Chapter 513: Acting with Sirius Black 3
Chapter 513: Acting with Sirius Black 3
"The Dark Mark... it’s becoming more prominent... Lucius suspects that he’s coming back..."
"They say, after the match, they plan to have some fun with the Muggles near the campsite... it’s also... also to send a signal to him... if he’s really still alive..."
"I don’t want... I don’t want him to come back... when the master was still alive, he became more and more cruel. If he returns, he will definitely punish us... we are all traitors..."
Graham Pucey had no resistance against the Veritaserum, stammering out his words as Sirius Black's face grew increasingly grim.
Sirius walked over, yanking up Pucey’s left sleeve and staring intently at the mark.
It was a pale red tattoo of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth, looking both evil and strangely beautiful.
Sirius’s expression turned cold as he examined it for a moment before asking, "Who else is planning to act with you?"
After a few seconds, Graham Pucey mumbled a list of names: "Lucius, Crabbe, Nott, Macnair..."
...
Half an hour later, Graham Pucey fell back into a deep sleep. To be safe, Sirius used the Obliviate spell to ensure he wouldn’t blab when he woke up.
The two of them used the Disillusionment Charm again to go downstairs. As they reached the door, Wade saw his classmate Pucey apparently set his robe on fire, frantically patting it out while shouting. Pucey’s mother ran out of the tent, tearing off the robe and discarding it.
Amid the chaos, Wade and Sirius slipped away unnoticed.
"Thanks for your keen observation, Wade", Sirius said, lowering his voice. "Otherwise, by the time we saw the Dark Mark over the bodies, it would be too late to catch anyone."
Wade knew he wouldn’t be part of the next move and asked, "What are you planning to do about this?"
"This is a golden opportunity", Sirius replied with a dangerous smile. "Thirteen years ago, they claimed they were under the Imperius Curse to avoid Azkaban. This time, if we catch them in the act, that excuse won’t work."
He handed his wand back to Wade, telling him to return to the tent, and then Disapparated.
Wade put away the wand, keeping the one he hadn’t used much. He recalled the plot from the original story as he headed back to the tent.
Harry and Lupin were likely still with the Weasleys and hadn’t returned. Only Kreacher was diligently preparing lunch, the smell of frying steak wafting from the kitchen.
Wade sat down, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and drank it in one gulp.
The Death Eaters wouldn’t be able to cause trouble at the campsite anymore. With luck, they would all be caught by the Ministry of Magic.
However, Wade had little faith in the Aurors’ ability to handle the situation. Even Order of the Phoenix members might not be able to stop the Death Eaters from escaping, unless Dumbledore intervened personally.
From what he remembered, Lucius Malfoy and his accomplices were indeed imprisoned once—after they attacked the Ministry. Dumbledore managed to trap most of the Death Eaters, rendering them unable to resist or escape.
Although Wade hadn’t seen the headmaster at the campsite yet, he should still show up after Sirius contacted him, right?
The matter was settled, but Wade still felt a strong sense of unease.
He gently caressed his teacup, thinking: After all, what connection could there be between the Death Eaters causing trouble in the camp at midnight and the dream I had?
No one died that night in the original story. In fact, Malfoy and his cronies were now acting cautiously; even with their faces concealed, they lacked the courage to kill. They only wanted to create some minor chaos.
For the Muggle camp manager and his family, the incident was terrifying, but for most wizards, it was just a close call. For young wizards like Harry and his friends, it was like getting caught in a light rain at the edge of a storm.
The worst outcome was that Barty Crouch Jr. managed to escape.
Wade's movements paused.
—Yes, in the original story, Barty Crouch Jr. would take advantage of the chaos to escape.
But now, he had already escaped and returned to Voldemort, even capturing both Gellert Grindelwald and Lockhart.
Harry came to the camp to watch the Quidditch World Cup, and the place was teeming with wizards using magic. Apparition was happening everywhere, and the Ministry of Magic was stretched thin, unable to keep up.
Wouldn't it be easier to make a move here rather than trying to sneak someone out of the highly secured Hogwarts?
Wade stared at his teacup, then poured himself another cup of hot tea, drank it slowly, and inverted the cup.
Once the tea drained, the tea leaves at the bottom formed a chaotic pattern. Wade gently rotated the saucer.
Skull… skull… skull… skull.
No matter which way he looked, the remaining tea leaves formed the shape of a skull.
[Death, danger… a potential fatal threat…]
Wade recalled the text from the book and looked at the scattered tea leaves around the skull, which almost formed a circle.
[Surrounded by shadows… symbolizing that the danger is magnified, requiring extra caution…]
"This is ominous! Extremely ominous!"
Wade remembered how Professor Trelawney, with wide eyes and rapid breathing, had warned them during that lesson:
"If you see a pattern like this, be very careful! Be very careful, dear… it means death is staring at you… you must be extremely cautious and avoid all dangerous places!"
"I have done my best to warn you, but I hope you will never… ah… never encounter such a terrifying thing… Merlin protect you… stay away from the Veil of Death…"
Professor Trelawney ended her class with her usual mystical tone, then seemed to think of something terrifying and slumped in her chair, muttering to herself.
But Wade remembered that after that class, several Gryffindors wrote in their Divination Homework that they had seen skulls and crosses, fabricating terrifying crises for themselves.
Thinking of Professor Trelawney's wide-eyed expression, Wade couldn't help but smile. He looked down at the skull in the saucer and sighed.
"So what good is divination? It tells you there's danger but doesn't say where the danger comes from… staying in the camp might be dangerous, but leaving the camp might be the true source of danger…"
Wade muttered to himself, put down the saucer, and noticed the book History of the Quidditch World Cup on the bookshelf. His heart stirred slightly.
(End of Chapter)
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