hotmtlnovel Chapter 157 Scarface's Journey with a Knife in the Snow
Chapter 157 Scarface's Journey with a Knife in the Snow
Chapter 158 Scarface's Journey with a Knife in the Snow
Picking up where we left off, the scarred man discerned right from wrong, and immediately pushed aside mountains of gold and jade pillars, bowing deeply in reverence.
When Blake saw him perform such a grand gesture, he was so startled that he took a half step back, hurriedly knelt down, and kowtowed twice, making the floor tremble.
Seeing his gesture, Harry quickly spread his arms to support him, like a monkey holding up the moon, and exclaimed, "Oh dear! You're making me so ashamed! Heaven, earth, parents, teachers, and the proper order of respect—how can a father kneel before his son?"
Blake, now that his name had been cleared, felt most of the anger in his chest dissipate, and grinned, saying, "You were the one who knelt down to me first; I can't accept that."
Harry quickly grabbed his arm and said, "Filial piety is a natural virtue, especially since my adoptive father's kindness is like giving me a second life! From this day forward, I will treat him as my own parents, and I will never fail to pay my respects to him morning and evening!"
Seeing his respectful demeanor, Blake clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles cracking, and said in a deep voice, "But I was so incompetent, and I'm the one who killed your parents..."
Before he could finish speaking, Harry's voice boomed like thunder: "Father, don't take the blame! If you want to get to the bottom of this, it's clear that that shorty betrayed his friend for personal gain!"
Having said that, he turned sharply, his green eyes flashing with a fierce light, and shouted to his men, "Prepare the oil in the cauldron and heat it to a boil. I'll personally rip out this bastard's black heart and liver, skewer them on a sharp dagger, roast them until they're charred, and serve them to my godfather as a drink to vent his anger!"
Ron's expression froze. How did it come up with eating living people again?
Just as he was about to speak to persuade him, he saw that Peter Pettigrew was already so frightened that his soul had left his body, and yellow liquid was leaking from his crotch. He was kneeling on the ground like a maggot being scalded by boiling water.
"Master, I'm Banban!"
"Didn't you love me the most?"
"Master~ Little Spotty wants to have a litter of baby mice for you, I want to protect you for the rest of my life..."
As the ancients said, "The deeper the love, the more intense the hate." Hearing Peter Pettigrew's words, Ron's temples throbbed with veins, like a drumbeat.
He pounced like a tiger, grabbed Peter by the collar and lifted him up, gritting his teeth as he said, "I'll get the oil in the pan right now, and we'll eat together in a bit!"
Blake, hands on his hips and chest puffed out, yelled viciously, "Leave this bastard's heart for me, I'm going to rip it out and eat it raw!"
Harry shook his head upon hearing this. "My godfather isn't a gourmand when it comes to food. There's a proper way to eat raw human hearts."
"You should know that people's hearts are all wrapped in hot blood. You have to splash cold water on their chest to cool down the hot blood so that the heart and liver can be taken out and they will be crisp and tender."
Blake was taken aback by these words, his sinister grin freezing on his face. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, he could no longer laugh.
"Are you really going to eat him?" Black hurriedly tugged at Harry's sleeve and whispered, "We might as well just hang him."
Harry sneered, "Wouldn't that be too easy on that scoundrel? He deserves to be torn to pieces!"
Seeing that there was no hint of jest in his words, and that he seemed to really intend to put his "heat the oil in the wok" into practice, Blake's heart began to pound with anxiety.
"Or I could just stab him to death, since I've been sober for a long time now."
Harry pulled open the purple-gold gourd from his waist, drew the Gryffindor sword, and sneered, "Father, you're mistaken! Such a quick death only benefits this scoundrel!"
"He should be subjected to the ancient punishment of slow slicing, cut into three thousand six hundred pieces, stripping away his skin and flesh to reveal his white bones, thus demonstrating the righteousness of Heaven!"
The words were still ringing in his ears when Blake was already speechless. Lupin and Lockhart, who were watching from the sidelines, were even more like people who had been immersed in ice water in the dead of winter, their bodies chilled and their foreheads covered in cold sweat.
Where did he learn his knowledge of killing from?
How come they're all so sinister?
Even Voldemort wouldn't be this ruthless, let alone Death Eaters.
While the others were discussing how to cook it, Peter Pettigrew had already collapsed into a limp mess, his crotch stained with a foul, yellowish odor.
He slithered like a maggot to Ron's feet, tugging at his trouser leg and groaning:
"Master, I'm your Banban~"
"I could be like that forever, let's forget about Peter Pettigrew, okay?"
Ron's face was shrouded in black mist, his features twisted into a hideous, demonic expression, as he spoke, word by word:
"Shut your mouth!"
"You think I wouldn't dare mess with you, do you?!"
Seeing Ron's ferocious face, resembling the shrewish judge Zhong Kui, Peter Pettigrew suddenly burst into tears, which streamed down his face like raindrops pattering on banana leaves.
He frantically scratched his head, pulling out a handful of gray hair, and tremblingly presented the tangled mess to Ron.
"Master, my lord... I beg you, please, for the sake of Banban's advanced age..."
Ron stared at the bald patch of hair, his lips trembling like leaves, then suddenly turned and roared.
"Hermione! Get me a basin of cold water!"
No sooner said than done. In the brief moment Ron turned his head, a hair between Peter's fingers suddenly transformed into a magic wand. He gripped it tightly, pointed it at the roof beam, and hissed a spell.
"Smoke billowing everywhere!"
Thick white clouds of mist billowed out like the lid of a steamer, instantly engulfing the entire shed. Several streaks of red light burst forth from the mist, causing the beams to creak and groan.
Ron cursed under his breath, twisted around abruptly to reach out and grab him, but his hand grasped at empty air; the fellow had already slipped away like an eel.
"Harry! Peter Pettigrew has run away!"
"Just kill him!"
Ron was certain that Peter Pettigrew would use Animagus to escape, so he quickly drew his wand, pressed it to the ground, and chanted a spell, summoning a gust of wind that swept up the clouds.
Sure enough, a bald rat carrying a magic wand was seen scurrying toward the door panel that had been blown open.
Everyone unleashed their spells, but they were all dodged like raindrops hitting slippery scales. The mouse darted left and right a few more times, then leaped into the hole and disappeared.
Ron stamped his foot in frustration, thinking that Peter Pettigrew's escape was his own fault, and with a somersault, he leaped into the cave.
Harry and the others fell in one after another like dumplings being dropped into a pot, while Lockhart trembled, feeling as if he were entering the Chamber of Secrets again. After hesitating for a long time, he finally gritted his teeth and jumped down.
"Can I ask where this secret passage leads?!!!!"
Lockhart shouted loudly, but no one answered.
Harry chased after him through the secret passage, cursing, "That cunning, filthy scoundrel! He's stolen a wand from somewhere!"
"If I'm not mistaken, that wand belongs to Lavender."
Hermione, with Crookshanks tucked under her arm, said urgently, "The night Mr. Black tried to break into the Gryffindor common room, many dormitories were robbed, including Lavender's wand."
Upon hearing this, Blake's face flushed red, and he suddenly drew a dagger from his waist, shouting fiercely:
"Once I kill that bastard, I'll buy Miss Lavender a new wand!"
The group rushed forward along the secret passage, gradually feeling a wave of heat wash over them, as if they were in a steamer. Sweat soaked through their winter clothes; they looked nothing like they were in the dead of winter.
Harry pulled off the scarf around his neck, thinking to himself: The winter solstice had just passed, and one should be able to turn one's breath into frost, but now it felt like the hottest days of summer. This was really strange.
After walking another ten steps or so, when they reached the root of the willow tree, they saw that the gnarled roots had split open into red gaps, and inside the gaps, magma surged like golden snakes dancing wildly.
Ron stood in the heatwave, raising his wand to unleash a chilling aura.
Seeing everyone rushing over, he cried out urgently, "He poured lava into the Man-Beating Willow, trying to burn us all to death!"
"Willow has gone mad; pressing on the scabs doesn't work!"
Lockhart, seeing no way out, felt he was about to die here. He was so terrified that he lost his composure, his face turned ashen, and he almost fell over.
"Let's hurry back to the screaming shack! If we stay here any longer, we'll be burned to death!"
How could Blake, seeing his enemy so close yet unable to get close, possibly agree?
He nearly ground his steel teeth to powder and roared angrily:
"I'll deal with Willow the Assassin, you guys go and catch that bastard!"
Having said that, he rolled on the spot and transformed into a black dog, bursting through the door like an arrow and rushing straight at the man who had hit him, Liu.
Harry cried out urgently, "Father, be careful! Don't let that demonic tree hurt itself!"
Taking advantage of the lull, the group darted out of the tree hole like kites released from their cages, heading straight for Peter Pettigrew.
Lockhart followed closely behind, running thirty or fifty paces to safety before finally breathing a sigh of relief.
Looking back, he saw Blake howling in pain as the branch lashed out. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he swung his wand around and threw it.
"Mr. Black! Use my wand!"
Suddenly, the black dog saw a streak of dark light flash across the sky. It pushed off the gnarled branches with all its might and leaped into the air!
In mid-air, it transformed back into human form, stretched out its arm, and firmly grasped the stick in its palm.
"Thanks, Professor!"
After shouting, he didn't turn around, but pointed his wand behind him. A loud "boom" was heard, as if the Thunder God and Lightning Goddess had come to his aid.
The countless branches of the willow tree that had been used to attack people instantly turned into dust, and the wood chips flew everywhere like rain.
Lockhart saw it clearly and felt a chill run down his spine, taking a deep breath.
He's really amazing!
It's possible to unleash such power using someone else's wand.
Looking at Harry's side, the vast snowfield stretched out like a white silk ribbon. Hundreds of paces away, a black dot could be seen darting away as if its life depended on it, like a lump of coal rolling in the snow.
Seeing this, Lupin, without saying a word, drew his wand and shouted.
"Thunderous explosion!"
A beam of crimson light shot out from the tip of the staff, relentlessly devouring the fleeing figure.
Peter Pettigrew panicked and turned to defend himself. The two beams of magic collided with a deafening explosion, shaking the snow and causing it to churn as if a jade mountain had collapsed, obscuring half the world.
Once the snow settled, everyone looked closely and saw that Peter Pettigrew's robe was torn to shreds and he swayed slightly, but his feet seemed to be on fire, and he fled even faster.
"He's gone too far," Lu Ping said grimly. "The spell can't keep up with him, and its power has been weakened."
Hermione abandoned Crookshanks and hurriedly reached into her pocket for the Death Journal, saying anxiously, "But we can't just let him get away like this."
"If he really escapes from Hogwarts, it will be very difficult to catch him again."
Just as the two were anxious and at their wits' end, they saw Harry put away his wand, stride forward through the snow, and tightly grip the hilt of the ring knife in one hand.
Hermione, seeing his actions, widened her almond-shaped eyes in surprise and exclaimed:
"Harry?! There are at least three or four hundred meters between you! How are you going to cut him down?"
Harry didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the dark figure fleeing across the snowy field.
With a sharp "whoosh," the ringsword was drawn, flashing like a streak of light. Harry exhaled and made a sound, the sword sweeping diagonally from the lower left to the upper right.
Strangely enough, as the blade swept past, a mournful howl echoed from afar, carried by the wind and snow. Peter Pettigrew was struck as if by a heavy blow; his left leg buckled, and he immediately knelt down in the snowdrift.
Lupin and Hermione were stunned to see Harry swing his knife from hundreds of paces away, wounding the enemy. They were speechless for a long time.
Crookshan also bristled with fur, and with a "whoosh," he disappeared into Hermione's robes, never to show his face again.
Harry wasn't finished. He focused his mind and held his breath, then swung his sword three more times. As the swords passed, Peter Pettigrew felt as if he had been struck by an invisible blade, letting out several bloodcurdling screams like a pig being slaughtered. Finally, his bones went limp and his muscles went numb, and he collapsed in the snow, unable to move.
Seeing this, Harry finished his breathing exercises and sheathed his sword.
Lu Ping was stunned for a moment, and just as he was about to ask a question, he suddenly heard a thunderous roar behind him.
"Where is that bastard?! I'm going to kill him!"
When the group turned around, they saw Blake, his face bruised and swollen, staggering towards them, his eyes burning with rage. Lockhart and Ron followed closely behind.
"You're too late, Sirius." Lupin shook his head and pointed to the motionless figure deep in the snowfield.
"Harry has him under control."
Upon hearing this, Blake quickly stood on tiptoe to look around and saw Peter lying sprawled in the snow like a dead dog.
With a sinister grin, it rolled on the spot, revealing its giant dog form. Its four paws sprang forward, its steel teeth snapping shut as it grabbed Peter by the scruff of his neck and dragged him back.
Peter cried out in pain, his wails echoing across the wilderness like the hooting of an owl in the snow, chilling all who heard them.
"Oh no! Black, Sirius, we're best friends, aren't we?"
"Please spare me, I'm willing to go to Azkaban to atone for my sins..."
"Be gentle, my arms and legs are broken!"
After spitting this fellow out, Blake reverted to human form, spat several times on the ground, his thick eyebrows raised, and cursed:
"Disgusting, it smells like rats!"
Peter Pettigrew was paralyzed like a rag doll, knowing that this was the death knell, that the gates of hell were near, and that the Black and White Impermanence were coming to claim his life.
Unable to move his hands and feet, he couldn't even kowtow and beg for mercy; he could only cry out:
"Please, spare me! If... if James were still alive, he wouldn't want to see us killing each other!"
"We are plunderers, have you forgotten?"
Black's eyes widened in fury. He drew his wrist-splitting dagger, grabbed Peter by the collar, and roared, "You beast, worse than a pig or a dog, dare to mention James?!"
Before Peter could beg for mercy, he stabbed him in the stomach.
"ah!!!"
Blake straightened up, spat again, and said, "This stab was for James and Lily!"
Lupin silently stepped forward, his wand pointed directly at Peter's heart, and said coldly, "This is for the innocent people who died because of you."
"The skin was torn open and the flesh was ripped open."
"Ughhhhh!!!"
As Lu Pingfang went, Ron, unable to contain his temper, rushed forward.
But his eyes were wide with rage, and his fist, the size of a vinegar jar, swirled with wind and snow, aimed directly at Peter's face and stabbed.
That punch was incredibly powerful! It shattered the bridge of his nose, nearly caused his eyeballs to pop out of their sockets, and even broke his two front teeth into four pieces.
"This punch is for Banban!"
Hermione's pretty face was frosty, and she didn't say a word. With her slender foot, she delivered a groin kick to Peter's crotch.
A heart-wrenching scream rang out, startling Blake so much that he quickly snapped his legs together.
"That kick was for Harry," Hermione whispered coldly in her ear. "He deserved a happy childhood."
Just as he was about to finish, Lockhart hesitated, wringing his hands, and pushed forward. Seeing that Peter was already panting heavily, Lockhart's courage waned slightly, and he forced himself to say:
"This kick, this kick, was for justice!"
After calling out, she merely touched Peter's thigh with the tip of her boot in a light, fleeting motion, then hastily shrank behind Blake.
With their grudges avenged, everyone's eyes were fixed on Harry. Harry, carrying his ring knife, stepped forward, his face as cold as iron.
Peter Pettigrew howled and begged for mercy.
"Please, Harry, it really wasn't me who betrayed your parents, it was all Black's doing..."
Harry ignored his ramblings and asked, "If my parents were willing to hand me over to that bastard Voldemort, would you still betray your friend for personal gain?"
Upon hearing this, Peter grinned obsequiously.
"That's definitely not going to happen."
A cold glint flashed in Harry's eyes, and with a swift movement, he brought his knife down, the sound of wind and snow whistling as it cleaved straight down from the top of Harry's head.
With a crisp "crack," Peter Pettigrew was cleaved in two, his internal organs spilling out onto the ground, staining it as vividly as blooming flowers.
Poems as proof:
Thirteen years ago, a secret was leaked, and now we've split ourselves in two.
The spirits of their parents are finally at peace, but the villain Tom remains a thorn in their side.
Harry sheathed his sword, stood up, and looked up at the swirling snow, his gaze distant and lost in thought.
Lockhart, who had never seen anything like this before, was so frightened that he turned pale, covered his mouth, and ran away, vomiting uncontrollably.
Even Blake, who was used to all sorts of things, couldn't help but feel a chill when he saw the gruesome sight of the disemboweled man.
Looking around, he saw that Ron's expression remained unchanged, and was surprised. He then turned his head and asked:
"Mr. Weasley, aren't you afraid?"
Upon hearing this, Ron recalled the two-faced man's head, sighed, and waved his hand, saying:
"You'll understand when you get to my age."
Blake frowned, looking suspicious. After pondering for a while, he asked seriously, "Then how can I make myself younger?"
Hermione's lips twitched as she listened to their conversation. Were these two out of their minds?
She suppressed her grumbling and turned to look at Harry. She wanted to say something comforting, but didn't know where to begin, so she simply stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.
"Harry, how did you manage to cut down Peter Pettigrew from hundreds of meters away?"
"And I heard him keep saying that his tendons in his hands and feet were torn, but I didn't see any wounds on his hands and feet."
Harry snapped out of his reverie at the sound, cupped his hands in greeting to Lockhart, and said with a smile, "These few strikes of mine were all thanks to Professor Lockhart's guidance in my cultivation. He enlightened me and helped me attain enlightenment."
Lockhart, who was vomiting bile, heard Harry's words and quickly turned around, his face beaming with a radiant glow, like peaches and plums in spring.
"Ah~ that was just a tiny bit of help."
Then he glimpsed the corpse on the ground split in two, his stomach churning, and he turned his head and vomited out with a "whoosh".
Harry then explained in detail the reason why Lockhart had cast the spell to help him and the mystery of the ring knife.
Blake only vaguely understood, scratching his head. "Why didn't I understand?"
Hermione only read it for a moment, but she immediately grasped the key point and exclaimed in surprise:
"Harry, you mean to first switch your belief to 'the blade doesn't exist,' and then switch it back to 'the blade exists' when it cuts into your body?"
These words were like the sun breaking through the clouds, and all the heroes clapped their hands in sudden realization.
Only Lu Ping's brows furrowed in disbelief as he asked, "How did you manage to hit a target hundreds of meters away with that knife?"
Harry laughed and said, "At that time, I only put my mind at ease, thinking that the blade was just an illusion, and I was thinking of going to kill that short-legged rat."
"By the time I changed my mind, the tendons in that fellow's feet and hands had already snapped like broken strings. It seems that the flashing blades were entirely at my command."
Ron heard it clearly, and a chill ran down his spine as he clicked his tongue in disbelief.
No wonder Legnack said this knife was a divine weapon comparable to the sword of Gryffindor; he wasn't lying.
This thing is even more effective than the Killing Curse.
Just as they were marveling at this, Lupin and Black exchanged glances, their faces filled with suspicion.
Harry noticed something amiss and clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, asking, "Why do you and your second uncle look so troubled? Is there something strange about this knife?"
"This knife is indeed a bit strange."
Lupin pondered for a moment, "Harry, you should know that the blade can appear or disappear according to your thoughts because it is a magical effect produced by the Invisibility Cloak."
"But the hilt and the blade are connected. No matter how much you change your mind, you can't make the blade separate, let alone a magical weapon like this."
Blake nodded in agreement, "Unless, in the first place, the fairy who forged your weapon didn't connect the blade and the hilt together."
The story goes: A precious blade hides a secret, an incantation aids in a miraculous feat; the blade leaves the hilt, a demon's words remain unspoken; truly surpassing even the Lion's Court Sword, displaying a hundred supernatural powers and majesty; the blacksmith, wishing to emulate his ancestors, steals the Cold Blade to discuss its return. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.
(End of this chapter)