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Chapter 492: The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 492: The Calm Before the Storm
The end-of-term exams had finally concluded, and Albert, along with a few friends, joined the throng of students spilling out of the castle to relax and unwind in the sunny grounds, shaking off the tension that had built up during the exams.
Strolling along the grassy slope toward the lake, Albert stifled a yawn and stretched out on a lounge chair in the shade of a tree for a quick nap.
Not far away, a giant squid lay basking in the warm shallow waters as the Weasley brothers and Lee Jordan gently fiddled with its tentacles.
It was common knowledge that the giant squid in the Black Lake was docile and wouldn't harm Hogwarts students as long as they didn't provoke it.
Soon, Albert spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione approaching at a leisurely pace, evidently having finished their exams and now seeking a spot to unwind under the shade of a large tree nearby.
Before long, the sound of their voices carried over, with Hermione and Ron seemingly engaged in a heated debate about something.
That's right.
It's about time! With the term drawing to a close, Voldemort must be growing impatient. He'll likely urge Quirrell to make his move soon to steal the Sorcerer's Stone.
Then we'll have the stage set for the 'savior' to face off against the 'Dark Lord'.
"I think it's best if I keep my distance," Albert muttered to himself, aware that this whole scenario was Dumbledore's grand scheme for Potter.
Once Quirrell is out of the picture, I can go dig up those bags of Galleons buried under the tree. I wonder if that guy put any enchantments on the coins.
Indeed, it's better to be cautious. I'll need to prepare my Dark Magic detector and dragon-hide gloves. Hmm, I'll have the house-elf dig them up and check each Galleon carefully.
The prospect of another substantial sum of money brightened Albert's mood considerably.
"I'm not sick," Harry's annoyed voice carried over from a short distance away. "I think it's a warning... it means danger is coming..."
Not long after he said this, Albert witnessed Harry dashing toward Hagrid's hut like a madman, with Hermione hot on his heels, leaving a bewildered Ron in their wake.
Watching their retreating figures, Albert lazily yawned and muttered to himself, "Poor guys, are they off to meet their end tonight?"
Just in case, I should find something to do tonight to keep myself occupied. It's unlikely Potter will come looking for me, but it's best to be cautious and not interfere with Dumbledore's plan to mold his 'savior'.
Albert pulled out his communication bookmark and sent a message to Isabelle, asking her out for a date that evening. With the exams over, they could finally spend quality time together and revel in the warmth of their relationship.
Wonderful! As he reentered the castle, he spotted Hermione hurrying toward him and leading him through the entrance hall to an empty classroom.
Hermione informed Albert that Snape had successfully deceived and drawn Dumbledore away from the school, intending to use the opportunity to traverse the trapdoor and get his hands on the Sorcerer's Stone hidden in the forbidden corridor on the fourth floor.
"We've already shared our suspicions with Professor McGonagall," Hermione said anxiously, "but she simply wouldn't believe us. She insists that the stone is well-protected and that no one could possibly steal it."
"I think Professor McGonagall is right," Albert said, gently patting Hermione's shoulder. "Perhaps the obstacles set up by the professors won't be enough to stop the thief who intends to break into Hogwarts. But if Dumbledore knows someone is coming, don't you think he would make sure they don't succeed so easily?"
With that, Albert walked away, leaving a bewildered Hermione behind.
On their way to the common room, they overheard Fred, George, and Lee Jordan discussing their plan to prank the toilets. They had decided to wait until Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup before teaching that Malfoy brat a lesson, and the time for that was drawing near.
Albert had assumed that Fred, George, and Lee had forgotten all about it, but it seemed they still held a grudge against Draco Malfoy, a prime target for their mischief.
"Can you see me?"
Albert cast the Disillusionment Charm on Lee Jordan, as part of their plan to get Malfoy to visit the bathroom; they would need to add something interesting to his food.
If we can get Peeves to create a distraction, we might just pull it off.
The idea was quickly scrapped in favor of a simpler plan: knock Malfoy out along the way and force-feed him a Cleansing Potion so he'd have to go to the bathroom himself.
The more straightforward and brutal the plan, the more likely it was to succeed.
The trio brainstormed a few other impractical schemes, relishing the fun of the discussion even though they knew most of these ideas would never see the light of day.
That evening, the common room buzzed with excitement as students were still riding the high of the exams being over.
As Albert played Wizarding Chess with Fred, he noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled in a corner of the common room, whispering intently about something.
The aftermath of their massive point deduction was still lingering, and no one was keen on associating with them.
Later, after ten o'clock, Albert ventured out alone to the Room of Requirement. Seated on a sofa, he contemplated the significant events that might unfold that night.
Sure enough, Dumbledore had secretly returned to Hogwarts and was monitoring the situation from his office.
Why didn't Quirrell consider the possibility that someone might have discovered his intentions?
Or did he truly believe his acting skills were so superb that he had fooled everyone?
Perhaps that's what they mean by 'those in the game are blind'.
Suddenly, a pair of soft hands covered Albert's eyes from behind.
"What are you thinking about?" Isabelle asked, her breath tickling his ear.
"Just some things that might happen tonight," Albert replied vaguely, "but they have nothing to do with us."
"What things?" Isabelle raised an eyebrow. "You always say the strangest things."
"How do you think you did on your O.W.Ls? Are you confident you'll get twelve Outstandings?" Albert steered the conversation in a different direction.
"They were all pretty easy," Isabelle replied.
"What about Muggle Studies?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I feel like most wizards have some strange misconceptions about the Muggle world," Albert shrugged. "There are some odd things taught in Muggle Studies as well."
"I suppose I'm not really clear on that," Isabelle admitted, her knowledge of Muggles being limited to what she'd learned from textbooks.
"By the way, do you want to come to my house during the summer break? I can show you around the Muggle world." Albert extended an invitation.
"Maybe not, I don't want to upset your sister." Isabelle was tempted, but after a moment's hesitation, she decided against it, not wanting to cause trouble for Albert by inviting herself over for the entire summer.
"You probably haven't properly explored the Muggle world yet, have you?"
"We can go together after I come of age!" Isabelle gazed into Albert's eyes and asked gently, "Do you plan to settle in the Muggle world in the future?"
"Mr. Broad said that the mansion I stayed in last summer will be given to me when I come of age," Albert evaded a direct answer, "but I don't plan to live there."
"I'll prepare a new house in both the Muggle world and the wizarding world, and decorate them according to our tastes." Albert painted a picture of their future together, intending to connect the two houses with a Vanishing Cabinet so they could easily move between the two worlds whenever they wished.
"Okay, that sounds nice. You can teach me how to use those electrical appliances." Isabelle rested her head on Albert's shoulder, content to listen to him describe their future together.
It felt a little odd, but not unpleasant.
(End of Chapter)
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