Chapter 523: Bill Weasley
Wade thought: Well, he wasn’t entirely wrong… Dumbledore probably did act as he suspected, and Wade himself had been involved—ensuring the Forest didn’t crash into the Stadium.
But Liam had mistaken the person he was following.
If Know had been beside him at that moment, and the figure had been Gellert Grindelwald instead, half the people in the tent would’ve let out a piercing shriek.
The other half would’ve screamed, then rushed to fetch Dumbledore.
Wade smirked, neither confirming nor denying, simply saying:
“Even though the trees were destroyed, the Dark Wizard who cast that spell wasn’t caught—my guess is he was already in the stands, disguised as an ordinary spectator.”
Liam frowned. “Then his goal failed. He’ll likely keep interfering.”
“Mm,” Wade sipped his beverage. “The Curse Forest is impossible now—such a spell requires extensive preparation. But he might try another method. So tonight, no one should sleep. Wand never leaves your side.”
“Got it,” Liam said, then paused. “I’ll tell Theo… he hasn’t been drinking. Let’s take turns keeping watch.”
Wade nodded. “I’ll go tell Bill and Charlie. If anyone wants to head to the bedroom, they shouldn’t change into pajamas.”
Liam nodded in agreement.
Perhaps it was the sheer, unguarded joy of their friends that made them refrain from spreading the alarm—what if the Dark Wizard, seeing Ministry Aurors patrolling and the camp full of wizards, chose to remain hidden?
No need to make everyone else tense and anxious.
In truth, the boys who’d planned to celebrate all night weren’t nearly as energetic as they thought.
Especially the Weasleys—they’d risen before dawn to catch the Portkey, effectively pulling a 24-hour all-nighter. After singing and dancing until exhaustion, they’d gradually quieted down.
No one ran upstairs to bed. Instead, they collapsed in messy heaps on sofas and carpets. Kreacher had brought down several blankets from the bedroom and tucked them over the group.
Wade dozed off briefly. When he woke, he saw Liam leaning against the window, staring out at the camp. He patted Liam’s shoulder, signaling him to rest.
Then Wade downed a cup of coffee to clear his head, stepped outside the tent, and sat down. He broke open a piece of chocolate.
Chocolate was the affordable wizarding equivalent of a magic energy boost—two pieces, and Wade felt his strength return.
Now, finally, he had a moment to reflect on Grindelwald’s words and Dumbledore’s silence.
The cheers of the Irish supporters still echoed faintly at the edge of the camp, but the lantern-carrying Boggarts were nowhere to be seen.
“Mind if I sit here?”
A low, gentle voice spoke above him, laced with amusement.
Wade looked up. Bill Weasley stood beside him, holding two cans of beer, head slightly bowed. His earrings—tiny fans—swayed softly in the breeze.
“Please, be my guest,” Wade said, shifting slightly to make room.
Bill sat down, stretching his long legs, and handed one can to Wade. “Want a drink?”
“No thanks, I don’t drink,” Wade replied.
“That’s a real shame,” Bill said, retracting the can with a shrug. “You’d be missing out on about a third of life’s pleasures.”
Then, with a flick of his fingers, he produced another black can. “Coffee?”
“Now that’s more my speed,” Wade grinned, taking it. He popped the pull ring with a soft pfft, and the rich aroma of coffee filled the night air.
Bill opened his can. White foam spilled over as he took a long swig. Then he said:
“Thanks for looking after them… Fred and George are two years older than you, yet they still act like kids playing pranks. It’s a younger kid like you who’s protecting the family.”
“I just happened to know a few extra things,” Wade said.
“I’m not talking about this time alone,” Bill chuckled. “I heard the Streaming Mirror was your invention. The twins just helped with the mechanics. And honestly, they’ve learned a lot of alchemy from you—enough that they even got a share of the profits.”
“Don’t sell them short,” Wade said. “Fred and George have real talent. When I first started learning alchemy, they were the ones who guided me.”
Bill considered that for a moment. “How about this—we stop flattering each other for now?”
Wade burst out laughing. He liked Bill’s easygoing, straightforward way of speaking.
Bill continued: “I’ve known your name for a while—not from the newspapers, not from the twins. From my younger brother Ron. He mentions you in almost every letter he writes. Though he probably doesn’t even realize it.”
Wade paused. “Ron?”
“Yeah,” Bill said, a faint smile playing on his lips. “And Ginny—we started hearing about ‘Wade Gray’ even more after she began school.”
He glanced back at the tent, his gaze warm and clear.
“Maybe you don’t know them well, but my younger siblings look up to you—though they’d never admit it out loud.”
Wade smiled. “I think you’re pretty impressive too. Twelve O.W.L.s at twelve—every subject, all the way through. That’s not easy. And I know being a curse-breaker is dangerous—facing ancient Dark Curses, poisons, hexes… most people don’t even have the courage to try.”
Bill laughed. “I like adventure—just like Charlie loves taming dragons, and Fred and George live for anything that makes people laugh.”
Wade nodded. “You’re all incredibly talented.”
“But Ron’s a bit of a dummy,” Bill said with affectionate teasing. “He’s still aimless, hasn’t found his path yet.”
He paused, then added: “And Ginny… she’s far more mischievous than she lets on. But the moment she sees Harry? She turns into a walking tomato.”
Wade couldn’t help laughing again.
Bill raised his beer can in a toast. “Sometimes my younger siblings aren’t great at expressing themselves. But I promise—deep down, they’re kind, enthusiastic, wonderful kids.”
He paused, then asked: “If you ever have the chance… would you be willing to teach them a spell or two? They won’t win the trophy, of course. But just being able to join in with their friends? That’d mean a lot.”
Wade smiled and nodded. “Of course. If they need help, I’d never say no.”
“Great,” Bill said, eyes crinkling with warmth.
They clinked cans.
Far away, the campfire flickered. Then, suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the night—sharp, agonized, echoing across the darkened grounds.
(End of Chapter)
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