Kyle didn't entirely believe the terrifying things Grindelwald had said would happen once all the Deathly Hallows were gathered.
However, he had no intention of gambling his life to verify whether that information was true or false.
The only issue was the Resurrection Stone's effect. Kyle was somewhat conflicted about whether he should return it to the "old bat."
For the current Severus Snape, this thing was pure poison.
Even though Snape was a Master of Occlumency with a will far stronger than the average person's, it was precisely for that reason that Kyle hesitated.
No matter how impenetrable Snape's psychological defenses were, they amounted to nothing in the face of his profound, absolute love for Lily.
Furthermore, all of Snape's current hopes were pinned on this tiny Resurrection Stone.
It wasn't hard to imagine how he would crumble once he discovered that the truth wasn't as beautiful as he had imagined.
Kyle scratched his head in frustration.
So, should I return the Resurrection Stone to Snape or not?
After considering it for a long while, Kyle finally decided to give the thing back.
If Snape really did become addicted to "using" the Resurrection Stone, he would just have Grindelwald step in.
All they had to do was string Snape up, give him a good thrashing, snatch the stone away, and force him through a period of withdrawal. That should probably fix it.
And if he still couldn't kick the habit, they could just hit him with a powerful Obliviate and make him forget everything related to the Resurrection Stone.
No matter how high Snape's mastery of Occlumency was, surely he couldn't resist the Dark Lord's combination of Legilimency and Obliviate while he was knocked unconscious?
Having found a solution, Kyle's mood improved instantly, and he scurried off to find Konan.
A moment later, a loud bird's cry echoed outside the castle.
"Lan has grown so much," Konan said, reaching out to scratch the Thunderbird's chin.
Looking at Lan's expression, the bird was clearly enjoying the witch's ministrations.
In his heart, Kyle silently labeled Lan a "lecherous bird." Why didn't the bird ever look this satisfied when he scratched its chin?
And this was despite the fact that Kyle had fed Lan so many times!
Lan, feeling very comfortable from the scratching, nudged its head against Konan, immediately causing a stir in the calm sea of Kyle's emotions.
Seeing this scene made Kyle burn with jealousy; he wanted to have such intimate interactions with Konan too.
Unable to "nudge the cabbage" himself, Kyle's irritation flared into a bold, wicked idea. He delivered a heavy kick to the Thunderbird's plump backside.
"Get your wings into the sky!"
He had brought Lan out for some fresh air this time to see if he could master that Forbidden Jutsu he had been eyeing for a long time—Lightning Release: Kirin—not to let the bird flirt with his Konan.
Watching Kyle's explosion of jealousy, Konan covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh.
As the Thunderbird spread its wings and soared high, the bright sky quickly turned somber.
Dark clouds gathered rapidly, and within the layers of the storm, thunder rumbled and blinding bolts of electricity snaked in every direction.
Lan dove into the lightning-filled clouds. Suddenly, a massive roar of thunder exploded, loud enough to nearly rupture one's eardrums.
Azure currents of electricity coiled around Kyle's arm, resonating with the electricity surging within the clouds.
Standing nearby, Alfred immediately cast a Protego Maxima over the three of them, then remained on full alert for any lightning that might strike from the sky.
Crisscrossing bolts of lightning detonated continuously within the clouds, the fierce electricity appearing as if it were tearing the sky asunder.
Under Kyle's guidance, a ferocious lightning beast slowly poked its head out from the thunderclouds.
In an instant, the thunder became majestic, and the lightning blinding.
Even Kyle's eyes were tinged with the color of electricity.
The giant beast, composed entirely of lightning, opened its maw full of fangs and let out a thunderous roar.
The sound of the surrounding wind and rain was completely drowned out by the Kirin's howl.
"Such impressive power... he truly is Master Gellert's son," the old butler murmured, a gratified smile on his face.
Kyle raised his right arm, and the incredibly fierce Lightning Kirin in the clouds danced along with his movements.
As Kyle's lightning-wrapped right arm suddenly swung down, the Kirin also whistled across the sky, crashing down violently right onto...
...their heads.
Just as the "scoundrel" Kyle was getting struck by lightning, a figure appeared deep within the Forbidden Forest, in the territory of the Centaur colony.
Centaurs were an extremely xenophobic race.
They possessed the same intelligence as humans, but they did not like magic. Instead, like the Druids who had long since vanished into the river of history, they preferred to be close to nature.
Due to certain historical issues, they did not like wizards.
The only wizard they truly respected was perhaps Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore had given them sanctuary, allowing them to have a territory of their own within the bounds of the Forbidden Forest.
Consequently, they were very grateful to Dumbledore, but toward other wizards, the Centaurs' attitude was one of extreme rejection.
Any wizard other than Dumbledore who set foot in the Centaur colony would be treated as an intruder.
Much like right now.
Three Centaurs emerged from behind the bushes, aiming their spears and bows at the mysterious outsider.
"Outsider wizard! Leave this place!" the lead Centaur shouted.
The wizard acted as if he hadn't heard. He slowly lowered his hood, revealing a handsome face.
He grinned. "You beasts dare to command me?"
His words sent the Centaurs into an instantaneous rage.
"What did you say!" The black Centaur at the front lunged forward, thrusting his spear violently.
The other two Centaurs also let out low roars of fury, prepared to teach this reckless wizard a lesson.
The wizard didn't even move; he simply gave a light flick of his wand.
After several flashes of sickly green light, the three Centaurs were sent flying backward, making no further sound.
They had completely lost their lives.
With a face full of contempt, the wizard tucked his wand away.
He gave his wrist a light shake, and a small, vibrant green snake slid out from his sleeve.
Following a series of sounds caused by shifting muscles and grinding bones, the snake, which was originally only half a meter long, returned to its original size.
"Go and have a feast, Garaga. We still have a lot to do later."
The Basilisk opened its bloody maw and lunged forward.
The wizard stepped past the feeding Basilisk and walked unhurriedly deeper into the Centaur territory.
Some time later, when he emerged from the Centaur lands once again, the wizard's forget-me-not blue robes were soaked through with crimson blood.
Floating behind him was a large group of unconscious Centaurs.
In addition, the Basilisk, Garaga, was dragging another long string of similarly unconscious Centaurs.
The wizard brought these unconscious Centaurs to another location deep within the Forbidden Forest.
He had found his target—an "egg" lying in the center of a clearing.
Calling it an egg was inaccurate; it looked more like a sphere of light.
At this moment, the sphere of light sat quietly in the center of a magic circle emitting a scarlet glow. Dull, pulsing thuds echoed occasionally through the silent Forbidden Forest.
Judging by the fluid, deep red hue of the magic circle's lines, it had likely been drawn with blood.
The wizard who had just attacked the Centaur colony dumped the unconscious Centaurs into the blood-scented magic circle.
Several tentacles extended from within the sphere of light, coiling around the Centaurs and dragging them in.
Crunch, crunch!
The bone-chilling sound of chewing echoed through the dark forest.
Watching the sphere of light feast greedily, a smile tugged at the corner of Gilderoy Lockhart's mouth.
"Next up... the Acromantula territory."
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