Chapter 882: Seeking Justice
Chapter 882: Seeking Justice
The members of the Order of the Phoenix had returned the afternoon prior.
With the mysterious person already departed from the Heshidi Islands, they didn't need to concern themselves with subsequent events.
The first order of business upon their return to Britain was to procure new wands in Diagon Alley.
Ollivander appeared outwardly annoyed, chastising them for their negligence in caring for their wands, but it was clear to all that he was secretly delighted.
A substantial order of over ten full-priced wands was nothing to sneeze at, and the typically pallid wandmaker's complexion had taken on a healthy hue as he grumbled his way through fetching the wand boxes with efficiency.
After all, galleons didn't come easy, and new students didn't provide much income. At this rate, he might soon struggle to afford wand cores.
Once everyone had acquired their new wands, they parted ways. While the recent events had been unique, encounters with Death Eaters were commonplace for the Order, and they had long grown accustomed to such occurrences.
However, the cost of the new wands—several galleons apiece—was a painful expense.
Mr. Weasley didn't want Fred and George to contribute to the cost of his wand, but the truth was that he was a bit strapped for cash himself. After searching his pockets, he could only muster three galleons and a knut.
This amount fell short even for a discounted student wand.
"It's alright, Dad," Fred said as he handed a bag of galleons to Ollivander. "When up against Death Eaters and a mysterious adversary, you need a reliable wand."
"Yes, it's for your own safety," George chimed in.
"At most, next time Mum twists your ear, you can help stop her," Fred joked.
Fred and George were more than happy to help. With their dual incomes, seventeen galleons was a drop in the bucket.
Having settled this matter, the group made their way back to the Ministry of Magic.
Mr. Weasley needed to file a report on the Heshidi Islands incident, and Fred and George had other matters to attend to.
They had played hooky that day, and there was still a mountain of work left undone. To avoid a reduction in their pay, they had to return and finish up.
It was only when night had fully descended that the twins finally exited the office, collecting the letters Mr. Bob had sent in the Great Hall.
Among them was a letter from Austria addressed to the duo.
It had been temporarily held by Mr. Bob since they were in Diagon Alley when it arrived.
And this letter presented them with a novel opportunity.
Back at the Weasley residence, Fred and George's eyes widened in surprise as they watched Kyle emerge from the envelope. They had never seen an owl deliver anything other than letters before.
Although the conditions were somewhat harsh, it offered them a means to circumvent the Ministry of Magic and travel freely between countries, completely undetected.
This was an exciting prospect, and if utilized effectively, it could revolutionize the way they promoted Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes across the wizarding world.
Fred and George were eager to experiment with this new method and couldn't wait to devise a substitute for Kyle's box.
This enthusiasm lasted until the following morning.
Nymphadora Tonks returned bearing dire news.
Alastor Moody was dead.
An eerie silence enveloped the Weasley residence that morning. Nearly all members of the Order had assembled, their expressions a mix of emotions as they gazed at the blue magical eye resting on the table, pieced together from assorted parts.
"Fenster... admitted to killing Alastor," Tonks said, burying her face in her arms as sobs racked her body.
"Mad-Eye... is dead?" Bill stared at the eye on the table, leaning incredulously against a shelf. "That can't be."
"The Blast-Ended Skrewt... many witnesses saw it..." Tonks' voice was punctuated by sobs.
"Let me explain," Lupin said gently, noticing his wife's distress. He stepped forward and continued, "From what we've gathered, Mad-Eye was tracking Barty Crouch Jr. but somehow ended up exposed. He found himself surrounded by Death Eaters and vagrant wizards in the forest that served as a quarantine zone."
"That shouldn't have happened, regardless," Bill objected. "With Mad-Eye's capabilities, even ten vagrant wizards wouldn't stand a chance."
"What if there were more?" Lupin sighed. "Vagrant wizards, Death Eaters, and Barty Crouch Jr. were all in pursuit... Despite Mad-Eye's valiant efforts in taking out over a dozen vagrant wizards, he couldn't escape and ultimately fell victim to a Blasting Curse."
"Blasting Curse..." Mrs. Weasley clutched her heart, her voice thick with emotion.
She understood the implication of Lupin's words—Mad-Eye hadn't left anything behind, not even his body.
"That wretch Fenster took his magical eye as a trophy and flaunted it," Lupin finished, his voice heavy with grief. "We fought hard to retrieve it."
A somber silence filled the room. No one spoke, and Fred and George, typically the life of the party, sat quietly in a corner, their heads bowed.
Mr. Weasley, though he had prior knowledge of this news, still found it difficult to accept now that the reality had sunk in.
"Let's prepare for the funeral," Sirius said, breaking the oppressive silence.
"Before coming here, we spread the word. I expect others will be making their way to the Ministry soon... The tombstone was prepared in advance."
"In advance?" Mrs. Weasley looked up, her face a mask of confusion and concern. "What does this mean?"
"We received word of Mad-Eye's demise a few days ago," Mr. Weasley explained. "Kyle personally delivered the news."
"Kyle said so? Why weren't we informed?" Fred asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Because Kyle only brought back a piece of binding," Mr. Weasley replied, rubbing his forehead. "We clung to the faint hope that perhaps Kyle was mistaken and that Mad-Eye might still be alive."
"But deep down, we knew that Kyle wouldn't jest about something like this.
(End of Chapter)
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