Chapter 535: Streaming MirrorNews
Wade pulled back the door curtain, and there he was—Sirius Black, leaning casually against a nearby pillar, his gray eyes fixed on the flickering flames of a campfire. He wore the same set of wizard robes Dumbledore had conjured for him upon regaining his human form.
He glanced up at the sound of footsteps. “Finished?”
“Yeah.” Wade nodded, stepping closer. “You’ve been waiting here the whole time?”
“Tonight’s camp’s been anything but peaceful,” Sirius said, gesturing toward the Ministry of Magic’s tent a short distance away. “And I figured I’d listen in on their bickering—way more entertaining than any Muggle stand-up comedy.”
“Still arguing?” Wade glanced over, but the tent was now silent. He couldn’t tell if a Silencing Charm had been cast.
“Not anymore,” Sirius said with a smirk, “because they just fought. You really should’ve seen it—” He paused for dramatic effect. “The Bulgarian Minister of Magic charged into the tent like a wild boar, knocking Fudge clean out. Then a fat woman burst out, leapt onto the Bulgarian minister’s back, and nearly crushed the life out of him.”
Wade genuinely regretted missing it. He sighed. “If only they’d waited a bit longer… no reporters caught it?”
“Hard to say.” Sirius chuckled, a glint of Schadenfreude in his eyes. He lifted his chin toward the sky. “FMC’s got those little cameras everywhere. Might be that both ministers are already on Streaming Mirror by tomorrow.”
High above, a blue bird perched atop a nearby tent, its eyes unblinking, fixed on the Ministry’s tent.
Everyone in the magical world now knew: that bird was FMC’s surveillance Mirror—nimble, quick, and always ready to deliver a sensational clip.
Rumors said the Ministry had even formed a new News Department, scrambling to draft laws regulating what Streaming Mirror broadcast.
Machionni, however, played it smart. His focus was profit, not controversy. So Streaming Mirror rarely touched politics or sensitive topics. Most content was light-hearted, humorous, or drawn from Muggle films and shows.
If Fudge passed a law, Machionni couldn’t afford to comment on it in the broadcast. But two Ministers of Magic punching each other bare-handed?
That kind of news? Pure gold. He wouldn’t pass it up.
Wade smiled knowingly.
Sirius didn’t press him about his conversation with Dumbledore. Instead, he echoed the Headmaster’s warning: never trust strange animals. The Weasley family had learned that lesson the hard way.
Wade couldn’t admit he had a protective charm, so he simply nodded in agreement.
As they returned to their tent, the horizon was already tinged with dawn. Camp was buzzing with activity—many wizards were suppressing their tents, rushing to find the Portkey manager, Bazil, hoping to leave as soon as possible.
Wade stopped, watching the long line of wizards dragging their children, shouting and fussing. “I’ll head back on my own.”
He looked at the families, their faces tense. “This’ll be all over Streaming Mirror soon. I need to get home before my parents start worrying.”
Sirius studied him for a few seconds, then suddenly grinned. He reached out and ruffled Wade’s hair. “Alright. Be careful getting home. Watch your safety.”
“Moody lives right next door,” Wade said with a smile. “He’s probably the most alert wizard in the entire world.”
He returned to his bedroom, quickly packed his things. Since Harry and the others were still asleep, he didn’t say goodbye—just Disapparated.
The camp was far from Wade’s home. For safety, he Apparated twice before finally arriving in the town.
To avoid alarming his parents—whose ears would be startled by the loud crack of Apparition—he first appeared in a nearby alley, then walked calmly toward his house.
As he pushed open the main gate, the living room light snapped on instantly. Fiona nearly sprinted from the doorway, throwing her arms around him. Her body trembled slightly.
“Thank God… you’re alive… you’re finally back…” Her voice cracked, eyes red.
Wade felt the grip of her arms tighten almost painfully. He gently patted her back. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m home. I’m fine. Nothing happened.”
“Just… just being safe is enough,” Ferdinand said, pulling her gently away and wrapping both her and Wade in a firm embrace. He led them inside.
On the Streaming Mirror in the living room, footage of the Ireland Boggart going berserk played on loop. No filters. No censorship. The blood, the screams—raw and unfiltered, hitting the viewer like a slap.
“It’s already over,” Wade said calmly, sitting down. “That’s all old footage. The Boggarts and the Bulgarian Bride are all contained now. The Ministry’s investigating what caused the rampage.”
“We stayed in Sirius Black’s tent the whole time,” he added. “You know, ancient wizard families often master powerful Protection Charms. We weren’t attacked once.”
“That’s good,” Fiona said, placing a hand over her heart. “I was terrified… I kept thinking something had happened to you.”
Wade frowned, touching the Communication Pea still in his ear, confirming he hadn’t missed any messages. “But… if you were worried, why didn’t you contact me? I thought you were asleep. I didn’t know what was happening at camp.”
Ferdinand sighed beside him. “I told her the same thing, but she insisted—calling during a crisis would only distract you.”
Fiona nodded seriously. “In movies, the hero’s always in the middle of a fight, sneaking into danger… and then the phone rings. One call, and it’s all over.”
“So she’d rather suffer in silence than risk you getting caught in that kind of danger.” Ferdinand smiled at her, clearly touched by her devotion.
Now that Wade was safe, they could finally relax, joking about the World Cup—how FMC had broadcast the entire match live, giving those who couldn’t attend a full front-row experience.
As they talked, Wade yawned. Fiona noticed—he hadn’t slept all night. She gently urged him to go to bed.
When the sound of his room door closed upstairs, the silence in the living room deepened. The smiles on the Gray couple’s faces faded.
“Ferdinand… I’m starting to regret sending him to Hogwarts,” Fiona murmured, leaning into his shoulder. “Every time… it’s so dangerous. He got out this time, but… what about next time?”
—Did he really get out?
Ferdinand thought back to his son’s eyes.
In the transformation from boy to man, every experience, every moment of awakening—those changes showed in the gaze.
He didn’t voice his fears. Instead, he pulled her close and whispered, “I know. We both know the magical world is dangerous. But look at the way Wade lights up when he’s learning magic. He loves it. He loves the friends he’s made here.”
Fiona’s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. “Yes… I remember when he was in the ordinary school. He was always so bored. He had friends, but… he never really connected with anyone.”
“So maybe… this is where he belongs. We can’t take that from him. We can’t steal his happiness.”
Ferdinand took her hand. “Even if we can’t protect him anymore, we’ll still be there. We’ll support him. We’ll respect his choices—no matter what comes.”
She nodded, closing her eyes, burying her face deeper into his chest.
Ferdinand lowered his head, brushing a kiss to her forehead.
Then, the Streaming Mirror flickered. The image dissolved into snow, then snapped to another dark, empty scene.
Ferdinand knew what it was.
The Wizard Purity Party had seized the signal again—launching their own propaganda. He automatically lifted his eyes, bracing for the next outrage.
Then he stiffened.
His blood ran cold.
On screen, towering trees—ancient, monstrous, like forgotten gods—rushed forward, thundering toward the stadium, its lights flickering like distant stars.
Between them, only a thin line of wizards—dozens at most—stood in a desperate, fragile line, forming a wall that looked utterly powerless.
(End of Chapter)
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