Harry Potter: Archmage of Another World

Golden sunlight dappled through the shade of the trees, falling softly onto the ground. Ron sighed helplessly as he glanced at Hermione and Harry beside him. His earlier plan to sneak off and relax seemed doomed now that he had two companions keeping him in check. It looked like he'd have to play it by ear.

"Honestly, on such a beautiful day, I think we should take some time to enjoy the scenery," Ron suggested casually, pointing to a shimmering lake not far away. He gestured dramatically, as if envisioning himself galloping heroically through the landscape. "I mean, with so many people looking for the others already, the three of us won't be missed, right?"

Hermione crossed her arms, her pale hands resting against her chest, a smirk tugging at her lips. "It seems our Mr. Weasley has grown quite accustomed to wearing the crown of Slytherin. Even in a situation like this, you manage to dream up such grand plans. I'm impressed."

Harry grinned knowingly, and Ron awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, coughing to mask his embarrassment. "Ahem! I was just saying, you know, hypothetically."

"Long live King Weasley!" Harry laughed, humming a cheerful, off-key tune as he strolled beside his friends, his steps light. For the first time in what felt like ages, the trio enjoyed a carefree moment. Walking through the vibrant, flower-filled forest, a sense of ease began to settle over them.

"Look over there! A golden rabbit!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the bushes. A flash of gold had caught his eye, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

"Are you dreaming? Rabbits aren't golden," Hermione replied with a skeptical glance, waving off the idea.

"I'm serious! I swear I saw it—a golden rabbit. Maybe my Quidditch training makes me hypersensitive to certain colors. The moment it moved, I noticed it," Harry insisted earnestly.

Ron stroked his chin thoughtfully, a spark of realization lighting up his eyes. "Wait a second. Have you heard of something called the Lucky Rabbit's Foot? There's a rumor that anyone who possesses one will have incredible luck. Maybe this golden rabbit is connected to that legend. It could be a huge treasure!" His eyes gleamed with excitement, and his freckled face flushed red. He rubbed his hands together, ready for action.

Harry, clearly intrigued, nodded enthusiastically. For a Gryffindor, adventure was second nature. Besides, even if it wasn't a lucky rabbit's foot, a golden rabbit was worth investigating. "Come on, Hermione. It's just another direction to search. We won't stray from the mission."

Ron turned to Hermione, who still seemed hesitant, and pressed his case. "Think about it. We're supposed to be looking for the others anyway. This could even lead us to clues. Besides, this valley isn't that big. We might have a better chance of finding them if we follow the rabbit."

Hermione sighed, rubbing her temple. Without saying a word, she gave a small nod of reluctant agreement.

Harry and Ron exchanged victorious smiles before they all began heading toward the forest in the direction the golden rabbit had fled.

Elsewhere, by a bubbling stream, Cho Chang and Marietta strolled among the lush greenery. The gentle breeze rustled the grass, and Marietta picked a pink flower, holding it up to her nose and breathing in its sweet scent. Her eyes sparkled with delight.

"This place is so beautiful," Marietta said with awe. "I've lived in Britain my whole life, but I've never seen such natural, pristine beauty."

"We need to keep moving," Cho said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with a sigh. "We have to find the missing students quickly. Even though this valley isn't very large, it won't be easy to search the whole area before nightfall."

Marietta frowned in confusion. "But why bother? Most of those missing people aren't even close to us. We've done our part by coming this far. Isn't that enough?"

Cho gave her a calm, indifferent nod. "Maybe. But as their classmates, it's our responsibility to try. If anything happens to them, Professor Augustus might not be pleased. We'd better take this seriously."

Marietta pouted, muttering under her breath, "This is all about impressing Augustus, isn't it?"

Cho smiled softly, her dark eyes glinting with a faint hint of amusement.

Down by the stream, dandelion fluff floated gently on the breeze. Water splashed against smooth stones, sending crystal-clear droplets into the air. The scene was serene, but elsewhere in the shadows, Fred's gaze followed Cho intently as she wandered along the creek. His eyes burned with an intensity that was hard to ignore.

"What are you looking at?" George asked curiously, clapping Fred on the shoulder.

Fred's lips curled into a smile. "It's been a long time since I've seen such... a perfect offering." His voice carried a strange satisfaction as he clapped his hands together, laughing softly.

George frowned, puzzled by Fred's words. "Fred, what's gotten into you? Are you joking so much now that I can't even tell anymore?"

Fred froze for a moment, then turned slowly to meet his brother's concerned gaze. A strange chill washed over him.

"Tell me the truth. Have you been possessed or something?" George demanded, his face serious.

Fred hesitated, his expression unreadable, as the shadows in his dark eyes seemed to shift.

"Look at you!" George grabbed Fred's face, peering into his eyes. "Pure black... and those sharp, cold pupils. You look just like the Bloody Baron. Well, except there's something even darker about you."

George stepped back suddenly and bowed low, his tone exaggeratedly formal. "All hail the great Dark Lord!"

"Uh... what?" Fred stammered, his face twisting in confusion.

"I'm serious. Are you possessed?" George asked, his tone genuine now.

Fred blinked, at a loss for words.

"Well, can I skip kissing your hand? A bow should suffice, right?" George quipped.

Fred groaned, his voice shifting slightly as he snapped, "Oh, shut up, Weasley!" A familiar, yet eerily altered, tone escaped his lips.

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