svetikya Chapter 244 Swift Action
Chapter 244 Swift Action
Chapter 244 Swift Action
The next morning, Hogwarts Castle awoke in the light mist and crisp, cool air. Cullen woke earlier than usual; while his roommates were still struggling with sleep in their warm beds, he was already washed and dressed. Instead of going straight to the Great Hall for breakfast as usual, he stood by the arched window of the Ravenclaw Tower, gazing down at the gradually bustling courtyard and corridors below. His mind raced, assessing the risks of his various plans.
A well-thought-out approach? How to naturally obtain the diary from Ginny? And with what reason? A third-year Ravenclaw senior suddenly showing interest in the old notebook of a newly enrolled Gryffindor? Even though he has some connections with the Weasleys, it would still be too abrupt. Should he try to persuade her? Ginny is currently in a highly stressed and introverted state; abruptly approaching and demanding her personal belongings would only backfire, and might even trigger the diary, which may already be awakened. But the longer it drags on, the greater the chance the diary will sway her—the longer it drags on, the more complications may arise.
A clear and decisive decision formed in Karen's mind: take immediate action. Take it when Ginny isn't looking.
Clean and efficient, leaving no trace. With Karen's current magical level, as long as he is fast and discreet enough, the risk can be minimized. He has enough confidence in his Disillusionment Charm, Silent Charm, and skills; in the academy, there should only be a few professors who can suppress him right now.
The core of the plan lies in "speed, accuracy, and stability," as well as a perfect moment when there are many people around and Ginny's attention is diverted.
He waited patiently. Finally, about twenty minutes after breakfast began, he saw a group of redheads emerge from the direction of the Gryffindor tower. The Weasley children, along with Harry, were crossing the courtyard and heading towards the Great Hall. Ginny walked in the middle, still looking somewhat reserved, her head down, her hands clutching her schoolbag as if it were her shield.
Karen immediately turned and went downstairs. Instead of rushing directly to the Great Hall, he chose a less crowded, more circuitous route, quickly traversing several quiet corridors until he reached a passageway near the Great Hall entrance that connected to the main staircase. This was a busy thoroughfare leading to the Great Hall. He hid in the shadow of a knight's armor statue, concealing his presence like a hawk awaiting its prey.
A few minutes later, familiar voices and figures appeared. Ron's loud voice complained about Lockhart's expensive book list, Harry chimed in, Fred and George discussed the feasibility of some new prank, while Percy sternly reminded them to be disciplined. Ginny, sandwiched in the middle, struggled to keep up with her brothers, her attention completely focused on not being left behind, and her grip on her backpack loosened slightly.
It's now!
Karen took a deep breath and stepped out naturally from behind the statue, her face bearing the perfect calm expression of a diligent and studious Ravenclaw. Her steps were unhurried, as if she were heading to the library or classroom.
He changed direction and walked towards the Weasleys seemingly unintentionally.
"Good morning, everyone." Karen stopped a few steps away from them, her voice clear and calm, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.
His sudden appearance and greeting made the group stop.
"Karen!" Harry and Ron greeted at the same time, their expressions friendly.
"Hey, Cullen!" the Weasley boys responded, with Fred and George winking at each other.
Ginny suddenly looked up and saw Karen staring at her. Her face flushed red, and she instinctively hugged her backpack tighter, stammering, "Good morning, senior Hawthorne."
"How are you feeling? Are you getting used to your first night at Hogwarts?" Cullen's tone was natural, with a convincing calmness and reliability. "The castle is very big, and you might feel a little lost at first. If you can't find your classroom or the entrance to the common room, you can always ask for help. Upperclassmen are usually happy to assist you." His words sounded like a senior's routine concern for a freshman, which was perfectly reasonable.
"Th-thank you." Ginny's voice was even softer, and her head hung even lower, clearly unaccustomed to such gentle attention. "It's...it's okay. It's just that the stairs were moving, which was a little...scary." She mustered her courage to add.
“You’ll get used to it after a few walks,” Karen smiled, his gaze sweeping quickly and naturally over the backpack she clutched tightly to her chest. On the edge of the backpack’s side pocket, the old notebook with its black hardcover was clearly visible—the very location his “Eye of Truth” had locked onto. Good, target confirmed. “Enjoy your breakfast,” he said, ending the conversation at the opportune moment, nodding slightly, before walking past them in the opposite direction of the auditorium—towards the library or classrooms.
"Thanks, Karen!" Ron replied.
"See you at the Quidditch pitch later!" Weasley shouted.
Karen waved to them with her back turned, and her figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
He didn't go far. After turning a corner and making sure he was out of the Weasleys' sight, Cullen immediately slipped into a recessed area with a huge flowerpot. He swiftly drew his wand, flicked his wrist, and instantly cast a Silent Disappearance Charm. A familiar coolness enveloped his entire body, and his form instantly became blurry and transparent, perfectly blending into the shadows of the wall and the outline of the huge potted plant beside him, as if he had evaporated on the spot.
Like a silent ghost, he moved swiftly along the wall, returning to the vicinity of the corridor entrance leading to the auditorium. Maintaining a safe distance, his sharp gaze locked onto the small, red-haired figure carrying a schoolbag. Ginny was following her brothers toward the massive oak door of the auditorium; many students were coming and going, creating a noisy atmosphere.
The timing was perfect. High foot traffic, scattered attention, and a clear objective.
Karen held his breath, minimizing his presence. Like a skilled thief or a precise surgeon, he silently blended into the edge of the student flow heading towards the auditorium entrance, moving against the flow to get close to Ginny. His movements were so fluid, without the slightest hesitation, as if it were just an accidental brush in the crowd.
In the instant Karen brushed past Ginny, she instantly cast a levitation spell without a wand, and the diary silently slipped out of the side pocket of her bag and into Karen's wide sleeve. The whole process happened in the blink of an eye, less than half a second from contact to success. Ginny felt her bag being slightly bumped by the crowd around her, and instinctively hugged it tighter, as if something was missing. Just as she was about to check, she was interrupted by her brother Ron's urging voice: "Ginny, hurry up! Don't dawdle!" Thinking she had misjudged, and unable to look down to check in the crowd, she could only be pushed by her brother into the noisy hall with a hint of confusion and unease.
Karen struck successfully and didn't hesitate. Without looking back, he used the Disillusionment Charm as cover to quickly escape the crowd and slip into a narrow, empty stone staircase leading to the underground level. After descending a dozen or so steps and confirming that it was absolutely safe, he dispelled the Disillusionment Charm, and his form became clear again.
He didn't immediately examine the spoils, but instead quickly unfastened a plain-looking brown leather pouch—a seamless stretch bag—from his waist. He reached into his sleeve and touched the cold-feeling diary. Although it didn't feel as sinister to Karen as the crown, he still unhesitatingly stuffed it into the lead box he had prepared, the same kind used for the crown. With a soft click, the lid was sealed shut.
He then let out a long, silent sigh of relief. The diary was in his hands, Ginny was safe, and he had acquired a new Horcrux—a win-win situation. He then placed the lead box back into the depths of the Seamless Stretch Bag, securely fastened the bag back to his waist, and straightened his robe to ensure nothing was amiss.
Having done all this, Karen leaned against the cold stone wall, closed his eyes, and calmed himself. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, his usual calm and depth returning to his grey-blue pupils. The crisis was temporarily averted, but the trouble was still in the bag. The next step was to find a suitable time to properly "study" this first "masterpiece" of Voldemort's life.
He straightened his robes, his face regaining its usual calm and slightly scholarly expression—that of Karen Hawthorne—and strode up the stone steps toward the Great Hall. Time to get breakfast, and maybe see how his roommates would react to the "exciting preview" of Lockhart's first class that morning.