Chapter 230 - The Attack! Part-1

{15th July 1991} 

{Rigel's POV}

I gripped Sirius's sleeve firmly, leading him swiftly through the open door onto the wide balcony. The cool mountain air hit me, briefly stealing my breath, and the distant lights of Gangotri glowed softly in the darkening twilight. I glanced once at Ginny, offering her a reassuring smile that I hoped masked my growing unease. She returned the smile hesitantly, her fingers tightening slightly around the edge of the couch.

"Sirius," I murmured urgently once we were safely outside, flicking my wand discreetly to cast a privacy charm around us. A shimmering bubble appeared briefly, invisible but tangible enough to shield our conversation from prying ears, only visible to my mana sense.

Sirius raised a questioning eyebrow, already sensing trouble. "What is it, Rigel? You look spooked."

"We've got a problem," I began quickly, lowering my voice despite the charm. "Parvati's worried about her mother. Apparently, Mrs. Patil has been asking pointed questions—our exact whereabouts, the places we've visited, details Parvati wouldn't usually be pressed about."

Sirius's playful demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by the alert seriousness of the former Auror he once was. His eyes hardened, scanning my expression carefully as they drifted into the darkness. "You think she's tracking us?"

"I can't be certain," I admitted reluctantly. "But Parvati's jewelry—her rings and pendants— Any of them could easily conceal tracking charms."

He scowled darkly, clearly troubled. "I warned you something felt off about this inheritance business from the start, Rigel. The whole thing has always seemed conveniently set up."

I felt a cold chill slither down my spine, knowing he was right. "I know. But the book is authentic—I've tested the Parseltongue spells myself. They're real."

Sirius nodded slowly, accepting this. "Maybe the book itself is genuine, but it doesn't mean the circumstances around it are safe. Think about it—maybe the Patils knew the book's location all along, knew we'd stumble across Jyoti's shop eventually if we wandered around Mumbai's magical markets. If I were trying to trap someone, I'd lay out a treasure too tempting to ignore."

Frustration boiled within me as I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. "Then what are we supposed to be? Bait? Cannon fodder? Why trap us? Is it aimed at Harry?"

Sirius stared grimly out into the night, eyes distant, calculating. "I don't know yet, Rigel. Maybe everything, maybe nothing. But one thing's clear—we're not playing their game. We're not walking into an obvious trap."

I felt a lump of anxiety form painfully in my chest. Everything had seemed fine until mere minutes ago—Ginny's laughter, Fred and George's absurd song, even the silly birthday cake exchange had lulled me into a false sense of security. How could it turn so dangerous, so quickly?

"You did copy the book, right?" Sirius asked suddenly, breaking through my swirling thoughts.

I nodded immediately. "Yes, of course. I made two exact duplicates, enchanted them both, and stored the original safely."

He nodded approvingly, immediately shifting into a strategist's mindset. "Good. At least we have a backup for later. Listen—we need an immediate escape plan. If they're tracking us, we can't stay here. Too many people in our group aren't combat-trained. If it comes to a fight, we'll have a disaster on our hands."

I swallowed thickly, forcing down my pride about my magic and nodding solemnly. "I agree. We should get everyone somewhere safe."

Sirius cast a calculating glance around, eyes falling on an empty flowerpot sitting near the balcony's edge. He moved decisively, lifting the pot and brushing soil from its edges. "I'll turn this into a portkey—it'll take us straight back to a Black Family safe house that's close enough that I won't have to charge the spell for too long. Tell everyone we have another special surprise planned for Ginny's birthday celebration. Keep it casual."

"Alright," I murmured reluctantly, feeling slightly unsettled but trusting his judgment. After all, he had years of Auror experience—I'd be foolish to question him now. Plus, my proficiency in magic aside, no way I am going to be looking for a real fight against adult wizards.

Sirius immediately turned over the flowerpot, wand tracing careful, intricate motions as I stepped back inside the house. The warmth and cheerfulness of the birthday celebration now felt strained and distant, as though viewed through a foggy glass. As I entered, I sensed immediately that the others had noticed something was wrong. The twins exchanged worried glances, Harry shifted nervously, and Ginny's eyes never left my face.

"So, Rigel," Fred drawled, trying to lighten the suddenly tense mood, "what's the big secret?"

George smirked weakly. "You look like you've seen a Dementor."

I forced a smile, trying to seem nonchalant. "Just another surprise we planned. Sirius wanted something special for Ginny's birthday. Grab your bags, everyone. We'll be heading out shortly."

Ron groaned audibly. "You've got to be joking! We just lugged everything up here!"

Ginny shot Ron a sharp glare. "Ron, seriously. It'll be fine."

Ron huffed but reluctantly complied. My nerves twitched painfully as everyone started to gather their things slowly, still watching me suspiciously. Suddenly, before I could fabricate another excuse, my mana sense flared sharply—an intense surge of magical power resonated dangerously close, just beyond the wall beside me.

My blood ran cold. "Wait—"

Boom

My warning was drowned out as the wall exploded inward violently, a deafening, roaring gust of wind slamming into me with brutal force. I felt my body thrown backward helplessly, crashing painfully against the far wall and then tumbling hard onto the stone floor. My vision blurred, ears ringing painfully as my entire world spun wildly. Dazed and confused, I struggled to regain my bearings, gasping weakly against the searing pain radiating through my ribs.

'Fuck I broke something.' The pain was sharp, jabbing as I struggled to take in deep breaths.

Slowly, agonizingly, I forced my eyes open, choking against the clouds of dust filling the air. Through blurry, distorted vision, I made out shadowy figures stepping confidently through the ragged hole where the wall had once stood, their forms illuminated only by flickering lanterns outside. My pulse thundered painfully in my ears as a fresh wave of panic surged through me. My mana sense pinged them, firing several spells at the broken wall.

They wore dark hooded robes, faces obscured completely, their presence emanating cold and ruthless intent as their mana vibrated with intent. I sensed their powerful mana clearly through my overwhelmed senses—whoever these attackers were, they were prepared. Every instinct within me screamed danger.

Desperation clawed at my chest. Ginny. Harry. Sirius. My friends—were they safe? Alive?

"Ginny!" I tried shouting, voice raw and hoarse, barely audible even to myself. I couldn't see clearly—shadows danced in front of my eyes, my mana sense flickering wildly with anxiety and fear as I felt mana envelop me. I fought to push myself upward, pain lancing fiercely through my side as I collapsed back weakly onto the cold floor.

Figures moved swiftly through the room, shouts echoing from my friends, sounds of chaos and confusion. Panic gripped me tighter, squeezing my chest painfully as I strained desperately to rise. My hands trembled, vision wavering dangerously, fighting against my battered body's protests.

"Sirius…Ginny…" I whispered desperately, my consciousness beginning to slip. "N-o…"

Yet my strength failed me, darkness swirling at the edges of my sight. The hooded figures approached, unhurried and confident, the muted glow from their wands illuminating their path through the ruined room.

As my vision faded slowly, helplessly, into blackness, a single terrifying thought haunted me relentlessly:

'What had I led us into?'

Then everything faded into merciful silence.