Chapter 674: Visiting Number 12, Grimmauld Place
Chapter 674: Visiting Number 12, Grimmauld Place
The next day, around noon, Ryan and the others finally woke up after a busy night. After eating the sandwich and milk that Handy had delivered—whether it was breakfast or lunch, they couldn’t tell—they sat at the table in the living room and began to read the newspaper they had retrieved from a remote, uninhabited area a few kilometers away.
It was clear that the London Ministry of Magic was not foolish enough to allow wartime news censorship to lapse. Any news that could demoralize the public would never appear in the Daily Prophet, so the newspaper made no mention of what Ryan and the others had done the previous day. The British Wizardry Gazette only mentioned on the second page that, according to reliable sources, the Dark Wizards involved in the Poca Village massacre had been punished.
“Didn’t we take some photos after the fact?” Liam turned to Rose Crystal. “Didn’t you send those photos to the British Wizardry Gazette this morning?”
“I did, along with the news article we prepared,” Rose Crystal replied. “I stayed hidden and watched them work on the layout. The editor, Lupin Lovegood, decided to publish the news on the second page after reading my article. However, he removed the detailed descriptions and the photos I attached.”
“Why?” Hermione leaned in to ask. “Why did Mr. Lovegood refuse to publish the details? I think the way it’s written won’t have the desired deterrent effect.”
“He said his daughter, Luna, reads the newspaper, and he didn’t want to scare her,” Rose Crystal explained, shrugging her shoulders in a human-like gesture. “I can understand a father’s concern, so I left after confirming the news would be published.”
“Alright, he might be right,” Liam consoled the somewhat discouraged Hermione. “The prolonged peace has made British wizards less accustomed to such brutal news. If we had published the details as planned, it might have had some negative effects. Some might even think we’re too cruel, especially after the Battle of Hogsmeade, where I heard similar sentiments.”
“Troublesome,” Hermione raised an eyebrow and asked, “Liam, what do we do today? Are we heading back to Hogwarts?”
“No, of course not,” Liam shook his head. “While I feel no guilt for what we did, our friends might think our methods were too extreme. Especially hanging those Dark Wizards on the lampposts. It’s best to reduce our contact with Hogwarts until we’ve accomplished our goals.”
“To be honest, your methods do seem a bit harsh,” Hermione said, placing her hand on Liam’s shoulder. “But considering the atrocities the Death Eaters have committed, if this can intimidate them and reduce harm to the innocent, then it’s worth it. As for the label of cruelty, let me share that burden with you.”
“Thank you,” Liam stepped forward and hugged Hermione, holding her for a moment before letting go. “As long as we’re at peace with our actions, like the 14 Dark Wizards we took down yesterday, there’s no need to carry too much psychological burden.”
“Alright, you two, stop feeding us dog food,” Rose Crystal said, looking bored as she swung her legs at the table. “Can you tell us what the plan is next?”
“No need to rush, Little Rose,” Liam turned to look at Rose Crystal. “We have plenty of time. We just need to visit Sirius’s family home before lunch.”
“Black Family Manor, what are we doing there?” Hermione asked, her cheeks still slightly flushed. “Do we need to see Sirius Black about something?”
"It's not just Sirius Black", Liam explained to the ladies in the room. "There's also Sirius Black's wife and Narcissa Malfoy, who is temporarily staying with the Blacks. We need some crucial information for our next move, but this information is likely known only to longtime members of the Pureblood Families."
"We shouldn't delay. Let's go now. Oh, I'll prepare a small gift; we can't just show up empty-handed", Hermione said, then ran upstairs. A few minutes later, she came down with a few small packages. "I've prepared some chocolate and wine. Although we're very close with the Blacks, it's still polite to bring something."
"Let's get going then." After Hermione put the gifts into her Dimensional Pouch, Liam took her hand and turned to Rose Crystal. "You and Gill might have to make your own lunch today. We'll be back this afternoon."
After instructing the two children on what to do that morning, Liam and Hermione Apparated to the top of the front steps at Number 12, Grimmauld Place, as this was the outermost point of the room's defensive magic.
"It seems the Death Eaters still take this place seriously", Liam remarked, looking at the somewhat desolate Grimmauld Place. He noticed two figures in black robes, who didn't look friendly, staring in their direction from the plaza.
"They can't see us, anyway", Hermione said, taking the gifts out of her Spatial Bag. "Let's go in. Standing here at the door feels a bit strange."
"You're right." Liam turned and tapped the door with his wand. A series of chimes sounded, and Sirius Black's voice came from inside. "Who's there? Who's outside the door?"
"It's me, Liam. Hermione and I are here to visit you. We need to discuss something." Liam replied. "Could you please open the door?"
"Liam, is that you?" Sirius Black's voice paused, then continued, "For safety, I need to ask a question. Do you remember where we first met?"
"In the Common Room", Liam said. "You had sneaked into Gryffindor's dormitory to look for Peter, and I stopped you in the Common Room. We even had a bit of a fight there."
"Right, it's definitely you. Come in." The locks clattered, and the door opened. Sirius Black stood inside, wand in hand, looking at them.
"Aren't you worried that someone might capture us, force us to reveal these questions, and then impersonate us to come here?" Hermione asked as she handed the gifts to Sirius Black once the door closed.
"Thanks for the wine and chocolate", Sirius Black said, walking into the Great Hall and using his wand to light the chandelier. He sat down at the table and opened the gifts. "The chance of someone capturing you and forcing you to reveal this information is about the same as capturing Voldemort or Dumbledore. I was just worried that you might accidentally leave a hair or something that someone could use to impersonate you."
"Right, what brings you here today? You didn't even let me know you were coming", Sirius Black said, pouring two cups of tea and handing them over. "To come in such a hurry, there must be something important you need my help with, right?"
"Yes, there is something important", Liam said, taking a sip of his tea. "After the recent Death Eater attack, I think it's necessary to give the Death Eaters a warning to stop them from killing innocent people."
"That's a good idea", Sirius Black nodded. "I'd love to help, but the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix have a lot on my plate right now, and Molly is pregnant. I might not be able to drop everything and come whenever you need me."
(End of Chapter)
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