Chapter 682: False Alarm
Chapter 682: False Alarm
"Don't worry, we still have time!"
In the car, Herb tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the congested road ahead, as he gently reassured his son in the back seat.
Surprisingly, there was a traffic jam in the morning, causing them to be delayed by an hour on the road.
"I'm not worried," Albert said, turning to look at Nia, who was covering a yawn with her hand. He suggested, "If you're sleepy, take a quick nap."
"If you're tired, have some candy," Daisy said, handing a bag of sweets from the passenger seat. "Don't stay up late in the future. It's not good for your skin, and you're at an age where you're prone to breakouts."
"Here."
Albert popped a salty candy into his mouth and tore open another one, offering it to Nia.
"Thanks," she said, popping the candy into her mouth and leaning her head on Albert's shoulder. "I never thought wizards would experience traffic jams too."
"Wizards who can't use magic are no different from Muggles," Albert replied, opening a packet of Owl Nuts and feeding one to Shella, who was resting with her eyes closed in her cage. His gaze inadvertently drifted to the window, catching a glimpse of two shadowy emerald green shapes passing by.
"What's that?" Albert asked, opening the window and frowning slightly at the sight of the old-fashioned deep green automobiles cruising fearlessly on the road like Knight Buses.
"What is it? Is there something outside?" Nia asked, her head turning in confusion as she saw Albert staring out the window.
"There are two Ministry of Magic cars out there," Albert replied.
"Do wizards use cars?" Daisy asked, her tone curious. "I thought they all used flying carpets."
"Are you sure? I didn't see any," Herb said, puzzled as he looked ahead.
"Wizards have enchanted their cars so Muggles can't see them," Albert explained, his gaze on the road ahead. "Otherwise, they'd be causing a panic by driving recklessly. They're gone now."
"Magic is truly incredible," Herb said, steering the car toward King's Cross Station. When they finally arrived, it was almost eleven o'clock. Albert bid farewell to his family and hurriedly pushed his luggage toward the station.
He noticed that the platform was cordoned off, with Ministry of Magic employees patrolling the area.
Ignoring them, Albert quickened his pace through the platform, and soon the majestic red steam engine of the Hogwarts Express came into view. As he pushed his luggage toward the train, he spotted the red-haired Weasley family bidding each other farewell.
In the distance, Percy was chatting with a Ravenclaw girl, flaunting his badge as the Student Council President, while Ginny and the Weasley twins, Fred and George, watched the scene with amused grins.
"You're cutting it fine, mate," Fred and George said almost simultaneously, spotting Albert.
Changing the subject, Albert replied, "We were stuck in traffic, so we had to wait a while. By the way, did you guys come by Ministry cars just now?"
"How did you know that?" they asked.
"I happened to see them on the way. The Ministry is certainly going all out to protect Harry Potter," Albert said, having already spotted Lee Jordan waving out of the window. He returned the wave and, along with Lee, began pushing their luggage in that direction.
"Is the money-making opportunity you mentioned last time related to Black?" Fred asked when they were sure no one was around.
"If Black doesn't have his wand, the danger level won't be too high. Even if he does, as long as we ambush him, it won't be that dangerous," Albert said calmly, not seeming concerned about Black. "He probably never expected students to be after his bounty."
"That's so cool," George said, opening the carriage door and turning to Albert. "Dad's really worried that Black might hurt Harry."
"In fact, the whole wizarding world is worried about Black," Fred added with a grin. "It's rare to find someone like you who sees him as a bag of Galleons."
"Do you know where Black is?" Lee asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He's probably hiding somewhere near Hogwarts," Albert said nonchalantly. "As long as we time it right, we'll have a chance to catch him, so there's no need to rush. He won't get away." He smiled and asked, "Did you go to Africa again during the summer holidays?"
Lee took Albert's suitcase and asked, "How did you know? My uncle took me on a vacation to Africa. There are a lot of interesting things there."
"Because you're even more tanned than before," Albert replied.
Fred and George grinned mischievously.
"Shut up, I just heard your family calling you," Lee Jordan said in an annoyed tone.
"Oh, help us put up our luggage," Fred and George said as they quickly got off to bid farewell to their family.
As he watched Fred and George's departing figures, Albert took out his wand from his pocket and gave it a slight flick, causing the luggage to float effortlessly onto the rack.
"That's quite a trick. And you brought your cat again, he's quite chubby, isn't he?" Lee Jordan reached out to pet Tom's head, but the cat turned away, avoiding his hand.
Albert gave Tom's head a gentle rub and said helplessly, "I've been trying to put him on a diet, reducing the amount of fish treats, so Tom's been a bit grumpy lately."
"By the way, here."
Albert took a plain-looking stone from Lee Jordan, his gaze falling on the faint carving marks on its surface. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is this?"
"It's a token of the Dream Messenger," Lee Jordan explained mysteriously. "It's said that students who are accepted into Wagadu Magic School receive messages from the headmaster through dream messengers. These messengers leave a token, usually a stone with an inscription, in the child's hand while they sleep. When they wake up, they find themselves holding it."
"So, the token is supposed to be an ordinary stone with carvings?" Albert eyed the stone before him skeptically. "Did you buy this from a street vendor in Africa? When I visited Nico's hometown, I saw local wizards selling magic stones for a galleon apiece."
Albert lifted his gaze to meet Lee Jordan's eyes and said flatly, "You've definitely been swindled."
"Cough, cough, alright, you're right. My uncle told me this thing is just a carved stone," Lee Jordan admitted, his face reddening with embarrassment. Seeing that he couldn't hide the truth from Albert, he took out another stone and said, "This one is the actual token of the Dream Messenger."
"They look the same. Are you sure you weren't tricked?" Albert knew Lee Jordan wasn't lying, but he remained doubtful. "A lot of the stuff sold in tourist areas is just for show."
"Indeed, that Lee Jordan has no sincerity at all. Look what we got you instead."
Fred and George entered the carriage, carrying a book from their Extendable Charm bags. "We had Bill help us buy a book on alchemy, as they're good at that over there. And this."
George proudly presented, "Isn't this more thoughtful than that guy's gift?"
Lee Jordan rolled his eyes and asked, "Then what about my gift?"
"Yours is here." George placed a small bottle of yellow potion on the table.
"What is this?"
"Honeyed Man," Fred said mysteriously. "They say it's good stuff."
"Honeyed Man?"
"It's a dead man preserved in honey," Albert clarified flatly. "Some claim it's an aphrodisiac, but that's nonsense."
Lee Jordan made a retching sound and complained, "You two are disgusting."
"Alright, alright, this is actually just a regular bottle of honey."
"Then how dare you two judge me just now!" Lee Jordan was getting angry, seemingly ready to pour the honey down Fred and George's throats.
The twins ignored him, their attention fully on the box Albert had taken out. They asked curiously, "What's that? Is it French cuisine?"
"It's the famous French macaron," Albert said, pointing to the treats in the box. "I asked our house-elf to make these especially for me the day before yesterday."
"Made by a house-elf?"
"These usually only stay fresh for 5-7 days, so they're best eaten fresh," Albert explained matter-of-factly. "I also bought a bottle of champagne. We'll open it to celebrate once we catch Black."
"Black's really out of luck with you after him."
As they savored the macarons, Fred and George offered a moment of silence for the fugitive. They both believed that anyone who had caught Albert's attention wouldn't get away, unless they stayed far from Hogwarts.
Tom seemed quite interested in the treats in the box as well, his large face poking forward. Fortunately, Albert pulled him back in time, preventing him from ruining the delicacies.
(End of Chapter)
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