Chapter 680: Flag
Chapter 680: Flag
"Does it look good?"
Niya asked as she fiddled with the hat on her head in front of the bathroom mirror before joining the rest of her family in the living room to show off her new hat.
"It looks good on you, very becoming," Albert replied gently as he combed Tom's fur. Hearing Niya's approaching footsteps, he looked up and added, "It would look even better with a white dress. You'd look like a little angel. Hey, do you want me to take some photos of you?"
Although Niya was quite pleased, she still pouted and complained, "You're just saying that. You always say the same thing."
Albert had always used this tactic to cheer her up since she was little, and now he couldn't be bothered to change his approach.
She was no longer a child, after all.
Seeing Niya set her hat aside, Albert steered the conversation in a different direction. "Would you like to try this? You won't need to wear makeup afterward."
"What is it?" Niya asked curiously, examining the wooden box. "Is it makeup or skincare?"
"I suppose it's skincare," Albert replied, pointing to the glass bottles inside the box.
This was Isabelle's creation, formulated with the help of Perena. Well, it was a skincare product, to be precise.
"Skincare?" Niya picked up a bottle and read the label: Plant Extract. External Use. Eliminates swelling, pimples, and scars.
"Does it work?" Niya asked skeptically.
"You'll see results within a few hours at most," Albert assured her.
Niya put the bottle back and picked up another one.
Plant Extract. Internal Use. Take ten drops at a time to prevent pimples.
Basically, it had a similar effect to taking vitamin C.
These were Isabelle's bribes for Niya—all teenage girls had to deal with such issues. Using his own knowledge, along with the unique effects of magical plants, Albert had suggested that Isabelle try creating beauty potions.
"Mom, what does your bottle do?" Niya asked, her eyes fixed on the bottle in Daisy's hand as she placed the one she was holding back into the box.
Daisy hesitated for a moment before handing her bottle to Niya.
It was also a type of plant extract, for external use, with a beautifying effect.
Indeed, magical plants could be far more effective than their mundane counterparts in certain aspects.
"Do you think it's too late for me to use it?" Daisy asked, looking at her son.
"It should still have some effect," Albert replied.
"Hey, son, you haven't been spending your entire summer vacation studying this stuff, have you?" Herb asked, giving Albert a strange look.
"Isabelle made these, I just gave her some suggestions," Albert explained. "Girls care a lot about their appearance, and while there are beauty potions in the wizarding world, their effects are quite different from what Muggles expect. So, I suggested she use plant extracts."
"Have you tested them?" Herb inquired.
"Yes, they've been tested," Albert confirmed, retrieving the escaping Tom and nodding to the two of them. "However, it seems that there are some differences between the bodies of wizards and Muggles. When you use these, reduce the dosage and see how it goes first."
For the rest of the evening, Daisy and Niya discussed the skincare products Albert had brought them.
All women wanted to enhance their beauty, after all.
In the end, Daisy claimed the right to use the beauty potions. If they worked, Albert could always get another bottle for Niya.
Of course, Herb received a gift as well.
Albert had bought him a collection of wines from the French wizarding world.
Although Herb wasn't much of a drinker, these wines piqued his interest. He savored the novelty of the magical beverages while comparing them to the various wines he had tasted before, contemplating which side had the better drinks.
Albert sat on the sofa, stroking his cat and watching the news on TV, occasionally feeding Tom some dried fish snacks.
On the television screen, a news anchor was reporting on a fugitive:
"...The public must be cautious as Black is armed and extremely dangerous... A special hotline has been set up for anyone who has information on Black's whereabouts. Please report immediately."
"These reports started appearing around the beginning of August," Herb said to Albert. "The anchors never elaborate on this criminal's background, and I suspect he might be from your world. By the way, would you like some of this?"
"That bottle of champagne is for me and Niya."
Albert glanced at the bottle of mead champagne on the table and gazed resentfully at Herb.
"Sorry, sorry, I thought they were all for me, so I randomly picked a bottle that you could drink too..."
Albert put Tom down and took the wine glass, asking Niya beside him, "Would you like some too?"
"Can I drink it?" Niya asked, blinking.
"As long as it's in moderation." Albert poured a glass each for Niya and Daisy, and explained to Herb: "That guy's name is Sirius Black. He escaped from a wizard prison and is said to be the first to break out of a wizard prison in England. He's currently wanted by the wizarding world with a bounty of ten thousand galleons on his head."
"A wizard prison?"
"Yes, it's said to be on a remote island overseas, and no one can find its location. It's filled with death and despair, and no one can escape the Dementors' guard. Black is the first prisoner to successfully escape in centuries." Albert said calmly.
"Dementors?"
"A very terrifying monster that feeds on people's happiness and brings despair." Albert explained.
"Dementors as guards?"
"For now."
"For now?"
"Dementors are inherently evil creatures. Muggles can't see them, but they can sense their presence. Once a war breaks out, those monsters will side with the forces of evil and roam Britain unchecked. That's also one of the reasons why I want you all to leave Europe."
"The Ministry of Magic actually tolerates the existence of such monsters?"
"Wizards are arrogant, and... it's said that Dementors can't be killed, only driven away by Patronus Charms."
"Impossible to kill? That doesn't make sense. If Dementors can't be killed, unless they can't reproduce, the whole world would be overrun by them by now." Daisy found this claim unreasonable.
"Not sure about that." Albert didn't know much about Dementors either; he only knew that Patronus Charms could repel them.
"But Black isn't as valuable as I imagined!" Herb made a quick calculation and estimated the bounty to be around £49,700.
"Ten thousand galleons is already a huge sum in the wizarding world." Albert felt that Herb was getting a bit carried away after winning the lottery; he didn't seem to value this amount of money anymore.
He also understood Herb's implication. After all, it wasn't strange for the bounty to be higher for the first person to escape from prison. Moreover, Herb now had a distorted perception of the currency exchange rate between the wizarding world and the Muggle world.
"That wizard prison must be terrifying." Niya said softly.
"Yes, it is."
...
As the Anderson family chatted casually, a similar conversation was taking place at the McDougall residence.
Mrs. McDougall was examining the headpiece, necklace, and earrings before her, her expression exceedingly complex, not knowing what to say.
"I recall Albert having a vault at Gringotts. You should get him to put these things in the vault; it'll be safer there." Mrs. McDougall seemed to remember something and sighed softly. "Make sure to keep a close eye on him; don't let him slip away like I did."
After speaking with the Anderson family, Mrs. McDougall also understood their desire to have the couple marry early. Although she was still reluctant to accept it, seeing the Anderson family's attitude and knowing that Albert was a Gryffindor made her aware that he wasn't one to sit idly by.
"If a wizarding war really breaks out, it would be good to leave Britain."
After all, having lived through that period, Mrs. McDougall was also aware of the events of that time.
"When the time comes, remember to take Katrina with you!"
Knowing that the two might participate in the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship, Mrs. McDougall also understood that it wouldn't be a good thing for a conspicuous Muggle-born witch to remain in a potentially chaotic situation.
"Aren't you coming with us?"
"No, this is our home, and I won't leave."
"But..."
"Don't worry. I'm a pure-blood and spend most of my time working at St. Mungo's. Nothing will happen to me." Mrs. McDougall whispered reassuringly, "Don't say such things again."
Isabelle frowned, "Albert thinks that setting a flag for himself is a bad omen."
Mrs. McDougall shook her head, not quite understanding what Isabelle meant by 'flag.' She continued, "Tomorrow, I'll put these things in our vault first. It's not safe to keep them at home."
(End of Chapter)
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