Chapter 603: Reconciliation
Chapter 603: Reconciliation
"I'm heading upstairs to bed."
Katrina, uninterested in the topic her sister and mother were discussing, got up to retire for the night. She didn't want to continue witnessing Isabelle flaunting her boyfriend in front of her.
Mrs. McDougall frowned slightly as she watched Katrina's retreating figure ascend the stairs, then turned her gaze to Isabelle.
"Perhaps, we shouldn't be talking about this," Isabelle said, taking a small sip from her hot cocoa. "She probably...likes Albert a bit."
Mrs. McDougall's head snapped up, and she found herself at a loss for words.
"I think Katrina has a crush on him," Isabelle set down her cup and slowly stirred it with a silver spoon. "They entered the school in the same year, so she probably thinks that I... Well, don't expect me to let him go."
"What about you and Katrina?" Mrs. McDougall asked in a lowered voice.
Isabelle shook her head. "They're probably friends. From the fact that Albert invited me on vacation, you should be able to guess the nature of our relationship."
"Oh dear, what a mess!" Mrs. McDougall sighed. Ever since she discovered how easygoing Isabelle was, causing her to neglect her own daughter's education.
"Have you talked to Katrina about this?" she asked.
"It's useless. The more you try to persuade her, the more she'll resist. We can only wait for her to figure it out as she grows up, and the problem will resolve itself." Isabelle looked up at her mother and said softly, "Perhaps I've put too much pressure on Katrina, making her want to compete with me in everything she does."
"It seems that I've failed as a mother," Mrs. McDougall murmured. "Thank you for your help these past years. Enjoy your Christmas break, and if it feels right, seize the opportunity. As for Katrina, I'll make more time to talk to her in the coming days."
Katrina was oblivious to this conversation. She had buried her face in her pillow, trying to clear her mind, but she couldn't help but recall what Isabelle had said earlier: "I think Cedric Diggory is quite nice."
Katrina was familiar with Cedric Diggory; he was the topic of recent conversations among her female companions. They often discussed his academics, Quidditch skills, and handsome looks. Everyone knew he would be Hufflepuff's prefect for the coming semester.
Katrina understood why they no longer talked about Albert; it wasn't because he had a girlfriend. It was because Isabelle exerted too much pressure. Her sister was always so flawless that few girls dared to gossip about her behind her back.
If it were any other girl, they would have to endure tremendous pressure.
Perhaps she should feel proud, but if one were to consider such a person a rival, anyone would soon realize they had made a foolish decision.
Yes, Quite foolish.
How could Katrina not realize the implication of Albert inviting Isabelle on vacation?
From the very beginning, those poor girls never stood a chance.
No wonder she's my sister! "Let nature take its course," Katrina told herself.
...
Far away on Tibble Street, Albert faced a similar issue. He could tell that Nia still harbored "hostility" towards Isabelle.
He needed to have a serious talk with Nia, or else things might explode during their vacation, which would be more troublesome.
A few minutes later, Albert gently knocked on Nia's door.
"Go away!"
Nia turned her back to the door and replied.
"Mom made some eggnog, and I thought you might like it, so I brought some for you." Albert's voice drifted into the room as he opened the door.
"What are you up to now?"
Nia sat up in bed, glaring at the intruder.
"Are you still angry because of Isabelle?"
Albert placed the eggnog on the nightstand and pulled a chair next to the bed for himself.
"No, I'm not!" Nia huffed.
"I'm not trying to bribe you with eggnog.
"Albert suddenly grinned, 'As a matter of fact, I can read minds!'"
"You're lying. That's just a trick," Nia said, picking up her cup of eggnog and taking a big sip. It was sweet, with barely any alcohol, and it warmed her body as it went down.
"You're thinking right now that I brought you a drink because I have bad intentions, aren't you!" Albert placed his hand on Nia's head, ruffling her hair. "Alright, stop thinking about such random things."
"Ugh, can you really read minds?" Nia swatted his hand away, mumbling, "And I wasn't thinking about random things."
"Drink up, and I'll tell you something."
"What is it?"
"Are you hoping that your brother here will end up alone forever?" Nia froze at Albert's words, even moving her head slightly to avoid his gaze.
"Indeed, there are quite a few wizards in the magical world who never marry," Albert sighed softly.
"Really?"
Albert reached out and picked up Tom, rubbing his chubby belly as he complained, "You really do think that way, it's heartbreaking."
"Actually, there aren't that many wizards in the British magical community. Each year at Hogwarts, there are only about three or four dozen students. Don't be surprised, many wizards never find a suitable partner, and it's not uncommon for them to either marry Muggles or end up alone."
"I'm just worried that they're tricking you," Nia said softly, cupping the mug with both hands.
"It's easy for me to see if someone is lying to me. As long as I want to, it's hard for others to deceive me," Albert explained quietly.
"Whatever, you're always right. Since we were little, I've never won against you in this regard."
"Wizards are not supposed to have too much contact with Muggles," Albert ignored Nia's words and continued, "The entire magical world follows the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, and wizards need to cut off ties with most Muggles, including their own family."
"So, after you graduate, you'll completely leave us?" Nia suddenly looked up, her eyes fixed on Albert's.
"It's hard to say."
Albert looked calmly at his sister and explained, "Of course, there are many ways to get around the law. The laws in the wizarding world are quite loose, and it's not an exaggeration to say that they're full of loopholes. In most cases, as long as no one else finds out, it's not considered illegal."
Nia opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
"For example, I could easily win the lottery through divination," Albert gave an example, "But according to wizarding law, that would be considered an illegal act."
"Of course, if I won through you, it wouldn't be illegal," Albert continued, "After all, you would be the winner, not me. I've said this before, I need your help. Are you willing?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Be my front man," Albert said mysteriously, "Help me manage the wealth I accumulate from the Muggle world?"
"I thought you weren't greedy for money," Nia said, not forgetting their now-rich Uncle Charlie.
"I'm not greedy, but one can't live without money," Albert said calmly, "With money, we have more choices, a more comfortable life, and we can do a lot of things we want to do."
"How do you plan to make money? Buying lottery tickets?" Nia asked curiously, for while she wasn't greedy for money, as Albert had said, one couldn't live without it.
"Finance," Albert whispered, "I plan to make a fortune through speculation during the economic crisis. The time isn't right yet, but when it comes, I'll tell you what to do."
"So that's why you wanted to learn about finance before?" Nia didn't understand any of that stuff.
"Yes," Albert seemed to see through Nia's thoughts and consoled her, "It's fine if you don't understand. Once we win the lottery, we can use the money to hire a professional team to handle those things."
"Alright, let's work together then," Nia shook hands with Albert.
Hmph, you'll never be able to leave me (us) behind, unless you're willing to give up money altogether.
(End of Chapter)
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