Chapter 608: At The Burrow
Chapter 608: At The Burrow (Additional Chapter for Yang Feiyang)
That evening, Liam and the other young people set up tents in the kitchen. Because so many people were staying there, The Burrow was too small to provide enough beds. So, Liam and the others had to make do with tents for the night. Fortunately, tents in the wizarding world were not as cramped.
Worse still, Liam was jolted awake in the middle of the night by a piercing scream coming from Harry's room. He immediately leapt out of bed, grabbed his wand, and threw on his coat before running towards Harry's room. As he burst out of his own room, he saw Hermione, who was staying across the hall, also rushing out, similarly dressed.
"Harry, what's wrong?" With Hermione standing guard outside the door, Liam pushed it open and rushed in. He found Harry sitting up in bed, his face pale with shock, still in his pajamas.
"I just saw Voldemort", Harry said, not bothering to hide what he had seen. "He was furious, torturing the Death Eaters in a large room with a fireplace and a long table. They suffered heavy losses today because of the false information they acted on."
"That sounds like good news", Liam nodded. "But this Soul Link with the Dark Lord needs to stop! Your scar—it shouldn't be doing this to you! You can't let that connection remain open."
"I know, but I can't block my mind", Harry replied, shaking his head in frustration. "It's not that I haven't been practicing, but Voldemort's thoughts always break through my mental defenses."
"I have something that might help", Liam thought for a moment and then pulled out a silver-white band. "Put this on your head and see how it feels."
Harry took the band from Liam and tied it around his head. After a moment, he said, "It feels incredible. It's like a pair of warm wings are wrapping around my mind, protecting it."
"Good", Liam nodded. "I recently created this new magic artifact. The main purpose was to help me avoid mental distractions while I work. From what you just described, I'm confident that as long as the Dark Lord isn't too close, it will shield you from the uncontrolled Soul Link."
"Thank you", Harry looked at Liam earnestly. "And I swear, when I spoke this afternoon, I didn't mean to criticize you. I was only talking about myself. Please believe me."
"I believe you, Harry", Liam said, yawning. "It's around one in the morning now. Your scream really scared everyone. I'm going back to bed. See you in the morning."
"The others are too lax", Liam said to Hermione after closing Harry's bedroom door. He briefly explained what had happened. Hermione nodded and then grimaced at the door to the room where the Weasley Twins and Ron were sleeping. "If someone had really attacked, I doubt they would have been able to react in time."
"You should trust the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic's double-layered defenses. And what they went through today was too intense. It's normal for them to sleep deeply as a form of self-protection. You can't compare them to us", Liam said. He then kissed Hermione on the cheek. "Come on, let's get some sleep. We need to wake up early tomorrow."
Over the next few days, everyone was busy. Liam, with Hermione's help, began working on a new batch of alchemical devices for the Order of the Phoenix. Only Harry and Ron seemed relatively idle. But soon, Mrs. Weasley found them and put them to work preparing for the wedding.
Liam had been spending his time lately either crafting alchemical devices or contemplating the future. He believed that with Dumbledore still alive, Voldemort would likely not launch an attack on the Ministry of Magic during the wedding as he did in the original timeline. However, this also left Liam uncertain about Voldemort's next move, shrouding everything in a thick fog of uncertainty.
"Never mind, we'll deal with whatever comes our way. When Voldemort makes his move, we'll be ready. It's strange, though. Back when I was weaker, I never worried about this. Now that I can face Voldemort head-on, I find myself overthinking everything." After pondering for a while, Liam smiled to himself and returned to his work. In times of war, there was never enough of the magic artifacts needed for battle.
"Really, I'm exhausted." Two days before the wedding, Harry complained as they were about to eat dinner. "Did you know? Ron and I have been endlessly polishing the dinnerware, matching colors for the gifts, ribbons, and flowers, clearing goblins from the garden, and helping Mrs. Weasley bake a ton of appetizer pastries."
"There's no help for it; everyone is busy." Liam took the plates from the cupboard and set them on the table. "But weddings do require preparation, and Mrs. Weasley can't do it all alone."
After everyone had set the table, the door opened, and Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Bill walked in, looking somewhat weary as they sat down at the table. With the Malfoys and Snape in hiding, many members of the Order of the Phoenix were now choosing to have dinner at The Burrow.
As a result, the kitchen was packed, making it difficult to use utensils. Liam had to be careful with his movements to avoid elbowing Hermione, who was sitting next to him.
"How's the situation outside?" Liam asked Bill, breaking the silence after they had eaten their fill.
"Nothing has happened, or rather, it's been too quiet." Bill put down his knife and fork, looking serious. "The conflict a few days ago was quite a big deal, but the newspapers haven't mentioned it at all, and the Ministry of Magic has been strangely silent. They used several illegal Portkeys, which would usually result in an immediate investigation, but they've done nothing."
"Is the Ministry of Magic still trying to bury its head in the sand, even in this dire situation?" Harry's eyes widened.
"Unbelievable as it may sound, sometimes that's the reality", Mr. Weasley said. "Scrimgeour refuses to acknowledge the Dark Lord's power and the Ministry's loss of control in the current situation."
"What about the others in the Ministry?" Liam asked. "There are many people there, including those who naturally resist the Dark Lord, like Muggle-born wizards. Are they not standing up for themselves?"
"Of course, some are, but people are afraid", Mr. Weasley replied. "They fear being the next to disappear, or their children being the next to be attacked. Terrible rumors are spreading, and many have indeed vanished. But the Ministry, which should be protecting its own, can't even keep its staff safe. Scrimgeour's only response is to lock himself in his office all day. I hope he's actually planning something."
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Mrs. Weasley used magic to clear the empty plates and brought out an apple pie.
"Cheer up, everyone. The wedding is only two days away, and we, as the hosts, can't be so glum." Mrs. Weasley said. "I hope at least during the ceremony, everyone can smile and enjoy it."
(End of Chapter)
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