Chapter 526: The Black Dog in Pursuit
Chapter 526: The Black Dog in Pursuit
Draco Malfoy's face paled, and he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to speak.
He saw his father and mother nod to each other, turn, and walk away. Crabbe Sr. was waiting nearby, and the two men met up, rounding a tent and quickly disappearing from sight.
Then, Draco felt his wrist tighten as Narcissa pulled him quickly toward the forest.
He looked up and saw his mother's face unusually pale, almost glowing white in the night, and her hand gripping his was icy cold.
"Mom..." Draco couldn't help but whisper, "Are... are they going to... kill someone?"
Draco wasn't a particularly brave or cold-hearted person, and the word "kill" made him lower his voice even more, his tone tinged with fear.
"No, they won't", Narcissa glanced at her son. "They won't go that far... It's just... just a bit of teasing..."
Thinking back to the methods the Death Eaters used against Muggles over a decade ago, Narcissa shuddered involuntarily.
Even if they didn't kill, the torment was no better than death.
But as long as no one died, the situation wasn't as serious, and the Ministry of Magic could easily cover it up.
"But you look scared..." Draco said, gripping her cold hand tighter.
"You don't understand... I'm not afraid of what your father is going to do..." Narcissa said.
"Then what are you afraid of?" Draco pressed.
But Narcissa pressed her lips together, refusing to speak, and kept pulling Draco forward.
Suddenly, Draco thought he caught a glimpse of a black figure out of the corner of his eye, almost like a bear.
He quickly turned his head and saw a shadow slipping behind a tent, which seemed to be a large dog.
Draco opened his mouth to tell his mother about his discovery but then saw an Irish Nymph land on the tent roof, covering her face and struggling silently, her expression growing increasingly twisted and painful, her body slowly growing larger.
The campsite seemed to be infested with dark creatures tonight.
Draco shivered and didn't dare to look again, lowering his head and quickening his pace, hoping to get as far away from the camp as possible.
Several golden or green light points shot straight into the sky, then exploded, the brilliant fireworks scattering light through the clouds, turning the dark night sky into a colorful spectacle.
Joyful singing echoed through the campsite, along with a huge bonfire and people dancing around it. People celebrated in various ways, and even those who weren't fans of the Irish team couldn't resist joining in.
Draco turned his back to the light and merriment, following his mother, his steps never slowing as they walked toward the dark forest.
For some reason, the forest seemed unusually far away tonight... Perhaps it was because, when one is tense, time seems to slow down...
Draco was lost in his thoughts when he suddenly heard his mother say, "Something's wrong."
"What?" Draco asked.
Narcissa crouched down, picked up a handful of ash, and rubbed it between her fingers before standing up and looking around in shock.
"What is it?" Draco asked, his heart pounding.
"This was supposed to be the forest... We should already be in the forest..." Narcissa's voice trembled.
Draco's breath caught in his throat as he looked at his mother in fear, then at the open, flat ground around them.
— What happened here? Why is such a large part of the forest gone?
"Hurry up!" Narcissa shuddered, pulling her son along as they took large strides toward the surviving part of the forest. Her expression was so tense that it seemed like an ice sculpture in the darkness.
...
Sirius, wagging his tail, followed the mother and son for a short distance. Once he saw they had stopped talking, he turned and chased after the direction Lucius Malfoy had left.
Thanks to the so-called noble style and grace of this family, Lucius Malfoy had sprayed some perfume on himself. The scent was quite unique, making it not difficult to track.
"Thud!"
Something fell on the black dog's head, startling him.
The black dog jumped up, turned his head, and saw an Irish Nymph rolling on the ground. He bared his teeth but paid no attention, stepping over the small creature.
Irish Nymphs, like fairies, are magical creatures with low intelligence and little danger, but they have a more irritable temperament and are less cute. Sometimes they do things that seem bizarre to humans.
Sirius perked up his ears, raised his tail, and sniffed the air.
Before long, he spotted the person he was looking for, stopped abruptly, and hid to the side.
It appeared that about seven or eight wizards had gathered. They put on hoods and masks, then quietly left the group and headed toward the edge of the camp.
More and more masked wizards silently joined them. They didn't speak to each other, but the air was filled with a wild, restless atmosphere.
They walked to the stone house at the edge of the camp, pointed their wands, and the previously locked door opened.
Two wizards went inside and came out a moment later, whispering, "The house is empty, and the Muggle caretaker is gone!"
The crowd was stunned. Two more wizards went in to check and then nodded, confirming that the first two were telling the truth.
The black dog bared his teeth in a silent laugh.
"What should we do?" someone in the crowd asked earnestly, "Should we look for other caretakers?"
"What if those Muggles aren't in their houses either?" another person said decisively, "Change the target... a Mudblood will do."
The black dog ground his teeth—though the voice was deliberately low, he recognized it as Lucius.
The group moved closer, standing in place to discuss for a moment before turning back toward the camp.
The celebratory crowd was still dancing and singing, but some families with children were preparing to sleep. A couple carrying a child approached their tent and saw the cluster of strangely dressed wizards, feeling a sudden fear. They quickly ducked into their tent.
"That guy!" one of the masked wizards pointed at a passerby, "Bobby Suarez, he's a Mudblood!"
The man, a wizard in his forties, turned red with anger at the word "Mudblood." He immediately turned and started cursing, "F*ck..."
A dozen wands came into view.
The man was terrified, turned to run, but was then lifted into the air as if pulled by an invisible rope.
"Disarm!"
A spell hit Suarez, and his wand flew out, landing somewhere unknown.
(End of Chapter)
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