Hogwarts: The Savior's Strong Cousin

"There is another way." Harry suddenly remembered something, and he took out an ancient key inlaid with emerald from his arms - this was left to him by Professor Dumbledore, who said it would come in handy at a critical moment.

When Harry inserted the key into the keyhole on the stone door, the stone door made a low humming sound and then slowly opened.

They walked into the center tower, and what came into view was a vast and dark hall, surrounded by towering bookshelves filled with all kinds of ancient books and scrolls. The air was filled with a heavy smell of dust, making it almost impossible to breathe.

"This place is so mysterious." Hermione whispered, with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

Harry nodded, his heart filled with awe and nervousness. They began to search the bookshelves for any clues about August or his family. Time passed bit by bit, and every book was filled with ancient magical knowledge, but none of them mentioned August.

Just when they were feeling a little disappointed, Harry suddenly found a thick black book with "Forbidden Magic and Dark Ritual" written on it. He carefully turned the pages and found that one chapter described in detail an ancient black magic ritual, which was exactly what August was trying to complete.

"Look at this." Harry handed the book to Hermione, who glanced through it quickly before her face turned serious.

"The book mentions an ancient dark magic ritual that can gain endless power by sacrificing powerful magical creatures." Hermione explained, "and this is exactly what August wants."

"So what should we do?" Ron asked, anxiety in his voice.

"We must stop him, no matter what the cost." Harry said firmly, "But first, we need to find him and find out his next plan."

They decided to continue exploring the central tower in the hope of finding more clues. Just then, a strange sound came from deep inside the tower, as if something was moving.

"Someone's coming," Hermione whispered nervously.

Harry raised his wand and signaled them to keep quiet. They held their breath and walked carefully in the direction of the sound. At a corner, they saw a vague figure, it was August.

August seemed to be looking for something, his expression was focused and indifferent. Harry's heart tightened, and he decided to follow him to see what he was doing. The three of them quietly followed August, passing through winding corridors, and finally came to a secret room.

In the center of the room, August stood in front of an ancient magic circle, holding a glowing crystal in his hand. Harry recognized it as the "Magic Key", and a powerful magic surged out of the crystal, reflecting on August's cold face.

"August, what are you doing?" Harry finally couldn't help but asked loudly.

August turned around slowly, a sneer on his face, "Harry Potter, I knew you would come. Do you really think you can stop me?"

"We won't let you succeed," Hermione said firmly, raising her wand.

"Then let's try it." August said coldly. The crystal in his hand suddenly burst into dazzling light, and the whole room was shrouded in magic power.

With the aftermath of the battle still reverberating in their minds, Harry, Hermione, and Ron left the central tower with difficulty, and had a clearer understanding of August's conspiracy. They knew that time was running out. August had already mastered the "magic key" and was only one step away from completing his dark ritual. Harry's heart was heavy, and he had to find a way to stop August as soon as possible.

They walked in the corridor leading to Gryffindor Tower, August's sneer kept echoing in his mind. Harry felt a mixed feeling, some anxiety, but more of a sense of urgency and responsibility.

"What should we do now?" Ron broke the silence, his tone full of anxiety.

"We need to find a safe place and gather our thoughts," Hermione said, her voice low but firm. "We need to learn more about the ritual and find its weaknesses."

"I remember there is an abandoned experimental site next to the Potions classroom. Few people go there." Harry suddenly remembered a place. "We can go there to study."

Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement, and the three of them quickened their pace and headed towards the basement.

On the stairs leading to the basement, Harry's heart was full of doubts. He remembered the previous battle. August's magical power was terrifying, but what was more disturbing was his firm eyes, as if he believed in everything he did. Harry couldn't help but wonder if there was a deeper secret hidden behind this belief.

"Harry, what are you thinking about?" Hermione asked. She was keenly aware of Harry's thoughts.

"I wonder about August's motivations," Harry said. "Why is he so obsessed with completing this ritual? What is he after?"

"Maybe he thinks it will give him power and status," Ron interrupted. "A lot of dark wizards do that."

"But I don't think it's that simple." Hermione pondered, "August's family history must be hiding something we don't know. Maybe it's related to his beliefs."

They finally arrived at the abandoned test site, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and walked into a room full of dust and cobwebs. It was obvious that no one had been here for a long time, and the corners were filled with old books and broken magic tools. Harry lit a few candles, and the room gradually became brighter.

"This place should be safe enough." Harry said. He walked to a shabby long table and placed the heavy black book on the table. "We need to study this book in detail and find a way to crack the ritual."

They sat around the table and began to carefully read the contents of the book. Hermione took notes while reading, while Ron was responsible for looking up the relevant magical terms. Harry focused on every detail in the book, fearing that he would miss any important information.

As time went by, they gradually discovered some clues. The book mentioned that this ancient black magic ritual requires a lot of magic power, and August chose Hogwarts because the magic source here can provide him with enough power. More importantly, the ritual must be performed at a specific time and place, only then can the resonance of magic reach its maximum.

"We have to find the location," Hermione said, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "If we can find him before he completes the ritual, we may be able to stop him."