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Chapter 742: Living Next to Snape
Chapter 742: Living Next to Snape
"How's it going?"
"It's still there."
Upon returning to Diagon Alley, Kyle immediately made his way into the Weasley brothers' shop, unnoticed by the others. He quickly transformed back into his regular clothes and said, "I saw it. The Vanishing Cabinet is right there in Bogworth & Brock's shop."
"Great!" Fred exclaimed excitedly. "Then all we have to do is keep an eye on the Knockturn Alley entrance, and we'll have the Death Eaters under control."
"Or we could just take control of Bogworth & Brock," George suggested. "Since we're dealing with Dark artifacts now, we can come up with any excuse to inspect the shop."
"I advise against that," Kyle cautioned from the side. "Bogworth is a cunning fellow. If he senses something amiss and informs the Death Eaters, our plan will be for nothing. It's best to maintain the status quo."
"I also saw traces of a werewolf in Knockturn Alley," Kyle added.
"A werewolf?" Fred was startled.
Their shop was located less than a hundred feet from the Knockturn Alley entrance, and it wasn't a safe spot if there was indeed a werewolf nearby.
"I guess he must have been hiding in Knockturn Alley and later joined the Dark Lord's forces. He was probably sent to keep an eye on Bogworth & Brock," Kyle explained.
"No way," Fred disagreed. "Lupin mentioned that the werewolves in Knockturn Alley were driven out by Fenrir Greyback, and they're too weak to be of any use to the Dark Lord."
"Then he must have sneaked in," Kyle said. "At least, I felt a sense of danger when I passed by him. He's definitely a strong werewolf."
"But how can you be sure he's connected to the Dark Lord?"
"It's just a guess," Kyle admitted. "Earlier, when I was in the shop, Bogworth refused to sell me the Vanishing Cabinet, even when I offered a price that would be hard to refuse under normal circumstances.
"He seemed to have some concerns, probably because of the werewolf guarding the entrance."
"A price that's hard to refuse..." George raised an eyebrow. "You didn't spend our money, did you?"
Kyle remained silent, implying his agreement.
"That's all our savings..." Fred said with a complex. "What if Bogworth actually agrees?"
"There's no chance of that," Kyle assured them. "I have a hunch, and even if he dares to take the risk for a few thousand Galleons, I'll find another excuse."
"I have another question..." George, no longer fixated on the Galleons, asked, "Even if the werewolf joined the Dark Lord, wouldn't it be beyond Malfoy's control? After all, he's just a sixteen-year-old underage wizard, not even a full-fledged Death Eater."
"Malfoy can't do it alone, but there are others," Kyle pointed out. "For such a significant task, do you think he can handle it by himself? All he needs to do is ask, and sending a werewolf is a simple task for some Death Eaters."
"But then we'll not only have to watch the Death Eaters but also be extra cautious about the werewolf going berserk on a full moon night. This is Diagon Alley, and it would be troublesome if a transformed werewolf suddenly appeared."
"Don't worry, leave it to us," Fred and George assured her, patting their chests. "We just created a map of Diagon Alley... a simplified version of the Marauder's Map."
Fred pointed to a seemingly ordinary parchment in the shop window and said, "With this map, we can make slight alterations and keep track of the Knockturn Alley entrance at all times."
"That's a brilliant idea," Kyle said calmly. "But I still think it's unreliable. Make sure to inform Kreacher about this... No, I'll tell him myself later."
"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Fred asked, displeased. "Are you saying we're not as good as a house elf in your eyes?"
Kyle examined Fred from head to toe and nodded affirmatively.
Yes, that's exactly what he meant.
"What are you guys talking about?"
Just as Fred and George were about to give Kyle a piece of their mind, Cona approached them from behind a shelf not far away.
"Kyle, are you done with your errand? We need to get back to school soon," Cona said.
"Oh, I'm done," Kyle replied.
"Good," Cona said, placing a few interesting trinkets on the shelf beside her. "Mr. Weasley, how much are these?"
"Take them, it's on us," Fred gestured grandly. "Consider it a welcome gift for your first visit to our shop."
"I can't accept that," Cona shook her head. "Tell me the price, or I'll put them back."
"Yeah, we won't take advantage of this," Kyle agreed, standing by Cona's side.
As he spoke, Kyle placed a heavy suitcase on the counter and generously said, "Forget it, take these. No need to return the change."
The suitcase was heavy, and when placed on the counter, it emitted a dull thud, indicating it was filled with gold coins.
Fred and George, however, were far from delighted.
"Hey, that was our money, wasn't it?" Fred said.
"Use our money to pay for us, and keep the change... How could you say that?" George added.
"You're shameless!" they exclaimed.
Ignoring their comments, Kyle found the house-elf Kreacher and gave him some instructions before leaving the shop with Cona, heading towards the Cauldron Pub.
Soon, Fred and George caught up with them from behind.
"Why are you guys heading back so early?" they asked.
"Can't we just use the Floo Network with Ron and the others later?"
"We'd like to as well," Kyle said, "but what about the carriage? We can't exactly fit it into the fireplace, can we?"
"The carriage... Oh, I forgot about that. You came here on a Thestral-drawn carriage," Fred said, tapping his forehead.
"Speaking of which, how did you manage to get it out?"
"We tried before, but the Thestrals refused to leave the school gates. When we tried to rush them, they even emitted sharp cries."
"Good thing we ran fast enough, or Hagrid would have caught us."
Fred and George, the students who gave Professor McGonagall the most headaches, had even thought of using a Thestral-drawn carriage.
"Is there any need to ask?" Kyle glanced at them. "Of course, it was with Professor Dumbledore's approval."
Hearing that the carriage was obtained through proper channels, the two brothers immediately lost interest.
They walked all the way to the entrance of Diagon Alley, crossed the wall, and ended up in the backyard of the Cauldron Pub. They then Apparated back to a secluded alley next to Grimmauld Place.
A Muggle stood there, dumbfounded, watching the sudden appearance of the group. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Kyle waved his wand slightly, and the Muggle's eyes immediately became vacant, as if nothing had happened. He walked out of the alley nonchalantly.
"Your Obliviate spell is really skilled," George commented.
"It's just a trivial skill," Kyle replied.
The Thestral-drawn carriage was parked nearby, and Kyle was the first to jump into the carriage, pulling Cona up with him.
"Aren't you going to say goodbye?" Fred asked.
"We already said our goodbyes in Diagon Alley, didn't we? Let's just get going," Kyle said.
"By the way, remember, if the werewolf does come out one day, don't be reckless. Let Kreacher deal with him," Kyle reminded them.
"That old house-elf?" George asked skeptically. "Can he handle it? What if the werewolf eats him as a snack? We can't explain that to Sirius."
"Of course he can," Kyle assured them. "House-elves aren't just for cleaning and cooking. They also possess special abilities, and their strength is no less than that of a werewolf."
"Do you remember how he used just one finger to flick Lucius Malfoy out of the room when he was at Hogwarts?"
"That's so cool!" Fred exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. "Do you have a photo of that?"
"I don't carry a camera around all the time," Kyle replied.
"What a pity," George sighed. "We wanted to put the photo in the most prominent spot in our shop."
"Then you should put up something else," Kyle patted the Thestral's back.
"Alright, just be careful. I don't want to waste time brewing Wolfsbane Potion for you," Kyle said.
"Don't worry," the brothers waved their hands, "see you after graduation."
The next moment, the carriage took off, carrying Kyle and Cona towards Hogwarts.
Grimmauld Place became smaller and smaller, and within seconds, it was hidden among the gray clouds.
"Kyle, are you also a member of the Order of the Phoenix?" Cona asked curiously from inside the carriage.
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"I guess so," Kyle thought for a moment and replied, "But I didn't receive an official invitation from Professor Dumbledore, so my status is the same as Harry and the others. I can only be considered an unofficial member."
"That's already great," Cona whispered, "The atmosphere there is really good, and Mrs. Weasley is so kind. Everyone is like a family... Can I join?"
"What I say doesn't count," Kyle said, "It's up to Professor Snape to give his approval. But judging from his previous attempt to send you to Beauxbatons, it's highly unlikely that he'll agree to you joining the Order."
"That's true," Cona sighed, "There's no other way. I can only try to change his mind after graduation."
"It's all the same to me," Kyle said nonchalantly, "The so-called Order of the Phoenix is just a name. It's the same as Aurors, the Strike Force, and Dumbledore's Army."
"If you enjoy the atmosphere of being together, you can move to Hogsmeade after graduation. There's a large piece of empty land next to my house and the Shack, enough to build another estate," Kyle added.
Cona tilted her head, "So, are you prepared to be Professor Snape's neighbor?"
"If he agrees..." Kyle said with a smile.
As they chatted, Kyle and Cona admired the passing scenery from the carriage. When bored, they would read the Prophet Daily they had obtained from Diagon Alley.
"Kyle, are you also a member of the Order of the Phoenix?" Cona asked curiously from inside the carriage.
This work is organized and uploaded by Li Hua.
"I guess so," Kyle thought for a moment and replied, "But I didn't receive an official invitation from Professor Dumbledore, so my status is the same as Harry and the others. I can only be considered an unofficial member."
"That's already great," Cona whispered, "The atmosphere there is really good, and Mrs. Weasley is so kind. Everyone is like a family... Can I join?"
"What I say doesn't count," Kyle said, "It's up to Professor Snape to give his approval. But judging from his previous attempt to send you to Beauxbatons, it's highly unlikely that he'll agree to you joining the Order."
"That's the way it is," Cona sighed, "I'll just have to try to change his mind after graduation."
"It's all the same to me," Kyle said nonchalantly, "The so-called Order of the Phoenix is just a name. It's the same as Aurors, the Strike Force, and Dumbledore's Army."
"If you enjoy the atmosphere of being together, you can move to Hogsmeade after graduation. There's a large piece of empty land next to my house and the Shack, enough to build another estate," Kyle added.
Cona tilted her head, "So, are you prepared to be Professor Snape's neighbor?"
"If he agrees..." Kyle said with a smile.
As they chatted, Kyle and Cona enjoyed the passing scenery from the carriage. When bored, they would read the Prophet Daily they had obtained from Diagon Alley.
As the sky gradually darkened, they finally caught up with the crimson Hogwarts Express, arriving at the school ahead of time.
"Good job," Kyle said, patting the Niffler's wing and offering it a fresh Flobberworm leg.
Ever since Kyle had more magical creatures with him, he had been keeping these items in his trunk, as they were not expensive and he even got a discount for buying in bulk.
"It's a good thing I went to Nicolas' estate during the break," Kyle said with relief as they climbed the stairs outside the castle.
"Why did you suddenly say that?" Cona asked, puzzled.
"Look at this..." Kyle handed her the newspaper.
Recently, the Ministry of Magic had not made any remarkable progress in dealing with the Death Eaters, and Fudge's reputation had been declining.
To turn this around, he had visited Hogwarts several times during the holidays, seemingly trying to repeat his previous tactic of projecting an image of a close relationship with Dumbledore to the outside world.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore was also absent from the school during the break, and Fudge's visits were in vain.
The front page of the newspaper featured him wandering around the castle, and there were several more photos inside.
Rita Skeeter bluntly exposed his intentions in her report.
As a professional journalist, she was well aware of what people liked to read... Undoubtedly, it was none other than criticizing the incompetent Minister.
The article also mentioned that since September, the Ministry had not taken any substantial action.
Kyle could imagine that if he hadn't gone to Nicolas' estate and stayed at school instead, he would have been busy.
At the very least, Fudge would have sought him out if he couldn't find Dumbledore.
To be honest, Kyle would rather lie on a deck chair and sunbathing than waste his time on the boring task of salvaging Fudge's reputation.
The two climbed the stairs and reached the oak doors of the castle.
Filch was already waiting there, as usual, holding the Dark Magic Detector and circling around Kyle and Cona several times until he was satisfied that there were no issues, then gestured for them to enter the castle.
"Fred was right, these inspections are useless," Cona said, taking out a square box from her pocket, which contained the little trinkets she had bought from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
But the detector remained silent when it scanned the box.
"Don't say that, it's just that you didn't bring any Dark Magic items," Kyle glanced back, "And not everyone can use the Non-Trace Charm."
The two returned to the Common Room.
Although the train had not yet arrived, the Common Room was bustling due to most students choosing to stay at school.
Kyle and Cona sat down at an empty table.
"Kyle, how was your Christmas?" Ryan asked, looking up from his Wizard's Chess game.
"Not bad," Kyle replied, "What about you? Any news at school?"
"The Fat Lady drinking a barrel of five-hundred-year-old wine counts, I guess," Ryan said, "She and her friend, Violet... they drank all the wine next to the Charms Class corridor portrait of the Drunken Friars."
"That was a disaster..." Mikkel said with lingering fear, "They kept going back and forth between portraits, howling songs lasting until two in the morning."
"The entire school couldn't sleep because of the noise."
"I wish those Drunken Friars would hide their wine in a safer place, never to be found again."
At this, everyone started complaining, obviously having been tormented as well.
The Fat Lady's love for drinking was not a secret at Hogwarts, and Gryffindors had complained numerous times about how she forced them to listen to her singing before opening the Common Room door.
But they never imagined that this habit would also affect students from other houses.
It seemed that Gryffindors would have to endure this for seven years.
However, someone mentioned that Professor McGonagall had warned the Fat Lady and even changed the Gryffindor password to 'Abstain'.
Whether this was true or not, no one knew, as they wouldn't waste time trying the password on the eighth floor.
Apart from this, there wasn't anything else of note.
With some time before the start of the opening feast, Cona wanted to read some more, while Kyle decided to pay a visit to the Headmaster's Office.
He wanted to ask Dumbledore about the Time Turner.
But when he reached the eighth floor, he found that Dumbledore was out again, not at school, and the Headmaster's Office only had the past Headmasters pretending to sleep.
"What brings you here again?" a wizard asked, seemingly accustomed to Kyle's sudden appearances.
"Dumbledore is at the Ministry of Magic now, but it's not urgent."
"Thank you, Headmaster Everard, but it's fine," Kyle said, "It's not important, I can ask the Professor when he returns."
"Very well."
Kyle nodded and left the Headmaster's Office.
(End of Chapter)
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