Chapter 447: Staying in Hogsmeade
Chapter 447: Staying in Hogsmeade
Mabel rode on her broomstick, gazing down at the city below as the lights gradually illuminated the area, a feeling of unparalleled freedom and joy washing over her.
As this journey was coming to an end, a deep sense of reluctance filled her heart. She wished to continue adventuring with these adorable puppets, never wanting the journey to end.
But the puppets were eager to return to their master.
"Faster! Faster!"
The Cloak urged them on from time to time.
The broomstick was exasperated, "Stop rushing! I'm already flying at top speed! Do you know how heavy you all are? Why don't you fly on your own?"
"I can't fly fast!" the Cloak retorted.
"We're almost there," Peter II said calmly, hoping to end the argument.
Mabel mustered up some energy and asked, "Is Wade's house right ahead? Will he be home?"
"Probably not," the Cube Puppet replied, "School has started, so the master should be there, or he might have gone home to visit his parents."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier! I flew in the wrong direction," the broomstick exclaimed.
Just as the broomstick was about to turn around, the Cloak patted it.
"You idiot! That guy with the bell is still here!" The Cloak said, "Without the wardrobe space, how can we stay by the master's side?"
The broomstick remained silent, and under the chuckles of 'Chirp, chirp' from Michal, it quietly turned back to its original course.
"Huh?" The Cube Puppet suddenly exclaimed in surprise, the mirror tubes around its 'eyes' extending and retracting. "The bedroom light is on."
"What? There's a thief!" The broomstick's spirit lifted, and its flying speed increased significantly.
"No, it should be the master returning," Peter II said.
"Damn!" said the broomstick, "If the master finds out we sneaked out, will we get scolded?"
The Cloak was extremely pessimistic, "We might even get beaten."
"I'm not afraid of getting beaten," the broomstick said, "I'm not afraid of pain anyway."
"The consequences could be worse," the Cube Puppet chimed in, trying to sound ominous, "Maybe the master feels he needs more obedient puppets, and we'll have our consciousness erased and new thoughts implanted."
"What? What's the difference between that and dying?" The Cloak was startled and then looked at Michal enviously, saying, "This big bird is better; it doesn't have to worry about such problems."
Michal gave it a wing, but the broomstick below suddenly tilted, causing its attack to miss.
Mabel shrieked, then noticed that the broomstick was now flying awkwardly, as if in fear.
Her heart softened, and she said, "How about... how about you hide first? I'll go and ask Mr. Grey. If he really has that intention... I'll help you escape."
"No, no, no... I can't leave my master..."
The broomstick trembled as it flew resolutely towards the window.
Mabel looked around, but the puppets naturally had no expressions when they didn't want to show their feelings, and it was impossible for others to guess their thoughts.
However, none of them brought up the topic of escape again.
Mabel, who had been hesitant about meeting Wade, had now forgotten her own anxiety and was only concerned about her puppet friends.
She thought, "What if... what if Wade is really angry? I'll help stop him, I can't let them have their consciousness erased..."
The cold wind blew as the small window quickly came into view, illuminated by the bright light inside, revealing the silhouette of someone in the room, who couldn't see the scene outside clearly.
Peter II noticed Sirius and Lupin inside and was startled. He grabbed the cloak and draped it over himself, then tugged at the hood a few times. After a moment's thought, he silently increased his height by a few centimeters.
As a puppet himself, his entire body was made of alchemical materials, and after a few adjustments, he completely resembled Peter Pettigrew.
Peter II breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for his timely reaction.
By now, they had reached the window, and under the gaze of the three wizards in the room, they each passed through the window one by one and landed on the ground.
Before entering the door, Mabel had already decided to take responsibility. As her eyes met Wade's, she took two steps forward and said, "Mr. Grey, please don't blame them for acting without your orders. It's all because of me..."
"I understand," Wade said with a warm smile, "I've heard everything, Mabel. Thank you for coming to save me, and thank you too, mates. You are even more outstanding than I expected."
"Vader reached into his pocket and pulled out a large bag of Galleons, handing it to Mabel with a flourish."
The closet space returned to its normal size, and Vader's supplies and wealth instantly replenished. He also gave Mabel several bottles of Polyjuice Potion and a small lock of hair that Ferdinand had previously collected for him.
"This potion will allow you to transform into someone else's appearance, making it harder for others to recognize you. If you go out, remember to take a sip every hour," Vader instructed.
Overwhelmed by the generous gifts, Mabel hesitated, feeling reluctant to accept. Vader looked into her eyes and said, "I know you're strong, but everyone needs help sometimes. If you didn't hesitate to rescue me, why should you view my help as a burden?"
Mabel reluctantly accepted the gifts, offering a meek thank you. Her eyes slightly reddened, and she lowered her head, not wanting anyone to see her emotional state.
"Don't be so polite," Vader said with a shake of his head. "I'll send you my study notes later. Since the birth of Morren is due to the long-suppressed magic, perhaps by accepting your magical abilities and learning to use magic correctly, you can effectively control Morren's power."
Mabel had once deeply resented the fact that she possessed magical powers because this force had caused her to lose her parents and endure endless suffering.
But at this moment, her perception of wizards and magic had quietly shifted. She paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll study hard."
"Mmm," Vader smiled. "Let's work together."
...
Sirius stayed at home, while Professor Lupin used the Disapparition spell to accompany Vader back home.
The streets were eerily quiet as Professor Lupin walked alongside Vader, speaking softly, "Vader, once Morren is formed, it might not be easy to make her disappear."
"I understand, but we should always have hope, right?" Vader responded.
Looking ahead, Vader added in a hushed tone, "Morren is a magical creature and a manifestation of one's dark side. If she receives enough care and a sense of security, along with proper magical education, it could at least help alleviate the outbursts of Morren's power."
Professor Lupin sighed, "As long as you're aware, Remus. If she stays in Hogsmeade, and Morren's power erupts, we can also find a way to control it in time, preventing a situation like Credence's from years ago, which nearly exposed the secret of magic to the Muggles."
Vader nodded slightly.
When the two adult wizards were passionately persuading Mabel to stay in Hogsmeade, Vader had already guessed that their intentions were not solely about helping a poor girl; it was also about containing the crisis in the most controllable location.
Even though there were some cold calculations involved, the assistance they offered Mabel was genuine. In the event of Morren's eruption, Sirius and Professor Lupin would be the first to face the crisis head-on.
"There's one more thing, Vader, you know..." Professor Lupin spoke with compassion. "Morren will cause immense harm to the host's body and mind. It's said that very few Morren bearers live past the age of ten."
"Credence from a few decades ago was an exception. But I've heard that although he was once very powerful, he quickly became extremely weak... This might be the result of the damage caused by Morren."
Recently, Professor Lupin had delved into a lot of old information, gaining a deeper understanding of the history that was almost buried in the dust.
Mabel seemed fine for now, but who knew when her vitality would be completely drained by Morren?
Although it was cruel, Professor Lupin didn't want Vader to face his friend's death unprepared. It was better to maintain a certain distance from the start, to avoid overwhelming grief later.
"I understand, Remus," Vader whispered.
As they reached the Granger's doorstep, Professor Lupin paused, watching Vader enter the house with a barely audible sigh.
...
Vader's mood wasn't as heavy as Professor Lupin assumed.
His knowledge of Morren was no less than Professor Lupin's, and after witnessing Mabel release Morren's power, Vader recalled all the related information.
Moreover, Vader had 'foreseen' far more deaths than Professor Lupin realized. If he were to dwell on every future 'death notice,' he'd feel a pang of sadness with every encounter, making it impossible to live a normal life.
Currently, Vader maintained a positive mindset—Dumbledore and Scarmander had both attempted to save Morren bearers before, and although they failed, their past experiences might still prove useful. This time... failure wasn't a certainty.
(End of Chapter)
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