Chapter 740
Chapter 740 - Bonus Chapter: Prosperity (Grand Finale)
Just past midnight, the dawn has yet to break, and the moon and stars still hang in the sky. A faint gray-green hue appears on the distant horizon. It is now the deepest part of the night, when people are in their deepest sleep. Harry rides his broom, the cold sea breeze blowing against him, mentally rehearsing the operation plan over and over again.
Today is the day of the final roundup, with the last batch of mercenaries infiltrating the island disguised as tourists.
The massive floating island breaks down in his mind into a dense network of transportation: thousands of Floo Network points, over two hundred Knight Buses, tens of thousands of low-altitude sightseeing brooms, and less common modes of magical transportation like flying carpets and hover cars...
And Apparition points.
The floating island's administration has relatively strict regulations on Apparition by wizards on the island. Normally, only external defenses are maintained to prevent outsiders from sneaking in and wizards from leaving at will. However, during the World Cup, the rules are much stricter, with a series of No-Apparition zones announced in advance. These zones include areas like the stadium, which can hold half a million spectators, and the Auror-controlled points. Apparition is strictly prohibited in other areas.
The latter—Auror points—are one of the secrets to the floating island's ability to handle most emergencies with minimal personnel. To be even more prepared, Harry has formed several elite wizard teams to provide support at a moment's notice.
At this moment, a figure rushes over—it's Ron, who hovers in front of Harry on his broom.
"Everyone is ready. When do we start?"
"Right now."
"Cool!" Ron gives a thumbs-up. "Did you see those Billywigs? I can't wait for them to capture the moment my wizard chess pieces charge into battle..."
"Don't wake up the whole island", Harry reminds him.
"I did consider it", Ron says with a hint of regret. "But you've assigned a team to cast Silencing Charms and Repairing Charms."
The two of them land on the ground, and a group of fully armed people vanish from Harry's sight. Harry tightens his grip on his wand. They are his family, classmates, friends, and comrades, who have responded to his call without hesitation. He must do everything in his power to protect their safety.
The battle begins before dawn and ends before dawn. Harry's Patronus cuts through the darkness, and his rapid Apparitions near the stadium become a nightmare for all the enemies. He encounters almost no significant resistance; in most cases, the battles are over by the time Harry arrives to provide support. Harry hears the Creevey brothers whispering in disappointment, complaining that they didn't even get to face a single enemy.
"I took down seven!" Sirius Black paces excitedly. "I have to let Rosalie and Edgar know, and that preachy old Phineas!" Harry grins. Edgar is Sirius Black's second child, the one who almost ended up being named James but eventually inherited the name of Bones' brother.
As for the Phineas Sirius mentioned—actually a portrait in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts—Sirius often visits after having children and loves giving advice.
Harry walks to a corner where Hermione is yawning softly. She has been dancing all night and came over when she learned the operation was about to begin, her eyes nearly closed from exhaustion. She manages a greeting, "Oh—Hi—Harry, anything else? I need to go back to sleep... I'll come back later."
"Sure, okay." Harry hesitates but doesn't say the words of thanks—since Hermione is here, Professor Mcgonagall must have come too, though she hasn't shown herself. The operation today was partly to build support for him.
Hermione smiles and waves, "Good luck, Harry!" She turns and merges into the shadows. Harry thinks he sees Professor Mcgonagall nodding at him with a smile before both of them disappear. Harry takes a deep breath; he still has much to do. After the World Cup, he will have plenty of time to talk with Professor Mcgonagall.
In the morning, the sleeping city awakens. From a high vantage point, tiny figures spill out of the hotels and converge on the main roads. Today is the start of the Quidditch World Cup, and although the opening ceremony is not until tonight, the air is already charged with excitement.
Many tourists only learned of the events of the early morning from the newspapers. A large crowd gathers in the pubs, discussing how over three hundred organized criminals were caught without a trace during their deep sleep.
"It wasn’t completely silent", someone said, "I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and vaguely heard someone shouting ‘charge’ and ‘give me one,’ but the volume was too low, even quieter than the toilet flushing."
"It was a Silencing Charm. Some Aurors must have cast it nearby", a Wizard shouted. "This means the battle was under control the whole time."
"So, is the island’s young lord still a prodigy?" someone asked.
"Ahem, ahem, it’s the island’s manager", the Wizard coughed violently. "Harry Potter isn’t young anymore; he’s quite famous in Britain."
"Is that so, but compared to Hep..."
The Wizard fell silent. It was an undeniable fact that no Wizard had the same level of influence as Felix Hep. Even Connection couldn’t match it. However, managing a Floating Island didn’t require such high standards.
The conversation quickly shifted to other topics, discussing the opening ceremony that evening and arguing which country’s team would win. Soon, two drunken, flag-painted men started fighting in the bar, and the crowd cheered them on.
The bartender paid no attention, simply turning on the TV. The screen showed the morning news:
"...327 criminals were arrested. After interrogation, it was revealed that these individuals belonged to twelve notorious anti-Wizard groups. Enchanted guns and materials for making magic bombs were found in their hiding places, and the planning took over three months..."
The people in the bar stared at the footage of the battle, mesmerized. Most of them, including the Wizard, had never witnessed a proper Wizard squad in action before. It completely shattered their perceptions: Nightmare Curses invaded silently, Transfiguration transformed walls into open doors, Silencing Charms and Disillusionment Charms blocked sound and sight, and a thick smoke covered half a block, along with ten-foot-tall Magical Automata. No one had thought the Aurors' fully equipped gear was just for show; it might not have been used, or it had been, but they couldn't see it.
The silver stag Patronus was particularly impressive. Whenever it appeared, it usually meant the battle would end within seconds.
By noon, Wren sat up in the cradle, feeling a bit dazed. All it remembered was guarding the Dark Lord’s bedroom door last night... Wren shivered, jumped down, and ran into the bedroom. The sight before it made it seethe with anger. The two were sound asleep in bed, and Wren had no idea when they had returned. It was already... Wren looked up at the clock: 11:59. Wren smacked its lips, waited quietly for a few seconds, and as soon as the minute hand hit 12 and started moving, it jumped onto the bed and shook the covers vigorously. "Ah, ah, ah, it’s past noon! You two sure can sleep!"
Felix reached out groggily and stuck Wren to the headboard. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and met the Niffler’s gaze.
"Why did you stick yourself there?" Felix scratched his nose absentmindedly.
Wren was taken aback, then struggled fiercely, "Squeak—!!!"
By the time Felix and Hermione had their meal, it was already afternoon. The TV was still broadcasting the heroic battle scenes of the Wizard squad, complete with interviews. Rolf praised his wife’s skills, and during the interview with Seamus and Dean, the camera accidentally captured Mrs. Bones scolding her young son, "Grawp knows more words than you do. You and your father should be ashamed..." Felix and Hermione, who were playing Wizard cards, turned just in time to see Sirius picking his nose.
However, after six in the evening, news about the stadium started to dominate. The two got dressed and appeared at the stadium with a grumpy Wren. The place was bustling with noise. Their seats were at the very top, and they greeted various people they didn’t really know on the way before entering the box.
Felix breathed a sigh of relief. It was all familiar faces inside. Besides the Hogwarts professors, the Longbottoms, Lupin and Tonks, Luna and Rolf, Sirius and Mrs. Bones, the entire Weasley family, Draco and Astoria were there, along with a dozen children of various ages.
Felix and Hermione sat in the front row next to Professor Mcgonagall.
"Felix", Professor Mcgonagall nodded at him, "Madame Maxime visited and we discussed collaborating with other magical schools, you know, to research the intersection of magic and science..."
“Maybe we should include a Muggle university,” Hermione interjected.
“We do have that in mind,” Professor Mcgonagall said. “But it’s still in the planning stages. We need to reach an agreement with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Ideally, we should also include Ilvermorny and Wagadu—”
“Another Triwizard Tournament?” Felix asked, intrigued.
Professor Mcgonagall hesitated. “It’s not impossible. If it could happen before I retire…”
The circular curtains around the stadium cleared of advertisements, and the camera panned away from the dignitaries, following Harry’s back to the top tier. It then began to play the highlights of the day’s battles, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Harry sat next to Ginny.
“Where are the kids?”
Ginny sighed. “James went to find Teddy, Rosalie is with Victoire, and Albus—” She tilted her chin, and Harry looked over to see Albus exchanging souvenirs with Scorpius. Draco nodded at Harry.
“Harry,” Sirius called, waving him over. Harry sat down beside him. Sirius put an arm around Harry’s shoulders and pointed to the Patronus on the screen. “How does it feel?” The meaning was clear.
Harry scratched his head. “There’s so much I haven’t had time to understand—”
“Find him!” Sirius nodded toward Lupin. “He knows best.”
Harry blinked and looked at Lupin.
“Sirius is right. The Future World Company does have an obligation to assist you, and the work they’ve done over the years can provide valuable insights for managing the Floating Island,” Lupin said. “Our goal is to integrate magic into every aspect of life where it can be beneficial. After more than a decade, we’re finally seeing some results.”
“Seeing results?” Harry asked.
“Yes,” Lupin explained. “Magic and science are becoming more closely intertwined, truly becoming an integral part of the world’s functioning. No one or group can forcibly separate them—that would mean a drastic change in our current way of life.”
Harry felt a significant impact, a weight settling in his chest.
Lupin smiled. “It’s a big responsibility, but don’t feel pressured. You’ve just proven your capabilities, and there will be many more opportunities. And we’re all here. Felix is here too.”
He knew the world was getting better, moving in the right direction. Those climbing the mountain won’t be tripped by a few stones.
“We are on the cusp of an unprecedented era,” he said with a strong, confident voice.
As if in response to Lupin’s words, on the stage, Felix, who was whispering to Professor Mcgonagall, noticed the stadium gradually quieting down. Hermione nudged him, and a giant screen composed of countless curtains projected Felix’s face.
At the same time, his face appeared on the screens in the Floating Island’s taverns, outdoor venues, and on television broadcasts around the world.
Felix stood up from the stands and spread his arms—people held their breath. The Quidditch World Cup had captured the world’s attention, and for a few seconds, it seemed as if the entire Floating Island, and even the outside world, had quieted by several decibels. His voice, amplified by magic, resonated clearly throughout the stadium and on every screen.
“Ladies and gentlemen—welcome to the 426th Quidditch World Cup Opening Ceremony! Welcome! Let the celebration be even more intense—”
“Begin!!!”
Enthusiastic cheers and applause echoed across the island, deafeningly loud. Millions of arms waved in the air, colorful flags fluttered above the crowd, creating a sea of joy. Then came an even more spectacular sight: countless fireworks burst in the night sky, forming dazzling patterns. The sky became a larger canvas than the stadium, and the excited screams of the crowd pierced through the thick clouds, lingering in the ears of the visitors. Every face was filled with unquenchable joy—
The golden age was within reach.
---
This is where the extra chapter concludes. The overall background of the extra chapter is the Quidditch World Cup, but the cup itself is not the focus. Instead, it provides a stage for the story to be set against the backdrop of the most vibrant scene.
The main characters’ family, career, and life situations are introduced through individual scenes rather than dry descriptions, which is the primary purpose of the extra chapter. Some of these scenes were too short to be standalone stories, so they were integrated into others.
Thank you for the support of all the readers, but this story must come to an end here.
Thank you all.
(End of Chapter)
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