Chapter 523: Bill Weasley
Chapter 523: Bill Weasley
Vid thought: Well, he wasn’t entirely wrong…
Dumbledore probably did that, and Vid did indeed join in to prevent the forest from affecting the pitch.
It was just that Ryan had mistaken who he was following.
If they had known that the person beside him was actually Grindelwald, most of the people in the tent would likely have screamed in shock.
The others would probably have screamed while rushing to inform Dumbledore…
Vid chuckled, neither confirming nor denying. “While the trees were destroyed, the dark wizard who cast the spell wasn’t caught—my guess is that he was probably in the stands, disguised as a regular spectator.”
Ryan frowned. “If his goal wasn’t achieved, he might try again.”
“Yeah.” Vid took a sip of his drink. “The Cursed Forest is out of the question now; that spell requires a lot of preparation. But he might use other methods, so it’s best if no one sleeps tonight and keeps their wands close.”
“Right, I’ll let everyone know….”
Before Ryan could finish, he noticed Ginny, who had been chatting with everyone, was already leaning on Padma, asleep. Her hot chocolate nearly spilled, but Kreacher caught it in time and carefully placed it on the table.
Her older brothers were enthusiastically discussing various tactics from the game and issues with fouls, completely oblivious to their little sister.
Padma moved over to let Ginny sleep on the sofa, then couldn’t help but yawn herself.
Ryan paused, then said, “I’ll talk to Theo… He hasn’t had any drinks, so we can take turns keeping watch.”
Vid nodded. “I’ll let Bill and Charlie know… If anyone goes to the bedroom to sleep, tell them not to change into pajamas.”
Ryan nodded in agreement.
Perhaps it was the pure joy of their friends that made them decide not to spread the word—what if the dark wizard, seeing the Aurors patrolling and the increased number of wizards in the camp, decided to stay hidden?
There was no need to make everyone anxious.
In reality, the young celebrants, who had planned to party all night, didn’t have as much energy as they thought.
Especially the Weasleys, who had woken up before dawn to catch the Portkey, had been awake for nearly 24 hours. After a bit of singing and dancing, they gradually quieted down.
No one went back to the bedrooms to sleep; they simply sprawled out on the sofas or the carpet and fell asleep. Kreacher brought a few blankets from the bedroom and covered them.
Vid managed to take a short nap. When he woke up, he saw Ryan leaning by the window, looking out at the camp. He patted Ryan’s shoulder, gesturing for him to rest.
Afterward, Vid drank a cup of coffee to stay alert, went outside the tent, and sat down, breaking off a piece of chocolate to eat.
Chocolate, a cheap wizarding energy booster, quickly restored Vid’s energy after he ate a couple of pieces.
Only then did he have the time to carefully consider what Grindelwald had said and Dumbledore’s attitude.
The cheers of the Irish Team supporters still faintly echoed at the edge of the camp, but the pixies with lanterns were no longer flying around.
“Mind if I sit here?”
A deep, gentle voice sounded above him, tinged with a smile.
Vid looked up to see Bill Weasley standing beside him, holding two cans of beer, his head slightly lowered, the tiny fans on his earrings gently swaying.
“Go ahead.” Vid said, moving over to make space.
Bill Weasley sat down, stretching his long legs, and handed a can of beer to Vid. “Want one?”
"Sorry, I don't drink alcohol", Wade said.
"That's truly a shame; you're missing out on at least a third of the world's pleasures."
Bill Weasley took back the beer and shrugged, then suddenly produced a new black can. "How about coffee?"
"Sure", Wade replied with a smile, taking it and popping the tab with a light "pop." The aroma of coffee wafted through the night air.
Bill also opened his can, and the white foam immediately overflowed. He took a large swig of beer and said, "Thank you for taking such good care of them. Fred and George are two years older than you, but they still only know how to play pranks and cause mischief. They need someone younger to protect everyone."
"I just happened to know some extra information", Wade said.
"I'm not just talking about this time."
Bill chuckled. "I've also heard that Mirrorflow was mainly your invention, and the twins only helped with the details. Not only did they learn a lot of alchemy from you, but they also got a share of the business."
"You're underestimating them. Fred and George are very talented", Wade said. "When I first started with alchemy, I received guidance from them."
Bill thought for a moment and said, "Let's stop flattering each other for now, shall we?"
Wade laughed, appreciating his casual and straightforward manner of speaking.
Bill continued, "Actually, I've heard your name for a long time—not from the newspapers or the twins, but from my younger brother, Ron. He mentions you almost every time he writes, even if he doesn't realize it."
Wade paused. "Ron?"
"Yep", Bill said with a hint of a smile. "And Ginny, once she started school, I heard your name even more often."
He glanced back at the tent behind him, his gaze warm and clear.
"You might not know them very well, but my younger siblings are all very admiring of you—though they might find it hard to admit."
"I think you're pretty impressive too", Wade said. "Twelve O.W.L.s, I've taken all the subjects and know how difficult that is. And I've also heard that being a Curse-Breaker is a very dangerous job, dealing with all kinds of ancient curses and hexes. Most people wouldn't have the courage to do it."
Bill smiled. "I love adventure, like Charlie loves dragons, and Fred and George love anything that can make people laugh."
Wade nodded. "All of you brothers are very talented."
"But Ron is a bit of a goof, always muddling through and hasn't found his path yet."
Bill's tone was affectionate as he added, "And Ginny... she's actually much more mischievous than you might think, but when she sees Harry, she turns into a walking tomato."
These descriptions made Wade laugh again.
Bill raised his beer can in a toast. "Sometimes my younger siblings might not be great at expressing themselves, but I can assure you they are all kind and enthusiastic kids."
The eldest Weasley paused and then asked, "If you have the chance, maybe you could teach them a few spells? Even though they probably won't win the final trophy, just being part of the fun should be enough."
Wade nodded with a smile. "Of course... if they need it, I won't refuse."
"That's great", Bill said with a smile.
They clinked their cans together.
In the distance, the campfire flickered, and suddenly, a particularly shrill scream echoed through the night.
(End of Chapter)
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