Chapter 280: A Message from the Headmaster
“The guy named Garr—probably just a rogue Wizard,” Moody said suddenly, noting where Wade’s gaze had landed.
“A rogue Wizard?” Wade asked.
Moody tapped his cane against the floor. “Vampires, like Werewolves, carry incurable bites. No Magic School would ever admit such creatures…”
He paused, then abruptly remembered—among his colleagues in the Phoenix Society was a Werewolf. A former Hogwarts graduate.
“…Well, they might admit vampires,” he amended. “He might’ve picked up a bit of magic from a spellbook, but his skill level is all over the place.”
“So his magic isn’t much?” Wade asked.
“Don’t be careless, child,” Moody said seriously. “People like this can be far more dangerous than proper Wizards. They often don’t even know what kind of havoc their spells might unleash.”
Wade sighed.
In the past ten days since returning from holiday, he’d already learned just how deep Moody’s paranoia ran. To him, even a Muggle girl holding a bouquet of flowers could be a Dark Wizard in disguise.
The reason the Gray family could coexist peacefully with Moody was twofold: first, they’d been introduced by Dumbledore and were under protection; second, the couple couldn’t perform magic at all—making them seem “safe” in Moody’s eyes.
In truth, the alert that had kept them hidden had long since been lifted.
The Joint Investigation Team believed the Dark Wizards who’d been abducting children hadn’t targeted the Grays. Even if they had once considered it, the Ministry’s increased scrutiny would have forced them to abandon the idea.
Still, Ferdinand hadn’t chosen to move back.
Having lived in the quiet town for half a year, they’d grown used to its peaceful rhythm.
Moody was certainly odd—his manners were gruff and strange—but he wasn’t a madman prone to violence. And occasionally, he’d even extend the hidden magic wards around their house at the couple’s request.
That meant Fiona no longer had to draw the curtains hiding their magical artifacts during the day. The tiny humans could move freely through the house, unhidden.
The Daily Prophet could lie open on the table without worry. No Muggle guest would glance in and scream in shock, drawing unwanted attention.
And even if a passing Muggle looked toward their house, their mind would simply register:
Everything’s normal. Nothing unusual here.
…
After seeing Moody off, Wade returned upstairs, gathered his completed family assignments, and sat at the desk to reply to the messages waiting in his Book of Friends.
His Book of Friends was now thick with entries.
Machionni reported that the Streaming Mirrors had reached sufficient stock. With the summer holiday upon them, they were poised to make a fortune—launching sales simultaneously across seven countries in just a few days.
The initial batch of televised content was already prepared:
- Highlights from the Hogwarts Student Maze Challenge: Ball Python
- Recent international Quidditch matches
- Live concert footage of the famous singer Sethina Woback
- A full documentary of a Fire Dragon’s hatching and growth into adulthood
And—
- Muggle films
- Muggle TV dramas
- Muggle concerts
- Muggle stand-up comedy
There was no helping it. The magical world was usually calm, rarely witnessing major events. And without journalists like Machionni, there was little to record.
To Wizards, magic was as natural as eating and drinking—part of daily life, not something worth showing off.
For the same reason, Muggle magic shows were removed from the broadcast list.
But the rest of the content—everything from thrilling sports to emotional performances—had been kept, and Machionni was certain they’d attract a massive audience.
The Streaming Mirrors sold out instantly. Galleons poured into his vault like a storm.
Wade wholeheartedly agreed with Machionni’s vision—and suggested that Muggle magic shows shouldn’t be discarded entirely.
To Wizards, such performances might be strangely entertaining. And it would be fascinating to study how Muggles created illusions without magic.
Then came Professor Mor’s message.
He’d answered the alchemy questions Wade had sent earlier and mentioned he’d recently received a curious invitation.
> “There will be a display of ancient alchemical artifacts—though the techniques are outdated, the underlying ideas still offer valuable insights for today’s researchers. A visit would be worthwhile…”
> “If you have no other plans, I’d be honored if you’d join me.”
Wade replied instantly:
> “Of course. I’m looking forward to it.”
Next came Harry’s message.
He was envious that the Weasley family had won the annual award and would be traveling to Egypt—while he was stuck writing assignments.
For Harry, the highlight of each day was watching his godfather verbally spar with his Uncle Vernon Dursley.
During the holiday, Harry hadn’t sent a single distress letter to any friend.
Once Peter Pettigrew’s escape was discovered, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin had arrived at his side immediately. With no room left in the Dursley house, Sirius had spent a fortune buying the neighboring property.
With both of them watching over him, the Dursleys dared not imprison Harry again. The magic book and wand that Vernon had thrown into a cupboard were returned.
To reinforce the protection, the Ministry of Magic even assigned an Auror to stand guard nearby—publicly boasting about it in the newspaper, eager to prove they weren’t idle.
> “Remus says Peter’s personality suggests he’ll try to hide. But if he feels he can’t stay hidden much longer… he might go to Voldemort. And that would be far worse.”
Harry wrote:
> “If Voldemort returns, the wizarding world might face war again… I hope that day never comes.”
Wade added a few words of agreement. He didn’t mention that Peter Pettigrew was already dead.
Others chimed in with travel stories or reflections on the escape.
Wade’s replies grew increasingly automatic, mechanical.
He lazily flipped through the Book of Friends, about to type when—suddenly—his fingers froze.
The message before him was different.
The handwriting was thin, intricate, looping in endless spirals.
And the words sent a jolt through him:
> “The research on the Slytherin Pendant Box is complete. I’ve prepared to destroy it—would you be willing to witness the moment?”
> PS: I’ve invited Kreacher and Sirius Black. They’ve generously forgiven me for taking so long.”
Wade shot upright, eyes locked on the message.
The Headmaster’s words.
Then, a new text appeared.
> “Dumbledore: Harry has also requested to attend. I’ve agreed.
> I believe July 19th will be an excellent day.”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
