Chapter 1198: Win or Lose
Chapter 1198: Win or Lose
The window panes rattled in the rain and snow, and a warm fire blazed in the fireplace, yet the room still felt chilly. Albert added a few more magical heaters to warm the space as everyone went about their tasks in the living room.
"Dear, what has put you in such high spirits?" Katrina asked, looking up from her notes.
"Cassandra Vablatsky seems to be dead," Albert said coldly, his eyes fixed on the crystal ball before him. "Her entire family is gone."
"How could you be so callous? Did you have a grudge against them?" Katrina asked, startled by his tone.
"No, we've never met," Albert shook his head.
"So, the mysterious figure did end up killing them all?" Isabel seemed unsurprised, as if she had expected this outcome.
"Yes, after all, he is a man of mystery. You can't really expect him to keep his word. Cassandra Vablatsky ultimately lost her bet," Albert replied.
He wasn't surprised either. Expecting mercy from the mysterious figure was clearly a difficult proposition.
"Lost a bet?" Katrina was confused.
"Cassandra probably offered to help the mysterious figure with divination in exchange for her family's lives. She knew the odds of him keeping his word were low, but she took the gamble anyway. Unfortunately, she lost, and the mysterious figure eliminated her entire family after her death," Albert explained briefly.
Despite being an incredibly skilled divination master, Cassandra Vablatsky must have foreseen this outcome. Yet, she had still made the choice to try and save her family, only to meet a tragic end. The thought of it all made Albert feel a strange sense of sadness.
"If we hadn't hidden, we might have faced the same fate," Albert glanced at Katrina and said, "Many wizards in Britain believe that the Second Wizarding War has little to do with them. Pure-bloods, especially, think that as long as they don't directly confront the mysterious figure, they'll be fine. But when they are truly affected and dragged into the mess, they'll realize how foolish that notion is."
"To achieve his goals, the mysterious figure will stop at nothing," Isabel added.
"Is that really true?" Katrina questioned, though she understood the underlying truth. Cassandra Vablatsky's tragedy served as a stark reminder.
"Are you going out?" Isabel turned to ask.
"Someone should go and collect their bodies, or they might just disappear forever," Albert said quietly.
"Someone seems to be eager for her to be dead," Isabel remarked.
"Are you going?" she asked again.
"With Dumbledore," Albert replied.
"You really are..." Isabel trailed off, understanding Albert's intention. He wanted to use this incident as a wake-up call for everyone. While they may have guessed the outcome when they heard of Cassandra Vablatsky and her relatives' disappearance, without concrete evidence, they could still cling to a slim hope, like ostriches with their heads in the sand. But with the gruesome reality laid bare before them, they would have to confront the issue.
"Many are holding out for slim chances. I probably would have done the same in their shoes!" Albert went to the study to send a message to Dumbledore, planning to visit him at Hogwarts and discuss how to handle this situation.
Of course, he also intended to confirm if Cassandra Vablatsky was truly dead—a crucial piece of information. That was why Albert wanted Dumbledore involved.
The elderly wizard seemed equally surprised by the news, but his expression soon turned solemn as if he had realized something.
"Do you think Voldemort saw a part of the future through Cassandra Vablatsky's divination?" Dumbledore asked.
"It's obvious," Albert replied calmly as he sipped his tea. "Although I don't know what he foresaw, the outcome isn't difficult to guess."
"Voldemort wants to kill me, you, and Scrimgeour," Dumbledore said softly. They were the three people at the top of Voldemort's hit list, even above Harry.
"Most likely," Albert agreed. "I think he may have seen parts of your future, or perhaps your demise. As for me, I've been hiding in a house protected by the Fidelius Charm, so it wouldn't be easy to make a prophecy about me directly."
Albert set down his teacup and pulled out a bag from his pocket. He reached into the bag and took out a prophecy orb, which he handed to Dumbledore.
"Their bodies were probably dumped somewhere in this area. I think it's best if we take care of it," Albert suggested.
"Indeed, we should alert the others. You haven't found the exact location yet, have you?" Dumbledore intended to contact the Ministry of Magic for assistance in the search.
"Do you think he knows we're after his treasure?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.
"I don't think the probability is high. If the mysterious figure couldn't think of it himself, he probably wouldn't be able to see that part of the future. But if Cassandra Vablatsky did help him with a prophecy, then he must have seen your death and Scrimgeour's as well," Albert cautioned. "By the way, there's one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Because of my prophecy, many people have realized that your situation isn't looking good."
"Will Scrimgeour die too?" Dumbledore fell silent for a moment.
"Once you're gone, he won't last long either," Albert said calmly. "The mysterious figure will surely eliminate him first, since Scrimgeour is such an obstacle. But Scrimgeour is already prepared for this."
"The Quidditch match should be starting soon. After you watch the game, you should be able to locate the approximate area," Dumbledore nodded, changing the subject.
"This year's Gryffindor Quidditch captain is Harry, right?" Albert checked his pocket watch and planned to head over to watch the game.
"Thanks to you, Harry has matured a lot, and so have I," Dumbledore smiled. "I need to talk to Scrimgeour about this matter."
"See you later!"
After leaving Dumbledore's office, Albert made his way alone through the quiet entrance hall towards the Quidditch pitch.
As the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams battled it out on the Quidditch pitch, the crowd cheered wildly for Gryffindor's dominating performance.
However, there was one figure in the stands who seemed out of place amidst the enthusiastic atmosphere.
"You don't seem very happy," Albert commented as he sat down beside the person.
"Ah, what are you doing here?" The familiar voice turned to him in surprise.
Hermione Granger was startled to find Albert suddenly appearing at her side, having not noticed him until he spoke.
"I had some business with Dumbledore, and he mentioned there was a Quidditch match going on, so I thought I'd take a look," Albert said, his eyes on the pitch as Gryffindor scored another goal. "Looks like Harry's doing well. It's rare to see them win so decisively."
Any student from Gryffindor would be thrilled to see their team trouncing Slytherin so thoroughly.
"Um..." Hermione hesitated, her eyes on Albert's profile as she debated with herself. Eventually, she confided in Albert about Harry using Felix Felicis on Ron.
"Oh, that explains it. No wonder you don't look too pleased," Albert said, clapping along with the crowd as Ron, energized by the potion, made another brilliant save, denying a Slytherin Chaser a goal.
"I wish Harry would just win fairly," Hermione fretted, clearly conflicted about what to do about this information.
"Actually, you can't be sure if Harry used Felix Felicis or not," Albert said softly, offering comfort. "Maybe you should talk to them about it after the game. And while you may feel that it's illegal for Harry to use it on Ron, these things happen all the time in the world. You'll encounter them often after you leave school. That's just how it is."
"But it is illegal. Professor Slughorn said using potions in competitions is forbidden."
"What's legal and what's not is determined by people. As long as you don't get caught, it's legal," Albert corrected her. "You're too naive, Hermione. Think about it—what if it was the Slytherin team using Felix Felicis? Or what about their superior brooms? Do you think that's fair? Don't let rules bind your thinking so easily. You should understand that so-called laws are often created by those in power to control the masses, to maintain order, not necessarily for fairness or justice."
"If you're so concerned, why don't you talk to Harry about it? I'm sure they'll give you an answer. People with high self-esteem rarely resort to such methods to win," Albert suggested, his eyes on Ron's spectacular save.
"But..."
"What we see isn't always the truth," Albert reminded her. "Communication is the best way to resolve issues, not brooding and guessing."
"I'll talk to Harry about it after the game," Hermione said, pushing down her turbulent emotions. She changed the subject and asked, "Do you often do illegal things?"
"Oh yes, all the time, as long as no one knows," Albert shrugged nonchalantly. "There's a saying—rules are meant to be broken. There's really no need to take them too seriously. And if you have any questions, just ask."
"Are you really planning to recruit students here for your cause?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, we are considering it," Albert didn't deny it. "At least they'd be more reliable, even if their Dark Magic skills are lacking. But with some training, they'll improve."
"But... why?"
"To prepare for the future," Albert said, turning to look at her.
"Is the future that bad? In the coming years?" Hermione asked, concerned.
"Yes, it's going to get much worse. The situation may spiral out of control by next year, so you'd better prepare yourself mentally," Albert said with a smile. "I believe you're of age now. You can consider joining the Defense Association. Oh, and I forgot to send you a birthday gift this year. I apologize for that."
"I don't care about gifts," Hermione shook her head. "I'm more worried about what will happen next year."
"The time isn't right yet to reveal everything. Knowing too much too soon won't benefit you," Albert said, choosing to withhold certain information.
"You're so mysterious," Hermione frowned, clearly not a fan of being kept in the dark. "So, what brings you to see Dumbledore?"
"To help collect Cassandra Vablatsky's body, and also to confirm if she's truly dead," Albert didn't hide the fact, as it wasn't a big deal anyway.
"The one who wrote 'Unfogging the Future'?" Hermione recalled reading about it in the newspaper. "Was she really taken by the mysterious figure?"
"Yes."
"Is she dead?"
"Probably. After all, she was taken by him, and she's not as sensible as Ollivander, plus her old age wouldn't help. It wouldn't be surprising if she passed away," Albert replied.
"Mr. Ollivander is still alive?" Hermione was shocked to hear this.
"Anyone with a brain would know Ollivander's value, and he's a sensible man himself," Albert stood up and joined the crowd in applauding Ron's brilliant save. "Well, the game's over, and I should be going."
"Um..."
"Is there something else?" Albert stopped and asked.
"I want my family to leave Britain," Hermione said.
"That's a wise decision. Britain isn't very safe these days," Albert agreed with her choice.
"Can you help me with that?"
"Sometimes, being associated with me can cause more trouble. You can go back and spend one last Christmas with them. As for altering their memories, that's your decision. I, for one, didn't alter my family's memories, and I believe you can survive this war," Albert said softly, offering comfort and advice.
"Thank you," Hermione expressed her gratitude and then rushed off toward the Gryffindor changing room.
Just then, a collision was heard from the commentator's booth, followed by Professor McGonagall's scolding.
Albert turned his attention back to the crowd, blending in with the chaos before disappearing from view.
(End of Chapter)
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