Chapter 1453: Take Them Out
Chapter 1453: Take Them Out
Fortunately, Albert was oblivious to Hermione's scheming, or he would have been left utterly astounded by her actions.
It took quite a bold move to get Ginny pregnant with Harry's child, and it was certainly something only Hermione could come up with.
However, considering her history of meddling in relationship matters, it wasn't entirely surprising.
Hermione had played cupid for Harry and Ginny long ago, and now she was simply helping them take the next step.
If there had been more time, the two might have even held a wedding.
Alright! Albert did learn about this later from Hermione, but that was a story for another day.
At the moment, he was at the headquarters of the Defense Association, listening to Susan's report on recent events.
"So, those three idiots took off with five others without authorization, and their current whereabouts are unknown?" Albert frowned slightly, displeased with their unilateral decision-making.
"George told me about it before he left. Apparently, there's some big trouble with Aaliyah's family, possibly involving Dark Wizards," Susan shared what she knew. "I think George came to tell me quietly before he left just in case something happened."
"Oh, I see," Albert replied nonchalantly, as if he didn't care that Fred's group had left without permission.
"You don't seem too concerned about this," Susan remarked curiously, having expected Albert to pay more attention to the matter.
"It was their choice. What can I say?" Albert picked up his teacup and said self-deprecatingly, "I'm not their father, so I don't need to worry about them all the time."
Susan couldn't help but chuckle, finding Albert's words amusing.
"Indeed, if we get too involved, they might find us annoying," Susan, who had been helping Albert manage the association, could understand.
So, when Fred and the others sneaked out, she pretended not to know anything and didn't stop them.
"By the way, here are the accounts from the past few days."
Susan suddenly remembered something and took out a small notebook from her pocket. She flipped to a particular page and handed it to Albert.
"Thanks to the chaotic situation in the British wizarding world, our dark magic defense products are becoming more and more popular, and we're making a lot of money," Susan said, then paused before continuing, "But I suspect that most wizards don't have many Galleons left in their pockets, so I'm not sure how well our products will sell going forward."
"That's normal. The biggest buyers of Dark Magic Defense items are actually the Ministry of Magic. Most ordinary wizards wouldn't spend money on them," Albert glanced at the notebook and didn't bother further with the matter.
It was normal to profit from dark magic defense items during chaotic times, and in the novel's story, Fred and George had made a fortune from this opportunity. With the current situation being even more turbulent, it was no surprise that quality dark magic defense items were in high demand.
However, Albert was no longer concerned about how many Galleons they were making.
His top priority was defeating Voldemort, and he could leave the money-making to Fred and George.
That was the beauty of division of labor.
However, sneaking off on their own set a bad precedent, and he couldn't let this attitude spread, or similar incidents would eventually lead to trouble.
So, while Fred and his group were away, helping the Spinnet couple move to a safe location, Albert decided to use this time to teach the remaining members of the Defense Association some valuable lessons on battling Dark Wizards.
After all, improving their combat capabilities could only be beneficial, and there truly wasn't much time left.
If the story followed the novel's timeline, it would all come to a head within the next three to four months.
However, with Albert as an unpredictable variable, flapping his butterfly wings and causing ripples, it was hard to say when the final showdown between the two sides would occur.
Fred's rescue mission went even more smoothly than anyone had anticipated. It was unclear if it was due to the current chaotic state of the wizarding world scaring them or the imminent threat of Dark Wizards, but the Spinnet couple readily agreed to their daughter's arrangement. They hastily packed their bags and joined the Weasleys in the shelter, seemingly intending to wait out the war before leaving.
Everything went according to plan, and there were no unexpected incidents.
However, it was almost too smooth, and the initially eager group couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
They didn't even encounter any Dark Wizards along the way, not even a single opportunity to fight. It felt like they had simply snuck out of headquarters to help someone move house.
Especially when they returned to the Defense Association's headquarters and heard that Albert had taken the time to teach everyone an "important lesson on battling," their mood only soured further.
No one in the Defense Association wanted to miss one of Albert's lessons, as they always provided valuable insights that could be immensely beneficial.
"He definitely did it on purpose," Fred complained. "That guy's so stingy."
In fact, even without Fred saying it, everyone knew that Albert was punishing those who had left headquarters without permission.
"Don't be glum. Tell me, what's the situation like out there?" Susan asked.
"It's bad, really bad. Those Dark Wizards are causing panic among the people. Otherwise, Aaliyah's family wouldn't have agreed to move into the shelter," Angelina said, remembering her own father.
If the situation had been this dire earlier, she might have convinced her family to hide sooner.
"Did you help them with the checks?" Susan asked. "I mean, did you go through the screening process to ensure that those moving into the shelter are safe?"
"Yes, don't worry. We're clear on that. We've confirmed their identities multiple times," Fred assured, his eyes drifting towards Angelina as she comforted Aaliyah.
"I think we're reaching a tipping point," George suddenly said.
"What tipping point?" Susan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I think the British wizarding world is reaching its limit. I suspect something terrible is going to happen soon," George whispered, his voice filled with foreboding.
"What terrible thing?"
"I don't know. That's something we'd have to ask Albert about."
"Maybe they'll start a large-scale massacre of Muggles to please the Death Eaters," Kenneth piped up, appearing from nowhere. "If this chaos doesn't satisfy the Death Eaters, slaughtering Muggles might be their last resort. Don't forget that the Death Eaters despise Muggles, and it could force us into the open."
"Honestly, I don't understand why Albert doesn't just take them out. Their intentions are clear, and getting rid of them would be the smartest move," Kenneth added.
(End of Chapter)
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