https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1652-A-War-Without-Victors-Part-102-/12529426/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1654-A-War-with-No-Victors-One-Hundred-and-Four-/12529428/
Chapter 1653: A War Without Victors (Part 103)
Chapter 1653: A War Without Victors (Part 103)
The fireworks that Fred and George had meticulously prepared indeed succeeded in diverting everyone's attention, temporarily making them forget about the Death Eaters' attempted ambush.
However, not long after the fireworks ended, Harry's wedding came to an early close.
No one could guarantee that the Death Eaters wouldn't launch another sneak attack at dawn, especially after having just experienced their treachery, so no one was willing to take the risk.
After Sirius made the announcement that the wedding was over, the guests left Avalon in an orderly manner under the Aurors' guidance.
"Thanks to you, we avoided a disaster earlier."
Seeing Albert approach, Harry spread his hands and gave him a hug.
"Don't worry about those Death Eaters," Albert said with a smile, turning to Ginny. "By the way, I think it's going to be a boy."
"A boy?" Ginny paused for a moment before realizing what he meant. "Then it should be James."
"We've already decided," Harry said, winking at Albert. "If it's a boy, we'll name him James, and if it's a girl, Lily. And of course, you'll be James' godfather!"
"Oh, sure, no problem," Albert agreed.
After offering their congratulations to the newlyweds, Albert and Isabelle left hand in hand.
Even though Harry's wedding had ended prematurely, Albert stayed up late into the night.
The girls seemed resentful that Albert and Isabelle had left them to attend Harry's wedding, and they somehow managed to get their hands on wedding dresses, expressing their desire to experience the joy of marriage as well.
They knew that as Albert's lovers, the chances of ever having that opportunity in this lifetime were slim.
The group of young men and women continued their revelry until the early hours of the morning, and the next day, they rose late from their beds. They then took the time to visit their daughters, leaving no spare time to return to Avalon.
This wasn't a problem, as everyone was already accustomed to Albert's busy schedule.
However, the following day, when Albert went to Avalon, he encountered something completely unexpected.
"I thought you might take a few days to travel and perhaps go on a honeymoon?"
Seeing Ginny whispering to the girls, Albert was surprised by Harry's emotional intelligence. Was work more important than family? "Or is the Ministry of Magic so busy that they can't do without Harry Potter?"
"Kingsley did mention it, but after discussing it with Harry, we decided to forgo the honeymoon," Ginny explained with a smile. "The wizarding world isn't safe right now, and wandering around aimlessly might not be the best idea."
"Your marriage is... well, a bit dull without some spice," Albert said, feeling a bit tongue-tied. He decided to change the subject. "By the way, it seems like everyone has been working harder lately."
"I guess they're eager to live in a big house like Harry's!" Shannon explained with a laugh. "You weren't here yesterday..."
In the past, Albert had been dangling a carrot in front of them, a carrot that they could see but never reach. Now, however, that carrot was within their grasp, just one step away, so it was only natural that they would work even harder.
"That's good," Albert said, nodding. "But we should pay attention to the quality of the houses. I don't want them to turn into shoddy constructions."
As Albert prepared to go into the village to help solve some problems, he was suddenly stopped by Shannon.
"What's the matter?" Albert asked, puzzled.
"It's just that... many people want to... well, settle down in Avalon," Shannon said, handing Albert a piece of parchment with a list of names. "Harry's house has made a big impression on them, and they've realized the potential of Avalon. These are all members who participated in the last Wizarding War."
"That is quite unexpected," Albert acknowledged, glancing at the long list of names on the parchment before handing it back.
"Let's keep the list for now," he continued. "As for whether we'll accept others, we'll have to wait until Avalon is completely built before making a decision. After all, even I can't be sure how many residents this village can accommodate."
Neither a promise nor a rejection.
"There aren't that many residents in Avalon right now, are there?"
Shannon couldn't quite understand what Albert meant, but she didn't press the issue. It was only natural for Albert to have his own considerations, and a step-by-step approach was often the best way to proceed.
Not long after Albert left the tent, he encountered an unexpected individual.
"What's the matter?" Albert frowned as he saw Percy approaching. Percy showing up usually meant trouble.
"There's a bit of a problem," Percy said, handing Albert a newspaper.
Albert scanned the front-page headline and said, "Oh, that's quite a surprise."
"Jealousy, perhaps, or someone stirring things up behind the scenes," Percy said, pushing up his glasses. "Minister Kingsley has helped to suppress the matter, but it would be best if you could explain it. I don't think it should be too difficult for you."
"Okay, I understand," Albert replied.
"There's one more thing," Percy said, looking around. He led Albert to a secluded spot and lowered his voice. "During the last full moon, the Ministry captured three werewolves, but none of them were... well, you know what I mean. Minister Kingsley hopes that you can help locate the werewolf den through divination. If possible, it would be best to put an end to this matter before it fully blows up."
Albert was a bit surprised by Kingsley's approach, but he soon understood the reason behind it.
This was a good opportunity! After all, whether something was done or not, and whether it succeeded or failed, were two different matters.
Kingsley needed a clue, something to silence the critics.
It was important, as even if they wanted to shift the blame later, they would need a reason to do so.
"What did Percy want?"
Not long after Percy left, Hermione appeared out of nowhere, her brow furrowed as she watched Percy's retreating back.
Hermione was clearly well-acquainted with Percy, and she knew that his presence usually signaled trouble.
Albert handed the newspaper that Percy had given him to Hermione, and her expression grew even more concerned as she read it.
"I knew Percy coming to see you wouldn't be a good thing," Hermione said, sensing that something unusual was afoot. "What are we going to do now? I can smell a conspiracy."
"It's actually quite normal," Albert said calmly.
"Normal?" Hermione repeated, unsure if she had heard him correctly. She folded the newspaper and tucked it away.
"Do you think it was Rita Skeeter? She's still in the hospital, right?" Hermione asked. "Or someone else?"
"Does it matter who it was?" Albert countered.
"Of cou- wait!" Hermione paused, her eyes widening as she realized something. "It was him, wasn't it? But why would he do that? He has no reason to!"
"He didn't do anything," Albert said, his words carrying a deeper meaning.
(End of Chapter)
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