https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-839-The-Blood-Alliance-in-the-Granary/13015686/
Chapter 838: Super Galore
Chapter 838: Super Galore
To avoid arousing suspicion and out of curiosity, Kyle wandered around and eventually returned to the Valley Pub, which was now bustling with people, even more lively than at noon.
Kyle spotted a familiar voice, or rather, heard a familiar voice.
"Give it up, Aberforth, I won't sell you alcohol if you're just a fourth-year runt," the pub owner said, standing behind the bar and eyeing the young boy in front of him with a playful look.
The boy glared at the owner, "I'm already in my fifth year!"
A burst of laughter filled the pub, as everyone's attention turned to them, as if they were watching an entertaining show.
"Not even in your fifth year," the owner raised an eyebrow, "Until you're seventeen, you're still a runt, and you can't drink alcohol."
"Here, this is for you," he pushed a cup forward, "Milk Pumpkin Juice, this is what you should be drinking."
Another round of laughter filled the pub, and a bearded wizard next to them slammed a Sickle on the table, shouting, "Will, you better not scam this kid out of his pocket money. I'll pay for his milk."
"I want to drink whisky!" Aberforth's face turned red with anger as he grabbed a Sickle, "I can pay double the price."
"Even if you pay ten times the price, it's no use," the owner shook his head again, "You're not old enough to drink alcohol, so you can only have milk pumpkin juice."
"Do you still care about that?" Aberforth stiffened his neck and looked around, "Don't think I don't know that half of the alcohol here is smuggled illegally from Romania."
Instead of getting angry, the owner laughed and said, "To correct you, it's not half, but two-thirds. Additionally, only items on the prohibited trade list are considered smuggled, and alcohol is not on that list."
The other drinkers burst into laughter as well, not finding anything strange about the situation. Apparently, they all knew about this.
Hearing the laughter, Aberforth became even angrier and shouted, "I'll open a pub in the future, and then I'll drink as much as I want!"
"Can we go and drink for free then?" someone asked, but their tone was more playful, as if they found the idea of him opening a pub amusing.
"You have to pay double!" Aberforth said angrily.
"Then I must give it a try."
"Take me with you, I like drinking double-priced drinks."
As the crowd cheered, Aberforth and Kyle brushed past each other, and Aberforth stormed out of the pub.
The moment Aberforth left, the atmosphere in the pub suddenly turned cold and even became somewhat somber, as if it had been planned.
Kyle found this strange, so he approached a man drinking at the bar and asked what was going on.
But the response he got was an impatient rebuke.
"It's none of your business, outsider," the man glanced at Kyle with a slanted eye and warned, "Keep your curiosity in check if you want to leave Godric's Hollow with dignity."
"Don't say that, Cody," the pub owner said, "He's Bathilda's friend, so he's not exactly an outsider."
"Bathilda's friend?"
"Yeah, I confirmed it. He's a Hogwarts student who likes magical history."
The man grumbled and finished his drink before moving to another table.
"Don't mind him," the owner said, looking at Kyle, "Potter... the guy from earlier, he gets along well with Kendra. He's a bit hot-tempered at times, but he's a good person."
"Kendra?" Kyle repeated the name softly.
"Just someone who lives in Godric's Hollow, nothing to do with history. You wouldn't be interested," the owner said, "How about a glass of brandy on me?"
"Oh, sure," Kyle replied.
He could tell that the owner didn't want to talk about Kendra, so he didn't ask further.
However, Kyle could understand this. After all, he had only arrived here recently, and even with Bathilda's help, it wasn't easy to blend in right away.
Take it slow, no rush.
...
For the next period, Kyle didn't go anywhere. He spent his time in his room or wandering around nearby, and in the evenings, he would return to the pub to drink and chat with the others. Occasionally, when he was in a good mood, he would buy a round for everyone.
It didn't cost him much money; the pub had a regular crowd, and two Galleons was usually enough.
And he didn't even have to pay for it... Horken sponsored the drinks.
After buying a few rounds, Kyle's popularity in the pub soared, and he could chat with everyone.
During this time, Aberforth returned several times, wanting to buy alcohol, but he was rejected by the owner each time.
After Aberforth was turned away for the fifth time, Kyle put down his cup and turned to ask, "How many times has he been rejected, and yet he keeps coming back?"
"It's probably because he argued with Albus again," the wizard sitting next to Kyle took a sip of brandy and said.
Cade Potter, the man who had initially called Kyle an outsider, had gradually lowered his guard after sensing Kyle's sincerity.
Unable to resist the allure of free alcohol, Kyle and Cody found themselves at the local pub, discussing the mysterious Dumbledore brothers over drinks.
"They seem like brothers, judging by their names," Kyle casually inquired.
"Yes, they are brothers, and they used to be close," Cody replied, letting out a small burp.
Seizing the opportunity, Kyle asked, "You mentioned they used to be close. What happened?"
Cody, in a tipsy state, explained, "Well, before Albus graduated..." He trailed off, then continued, "You're not an outsider anymore, so I can tell you some things... so you don't accidentally say the wrong thing one day."
He reached for his glass, only to find it empty.
"Another brandy, please!" Kyle waved to the bartender. "The best you have, on me."
"You're a true friend," Cody said, patting Kyle's shoulder, his thoughts muddled by alcohol.
"You probably don't know this, but after Kendra Dumbledore passed away..."
"Your neighbor?" Kyle asked.
"Yes, my neighbor. We often heard loud arguments and the sound of things breaking late at night," Cody explained.
Kyle now understood that Kendra Dumbledore was Aberforth's mother.
"How did she die?" Kyle asked.
Cody shook his head. "No one knows. We just heard a loud noise from the Dumbledore residence..."
"Did the Dumbledore brothers know about this?"
"Not at the time," Cody replied, shaking his head. "Albus was about to take his N.E.W.T exams, and it wasn't until after the exams that their uncle, Fortin, told them what had happened."
"The two brothers rushed back for the funeral..." Cody's voice choked up, and he took another sip of his drink to compose himself.
"I don't know what happened, but after that, the brothers often argued. Every time Aberforth came here, he wanted to numb himself with alcohol."
"So, you guys wouldn't serve him?" Kyle asked.
"Something like that," Cody said. "We didn't want to see him become a drunkard at such a young age..."
"But if you see the Dumbledore brothers, don't mention Kendra, and don't ask about their parents," Cody warned.
"I understand," Kyle nodded, ordering an entire bottle of brandy for Cody, who seemed to prefer it over the more popular whisky.
After learning these secrets, Kyle didn't give in to his curiosity and investigate the Dumbledore residence. Instead, he continued with his previous routine, only seeking a hidden spot during the day to observe the area from a distance.
He also caught glimpses of the young Dumbledore, but unlike at school, the Dumbledore he saw now lacked the confident energy he once had. He seemed listless and lost.
Not long after, Kyle witnessed the moment he had been waiting for—the young Dumbledore finally met Grindelwald.
It was an ordinary afternoon, and Grindelwald was, as usual, inquiring about something. He had been doing this a lot lately, gathering information about other people's lives.
Many in the pub believed that Bathilda's great-nephew shared her curiosity about others' histories, which was unusual for a typical wizard. Out of respect for Bathilda, most people indulged him, figuring it was better than doing nothing.
However, not everyone was accommodating, like Cody, who disliked Grindelwald. This was likely because he was a Durmstrang student, and Cody had no love for the school that taught Dark Magic. This dislike extended to Grindelwald as well.
On this particular day, Grindelwald was wandering through the valley as usual, and Dumbledore happened to be out for a walk. Fate brought them both to the abandoned granary at the same time.
Kyle, hidden in a nearby grove, had a clear view of the encounter.
He felt a surge of excitement, as if he were witnessing history in the making. Just as he had hoped, Dumbledore and Grindelwald hit it off immediately, and within half a day, their relationship had transformed from strangers to close companions.
And so, things changed with the arrival of Grindelwald.
Everyone was delighted that Grindelwald had pulled Albus out of the mud, except for Aberforth, who seemed particularly annoyed by his brother's change in attitude. The two brothers argued more and more frequently.
Aberforth, who usually only visited the pub every few days, had now become a regular. If the owner refused to sell him alcohol, he would stubbornly refuse to leave, even threatening to go to the Cauldron Pub instead.
However, the owner didn't care.
The reason was simple. There was only one fireplace in the area that could access the Floo Network, and it was right in his pub. If he didn't agree to let Aberforth use it, the other man would have to walk all the way to Diagon Alley.
When he couldn't stand it anymore, he would mix a large cup of honey wine with pumpkin juice to get rid of Aberforth.
"This kid is so ungrateful, he's nowhere near as good as Grindelwald."
Gradually, this statement became the consensus among the pub's customers.
In their eyes, Aberforth should be happy about his brother's change and not argue with him every day.
In contrast, Grindelwald appeared even more admirable, and even Cody's attitude towards him had shifted.
"Perhaps I misunderstood," Cody said to Kyle during a drinking session, "Although Durmstrang is a terrible school, Gellert was expelled, which means he himself isn't that bad, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have been expelled."
"Maybe what he did was beyond Durmstrang's tolerance," Kyle thought to himself, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he looked at Cody with interest and asked, "So, you're considering letting him stay at your place?"
"Let's wait a bit," Cody smiled, "After my child is born, then we'll see. It'll only be a few more months."
"Oh, I didn't know you were expecting a child," Kyle said, surprised.
"Didn't I mention it?" Cody blinked, "Well, it's not too late to know now."
"In that case, I'll prepare a gift," Kyle thought for a moment, "How about a whole crate of aged oak barrel brandy?"
"If it's for me, I'd be overjoyed," Cody smacked his lips, "But usually, we don't give a newly-hatched wizard a gift like that."
"Haha, just kidding," Kyle laughed, "I'll prepare it with care."
"Then I'll wait," Cody also laughed. "By the way, I have an idea."
"What?"
"Would you like to be my child's godfather?"
Pfft...
Kyle almost choked on his drink.
"Are you serious?" Kyle looked at him in disbelief, "We've only known each other for so long, is this appropriate?"
"There's nothing inappropriate about it," Cody said seriously, "In fact, I think you're a great person, and your future achievements will be limitless. I'd be honored to have you as my child's godfather."
"Is that so?" Kyle raised an eyebrow, "But just yesterday, you advised me to change careers, saying that studying the history of magic has no future."
"That was just a drunken joke, don't take it to heart," Cody waved his hand, "And you might not always study those things anyway."
"Let's talk about that later," Kyle looked at him and changed the topic, "By the way, have you decided on a name for the child? Do you need my help?"
"No need, I already decided a while ago," Cody said, "His name will be Henry, what do you think?"
"It's a great name," Kyle said, but he had a strange feeling in his heart, as if he had heard this name somewhere before. It wasn't until he glanced at Cody's hair that he realized where.
A mess of unruly black hair, looking like a bird's nest, it really needed some Sleekeazy's Hair Potion to manage it properly.
"Wait a moment..." Kyle suddenly remembered something and asked, "Cody, what's your surname?"
"You don't even know my surname?" Cody said in surprise, seeming a little angry.
"Sorry, I..."
"Listen carefully, my name is Cody Potter," Cody said, "To be honest, I think I should consider it carefully and let you be my child's godfather."
Kyle didn't hear the rest of what Cody said. If Cody's surname was Potter, then his child's name would be...
Henry Potter.
Kyle finally remembered where he had heard the name. It was in a shop in Diagon Alley.
He had once bought a large amount of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion there as a gift for Snape, and the name was printed on an old poster in the store.
Henry Potter, Fremont Potter... The inventor of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion.
That wasn't the point. The point was that they were father and son, with Fremont being Henry's son. Henry later had a son named James, who married a Muggle-born girl named Lily Evans.
In other words, this unborn Henry was Harry Potter's great-grandfather.
Tsk...
Kyle smacked his lips.
It was hard to imagine what Harry would call him if he really became Henry's godfather. Oh, and Sirius, as Harry's godfather, wouldn't be able to escape either.
...
(End of Chapter)
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