https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-176-The-Black-Dog-and-His-Protege/12572573/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-178-Fire-Engulfs-the-Gaunt-Shack/12572576/
Chapter 177: The Gaunt Shack
Chapter 177: The Gaunt Shack
To the British, pubs are not just places to drink, but also important social venues. They gather here to chat, watch TV, and enjoy rare leisure time after a busy day.
Hence, even in remote little villages, there are always one or two small pubs standing.
Mack runs a small pub in the village of Little Hangleton. At noon, he was polishing glasses and chatting with his customers.
"Heard two outsiders came yesterday?" asked Pete, a regular at the pub.
"Yeah, they were dressed so strangely. Must be the latest trend from the big cities," Mack replied with a mysterious smile.
"Two men, booked a room," he added, winking.
"Oh... they're that kind of couple," Pete said, nodding in understanding before furrowing his brows.
Even though public figures had been advocating for acceptance of different orientations in recent years and there were rumors of legislation to recognize same-sex marriages, prejudice remained in these small rural areas, especially among the elders like Pete.
"Do you know where they're from?" Pete asked.
"Didn't ask," Mack shrugged. "But from their accent, they sound like they're from London—they pronounce 'this' as 'dis'."
As footsteps sounded from the staircase, Mack signaled Pete to be quiet, and they both fell silent.
Pete casually glanced toward the staircase and saw a middle-aged man with graying hair, dressed in a well-fitting dark suit and an open robe. He had an amiable and resilient air about him, though his appearance was unremarkable.
Pete snorted inwardly.
But when he saw the person behind the middle-aged man, he spat out the drink in his mouth and glared at Mack angrily.
"What's wrong?" Mack asked, confused.
"He's just a kid!" Pete hissed through clenched teeth. "He must be on a trip with his elder! Damn it, how could you spread rumors about a child and an adult!"
"What kid? I didn't," Mack said, feeling wronged.
He looked up and saw the two guests descending the stairs, and he froze as well.
Pete scoffed disdainfully.
...
Voldemort and Lupin exited the pub and looked around.
The last time they had been here with Dumbledore, they hadn't paid much attention to their surroundings. Now, standing on the village's wide road, Voldemort could clearly see a grand but desolate house on the nearby hillside.
Two boys rode their bicycles down the road from the hill, laughing wildly as an old man with a limp chased after them, waving his cane in anger.
Of course, he couldn't catch up with them, and the children's laughter echoed through the air.
"Are we going there?" Lupin asked, standing beside him.
"No, of course not," Voldemort replied. "That's where Voldemort's father used to live, but we're headed in the opposite direction, to where his mother once resided."
This statement carried a lot of weight.
Lupin had been completely unaware of this information, and he wondered if he had heard wrong.
He remained silent for a while, quietly pondering the relationship between these two places.
Voldemort, like an ordinary tourist, walked out of the village along a small path and then took out a bottle of potion labeled "Living Death."
It was a powerful sleeping draught.
Voldemort pointed his wand at the bottle and whispered, "Misty vapor."
Under Voldemort's manipulation, the potion in the bottle mixed with the water vapor in the air, quickly forming a hazy mist that swept towards the village like a tide.
The boys who had just run down the hill soon felt drowsy. They abandoned their bicycles and found a spot on the lawn that was shaded from the sun. After a long yawn, they fell asleep.
"So, I swear to you, I really saw a... thirty or forty-year-old... adult man..."
Bartender Mack, who had been arguing, saw that Pete was already drunk and passed out on the table. He scratched his head in bewilderment, his eyelids stubbornly trying to stick together.
"I'm just gonna take a nap..." Mack mumbled as he lay down and fell asleep as well.
On the hillside, the gardener of the Riddle Mansion—the old man with a limp—couldn't help but rub his eyes. He tossed aside his cane and slumped on the sofa, soon snoring loudly.
A few seconds later, the entire Little Hangleton village became quiet. Even the ants on the power poles, the mice in the burrows, and the guard dogs fell asleep.
Witnessing this, Lupin marveled, "I've never seen anyone use potions like you do... Your weather charm is truly remarkable."
"Thanks to Mr. Scamander," said Voldemort. "His teachings have been immensely helpful."
"How long will they sleep if the Draught of Living Death is diluted like this?"
"Probably two or three hours," Voldemort replied. "Enough time for us to finish our business without any interruptions from them."
As they walked along the winding path towards the former Gaunt shack, Voldemort took the opportunity to explain the purpose of their visit to Lupin.
"Before... on the day of Sirius Black's retrial, Dumbledore brought me here. He showed me the traces of Voldemort's past life."
"Both of his parents were born near this village. Voldemort's mother controlled a Muggle youth from that mansion with a love potion, and that's how he was conceived."
"His mother's name was Merope Gaunt, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin."
"Didn't you say that my theory about the Fiendfyre was already sufficient, and I could try putting it into practice?"
"Instead of burning down an unknown cave, I'd rather use the Fiendfyre here."
"Using Fiendfyre in this dense forest is extremely dangerous," Lupin warned. "If it gets out of control, it could cause a massive fire."
"That's why I have you here," Voldemort said with a cunning smile. "I believe that if my spell gets out of hand, you'll be able to control it."
Lupin smiled and said, "Of course."
After a brief pause, he asked, "By the way, is this a task assigned by Dumbledore?"
"No, of course not... This is just my own idea."
Voldemort wouldn't dare let Dumbledore know about this place.
He feared that history might repeat itself and that the old headmaster, unable to restrain his desire for the Resurrection Stone, might meet an untimely end. In that case, this time-traveling adventure could instantly turn into a difficult or even hellish journey.
And with Voldemort's abilities, he didn't think he could forcibly stop a Dumbledore consumed by obsession.
So, it was best to keep them separate.
After walking for a while along the path, the two finally reached the shack nestled among the bushes and weeds.
"Are you ready?" Lupin asked, raising his wand. "We should probably clear the area around us first."
(End of Chapter)
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