https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-825-A-Familiar-Face-Percy-Returns/12539535/
Chapter 826: A New Target, Grindelwald
Chapter 826: A New Target, Grindelwald
With Percy's return, the Burrow was lively once more. Mrs. Weasley seemed to have a weight lifted from her shoulders, and her entire demeanor had changed for the better.
That day, she prepared a sumptuous dinner and enthusiastically invited Kyle to join them at the Burrow.
Chris was still away at the Hebrides, which was to be expected. Anything involving dragons was no small matter, and with Newt gone as well, it was clear that the situation wouldn't be resolved in a day or two.
Unless something unexpected happened, Chris would likely be staying at the Hebrides for an extended period. While Kyle offered to help pass the time, he hadn't received an invitation, and showing up unannounced would likely be considered trespassing.
After all, places that bred dragons usually had dragon eggs and hatchlings, and to protect them from theft, strangers were generally not allowed to wander in freely.
That was the case with the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary.
Especially now that the situation with the black dragon was uncertain, everyone at the Hebrides was on edge. Going there rashly could potentially lead to unnecessary conflicts, and it wouldn't be good for anyone to get hurt.
So, after some hesitation, Kyle abandoned the idea.
And Chris wasn't wrong about one thing—with him and Newt there, it seemed Kyle couldn't be of much help anyway. It would be better to spend this time resting at home and preparing for future endeavors.
...
At seven in the evening, Kyle arrived at the Burrow as promised. Mr. Weasley was also there, having managed to leave work at a reasonable hour for once and making it home on time.
Fred and George were present as well, despite their noisy protests in the afternoon about not wanting to participate in any celebrations for Percy's return.
The twins were wearing their dragon-hide jackets from the shop's opening, and it seemed they had even made an effort to dress up. George's hair was slick, as though it had been licked by Fluffy the three-headed dog.
Fred had a distinctive fragrance about him, likely from one of Mrs. Weasley's skin-soothing potions. This particular product was usually favored by witches, and the likes of Connor, Autumn, and Ginny were loyal customers.
Kyle teased the twins with a glance but said nothing.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Fred said, catching Kyle's look. "We simply couldn't find anything more outdated than these jackets."
"No explanation needed, I understand," Kyle said, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Percy is your brother, after all. It's only natural, and you shouldn't feel embarrassed about it."
With that, Kyle turned and made his way into the Burrow.
"What does he understand?" Fred asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I think he misunderstood," George said. "If we'd known, we wouldn't have spent so much time experimenting with the Exploding Cream earlier. We rushed over here as soon as we could, and didn't even have time to change."
"Yeah..." Fred tugged at his clothes and whispered, "Do you think that if we explain to him now that we're wearing these dragon-hide jackets to protect ourselves from the exploding pods, he'll believe us?"
"Most likely not," George sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Oh, this goo is annoying. I still haven't managed to wash it all out..."
"Let's just wash up again later," Fred said. "For now, we'd better hurry inside. If we're late, Mum will nag us for ages."
"That's our only option, then."
The twins quickly made their way into the Burrow.
Even though Ron and Ginny were absent, Bill and Charlie were back, so the Burrow still felt cozy and crowded. Kyle sat next to Charlie, watching as Mrs. Weasley happily served stew to everyone and Fred and George heckled Percy good-naturedly.
At eight o'clock, Kyle bid them goodbye and returned home.
Chris didn't return for several days after that.
The Prophet had also taken note of the changes at the Hebrides, reporting that Muggles had spotted not one but several dragons in the vicinity. Fortunately, members of the Ministry's Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau had arrived in time to modify the Muggles' memories, or the story might have spread throughout the Muggle world.
No, it had spread, but few believed it, and with the witnesses themselves forgetting the incident, people soon dismissed it as a publicity stunt, and interest in the story waned.
Now, members of the Ministry's Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau were stationed nearby, ready to deal with any emergencies.
Thankfully, the dragons seemed to have calmed down and were no longer attempting to escape.
Chris' stay at the Hebrides ended up being much longer than anticipated, and it was only after another half month that he returned, looking utterly exhausted.
He explained to Kyle that the reason for the black dragon's rampage was that some wizard—most likely Voldemort and his Death Eaters—had blown up the highest cliff on the southern side of the Hebrides.
"It's just a cliff, what's the big deal?" Kyle asked, perplexed.
Cliffs were a common sight in the Hebrides, and it wasn't like they had destroyed dragon eggs or nests. Why would the dragons be so furious about it?
As far as Kyle knew, the black dragons of the Hebrides hadn't left that place in two centuries. Any conflicts had always been resolved within the islands, but now they seemed intent on finding the perpetrators...
"The cliff itself isn't important," Chris said, "but what if that was the place where they chose their leader?"
"Have you found out who did it?" he asked.
"If only we could," Chris shook his head. "But not many wizards can cast a spell powerful enough to destroy a cliff. We suspect it was Grindelwald, or perhaps a group of Death Eaters working together, capable of causing such massive destruction."
"Grindelwald?" Kyle was even more confused. "Hasn't he been lying low? Why would he suddenly show up to cause trouble in the Hebrides, and what benefit does he get from angering the dragons?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out," Chris poured himself a glass of whiskey. "Maybe he wanted to create chaos for us. If it weren't for Newt calming the strongest Black Dragon with Hungarian Horntails, the nearby towns would be in chaos by now."
"In that case, even if the Ministry wizards worked together, they wouldn't be able to modify the memories of all the Muggles in time."
Hungarian Horntails...
Calm them down?
Kyle couldn't fathom how those two things connected. As the most temperamental breed of fire dragon, Hungarian Horntails were never known for their docility, especially towards other fire dragons. They would lash out with their tails at the first sign of another dragon, and even that was considered a mild reaction.
If Kyle guessed correctly, Newt must have physically subdued the strongest Black Dragon, forcing it into submission and thereby calming the rest.
"He sure knows how to stir up trouble," Kyle muttered. "Are you sure it was the Death Eaters?"
"It's just a guess," Chris said. "But we found traces of Dark Magic and signs of Fiendfyre nearby, so it's likely their doing."
Kyle mumbled under his breath. He had to admit that if Voldemort's plan had succeeded, it would have been a real headache for the Ministry.
No wonder they had been so quiet lately. He never expected them to be lying in wait here... But to be fair, if not for this incident, he wouldn't have guessed Voldemort's true intention.
Inspiring the dragons to riot—it took a twisted mind to come up with such a plan.
After finishing his whiskey, Chris devoured an entire plate of sandwiches and two roasted sausages before dragging his exhausted body back to his room.
Time passed, and as October arrived, the weather turned colder. Finally, Kyle received an owl from Nico.
However, to his disappointment, the owl didn't bring the repaired Time-Turner; instead, it delivered a mirror.
A two-way mirror.
As soon as Kyle picked it up, Nico's face appeared in the mirror.
"How have you been?" he asked with a smile.
"Not bad, just a bit anxious waiting," Kyle placed the mirror on the table. "When I first saw the owl, I thought the Time-Turner was finally fixed."
"Be patient," Nico said. "It's not an easy device to repair. By the way, have you been taking the potion I gave you?"
"Of course, I haven't forgotten," Kyle took out the bottle containing the 'raspberry juice.' "I've been meaning to ask, what exactly is this stuff for?"
"To protect you from temporal interference," Nico explained. "Albus mentioned that the last time you used a Time-Turner, your mind was confused for a while, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded.
It must have been during his third year, when the Slytherin common room was petrified, and he had unknowingly traveled back in time by a few months.
During that period, he had done many strange things, like keeping the knowledge of the Basilisk to himself. Normally, he would have confided in Dumbledore, but at the time, he just didn't want to.
Later, Rowena Ravenclaw explained that she had cast a spell that influenced his behavior due to the temporal interference he experienced.
It was a complicated matter, but essentially, Ravenclaw had cast an unknown spell in Hogwarts that only affected those who had traveled through time, and the effect only manifested if the time traveled exceeded two months. Regular Time-Turners that only went back a day or two didn't need to worry about this issue.
In other words, it was a spell specifically targeting Kyle.
"But that was many years ago. What does it have to do with the present?" Kyle asked.
"When there are two versions of yourself in the same timeline, your mind becomes unstable," Nico explained. "That's why many wizards are reluctant to use Time-Turners. This potion is the solution. If you take it consistently for a month, you'll no longer be affected.
"Since you're going to rescue Albus, you need to ensure your mind is clear and focused. Even when I finish repairing the Time-Turner, I'll have to wait a month before giving it to you.
"So, you're telling me this is the reason for this meeting?"
"Didn't you ask me about it?"
"Oh? Sorry, I forgot."
"It's alright, it's understandable." Nico said with a smile, "The reason I called you here is that I forgot to mention something before."
"What is it?"
"You need to go to another place." Nico said, "When you go back in time, your first priority will be to find Albus, right?"
"Yes, is there a problem?"
"Do you know where he is?" Nico asked.
Kyle hesitated.
To be honest, he really didn't know.
The only thing he knew was that Dumbledore's family used to live in Godric's Hollow, next to Bathilda Bagshot.
But that was also where the younger Dumbledore would appear, and the one he needed to find was the Dumbledore from the past.
"It seems you've realized that too." Nico trembled as he brought over a thick book, "So before that, you need to find someone, someone who can tell you where Albus might be hiding."
"Who should I find...?" Professor McGonagall should know, right?"
"She doesn't know, or rather, besides one person, no one else knows."
"Who is that person?"
"Grindelwald. Perhaps you've heard the name."
Kyle fell silent for a moment, "I've heard of him. Sixty years ago, he was Professor Dumbledore's greatest rival."
"And his best friend." Nico said softly, "Although I hate to admit it, they did share a deep friendship when they were young, and they understood each other's hearts. Even now, that friendship hasn't faded, it's just hidden away in the deepest recesses of their hearts.
"If anyone could guess where Albus might appear in the past, it would be Grindelwald."
"Am I supposed to go see him?" Kyle asked, his voice rising in spite of himself.
He didn't want to meet Grindelwald, the dark wizard who had almost overturned all of Europe. That man was too formidable, and Kyle had even heard that when Grindelwald was imprisoned, he was kept completely isolated.
People were afraid that the guards would fall under his influence and defect; his abilities in certain areas were even more terrifying than his magic.
If given a choice, Kyle would rather face Voldemort, or at least the Voldemort after obtaining the Horcruxes.
When he was still Tom Riddle, he wasn't that different from Grindelwald, able to make people around him willingly offer their loyalty.
It was just that their paths diverged later, with Tom choosing power and immortality, and giving up some other things.
"Do I have to go?" Kyle sounded reluctant.
"Not necessarily." Nico said, "If you're willing to take the time to search slowly, you can skip it, but as for how long it will take, I can't guarantee anything."
"Then what if I create a disturbance to make Professor Dumbledore notice me?" Kyle asked, "He should recognize me, right?"
"That's one way." Nico nodded, "But can you guarantee that Dumbledore, upon seeing Ariana, will still have the heart to pay attention to other things?"
Kyle fell silent.
To be honest, he really couldn't guarantee that.
Dumbledore had blamed himself for Ariana's tragedy for a century, and upon seeing her again, his mind might not have room for anything else.
"Alright, I'll go." Kyle sighed.
"Don't worry so much." Nico laughed, "You're going to save Dumbledore, he won't do anything to you, and he'll even help you with all his might. I guarantee it."
"I hope so." Kyle shook his head and stood up, "Then I'll be off now."
"Where are you going?"
"Of course, to Nurmengard. Isn't that where Grindelwald is imprisoned?"
"Do you know where Nurmengard is?"
"It should be in Austria, I think I saw it in a book."
"But that book definitely didn't have the specific location, or do you think Nurmengard is just a tower built randomly by the roadside for anyone to visit?"
Kyle paused, then sat down again, "Nico, since you're saying this, you must know how to get there, right?"
"As a matter of fact, I was involved in the construction of Nurmengard." Nico blinked and opened the book on the table, "Let me see where it is... Ah, here it is."
He stood the book up, aligning it with the mirror.
Kyle immediately leaned in.
He saw an old, faded photo of a round tower made of stones, somewhat resembling an oversized chimney.
There was also a line of text below the photo, and Kyle stared at it intently, trying to commit it to memory.
A few seconds later, Nico closed the book.
"Wait, I haven't memorized it yet."
"That's enough." Nico said, "Go now, and by the time you get back, the Time-Turner should be fixed."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
