Among those present, the only one who had witnessed the entire event unfold was none other than Hermione, who had been standing at the opposite end of the aisle.
When she saw Maca saving Harry, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The situation at that moment had been extremely dangerous. If Harry had been struck across the waist by the tail of the Manticore, he would surely not have survived.
But just as she had finally let go of the anxiety hanging over her, an astonishing and unexpected incident occurred!
Unexpected? Yes... it must have been!
She only saw Harry suddenly rise from the ground, his terrible bloodshot eyes filled with a murderous frenzy. She didn't know what had happened to Harry, but she understood that those were not the eyes of a normal human being.
Harry raised the sword—the very same Gryffindor sword she had handed to him—and without hesitation, he swung it at Maca's back!
Hermione had handled the sword many times and knew well that it was a silent weapon, and a formidable one at that.
"No—"
Hermione tried to draw her wand to stop Harry, who had lost his senses. However, in that split second, she realized why Maca had emphasized keeping wands easily accessible and why she had practiced drawing her wand quickly, repeatedly, and tirelessly.
She was too late now; all she could do was run desperately and scream loudly. She didn't even know if she was trying to remind Maca or if she was just venting her fear.
Next, Luna, the eccentric girl whom Hermione had often admired and even envied, silently opened her arms and stood in front of Maca in the nick of time.
Hermione didn't know if she would have acted so decisively if she were in Luna's place.
"...She will be alright, won't she?" Hermione's face was now streaked with tears, and she stared at Maca in a daze.
When was the last time Maca had shown such evident emotions?
It was an indescribable sadness and unmistakable vulnerability...
Whether it was the original Maca or the later, somewhat aloof Maca, they had never displayed such obvious vulnerability. He had always been a true powerhouse, someone who was never afraid, never passive, even when he suffered his first defeat against Voldemort at the end of the first term.
But now, this Maca, who had been so powerful that all young witches and wizards admired him, was showing such vulnerability.
What was he afraid of? Was he afraid of losing the girl in his arms? If... if it were me, would he have this expression too?
No, why am I thinking like this...
"Maca..."
As if startled, Maca suddenly raised his head and looked at Hermione, his voice sounding unusually hoarse.
"...She will be fine, right?" He sounded frustrated, his tone filled with anger.
"Maca... are you okay?" Hermione couldn't help but ask.
"I'm fine," he smiled at Hermione, "I'm fine, and Luna is fine... What about Harry? Is he... fine?"
When Harry was mentioned, a complex expression crossed Maca's face.
Could he blame Harry? As long as his brain was still inside his skull, he couldn't blame Harry... He should blame himself for being so foolish. If he had seen Harry in that state, he shouldn't have let him stay behind.
"Harry?" Hermione, as if just remembering, turned to look, "Well... he should be fine..."
Maca looked forward and noticed that Harry had collapsed not far away, and the Gryffindor sword had fallen from his hand a long time ago.
It seemed like he had taken quite a fall, but at that time, Maca had instinctively used a stunning spell, so it shouldn't be life-threatening.
Just then, a faint voice rang out from Maca's embrace.
"... Maca?"
Luna at this moment was like a newly born kitten, squinting her eyes weakly, looking at Maca.
"Are you okay?" she whispered.
"I'm fine, of course..." Maca lowered his head and looked at her, saying, "I should be asking you... how are you feeling now? Is there anything uncomfortable?"
Luna shifted uncomfortably, seeming a bit unaccustomed to lying in someone else's arms. She thought for a moment, then gently shook her head and smiled at Maca.
"My mom always told me not to get too close to boys..."
Perhaps because Maca's Stunning Spell had been too powerful, Harry still hadn't woken up by the time Maca decided to leave.
"Let's go!" Maca carefully carried Luna and, with a wave of his hand, levitated Harry beside him, preparing to go find Krum with Hermione.
However, at that moment, Hermione suddenly realized something and said, "I think we've forgotten something."
"What?" Maca looked around, then suddenly realized, "Oh! Ron!"
Harry had come here to defeat the Manticore and save Ron. But after this unexpected turn of events, they had almost forgotten about rescuing Ron.
...
When Maca discovered that the entrance to the maze was sealed and forcefully broke through the thick walls, he immediately noticed the ominous Dark Mark smiling in the sky in the direction of the school gate.
Of course, Maca knew all too well about this, and even if he didn't want to acknowledge it, it was already too late.
Maca only glanced in that direction, then immediately called everyone to head back to Hogwarts Castle.
According to the original plan, he should have already been at the scene of the incident at the school gate, doing everything he could to put on a good show. However, the current Maca began to hesitate.
"When you have a bit of power, you forget who you are..." he muttered to himself, unable to resist.
Not to mention that Voldemort's strength had not been fully understood yet. Even if the plan was executed successfully, what would it change?
"The biggest enemy isn't Voldemort; it's the unpredictable future!"
Whether you call him cautious or cowardly, he just wanted to find a place to hide and live the rest of his life in peace.
He didn't approach Dumbledore and Voldemort, but quietly returned to Hogwarts Castle, guarding Luna by her side.
"What are you thinking?" Luna, lying on the hospital bed, reached out and gently touched Maca's hand, asking softly.
"Hmm?" Maca withdrew his attention from his chaotic thoughts. "Nothing serious."
He smiled at Luna, and although his expression was no longer as stiff, it carried a trace of bitterness.
"...Is that so?"
Luna's dreamy eyes stared directly at Maca, as if she had seen through his heart.
But this time, she didn't say anything more. In no time, she seemed a bit tired and closed her eyes, falling asleep.
Of course, Maca couldn't sleep. He just sat by the bedside, lost in thought once again.
Outside the window, the twilight sun was shining through the faint clouds, casting a dazzling golden border around the Dark Mark in the half-empty sky.
The distant wind continued to howl, sometimes murmuring, sometimes shouting, but no one could understand its language.
Occasionally, bright red or eerie green flashes crossed the distant horizon, reminding the students and teachers inside the castle that the battle at the school gate had not yet subsided.
It wasn't until the sun had set completely, and the moon was rising, that Dumbledore returned to the castle with a tired expression.
He didn't explain much to the others but came straight to the hospital. When he saw Maca, who was silent, and Luna sleeping on the bed, he seemed to understand something.
"Don't forget to have dinner."
Dumbledore waved his wand, and several plates filled with various delicate snacks appeared on the table.
"Thank you, Professor," Maca nodded to him.
Dumbledore didn't say anything more. He just nodded and then left.
Time passed slowly, and the sky had turned completely dark. Only the moonlight outside occasionally shone through the hospital window, casting a silvery glow on the floor.
As Maca watched Luna, who seemed lost in thought, a shadow suddenly appeared on the floor, elongated by the slanting moonlight.
Maca's first reaction was to protect Luna, who was still asleep, and then he tightened his wand, turning to look cautiously toward the window.
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