Chapter 483: A Visit
Chapter 483: A Visit
It has to be said that Sirius Black is an incredibly generous friend. As a direct descendant of a Pureblood clan, he naturally understands the value of this prosthetic hand. To be blunt, this level of Alchemical Product could be considered a family heirloom in many clans. Therefore, after Liam helped him with such a significant favor, the gift Sirius Black offered was unexpectedly valuable.
In the magical worlds of Europe and America, knowledge is the most precious thing. Especially the knowledge accumulated over centuries by Pureblood clans like the Black family, every word and formula is infused with the experience and hard work of countless predecessors. Sirius Black’s decision to give away all the clan’s alchemical books could be seen as the ultimate act of a wastrel in a Pureblood clan. Of course, Sirius Black doesn’t care about that.
With a snap of his fingers, Kreacher appeared in the living room, carrying a stack of parchment-bound books taller than himself. Thankfully, Liam sensed Kreacher’s presence and opened the dimensional barrier of the house, otherwise, any creature attempting to Apparate directly into the room would be banished to a chaotic dimension by the outer defense system.
After placing the books down, Kreacher glanced at Sirius Black’s prosthetic hand. He then politely greeted Liam and the others before leaving. Kreacher also recognized the value of the prosthetic hand and didn’t object to Sirius giving away part of the clan’s legacy. After all, the core legacy of the Black clan is Dark Magic, and Kreacher felt that trading some peripheral knowledge for a family heirloom was a fair deal.
Once everyone was ready, Sirius Black and Melian Apparated Liam and Hermione to a path near The Burrow. After the familiar squeezing sensation, Liam found himself standing on a path leading to The Burrow, which stood at the end.
"Since Harry moved in, The Burrow has received the most stringent security protection from the Ministry of Magic, including an Anti-Apparition Spell. This is the closest we can Apparate to the Weasley family. The rest of the way, we need to walk", Sirius Black explained. Liam could sense eyes watching them, likely Aurors patrolling the area for security.
After a five- to six-minute walk, the four of them arrived at the door of The Burrow. They knocked, and Mrs. Weasley’s slightly nervous voice came from inside: "Who’s there?"
"It’s me, Sirius Black, with Liam and the others." The door immediately opened, and Mrs. Weasley, a short and plump woman in a faded blue coat, stood there.
"Oh, you’ve finally arrived, welcome, welcome!" Mrs. Weasley stepped aside to let them in and then called upstairs, "Sirius Black and Liam are here, won’t you come down and say hello?" She then led them to sit at the kitchen table, and Liam took out the gifts he had prepared for the Weasley family: two large boxes of cookies baked by Hermione and two bottles of wine he had brewed under Tauriel’s guidance. They were simple but heartfelt gifts.
"Thank you, that’s very kind of you", Molly Weasley said, taking the gifts from Liam. At that moment, the Weasley twins Apparated into the kitchen, exchanged quick greetings, and turned to Liam and the others. "We heard you went to China for your engagement ceremony. How was it?"
"It’s a completely different magical world. My father has some relatives there, so I gained a lot and managed to order a large batch of high-quality and affordable materials. The first batch should already be with Norway Lupin, and they should arrive by Monday."
"That’s great news", Fred said. "Things are getting worse. Many growers have moved abroad or switched to other crops, and deteriorating security has disrupted imports. Recently, the prices of many materials have been rising. We’re fortunate to have our own plantation to keep costs under control, but with this new channel, we won’t have to worry about it anymore."
"However, don't change the subject", George said at this point. "As the first couple among us to get engaged, what are your thoughts? Mother has always felt that you two are a bit young to get engaged."
"It is a bit early, but it's not like we're getting married", Hermione unexpectedly spoke up, taking Liam's hand. "Well, if we feel we're a good match for each other, why should we wait? Besides, given the current situation, I think it's better to do some things earlier rather than regret them for a lifetime."
"I understand. This is all because the Dark Lord has returned, and everyone is on edge, feeling that their lives could end at any moment. So, things that should be considered carefully are being rushed into decisions. The last time the Dark Lord was in power, there were many elopements everywhere—" Mrs. Weasley said with a nostalgic look, then quickly added, glancing at Liam and the others, "Of course, I'm not talking about you two. You are more mature than the children here, and you are thoughtful and level-headed. I believe you have made this decision after careful consideration. By the way, I'll go make some tea for you."
With that, Mrs. Weasley left. As soon as she was gone, the other Weasley children and Harry came down the stairs to greet Liam and the others. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liam asked curiously, "I see that your mother supports Hermione and my engagement, so why did she mention all those elopements earlier—"
"Ha, that's because of my brother", Ron said, understanding immediately. After glancing at Harry, who had gone straight to chat with Sirius Black, he continued, "Bill and Fleur got engaged at the start of the summer vacation and plan to get married next summer. Their engagement might have been just a little earlier than your engagement ceremony. Fleur now only works mornings at Gringotts and spends the rest of her time at our house. However, our mother doesn't like her. She thinks Fleur and Bill's situation is different from yours. You two have known each other for years and have similar personalities. Bill is hardworking, but Fleur—"
"is a typical French student", Ginny said, joining them and sitting next to Ron. "You know, standard French students can be a bit lazy and lack discipline. Our mother thinks this doesn't match Bill at all. But I think Bill, being a Curse Breaker, might be more inclined to seek some romance and adventure."
"How is Percy doing?" Liam asked after they talked about everyone's recent situations. He hadn't heard from Percy since learning that Percy had faced Voldemort during his visit to Madam Bones and was worried.
"Fortunately, he wasn't seriously hurt last time", Ron said. "He got a promotion afterward and now oversees three teams. But this has made him very busy, often staying at the office for most of the week, only coming home for a couple of days on the weekend. He's also very dedicated to his work, often leading by example. Everyone is concerned because his job is one of the most dangerous in the Ministry of Magic, only slightly safer than being an Auror. Mother has even cried twice over it. But everyone still admires him; even Fred and George are proud of Percy now, seeing him as a true champion."
This was very much in character for Percy. As the most ambitious member of the Weasley family, his drive to climb the ranks hadn't changed. Thanks to Liam's influence, Percy hadn't taken the wrong path, and his career seemed to be going much smoother than in the original story. As Ron mentioned, Mr. Weasley had heard many people in the Ministry say that Percy was a rising political star, and many saw this young man as a promising leader.
As they sipped their tea and chatted, Harry eventually found an excuse to pull Ron, Liam, and Hermione aside to tell them about the contents of the Orb of Prophecy.
(End of Chapter)
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