Chapter 831: An Unusual Mode of Transportation
Chapter 831: An Unusual Mode of Transportation
In the evening, at the British Ministry of Magic...
Fred and George, exhausted from a long day's work, rode the elevator down to the lobby, grumbling about Kyle under their breath as they prepared to return to St. Kachibor Village.
"Mr. Weasley..." a slow, drawling voice called out, causing the twins to turn instinctively.
"Bob, what is it?" Fred asked. "Do you have some interesting news to share with us?"
"We're all ears," George added.
Bob, the receptionist in the Ministry's lobby, was responsible for guiding first-time visitors to the Ministry to their desired locations. Due to the nature of his work, he often had access to the latest gossip and scoops, which was why Fred and George maintained a friendly relationship with him.
"Any juicy stories lately? I'm so bored I'm considering a career change," Bob sighed.
"Why don't you come work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?" Fred suggested eagerly. "We can pull some strings and get you transferred there easily."
"Yeah, the pay is much better than what you're earning here," George chimed in.
"The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?" Bob shuddered as if a chilling thought had crossed his mind. "Never mind, I think I prefer being bored. At least I have time to pursue my own interests. Unlike you two, who are busy from dawn till dusk..." He trailed off, clearly not wanting to dwell on unpleasant topics.
Changing the subject, he continued, "By the way, a letter arrived for you."
He placed a plump envelope on the table.
"It was delivered by a foreign owl. Since you weren't here, I took the liberty of accepting it on your behalf."
"A letter for us..."
"...from a foreign owl?"
Fred was taken aback. "From where? Who sent it?"
"Austria," Bob replied. "It's from Kyle. To be honest, his letter makes me want to visit Austria too. I've heard that their Diagon Alley is filled with all sorts of wonderful music."
Bob spoke with enthusiasm, but Fred and George were utterly bewildered.
A letter from Kyle in Austria? How was that possible?
Kyle had been at home just yesterday. How could he have suddenly disappeared without a word and sent them a letter from Austria?
Despite their skepticism, urged on by Bob's curiosity, the twins stepped forward and took the envelope into their hands. They had assumed it was a prank, perhaps containing a Screaming Yo-Yo or some other mischievous item.
But then they saw the signature on the envelope.
It was indeed Kyle's name, and the handwriting was unmistakably his.
The twins were more perplexed than ever.
"Is Kyle really in Austria?" Fred asked.
"Let's go check his place. If he's there, then someone is playing a trick on us," George suggested.
"Makes sense," Fred agreed.
Without further ado, they bid Bob farewell and hurried back to St. Kachibor Village.
They first arrived at Kyle's doorstep and knocked loudly for a good while, but there was no response from within, only an annoyed howl from Crookshanks, as if he was telling them to keep the noise down.
"Do you think he really went to Austria?"
"It's possible," George mused. "Now that I think about it, there's a small mark on the envelope that only we would recognize. It's unlikely to be a forgery."
"Then let's go check it out," Fred said.
With that, the twins turned and headed back to their humble abode.
"You're just in time for dinner," Mrs. Weasley said as she emerged from the kitchen, carrying a stew pot.
"Hold on, Mum," Fred said, placing the envelope on the table.
"What's this?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Don't know," George replied. "It's from Kyle, sent from Austria."
"Kyle..." Mrs. Weasley paused, equally surprised. "I thought he was at home."
"We just checked, and he's not there," George said, picking up the envelope.
The letter had been sealed with magic and required a password to open. But that was no obstacle for George.
"Speaking of passwords..." George smiled slightly. "Fred, what was the first thing that came to your mind?"
"Well, of course," Fred smiled back. "It has to be the one we're most familiar with."
"Yeah, it brings back memories," George sighed. "It feels like ages since we last used it."
"We haven't had the need to..."
"What are you two going on about?" Charlie interrupted, sounding confused. "If you know the password, just open the letter already."
The twins ignored him and continued to exchange glances.
"Together?"
"No problem."
They pointed their wands at the envelope simultaneously.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," they said in unison.
The seal glowed, and the envelope opened by itself.
Everyone leaned in curiously to see what was inside.
Instead of a piece of parchment, there was a box that had been shrunk several times in size...
Or perhaps the envelope had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, making the box appear smaller. As soon as the box was removed from the envelope, it returned to its original size.
"This is Kyle's box!" Fred exclaimed. "How did it end up here..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the box's latch popped open on its own.
Then, to everyone's bewilderment, Kyle pushed open the lid and climbed out of the box.
"Finally, I've arrived," he said, stretching his arms. "That took longer than expected. Oh, Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Bill...why are you all making those faces?"
"Maybe you should explain why you're in there first," Fred said, looking at Kyle and then at the envelope. "What's going on here?"
"As you can see, I've found myself a rather unique mode of transportation," Kyle replied.
"It's quite convenient, isn't it?" Kyle laughed. "While owls aren't the fastest mode of transportation, they aren't tracked by the Ministry of Magic, ensuring a smooth journey. Without an illegal Portkey, there's no better way to travel."
Kyle explained cheerfully. "All you need is a box and an Undetectable Extension Charm on the envelope, and you can travel safely, quickly, and conveniently. If only Newt had thought of this, he might not have had to buy illegal Portkeys all the time."
"So, how did you manage to get yourself into the envelope?" Percy asked curiously.
"That's simple," Kyle replied. "Just get an owl to push you in; they're smart enough to handle it."
Kyle gently pushed a plate on the table, and despite it being much larger than the envelope, it slid effortlessly inside due to the Undetectable Extension Charm.
"What about sealing the envelope?"
"That can be done from the inside."
Percy pursed his lips and muttered, "I never thought about using the Undetectable Extension Charm like this. It's a loophole that someone with ill intentions could exploit."
"Of course, I'm not saying you have ill intentions," he quickly added, seeing Kyle's reaction. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Don't worry about it," Kyle waved his hand dismissively, unbothered.
"Actually, executing this plan isn't as easy as it seems," Bill mused. "Casting an Undetectable Extension Charm on a fragile envelope is probably beyond the capability of most wizards... Additionally, you'd need a large enough box to accommodate your body while you're inside the envelope."
"Let's put that aside for now," George said, fixing his gaze on Kyle. "Why did you suddenly go to Austria?"
Now that he mentioned it...
Fred and George's curiosity piqued, and they, too, turned expectant eyes on Kyle.
"Regarding that..." Kyle hesitated, "I might need a few days before I can explain everything to you."
"Can't you tell us now?" Fred persisted, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I really want to know; otherwise, I might not be able to sleep tonight..."
"Fred, if you're feeling bored, go help your father with his work!" Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out from behind them as she served Kyle a generous bowl of stew. "Here, dear, would you like some toasted bread with that?"
"Thanks..." Kyle said, his mouth full. "Oh, I almost forgot, I also brought gifts for you all."
He pulled out an assortment of items from his box: patchwork robes, a Muggle accordion, screaming yo-yos, and more. The table was soon filled with unique souvenirs from Austria, including local wine and quirky Alembert spectacles.
"These are too valuable," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, her eyes immediately drawn to the distinctive robes, while Charlie couldn't take his eyes off the wine.
"Not at all," Kyle assured her between mouthfuls of stew. "These items are quite affordable in Austria. Sending them over was the expensive part, though. These days, not many people are willing to send things to Britain..."
"It's all because of the Death Eaters..." Charlie added, his voice heavy.
The lively atmosphere in the room suddenly turned somber.
"Hmm... Have there been any new developments with them?" Kyle asked.
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "No. That's what worries us the most. According to your father, Arthur, there's evidence that they've been trying to recruit more Death Eaters, but they haven't made any overt moves. Even when there are occasional skirmishes, they're usually small-scale. I fear they might be plotting something bigger."
"How would we cope if all those Death Eaters launched an attack together...?" Mrs. Weasley's voice trailed off, her concern evident.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley," Kyle reassured her. "Maybe we're overthinking things. Right now, we're evenly matched, and not everyone will join Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic is also increasing the number of Aurors and Hit Wizards, so if it comes to numbers, we might not be at a disadvantage against the Death Eaters."
"Yes, Mom, don't worry," Bill chimed in.
"We still have the upper hand," Charlie added, offering his mother a comforting smile.
Mrs. Weasley forced a smile and then piled two more sausages onto each of their plates.
Kyle, who had barely eaten a proper meal all day, found his plate piled high with food, including the portion originally meant for Mr. Weasley.
After dinner, Kyle bid the Weasley family goodbye and made his way back to his own home, leaning heavily against the wall for support.
Although he had napped in the box earlier, he hadn't been able to fully relax, so it had been more like dozing than actual sleep.
Now that he was finally back in his own bed, the exhaustion from being chased by Vindictus and the others all night caught up with him. He didn't even bother changing his clothes before collapsing onto the bed and falling into a deep slumber.
He slept through the morning and was awakened by a persistent pecking at his face.
Grumbling, he waved his hand to shoo away the owl that had been pecking at him. "Go away, Ratton... Your food is in the cabinet; you know where it is."
But Owl Ratton persisted, pecking at his hand and presenting a letter, which it dropped onto Kyle's face.
Kyle finally stirred, rubbing his eyes as he tore open the envelope and pulled out the parchment inside...
His eyes widened as he read the contents, and he leaped out of bed.
"Come to Hogwarts immediately. The Dark Lord has appeared and attacked Gringotts. Minister for Magic, Amelia Bones, insists on seeing Dumbledore.
...Minerva McGonagall."
"Why now?" Kyle muttered, his hand instinctively reaching for the Polyjuice Potion he always kept on him.
He had been in such a rush then that he might have accidentally brought them out without noticing.
However, there was no time to dwell on it. Kyle knew he had to hurry back to the headmaster's office, so he immediately cast a Disillusionment Charm and Apparated to the familiar Hog's Head pub, intending to transform into an owl and fly back to school.
"Wait."
A hand suddenly appeared, stopping Kyle in his tracks.
"Mr. Aberforth..." Kyle looked at the newcomer, "I don't have time to explain, I must get back to Hogwarts immediately."
"I know," Aberforth said calmly, "There are experienced Aurors all over Hogwarts now. If you use your Transformation spell again, you will most likely be discovered... Go through there."
He pointed to a large painting on the wall.
It was Ariana's portrait, but at the moment, the painting was open like a door, revealing a passage behind it.
"Wait, didn't you say this was a one-way passage?"
"Yes." Aberforth said flatly, "But just a minute ago, someone opened it from the inside. Perhaps someone anticipated your return to Hogwarts and opened it from within."
"Alright, stop wasting time and get going. If you don't hurry, the passage will close, and you'll have to find your way back on your own."
"Okay." Kyle nodded and jumped into the passage.
The passage was long and spacious, and it took Kyle nearly ten minutes to reach the exit, which led to the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor.
The Room of Requirement was also located on the eighth floor, not far from the headmaster's office. However, just as Kyle reached the exit, he heard Amelia's cold voice.
"Minerva, where is Dumbledore? I must see him today!"
"I'm sorry, Minister Bones. The headmaster has more important matters to attend to." This was Professor McGonagall's voice.
"More important matters?" Bones' voice rose sharply, "What could be more important than the Gringotts attack... Over a hundred Death Eaters, Aurors, and Hit Wizards fighting desperately to protect the wizards inside. Where was Dumbledore during all this? Do you know how many casualties we suffered?
"I must see him today. I need to know his stance. If Dumbledore is unwilling to cooperate with the Ministry of Magic in opposing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, we will have no choice but to withdraw all protection and information exchange with Hogwarts."
"You misunderstand, Amelia. Hogwarts will always stand against the Death Eaters." Professor McGonagall asserted.
"Then let me see Dumbledore!"
Kyle took a few steps forward and saw Minister Amelia Bones and Professor McGonagall standing at the corner.
Fortunately, there were only the two of them, with no other Aurors or students in sight.
Amelia had lost her patience, "Stop feeding me these lame excuses. I've made inquiries, and currently, in the wizarding world, regardless of the country, there is no news of Dumbledore. Either tell me where he is, or tell me if he's still alive!"
"Of course, I can assure you that he is alive." Professor McGonagall said solemnly.
Amelia's face softened slightly, and she seemed to relax a little.
At the same time, Professor McGonagall noticed Kyle's sneaking form, and she subtly shifted her position, causing Amelia's gaze to follow, completely averting it from the corridor.
Kyle seized this opportunity to scurry past them.
As if sensing something, Amelia started to turn her head instinctively.
"Actually..." Professor McGonagall suddenly raised her voice, recapturing her attention, "I have informed Headmaster Dumbledore, and he will be back shortly."
"Then I'll wait here."
Listening to their conversation, Kyle, who had just rushed past, suddenly felt his legs turn weak.
He had a good idea of what was going on. The Death Eaters had attacked Gringotts, and the Ministry of Magic had fought valiantly in resistance. But Dumbledore had not shown up... The Minister was here to demand an explanation.
How was he going to come up with an excuse for this?
Kyle's mind was in turmoil. If he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation, Hogwarts might sever ties with the Ministry of Magic. The weight of this responsibility was overwhelming.
With a complex mix of emotions, Kyle passed through the stone gargoyle and climbed the spiral staircase to the headmaster's office.
Regardless, Dumbledore would have to make an appearance, and as for what excuse they could use to placate the minister... they would have to improvise. Perhaps Professor McGonagall could help as well.
Kyle pushed open the oak door at the top of the staircase, intending to retrieve the Polyjuice Potion and hair from the drawer. However, he was surprised to find someone already in the office.
Kyle was startled but breathed a sigh of relief when he recognized the person.
"Niko?"
"Ah, I knew you'd find your own way back." Niko smiled.
At the mention of this, Kyle's lips twitched.
If it weren't for his owl idea, he might have had to fly for over a dozen hours. How could he even bring it up?
But now was not the time for that. Kyle quickly walked to the desk, pulled open the drawer, and searched for the Polyjuice Potion, saying, "Niko, what are you doing here? I'm a bit pressed for time right now. Is there something you need?"
"Don't worry, I just came to give you something."
Niko smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a delicate golden pocket watch, which he placed on the table, "I told you that the Time-Turner would be fixed by the time you returned from Nurmengard, and here it is, right on time."
(End of Chapter)
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