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Chapter 737: The Thieves
Chapter 737: The Thieves
"He won't be able to hold on to that position for much longer."
Albert sat next to Isabelle, taking a hearty sip of his frothy butterbeer and feeling the warmth spread throughout his body.
"That's unfortunate news," Isabelle remarked, feeling a twinge of pity for Cornelius Fudge. If Albert said this, it was likely that the Minister of Magic would indeed be losing his position soon.
"Back then, on the Hogwarts Express, I predicted his success and made my first pile of gold galleons in the wizarding world," Albert reminisced.
"You could already divine the future back then?" Isabelle questioned, finding it hard to believe that Albert, a newcomer to the wizarding world, would have had the confidence to bet such large sums.
"Pure luck, really. I've always had a knack for it, and my wand helps too," Albert said, brandishing his redwood wand. "Mr. Ollivander himself said that redwood wands bring their owners good fortune."
Isabelle took a silent sip of her butterbeer, unconvinced by Albert's far-fetched story.
"Thanks to that windfall, we were able to make our subsequent deal. Come to think of it, we should partly thank Fudge for bringing us together," Albert said, his eyes drifting past the tables to the Minister's back. "And now, I predict his downfall. The summer we graduated from Hogwarts will be the moment he's kicked off his pedestal."
"Is that your way of showing gratitude?" Isabelle arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"The outcome isn't my doing; it's his own doing," Albert clarified.
"Am I becoming more like a charlatan?" Albert mused suddenly. "I'm actually considering giving myself the title of 'Seer'. It seems to be a well-respected profession."
"Yes, and I could fabricate a backstory about having the gift of seeing snippets of the future since childhood, posing as a prodigy with prophetic talents," Albert added, seemingly giving serious thought to this plan.
"Did you pick up this spiel from Professor Trelawney?" Isabelle wondered if she had just uncovered the source of Albert's newfound 'skills'.
"You've seen right through me," Albert said, grasping Isabelle's soft palm in his. "Professor Trelawney often complained to me about being labeled a fraud, about how no one believed in her prophetic abilities. But I think it's simply because she couldn't prove her predictions. Otherwise, who would call her a fraud instead of acknowledging the enigmatic nature of seers?"
"Are you sure these so-called seers aren't just being deliberately ambiguous to avoid being proven wrong?" Isabelle bluntly exposed the tricks of the 'seers'.
No seer could guarantee that their predictions wouldn't change, and to maintain their reputation, it was only natural to be vague, allowing for various 'reasonable' interpretations of the outcome.
"Sometimes, it's best to keep quiet even if you see the truth," Albert acknowledged.
"Have you told everyone in the pub, Hagrid?"
Suddenly, Professor McGonagall's angry voice rang out from the bar counter, causing the lively pub to fall into a brief hush. All eyes shifted towards the source of the commotion, ears straining to catch the conversation. The students were curious about what had upset the professor.
However, the group of five at the counter seemed intent on keeping their conversation private, speaking in hushed tones that were difficult to hear from a distance, especially in the noisy pub.
But this was no obstacle for Albert. He pulled out a small box from his right robe pocket, revealing a device resembling a pair of headphones.
"What's that?" Isabelle inquired quietly, noticing the object in Albert's hand.
"A little gadget for eavesdropping," Albert whispered.
He had discreetly placed the magical listening device on the counter while fetching the butterbeers.
"It works on a similar principle to a radio, but it's still a work in progress with some flaws. It doesn't work well from a distance," Albert explained, motioning for Isabelle to lean in closer.
"They're talking about Black," Isabelle whispered, her ear now close to Albert's as they listened intently.
"You'd think Black and Potter were brothers, the way they're always together," came the voice of Professor Flitwick through the headphones.
"...James and Lily asked Black to be their best man and Harry's godfather," added Fudge, divulging quite the scoop.
"Things are getting interesting," Albert murmured, his eyes drifting towards the fireplace where Hermione and Ron sat pretending to sip their butterbeers.
As for Harry Potter, hidden under his Invisibility Cloak, Albert could only imagine the expression on his face, though he couldn't see it.
Isabelle followed Albert's gaze and noticed Ron and Hermione eavesdropping near the Christmas tree, aware that Harry Potter was also stealthily listening in.
They quietly absorbed the conversation, soon piecing together the whole story.
Harry Potter's parents had been hunted by a mysterious man, using the Fidelius Charm for protection, with their friend Black serving as their Secret-Keeper. But Black had ultimately betrayed them, leading to the Potters' demise at the hands of the mysterious man.
"Fate works in mysterious ways," Albert whispered, "allowing Harry Potter to overhear the truth."
Isabelle agreed that the situation had taken a rather dramatic turn.
What were the odds that Harry Potter, sneaking into Hogsmeade, would overhear the professors discussing Black and his father in the pub?
It was almost as if the professors had chosen the Three Broomsticks to deliberately let Harry Potter in on the secret—a remarkable coincidence.
"Dirty, stinkin' traitor!" Hagrid's furious voice reverberated through the pub, causing the entire place to fall silent.
The students hung on Hagrid's every word as he loudly recounted his encounter with Black.
However, they were unaware of the dramatic twist that followed.
Black had been confronted by Potter's close friend, Pettigrew, at the Ministry of Magic. Pettigrew had accused Black of betraying the Potters, only to be blasted to smithereens by Black's spell.
Black was apprehended by the arriving Aurors and sent directly to Azkaban without a trial.
"As far as I know, the largest remnant of Pettigrew they found was a single finger," Albert concluded.
Albert watched as Professor McGonagall and the others walked away, their backs to him. He murmured, "A single finger?"
Isabelle also noticed something amiss. While dark curses could indeed reduce a person to ashes, it was suspicious that only a single finger remained.
After all, it was hard to believe what kind of duel would result in someone losing just a finger.
From an observer's perspective, Isabelle saw things more clearly than most, and Albert's deliberate mention of this detail seemed to indicate that he had other reasons for doing so.
"Have you uncovered some secret?" Isabelle asked with a quirky expression. "Are you suggesting that Black is innocent and Peter Pettigrew is the real betrayer?"
When she thought about it, it seemed entirely possible. Sometimes, reality was stranger than fiction.
Moreover, Isabelle suspected that Albert might be in possession of a crucial clue.
"I've discovered something." After ensuring that no one was eavesdropping, Albert spoke mysteriously.
"What is it?"
"The creator of the Marauder's Map." Albert waved his wand and conjured an umbrella to shield Isabelle from the swirling snowflakes above.
"The map you used before?"
"Pointy-head, big-foot, worm-tail, and moony."
"Are you saying Moony refers to Professor Lupin?" Isabelle thought the nickname was quite fitting, directly hinting at Professor Lupin's werewolf identity.
As Professor Lupin was Potter's father's friend, and with Black and Peter, they formed a group of four.
Professor McGonagall had just mentioned that James and Black liked to play pranks, and Hagrid also felt that the Weasley brothers reminded him of them.
"Pointy-head probably refers to James Potter, given his skill and love for Quidditch. Worm-tail likely indicates Wormtail, who always tagged along. As for big-foot, it could be referring to Sirius Black." Isabelle quickly matched the nicknames to their owners.
However, she couldn't quite figure out what these nicknames represented. She looked at Albert expectantly, waiting for him to reveal the secret, but he didn't seem inclined to do so, leaving her hanging in anticipation.
In response, she reached out and pinched Albert's waist, but he was wearing too many layers, and she barely felt anything.
"This isn't the right place to discuss this."
Albert grimaced, pretending that she had pinched him hard.
The two headed back to their cottage in Hogsmeade and used the Disapparating Cabinet there to return to Hogwarts Castle.
"Now, tell me what you know," Isabelle urged.
"Moony refers to Professor Lupin's werewolf form, but what if their nicknames represent their Animagus forms?" Albert shared his speculation.
"Animagus?" Isabelle asked incredulously. "Are you saying Pointy-head represents some sort of animal horn, like a goat, ox, or deer? Given James Potter's outgoing personality, a stag would fit him well."
"Big-foot could be a beast's paw. Oh, and that black dog earlier wasn't scavenging for food; it was looking for a newspaper. There was one nearby, but we were staring at it, so it grabbed half a loaf of bread instead."
"Black's name itself has 'black' in it, no wonder you noticed that black dog. Did you know it was Black all along?" Isabelle believed that if the Ministry didn't know Black could turn into a black dog, capturing him would have been nearly impossible.
Moreover, if Black transformed into a dog, escaping from Azkaban wouldn't be out of the question.
After all, Dementors were blind and relied solely on sensing emotions, and an animal's emotions were far less complex and unlikely to attract their attention as a human would.
"Then, what about Worm-tail?" Isabelle asked.
"I suspect it's a rat." Albert shared his findings and speculations. "The Weasley family has a rat that's been alive for five or six years, maybe even longer. Its name is Scabbers, and it originally belonged to Percy before being passed on to Ron, Harry Potter's friend. When Black saw the Weasley family photo in the Daily Prophet, he likely spotted Wormtail and realized he was still alive and right under his nose. If I were Black, I'd crawl out of hell for revenge and to protect my godson from danger."
"Once the mysterious man returns, Wormtail will undoubtedly hand over Harry Potter to him. And who's to say he didn't betray the mysterious man?"
"What a dramatic twist—the traitor becomes the hero, and the hero becomes the traitor." Isabelle looked at Albert, curious. "How did you figure all this out? Did you make a related prophecy and work backward from there?"
"Yeah, something like that." Albert didn't deny it, needing a plausible reason. "Actually, I once saw the name 'Peter' on the Marauder's Map in the common room. I thought it was the name of a cat or some other animal."
"What are you going to do now?" Isabelle frowned. "If you reveal the truth, not many people will believe you."
In most people's minds, Black was a traitor and a wanted criminal, and Peter Pettigrew was a fallen hero.
If Albert were to suddenly proclaim the truth, people would likely brand him as a lunatic or a publicity-seeking clown.
Harry Potter was a prime example of this.
Oh, wait, Potter wasn't quite an example yet.
"I'm waiting for the right opportunity. Maybe I can claim Black's bounty and successfully reveal the truth." Albert spoke carefully. "I have a plan."
"If the Ministry finds out that Black is innocent, they won't be too keen on paying you the bounty." Isabelle reminded him, "And they won't want to admit that Black is innocent. You understand what I'm saying, right?"
If Sirius Black were innocent, it would mean that the Ministry had imprisoned a hero in Azkaban for over a decade.
Should this come to light, the Ministry would be left with egg on its face.
The recent efforts to capture Black would also become a laughingstock.
No one wanted to admit their mistakes, nor did they want to become a joke.
"I know, but there will be an opportunity. It depends on how I handle this matter, and there's no need to worry. The future Ministry will undergo significant changes, and those pure-blood supremacists will be a thing of the past."
"You always like to take risks. That's not good." Isabelle suspected that Albert was up to something big and that he had been planning it for a while.
"Don't worry, I'll bring in some helpers and make sure everyone understands their role clearly."
Happy Children's Day! (End of Chapter)
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