Chapter 1173: Black Magic Defense Against Potter
Chapter 1173: Black Magic Defense Against Potter
In the early morning, countless owls soared into the Great Hall of Hogwarts, circling above the heads of students enjoying their breakfast before landing beside their intended recipients to deliver the mail.
Harry picked up the newspaper discarded by the owl and began to read. Compared to the Prophet controlled by Fudge, Harry found that he preferred the paper under Skeeter's control. At least the content always put him in a good mood.
In recent days, news of the Ministry of Magic's successful thwarting of another Death Eater plot and the death of several Death Eaters had spread throughout Hogwarts. The only person unhappy about this development was likely Harry's Slytherin arch-rival, Draco Malfoy.
It was no wonder that Malfoy had been looking particularly gloomy lately, his face so glum it seemed ready to drip with water. After all, Bella was his relative.
Harry withdrew his gaze and took a sip from his pumpkin juice, turning to the day's headline. He soon discovered a surprising piece of news.
A reporter, while interviewing a family victimized by Death Eaters, had been assaulted by the victims' family members for making provocative statements. The reporter was currently hospitalized with serious injuries.
The Ministry expressed regret over the incident and had offered consolation to the victims' family. Minister Scrimgeour declared that they would not be punished as their loved ones had bravely sacrificed themselves in the recent war.
The Ministry sternly reminded the public that Barty Crouch Jr., once an object of sympathy, was the very reason for the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. They believed that people should discard their ridiculous sympathy for Death Eaters and Dark Wizards.
"Puh!"
Harry spat out the pumpkin juice he had just sipped. He was certain that this was intentional. Most likely, the reporter had said something provocative, infuriating the Ministry, and leading to Scrimgeour arranging for him to "interview" the victims' family.
"What is it, Harry?"
"I'd bet Scrimgeour did that on purpose," Harry said, handing the newspaper to Hermione. "How's your search going?"
"I've looked through many books, even ventured into the restricted section, but I still haven't found any clues. I suspect that some of the books may have been removed."
Hermione suspected that Dumbledore had taken away all the books that mentioned Horcruxes.
"He's really given me a tough problem," Harry muttered.
"Don't worry, Harry. Dumbledore has given you plenty of time, and I think you should take the opportunity to build a good relationship with Professor Slughorn first."
"You think I should attend Slug Club meetings?" Harry was a little glum, not because he didn't want to attend but because he felt it wasn't a good idea to leave Ron behind.
"It's not as bad as you think," Hermione said softly. "In fact, it's quite interesting."
"Maybe I should take another dose of Felix Felicis to try my luck. No, it would be even better if Dumbledore took the luck potion to try his luck."
Harry had actually tried it before, and the luck potion did make things go smoothly. However, his intuition wasn't guiding him to seek out Slughorn but to find Dumbledore, as he felt he could ask Albert to make a prophecy or convince Dumbledore to take the potion and then meet with Slughorn.
Later, Harry learned that Dumbledore had indeed asked Albert to prophesy about the number of Horcruxes, but they needed more accurate intelligence to prevent any mishaps.
After all, their enemy was Voldemort, and any mistake could render their efforts futile.
So, Harry gave up for the time being. The luck potion was limited, and he dared not waste it, intending to save it for a crucial moment.
"Can you contact Albert?" Harry turned to ask Hermione.
"Is that alright?"
"Do you really think he wouldn't know anything?" Harry asked dryly.
"There's no other way." Hermione glanced at Ron. "Fred and George have gone missing recently, and it's said that the Death Eaters are after them to find Albert. By the way, Bill told us not to write anything important in our letters in case they're intercepted."
Ron took the newspaper and glanced at the headline before changing the subject. "By the way, Harry, when are you planning to hold the next D.A. gathering?"
"End of the month!" Harry replied without hesitation.
"No, Harry, we promised to attend the Wizard Card Club this month," Ron reminded him.
Even though Albert had handed the management of the club to Luna, Hermione still wanted to maintain the relaxed atmosphere they had created.
"I've got a lot on my plate this month," Harry sighed, taking out a quill to jot down a reminder. With so many things going on, it was easy to forget or overlook something, like homework for a particular class.
"Hey, Harry, did you hear?" Ron interjected, apparently having remembered something. "It looks like Malfoy has voluntarily quit the Quidditch team."
"That's unusual," Harry commented.
"I think it's normal. After all, his father is a Death Eater. I doubt anyone would want to associate with the son of a Death Eater," Ron said cheerfully. There was no one who wished to see Malfoy's downfall more than a Weasley.
"Most Death Eaters come from Slytherin. Do you think they really care about that?" Harry asked. His reasons for wanting to find Albert went beyond just inquiring about Horcruxes. He also wanted to ask him to make a prophecy or help determine what Draco Malfoy was up to, as he had a nagging feeling about the Slytherin.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but Harry suspected that Malfoy might be a Death Eater himself. However, he knew that such a guess would be hard to convince his two best friends, as it sounded ridiculous.
"I have a feeling that guy is brewing some terrible plot," Harry added.
"Come on, Harry, forget about Malfoy's schemes for now. When are you going to start the gatherings? Everyone is getting antsy," Ron said, turning to Hermione. "How about you? Are you ready for it?"
"I suggest we hold it this weekend. Are you free?" Hermione proposed.
"Alright!" Harry nodded in agreement. "Well, it's only once a month. What do you think we should focus on this time?"
"Let's pick something from the 'Self-Defense Guide' so that everyone can follow along with the book," Hermione suggested. "We can teach them how to use spells to set up a secure temporary campsite. I remember there's something about that in the book."
"I don't think that will be very useful for most students. After all, not everyone can afford an Undetectable Extension Tent or carry a tent with them," Ron pointed out amicably. He doubted that most students would find this knowledge practical, as no one would be foolish enough to wander around aimlessly, even though Albert had mentioned that life would become more challenging for Muggle-born wizards.
"We can teach it at a gathering. It doesn't hurt to learn, especially since we've learned quite a bit about defensive magic!" Hermione encouraged.
"Quite a bit? No, we've only scratched the surface," Ron disagreed. "To quote Fred, we're just 'know-it-all little twerps.' That's why the 'Self-Defense Guide' mostly advises running away instead of counterattacking."
"Albert must have had his reasons for including that section. I think it's necessary to master those techniques," Hermione insisted.
Seeing that the discussion was about to turn into an argument, Harry quickly interjected, "I plan to review some of the magic we've learned before and practice the Patronus Charm again. With Dementors roaming everywhere, I think it's crucial to master that charm."
"As for learning how to set up a secure campsite in the wild, we can leave that for next month. I need to figure it out myself first before teaching others," Harry added.
In truth, Harry thought Hermione made a lot of sense. Nothing in Albert's "Self-Defense Guide" was superfluous; all the content was practical and useful.
The news of Harry's plan to restart the D.A. gatherings spread through the castle like wildfire. Students approached him to greet him and inquire about what magic he would be teaching at the gatherings.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
