Chapter 423: Go Find Him! Go Save Him!

Chapter 423: Go Find Him! Go Save Him!

Michael's eyes lit up, and he quickly rummaged through the pile of gifts he had received. To his surprise, he found a gift box signed "Voldemort Grey."

"Haha, he can even send gifts. It seems his situation is better than I thought!" Michael exclaimed happily.

Harry, standing beside him, had already torn open the wrapping paper. Inside the gift box was a small model of a fire crossbow. Harry took it out, intending to examine it closely in his palm, when the broomstick model suddenly flew out with a "whoosh," leaving a trail of blue flames behind.

The broomstick circled the room and then returned to Harry's palm.

"This is great!" Harry exclaimed with delight. This unique alchemical item was undoubtedly Voldemort's creation and not something sent by anyone else in his name.

"Quick, take a look! What did Voldemort send you?" Harry asked Michael curiously.

Michael tore open the last layer of wrapping paper and found a small...

"A cat bed? No, it's more like a fox bed," Harry observed after a closer look. "It's probably for your puppet, right?"

"It's not that simple," Michael replied.

He held the "cat bed" and studied it. On the side, he noticed a button-like protrusion. He gently pressed it, and with a "bang," the bed instantly expanded, floating lightly in the air like a cloud. The soft, sunken center seemed perfect for a lazy nap.

Harry burst into laughter, "Voldemort is probably telling you that you're too lazy!"

Michael shrugged, "Well, now we don't have to squeeze into one bed anymore!"

The two joked with each other and then eagerly unwrapped the rest of the gifts. The worries that had weighed on their minds all day seemed to dissipate.

If Voldemort could send gifts, he could also send letters. So, whoever had taken him away was probably not an enemy but a wizard with a peculiar temperament.

"Oh no!" Harry exclaimed as he dug through the gifts and found Mrs. Weasley's hooded leather coat. He suddenly remembered something, and his face turned pale.

"I didn't send Voldemort's gift last night! I thought he wouldn't be able to receive it!"

Michael was taken aback but quickly jumped up, "Hurry, I didn't send mine either!"

The two quickly retrieved the packages from their luggage, coaxing Hedwig with soft words until the temperamental owl finally took the packages and flew off.

This time, the owl didn't return quickly.

...

Contrary to their expectations, Hedwig didn't deliver the Christmas gifts to Voldemort. Instead, she flew into the Westminster house, carrying the packages and dropping them by the bed.

Seeing the empty bed, the owl tilted its head and hooted twice. It assumed that Christmas gifts should be delivered to the bedside and then set off on its return journey with relief.

A cube-like puppet resembling a wardrobe wobbled at the side of the bed, and with a "bang," two antennae with eyes popped out from the top, followed by two metal claws extending from the sides and four wheels from the bottom.

The puppet rolled over, neatly arranging the two new gifts. It looked up at the towering pile of presents, its eyes fixed in a daze.

Outside the window, the sound of an owl flapping its wings could be heard.

The puppet quickly retracted its extended organs, leaving only a pair of spinning eyes to observe its surroundings.

Following the owl, two wizards riding broomsticks appeared outside the window.

Owls typically fly at a speed of 45 kilometers per hour, a speed easily surpassed by most flying broomsticks. However, flying on a broomstick at high speeds in the cold winter air was not a pleasant experience. The two wizards were freezing, their faces turning blue, and their eyebrows and eyelashes were covered in thick white frost.

They flew through the window and landed in the warm bedroom, unconsciously sighing in relief. But upon seeing the tidy bed and the pile of gifts, disappointment clouded their faces.

"I should have guessed," one of them said. "Whoever took Voldemort away wouldn't give him this much freedom."

Lupin's expression darkened. "The gifts were probably sent before Voldemort's disappearance, with a pre-arranged delivery time."

The Owl Post Office did offer timed delivery services, but they had held onto a sliver of hope before arriving.

Lupin waved his wand, returning the two gift boxes to the wardrobe. Sirius asked, "How are Voldemort's parents doing?"

"Alastor is protecting them," Lupin replied. "I told them that Voldemort is spending Christmas with friends this year, but I think..."

"What?" Sirius prompted.

"Voldemort's father seems to have guessed something," Lupin said.

Sirius fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Even if he guessed, there's nothing we can do... But let's keep it hidden for now. After all, they're Muggles, and even if they're worried, it won't help."

His words sounded ruthless, but Lupin knew it was the truth.

"This year has been tumultuous," Lupin frowned. "The Silent One named Mabel is still at large, three prisoners escaped from Azkaban, and we can't find them either. Dementors are flying around, and Grindelwald has escaped..."

Sirius ran his fingers through his messy black hair. "Dumbledore thinks Grindelwald abducted Voldemort... If the puppet falls into the hands of the Pureblood Supremacists, will Europe plunge into chaos again?"

"Not necessarily... There aren't any Muggle leaders who could match up to that person at the moment..."

"With Grindelwald's abilities, controlling a Muggle leader or two isn't impossible..."

The two wizards discussed in hushed tones, the weight of their concerns growing heavier with each word, suffocating them.

They were only considering a fraction of the problem, and it was already overwhelming. What must Dumbledore, the pillar of support for everyone, be thinking?

Thinking of Dumbledore, who had been increasingly busy and preoccupied lately, the two wizards hoped he would tell them what to do, but they couldn't bring themselves to ask for advice or help.

Regarding Voldemort's rescue, they believed that Dumbledore's anxiety and efforts were no less than anyone else's, and all they could do was follow orders, wait for commands, and do everything within their power.

As their frozen limbs gradually regained some warmth, the two wizards held their brooms and apparated away from the location.

One of the Cube Puppet's eyes popped out, followed by the other.

The round, bulging eyes narrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.

After a moment, it moved to the pile of gifts and precisely picked out a small package.

On the wrapping paper, a childish, clumsy handwriting spelled out the name "Mabel."

Was this the same person as the "Silent One" those two had been discussing earlier? Did... she send a Christmas present to her master?

The Cube Puppet was imbued with Voldemort's thoughts and not only could it think, but it also possessed a good deal of common sense and magical knowledge.

It knew what the Silent One was, understood their power, and could comprehend the meanings of words like "disappearance," "abduction," and "Pureblood Supremacist Party."

The metal claws reached up to the bookshelf and took down some recent newspapers. The blue, round eyes scanned the contents and then neatly stacked the papers back in place.

The puppet wasn't trusted by wizards like Grindelwald and Moody because they couldn't see where its brain was hidden. Even when the puppet displayed emotions like happiness, anger, or sadness, these were just camouflage abilities bestowed by its creator and didn't reflect the puppet's true thoughts.

Moreover, the Cube Puppet didn't even have the concept of "expressions" since its eyes were two round spheres on its antennae, its voice emanated directly from its body, and it had no face.

So, no one knew what the puppet was thinking. After a moment, it picked up the Christmas gift from Mabel, carefully examining the wrapping paper, ink, and the sender's handwriting.

It also remembered the time each gift arrived, the appearance of the owls that delivered them, and the direction they came from.

The Cube Puppet moved to the other side of the room, looked up at the tall "Wardrobe," and extended its claws to open the wardrobe door, sliding inside.

The Metal Cloak, proud of its shiny appearance, was startled by the opening door and thought its master had arrived. It quickly hid to the side but then noticed the newly created puppet and swaggered over.

"I haven't seen the master for a whole day!" The golden bell chimed, "Is he too busy celebrating to spend time with us?"

The blue eyes spun, scanning the empty Wardrobe Dimension.

Voldemort had been primarily focused on organizing the Wardrobe Dimension during this time and had created only four puppets—

The bell at the entrance, a broomstick primarily responsible for cleaning, the Cube Puppet, and Peter Number Two, who looked identical to Peter Pettigrew.

Additionally, there was the Metal Cloak, the golden red phoenix Mihal, and a group of eight-eyed spiders serving as prisoners and potion ingredients.

"The master has disappeared," the Cube Puppet announced.

The bell fell silent at these words, and the fluttering Metal Cloak stopped moving.

Mihal, nestled in its nest, opened its eyes, and Peter Number Two hopped in front of the Cube Puppet, asking, "Who did it?"

Its voice was identical to the real Peter Pettigrew's, high-pitched like a mouse, but its demeanor and tone were far from meek.

"A Dark Wizard named Grindelwald, who may have a group of wizards called the Pureblood Supremacist Party under his command. They are powerful and ruthless, and even Dumbledore might not be able to handle them," the Cube Puppet explained.

"Was the master captured by the Pureblood Supremacists?" the golden bell shrieked.

"That's what they say," the Cube Puppet replied.

"I'm going to find the master," the broomstick declared. "Don't underestimate me; I can fly fast, not just clean!"

"That's why I'm here," the Cube Puppet said.

"I'm coming too!" Peter Number Two added.

"Take me with you!" The Metal Cloak flew over.

The proud Mihal also flew closer, showing its determination.

"Wait, what about me...?"

The bell was dumbfounded.

"With the master away, we can't shrink the Wardrobe Dimension back," the cube said. "Guard this place and don't let anyone in!"

"I understand! You can count on me!" The bell shouted, "Even if I'm torn to pieces, I won't let anyone take advantage of the situation!"

The cube's eyes flickered, and it said, "Good. Let's go!"

A broomstick zoomed over, and the cube puppet hopped onto it, with Peter II sitting behind. The cloak unfolded, covering them, and their appearance quickly blended in with the surroundings like a chameleon.

The wardrobe doors swung open, and several puppets flew out, followed closely by a trail of fire. They heard the sound of the bell jingling behind them.

Two figures flew through the window and soared into the cold sky.

Snow continued to fall, and the city was filled with the joyful sounds of Christmas carols—

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in an open sleigh... Through the snow and wind, we're having such a blast, riding in the sleigh..."

...

Hogwarts.

"Voldemort has disappeared?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in surprise. "What exactly happened?"

Professor Snape's face was so dark it seemed to drip with water.

"Remus Lupin is utterly useless. He was right there and still couldn't protect him..."

As the Potions professor angrily cursed, he quickly explained the situation. Professor McGonagall rubbed her temples and asked with concern, "What does Dumbledore think about this?"

As the two professors discussed in the staff lounge, they didn't intentionally lower their voices. Unbeknownst to them, a house-elf in the adjacent room, who had been quietly polishing the candelabra, paused and listened intently with perked-up ears.

Soon after, the two professors hurried out of the lounge. The house-elf quickly finished its task and Apparated directly to the kitchen, finding another house-elf, Zoe, washing dishes.

He grabbed his fellow house-elf and whispered, "Have you heard, Zoe..."

The news spread quietly among the house-elves.

"What should we do?"

"There's nothing we can do..."

"We are the house-elves of Hogwarts."

"Without an order, we can't leave..."

"Find a way to get the remaining students to give us an order..."

"Maybe Professor Trelawney will let McGonagall buy her some wine."

"What good will that do? Voldemort Grey is definitely not in Hogsmeade."

"Wine can be bought anywhere. We can go to Austria or Germany to buy it!"

"Is McGonagall crazy?" The other house-elf exclaimed in fear. "House-elves who do this will be put to death!"

"McGonagall isn't afraid!"

"Dumbledore wouldn't do that!" Zoe said. "He's not Professor Dipet."

"But... but... it's against the rules!" The other house-elves looked terrified.

"Wait!" McGonagall held up her palm, signaling the other elves to be quiet. She then extended her ears and listened carefully before whispering, "McGonagall thinks she heard Dobby's voice."

"Dobby?"

...

Dobby had just Apparated next to the castle and was walking along the wall, hugging it tightly.

He looked a bit disheveled, wearing a ragged sack-like garment, but on his head was a brand-new hat shaped like a fawn.

It was a Christmas gift he had received from Voldemort that very morning.

As Dobby walked, he muttered to himself in distress:

"Sigh... Dobby still can't find a job. Wizards aren't willing to pay house-elves... If Professor Dumbledore doesn't want to employ Dobby either, maybe Dobby should go to Voldemort Grey. Mr. Grey will surely give Dobby a job..."

"But Voldemort Grey is Dobby's friend, and Dobby doesn't want to trouble him... Voldemort Grey has saved Dobby, and Dobby shouldn't ask for compensation... But Dobby wants compensation..."

He held onto his hat with both hands, his large eyes gazing into the distant sky.

"With compensation, I can buy gifts for friends... I want clothes, clean and respectable clothes... I also want..."

He seemed to feel that he was being too greedy, but even so, he whispered softly, "I want a day off, just one day a year, to play freely..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a house-elf appeared with a loud 'bang' right in front of him, startling Dobby, who took two steps back.

Immediately, a series of 'bang bang bang' sounds followed, and ten, twenty, several dozen house-elves suddenly appeared, all staring intently at him.

Dobby was so startled that he backed up against the wall, almost flattening himself into a pancake. He shook his head in panic, saying, "No, no, Dobby doesn't want that much..."

He recognized McGonagall as the house-elf who had once brought him food. Lowering his head in shame, he said, "Dobby isn't here to cause trouble... Dobby just wants to find a job..."

"Dobby!" McGonagall grabbed his arm and asked, "Does Dobby remember the help Mr. Voldemort Grey gave him?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end