Chapter 449: The Clearing-Out Performance

The two people standing in the boat suddenly felt a cold wind brush against their flushed cheeks.

Yes, they didn't need to go to the center of the lake to retrieve the fake locket—so why had they taken the boat in the first place?

Dumbledore was the first to react. Without hesitation, he stepped back onto the shore. "Ah, the mind really does fade with age... not to mention how easily I tire these days. But I think you'll want to see Voldemort's handiwork. It's all his usual tricks, unchanged for decades."

"Right," Kyle chuckled.

Fawkes, perched on his shoulder, turned his head away as though suddenly fascinated by the bare rock wall.

At that moment, Sirius and Kreacher also quickly disembarked, following Dumbledore. It would indeed be quicker to avoid the lake's center, and after they found Regulus, they could make a swift exit.

Once everyone was ashore, the boat returned to the lake and vanished with a faint shimmer, leaving the group watching the still, dark water.

Sirius stared at the lake's surface and asked, "Do we have to touch the water here to draw out those creatures?"

Though he posed the question, he didn't wait for an answer. Walking to the lake's edge, he did as Kreacher had described, lowering his hand into the icy water.

This act seemed to trigger an unseen mechanism. A pale arm shot up from the depths, grasping Sirius's arm and yanking him toward the lake with startling force. Instantly, the lake lost its glassy calm, churning violently as more white arms and heads emerged, racing toward the shore with unnatural speed.

"Let go of Master!" Kreacher shouted, raising his finger as though casting a Knockback Jinx or something similar. The Inferius released Sirius and splashed back into the water, but more Inferi had already emerged, their skeletal hands clawing at the slippery rocks, their hollow eyes fixed intently on Sirius.

Sirius scrambled back to the shore, pulling out his wand and carefully scanning each Inferius face for any sign of Regulus. Once sure none resembled his brother, he used a series of spells to send each creature crashing back into the water.

He quickly dispatched six or seven Inferi, but more continued to rise, unrelenting. Kyle and Dumbledore stepped in to assist.

Dumbledore handled the creatures with ease, barely needing to cast spells. With simple wand movements, he flung the Inferi backward, sending them tumbling into the water where they sank, unable to resurface. For him, these non-magical creatures posed no real threat.

If not for the risk of accidentally harming Regulus, Dumbledore would have employed even more efficient methods.

Meanwhile, Kyle cast the Full Body-Bind Curse, targeting those Inferi that clearly could not be Regulus.

The team had settled into a seamless rhythm: Sirius acted as bait in the front, Kreacher focused on locating Regulus, while Kyle and Dumbledore cast supporting spells from behind. The three wizards and the house-elf worked together with practiced coordination.

After casting several more Full Body-Bind Curses, Kyle glanced at the steadily growing swarm and muttered, "If only I could use Fiendfyre and surround Sirius with it, I guarantee none of these creatures would stand a chance, no matter how many there are."

At Kyle's words, Dumbledore's hand hesitated briefly, causing the spells around Sirius to falter for a fraction of a second.

Though brief, the lapse was enough. The Inferi took advantage, gripping Sirius tightly with their icy arms, lifting him off his feet, and dragging him relentlessly toward the depths of the Black Lake.

"Relashio!" Dumbledore waved his wand, helping Sirius to break free.

"There is a spell like that, but we can't use it now," he said softly. "Fire makes them instinctively retreat, which would make it even harder for us to find Regulus."

"Then... will you teach it to me?" Kyle asked.

"No!" Dumbledore interrupted him. He paused briefly before continuing, "The Fiendfyre Curse you're asking about is high-level dark magic. Although I don't know where you learned of it, I must warn you—this dark magic is incredibly dangerous and extremely hard to control. It's best never to use it unless absolutely necessary."

"If you're truly interested, though, I can teach you a different charm derived from the Fire-Making Spell. It's relatively safer."

"What is it...?"

"Master Regulus!"

Kyle was about to ask more when a thrilled cry rang out from Kreacher nearby.

The house-elf rushed forward, charging recklessly through the mass of Inferi, trying to pull one figure away while enduring scratches and bites from the others.

Kyle turned to look. It was a young man, his face drained of color, pale and withered. But even in this state, everyone—including Kyle—recognized him as Regulus. He looked strikingly like Sirius Black, as if he had just escaped from Azkaban.

Kreacher dragged Regulus to the rocks at the entrance, holding him tightly and sobbing.

Finally, a collective sigh of relief swept through them. Sirius burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the empty cave, as if he were being chased not by terrifying monsters, but by a swarm of harmless Mooncalves.

Dumbledore smiled, then turned to Kyle and said, "I was just wondering how best to describe the effect of this charm to you, but now it seems there's no need. Stay close to me…"

Kyle nodded and stepped closer.

Dumbledore raised his wand, and flames leapt instantly from its tip. The dark cave flooded with light.

Bright, golden-red flames swirled around Dumbledore, following his wand's movement like waves in the sea, growing larger with each sweep. The fire crackled loudly, and the damp chill vanished, replaced by searing heat.

Dumbledore extended his wand once more, and the flames surged, coalescing into a massive golden-red tidal wave that swept forward.

In an instant, a clear path opened up before them—at least ten feet wide—with two blazing walls of fire extending forward as if cutting a path across the lake.

Kyle stood in awe. He had been considering releasing Norbert to clear the way, but he hadn't imagined that Dumbledore's magic would be so much more powerful than even a dragon.

Dumbledore lowered his wand, turned to Kyle, and saw his expression, nodding with satisfaction.

"Well? Have you made up your mind?" he asked with a smile. "Do you want to learn the Fiendfyre Curse, or this?"

"Professor, I want to learn this one," Kyle replied without hesitation.

Dumbledore looked even more pleased with his answer.

Why bother with the Fiendfyre Curse when you can wield this? It's better to master what truly serves you rather than waste time on things with no real use.