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Chapter 846: The Department of Mysteries
Chapter 846: The Department of Mysteries
Ariana adored Kyle's magical trunk, relishing the freedom it offered. She could run freely with her eyes closed, something she had never experienced before.
The soft grass beneath her feet was a novel sensation, and she felt her worries melt away as she lay down, a sense of laziness washing over her. The adorable creatures that occasionally appeared only added to the charm of this new world.
The only slight disappointment for Ariana was that the long-necked, big-eyed creatures she adored seemed timid. They would scurry away whenever she tried to approach them.
But this minor hiccup didn't dampen her spirits. She even contemplated how wonderful it would be to live in this world forever.
However, that thought was short-lived.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, Kyle reappeared before her.
Though reluctant to leave, Ariana reluctantly followed him out of the trunk, glancing back repeatedly.
Her melancholy didn't last long, though, as her attention was immediately captured by the majestic structure before her.
"Allow me to introduce you to..." Kyle pointed forward and smiled, "...the famous Hogwarts, the very school where your two brothers study."
Due to their unique circumstances, they didn't venture inside the school itself. Instead, Kyle led them to a high point near the Quidditch pitch, offering a perfect view of Hogwarts in its entirety.
"What a huge house!" Ariana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder as she gazed upon the grand structure.
She had never seen such a massive building; one of its attics was probably larger than her entire home.
"Is this where my brothers come when they leave home?" Ariana wondered aloud, her eyes wide as she tried to commit every detail of Hogwarts to memory. But the vastness of the castle overwhelmed her, and she felt she couldn't quite take it all in.
"What's that?" Ariana asked, pointing at the several rings suspended in mid-air.
"Those are the goal posts," Kyle explained patiently, "used for Quidditch."
"Quidditch?" Ariana blinked.
"It's a highly popular sport among the students," Kyle said. "During the annual matches, these stands are packed with spectators."
However...
He glanced at the dull goal posts.
It seemed that this equipment hadn't been used in a long time, and the stands looked worn and neglected, with thick layers of dust covering many areas.
There were rumors that Phineas Black, during his tenure as Headmaster, had canceled Quidditch activities, and now it appeared those rumors were true.
Based on the current state of the pitch, it seemed that no Quidditch games had been played here for at least five years.
"Let's go, I'll show you some other places." Kyle suggested.
"How do we get down?" Ariana looked around, curious.
"Of course, by the fastest means possible—flying down." Kyle retrieved his broomstick, then picked up Ariana and settled her on the broom.
"Remember to put on your Invisibility Cloak securely. No matter what, don't let it fall off you." Kyle reminded her.
Ariana, not fully understanding, nodded and gripped the edges of the cloak tightly.
Then, Kyle mounted his broomstick as well, and with his guidance, the Firebolt soared into the sky.
"Ah!"
Ariana let out a startled scream as the sudden ascent startled her. But soon, her scream turned into excited shouts.
She felt like she had become the bird she had always wanted to be, soaring freely through the vast sky.
Kyle guided them through the tall goal posts and then turned back, even flipping the broomstick at one point.
Ariana thought she would fall, and she closed her eyes in fear. But that didn't happen, and she remained securely seated on the broomstick. The occasional tendrils of black mist that emerged from her were kept firmly in check by the Invisibility Cloak.
Kyle flew them over the pitch, past the tallest towers of the castle, and finally hovered above the lush, mysterious Forbidden Forest.
At this point in time, Hogwarts did not yet have a Gamekeeper, and the Forbidden Forest was separated from the school grounds by a long fence, dividing the two areas.
"Who's there!"
A furious roar echoed from below, and a man hurried over, shouting at the duo flying above, "This is Hogwarts! Who are you, intruding during the holidays? I'll report you to the Ministry of Magic!"
"Oh, it seems we've been spotted." Kyle said nonchalantly, not finding the situation unusual in the least.
It would have been stranger if they hadn't been noticed, given how openly they were flying over Hogwarts.
"Will we be caught?" Ariana asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
She had been told countless times since she was little that if she ever ventured outside, she would be caught and taken away to a scary place where no one could find her.
This thought made Ariana even more fearful.
"As long as we aren't caught, we'll be fine." Kyle smiled reassuringly. "Hold on tight."
He skillfully turned the broomstick in mid-air, and to the man's astonished gaze below, they flew farther and farther away.
"Merlin's beard..." The man rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. "Have brooms become this fast nowadays?"
Ever since the Headmaster canceled Quidditch six years ago, he hadn't seen a broomstick at the school. He had no idea that the outside world had progressed so much in broom technology...
He stopped in his tracks, realizing the futility of his pursuit.
There was no way he could catch up to them on foot, and in the blink of an eye, they had disappeared from view.
Meanwhile, Kyle had already taken Ariana through a small section of the Forbidden Forest and arrived at the village of Hogsmeade on the opposite side.
When they left Honeydukes, Ariana's mind was still reeling... She had never seen so many sweets in her life, so much so that she didn't even notice how much Kyle had bought.
By the time she came to her senses, Kyle had already paid and was leading her out of the store.
"That's, that's too much..." Ariana stammered.
"Don't worry," Kyle waved his hand dismissively, "go ahead and take them, someone will reimburse you tenfold for the cost."
Ariana didn't understand, but Kyle didn't explain further. Instead, he took her to the Three Broomsticks.
There, Ariana was treated to endless cups of the sweet butterbeer that she had only been allowed to drink once a year, as well as unique treats like cherry soda, mint ice tea that made her shiver, and the most delicious honey cream hot chocolate she had ever tasted.
It seemed that the Dumbledore family had an extraordinary love for sweets, perhaps a family tradition.
Noticing Ariana staring at him, Kyle playfully let her take a tiny sip of his whiskey.
Her face immediately turned red from the strong drink, and she started breathing heavily. It took three cups of beverage to calm her down.
Even her Invisibility Cloak seemed to puff up slightly, but it soon returned to normal.
When they finally left the Three Broomsticks, Ariana could barely walk from being so full.
Their original plan to visit a few more shops and have lunch had to be put on hold.
Kyle then took Ariana to many other places. They listened to an opera in a famous French opera house, washed their faces in the magical fountain at Beauxbatons, and when they were discovered, they fled just like they had at Hogwarts.
With experience, Ariana became less afraid and even found the whole situation amusing.
"You jerk!" a guard shouted angrily, "Don't let me find out who you are, or you'll be expelled!"
Washing one's face in the sacred magical fountain was going too far!
As for whether it was someone from outside the school, the guard didn't think anyone could get past Beauxbatons' protective magic... So, it had to be one of their own students causing trouble during the holidays.
"It's just playing in the fountain, no need to expel them. That punishment is too severe," a elderly voice suddenly chimed in, startling the guard.
He turned around, assuming the speaker was the prankster's accomplice, and glared at him angrily.
"It's not up to you whether to expel them or not, who do you think you are... Oh, Mr. Nicollem, my apologies, I didn't see you there. Why didn't you let us know you were coming so we could greet you properly?"
"No problem," Mr. Nicollem said with a smile, "I just felt like visiting on a whim, don't mind me."
"But you just said that those students should be expelled?"
"Two students, not one?" the guard mumbled, then quickly shook his head and laughed awkwardly, "That... that's up to the headmaster to decide."
"I think during the holidays, we can just pretend we didn't see anything. No need to bother Colm about such a minor issue."
"As you say, sir," the guard nodded repeatedly.
After all, the man before him was Beauxbatons' biggest financial backer, so his word was law.
Mr. Nicollem paid no further attention to the guard. Instead, he turned to look in the direction where Kyle and Ariana had fled, murmuring with interest, "What interesting individuals. It seems today is indeed a good day to be out and about."
Kyle, on the other hand, was unaware of the events transpiring at Beauxbatons.
After leaving the Pyrenees, he took Ariana for dinner at the famous Music Street in Austria, then they rested briefly before traveling to the coast of Norway, where they watched the sunrise from atop a towering peak.
After all, this was a hundred years in the past, long before a certain 'box demon' began his schemes, and the Ministries of Magic across the world had virtually no regulation over magic like the Portkey and Disillusionment Charm.
As long as Ariana stayed inside the trunk, it was a mere thought for Kyle to take her anywhere he wanted.
He traveled with her across several countries, only returning to Britain the next morning.
It had been a joyful day, but Ariana was exhausted. Her experiences in a single day far surpassed those of her entire life up to that point.
"Where are we going next?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"The Ministry of Magic," Kyle said calmly, "after that, I'll have to head back."
Ariana's body trembled slightly, and the excitement she had felt throughout the day instantly vanished.
The fun-filled day of travel had made her almost forget about yesterday's events, but Kyle's reminder brought it all back. She realized that she couldn't go home anymore, or else her brother, Aberforth, would be in danger.
Kyle sensed Ariana's dejection but didn't know what to say to comfort her.
He had intended to take care of this matter yesterday, and today was already pushing it. He had to return to check on Dumbledore's condition.
"You'll be fine, Ariana," Kyle said softly, "One day, you will see your two brothers again. Though they may look different, the bond between you will remain unchanged, I promise."
Ariana nodded silently.
"Then, follow me," Kyle said as he led Ariana into a record shop on a London street. With the confused gaze of the shop owner on them, he skillfully pointed his wand at a pillar.
The shelves in the store automatically parted, revealing a passage behind them.
Perhaps he was a new hire.
The shop owner didn't think too much of it; after all, it was just an entrance to the Ministry, and compared to the public phone box entrance a few streets over, its only advantage was convenience.
Besides, verifying visitors' identities wasn't his job.
And so, Kyle entered the Ministry with surprising ease, much simpler than he had anticipated. He had even considered using a Confundus Charm, but it seemed unnecessary now.
"Close your eyes, and don't look or listen to anything." He instructed.
Out of trust, Ariana complied.
There was no other choice; the Ministry was filled with magic, and it was better to be cautious.
The Ministry at this time looked no different than it would a hundred years later, with an imposing golden statue in the center of the main hall.
Kyle made his way directly to the lifts, and whether it was because they had used the staff entrance or his imperfect position, they didn't encounter any staff checking visitor identities. They easily stepped into a lift.
Three owls flew out, each clutching a piece of parchment in their talons, before Kyle entered.
Ariana remained quiet during the lift's ascent, and if not for feeling her presence, Kyle would have thought she had sneaked off.
"Department of Mysteries."
After an unknown duration, a cold female voice broke the silence.
"We've arrived... Oh, you can open your eyes now." Kyle said.
"Where are we?" This was the first time Ariana had spoken since entering the Ministry.
It was too dark, with no windows along the corridor, which made Ariana a little scared.
"A very mysterious department." Kyle said, "If there's one place that might accept you, it's probably here."
In addition, there was something else Kyle wanted to confirm—a hunch he had—and if he was wrong, he could always try elsewhere later.
He led Ariana to the end of the corridor, where a black door stood.
"Halt."
A figure appeared out of thin air behind them, hooded and unrecognizable, but Kyle identified the golden emblem on the robe as that of the Unspoken.
"Who are you? This is not a public area of the Ministry. Please leave."
"No, I'm looking for the Department of Mysteries." Kyle said.
He moved his hand slightly, revealing Ariana from under her Invisibility Cloak.
In an instant, the Unspoken lifted his head, revealing an ordinary face, so ordinary that he would be unremarkable even in a crowd.
"The Mute!" He immediately recognized Ariana's identity.
...Perhaps it wasn't so difficult, or maybe it was due to her fear of this unfamiliar environment, but the anxiety within Ariana was very active, especially after the Invisibility Cloak was lifted. Kyle felt a piercing pain in his left arm.
"Indeed." Kyle said, glancing at the Unspoken from years past, "Forgive me for asking, but you don't seem very surprised."
Even in the wizarding world, the Mute was an extremely rare existence, let alone one who had lived past the age of ten. In the past few centuries, there had been barely enough to count on one hand.
"No, I am surprised." The Unspoken shook his head, lifting his hood to reveal his face, "But what's interesting is that just a month ago, a crystal ball appeared in the Hall of Prophecies, and its contents happened to be related to the Mute."
"Oh? And what did it say?" Kyle asked curiously.
"Sorry, that's confidential." The Unspoken said, eyeing Kyle, "You seem rather familiar with the Department of Mysteries."
"Sorry, that's confidential." Kyle echoed with a smile.
The Unspoken was taken aback, but just as he was about to say something, the door behind them opened.
Over a dozen similarly dressed Unspoken filed out, led by a blonde witch.
"Alright, Merk, you should welcome our new colleague."
"New colleague... This ill-mannered brat?"
"No, it's her." The witch walked up to Ariana and knelt down, her blue eyes gazing softly at the girl.
"You've been through a lot, child."
Perhaps it was because she had eyes the same color as her brother's, but the turmoil within Ariana quickly calmed down.
"Thank you." Kyle spoke up, "Did you know I would be bringing Ariana here?"
"A prophecy told me that we would be welcoming a new colleague today, so I came to meet you."
"Do you have prophets in the Department of Mysteries as well?"
"No, not exactly." The witch shook her head, "The Unspoken are chosen by prophecy; their names appear in a special crystal ball in the Hall of Prophecies. I just happened to see it...
"Although there are two of you, it's clear that you aren't the one the prophecy referred to."
"Alright then." Kyle shrugged, "Seems there's no need for me to explain. So, can you take care of her?"
"We'll do our best to help her control her aura." The witch said calmly.
"That's good." Kyle said.
He hesitated for a moment, preparing to bid Ariana farewell, but when he looked up, he found himself alone before a black door. Everyone, including Ariana, had disappeared, presumably led away by the other Unspoken.
However, Kyle breathed a silent sigh of relief.
The Unspoken were indeed efficient and straightforward, and this way, he didn't have to worry about what to say.
...
(End of Chapter)
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