Chapter 837: The Search
Chapter 837: The Search
"Respected Aurors, if there is no problem, could you please step aside?"
At the entrance of Diagon Alley, a double-decker Knight Bus was forced to stop, and the conductor, looking at the surrounding Aurors with impatience, said, "I've said it many times; the person you're looking for didn't take the Knight Bus."
"But as far as we know, someone did take the Knight Bus from here," the leading Auror said expressionlessly.
"What's the problem with that?" The conductor grew more irritated. "We are here to help wizards in need. Not just today, but every day we get passengers from Diagon Alley."
"But today is special," the Auror continued. "Someone killed five wizards in Knockturn Alley. Such a cruel act, he will surely target other wizards too. We must catch him quickly. You wouldn't want to be targeted by a cruel Dark Wizard, would you?"
"Killed... five wizards..." The conductor panicked, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead with her ticket pouch. "Oh, you mentioned Knockturn Alley. Could it be someone from there?"
"Knockturn Alley has its own rules. They wouldn't cause trouble or bring it to their doorstep."
"So, can you be sure he left by taking the Knight Bus?"
"That's not for you to question," the Auror said coldly. "Now, you just need to cooperate with us."
"Alright, what do you want to know?" The conductor asked. "But you'd better hurry up. Many other wizards are waiting for our help."
"Don't worry, we won't take too much of your time," said the Auror. "However, your answers are too vague. I may have to use other methods."
"Legilimency."
Before the conductor could react, she saw a wand, and then, everything that had happened in the past three hours began to flash through her mind rapidly.
Not only could she see these fragments, but the Auror standing opposite her could also witness them.
"You dare to use Legilimency on me!"
The conductor exploded in anger as she realized what had happened. "You can't do this! I'll go to the Minister of Magic and report you!"
"It's fine, go ahead," the Auror said calmly. "The situation is urgent, and some measures are necessary. Even if I am to be punished, I will accept it as long as we can catch that Dark Wizard."
"That's easy for you to say," the conductor retorted, still fuming. "So, did you find any clues?"
The Auror remained silent.
He hadn't found the wealthy stranger described by the shop owners in the conductor's memories.
In this memory, only two people had taken the Knight Bus.
The first was a middle-aged wizard, who was ruled out primarily because of his financial situation rather than his appearance. In the magical world, altering one's appearance was easy, whether through Transfiguration or Polyjuice Potion.
The key reason for his exclusion was his lack of financial means. He didn't even have a complete Sickle, counting every Knut twice. This indicated a frugal nature that didn't align with the extravagant spending described.
As for the second person, it was a witch, and she seemed to be in a hurry. It was possible that she was the one they were looking for, but again, it was only a possibility.
Cruel and cunning, such Dark Wizards usually had many tricks up their sleeves to evade the Ministry's pursuit. It was likely that she had already slipped away without anyone noticing.
The Auror rubbed his forehead. Nonetheless, he decided to check it out. At the very least, it would give him something to report to the Ministry.
For now, he could only try to create as much noise as possible, hoping that it would deter the culprit from acting too rashly in the short term.
Otherwise, if five more wizards ended up dead, his career as an Auror would be over.
He waved his hand, signaling the Knight Bus to leave.
The conductor huffed coldly and boarded the bus.
"You few, stay here," he said, turning to his followers. "Bartok, come with me to Northampton County."
"Captain, do you really think that guy would leave by taking the Knight Bus?" asked one of the Aurors. "A wizard that rich might not even know about this mode of transportation."
"I still think we should investigate Malfoy," said another Auror. "Everyone knows that Holken works for him. What if Holken knew too much and was silenced?"
"Do you have any evidence? Malfoy is a favorite guest of many department heads," the Auror captain said in a low voice. "We might be ordered to leave as soon as we step into his estate."
"We can find evidence," Bartok said. "Didn't we receive information that Holken obtained a dragon egg, but it later disappeared?
"And Malfoy is the one who opposes the establishment of the Dragon Sanctuary the most. Perhaps Holken's death is related to this matter.
"That makes sense," the Auror captain said without turning his head. "In that case, you don't need to follow me to Northampton County. Go and find the dragon egg. If you can find it, this position will be yours."
"This..." Bartok scratched his hair awkwardly. "I... I don't know where to look."
"It's fine. I know that the dragon egg was most likely taken by the Dark Wizard who killed Holken. As long as you can find him, you will find the egg.
"But you're right about one thing," the Auror captain thought for a moment. "Go and keep an eye on Malfoy Manor. Stay hidden and don't expose yourself. I'll figure out a way to get a search warrant from the Minister."
"Will that work?"
"Give it a try. Killing five wizards in Knockturn Alley is a heinous act, and the Minister won't overlook any possibility."
...
Meanwhile, in the Valley of Godric.
Kyle had found the Valley Tavern that Bathida Baschat had mentioned.
Located at the lowest point of the valley, just a few minutes' walk from her house, it was also one of the most popular spots for wizards in the area.
Many liked to drop by during their free time for a drink and a chat with familiar faces, making it a favorite pastime.
Kyle arrived at lunchtime, and the tavern was still bustling with patrons, creating a lively atmosphere.
His unfamiliar face immediately drew the attention of the crowd, who turned to look at him.
However, Kyle didn't mind and walked straight to the counter, where the owner was polishing glasses.
"I'd like a room," he said, then added, "Ms. Bathida Baschat asked me to come."
Hearing Bathida's name, the owner, who had been nonchalantly cleaning, suddenly looked up.
"Bathida... Are you her grandnephew, too?" The owner sized Kyle up and down, his gaze finally settling on his black hair.
"No..." Kyle shook his head. "I just arrived in Godric's Hollow today. I'm a student interested in magical history."
"Oh!" The owner nodded in realization. "That explains it. It's rare to find wizards with the same passion as her."
He handed a key to Kyle. "Your room is on the second floor, the first door on your left. How long will you be staying?"
"A month, for now," Kyle said after a moment's thought.
"That'll be ninety Sickles, payable in full."
"Ninety Sickles?" Kyle thought he had misheard.
It wasn't expensive; it was incredibly cheap.
Even a hundred years ago, this price would be suspiciously low, leading Kyle to wonder if he had accidentally checked into a shady inn.
Was Bathida's name that influential?
Though puzzled, Kyle took out six Galleons and handed them over.
"Keep the change for lunch, if you serve it here."
"That's too much," the owner said.
"Then include tomorrow's lunch as well," Kyle added.
This time, the owner didn't object.
Kyle took the key and headed upstairs, opening the first door on the left.
The room was much better than he had expected, albeit a bit small. Everything was provided, and many items looked brand new. A room like this would cost at least two Galleons a day at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, especially during his time there.
Of course, that was back when he was there.
Kyle took out his wand and gently tapped it, sending a bubble-like circular ripple across the room. It spread to the walls and then up to the ceiling.
The Revealing Spell, a simple charm taught in the fourth year, could detect Dark artifacts or creatures within a certain range.
Only after ensuring the room was safe did Kyle sit down and relax.
Just then, lunch arrived.
He didn't expect a feast in such a place, and indeed, the meal was quite standard.
Fried fish, thick-cut fried potatoes, a whole roasted potato with skin, mashed potatoes, a buttered roll, and a bottle of pumpkin juice.
The taste was mediocre. The potato sticks were too thick and undercooked, and the mashed potatoes lived up to their name—potatoes and mud.
However, Kyle wasn't surprised. After all, it was 1899, and this was the standard for food back then, even a hundred years later.
Only in places with a high concentration of wizards, like the Leaky Cauldron or the Three Broomsticks, would the food be prepared with a bit more care.
Kyle ate a few bites to fill his stomach before leaving the room and venturing back into Godric's Hollow.
He needed to find the barn that Grindelwald had told him about ahead of time.
According to Nico, Dumbledore would suddenly appear at a certain point in time in the place he deemed most suitable.
Kyle's task was to immediately take him away from there as soon as he appeared. After two months of repeating the same actions, no one knew how many times Dumbledore had done the same, even if he was the greatest wizard, the mental strain would be immense.
And that was assuming he didn't try to change anything that had already happened, which would only increase the toll.
Kyle returned to the area he had been in before, this time deliberately bypassing Bathida's house to avoid being seen again.
He walked further ahead and finally located the legendary barn on a secluded hillside.
It had indeed been abandoned for a long time. As soon as he stepped inside, he could smell the rotting straw and see aphids and witch moths everywhere... It had become a haven for pests.
He had arrived earlier than Dumbledore, so there definitely wouldn't be any traces of him yet.
Kyle walked to the center of the barn and looked up at the only window above.
The window was small, and the view it offered wasn't very expansive, but it just so happened to be facing the attic of a certain household, matching all the features described.
According to Grindelwald, that attic belonged to the Dumbledores, and Ariana had been confined there for years. It was a necessary arrangement.
As a Silent One, if Ariana was stimulated by external factors, more often than not, she would release the power of Silent Fury.
If Ariana was unconscious, the Dark Sentinel would attack indiscriminately until there were no living beings or intact buildings left in its range, after which it would return to Ariana's body.
And Ariana would have no memory of what transpired during this time.
However, if Ariana still had her consciousness, she would likely resist the silence and try her best to suppress it.
Usually, Ariana could repress the turmoil within her with her strong emotions, but in doing so, she would become weaker, a weakness that couldn't be eliminated until she could no longer contain the power within her.
There was also another possibility: if Ariana's emotions became too intense and she desperately tried to suppress them, the pent-up darkness would explode within her, and that violent dark force would kill her instantly.
The Dumbledore family was probably aware of these scenarios, which was why they kept Ariana in a place where she had no contact with the outside world, neither attending school nor going out.
Only by doing so could they ensure that Ariana wouldn't be stimulated.
However, this form of protection was akin to imprisonment for a young girl, and it was somewhat cruel, to be honest.
Especially since Ariana was already in her teens, an age when one is naturally curious about the world.
Perhaps it was because his gaze was too intense, but Kyle suddenly saw a small head pop out of the attic window. It was a little girl, also looking in the direction of the abandoned barn.
Kyle quickly walked forward a couple of steps to move out of the window's view.
He wasn't sure if Ariana had seen him, but in any case, he didn't want to have any interaction with the girl at this point.
Kyle shook his head. Now that he had found the place, it was time to leave. All he needed to do now was wait patiently for Dumbledore to arrive.
Before leaving, Kyle placed a Shrinking Ear in the corner of the barn and carefully hid it under some straw and a broken wooden bucket. This way, even if he didn't come here, he could still monitor the situation in the barn.
However, just as Kyle finished setting up the device, the barn door creaked open, and a figure bathed in golden light entered his field of vision.
"It's you?" Grindelwald looked at Kyle. "What are you doing here?"
Kyle's lips twitched. He couldn't understand why Grindelwald would come to this abandoned barn, and of all times, why now?
"Oh, you're Ms. Bathida's grandnephew," he said casually. "I just happened to stumble upon this place and thought I'd take a look inside. I was hoping to find something interesting."
"You're lying. You didn't just happen to find this place," Grindelwald narrowed his eyes. "But I don't care what you're up to. Although you seem suspicious and probably have some ulterior motive for being here, I don't think you mean us any harm."
"A hunch?"
"No, I can see it," Grindelwald said, his eyes still fixed on Kyle, making the latter feel a little uncomfortable.
"By the way, since you're studying magical history," Grindelwald suddenly asked, "do you know about the Deathly Hallows?"
"The three items mentioned in 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'?" Kyle clarified.
"Do you think they're just items for alchemy?" Grindelwald's voice held a hint of curiosity.
"Of course," Kyle replied. "What other explanation could there be? They certainly aren't divine creations. That would be utterly unmagical. I prefer to believe that they are the masterpieces of some powerful alchemist, and over the course of hundreds or thousands of years, they have been imbued with a layer of mystical legend.
"So, why the sudden question? Do you believe that story?"
"It was just a random thought," Grindelwald shrugged.
Hearing Kyle's response, Grindelwald's expression turned indifferent, as if he had lost interest in Kyle.
"I have other matters to attend to. You can continue your search..."
"No, I'm done here," Kyle said. "This is clearly just an ordinary barn with no connection to Godric Gryffindor whatsoever."
This time, Grindelwald didn't even pause, simply turning and leaving without another word.
(End of Chapter)
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