https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1570-A-War-Without-Victors-Part-20-/12528619/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1572-A-War-with-No-Victors-Twenty-Two-/12528632/
Chapter 1571: A War with No Victors (Twenty-One)
Chapter 1571: A War with No Victors (Twenty-One)
"Have we arrived?"
As she watched Albert, his face also slightly pale, push open the door and enter the hall, Hermione felt as if she were dreaming. In the short time it took to get a drink, Albert was now telling her that they had reached Australia?
"It seems we're much earlier than expected."
Albert managed a weak smile at Hermione as he stepped into the room. Traveling from country to country using Disapparition had taken a toll on him.
"Indeed, we're early. Are you alright, though?" Hermione noticed the pallor on Albert's face as well.
"I feel like I've been on a dozen roller coasters back to back. I just need a moment to rest." Albert was surprised at his own resilience. The last time he had traveled to the Far East using Disapparition, it had taken him quite some time to cross half the globe. If he had to do this a few more times, he imagined he'd be zipping around the world with ease.
"Well, we are in Australia now, so why don't you take a seat and rest for a bit?" Hermione's gaze at Albert was complicated, and she offered him a glass of water. "Let's take a break and then we can go out and look for your parents together when we've regained our strength."
"Okay!"
Albert didn't refuse Hermione's kind offer. Instead, he quickly ran through their plans for finding her parents in his mind.
Without their initial backup plan, finding Hermione's parents in the vast Australian continent would require other means.
Albert was well aware of his own Divination skills—they were effective, but they might not lead them to her parents immediately.
They could also try to involve the Muggles, asking them to pull up immigration records from a few years ago to narrow down the possible locations of Hermione's parents. However, that would likely alert the Australian Ministry of Magic, and it would take some time.
After all, even if Albert thought he had some pull with his reputation, he didn't think the Muggle government's immigration department would willingly cooperate. To make them comply would require the use of the Imperius Curse, and using an Unforgivable Curse was an incredibly foolish move.
So, they would have to resort to other more tedious methods.
"I remember you changed their names," Albert suddenly asked.
"Wendell and Monica," Hermione replied, taken aback by the sudden question. However, after a moment's thought, she recalled the names she had given her parents.
"And their surname?"
"I think it was Wilkins." She looked at Albert, confused. "Are you planning to find them using their names?"
"Knowing their names might make it easier to find them. Whether we end up involving the Muggle government or using other means, it should be helpful." Albert breathed a sigh of relief when Hermione told him her parents' new names. If she had forgotten even that, they would have had to find another way for Hermione to recall the information.
"How do you plan to find them?" Hermione asked, curious.
"We'll buy a detailed map of Australia when we get to a town, and then I'll use a large-scale Revelio Charm on it to reveal Wendell and Monica Wilkins's location." Albert explained his plan briefly.
"Can that really be done?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening in surprise. She knew of the Revelio Charm, of course—Harry's Marauder's Map had similar capabilities. But the Revelio Charm would reveal the names of everyone, and trying to find her parents in such a vast population felt like a dream.
"I've never tried it, but it should work. I can make a specific person's name stand out. The only question is whether it will work on such a large map. If not, we'll have to narrow down the scope and piece together smaller maps."
Albert had never attempted the Revelio Charm on such a large map before.
Well, to be honest, he had tried it in Britain, but Australia was about 31 times the size of Britain. He had never tried using the charm on such a massive scale.
Without the Elder Wand, Albert couldn't be sure if his spell would work, but with it, he was confident in his success.
"You're not thinking of..." Hermione trailed off, her eyes widening in concern.
"Even without that wand, my magical power far surpasses that of most witches and wizards." Albert brandished his own wand, made of red spindle wood, and offered a reassuring smile. "Of course, if this plan doesn't work, we'll have to come up with something else. But let's hope it doesn't come to that."
If Hermione hadn't lost her means of locating people, Albert could have used the connection between the objects to pinpoint the Grangers' location and then Apparate there with Hermione.
However, since the item was lost, they would have to resort to other more tedious methods.
Hermione nodded vigorously as she listened to Albert's plan, admiring his clear train of thought. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to come up with such a solution herself.
"Let's go and buy a map of the area." Albert suddenly stood up from the sofa and smiled at Hermione. "Thankfully, they speak English here. It would be troublesome if we didn't understand the local language."
"Now?" Hermione asked, her worry evident.
"Yes, why? Do you think we should wait?" Albert raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Well, your complexion is still quite pale. Are you sure you don't want to rest a bit more?" Hermione frowned, her concern evident.
"No need," Albert assured her. "And yes, I understand your eagerness to reunite with your family as soon as possible." He offered Hermione a reassuring smile, indicating that he was determined to help her find her parents.
"No... I mean, now that we're in Australia, finding them is only a matter of time. We don't have to rush." Hermione's words came out in a jumble, her nervousness causing her to stumble over her words. To prevent herself from sounding even more flustered, she stepped forward and gave Albert a big hug.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome. I promised I'd help," Albert replied gently.
Albert patted Hermione's shoulder, indicating that she could let go of him.
Hermione released him hastily and, after taking a deep breath to calm herself, she chose her words carefully. "You just underwent a long-distance Apparition. You should rest and recover your energy. If you overexert yourself, it might hinder our search, and... well, let's wait until your complexion improves before we go out and buy a map together."
"Don't worry, I'm not pushing myself too hard. Maybe I'll just have a sip of Pepper-Up Potion to help me get through this."
Looking at Hermione sitting across from him, Albert sighed. Women in love often let their emotions override their logic.
He wasn't clueless about Hermione's feelings for him.
However, Albert was clear that he couldn't reciprocate those feelings because he knew he couldn't give her what she wanted.
Why ruin her life for his own selfish desires?
He certainly didn't lack female attention, nor was he desperately craving companionship.
In his previous life, he wouldn't have given this a second thought.
"No wonder Isabelle isn't worried at all," Albert sighed inwardly. He got up from the sofa and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, confused.
"To the apothecary," Albert replied. "While we can't completely get rid of the side effects of long-distance Apparition, we can alleviate them with potions. I'll get us something to help us recover faster."
Under Hermione's watchful gaze, Albert entered a room filled with potions and emerged shortly after with two cups. He handed one to Hermione, explaining, "This should make you feel better, but it might make you feel sleepy, like a motion sickness remedy. We can take a short nap for an hour or two, and we should be fully recovered afterward."
As he spoke, Albert walked toward the trunk. Out of habit, he reinforced the protective charms on the trunk and hid it away securely to prevent any potential troubles during their rest.
(End of Chapter)
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