Chapter 353: Apartment at 12 Tulip Street
Chapter 353: Apartment at 12 Tulip Street
On the north slope of a Scottish hill, in a place unknown to many, stood a house that was home to a somewhat infamous and eccentric wizard, Cirrus Harries.
Today, Cirrus Harries had a rare visitor. An elderly man with a white beard approached with light footsteps and stopped at the door, knocking on it gently.
Moments later, the door opened from the inside.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting, Cirrus!" the visitor greeted the host.
"You're always punctual," Harries said with a smile. "But many were disappointed that you didn't attend the last gathering."
"There were some matters concerning Nicolas," Dumbledore said vaguely. "I was unavoidably detained. Good morning, Mr. Anderson."
"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore," Albert nodded slightly in greeting to the elderly man who had appeared in the entryway. "Is Mr. Nicolas Flamel still alive?"
"Yes, but we shouldn't discuss this here," Dumbledore winked at Albert. "He's facing some troubles at the moment."
"Well, I understand your concern. My Intruder Charm didn't detect anyone else nearby. Of course, if you're still worried, you can use my emergency passage!" Harries understood Dumbledore's apprehension, as their visitor was none other than the mysterious Nicolas Flamel.
"Emergency passage?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.
"You know it. Come with me," Harries led them to a room filled with miscellaneous items, where a large cabinet stood.
"A Vanishing Cabinet?" Albert asked.
"Yes, a Vanishing Cabinet," Harries confirmed.
"I didn't expect you to still have such an antique here," Dumbledore said, reaching out to caress the cabinet. He turned his head and asked, "Does it still work?"
"Of course, I inspected it not long ago," Harries replied, a little displeased with Dumbledore's questioning tone.
"This kind of thing was very popular when the mysterious people were rampant last time. Let's leave from another place." Harries gestured for Albert to step into the cabinet first.
Albert stepped inside the cabinet, and as the doors closed, he felt a sense of lightness, as if he were descending in an elevator. Soon, the cabinet doors opened again.
Upon stepping out, Albert found himself in a dusty room with poor air quality. A single Goblet of Fire illuminated the room.
Soon after, Dumbledore and Harries also emerged from the Vanishing Cabinet.
"I dare say you haven't taken care of this place in a long time," Dumbledore remarked as he looked around.
"Indeed, it hasn't been used for quite some time," Harries laughed. "We're underground now. We can just Disapparate from here."
"Mr. Anderson, please grab my hand," Dumbledore said to Albert, while Harries also extended his hand. The three of them held hands.
In the next moment, they vanished.
As Albert shook off the discomfort of Disapparating, he noticed the fresher air around them. They had appeared in an alleyway of a city.
"Sir, is this really okay?" Albert asked, sensing that Dumbledore was casting a Disguise Charm on him, a cool sensation spreading from the top of his head to the rest of his body.
"What?" Dumbledore asked, momentarily confused.
"I can't use magic outside of school," Albert reminded him with a hint of helplessness. "I really don't want to receive another warning letter from the Ministry of Magic."
"Haha, you're absolutely right. Those freeloaders at the Ministry are always so unreliable." Cirrus Harries clearly wasn't a fan of dealing with the Ministry officials either.
"Don't worry, they're aware that you'll be with me today." Dumbledore winked. "Also, there are always loopholes in laws, and it's up to us to exploit and abide by them."
Albert couldn't help but sneer, but he refrained from saying anything further.
Indeed, there were loopholes in the laws, but how many of those loopholes were created by the lawmakers themselves for their benefit? The saying, "What's allowed for the governor isn't allowed for the people," would never become outdated, no matter the place.
"Follow me!"
Dumbledore gestured for the two to follow him. He led Albert through the streets and into a bustling apartment building nearby. As they passed the stairway corner on the third floor, Dumbledore stopped, raised his hand, and knocked on the wall in a rhythmic manner, as if knocking on a door.
After a few seconds, Dumbledore led them through the wall, and they found themselves in a corridor with no end in sight.
"Welcome to 12 Tulip Street Apartments," Dumbledore said softly.
As Dumbledore mentioned the address, a red wooden door appeared out of thin air in front of Albert.
"Is this the effect of the Fidelius Charm?" Albert wondered, as this was his first experience with such magic. The moment Dumbledore spoke those words, it seemed like he had shared the secret with them.
"You actually know this spell?" Dumbledore motioned for him to follow.
After the doorbell was rung, the wooden door opened, and an elderly, frail man appeared in the doorway, smiling at the trio.
"Albus, you're here."
The old man's gaze quickly shifted from Dumbledore to Albert, and a kindly smile appeared on his face.
"It's safe for now. There's no one watching from the other side," Dumbledore said as he stepped inside. "But you still need to be careful."
"Albus, won't you stay for a cup of tea?" Perenell asked, poking his head out from the kitchen.
"No, I have other matters to attend to," Dumbledore declined politely.
"Are you Cirrus Harries?" Perenell asked. "It's been quite some time since we last met."
"About twelve years, I believe," Harries replied. "I heard you've been having some troubles."
"Yes, an unexpected disaster," Perenell said, looking at Albert. "I presume this is the remarkable Mr. Anderson?"
"Remarkable?"
Albert wasn't sure how to respond to that.
"Yes, a very talented young man," Harries said with a smile. "And quite extraordinary, indeed."
"Please, have a seat, child, and relax." Nicolas offered, "Would you like something to drink?"
"Tea, please. Thank you."
"And you, Ms. Harries?" Nicolas asked.
"The same, please."
"I recall you preferred pumpkin juice."
"People change, and so do their preferences."
The elderly man waved his wand, preparing two cups of tea for them.
"I see a reflection of young Albus in you." Perenell served some snacks, "When we first met him, he had just graduated from school, full of talent and potential." (End of Chapter)
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