Chapter 306: Greengrass Pulls
The ship departed the land, becoming an isolated island adrift in the vast ocean.
Fortunately, the Location Book of Friends always guided Wade toward the correct direction.
Out here, far from shore, a falcon would be far too conspicuous.
Wade didn’t land until nightfall had settled over the sea.
The ocean under the dark sky was black as a bottomless chasm. Most people couldn’t appreciate its stillness—only fear gripped them.
As a result, the upper deck was nearly empty. Wade found a quiet corner, shifted back into human form, adjusted his collar, and took a long drink of Polyjuice Potion. Only after the transformation completed did he step out from the shadows.
Inside the ship, it was a different story—lively and bustling. Most passengers had come for entertainment, and the vessel offered every kind of amenity: a sports field, a swimming pool, a pub, a theater, a shopping arcade, a children’s playground.
Even though it was late, the interior remained brightly lit, packed with people moving about.
Wade now appeared as Wenar, dressed in a well-tailored navy-blue suit. He blended in perfectly.
He carried a book—inside which was a parchment with a glowing red dot.
After scanning the paper for a while, Wade finally spotted Rita Skeeter.
The woman was lounging on a sunbed by the pool, enjoying a massage and skincare treatment. A thick green paste covered her face.
If not for that unmistakable golden curl of hair, Wade might have mistaken her for someone else entirely.
He waited on an outdoor chair for a moment. Then, suddenly, a voice cut through the quiet—
"How can Muggles stand such a painfully slow speed..."
Wade turned.
To his surprise, he recognized the speaker—Daphne Greengrass of Slytherin.
The blonde girl crossed her arms, her face twisted in disdain.
Beside her stood a younger girl, nearly identical in appearance, but pale as parchment and clearly unwell.
The younger girl said softly, “I actually like it… the ship’s lively, and fun, isn’t it?”
“But Portkeys are so fast! Astoria, if you hadn’t insisted on taking the boat, we’d have been in America by noon yesterday!” Daphne complained.
“I hate Portkeys,” Astoria stubbornly insisted. “And I already told you—you could’ve gone with Mom by Portkey. I’d be with Dad on the ship. It’s you who wouldn’t come.”
“But you’re my little sister!” Daphne snapped. “This whole ship is full of Muggles! Dad’s working, and I can’t just leave you alone. Who would you talk to?”
Astoria fell silent.
After a long pause, she muttered, “I don’t have anyone to talk to… There are thousands of people on board!”
“All Muggles!” Daphne shot back, poking her sister’s forehead in irritation.
The two sisters bickered playfully as they passed by Wade.
Not far behind them followed a pair of golden-haired parents, their expressions equally haughty and disdainful—out of place in the cheerful setting.
Yet, their eyes softened when they glanced at their daughters, filled with unmistakable affection.
Wade looked away, waiting until they were gone before glancing back.
It was unexpected—such a pure-blood family, proud of their lineage, appearing on an ordinary Muggle cruise ship.
If he remembered correctly, the Greengrass family wasn’t like the Malfoys, clinging to wealth and tradition.
Mr. Greengrass held a fairly important position in the Ministry of Magic.
Just then, a sharp, pungent scent cut through the air.
“Rita?”
“Hmm?”
Rita Skeeter, radiant and relaxed, was admiring her reflection in a mirror.
She turned sharply at the sound of her name, scanning the area with bright, curious eyes.
“It’s me.”
Wade raised a hand, casual and simple. “Gray.”
Rita’s eyes lit up.
She hurried over and sat beside him, staring intently at his face.
“Transfiguration? Or Polyjuice Potion?”
Wade gave her a dry look. “Polyjuice Potion, of course. How could you possibly think I’ve mastered that advanced level of Transfiguration?”
Skeeter chuckled. “To anyone else, I’d say it’s impossible. But you’ve already surprised me so many times—I’m not shocked by one more.”
She spoke while scribbling furiously with her feather quill, the ink flowing across the paper as if the quill were moving on its own.
Wade noticed: her hand was just for show.
“If you’re writing anything about me,” Wade said, resting his chin on his palm, “I’ll burn your notebook. And maybe a few other things too.”
“Haha! Never!”
Skeeter laughed nervously, shoving the notebook into her crocodile-leather bag with exaggerated haste.
“You were supposed to be monitoring those Werewolves down below,” Wade frowned. “How long has it been? Even if something happened, you wouldn’t know.”
Rita’s face paled. Her body twitched slightly, remembering the green eyes flickering in the dark.
“I… um… I needed a break,” she stammered.
Then, with sudden theatrical flair: “You know what? I found a major incident!”
“What?”
Wade asked, uninterested. He already regretted trusting her with the surveillance.
Yes, her Animagus form was convenient…
But her personality? Utterly unsuitable.
Rita leaned in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“You know Umbridge, right? Dolores Umbridge, one of the Ministry’s top officials?”
Wade’s eyebrows lifted.
Rita smiled enigmatically.
“She’s on board. And so are several other Ministry officials.”
She lowered her voice further. “I overheard someone say she’s been having an improper relationship with Minister Fudge for years. Her father was a cleaner. Her mother a Muggle. And yet—she claims she’s from the noble Selwyn family.”
She sneered, eyes gleaming with excitement. Every strand of her hair seemed to vibrate with the thrill of the scandal.
She couldn’t resist reaching for her quill again.
“Why are all these Ministry people on the ship?” Wade asked. “Why not just use Portkeys?”
Rita blinked, then paused to think.
“Apparently, they’re accompanying a French Ministry official who wanted to take this particular ship. And Fudge’s planning some big event—trying to pull in the American Magical Congress too…”
That was the real news.
Wade’s interest sharpened.
But when he pressed further, Rita’s knowledge ran out.
Her entire focus seemed to be on gathering gossip.
Wade sighed in disappointment.
“Anything on the Werewolves?”
“Oh, that?”
Rita rummaged in her bag and pulled out another notebook.
She grinned smugly.
“I’ve got everything recorded—you’re going to be shocked.”
(End of Chapter)
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