https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-213-They-Didn-t-Make-It-to-the-End/12575048/
Chapter 214: A World of Clear Division
Chapter 214: A World of Clear Division
Voldemort thought that if he was content to be protected and left all the problems to others, then one day he would find that there was no one left to shield him from danger.
The adults always treated him like a child, but Voldemort couldn't afford to be carefree. For instance, if everything was truly fine, why would Dumbledore have the Dursleys move and even bring in Mad-Eye Moody, a retired Auror?
And if Mrs. Johnson had truly been Obliviated, why was she suddenly killed? Was it because someone had leaked Dumbledore's plan to visit her, prompting those people to act hastily and eliminate any potential loose ends? If this speculation was true, who was the informant? Did Dumbledore have any suspects?
The adults wouldn't volunteer this information, and even if Voldemort asked, he would likely be brushed off with responses like "It's nothing" or "Focus on your studies; you don't need to worry about these things."
The overprotectiveness of the adults was, ironically, an impediment to him.
Noticing Voldemort's pensive expression as he put away his friend's list, Fred and George, who were fiddling with the two-way mirror, exchanged a glance and asked, "What's going on?"
"You had a rather frightening expression just now."
"It's nothing," Voldemort said, stuffing the friend's list back into his bag with a hint of annoyance.
The twins suddenly made odd faces.
"Listen to him—'it's nothing.' Even though we're all in the same room, you're telling us not to worry about it!" George said in a silly voice, pinching his nose to make it sound funny.
"Hey, I didn't say the latter part!" Voldemort protested.
"I know that's what you're thinking," George immediately replied.
Fred, looking at his brother, George, squinted playfully and said, "I almost thought Mum was here!"
George imitated their mother's voice: "Fred, George, you're too young! Put that down! It's too dangerous for you! Sit still and don't fidget!"
Voldemort was speechless for a moment before realizing that his actions weren't much different from those of the other adults.
He couldn't fully trust the abilities and intentions of the other young witches and wizards, believing that they weren't ready to be involved, just as the adult witches and wizards were reluctant to share certain information with him.
Voldemort could bring them along to deal with Horcruxes because the entire operation was under his control, and despite appearing dangerous, it was no different than a picnic.
But this time, it was something he hadn't encountered in the plot before, so his first instinct was to be more conservative and exclude others.
After a moment of silence, Voldemort sighed and said, "Alright... to avoid having to repeat myself later, let's discuss this matter at the Shrieking Shack this afternoon."
"Okay, we can hold out until then," the twins said, satisfied.
Then they resumed their work on the two-way mirror.
The room was also filled with various alchemical products—
Like an old Sneakoscope that scurried around like a spider, extremely sensitive to movement, or a teacup that suddenly let out a cackle and sprayed out stinky water, and candies that would undoubtedly make anyone who ate them nauseous and vomit.
These were all recent creations of the Weasley twins.
They had always been interested in alchemy and had been studying it even longer than Voldemort.
However, without a teacher to guide them, the two learned according to their own interests, resulting in peculiar gaps in their alchemical knowledge.
The twins weren't proficient in ancient runes and magical arrays, but they always managed to create works that surprised even Voldemort. Their creations, however, differed from traditional alchemical products as they often incorporated elements of mischief and prank.
Since joining the Order of the Phoenix, the Weasley twins had been studying alchemy with Ved.
Ved was a "scholastic" alchemist with impeccable fundamental knowledge and a strict, disciplined approach to practical work. In contrast, the twins were the epitome of "self-taught," with varying levels of expertise and glaring gaps in their understanding.
With Ved's projects, he knew exactly what the outcome would be before he even started. However, the Weasley twins often had sudden brainstorms midway through their creations.
"Hey, I have an idea..."
"Great idea! Why don't we give it a shot?"
More often than not, they had no clue what their final product would be until it was completed.
The combination of their contrasting styles sparked some fascinating innovations, but it also led to some setbacks...
For instance, according to Ved's plan, the two-way mirror they were working on should have been repaired and fully functional by the previous semester.
However, due to the twins' constant suggestions and their habit of coming up with new ideas midway through the project, it was still very much a work in progress.
Yet, Ved had to admit that he often found their ideas intriguing, which was why he kept delaying the completion of the mirror.
At times, the twins' wild ideas made Ved wonder who the real time-traveler was.
"My idea is quite simple," Ved explained, sketching magical runes on a piece of paper. "I want to transform the two-way mirror from a one-to-one communication device to a one-to-many broadcasting tool. One side of the mirror will act as a broadcasting station, while the others will be receivers." He continued, "As for visuals, sound, interactivity, and true projections, we can consider those as future development goals, but initially, we don't need to make it that complicated."
George asked, "Can we change channels?"
"It's not possible yet," Ved replied, countering with a question of his own. "The Muggles have countless people producing new television programs. What about us?"
"What's the point of a TV if we can't change channels?" Fred chimed in. "Why don't we figure out a way to modify a Muggle television into a magical one, just like we did with the radio?"
"Because a television is far more intricate and complex than a radio," Ved explained. "You can't simply translate television signals into images through mechanical vibrations..."
Seeing the confused looks on their faces, Ved sighed in exasperation. "Magic interferes with electromagnetic waves, so it's not feasible."
After a long pause, Fred spoke up again, his expression serious. "You know, Ved, my dad would absolutely adore you! I guarantee it!"
"He's extremely curious about Muggle technology, but no one in our family can discuss it with him."
George added, "Dad's collected a whole box of power plugs and batteries. He even bought a Muggle car to study."
Ved had to bite back the question—'What's he planning to do with all that?'
To a wizard, it would be just as amusing as a Muggle collecting scraps of cloth, stones, and feathers, believing them to have magical properties.
The two worlds were so close and yet so starkly different.
In Ved's opinion, it was somewhat understandable that Muggles didn't know about the wizarding world, given the magical safeguards in place.
However, what he found astonishing was the ignorance of wizards towards the Muggle world, especially considering that most of them lived in or near Muggle villages and towns, walked the streets of Muggle cities, and had easy access to Muggle bookstores and literature.
This state of affairs would inevitably be disrupted by the rapidly advancing technology of the non-magical world, yet most wizards remained oblivious to this fact. They were like deer, attracted to the headlights of an oncoming car, unaware of the danger that lay ahead.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
