Chapter 1057: Valentine's Day
Chapter 1057: Valentine's Day
"My body feels stiff."
Isabelle gently pressed her fair and slender fingers on Albert's body, a mischievous smile on her face as she recalled the painful early days of practicing yoga.
"I don't practice yoga every day like you," Albert said helplessly, letting Isabelle manipulate his arms. His body was indeed not as flexible as it used to be. This was unavoidable. Even with Albert's yoga skill at level two, he couldn't change this fact.
"That's because you've been slacking off lately."
"No, it's because I haven't had anyone to practice with me lately." After enrolling at Hogwarts, Albert had temporarily given up many of his previous habits, such as jogging and martial arts. Apart from a daily egg and a glass of milk in the morning, he hadn't been able to maintain much of his old routine.
And even the breakfast at Hogwarts didn't always include eggs and milk.
Of course, another reason was that practicing alone was quite boring, and it wasn't appropriate to be too individualistic at Hogwarts.
The habits of wizards and Muggles were inherently different. Aside from playing Quidditch, most wizards didn't engage in any other formal exercises, and their body shape depended entirely on their physique and the nature of their work.
"Then... if I come looking for you for morning exercises in the future, you're not allowed to be lazy. It's a deal." Isabelle had obviously been waiting for Albert to broach this topic! "Are you worried that I'll get old and lose my good looks, turning into a fat, bald guy with a beer belly?" Albert teased with a laugh. "But, I almost forgot, the water quality in Britain is quite poor, and drinking it for long periods can cause hair loss."
"Really?" Isabelle asked, skeptical.
"In Muggle terms, there are too many minerals in the water, and it's generally recommended to boil it before drinking. However, for wizards, this should only be a minor issue." Albert seemed to remember something and suddenly said, "This reminds me that I could create a simplified hair growth potion for Muggles. It would definitely be a bestseller."
"You're quite clever, but since the introduction of the Statute of Secrecy, wizards and Muggles aren't allowed to interact too closely." Isabelle reminded him, though she believed Albert could find a way around this if he truly wanted to.
"We can operate behind the scenes." Albert replied without hesitation. "Money still talks in the Muggle world. For example, we could buy the land of a village; many remote villages are abandoned and extremely cheap. We could even build our own village."
"You're quite ambitious."
Isabelle was half-convinced and half-skeptical. She didn't doubt that Albert would do it, but she felt that it had little to do with ambition.
"It's called being prepared. Maybe by then, we'll have many children. Look at the Weasley family... Cough, I'm just joking." Albert felt his waist being twisted hard and quickly added.
"By the way, the Felix Felicis is almost ready..." Isabelle's cheeks reddened slightly as she definitely did not intend to have that many children.
"You truly are amazing. I dare say even the most skilled Potion Masters would struggle to succeed on their first attempt." Albert did not skimp on his praise.
"It went even smoother than I expected."
Speaking of the Felix Felicis that had taken her six months to brew, Isabelle's face showed a hint of emotion. She had originally thought that the lucky potion would be difficult to brew, but it had turned out to be even smoother than she had anticipated.
Of course, whether the Felix Felicis was successfully brewed would depend on the final product.
Isabelle did not know that the reason she felt so adept at brewing it was because of the Felix Felicis formula that Albert had specially copied from the skill panel. This formula was even more refined and standardized than the ones currently available in the wizarding world. Coupled with Isabelle's already high skill in potion-making, it was no wonder that she felt the process went smoothly as she followed the formula step by step.
"Then I'll leave it to you." After kissing Isabelle's cheek, Albert stood up to stretch his limbs, as the yoga earlier had left him a little sore.
"Are you trying to get rid of me already?" Isabelle raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly a little unhappy with Albert's perfunctory attitude.
"Tell me what you want, and I'll try my best to make it happen." Albert could tell that Isabelle was pretending, so he teased her, "A grand wedding?"
"That's more like it. But, I haven't decided yet." Isabelle picked up her wand from the table and pointed it at the mat on the floor, making it jump into the cabinet. Turning to look at Albert, who was still stretching, she suddenly said, "Do you think we should keep our wedding simple?"
"What's wrong?" Albert reached out and hugged her, noticing the trace of anxiety and worry in Isabelle's eyes.
"The prophecy, the current situation isn't ideal, and you're being targeted by the mysterious person." Isabelle didn't attach much importance to their wedding. She didn't care much about blessings from others either. As long as they had the Dursleys as their witnesses, and with their families and relatives, it would be a small gathering anyway.
Even without a wedding, it wouldn't matter to Isabelle; she saw it as just a formality. She also knew that Albert was holding this wedding to a large extent because he wanted to give her a beautiful memory.
If Isabelle agreed, they could even announce to the outside world that they were already married after Albert graduated.
"We can make more preparations and then choose according to the situation." Albert understood Isabelle's concerns and comforted her, "With more backup plans, we can remain calm and composed even if something unexpected happens."
Isabelle had no doubts about Albert's composure and foresight.
"Do you want me to help you with a massage? I've recently learned a bit about it." Seeing Albert rubbing his waist and arms, Isabelle changed the subject.
"Of course, I'd love that. But, how did you learn about this?" Albert was surprised by Isabelle's versatility.
"I don't really know. But, I've been learning about it lately. I heard that stimulating the body's acupoints appropriately can help maintain vitality." Isabelle was interested in anything that could keep her young.
"Then never mind." Albert shook his head quickly. He didn't want to be a guinea pig, "Wait until the holidays, and you can try it on Katrina. She's been under a lot of exam pressure lately and needs to relax."
Before Isabelle could say anything, Albert continued, "But, I remember that these techniques are not common in Europe, let alone among British wizards."
"I saw it in one of the books in your bookcase, and I've been self-studying a Far Eastern language. Although it's very difficult, I can now read parts of it." Isabelle said proudly.
"You're amazing." Albert did not stint on his praise.
"The truly amazing one is you. I really don't know how you manage to master so many languages."
"Maybe I have a talent for languages." Albert said modestly, not wanting to reveal that he had an advantage in this area.
However, he found that Isabelle was indeed an undisputed genius. Learning a Far Eastern language would be extremely challenging for others, as it was widely recognized as one of the most difficult languages in the world.
"You're always so humble." Isabelle sat down next to Albert and took a sip of the rose hip tea that the house-elf had brought over. However, her tone was slightly aggrieved, "If you have some talent, does that make everyone else an idiot? How are they supposed to live with themselves?"
"My brilliance is too dazzling." Albert wrapped his arms around Isabelle's shoulders and said gently, "If I don't tone it down, it will deeply hurt others."
"Furthermore, I think there's nothing wrong with becoming a humble person like Professor Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore is indeed an admirable wizard, but I think you're different from him." Isabelle turned her head to look at the bouquet of roses on the table, as if she was thinking about something.
"Maybe it's because I'm not a good person!" Albert said seriously. "Nor can I be as great as Dumbledore."
"This is the first time I've heard someone say they're not a good person." Isabelle smiled and asked, "Mr. Anderson, can you tell me why you don't want to be a good person?"
"There's a saying in the religions of the Far East that goes, 'When an evildoer lays down his butcher's knife, he can immediately become a Buddha,'" Albert paused, then continued, "But for a good person to become a Buddha, they must undergo eighty-one difficulties."
"What does that mean?" Isabelle asked.
"An evildoer who gives up their wicked ways can easily be forgiven. Umbridge is a perfect example; after all the trouble she caused, she was still able to gain everyone's forgiveness." Albert scoffed. "On the other hand, good people are often subjected to unreasonable demands. Look at Dumbledore; because he spoke the truth, his reputation, his career, and everything he built were almost destroyed."
"So, I may not be an evildoer, but I certainly don't want to be a goody-two-shoes." Albert said firmly.
"Are you sure that's a religious belief?" Isabelle felt that what Albert was describing was more akin to philosophy than religion.
"Alright, let's not dwell on that. Do you prefer the humble me or the more boastful me?" Albert smiled, changing the subject.
What he had just said was purely a rant; the recent events at school had indeed been frustrating and annoying.
"I prefer the way you are now." Isabelle kissed Albert's cheek.
"That feels a bit perfunctory."
"By the way, I remember you're quite close to Percy, right?" Isabelle asked.
"Yes, what about him?" Albert kissed her back.
"Penelope told me that Percy has basically forgotten about her during this time." Isabelle smiled and pushed Albert's face away as she spoke about the letters she had received recently.
"Hmm, I know a bit about it."
"Tell me about it."
"For Percy, this is a crucial period. It's so important that he has temporarily set aside many other things." Albert picked up a piece of rose pastry and brought it to Isabelle's mouth. "Percy is now the assistant to the Minister of Magic—Fudge's assistant, to be precise. This is an incredibly rare opportunity for him."
"Percy is indeed that kind of person. In the end, we don't know how his love life will turn out, but his career is his own, and it's challenging to juggle both." Isabelle took a bite of the rose-filled pastry, feeling a hint of sweet rose flavor on her tongue.
"It seems my luck is enviable, huh?"
"Don't blame Percy. Most people would probably end up like him." Albert thought it was normal; people were naturally opportunistic, and Percy was no exception. If he wanted to go further, he had to seize the few opportunities that came his way. Even if his methods weren't exactly honorable, sometimes that was how it went. The Weasley family wasn't wealthy, and if Percy wanted to succeed, he had to climb the social ladder himself.
If Fred and George hadn't received help from Harry and himself, their joke shop dream might never have come true.
In the long journey to earn money, all their passion would have been slowly eroded by tedious work and a difficult life.
The trio who once dreamed of forming their own circus and traveling the world was a prime example.
If they had received Albert's funding, perhaps their story would have had a different ending.
"So, that's why I say I'm lucky." Isabelle also picked up a piece of pastry and offered it to Albert. "This tastes really good, and it's so pretty, too!"
"I'm actually quite similar to Percy." Albert suddenly felt a sense of realization. "If I hadn't become a wizard, I might have already set off for the Far East by now."
"The Far East?" Isabelle recalled that Albert's family had gone to the Far East.
"Yes, there's an opportunity to make a lot of money there, if one can seize it."
"Make money?" Isabelle's expression turned subtle.
"Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to make a fortune, achieve financial freedom, and never have to worry about money again." Albert took a big sip of rose hip tea and fell into a brief reverie. "In the Muggle world, money may not be everything, but not having it can make life extremely difficult—even more so than in the wizarding world."
"So, I read a lot of books. In fact, for many birthdays and Christmases, all I asked for were books..."
"You're still the same now." Isabelle gently reminded him.
"To be honest, I haven't finished reading all those books, but I did learn a lot of useful things from them. I intended to use that knowledge as a stepping stone to rise up and become wealthy in the future. And then..."
"You received the letter from Hogwarts?" Isabelle could guess what happened next.
"Yes, I received my acceptance letter to Hogwarts. It felt like a prank played by God, even though I don't believe in God." Albert sighed softly. "Of course, sometimes I do find myself believing in a corner of my heart. I've heard that many people in the Far East are practical when it comes to faith, and I quite agree with that."
"Practicalists?"
Isabelle thought that the term "practicalist" suited Albert quite well. After all, one of the reasons he helped others open shops was because he saw the potential profits, and those profits were substantial without requiring much management on his part.
"Later, my world underwent a tremendous transformation. In just a few years, I no longer had to worry about the financial troubles that plagued me before." Albert sighed softly; his life would have been perfect if it weren't for Voldemort's interference.
"I dare say that aside from a few ancient wizards, no one is richer than you." In Isabelle's eyes, Albert's rise to success was more fantastical than any dream. "I remember that even when you first enrolled, you were wealthier than most students."
"Back then, I bet on Fudge becoming the Minister, and I earned a large sum of Galleons." Albert reminisced. "Speaking of which, I have Fudge to thank for helping me earn my first Galleons."
"Even then, you stood out from the crowd." Isabelle reached down to pick up Tom from the carpet and placed him on the sofa, gently stroking his head. "If I hadn't met you, I probably would have followed my original plan—graduating from Hogwarts with excellent grades and then joining the Ministry of Magic as a proud employee."
"It looks like I'm the one preventing you from becoming the Minister of Magic, then?" Albert teased.
"No, I've never thought of becoming the Minister." Isabelle shook her head.
"That's true. If it weren't for me, you would probably have received ten thousand Galleons and become a big boss. With your talent and abilities, making Galleons would have been a breeze."
"I've always been curious. Why do you always call me a genius?"
In Isabelle's eyes, Albert was the true genius, an incomprehensible one at that. So, whenever he called her a genius, she felt a bit uncomfortable.
"None of that matters. Meeting you is the most important thing, and it's my greatest fortune." Isabelle said softly, "There are always people who are jealous of me, but they don't have my luck or my happiness."
(End of Chapter)
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