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Chapter 359: Percy's Departure
Chapter 359: Percy's Departure
The manor was silent and serene under the cover of night.
Until a sharp scream shattered the peace.
"Ah!!! Stop! You fool! Useless! You poured too much!"
Peter, whose face was as pale and weathered as Lupin's, trembled as he moved the potion bottle away from the hollow in his master's chest.
"I told you! This time, only half the amount from last time! Wormtail! What are you doing, you useless scum!"
Peter explained in a voice tinged with tears.
"I'm sorry, Master. You know, even though it's not a full moon, this moonlight makes me very uncomfortable. It makes me shiver uncontrollably."
"Get out!"
Peter scurried to a corner, relieved to be spared.
Voldemort, who had just risen from his chair and put on his robe, appeared as pale as a sheet, almost like a paper doll. His face was ghastly, and combined with the lack of a nose, he looked like a monster that had crawled out of a dungeon.
The room, apart from him and Peter, was empty, a stark contrast to the previous gatherings of Death Eaters, which made the scene even more desolate.
Voldemort leaned back in his chair, his condition clearly poor, perhaps too weak to even stand up.
He glared at Peter, who was huddled in the corner, sobbing softly, and barked harshly.
"Has Mungus brought any news?"
Peter replied cautiously.
"He says he has made contact with the Dementors. Although they haven't explicitly agreed to cooperate, a few Dementors have privately reached a temporary deal with Mungus. He has arranged for two Dementors to do what you asked."
As soon as Peter finished speaking, Voldemort roared.
"It took him this long to send people! This long! How foolish must you be to do such a thing! When Harry first returned from Hogwarts, there was a chance! Now, it will only alert them that we have been in touch with Azkaban, and it will be of no use!"
"I, I don't know, Master! It was Mungus! Mungus decided to do it this way!"
Instead of the expected series of Cruciatus Curses, Voldemort fell silent. His chest continued to rise and fall, but his terrifying face remained grim.
"Go and find Lucius."
Peter was taken aback, not immediately understanding what Voldemort had said.
"Master... who do you want to find?"
"Lucius Malfoy! Go and find him, and make sure Dumbledore's people don't notice. Bring him to me!"
The day after the Order of the Phoenix meeting, Sherlock finished breakfast made by Silke and set out for 12 Grimmauld Place.
Despite Silke's desire to accompany him, Sherlock declined. He knew the dangers of working with the Order of the Phoenix, and even Dumbledore couldn't guarantee anyone's safety. Sherlock didn't want to put Silke at risk.
Although Silke seemed unhappy, he chose to leave on his own.
When he Apparated to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, the children living there were having breakfast. Apart from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the entire Weasley family had moved in, along with Lupin and other Order members. Sirius Black, of course, also resided there, as 12 Grimmauld Place was his home.
When Sherlock walked in, the Weasley children were telling Harry about Percy.
“He’s been hired as the Minister’s assistant. Apparently, it was Fudge’s suggestion to the new Minister, Scrimgeour, after Fudge became an advisor.”
“Percy was almost beside himself with joy. He felt his future had never been brighter. He came home to brag to Mum and Dad, acting as if Dad would really praise him.”
Fred picked up where George left off, their voices deliberately low to avoid being heard by Mrs. Weasley, who was still busy in the kitchen.
“Dad didn’t really say much to him, just expressed his concerns. Scrimgeour is a decent person, but he’s not one of us. Fudge’s suggestion to promote Percy to the Minister’s side could very well be a way to keep an eye on us.”
Ginny’s pretty face darkened as she spoke.
“Then he went ballistic, yelling that it was all because Dad wasn’t working hard enough at the Ministry of Magic, which is why people have such a low opinion of our family! He was blaming Dad for holding back his career!”
Harry and Hermione listened carefully. Among the Weasley siblings, they had the least connection with Percy and had no intention of defending him.
Ron gritted his teeth.
“He said he was going to make a great career at the Ministry of Magic, to show all the other Wizards that not all Weasleys are like Dad. He claimed he was the true heir of a pure-blood Wizard family!”
“After a big argument with Dad, he moved out of the house. He’s now living in London. Mum tried to visit him a few days ago, but he wouldn’t even open the door! Mum cried for a long time after that!”
The children at the table fell silent. It was then that Bill noticed Sherlock standing in the doorway.
“Oh, how long have you been here, Sherlock?” He stood up and greeted Sherlock.
Sherlock sighed lightly.
“Since you started talking about Percy’s falling out with your parents.”
The mood at the table was somber, and Ron couldn’t help but mutter.
“Considering how much Professor Forrest thought of him back at school, it’s a shame he never intended to stand with us. What an ingrate!”
“Everyone has different aspirations. We can’t always expect everyone to think the same way we do,” Sherlock said softly. “But Percy will understand eventually. The longer he stays there, the more he will realize what he truly values.”
His words didn’t completely dispel the Weasley children’s resentment toward Percy, but they did lift the gloom a bit.
Then Sherlock turned to Bill and asked.
“When is Professor Dumbledore coming back?”
Bill had transferred from Gringotts in Egypt to work at Diagon Alley Gringotts, and being a bit older than Sherlock, he was well-informed within the Order of the Phoenix.
“He’s still at the Ministry of Magic. After his meeting with Scrimgeour, he’ll be back for lunch. You should be able to see him then.”
(End of Chapter)
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