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Chapter 1656: A War with No Victors (Part 106)
Chapter 1656: A War with No Victors (Part 106)
Having his own office was certainly convenient, as some private matters required a private space. Especially after the complete exposure of Floos Network on the eighth floor of the castle, he needed this office even more.
Albert didn't mind the less-than-ideal location and layout of the office. After all, it was one of the remaining options after the other professors had made their choices. He expected as much, and he likely wouldn't be using this office very often during his tenure as the Dark Arts Defense professor.
After bidding farewell to Professor McGonagall, Albert left Hogwarts Castle. It wasn't that he was insensitive to Professor McGonagall's kindness and invitation, but his heart truly wasn't in it, and he could only apologize for it in his mind.
While Albert didn't mind imparting knowledge to others, he had no interest in becoming a professor at Hogwarts. The idea of being involved in education as a whole didn't appeal to him, and he never felt that he had the patience or perseverance for it. He knew himself better than anyone else—he was just going through the motions at Hogwarts.
Before heading home, Albert made a trip to Avalon to deliver the latest batch of butterbeer that had been ordered from Diagon Alley.
On such a scorching day, chilled drinks were an essential part of beating the heat, and Albert never skimped on treats for his people. Everyone had worked hard on the construction of Avalon, so he didn't hesitate to spend a few extra galleons.
If you want to be a leader, you can't be stingy.
Albert never believed he could possess the same charisma as Dumbledore, and organizations like the Order of the Phoenix were more a product of their time; they couldn't be replicated or imitated.
...
"Oh, have they left?"
Upon returning to Avalon, Albert raised his eyebrows slightly when he didn't see the other three ladies in the living room. He tilted his head to look at Isabelle, who was sitting on the sofa and flipping through a book.
"What? You're disappointed you don't have your arm candy anymore?" Isabelle teased, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"I'm just a little surprised. I thought they would say goodbye to me before leaving Britain," Albert said, unbothered by his wife's ribbing.
To be honest, he was relieved to see Catherine and the others go. Sometimes, having too many lovers could be a hassle.
"They said that goodbyes are sad, so they didn't want to say goodbye to you," Katrina casually mentioned during dinner that evening, a cheerful tone in her voice.
She no longer had to share her man with a bunch of other women.
As for her sister, Isabelle, Katrina didn't really mind, or rather, it made things more exciting.
"That's good, too. It'll be less troublesome from now on!" Albert said, glancing at Alice sitting in her baby chair and then at the fat cat next to her, munching on his food. "It's not a good idea to stay cooped up here all the time. Alice needs someone to take care of her, and we can't keep relying on Tom."
Raising a child was like raising a pet—they needed companionship.
Moreover, Catherine and the others had their own matters to attend to. Their prolonged stay in Britain had already been extraordinary.
"By the way, Louise might be pregnant!" Isabelle suddenly spoke up.
"Mhm," Albert acknowledged, as if he had already expected it.
"Your reaction is so cold. Louise would be heartbroken if she knew," Katrina said, a hint of envy in her voice. It was unclear if she envied Louise's pregnancy or her ability to face this news with such composure.
"But Louise doesn't seem to intend to tell you about the baby from the start, not even the name," Isabelle said, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. She looked up at Albert, who remained unperturbed, and asked, "Don't you want to scry about it?"
"Let's not," Albert shook his head gently and said to the McGonagall sisters, "I respect Louise's decision, and we're still young."
"They'll most likely come back to see you next summer vacation!" Isabelle kissed Albert's cheek and consoled him, "You're a sweet cake to them, and who would easily give up after having a taste?"
"Next year? By then, we might be traveling around the world," Albert reminded her. This had been his original plan, and there would be intense conflicts in Britain next year. Leaving this troubled place would be a wise choice.
"Will the issues in the British wizarding world be resolved by then?"
Isabelle was surprised that Albert intended to go on a world tour at that particular time. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed deliberately planned.
"Who knows?"
Albert bent down and picked up his daughter, holding her high in the air. "After Voldemort's death, the British wizarding world won't need me anymore. Besides, I'm not Dumbledore, and even he wouldn't be so arrogant."
It was unclear if it was because he had returned to his own home or some other reason, but Albert's spirits were lifted within a few days, and he looked refreshed.
Katrina, nourished by love, had a rosy complexion and a radiant glow, which also made the beauty potions more popular among the ladies shopping in Diagon Alley.
The only odd thing was that the upper-grade students had to pre-order their Dark Arts Defense books at Flourish and Blotts because their textbooks were still being printed and would only be available when they returned to school.
However, there were always exceptions.
"It doesn't seem easy. I doubt many will be able to master all the knowledge in the book. This subject will probably become the most valuable course at Hogwarts," Hermione commented after flipping through the "Dark Arts Defense Guide" that Albert had given her.
"That's normal. It's an advanced class, after all," Albert replied.
"It's more like an advanced class for advanced classes," Hermione said, feeling that Albert was overestimating the Dark Arts defense level of others.
"Is everything okay with Kingsley?"
"Yes, the book was published with Kingsley's approval," Albert shrugged and smiled, "In fact, setting a high standard will allow everyone to learn more useful knowledge. By raising the bar for Dark Arts Defense, it will also be much easier to select Aurors."
"As long as you're happy."
"By the way, this is for you."
Albert pushed the "Dark Arts Defense Guide" back to Hermione.
"Are you sure?"
"I just came by today to check out the sample," Albert said, finishing his ice cream and wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. "It looks good, but a bit shabby. It's probably a side effect of keeping the price low."
"Aren't you keeping one for your collection?"
"There will be a deluxe edition later. I'll get a set for collection then."
After bidding farewell to Hermione, Albert bought two more ice creams from Florian Fortescue and headed to the Witch's Beauty Parlor to visit Katrina, who was working there.
(End of Chapter)
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