Boom!
A massive cloud of black smoke exploded outward.
Voldemort stood not far from Dumbledore and Gavin, his black robes torn and tattered. Blood ran down his right arm from where he gripped the wand, dripping down the wood onto the ground.
Glancing at his dripping blood, Voldemort suddenly shook his right arm. Green flames instantly ignited across Voldemort's body and the blood on the ground, incinerating it completely. Generally speaking, blood didn't pose much danger to wizards themselves—curses couldn't be completed with blood alone. But Voldemort was never careless when it came to his own safety.
"Mark my words, Dumbledore and Gavin Bulstrode—you will both die by my hand."
"I'll be waiting, Tom."
Seeing Dumbledore, still smiling just as he remembered, Voldemort felt his rage spike. He turned and transformed into black smoke shooting skyward, drilling into the Dark Mark in the sky and disappearing from the abandoned town.
Seeing this, the remaining Death Eaters didn't hesitate, all transforming into black smoke, following Voldemort, drilling into the Dark Mark, and fleeing.
Moody watched the fleeing Death Eaters. He immediately cast an Anti-Apparition Jinx, forcibly keeping one Death Eater behind. While that Death Eater looked completely confused, Moody disarmed him with a Disarming Charm, then quickly approached and yanked the mask from that Death Eater's face. Seeing that person's appearance, a vicious smile immediately appeared on Moody's face.
"I wondered who it was—turns out it's you, Walden Macnair... executioner of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures at the Ministry. I really didn't expect you'd also be a Death Eater!"
"Alastor, Death Eaters are developing too. Having a new member isn't surprising." Arthur Weasley walked to Moody's side. Looking at the panicked Walden, he told Moody, "Alastor, we can hand him over to the Ministry later. He's an important witness proving Voldemort's return."
Moody's magical eye kept rotating, finally staring at one spot, slowly nodding. "Of course, of course we need to keep a witness. Otherwise I'd have eliminated him already. Dealing with these guys, only directly eliminating them is once and for all. Oh, I almost forgot something—can't forget to give that young fellow what I brought for him."
Having said this, Moody immediately limped over to Sean's side.
"Professor Moody, you've arrived."
Nodding, Moody pulled out an Undetectable Extension Bag from his chest—this was what Sean had given Moody to safeguard before the competition.
"These are your things. I just don't know what's inside that you absolutely need to use them now."
With effort lifting the bag Moody tossed over, Sean coughed a few more times before continuing, "This is a small research result of mine, originally as backup that might not be needed. But now I can try it—I can serve as my own test subject to try this research's effects. Once I understand it, I can probably complete my next paper."
Having said this, Sean didn't explain further. He handed the Undetectable Extension Bag to Fleur. "Fleur, your alchemy is quite good. Could you help me set it up? There are specific blueprints and materials inside. I'm counting on you."
Without wasting words, hearing the contents could help Sean, Fleur immediately took the bag and began setting things up while taking out the contents.
Regarding alchemy, Order of the Phoenix members basically had no involvement. However, one person had quite impressive alchemy accomplishments—Dumbledore.
Dumbledore and Gavin came to Sean's side. Seeing the alchemical array Fleur was setting up, Dumbledore leaned over to look at the blueprint in her hands, immediately showing surprise. Then with great interest, he looked at Sean and asked, "Sean, may I help Miss Delacour set up this alchemical array together?"
"Of course, Professor. Thank you for your help."
"Then thank you, Sean."
Dumbledore's thanks weren't unfounded. Actually, for an alchemist, being able to personally set up an alchemical array was itself a form of learning. Sean's permission was essentially allowing Dumbledore to study his alchemical array—equivalent to opening up some exclusive alchemical knowledge to him.
With Dumbledore's help, Fleur's array setup speed immediately increased.
About fifteen minutes later, the thirty-six-pointed star alchemical array was complete, with one or more materials placed at each point. This array looked no different from before, but actually Sean had changed many things—the array's internal patterns and ancient runes had greatly changed, even the materials were altered.
"Grandfather, please place me on the alchemical array."
"Alright."
Gavin didn't ask questions, just following Sean's wishes, using his wand to transfer Sean to the array's center.
Sean lightly traced one position on the array, using magic to write an ancient rune. When this rune was written, the huge thirty-six-pointed star array immediately activated.
Rich emerald light bloomed from the array. Wisps of light wrapped around materials at the thirty-six points, suspending them and continuously extracting pale green mist that gathered above Sean's body, forming a fingernail-sized droplet that fell onto Sean's chest.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle...
Like the sound of acid corroding objects.
The pale green droplet had just fallen on Sean when it immediately made corrosive sounds. Sean grunted but didn't stop using the array, continuing to condense pale green droplets that fell drop by drop onto his chest.
Gradually, that corrosive sound weakened. After the pale green droplets corroded a bit of flesh on Sean's chest, they mixed with his blood and flowed throughout his entire body.
Immediately, those spiderweb-like black patterns from the Killing Curse on Sean's body began rapidly fading from his chest as the center. In the blink of an eye, they completely faded from Sean's chest, and even the black patterns on his limbs and head gradually lightened.