Chapter 836: The Golden-Haired Boy
Chapter 836: The Golden-Haired Boy
The Knight Bus, a magical mode of transportation exclusively for wizards, excelled in price and efficiency, but the ride experience left much to be desired.
Kyle had to hold tightly to the handrail next to his seat to prevent himself from being thrown around by the sudden and immense inertia.
This double-decker bus was like a husky running wild on the streets; you could never predict which road it would appear on next. It might squeeze through a narrow alleyway barely wide enough for one person, or it could venture onto completely undeveloped stone paths. Or, perhaps, it would leap across rooftops.
Efficiency was its forte; as long as it could take a shortcut, it didn't matter if there was no road at all.
Finally, just before Kyle felt like vomiting his breakfast, the bus came to a stop.
"Godric's Hollow!" the cheerful voice of the conductor announced from the front. It was clear that she genuinely loved her job.
Kyle quickly disembarked, eager to avoid a repeat of this experience if possible.
As the bus door closed, Kyle heard the conductor's voice once more.
"Next stop, Diagon Alley. We have another passenger," she said.
The double-decker bus flickered a few times in the air and then disappeared.
Kyle stood in place, calming his churning stomach.
At this moment, the effects of the Polyjuice Potion also gradually faded, and the sparse hair on his head grew back into thick black locks, returning Kyle to his original appearance.
The timing was perfect; if it had been a little later, he would have had to drink a second dose of Polyjuice Potion. But given the bumpy ride, Kyle wasn't sure if he could have kept the potion down.
A few minutes later, he turned and walked into Godric's Hollow.
Unlike his memories, Godric's Hollow at this moment seemed to be a place inhabited solely by wizards. The buildings he saw were all unique and varied, with not a single ordinary house in sight.
Kyle passed by a building that was wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, resembling a large umbrella. He then followed a path alongside a giant waterwheel-shaped house and entered the interior of the valley.
First, he needed to find Dumbledore's house, which he had inquired about before coming. It was located in the south of the valley, near Bathilda Bagshot's house; they had been neighbors.
Although Kyle had visited Bathilda's house a hundred years later, the surroundings were vastly different now. Kyle circled the valley several times and spent a long time before he finally found the two-story building.
Bathilda's house looked much the same as it did in his memories, except it appeared newer. The walls were free of the unsightly vines, and the blue color and red roof were refreshing.
The garden, though not large, was well-maintained, filled with sweet myrtle. Even from a distance, a faint fragrance could be detected. In the center of the garden, a small bird bath attracted numerous birds, creating a lively atmosphere with their chirping.
It was evident that the owner of the house cherished this place, keeping everything in immaculate order.
Kyle had actually noticed this place earlier, but subconsciously, he thought he had remembered the wrong path... It was so different from his memory of Bathilda's mansion, which had been dark and confined, becoming a natural horror film set as soon as night fell.
It wasn't until he had circled the area and explored every possible location that he had no choice but to return to this spot.
When he arrived, a witch who appeared to be in her twenties was chasing away goblins from the garden while shouting up at a window on the second floor.
"I knew they'd expel you eventually! Look at the dangerous magical experiments you've been conducting at school... Hey, Gellert, I'm talking to you! Even if it's just out of courtesy, you should at least look at me, especially since I'm your great-aunt," she said.
"I heard you. You don't need to keep reminding me," a somewhat exasperated voice replied from upstairs. Then, a golden-haired head poked out of the window.
"You don't look much older than me. I prefer the term 'great-aunt' because it sounds younger, don't you think?" the boy upstairs, who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, said. He was a few years younger than Dumbledore at the time, but despite his youthful appearance, he was remarkably handsome.
Based on the previous reference to 'aunt,' this person was likely Gellert Grindelwald.
His long hair, cascading over his shoulders, was a stunning golden color that shimmered in the sunlight, making him resemble a large bird perched on the windowsill.
"Don't think I'll fall for your sweet talk, Gellert. I'm telling you, it won't work on me, not one bit," Bathilda said, although her voice had softened considerably.
"Don't change the subject. Why did you have to perform those dangerous Dark Magic experiments at school? You could have waited just a few more days until the school break.
"Now you've been expelled, and you won't even get your graduation certificate."
"Certificate? Ha! I don't need that kind of proof," Gellert Grindelwald replied nonchalantly. "Good ideas only come in fleeting moments, and I don't have the patience to wait any longer.
"If you don't care about the certificate, why are you seeking refuge here?" Bathilda questioned.
"I'm not seeking refuge, but Auntie, I don't think this is the right time to discuss this," Grindelwald said, raising an eyebrow and looking towards Kyle, who was standing by the road. "It seems you have a visitor."
"A visitor?" Bathilda turned and saw Kyle as well.
Out of politeness, she washed her muddy hands in the bird bath before approaching him. "Who are you, and why are you standing in front of my house?" she asked.
"Oh, sorry," Kyle said awkwardly. He had been so engrossed in listening that he stopped unconsciously, not realizing he had been spotted so quickly.
"Actually, I'm here on a trip," Kyle quickly came up with an idea. "I wanted to ask if there's any place nearby that offers accommodation."
"A trip?" Bathilda frowned. "What's there to see in this place?"
"There is," Kyle said. "After all, this is where Godric Gryffindor was born. As a member of Hogwarts, I've long wanted to come and see it."
"You know this is where Gryffindor was born?"
For some reason, Bathilda's eyes lit up, and her entire demeanor became excited.
"Is there something strange about that?" Kyle couldn't help but take a small step back. "Isn't this something everyone knows? This place is called Godric's Valley, and Gryffindor is also named Godric."
"No, no, no. Not many people know about it," Bathilda shook her finger. "Most people now believe that this is where Gryffindor met Rowena Ravenclaw, and few know that this is his birthplace.
"You must have read a lot of books on magical history to find this out, I guess you've read the book 'Crossing the Mudflat Valley' and 'Tenth-Century Wizardry Chronicles.'"
"Um... um..." Kyle gave a dry laugh.
In fact, he hadn't even heard of these two books. The only book he had read was 'History of Magic'.
The content of the book included the origin of the name Godric's Valley, and it was the content of the first class in the first year, so these things were no different from common sense in his eyes.
But Kyle suddenly realized that 'History of Magic' was Bathilda Bagshot's work, and at this point in time, the book had not yet been written.
"Ah, yes, I've read it," Kyle could only say with a stiff face.
"So, you're also a student who likes magical history?" Bathilda seemed more enthusiastic.
"I also like magical history. I think it's fascinating to uncover stories hidden in time, and that's why I decided to move here."
"I find it hard to understand your preference, Auntie," Grindelwald's voice came from upstairs again. "Magic is the most charming, and history should be left in the past."
"Shut up, Gellert, or I'll send you back!" Bathilda said harshly, like an angry fire dragon.
Under the threat of the fire dragon, the golden bird immediately closed its beak.
"Sorry, dear," Bathilda turned and smiled again. "Don't mind him. He's Gellert Grindelwald, my grandnephew, a student at Durmstrang."
"I'm sure you know that the people from that school are a bunch of muscle-brained fools. They can't understand the charm of history."
"I'm not, I was expelled!" Grindelwald corrected.
"Do you think that's something to be proud of?" Bathilda roared.
"At least I'm not a fool," Grindelwald said with a mischievous smile. He jumped down from the windowsill and landed steadily on the ground.
"Are you really a student studying history?" He looked Kyle up and down.
To be honest, Kyle was already sweating on his back.
In his original plan, he wouldn't have any contact with anyone in Godric's Valley. He just needed to wait quietly for Dumbledore.
Diagon Alley didn't matter; it was far enough away and had little to do with his plan. As long as he didn't do anything too outrageous, like releasing snakes to slaughter the entire street, everything else would gradually be diluted by time.
The original text is in Chapter 6, 9, Book/Bar!
This was his advantage; there wasn't a second Kyle a hundred years ago, and in a sense, he was a person of this era.
But Godric's Valley was different. The people here were all monsters, and the most troublesome ones were Grindelwald and Dumbledore. Kyle couldn't guarantee that his excuse would fool them.
Moreover, they were the protagonists of the following decades, with significant influence. It was too risky to interact with them.
However, at this point, it was impossible to just leave. Kyle could only say with a stiff face, "Yes, I do like magical history."
"So, do you know where Durmstrang is?" Grindelwald narrowed his eyes.
"Gellert," Bathilda frowned. "You..."
"It's fine, Auntie," Grindelwald shook his head. "I see he's not that old, probably a student too. Since he's a student, he must be interested in other magical schools as well."
"Ah, yes, I'm not entirely sure of the exact location," Kyle thought for a moment before replying. "But I know the school is in a cold region of Northern Europe, and their uniform includes fur cloaks."
"You're right, it is cold there," Grindelwald said, raising an eyebrow. "But is that all?"
"Well, I'm actually more interested in goblins than the school itself," Kyle continued. "I've been researching the history of the goblin rebellion in school."
Bathilda's eyes lit up at this.
"Goblins, rebellion... I'm interested too. Can you tell me more about it?" Grindelwald asked.
"I found Hogsmeade," Kyle said. "There's a place there that used to be their command center, but it's been abandoned. I tried to look for traces of their presence, but I was chased out."
Grindelwald glanced at Bathilda, as if seeking confirmation, but found her unusually excited.
"If you're interested in the goblin rebellion, I'd also recommend the Bacob Ruins. That's where the goblins, led by Bacob, first decided to rebel. There are still many useful traces there, and their weapon foundry is also located in that area."
"Looks like I have a destination for my next stop," Kyle said.
Grindelwald suddenly smiled and turned to Bathilda with a hint of teasing in his eyes. "I always thought only you were interested in such boring things. I didn't expect there to be another person who shares your enthusiasm."
"Mind your manners," Bathilda said.
"Oh, sorry," Grindelwald said sincerely. "Though I may not understand, I respect your interests, and I genuinely wish you success in your endeavors."
He bowed slightly and then returned to the room, no longer paying attention to Kyle.
When he first arrived, he was concerned that Bathilda might have been deceived, as his first impression of Kyle was that he seemed untrustworthy and enigmatic.
However, it now seemed that he had been overly cautious. Bathilda's reaction indicated that Kyle was indeed well-versed in magical history.
Perhaps it was a preference unique to British wizards.
In Grindelwald's eyes, someone who was interested in magical history didn't warrant much attention.
After Grindelwald left, Kyle breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Grindelwald's mind was currently focused on magical research, and to him, Kyle might as well have been a goblin in the garden.
Bathilda, on the other hand, was enthusiastic. It was rare for her to meet someone who shared her interest in magical history, and she eagerly engaged Kyle in conversation, talking about everything from the goblin rebellion to the Giant Wars.
Kyle was able to follow along, drawing upon the knowledge he had gained from his History of Magic classes, and when the conversation ventured into topics not covered in the books, he simply excused himself by saying he hadn't paid attention to those details.
After all, his persona was that of a sixth-year Hogwarts student, and it was only natural that his knowledge had its limits.
Or perhaps it would be more suspicious if he knew everything.
Unbeknownst to them, time had flown by, and it was already noon. The hospitable Bathilda invited Kyle to join her for lunch, but he declined.
There was no way he could have lunch with Grindelwald after their brief conversation; it would be too troublesome.
Seeing Kyle's determination, Bathilda was disappointed but didn't insist further.
"Well, I must say that Gellert is indeed a student who was expelled, but he is fundamentally a kind and sunny person, not as you imagine him to be," Bathilda said, assuming that Kyle was hesitant to associate with someone who had been expelled from school.
She liked Grindelwald very much and didn't want others to view him through a biased lens.
"No, you've misunderstood," Kyle quickly shook his head. "I have an elder relative who was also expelled, but that didn't stop him from becoming an excellent magical zoologist later on."
"Was he from Hogwarts too? Do I know him?" Bathilda asked curiously.
"I don't think you do," Kyle shook his head and spoke vaguely, "He's not in Britain at the moment, but perhaps you'll meet him in the future.
"As Mr. Grindelwald said earlier, some people don't need a graduation certificate to prove themselves."
"It's wonderful that you think that way," Bathilda said happily. "So, where are you heading now? Do you need any help?"
"I'm looking for a place to stay for the night," Kyle said. "I might need to stay here for a few more days to search for any possible traces of Gryffindor."
Kyle had originally planned to leave immediately, as it would make it easier to shake off Grindelwald.
However, he quickly realized that he was unlikely to stay in one place, and if he were discovered, it would only lead to more trouble.
"For accommodation, you can try the Valley Pub," Bathilda suggested, pointing in a direction. "It's located at the lowest point of the valley, and they provide lodging at fair prices and in a decent environment.
"When you get there, you can mention my name. If that old man Johnson doesn't give you a satisfactory discount, I'll throw his cherished oak barrel into the lake."
(End of Chapter)
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