forward.
At the same time, the emotions of everyone nearby subtly began to shift.
Irritation.
Restlessness.
Anger.
The same strange emotional fluctuations that had affected Harry and Draco during the aerial chase quietly spread throughout the hospital wing.
Leo frowned.
What is this?
He couldn't understand why the energy affected him so strongly.
Then suddenly—
The power inside Carlo erupted.
The instant Leo stepped close enough, the fading dark energy exploded outward like a storm bursting from the shadows.
Invisible pressure swept through the entire infirmary.
At that exact same moment, far away inside the Headmaster's office, Albus Dumbledore's expression changed.
The next second, he vanished.
When he reappeared inside the hospital wing, his speed was astonishing.
Without hesitation, Dumbledore raised his wand.
A Patronus burst into existence.
A magnificent silver phoenix.
The radiant bird spread its enormous wings across the infirmary, bathing the room in warm silver light.
The holy brilliance instantly isolated the strange energy surrounding Carlo and prevented it from spreading further.
The oppressive atmosphere weakened immediately.
Hermione stared at the silver phoenix in shock.
"What exactly is that power?" she whispered.
Ron swallowed.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But it definitely isn't normal."
Neville looked anxiously toward Carlo.
"I hope he'll be alright."
Charlotte frowned uneasily.
"This is terrifying. How could Carlo even come into contact with something like that?"
Unfortunately, before Dumbledore arrived, a portion of the strange energy had already entered Leo's body.
Or more accurately—
It had been drawn toward him.
The moment the dark energy entered Leo's sea of consciousness, it surged directly toward the vast ocean of stars surrounding the pseudo-Yang spirit deep within his mind.
Leo's heart tightened.
He had absolutely no idea what the thing might do.
The strange energy initially rampaged through his consciousness like a feral beast.
An intense pressure spread through his mind.
It felt as though countless insects were gnawing on his nerves simultaneously.
Then the dark power discovered the endless sea of stars.
Instantly, it reacted like a starving man stumbling across a feast after days without food.
It rushed forward greedily.
Unfortunately for it, the pseudo-Yang spirit had no intention of tolerating intruders.
The moment the strange energy approached, the pseudo-Yang spirit erupted.
The entire star-filled ocean surged violently.
A celestial tide rose.
Endless streams of brilliant light crashed downward and engulfed the dark energy completely.
The so-called evil power barely had time to resist.
It was devoured instantly.
The black mist dissolved beneath the overwhelming torrent of starlight.
Moments later, what remained was no longer corruption.
It had been purified.
Like filthy water refined into a clear mountain spring, the remaining pure energy flowed directly into the pseudo-Yang spirit.
The spirit visibly strengthened.
Its circulation speed increased.
Only slightly.
But the change was enough for Leo to notice immediately.
Back in the real world, Dumbledore's phoenix Patronus continued radiating warm silver light throughout the infirmary.
The irritation and anger infecting everyone gradually faded.
Only calmness remained.
Leo slowly opened his eyes.
Everything that had occurred within his consciousness had lasted less than a second outside.
Even so, his heart remained unsettled.
That strange power had attempted to influence him.
Yet instead of harming him, it had been purified and absorbed by the pseudo-Yang spirit.
At the same time, Leo quietly reached a decision.
He needed to discover the origin of that power.
And its purpose.
If such a dangerous force existed somewhere within the wizarding world, understanding it would become essential.
Not only for his own safety.
But for the safety of everyone around him.
Besides...
The benefits he had gained from the encounter were hardly insignificant.
Dumbledore finally lowered his wand and surveyed the room.
"This child likely came into contact with a form of dark magic," he said calmly while glancing toward Carlo. "Once he regains consciousness, Professor McGonagall will investigate the matter appropriately."
Then his expression softened.
"As for the rest of you, there is no need to panic. Everything is under control."
The calm authority in Dumbledore's voice immediately reassured everyone present.
Standing beneath the silver light of the phoenix, the Headmaster gave the impression that nothing truly bad could happen while he was there.
Thanks to Madam Pomfrey's treatment, Harry and Draco recovered quickly.
Their injuries had only been superficial to begin with.
Several healing spells resolved most of the damage almost immediately.
By evening, Hogwarts had transformed completely.
Halloween had arrived.
The corridors overflowed with laughter.
Floating pumpkins drifted overhead.
Enchanted candles illuminated every hallway.
Students dressed as monsters, vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and dark wizards wandered enthusiastically through the castle.
Even the suits of armor had been decorated.
The portraits wore costumes.
As for the actual ghosts—
Apparently, they considered existing to be sufficient participation.
Walking together through the corridors, Harry and Draco continued discussing the incident.
"What do you think happened to Carlo?" Harry asked thoughtfully. "Was it really dark magic? Or some kind of curse?"
Draco immediately lifted his chin.
"If Headmaster Dumbledore says it was dark magic, then obviously it was dark magic."
Hermione nodded slowly.
"I think so too. But that energy really was strange," she admitted. "It made people angry for no reason."
"Exactly!" Pansy added. "But now that Dumbledore's involved, everything should be fine."
Charlotte blinked.
"Really? I didn't feel any strange anger at all," she said honestly. "Though that silver phoenix was amazing. What spell was that? I want to learn it someday."
The moment she said that, the entire group paused.
Several confused gazes turned toward her.
Leo and Draco exchanged a glance.
Then both looked toward the bracelet glowing faintly around Charlotte's wrist.
Realization struck immediately.
"Oh right," Leo said suddenly, changing the subject at lightning speed. "What's everyone wearing for the Halloween banquet tonight?"
Draco reacted with perfect timing.
"I decided to go as myself," he declared proudly.
Everyone stared at him.
"That somehow feels incredibly narcissistic," Hermione muttered.
Harry suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh! I nearly forgot. I prepared enchanted toffee that makes your tongue stretch like a ghost's."
The conversation immediately derailed thanks to Leo and Draco's desperate attempt at distraction.
Meanwhile, Charlotte remained completely unaware that anything unusual had happened and enthusiastically joined the discussion about costumes and sweets with obvious excitement.
....
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