Chapter 825: A Familiar Face, Percy Returns
Chapter 825: A Familiar Face, Percy Returns
An Unspeakable, by the very nature of their name, ought to be serious and stoic, or so Kyle imagined—the type to be all business and no idle chatter. Take Diana, for instance; she was far more meticulous and solemn when she was at the Department of Mysteries than she ever was at home.
But this Unspeakable before him now, Kyle couldn't shake the feeling that she was enjoying his predicament, as if she took pleasure in watching Fred and George make a mess and did nothing to help, instead choosing to stand by and relish their misfortune.
He rubbed his forehead.
How to put it? This Unspeakable was just a tad too lively and not as uptight as he had imagined.
However, whether she was uptight or not was the least of Kyle's concerns at the moment. He took a couple of steps forward and said, "I have something I'd like to request..."
"Sure," the Unspeakable nodded before he could finish his sentence.
"What?" Kyle was taken aback.
"You want me to pass on a message to Diana, right?" the Unspeakable said.
"You know?" Kyle asked, perplexed. "Did you overhear our previous conversation?"
"No, and there was no need to," the Unspeakable shook her head. "Normally, you should be at Hogwarts at this time, but here you are at the Department of Mysteries. Aside from looking for Diana, what other purpose could you have?"
"Well, that's true..." Kyle blurted out before catching himself. "Wait, how do you know I was at Hogwarts?"
The fact that he had been impersonating Dumbledore at the school was something that couldn't be revealed to others, and so he had kept his visits to Hogwarts strictly confidential. Aside from himself and a handful of professors, no one else should have been aware of his trips to the school.
He had let his guard down and inadvertently admitted as much.
Kyle shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
"Are you confused?" The Unspeakable glanced at him. "Or do you think Albus using a Time-Turner could be kept hidden from the Department of Mysteries? It was a hundred years, an enormous span of time. The mist in the Time Room almost overflowed. If the Department hadn't noticed anything, we might as well shut down our operations."
"Uh..." Kyle was at a loss for words.
He had almost forgotten that the Department of Mysteries dealt with abstract concepts like time and space. Any use of a Time-Turner would surely be detected by them.
"Godric's Hollow, the drawing room of Mrs. Bathilda Bagshot. Am I right?" the Unspeakable continued. "After you used the Time-Turner, we immediately launched an investigation there. Although there were quite a few people around at the time, it didn't take much to deduce that you were involved in what happened there."
"Why?" Kyle asked. "Why only me?"
"Because of the phoenix," the Unspeakable explained patiently. "Phoenixes are unique magical creatures that not everyone can get close to. The fact that you had one with you said it all. Any other questions?"
"So, you've been tracking me ever since?" he asked.
"Not exactly," the Unspeakable said. "Tracking sounds too harsh. After all, you're also Diana's family. We merely paid extra attention to your movements and discovered that on September 1st, you went to King's Cross Station to see someone off to school... that someone being Harry Potter.
"But you weren't among those who returned, leading us to deduce that you had also taken the train to Hogwarts."
"Couldn't I have left early using Disapparition?" Kyle asked.
Then he noticed the strange look the Unspeakable was giving him.
"Okay, that was a dumb thing to say," Kyle admitted, feeling embarrassed.
The Ministry of Magic could detect the traces of Disapparition, and if the Department of Mysteries had been observing him, they would surely have been prepared for that possibility.
"It's alright, I understand," the Unspeakable said with a smile, or at least what she probably thought was a smile. "As for what happened after that, I assume there's no need for me to explain. You went to Hogwarts, and then Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, appeared at the start-of-term feast."
"No need," Kyle shook his head. "So, you also know why I came to the Department of Mysteries this time, don't you? If you've been observing me, you must be aware that I went to France and what I experienced there."
"Actually... we have no idea," the Unspeakable emphasized. "I must reiterate that we didn't track you. We're merely making an educated guess based on your itinerary and the subsequent events. Diana knows you too well, and it wasn't difficult for us to figure it out."
Diana? Kyle twitched his lips.
If it was his mother, then indeed, everything made sense.
"And the fact that you went to Beauxbatons, a place even we find difficult to infiltrate, naturally means we wouldn't know what you experienced there."
"But..." her tone shifted, "according to Diana's speculation, your visit to the Department of Mysteries is likely because you realized Albus Dumbledore is trapped in the past, and you want to rescue him."
"Yes," Kyle nodded in affirmation. "I want to know what I should do."
"It's best if you do nothing," the Unspeakable said. "Just leave this matter to others, and you won't have any more worries.
"In that case, the best course of action is to do nothing and let things unfold naturally." The Unspeakable paused. "Just let it be."
"Do nothing?" Kyle pondered. "Is that what my mom thinks as well?"
"Most likely. You should understand that she would never agree to you using a Time-Turner, and while I could relay your message, the answer would most likely be the same."
"Thanks, but no need." Kyle shook his head and turned to leave.
But soon he stopped and turned back, asking, "Do I know you?"
"You could say we're acquainted," the other person replied.
"Who are you?"
This time, the Unspeakable didn't answer. She simply reached out and opened the black door that had suddenly appeared.
As she stepped inside, she said lightly, "You'll find out, but not now."
The door closed, merging once again with the wall, disappearing from Kyle's view.
He called out a couple of times, but there was no response.
"What a strange person," Kyle muttered to himself.
He made his way up the staircase, returning to the bustling atrium, his thoughts still on the Unspeakable's words, trying to match her figure with someone familiar from his memories.
But no matter how long he thought about it, he couldn't pinpoint who she might be; none of the people in his memories seemed to fit.
As Kyle pondered, he made his way through the bustling atrium and into the fireplace corridor.
He hadn't stayed in the ninth-floor office for more than an hour, and during this time, it was unlikely that Chris would have returned from the Hebridean Islands.
So Kyle didn't bother looking for him and instead used the fireplace to return directly to his humble abode.
...
"Fred, George, keep it down, will you?"
"Charlie, could you get me a cushion? This chair is too hard."
"Mom, you've already put two cushions there. Why can't he just stay at St. Mungo's?"
"Yeah, who knows, he might even write an exciting report about the softness of the beds there."
"Even more exciting than the report about the crucible bottom."
"You're ruining his future prospects..."
...
The humble house was filled with voices, a chaotic din.
As Kyle jumped out of the fireplace, everyone subconsciously looked over.
"Sorry to interrupt... Oh, Percy, when did you get back?" Kyle exclaimed, noticing the thin figure sitting in the middle.
Percy Weasley had also been affected during the Death Eater's attack on the Ministry of Magic. He had been struck by the Cruciatus Curse and the Imperius Curse and was sent to St. Mungo's for treatment.
Who would've thought he'd be discharged so soon?
"Just now, about half an hour ago. Mom came to pick me up," Percy said weakly.
"Why didn't you stay a few more days?" Kyle walked over and noticed that Percy's face was still pale, his red hair dull and lifeless.
"I know the head healer there, so you don't have to worry about my condition."
"There's no way to rest in a place like that." Percy shook his head. "There are too many people, and the person next to me was affected by some strange Dark magic. He kept thinking he was a snake and would crawl around the room at random times. Yesterday evening, he even broke free from the healer's restraints and crawled onto me, trying to swallow me whole."
At this memory, Percy shuddered involuntarily.
Fred and George, on the other hand, were laughing so hard they were leaning on the table for support, tears streaming from Fred's eyes. "That guy started swallowing Percy's feet first!"
"I bet he'll never dare to eat anything randomly again," George added, holding his stomach.
"Would you two cut it out!" Mrs. Weasley tried to maintain a stern expression, but it looked like she was about to break into laughter as well.
"Anyway, we should thank that person." She placed a plate of candies on the table. "If it weren't for him, Percy wouldn't have recovered so quickly."
"I bet Percy doesn't feel like thanking him," Fred said, raising an eyebrow.
And indeed, Percy didn't feel grateful in the slightest.
Waking up to see someone trying to swallow his leg was something that would likely haunt him for the rest of his life... an even bigger psychological shadow than the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses combined.
This was precisely why Percy had hurriedly asked Bill, who was guarding his room, to have his mother discharge him from the hospital.
"In that case, I'll contact Healer Sasiah and get Percy moved to a different room," Kyle offered. "St. Mungo's is the best place for treating Unforgivable Curses."
"Thanks for the thought, Kyle, but it's really not necessary," Percy replied.
At that moment, Mrs. Weasley walked over and placed a plate of candies on the table. "When I went to pick him up earlier, I asked the healers about his condition. They said that as long as he woke up, he'd be fine, and it would be better for him to rest at home than at St. Mungo's."
"Yeah, I feel much better now that I'm back here," Percy nodded in agreement.
"Hey, who the heck are you!" Fred suddenly shouted, startling everyone in the room.
Mrs. Weasley, startled, rolled up her sleeves and marched forward, intending to twist their ears.
Fred quickly dodged his mother's hand, saying seriously, "Mom, you've been fooled. Percy wouldn't say something like 'it's comfortable to live in this shack'."
"Yeah, he said this place made him feel suffocated, and he'd never come back here again!" George chimed in.
Mrs. Weasley paused, her expression complicated.
Indeed, Percy had said those words back when Voldemort had not yet revealed himself, and the Ministry was denying his return.
Percy had stubbornly stood by Fudge, even going as far as to turn his back on his family. After that, he never returned.
Even when Fudge later changed his tune and Voldemort made his grand entrance, Percy had only apologized but continued to avoid the rest of the Weasley family, let alone return home.
An awkward silence filled the shack, and Kyle didn't know what to say to ease the tension.
Moreover, this was the Weasley family's matter, and he felt that whatever he said would be inappropriate.
Feeling embarrassed, Kyle wanted to do something to distract himself. He carefully picked up a Hairy Tootsie Roll, slowly unwrapped the packaging, and tried to make as little noise as possible.
Just as he finished unwrapping it, a sturdy arm reached over and snatched the candy away.
Charlie glanced back at Kyle and popped the candy into his mouth.
It was clear that he also felt a bit awkward.
Although he was a Weasley, Charlie had been in Romania when Percy had his falling out with the family. After he returned, the others rarely mentioned Percy.
He, too, didn't know what to say at this moment.
"I'm sorry."
After a long while, Percy finally spoke up, "I don't know what came over me back then. Maybe it was my ridiculous pride. Even though I knew I was wrong, I didn't know how to face you and Dad... So I thought that as long as I didn't see you, I could pretend that nothing had happened...
"But I know I was wrong, and I'm sorry. If it's possible... I want to come back, to be a part of this family again. Is that alright?"
Percy anxiously looked at Mrs. Weasley, his hands tightly clasped together.
"Don't talk nonsense." Mrs. Weasley's eyes immediately reddened, and she hugged Percy tightly, "You're a part of this family, and you can come back whenever you want."
"Is that it?" Fred pouted, dissatisfied. "Just an apology, and all the horrible things he did are forgiven?"
"And you two." Percy turned to face them, and despite his weakened state, he stood up shakily. "I apologize for my past actions. If you want to get back at me, go ahead. Just let me stay here, even if it's in the attic."
Percy then bent down, just like he had done at the Quidditch World Cup when he saw Barty Crouch, lowering himself so much that his glasses fell off onto the table.
"You... Don't think that you can be forgiven just because you said that." Fred, who had been indignant a moment ago, suddenly found himself at a loss for words. He looked at Percy and then averted his gaze.
George was the same; both of them seemed unable to process Percy's drastic change, their expressions awkward.
"It's incredible that you can even say that." George threw his wand onto the chair beside him.
The wand hit the chair and turned into a black line cod with a plop.
"I'm starting to wonder if you really are Percy." Fred said, "The Percy we know would never apologize to his younger brothers."
"He would only say: Fred, George, can you two keep it down? I can't concentrate on my studies."
"And tattle on us to Mom."
"You can check, by any means necessary, if you don't believe me." Percy said.
"Don't say that, dear." Mrs. Weasley rubbed her eyes, "I trust the healers at St. Mungo's. The fact that they let you come back proves that you're definitely fine."
"Of course, we'll do that."
George grabbed a candy, ripped open the wrapper and stuffed it into his mouth, "But the attic is out of the question. If we really let you stay there, Mom would kill us."
The two of them seemed unable to adapt to this situation, or perhaps they hadn't expected Percy to change so much. Leaving behind the words "We're heading back to the shop," they hurriedly left.
The shack's front door opened and then closed.
"I don't think I've been to your place before." Charlie suddenly turned to Kyle and asked.
"You haven't been there since you graduated." Kyle said.
"Has it been that long? How's Tom doing?" Charlie asked. "The Kneazle you used to have."
"He's doing well, he's put on quite a few pounds, but Dad insists that it's just his fur getting longer."
"I quite like Kneazles, they're smart little creatures, and much easier to deal with than a Firebolt. Can you take me to see him?"
"Of course." Kyle stood up and left the shack with Charlie.
...
(End of Chapter)
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