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Sullivan crouched behind a thick tree, watching the scene by the river unfold. From the frequency and pitch of the unicorn's pained cries, it didn't have long left.
His plan was simple: wait for the black-robed figure to leave, then slip out and collect whatever fresh blood remained. If the unicorn was still breathing, he wouldn't mind saving it either.
"What the hell are you hiding for? Go!" Coal Ball growled beside him. Through their mental link, Sullivan caught every word.
"Shh! You don't know what you're talking about—that guy is dangerous," Sullivan hissed, holding up a finger for quiet.
Coal Ball wasn't buying it. "Didn't you tell me to watch for anyone hunting unicorns? Why are you chickening out now? If you won't do it, I will!"
Sullivan grabbed the panther before she could bolt. "What are you gonna do? You don't even know that unicorn—what's it to you?"
"Unicorns are living embodiments of nature. They heal other creatures. In the forest, no animal would ever kill one unless the attacker is pure evil. Every magical creature would step in to help if they saw a unicorn being hunted." Coal Ball strained against his grip, clearly ready to charge.
Sullivan had no idea how Coal Ball knew all that—maybe it was some deep instinct passed down through her bloodline—but their argument had gotten too loud. The cloaked figure by the river started to turn.
Sullivan had no choice. He couldn't let Coal Ball face whatever this was alone. He gritted his teeth. "Fine, stay put. I'll handle it."
He yanked out his phone and fired off a quick text to Dumbledore: Forbidden Forest. Help!
Then, right before the black-robed man could turn all the way, Sullivan stepped out into the open, wand raised. "What kind of monster are you, hurting a unicorn? Let it go right now!"
As he spoke, he thrust his wand skyward. A blazing white light shot into the night and formed the silhouette of a soaring raven high above the trees.
That's right—he was calling for backup. Sullivan wanted the unicorn blood badly, and he wanted to protect Coal Ball, but none of it mattered if he ended up dead.
He still didn't know whether he was facing Quirrell or Voldemort's remnant soul, but either option was extremely dangerous. Even if Dumbledore didn't check his phone, a Patronus signal that bright had to be visible from the castle.
The black-robed figure turned fully now, visibly stunned that Sullivan had called for help without even trying to negotiate first.
"You meddling bastard!" the figure roared. A wave of killing intent slammed into Sullivan like a physical blow, making his hair stand on end and his knees go weak.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The man whipped out his wand and spat the curse. A bolt of eerie green light erupted from the tip, lighting up the forest in a sickening glow that turned the whole place into something out of a nightmare.
In thirty-one years in this world, Sullivan had never seen the Killing Curse in person. He'd heard all the legends about Voldemort and seen plenty of the bodies he'd left behind.
But until this moment, he'd still believed he could handle Voldemort's remnant soul.
The second that streak of green light appeared, he realized how badly he'd underestimated things. Facing a curse packed with that much raw killing intent, his body locked up completely. He couldn't dodge. Even his magic felt frozen solid.
Of course, killing intent didn't literally freeze magic—it was just Sullivan's body having a full-blown panic response to facing pure lethal malice for the first time, the same way an ordinary person might freeze when confronted with something truly horrifying.
It also proved exactly how massive the gap between them was.
As the Killing Curse hurtled straight at him, Sullivan regretted everything—his recklessness, his overconfidence.
Bang!
The curse slammed into his emergency armor charm. It had saved him plenty of times before, but this time the shield melted away like cheap plastic.
Am I going to die? No!
A roar of defiance surged inside him. Suddenly something slammed hard into his waist. From the corner of his eye he saw it was Coal Ball—she'd knocked him clear.
But what about her? Would the curse hit her instead?
In that split second, Sullivan's mind flashed back to his first summer in America, when a dark alchemist skilled in Legilimency had come after him. He'd barely escaped, but several of his techniques had been stolen. To create an anti-Legilimency device, he'd gone deep into the Rockies planning to use panthers as test subjects.
The plan had gone badly at first—the cats were too fast, too strong. He could defend himself, but catching one was impossible.
Until he found Coal Ball.
Animals born with unusual black coats were often rejected by nature. Coal Ball had been abandoned by her mother and was too young to hunt. She was dying when Sullivan found her. He hadn't even realized she was a kneazle at first; he'd simply taken pity and given her food and shelter.
The two of them had spent months together in the mountains. Eventually Sullivan finished the anti-Legilimency necklace, and with Coal Ball's help he killed the dark wizard and got the seed money he needed to start over in America.
For nearly ten years after that they had been inseparable. They'd formed a mental link. To Sullivan, Coal Ball was the most precious companion he had in this world.
She can't die. Absolutely not.
In that moment, a warm surge flooded through him. His magic and body broke free of the killing intent's grip.
Sullivan thrust his wand forward and roared, "Expecto Patronum!"
A silver raven burst from the tip of his wand and collided with the incoming green curse. The moment they touched, the raven let out a mournful cry and shattered into sparks.
But the Killing Curse was spent too—it vanished into thin air.
The black-robed man stared in shock that his curse had been stopped. He immediately started preparing a second attack.
Coal Ball was already moving. Once the panther got going she was a black lightning bolt. Before the man could finish his next incantation she was on him, fangs sinking deep into the hand holding the wand.
"You bastards! I'll kill you both—I swear it!"
The figure dissolved into a swirling black mist and fled rapidly into the trees.
The second the threat was gone, Sullivan pushed himself up off the ground and let out a huge breath. He was certain now—that had been Voldemort, just the heavily damaged remnant version.
Sullivan remembered the saying that floated around the wizarding world: Love is the greatest magic in the world.
He had always scoffed at it. Magic was magic; love had nothing to do with it.
But the power that had surged through his Patronus just now had surprised even him. For the first time, Sullivan wondered if the saying might actually be true.
He didn't dwell on it. He hurried over to the unicorn, waved his wand, and carefully collected the still-fresh blood into the container with the moonstone so the runes could absorb it.
Then he knelt beside the creature, pulled a healing potion from his bag, and gently poured it into its mouth.
He had no idea if it would work, but it was the best he could do right now.
About ten seconds later, a dazzling white light streaked through the trees and landed nearby. When the light faded, Dumbledore stepped out looking every bit the legendary wizard making a heroic entrance.
Seeing it was Dumbledore, Sullivan couldn't help but grin. "Professor, your entrance is way too flashy. You gotta teach me that sometime."
Dumbledore ignored the joke and went straight to the unicorn. Seeing that the creature's breathing had steadied under the healing potion, he waved his hand. Silver threads of magic sank into its body, rapidly closing the wounds.
"Professor Sullivan, what are you doing out here?" Dumbledore asked.
Sullivan pointed at Coal Ball. "She's been roaming the forest lately. She told me someone was hunting unicorns, so I came to check it out."
Dumbledore nodded. "You've done well, Sullivan. Saving this unicorn is entirely thanks to you."
Sullivan waved it off. "Unicorn blood can extend life, but it also brings a curse. Almost no one would do this unless they were trying to buy time until they could drink another kind of healing potion."
"You mean Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked.
Sullivan thought back over the encounter and nodded. "I believe so. I didn't see his face clearly, but that powerful, evil presence—and the fact that he opened with a Killing Curse—I can't think of anyone else it could be."
Dumbledore, of course, already knew Quirrell was helping Voldemort try to get the Philosopher's Stone. But he hadn't expected Voldemort's remnant to be active inside Hogwarts already. It looked like he would need to be even more careful.
The unicorn slowly recovered. It stood up, let out a soft neigh, then lowered its head in what looked like a bow to Sullivan.
A stream of silver light shot from its horn and flowed into Sullivan's body. He felt a warm, comforting rush. Then it faded.
While Sullivan was still bathed in the silver glow, the sound of many hooves approached. Over a dozen centaurs arrived, just in time to witness the scene.
Firenze was in the lead, with a stunned-looking Bane right beside him.
Firenze pointed at Sullivan and said to Bane, "This is the one you claimed was hurting the unicorn? How could someone who harms unicorns receive a unicorn's blessing?"
Bane stared blankly at the sight. He never would have guessed Sullivan's actions would fulfill the Great Elder's prophecy.
Centaurs do not lie. When Bane had returned to the herd, he had reported the clash exactly as it happened, emphasizing that he had only suspected Sullivan before Sullivan suddenly attacked.
The Great Elder had sent Firenze and Bane to investigate. Before they left, the Elder had pulled Bane aside and told him:
"Bane, Professor Sullivan returned our tribe's sacred relic to us. Through that relic I saw that in the dark night sky the old morning star is fading. A new morning star is rising. When they meet, the unicorn's blessing will crown the new star and help him become the new master of Hogwarts Castle.
If Professor Sullivan is not the one harming the unicorns, you must apologize and ask him to once again accept the friendship of the centaurs."
The scene in front of them now matched the Elder's words perfectly—which meant this Professor Sullivan would one day…
Firenze nudged him. "Come on, Bane. Fix your attitude. Don't forget the Great Elder's instructions. If Professor Sullivan refuses to accept our friendship again, how will you explain it to the Elder?"
Back with Sullivan, the silver light from the unicorn gradually faded. He checked his body but felt no obvious change. When he glanced at his status panel, he saw a new entry: Unicorn's Blessing.
It didn't explain what it did. Confused, he looked at Dumbledore. "Professor, what just happened?"
Dumbledore smiled. "That was a blessing from the unicorn. Each unicorn can bestow it only once in its lifetime. It is extremely rare.
It will bring you good fortune and enhance any light-based magic you cast—for example, the Lumos Charm or your Patronus Charm."
Sullivan quickly drew his wand and cast Lumos. Sure enough, the light at the tip now sparkled with flowing star-like motes, giving it a sacred, holy feel.
He had a feeling that if he kept this Lumos shining on someone for a long time, it could even help dispel certain curses in their body.
Not bad at all.
Sullivan bowed to the unicorn in thanks. The creature nuzzled against him affectionately before turning and galloping away.
Coal Ball growled at the unicorn's retreating figure, clearly meaning: Thank him if you want, but don't get handsy. My wizard is already smelling like you now.
For a brief moment, through their mental link, Sullivan got the distinct impression that Coal Ball was considering marking him with her scent. He quickly stopped her.
At that moment the centaurs approached. Sullivan had noticed them earlier but really didn't feel like dealing with them. They were an inexplicably arrogant bunch.
He wasn't worried about them attacking—not with Dumbledore standing right there. Even with a hundred times more courage, they wouldn't dare.
Firenze stepped forward, first bowing respectfully to Dumbledore, then turning to Sullivan.
"Professor Sullivan, I have brought Bane to apologize to you. He was only concerned for the unicorn's safety earlier and acted offensively toward you."
"Oh really?" Sullivan scoffed. "That's not how it felt when he was pointing his spear at my face."
Bane knew it was his turn. He stepped forward, placed a fist over his heart, and dropped to one knee in the highest centaur gesture of respect.
"Professor Sullivan, I am sorry. I was too rash earlier. I formally apologize and hope you will once again accept the friendship of the centaurs."
With both hands raised above his head, Bane offered back the bracelet Sullivan had thrown at him earlier.
Sullivan hadn't expected the centaur to be so humble. The sarcastic remarks he had prepared died in his throat. He took the bracelet and said, "I hope the next time I come into the Forbidden Forest, nothing like today happens again."
"You can rest assured, Professor Sullivan. You are now a permanent friend of the centaurs. No centaur will ever show you disrespect again," Firenze said, bowing once more before leading the herd away.
"Don't be too hard on the centaurs," Dumbledore said gently. "They were only trying to protect what they hold dear."
"They should at least figure out what actually happened first," Sullivan grumbled, still a little salty.
Dumbledore patted his shoulder. "Even when looking at the same thing, different people see it from different angles. Try looking at it from their perspective."
Sullivan didn't feel like arguing with the old man. Someone sitting at the absolute peak of power could easily say things like that. When Sullivan reached that level one day, he'd probably be able to face everything with the same calm detachment.
Back in his office, Sullivan eagerly pulled out the moonstone from its container. He couldn't wait any longer—he had to test whether the magical network server had finally succeeded.