Chapter 1079: Simple Joys
Chapter 1079: Simple Joys
"Want some? We saved you some potato pancakes."
The crisp sound of the door opening suddenly rang through the dormitory, interrupting Fred, George, and Lee Jordan's evening snack and light-hearted banter. They turned their heads toward the source of the sound and warmly invited Albert to join them.
However, for some reason, their voices gradually lowered, and an oppressive atmosphere filled the room, leaving the trio feeling anxious and uneasy.
Noticing Albert's slightly gloomy expression, George asked cautiously, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Albert replied.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his inner turmoil, and picked up Tom, who had been sitting by, watching them eat their snacks. He gently stroked the cat's soft fur.
The three friends exchanged glances, none daring to ask what had happened.
They knew that Albert had been hiding in the 'Book of Origins' and secretly communicating with someone using a two-way mirror, and from his expression and the heavy atmosphere around him, it was clear that the conversation hadn't gone well.
"Here, have some," Fred said, taking a plate of potato pancakes that Dobby had prepared for their evening snack from Albert's specially made lunch box. "I also got some ketchup."
"I'm not hungry. You guys go ahead," Albert replied, pushing the plate away and reaching out to rub Tom's soft belly. Thinking about what had just transpired, his mood only worsened, and he felt like he needed Isabelle's comfort.
"How about some candy then? It might cheer you up," George suggested, wiping his hands with a handkerchief and offering a jar of magical candies that had been enhanced with Cheering Charms to temporarily lift the user's spirits.
"No, thanks," Albert shook his head, unwilling to rely on charms to improve his mood.
He continued to stroke his cat.
Sensing his owner's less-than-cheerful mood, Tom offered no resistance and obediently lay there, enjoying the attention.
Of course, it could also be that Tom was simply too lazy to move or genuinely enjoyed being petted.
"Would you mind if we used the 'Book of Origins' for a bit?" Fred asked tentatively.
"Go ahead, it's over there," Albert replied, pushing the metal book toward Fred. As he watched the three of them scurry into the activity room, he shook his head.
"Have I become that scary?" he wondered to himself. He wasn't a monster, after all.
Nevertheless, Albert's mood was indeed less than cheerful. From eight o'clock until just now, he had been in conversation with the Lemes, and he had just learned the unfortunate news that their stock of potions was running low. This was undoubtedly terrible news, as the Philosopher's Stone had already been destroyed, and once their supply of the Elixir of Life was depleted, the elderly couple's lives would also come to an end.
Despite anticipating this day would come, Albert still felt terrible upon learning that the Lemes' time was drawing near.
To be honest, there weren't many people Albert truly cared about, and his so-called old friends weren't really that close. Even though they exchanged Christmas and birthday gifts every year, it was more to maintain a superficial relationship that could be leveraged when needed.
Couples like the Lemes were a rare find.
"Truly carefree," Albert sighed softly, looking at the contented cat purring in his lap. "I wonder what that namesake of yours is up to now."
"Meow!"
Tom nudged Albert's hand with his head, asking him to continue petting him.
"Taking advantage, aren't you?" Albert said, lifting the cat's front paws and pulling him onto his lap. He then buried his face in Tom's plump belly, nuzzling it a few times before reaching up to gently tug on the cat's large face, instantly improving his mood.
Although their conversation had lasted a long time, they hadn't really discussed much.
At the beginning, Nicolas asked about the wedding and mentioned that he had something to give Albert, requesting that he come to France as soon as his holiday began.
Later, Nicolas inquired if Albert had performed any divination regarding the wedding and shared that he had seen in his crystal ball that the ceremony might be disrupted by a Dark Wizard. He suggested that Albert scale down the wedding or even hold it at their home to ensure that no one would interfere, ruin, or threaten their lives during the event.
Albert understood that this was Nicolas' well-meaning advice, but he didn't want to trouble the elderly couple, and he also had his own preparations in place.
Upon hearing about the precautions Albert had already taken and his interpretations of the prophecies, the elderly couple breathed a sigh of relief.
They were well aware of Albert's capabilities and knew that he had invited Dumbledore to ensure the wedding's safety, but even the most powerful wizards could fall prey to their enemies' schemes.
After discussing the important matters, the remainder of their time together was spent with the Lemes reminiscing about their past, like typical elderly folks prone to rambling once they had a willing listener.
Finally, the Lemes hinted at leaving Albert an inheritance, though it wasn't exactly a typical legacy. It was a collection of research materials that Albert would find intriguing—the fruits of the elderly couple's labor over their long lives.
The Lemes ultimately decided that instead of letting their life's work gather dust in the library of Beauxbatons Academy, they would rather pass it on to Albert, their gifted student, ensuring that their knowledge would live on.
Truthfully, Albert did want those materials, but the way they were being offered left him with complicated feelings.
Perhaps, for a couple who had lived for so long, death was merely the gateway to another great adventure, and they would not face it alone.
However, for Albert, death was not a pleasant topic.
He was too young.
Even if it meant inheriting a substantial legacy.
This gloomy mood persisted for several days, causing Fred, George, and Lee Jordan to feel like the sky was about to fall.
Even others could plainly see that Albert was in low spirits.
In an effort to cheer Albert up, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan pulled out all the stops, employing various tricks to try and lift his mood. Perhaps with some guidance from the girls, their antics became much more entertaining, and on one occasion, they even transformed into three canaries, performing an Irish jig shoulder to shoulder.
While their efforts didn't improve Albert's mood, they did succeed in making their prank items more popular.
Until...
"You're finally back to normal," George remarked, relieved to see Albert's calm demeanor.
"Back to normal?" Albert asked, puzzled.
"Never mind," Fred said, choosing his words carefully. "It just seemed like you were in a funk these past few days." He felt that Albert had been enveloped in a cloud of gloom, making them feel incredibly stifled.
"Hmm, something not so good."
Albert still had no intention of revealing too much to them and continued eating his breakfast.
Just then, a student suddenly ran into the Great Hall, ignoring the gazes of the professors as he shouted, "Toad, the Toad is back!"
Everyone rushed towards the entrance hall, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary Umbridge. She was a true warrior, having faced countless dangers and setbacks during her tenure, yet she remained steadfast on the front lines of teaching instead of resigning and running away.
A buzz of whispers filled the entrance hall, and someone began to lead a round of enthusiastic applause and whistles for the returning teacher.
Unmoved by the warm welcome, Umbridge's face grew even gloomier. She was well aware that the students of Hogwarts could not possibly be happy about her return, and the enthusiastic applause felt more like a mockery.
Perhaps the only one truly glad to see her was Filch, the caretaker, who had perked up at the news and eagerly offered to help with her luggage, glad to have his ally back.
As Umbridge stepped into the entrance hall, all eyes were on the toad statue that boldly remained uncovered.
This only served to deepen the frown on Umbridge's face.
Suddenly, there was a loud plop as someone threw a Dungbomb, hitting the toad statue right in the face.
Umbridge's expression froze, as if the Dungbomb had struck her own face.
This was a blatant act of defiance.
Before she could react, more Dungbombs rained down on the statue.
One of them went astray and hit Umbridge squarely in the face.
Just as everyone stood stunned, a cackling laughter filled the air, and Peeves the Poltergeist floated into view, juggling Dungbombs and throwing the rest at Umbridge to the accompaniment of the students' applause.
Once he was done, Peeves disappeared with a final cackle, as if his sole purpose had been to greet the new Headmistress in his unique way.
Umbridge was furious, but there was little she could do about Peeves. Even if she wanted to take her anger out on someone, the surrounding students quickly dispersed, not wanting to become the target of her wrath.
Umbridge could only stomp angrily back to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, with Filch trailing behind, looking hesitant and unsure.
As Umbridge prepared to open the door, Filch finally spoke up, "Ma'am, are you sure you want to continue..."
"What is it, Filch..."
Umbridge pushed the door open and stepped right into a patch of muddy swamp, losing her balance and falling face-first into the muck, resembling a toad lounging in its natural habitat.
If Lee Jordan had been there, he surely would have snapped a few photos for posterity.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" Filch asked worriedly. "I thought you remembered..."
The swamp wasn't deep, but Umbridge, now covered in muck, struggled to free herself. The filthy water and mud nearly choked her, and she thrashed about like a drowning toad.
Eventually, Filch waded in and pulled her out, both of them now covered in grime.
"Damn it, damn it all..."
Umbridge muttered curses, her face smeared with dirt, and stormed off towards the staff bathrooms, leaving a trail of muddy footprints and a bewildered Filch behind.
"How long will it take to clean this mess up?" Filch muttered to himself.
Undoubtedly, the office was no longer suitable as the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, but fortunately, there were plenty of empty rooms in Hogwarts Castle that could serve as an alternative.
With Filch's help, Umbridge chose a new office, taking advantage of her position as Headmistress to select the best room available.
The next morning, As Umbridge stepped through the fireplace back into her office, she was met with flying Dungbombs, their putrid stench filling the air. Her face twisted in anger.
However, what truly shocked her was the sight that greeted her as she opened the office door.
The corridor outside had transformed into a swamp overnight.
If not for her previous experience, Umbridge might have opened the door without caution and stepped right into the swamp.
The air was thick with a nauseating stench, almost causing her to retch. But what truly made Umbridge shake with rage was the sight of a wooden board propped against the office door, bearing her photo morphed into a human-toad, along with the words: "The Anti-Toad Alliance presents its highest regards."
"Ahhhh!"
Umbridge trembled with fury, her entire body shaking.
SLAM! The door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office banged shut.
Umbridge flung open the windows, pacing back and forth in her office, muttering unintelligible curses.
This was simply going too far.
During her stay at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Umbridge had imagined various scenarios and harbored certain fantasies. However, her first day back at school delivered a harsh dose of reality.
If Umbridge were to reflect honestly on her past actions, she might not have found this treatment excessive. But expecting that level of self-awareness from Umbridge, especially someone so adept at holding double standards, was incredibly difficult.
Many members of the Anti-Toad Alliance were thrilled by the turn of events, with some even skipping classes to hide near the corridor, eager to witness Umbridge's reaction to the swamp outside her office.
The students of Hogwarts took great pleasure in their new Headmistress's misfortune, and who could blame them? After all, she had chosen to return and continue her oppressive rule over the school. They were merely fighting back.
"Umbridge's misery is my happiness!"
This sentiment perfectly summed up the mood among the students.
Witnessing Umbridge's misfortunes brought a sense of joy and satisfaction.
Even Albert felt his mood improve significantly.
Sometimes, happiness is found in the simplest of pleasures.
(End of Chapter)
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