Chapter 757: Growing in Strength
Chapter 757: Growing in Strength
Upon learning from Albert that Sirius Black might have disguised himself as a large black dog, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan often wandered outside the castle in their free time, hoping to encounter Sirius Black in his dog form around Hogwarts. However, their efforts were undoubtedly in vain, as Albert never believed that Black would appear near the castle when there were many people around.
If Sirius Black's Animagus form had been a cat, there would be no need to worry about raising suspicion. After all, many students brought their pet cats to school, and it was normal to see a few cats wandering around the castle. But the presence of another dog near Hogwarts Castle seemed suspicious, as Hagrid was the only student at Hogwarts who had a dog, his boarhound named Fang.
Nevertheless, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan never gave up on their quest to find Sirius Black.
"What are you guys up to?"
As Albert and Isabelle exited Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, they spotted three suspicious-looking individuals emerging from an alleyway.
"We're looking for the black dog you mentioned before," Fred said with a wink at Albert. "Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be here."
"We'll be off then, don't want to disturb your date." George tugged at Fred and headed towards Zonko's Joke Shop.
"Oh, don't tease him, and don't scare him away," Albert admonished. He turned to Isabelle and saw that she was looking at him.
"Kids are always so curious," Albert shrugged.
"Kids?"
"Let's go get some snacks. What would you like?" Albert changed the subject, pointing at the Honeydukes Sweetshop in the distance.
"You told them?" Isabelle was surprised that Albert had shared such information with others.
"They are my friends and my helpers. Rest assured, for the sake of their dreams, I believe they won't mess things up," Albert said confidently.
As the two were about to enter Honeyduke's Sweetshop, they were drawn by a sudden burst of screams.
Draco Malfoy seemed to have been terribly frightened and was running for his life, with Crabbe and Goyle hot on his heels.
Albert paused and followed the commotion down the street, his gaze falling on the fleeing Malfoy as he raised his eyebrows slightly.
Suddenly, Malfoy's left foot seemed to be tripped by something. He pitched forward, face-first, and fell to the ground in an ungainly sprawl.
The handsome face now sported extensive grazes, and his nose bled profusely, almost ruining his looks.
Crabbe and Goyle didn't fare much better as they tumbled to the ground, trying to dodge the falling Malfoy.
The trio's sudden fall immediately drew the attention of other students on the street.
People gathered around, pointing and whispering about the three who had fallen.
There were those who took pleasure in their misfortune, especially Ron Weasley, who had also hurried over. Upon seeing the fallen Malfoy, he laughed so hard that he almost shed tears.
"Oh my, Draco, are you alright?"
Several Slytherin girls rushed over and helped the dazed Malfoy to his feet.
Isabelle glanced at Albert, seemingly asking if he was responsible for what had just happened. After all, she knew that Albert had caused Malfoy trouble on more than one occasion.
Albert shook his head to indicate that he had nothing to do with it. He pushed through the crowd and asked, "What happened here?"
"I saw Harry's head floating in mid-air," Malfoy said, terror-stricken.
Hearing Malfoy's words, Fred and George guessed what had transpired.
"Mr. Malfoy must be wishing for Harry's death, that's why he saw Harry's ghost," George mocked.
"Maybe his head got knocked out of place," Ron added sarcastically.
"Alright, everyone, stop gathering around. Who's willing to lend a hand and take them back to the castle?" Albert scanned the crowd. "They need Madam Pomfrey to tend to their scrapes, and perhaps a Calming Draught as well."
Most of the students clearly had no intention of returning to Hogwarts just yet.
At that moment, Ron raised his hand. "I can take these three back."
"We can, too," Fred, George, and Lee Jordan offered to "escort" Malfoy and his cronies back to the Hogwarts castle.
"Get lost, I don't need your fake concern."
Malfoy touched the wound on his cheek, his face twisting in pain. He angrily pushed through the crowd and limped towards the outskirts.
A Slytherin girl hurried after him, seemingly concerned about Malfoy's condition.
"I have to get back and share this good news with Harry," Ron said to the others before hurrying off. He needed to get back to the castle before Malfoy.
Isabelle frowned. "This isn't good."
"In a few years, those three will become Death Eaters," Albert said after a moment of silence, lowering his voice. "Their fathers are of that sort, and you'll read about it in the newspapers."
This time, Isabelle fell silent.
"To be honest, when dealing with unfriendly bullies, there's no need to be overly nice to them," Albert said as he picked up a small bag of Honeybees. "Hagrid's hippogriff will soon be sentenced to death, and that guy is the main culprit."
The two didn't dwell on the topic further. After buying some snacks, they headed to the Hog's Head Inn.
The building had been completely rebuilt, and while the exterior remained unchanged, the interior had undergone a dramatic transformation.
With the help of the house-elf, Dobby, the room felt warm and comfortable, and a roaring fire burned in the fireplace.
The living room had soft carpets and cozy sofas, and the master bedroom boasted a large bed. All the furniture in the room had been purchased with the help of Aberforth.
The house-elf then used magic to store the furniture in Albert's enchanted trunk, bringing it directly from the warehouse to the inn.
Now, Albert was attempting to perform a space-folding technique to hide another layer of the room.
It was like having two layers, and only those granted permission could enter the actual house.
After all, making the house disappear into thin air would be highly suspicious, and even with camouflage, it wouldn't escape the notice of powerful wizards.
So, Albert intended to use the Fidelius Charm to completely hide the other part of the room. Then, he would have the house-elf live in the outer layer for a few days to create the impression that someone was living there.
However, this was a massive undertaking, and Albert was grateful not to be working alone. Otherwise, he didn't know how much time it would take to complete the task.
(End of Chapter)
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