Even fifty years later, not a single student present would ever forget what they had witnessed.
A group of Ravenclaw students, led by Lewis Green, had summoned an entire army of Patronuses, faced a horde of Dementors head-on, defeated them, and saved everyone.
Compared to such a legendary victory…
The result of the Quidditch match seemed utterly insignificant.
No one cared that Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff had caught the Golden Snitch while Gryffindor captain Oliver Wood wept bitterly on the pitch.
No one cared that Harry Potter was unharmed, having merely fainted before being sent to the hospital wing.
Everyone was simply grateful to the Ravenclaws for rescuing them from the Dementors' nightmare.
Imagine it.
Just as a young witch or wizard was about to be swallowed by icy despair…
An overwhelming sea of silver light suddenly descended from the heavens.
Warmth.
Joy.
Hope.
That moment would be forever engraved in their memories, replaying countless times in their dreams.
Everyone envied the Ravenclaws.
They had personally taken part in a legendary battle.
Stories like this…
Were the kind people bragged about for decades.
As for Lewis…
His reputation among the students had reached unprecedented heights.
A group of ordinary students…
After attending only a few lessons…
Had united to defeat over a hundred Dementors.
Had anyone claimed such a thing beforehand, no one would have believed it.
Lewis's study group instantly became the most sought-after organization in Hogwarts.
His plan had succeeded.
However…
When people searched for the hero of the hour…
They discovered that Lewis had already disappeared.
At that very moment…
Lewis was racing through the Forbidden Forest.
To increase his speed, he summoned Lari from his demiplane.
The unicorn had long ago formed a Mount Contract with him, allowing Lewis to summon her whenever he wished.
His destination this time…
Was Sirius Black.
Lari's hooves thundered across the forest floor.
Meanwhile, Lewis continuously manipulated druidic magic.
Branches bent aside.
Thick undergrowth parted on its own.
The entire forest opened a path before them.
Black had been extremely cautious.
He'd left almost no tracks.
But to Lewis…
That was meaningless.
Every so often, he would stop beside a tree, place a hand upon its trunk, and cast Speak with Plants, gathering information directly from the surrounding trees.
Though they seemed motionless and senseless…
The forest remembered everything.
Finding Black's trail proved effortless.
Because…
The forest never forgot.
Following the route revealed by the trees, Lewis bypassed the territory of the Acromantulas before eventually arriving beneath the enormous Whomping Willow.
Its massive branches whipped through the air like giant lashes, creaking violently and preventing anyone from approaching.
Lewis quietly observed the tree.
According to the information he'd gathered…
The opening between its roots led directly to the Shrieking Shack.
He attempted to approach.
A thick branch immediately lashed toward him, forcing him back.
Having sensed Lewis's presence, the Whomping Willow became even more violent, swinging every branch in a frenzy.
Lewis naturally knew how to stop it.
In the original story, there was a hidden knot on the trunk.
Pressing it would instantly freeze the entire tree.
But the trunk contained countless knots.
Even knowing such a weakness existed didn't mean someone could identify the correct one.
Fortunately…
Lewis had no need for such methods.
He was a druid.
No one understood plants better than he did.
One simple Command Plants spell…
And the Whomping Willow obediently fell completely still.
Black's supposedly foolproof security measure became meaningless before Lewis.
After dismissing Lari, Lewis casually walked beneath the tree and entered the tunnel.
The passage was narrow.
Rather than crawl awkwardly through the dirt, he instantly transformed into his giant panda form.
A black-and-white bear crawled into the opening before happily sliding down the earthen slope.
The tunnel beyond was extremely cramped.
An ordinary person would have to remain bent over for the entire journey.
For a giant panda…
It was almost the perfect height.
Even so…
The passage stretched onward endlessly.
After about five minutes, the tunnel finally began sloping upward before turning sharply.
Soon afterward…
A faint light appeared ahead.
An exit.
Lewis immediately resumed his human form.
Then he cast Greater Invisibility, held his breath, and silently entered.
Sirius Black should be inside.
The tunnel emerged into a gloomy, filthy room.
The wallpaper had peeled from the walls.
The floor was stained with grime.
Broken furniture lay scattered everywhere as though people had smashed everything in violent fights.
Every window had been boarded shut.
This…
Was the Shrieking Shack.
Yet…
Sirius Black was nowhere to be seen.
Lewis cautiously stepped forward.
The ancient wooden floor immediately creaked beneath his weight.
Old buildings truly were the natural enemy of stealth.
No matter how lightly he walked…
His weight alone produced noise.
With a helpless sigh, Lewis waved his wand.
A circular platform of condensed magical force appeared beneath his feet, lifting him into the air.
Much better.
Now floating silently above the floor…
He drifted through the house like a ghost.
Just then…
Another creaking sound echoed nearby.
It certainly hadn't come from him.
Which meant…
Someone else was here.
Lewis tightened his grip on his wand and guided the floating platform toward the source.
Then he saw it.
Behind a doorway…
A huge black dog lay sleeping soundly with its rear sticking into view.
It hadn't noticed Lewis's arrival in the slightest.
The dog was about to have a very unfortunate day.
Lewis casually waved a hand.
Thick vines erupted from the floor, instantly binding the dog tightly from head to tail.
Only then did he dismiss his invisibility.
The black dog finally noticed him.
Unable to escape, it could only bare its teeth and snarl viciously.
Strings of warm saliva dripped onto the floor.
The sour smell made Lewis frown.
"I think…"
"You seriously need to brush your teeth."
After a brief moment of thought, he pointed his wand.
A broken wooden plank transformed into an enormous toothbrush.
Another flick…
A large sphere of water materialized and forcefully poured straight into the dog's mouth.
Then…
The oversized brush mercilessly shoved itself between its teeth and gums.
It scrubbed thoroughly.
Inside and out.
The poor black dog could do nothing except stare in utter despair while receiving the most unwilling dental cleaning of its life.
By the time Lewis finished…
The dog's jaws were too sore to close properly.
Finally…
Lewis raised his wand once more.
"Reveal True Form."
This was a seventh-circle Abjuration spell that Lewis had only learned after advancing as an Origin Mage.
Its effect was simple.
Force all shapeshifters back into their natural form.
Whether ordinary Transfiguration…
Simple disguises…
Or even an Animagus.
The spell ignored them all.
The black dog instantly transformed into a ragged man.
He was frighteningly thin.
His waxy skin clung tightly to his skull, making him resemble a walking skeleton.
Only the bright eyes deep within their dark sockets proved he was still alive.
Every inch of him was filthy…
Except for his mouth.
His freshly brushed teeth looked absurdly clean.
The contrast was almost comical.
Lewis looked calmly at the man before him.
"Sirius Black."
"I've caught you."
If you want to read 60 chapters ahead of the public release, head over to: Patreon.com/RedString