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Chapter 874: Reactions and an Unexpected Encounter in Diagon Alley
Chapter 874: Reactions and an Unexpected Encounter in Diagon Alley
As a former Auror and a legendary one at that, Alastor Moody was not one to hesitate. After making his decision, he immediately walked up to Lainis, plucked a strand of hair from his head, and tossed it into the Polyjuice Potion. Once the potion changed color, he drank it without hesitation.
The effects were immediate. His face began to contort, and the magical eye popped out like a bouncing ball, only to be replaced by a true eye.
Within seconds, he had completely transformed into Lainis.
"How does it feel?" Kyle asked curiously.
"A bit strange," Moody furrowed his brows.
Without the all-encompassing vision of the magical eye, he felt a sense of unease and insecurity.
But he knew these feelings would fade with time.
"No, I was asking about the taste," Kyle clarified, "since everyone's Polyjuice Potion tastes different. I was just curious."
"Not great," Moody replied, not understanding Kyle's question but answering honestly, "it's salty and fishy, like old salmon."
"Then you'll have to get used to a heavier flavor, Professor," Kyle said with a smile, "because you'll be drinking this regularly from now on."
"I'm not picky when it comes to taste," Moody said, "but how should I pass on the information to you? Should we meet here?"
"No, you don't have to do anything," Kyle shook his head.
Moody's adversaries were not limited to wanderer wizards; they could include Voldemort himself. The more he did, the greater the risk of making a mistake.
"Until the day you completely turn against them, just pretend to be the real Lainis. As for when to take action and how to convince the wanderer wizards to join you... Professor, you should have more experience in that regard."
"Of course," Moody nodded after a moment of thought.
He had to admit that while the Phoenix Society might gain an advantage in the short term if he delivered the message himself, it would be a significant loss if he were discovered.
"That's good," Kyle said, "I'll make sure to deliver the finished Polyjuice Potion or the ingredients here regularly. Just let me know which you prefer."
"No, I don't need anything," Moody said, "because it would increase the risk of exposure. There are wanderer wizards who smuggle illicit herbs, and I'll manage the Polyjuice Potion myself."
"Are you sure?" Kyle hesitated, "Should I leave some just in case? You can come here if there's an emergency."
"Ha..." Moody glanced at him, feeling a bit insulted. "I was an Auror before you were even born. Instead of worrying about me, you should focus on your own safety."
As he spoke, he quickly closed Lainis's clothes and took out a water-skin-like container, placing Lainis inside.
Lainis was still valuable for providing the crucial ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion, so he had to keep him alive.
If Lainis died, the hair would be useless.
"Alright, it's your call," Kyle shrugged.
He had been about to remind Moody to use Legilimency to familiarize himself with Lainis, but it seemed unnecessary now. As a veteran Auror, Moody knew exactly what to do in this situation.
At that moment, the Kelpie, which had left earlier, returned and nuzzled up to Kyle, letting out a soft whine.
"The audience is almost here," Kyle smiled slightly, "Are you ready to make your entrance, Professor?"
"I've been eager for this moment," Moody took a deep breath.
Kyle waved his wand, and a wizard on the ground instantly transformed into Moody's appearance.
"My Transfiguration Charm isn't the best, so it might not last long. It's best not to delay."
"I already said you don't need to tell me what to do," Moody said irritably, quickly inserting the magical eye into his other eye socket.
"Do I need to prepare a funeral for you?" Kyle asked, watching his swift movements.
"The grander, the better," Moody's lips twitched, "I have to say, this feels really weird."
"It's unavoidable," Kyle said, "If you suddenly disappeared, it would raise suspicions among the Death Eaters. We must avoid any chance of exposure."
"Oh, and remember to claim reimbursement," Kyle added, "since a grand funeral will cost quite a few Galleons."
When Moody looked up again, Kyle had already disappeared.
At the same time, Bartemius Crouch Jr. and other Death Eaters appeared nearby, dragging black smoke behind them.
"Lainis, you..."
"Exploding Spell!"
...
Kyle stood on a tree at the edge of the forest, watching a dazzling fireball erupt in the distance. He sighed and left without looking back.
Although it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, he trusted that Moody would be fine.
If Bartemius Crouch Jr. could hide so well in Dumbledore's presence, there was no reason Moody couldn't deceive Voldemort.
It was just a shame about those thirty thousand Galleons.
Kyle hit his leg in frustration.
Everything had happened so fast that he hadn't had time to collect the scattered Galleons, worried about Moody's safety, and had rushed out.
The loss of thirty thousand Galleons was a heavy blow, and Kyle had prepared a burlap sack for the loot. But in the end, he came away empty-handed after saving Moody, with nothing to show for it.
Well, that wasn't entirely true.
Kyle reached into his pocket and pulled out a single gold Galleon. This coin had flown directly into his pocket, so he didn't have to pick it up.
At least it wasn't a complete waste of a trip.
Kyle turned back to look at the forest one last time before disappearing with a Phantom Apparition.
...
"What did you say, Alastor... is dead?"
Ministry of Magic, Office of Magical Goods and Regulation.
Mr. Weasley's legs went weak, and he knocked over a stack of files on the desk with a loud thud, causing him to fall to the ground. Lupin, who happened to be nearby, turned pale and clutched his chest, while Tonks silently wept, covering her face with a handkerchief.
"Bang!"
The office door was forcefully opened from the outside, and Kingsley and Sirius burst in, almost stumbling to the floor. However, they paid no heed to their clumsiness, their eyes fixed intently on Kyle.
"What did you just say... Mad-Eye is dead?"
They had come to the office with a matter to discuss with Mr. Weasley, but upon reaching the door, they had overheard this shocking news.
"I arrived a bit late," Kyle said gravely. "By the time I reached that patch of forest, the battle had already ended. I found this in a deep pit left by a Blasting Curse..."
Kyle tightly pursed his lips and produced a broken black strap.
"This is..." Kingsley's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Mad-Eye's strap for his Magic Eye, Lupin finished the sentence for him.
They were all too familiar with this item, instantly recognizing it as Alastor's.
"Impossible!" Kingsley took a step back. "Mad-Eye is the most powerful Auror. How could he be killed by a group of Wanderer Wizards? I don't believe it!"
As an Auror himself, he was one of the few who truly understood Alastor Moody's capabilities.
"I don't believe it either, but..."
Kyle tightly clenched his jaw, leaving the sentence unfinished.
"I can't accept it either," Lupin forced out a smile that was difficult to look at, "but we all know... Mad-Eye has many self-preservation tricks. He, he must have done this to deceive the Death Eaters."
"That's right," Mr. Weasley added, "you didn't see him die with your own eyes, did you?"
Kyle glanced away, deliberately avoiding Mr. Weasley's gaze, but this action, which was tantamount to an admission, only made the atmosphere in the office more oppressive.
"I don't believe it!" Kingsley turned and strode toward the door. "I'm going to Cornwall County!"
"Don't be impulsive, Kingsley," Lupin quickly grabbed his arm. "It's too dangerous for you to go alone."
"But I can't convince myself to keep waiting here."
"Then let's all go together," Sirius stepped forward and placed a hand on Kingsley's shoulder.
He looked at Kingsley and said seriously, "All of us, right now."
"Sirius, how can you..." Lupin was almost driven to desperation.
Who knew if Cornwall County had Death Eaters, or even Voldemort himself? Wouldn't the Phoenix Society be walking into a trap if they went there now?
But no one heeded his advice, and the group immediately left the office.
Lupin had no choice but to follow, trying to catch up with them. "Wait, Sirius, we must investigate first. Rushing in blindly will only play into their hands..."
The group walked further and further away, but Kyle remained still, instead helping Mr. Weasley to his feet.
"How is this possible? Alastor is a legendary Auror. Even the Dark Lord couldn't kill him..." Mr. Weasley muttered to himself, his entire body seeming to have lost all its strength.
Kyle wanted to support him back to the shack, but Mr. Weasley shook his head.
"Don't tell them yet, at least not until we confirm the truth."
Original text available at Book/Bar!
Kyle silently nodded and took him to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Since Mrs. Weasley had returned, the place was temporarily empty.
However, today, everyone had returned. Lupin eventually managed to stop Sirius and Kingsley, who were already worked up, and forcibly pulled them back from the Ministry's entrance.
It was still the same people from the Ministry, perhaps unwilling to accept the reality. Mr. Weasley's reasoning was that if Alastor was still alive, spreading false information would dampen everyone's morale.
No one objected to this.
"We must confirm whether Mad-Eye has truly met with misfortune," Lupin said, looking at Kyle. "Of course, I don't mean to doubt you, but this is all too sudden..."
"I understand," Kyle nodded. "But Babolys has already collaborated with the Death Eaters. Going there now might be dangerous."
"If more people go, it could lead to a bigger conflict, or even attract the Dark Lord."
"It's fine. Leave this task to me." Tonks stepped forward. "I'll go and won't be discovered."
"I'll go with you," Lupin said immediately.
"Are you a Disguise Magus?" Tonks glared at him. "Or can you guarantee that you won't be found out when you infiltrate them?"
"No, you can't."
Tonks pushed Lupin aside without hesitation. "It's clear that I'm the most suitable person to gather information. You know that."
"Then I'll go and provide support," Lupin said. "Don't look at me like that. It's necessary. If you send a signal, I can rush to your aid immediately."
"I'll go too," Sirius added.
This seemed like the best plan for now, and no one objected.
That afternoon, the three of them set off for Cornwall.
Mr. Weasley watched their departing figures, and after a moment of calm, he felt that something was amiss.
He vaguely remembered that Kyle had only mentioned delivering a message. Why was he going to Cornwall, and why did he happen to witness Moody's murder?
What about Dumbledore? Wasn't he there?
Mr. Weasley found it strange, but he didn't dwell on it. He just wanted to wait for Tonks and the others to return, hoping they would bring news that Kyle had made a mistake and Moody wasn't actually killed.
With everyone having their own tasks, the group at Grimmauld Place didn't stay together for long and soon dispersed.
Kyle looked at the empty entrance hall and decided to make another trip to Cornwall.
He wanted to confirm Moody's 'death' as soon as possible so that the other side could be informed and made safe.
He hadn't expected Mr. Weasley and the others to be so skeptical, insisting on verifying the news.
But he couldn't blame them. With Moody's capabilities, it wouldn't be easy to kill him, especially not in a direct confrontation with Voldemort. It was even more unlikely that no news had come from Moody.
Oh well, a few days' delay wouldn't hurt. And if Sirius and the others caused a scene, it would add credibility. He believed Moody could handle everything.
However, to be safe, he decided to follow them to Cornwall. Even if the truth was exposed, he could assess the situation and make amends.
But before that, he needed to buy something.
This incident once again proved the value of Polyjuice Potion. He had to restock it quickly.
Although the Ministry of Magic had banned the sale of this potion recently, a ban didn't mean it was unavailable.
After Kyle negotiated a price double the usual, the shopkeeper, who had previously vowed to abide by Ministry regulations, turned around and produced three bottles, each containing about a pint.
Of course, Kyle didn't forget to alter his appearance to avoid the shopkeeper reporting him to the Ministry.
Prevention is better than cure, after all.
Stepping out of the shop, Kyle glanced at the sign above the door.
"A big cauldron of potion."
He'd wait a little longer. Once time was back on track, he'd find Fred and George. They should have the authority to seal off this illegal shop.
Maybe he could even get back the extra Galleons he'd spent... probably.
Kyle shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. He prepared to set off immediately to find Sirius and the others in the woods.
However, as he passed Gringotts, something caught his attention.
One of them, despite wearing a hood, had several strands of platinum blonde hair peeking out, clearly indicating their identity.
Lucius Malfoy?
Kyle furrowed his brows. Wasn't he with Barty Crouch Jr. in Cornwall?
If he remembered correctly, Lucius was the one who had thrown the box.
But why was Lucius in Diagon Alley? Had the Cornwall incident already concluded?
Kyle became more puzzled the more he thought about it. Instinctively, he followed them.
"Only Malfoys are allowed in the family vault. You coming along is useless, so just wait here." At the entrance of Gringotts, Lucius turned to the other Death Eater.
"Hurry up." The other Death Eater looked up and said sinisterly, "This is your chance to redeem yourself. Don't disappoint the Dark Lord.
"I don't need your reminder," Lucius said coldly, entering Gringotts without looking back.
The Dark Lord?
Redeem himself?
Kyle kept his head down, pretending to be a customer withdrawing money, and followed Lucius into Gringotts.
Lucius's purpose for coming here was obvious—to withdraw money, and it probably wasn't a small amount.
Just a few moments ago, three Galleons had been thrown in Cornwall. This sum, even for the Malfoy family, was not insignificant.
How soon was this? Another visit?
Voldemort must be trying to squeeze the Malfoys dry.
But Lucius seemed to have only one use—a walking wallet. If not for that, he would have been killed ten times over for losing the diary.
This was truly... self-inflicted.
Kyle entered Gringotts without attracting too much attention, as Lucius, the big customer, was ahead of him.
Kyle pretended to pat his robes as if he'd forgotten something, then naturally turned and walked out.
But as he stepped out, his body underwent rapid changes in an instant, hidden by the door. His robes transformed into a black hooded cloak, and his hair grew longer, changing from platinum blonde.
...
(End of Chapter)
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