Chapter 768: Boggart in a Box
Chapter 768: Boggart in a Box
"Who sent you another prank package?"
Why 'another'? This wasn't Albert's first encounter with such a situation.
Lee Jordan eyed the package in front of him, still trembling slightly, with great interest, curious about what was inside.
"Should we open it and see what's inside?" Fred's interest was instantly piqued.
"Mrs. Pince is over there," George frowned in reminder. "Do you want to get kicked out of the library?"
"Wasn't there also a letter?" Albert inquired of Kenneth.
"Yes, there is. Here it is," Kenneth passed the envelope across the table to Albert.
"Wait a moment, let me read the letter first."
Albert took the letter, glanced at the sender's name, then stood up and walked to a secluded corner near the window. The sender was surprisingly Mundungus Fletcher.
Mundungus?
Albert was surprised that the petty thief would suddenly send him a package. He hadn't procured anything from him recently.
"Could it be...?"
Albert pondered for a moment, guessing at a possibility.
Mundungus Fletcher had gotten him a Boggart and sent it directly through the mail.
However, this possibility seemed unlikely.
After all, Albert hadn't paid Mundungus yet, and he didn't believe that someone as crafty as Mundungus would willingly do business at a loss.
Albert opened the envelope and glanced at the letter inside, his expression becoming very odd. Indeed, he had guessed correctly—there was a Boggart inside the package.
Albert realized he had underestimated Mundungus' cunning. This guy had sent the item before receiving payment.
It was clearly a forced sale, and he was even charging fifty Galleons.
Come to think of it, why wasn't he worried that Albert would find an excuse to skip out on the Galleons?
For instance, claiming that he only received the letter but not the package.
Or that the package had been detained by the school.
Perhaps, in Mundungus' eyes, it was just an unwanted Boggart, and even if Albert reneged on the deal, there wouldn't be much loss.
What Albert didn't know was that the Boggart sent to him was one that Mundungus Fletcher had found in a cabinet at home.
So, even if Albert didn't pay, he wouldn't lose anything. Moreover, Mundungus didn't think Albert would deliberately welch on the deal.
Albert didn't plan to renege, but he also didn't intend to pay Mundungus' asking price.
Fifty Galleons?
Were they trying to fleece him? In any case, Albert only intended to pay ten Galleons.
He would pay up the next time he went to Hogsmeade.
If Mundungus wasn't willing to accept this price, he could just return the goods. As for the Boggart, Albert planned to use it first since he wasn't losing out anyway.
A faint flame suddenly ignited on the letter, quickly turning the envelope and letter into a pile of ash that drifted away with the breeze.
Albert turned away from the window and said to the others, "Don't open that package here."
However, it seemed to be too late.
Someone had already opened the package, and inside was a small wooden box with a tiny lock, seemingly to keep the terrifying monster inside. But Fred had already used an unlocking charm to open it.
As soon as the lock was undone, the box lid was flung open by a tremendous force, and a loud crash echoed through the library.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Albert suddenly appeared on the table, startling everyone nearby.
Whether it was due to being caught off guard or out of curiosity about what the Boggart-turned-Albert would say, the library suddenly fell into an eerie silence, as if everyone had stopped breathing.
"Sorry, I've been lying to you all."
Albert on the table bent down in a strange manner, looking down at the bewildered Fred. "I never intended to prank the school with you, nor do I have that many Galleons to waste on such a boring thing..."
Everyone stared in astonishment at the scene, feeling both bizarre and amused.
Murmurs filled the air as some ill-intentioned individuals speculated that the O.W.L.S. exams must have been too much pressure, driving the brilliant student of Hogwarts mad.
Other students shifted their shocked gazes between the two Alberts, utterly confused about what was happening.
Why were there two Alberts?
The Albert standing on the table continued his verbal assault on Fred, his head inching closer and closer, backing Fred up from his chair. Just then, the Albert on the table seemed to lose his balance or misstepped, and he toppled right off the table.
This comical scene left everyone stunned once more.
"Are you alright?!"
Ron was startled by the noise of Albert falling off the table and was about to lend a hand when he heard a crack beside his ear.
As everyone watched in shock, Albert suddenly transformed into a gigantic spider. This monstrous spider was a full six feet tall, covered in hair, and it sent everyone nearby scurrying backward in terror.
Even Harry, known for his bravery, was stunned into silence, and Hermione nearly tripped over a chair as she backed away.
However, the most terrified of all was Ron, who now found himself under the towering spider's gaze. His face had gone deathly pale, and he looked as though he might pass out at any moment.
In fact, passing out might have been a blessing.
The giant spider lunged towards Ron, appearing to attack him.
"Ahh!"
Ron's scream echoed throughout the library.
The moment the giant spider pounced on him, Ron nearly went into shock.
But he didn't faint, and he could only stare in sheer terror as the giant pincers clicked and clacked their way closer, feeling the fear of being torn to shreds by the spider.
Screams rang out one after another as unsuspecting students were horrified by the scene.
Madame Pince rushed over and, seeing the giant spider attacking Ron, she was startled. Just as she drew her wand to rescue the student from the spider's mouth, someone else was faster.
"Hey, over here!"
Albert threw a book at the giant spider, successfully diverting its attention, and then stepped in front of it.
The next second, the giant spider vanished in front of everyone's eyes, replaced by a book floating in mid-air.
"Riddikulus! Riddikulus!"
The book, titled 'Harry Potter', devoured itself, and Albert then contained it back into the wooden box.
The crisis was averted.
No one was harmed.
Everyone was a little dazed, unsure of what had just happened.
However, they soon snapped back to reality, especially when they heard Albert cast 'Riddikulus'. They realized that the Albert they had seen earlier, and the giant spider, were both manifestations of a Boggart?
"Sorry, someone sent me a Boggart by mail, and someone else opened the package," Albert apologized as he grabbed the still-shaking wooden box and hurried out of the library before Madame Pince could unleash her fury.
Madame Pince came to her senses, and her wrinkled face twisted in anger. She shrieked, "What in the blazes are you lot up to!"
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan averted their eyes, feigning innocence.
"Disturbing the peace of the library! Out, out, out!"
Madame Pince brandished her wand, causing their backpacks, textbooks, and ink bottles to relentlessly batter their heads, driving them out of the library.
Pretending to be innocent was futile.
"Damn it... Albert ran off without even warning us," George grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head.
They rushed out of the library, still shielding their heads from the flying objects.
"Who told you to open the package?" George complained.
"Aren't you the curious one yourself?" Fred and George almost came to blows.
"Speaking of which, what you fear is quite interesting," Kenneth added, finding Fred's fear of Albert turning into a Boggart amusing.
"Shut up, it's your fault for bringing the package to the library in the first place," Fred shot back.
The three glared at Kenneth, as if it were all his fault.
"Who told you to open it?" Kenneth retorted defiantly. Unfortunately, he couldn't win against the three of them.
"Would you guys get rid of the annoying things following us first?" Angelina couldn't help but complain; they were truly victims of circumstance.
As they turned the corner, they saw Albert holding the wooden box and raising his wand. The objects that had been chasing them stopped and slowly fell to the ground.
"By the way, who did you offend to have them send you a Boggart?" Hannah asked as she picked up the fallen objects.
After Kenneth left, Albert whispered, "I didn't offend anyone. I bought this myself."
"You bought it?"
Everyone stared at Albert in disbelief, never imagining that someone could actually buy a Boggart; it was a sight they never thought they'd see.
"Yes, I didn't expect them to send it directly. I haven't even paid for it yet," Albert explained helplessly.
"Why did you buy it?"
"I plan to use it for training," Albert explained, "Learning how to deal with a Boggart is also a popular practical exam topic for O.W.L.S., so I thought I'd use it for our next meeting's practice, and also to train our Patronuses."
"Remember to keep it confidential, don't let it get out," Albert reminded them.
"We know."
Everyone nodded, understanding the efforts Albert had put into the Defense Association.
(End of Chapter)
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