Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 861 - 232: Poppets Like These

The one who let out the scream was the scar-faced man who had previously been waved away by Vid.

He had originally crashed into a pillar, breaking several ribs. But now he was involuntarily pulled back by a force, forced to serve as Vid’s shield.

The cloak flung aside the scar-faced man’s legs, swirling around Vid, gesturing like a human and saying:

"Yes, yes, it’s us, the magical poppets! Master, master, do you remember me? I am your dearest little cloak!"

"Nonsense, it’s obvious that I’m the master’s favorite!"

Another cabinet hopped around on the floor, almost wanting to roll, and shouted in a sing-song voice:

"I’m the treasure chest made of snakeskin, where the master stores secrets, ding dong, clink clang, I’m more admired than the silly cloak..."

The cloak abruptly lifted its hem, crossing its sleeves like a person as it shouted, "You smelly snakeskin bag, I’m obviously closer to the master!"

It clung to Vid’s side, as if embracing warmly.

"Ha, closer than me?" The cabinet "thud" jumped once, bumping the cloak aside, and deliberately elongated its tone, shouting, "That’s because you’re so shabby, suitable for disguise! When it comes to usefulness, who can compare to me?"

Voldemort and the Death Eaters stood frozen in place, none of them interrupting these two noisy creatures.

Not out of tolerance, but because as the cabinet jumped out, countless poppets poured out like a flood:

Huge jellyfish floated in the air with long tentacles swaying, making even the tall dome of the church seem cramped for them. They surrounded Vid with a few tentacles, shielding the little boy tightly.

And those tentacles were not weak in any sense; they bore countless flashing sharp blades that rhythmically moved, appearing capable of easily slicing through someone’s throat.

Half-height crabs clacked and snapped their pincers, seemingly annoyed by the surrounding chairs. With a light swing, they snipped the iron benches into pieces;

Fist-sized wasps formed a black and gold storm, swarming densely in the air around Harry, so formidable that not even Voldemort dared to breach them for a beheading strike;

Most chilling of all was the ground — a mass of ant poppets moved like flowing black smoke, leaving no gap in the brickwork visible, scaring the Death Eaters into hurried retreats;

And that wasn’t all. From deep within the cabinet came the roar of a tiger, but perhaps due to a congested exit, it hadn’t appeared yet; instead, a mantis suddenly leaped over the poppet crab, springing out from within.

Unlike the casually created mantis in the Forbidden Forest, this poppet was entirely a semi-translucent jade color, its exoskeleton shimmering with watery light, its scythe-like forelimbs serrated, the blade thin and sharp.

This was not something that a simple Flame Curse or Explosive Spell could easily destroy.

Voldemort and the Death Eaters launched various spells, their black robes fluttering like massive bats—

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Reducto!"

"Confringo!"

"Scourgify!"

The colorful spells shot towards the most dangerous poppets, but the swarm of flying wasps suddenly sped up, heading directly into the spells.

The red and green lights collided with the swarm in succession, instantly exploding, wasp fragments flying everywhere, broken stingers embedded in the jellyfish tentacles, yet having no effect on the towering jellyfish.

The poppets continued to advance in the rear, moving not quickly to protect Vid in the center, but their pressure felt tangible.

"Buzzzzz..."

The swarm of wasps charged valiantly at the front, their metallic wing membranes vibrating at high frequencies, unleashing a roar seeming to pierce eardrums. They swept towards the Death Eaters like a hurricane, like a sandstorm.

"Iron Armor Guard—"

A panicked Death Eater waved his arms, but before he could finish the spell, a wasp darted into his mouth, immediately followed by more poppets swarming upon him, engulfing him in an instant!

The unfortunate fellow couldn’t even let out a scream, only his severed magic wand rolling out.

"Retreat!"

Voldemort hissed, slashing the air with his wand, instantly conjuring a silver wall, causing the poppets to become disoriented upon impact.

With another wave of the Dark Lord’s wand, an ashwinder shot forth, lunging directly at the poppet swarm!

Taking advantage of this, the remaining Death Eaters stumbled and crawled out of the church, ending up in the courtyard filled with ruins, looking quite disheveled.

One tall figure took this chance to hastily lift the feeble, gaunt Barty Crouch Jr., dragging him along quickly.

Barty, inexplicably frowning in a daze, was abruptly snapped back to reality with a yank, struggling furiously as he shouted, "Let go of me! I must tell the master, that guy is—"

He recognized it!

That cloak!

It was the very one that had pierced his thigh and nearly strangled him before!

So Vid Gray was none other than the one disguised as Harry Potter, the one who had instantly killed the infant form of the master!

And he was likely the very figure seen in the video from the Demonized Forest, standing beside Grindelwald!

Attempting to recruit him was a mistake from the start! Vid Gray wasn’t some pet of Dumbledore’s, he was the legendary heir of Grindelwald, the Witch Pure Party’s...

But Barty never got to say the rest of his words; he was suddenly paralyzed, petrified with his whole body unable to move except for his eyes.

The one supporting him gripped his collar tightly, dragging him to stagger behind a stone pillar. In the middle of their escape, the person suddenly used a nonverbal spell to ambush Barty, then leaned close to his ear, whispering with sinister satisfaction:

"Thank you for your past care, Crouch... Are you pleased with this return gift?"

Barty’s pupils contracted sharply, finally seeing the grayish, narrow eyes beneath the mask.

—Lucius Malfoy?

Memories bit at his heart like a snake, recalling the time he had turned Lucius into a toad, filling his heart with endless regret.

—I should have killed him directly!

More painful still was the fact that after he had privately punished Lucius, he had failed to report it to Voldemort due to a series of unforeseen events.

So when the Death Eaters reassembled, the Dark Lord merely assumed Lucius was just another of those fickle subordinates, not knowing he harbored such malice!

Otherwise, even with the mask, Voldemort would have recognized his identity, been wary of him, and not given him the chance to strike.

Barty Crouch Jr. was utterly devastated.

What a foolish, arrogant, unforgivable oversight he had committed!