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Chapter 918: On the Eve of the Great Battle
Chapter 918: On the Eve of the Great Battle
In recent days, Knockturn Alley had become the center of attention due to an article published in The Daily Prophet.
Once a desolate and empty place where one wouldn't see a soul for days, it was now even busier than the neighboring Diagon Alley.
Especially around the entrance of Borgin and Burkes, which had been specifically mentioned in the article, there were numerous hooded figures lurking about, each with their own agenda.
They all had their reasons for being there, but none of them had managed to meet the owner of Borgin and Burkes.
The shop was open, but there was not a soul inside, and upon entering, one was met with a chilling sensation.
It was as if a powerful curse had been cast within those walls.
Among the visitors were many Dark Wizards, experts in curse magic, and they could all sense that something had indeed happened within the shop. It was best to stay away, they concluded.
However, having come all this way, they were reluctant to leave empty-handed. So, they lingered nearby, waiting for any opportunity that might present itself.
Not everyone could resist the temptation, and many wizards had ventured into the shop, but most never came out.
Occasionally, one or two lucky ones did emerge, but they were often missing a limb or two, which was considered normal in such circumstances.
It was then that people were reminded that this was not an ice cream shop in Diagon Alley, but a genuine Dark Magic shop.
Such places often harbored immense dangers, and it was not uncommon for customers to become part of the merchandise on display.
Perhaps this was a unique supply chain for the owners of these shops.
Gradually, fewer people dared to venture into Borgin and Burkes.
Their attention shifted to the journalist who had written the article. If she had revealed so many details in The Daily Prophet, she must know more.
After all, the newspaper had limited space, and it was impossible to include everything. They wanted the exclusive, behind-the-scenes information.
Maybe they could deduce the whereabouts of the mysterious wizard with the crown from some inconspicuous detail.
But something strange was afoot.
The journalist who wrote the article, Rita Skeeter, had gone missing since the publication of The Daily Prophet.
She had left the newspaper office without using the Floo Network, a Portkey, or even Apparition. She hadn't even taken the Knight Bus, simply vanishing without a trace, and the Ministry of Magic had no record of her whereabouts.
Well, most people didn't know where she had gone.
In a small and shabby wizarding pub in Wiltshire, Rita Skeeter hid herself within a large hooded cloak, trembling with excitement.
"It's insane, absolutely insane..." she muttered incoherently, "You're a genius, manipulating so many people with just a few words, even that unmentionable person.
"Did you see how old Borgin was tortured? He's not an easy target, and yet he had no chance against that unnameable person.
"Honestly, I almost got exposed. I swear that person glanced at the crack I was hiding in... He must have sensed something. How terrifying is that?"
Rita Skeeter chattered on, downing glass after glass of alcohol. The memory of those scarlet eyes sent a shiver down her spine, and she gulped down the remaining half-bottle of brandy in one go.
It had been genuinely thrilling, despite the danger...
Not to mention, she had obtained exclusive first-hand information. Who else but Rita Skeeter could have hidden under the nose of the mysterious person? No one else could have done it.
Rita Skeeter sat there, feeling a sense of indescribable satisfaction.
"Yes, it's terrifying," Kyle, sitting next to her, agreed.
"But how did you come up with this idea?" Rita Skeeter asked curiously. "With just a fake crown, you've thrown the entire wizarding world into chaos, even bringing that person out of hiding... We've become overnight celebrities.
"Damn, why didn't I think of this before? It's much more useful than publishing gossip about old wizards."
"Fake crown?" Kyle raised an eyebrow and, with a quick motion, produced a silver crown in his hand.
"Who said it was fake?"
On the front of the crown was a raven with its wings spread, and in the center was a large blue gemstone that shone brilliantly even in the dim light.
"Of course, it's fake. Who doesn't know that the real Ravenclaw Crown has been missing for thousands of years..."
The closer Rita Skeeter looked at the crown, the quieter her voice became.
Something was off; this didn't feel like a fake.
She was no novice witch; on the contrary, as one of the most popular journalists (or so she believed) of The Daily Prophet, she had visited the homes of many prominent figures.
Though not through official means, she had been there and had seen many valuable magical items.
The crown gave her the sensation of a mysterious vortex of magic, drawing in everything, including magical energy.
This certainly didn't feel like a counterfeit...
Rita Skeeter's throat moved, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
Could this be the real Ravenclaw Crown? She wondered subconsciously.
In a way, she hoped it was genuine—the reappearance of the Ravenclaw Crown, lost for a millennium, would make for a fantastic scoop, one that could dominate the front page of The Daily Prophet for many days.
And she could use this opportunity to gain some attention for herself.
However, the prerequisite for this was that the item was in a secure location, like Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic...
Only then could she benefit from such a report.
But the current situation was that the item was not in a fixed location, and everyone was searching for it.
This made her, as an insider, vulnerable.
All the wizards who had their eyes on the Crown would find her, and they would undoubtedly use all means to extract more information from her, including that person whose name must not be mentioned.
Recalling the treatment she had witnessed being inflicted upon old Borgin, Rita Skeeter's composure instantly shattered, and she stiffly surveyed her surroundings, her eyes filled with fear.
It was as if, in the next moment, the people around her would erupt and kill them on the spot.
"Relax, they won't notice us," Kyle continued, caressing the Crown.
Rita Skeeter then realized that although there were people coming and going all around them, it seemed that no one had seen the Crown in Kyle's hands, completely ignoring them.
"Is this real?" Rita Skeeter's voice was hoarse.
"Of course," Kyle replied matter-of-factly, "A fake crown won't fool the Dark Lord."
Rita Skeeter shuddered all over.
"Weren't you calm before?" Kyle glanced at her, "You dared to watch the Dark Lord interrogate Borgin up close, why weren't you afraid then?"
"No, it's different..." Rita Skeeter poured herself a large glass of wine.
If the Crown was fake, the worst that could happen was an apology, and the matter would blow over in a couple of days.
After all, this wasn't the first time she had published sensational articles, and she might not even need to apologize.
But if the Crown was real, she would become a walking key to a treasure trove, how could that be the same!
Rita Skeeter drank her wine more hastily, trying to numb herself in this way.
Kyle watched from the side without stopping her until she couldn't drink anymore, then he slowly spoke, "Go on, they've been working so hard to find the Crown, they should get some more clues."
"I won't do it!" Rita Skeeter refused without hesitation, "Damn it, if I had known it was real, I wouldn't have helped earlier."
"Never mind then." Kyle sighed, "What do you think, if they knew Rita Skeeter's Animagus form was a beetle, how long would it take for them to find you?"
"You..."
"Also, what do you think would happen if I removed the Concealment Charm now? Would they try to snatch the Crown?" Kyle looked at the surrounding wizards, all of whom were hiding their faces and clearly not good people.
He casually stuffed the Crown into Rita Skeeter's hand, then smiled, picked up his wand, and waved it lightly.
"How can I help you?" Rita Skeeter blurted out, the drunkenness in her eyes vanishing instantly.
"A wise choice," Kyle put down his wand.
"Damn you!" Rita Skeeter glared at Kyle indignantly. "I've helped you so many times, and you still threaten me!"
"As compensation, how about an exclusive interview?" Kyle suggested.
"What interview?"
"I can't say right now." Kyle thought for a moment, "But it will definitely not disappoint you."
"I'll trust you one more time." Rita Skeeter said through gritted teeth.
She didn't seem to have another choice at the moment; agreeing would at least give her some advantage, while refusing would gain her nothing. Rita Skeeter knew what she had to do.
Moreover... after obtaining the Crown, she was even more certain that it was genuine.
Her heart raced faster, and she couldn't help but want to wear the Crown. As long as she wore this Crown... she could inherit Ravenclaw's wisdom and become the smartest person in the world.
As long as she wore the Crown, she was sure she could write an article that would captivate everyone...
"I advise you not to do that."
In a daze, Rita Skeeter seemed to hear Kyle's voice, and she found that she had already raised the Crown to her eyes, just a little more and she could put it on.
"Or, let's take a chance." She suddenly thought to herself.
It was the Ravenclaw Crown, and it would be worth it even to wear it once.
"If I were you, I wouldn't do that," Kyle's voice came again, as if he could see through her thoughts.
This wasn't difficult; every person who obtained the Crown had almost the same idea, it was too easy to guess.
"I know what you're thinking," Kyle continued, "Why don't you guess why I'm not wearing it, or do you think I don't know that this Crown can bring wisdom?"
Rita Skeeter paused, yes, if this was real, why wasn't Kyle wearing it?
"I can only say that the Crown brings wisdom, but it's also a curse. I even suspect that anyone other than Ravenclaw who wears the Crown will be driven mad by it."
Rita Skeeter didn't understand what Kyle meant by this, she only felt her hand lighten, and the Crown disappeared.
This created a huge sense of disparity in her mind.
Get it back... she couldn't help but have this thought, but the remaining rationality in her mind told her it was best not to do so.
"How can I help you?" Rita Skeeter asked again, also trying to divert her attention.
"Same as before, write another article and tell them the Crown has reappeared." Kyle said, "Oh, and this time, remember to include your feelings, the ones you had when you first got the Crown."
"Why?"
"To increase credibility." Kyle said.
"..."
"Right here, a bar similar to Knockturn Alley. It's quite fitting."
"Can I ask why you're doing this?" Rita Skeeter couldn't help but ask, wondering why Kyle would use the Crown to attract everyone's attention. What benefit could it possibly bring him?
Holding his wand, Kyle waved it lightly and said, "To attract the Dark Lord's attention, and then find an opportunity to kill him again. How's that for an answer?"
Something seemed to disappear around them, and the sparkling Crown instantly captured everyone's attention. The previously chaotic bar suddenly fell into an eerie silence.
But the next second!
"Snap!"
With a crisp crack, Kyle, holding the Crown, vanished using Apparition.
A second later, the bar erupted into even more chaotic noise than before.
"Merlin's beard, what did I just see?"
"The Crown, that person must have the Ravenclaw Crown."
"Haha, I'm so lucky! It's mine now!"
"In your dreams! I saw it first, so it should be mine!"
"You want to die?"
The bar was in an uproar. Some people were arguing over the ownership of the Crown, while others, more clever, were already trying to Apparate to follow Kyle.
A beetle slowly landed on a tree outside the bar.
This beetle was none other than Rita Skeeter, who was still reeling from Kyle's words.
Kill the Dark Lord again? Is this true? Dumbledore is dead... How dare he!
And now that she knew his plan, would she be implicated...
Oh, damn it! Why did she have to ask that question?
Thinking of Voldemort's unreasonable character, Rita Skeeter's face turned even more unsightly, wishing she could slap herself.
...
Meanwhile, Kyle, having left the bar, also returned to Hogsmeade.
He made a couple of detours, significantly increasing the difficulty of tracking him. Unless the Ministry of Magic got involved in the investigation, no one else would be able to trace his route.
Kyle walked through the streets of Hogsmeade, heading back to Hogwarts.
He had only been gone for a few days, but the changes to the castle were visible to the naked eye.
First of all, the entire castle had become oppressive, and two new, meaningless professors had been added.
"They're so ugly," Kyle remarked, frowning as he looked at the two wizards standing before Professor McGonagall.
It had to be said that Voldemort's aesthetic sense was getting worse and worse.
The previous Death Eaters, like Bellatrix and Antonin, were a bit crazy, but at least they were passable in appearance. After a quick wash and a change of clothes, they could still serve as a decent front.
But these new Death Eaters... Kyle even suspected they might be related to the Inferi, with their purebred Dark Magic-inflicted faces.
Perhaps Voldemort felt more comfortable with people who looked like this... after all, he himself was no different.
Kyle shook his head and walked straight ahead.
"Professor McGonagall, I've almost finished here. Has the student evacuation plan been prepared yet?"
"It's ready," Professor McGonagall said, ignoring the two wizards in front of her upon seeing Kyle. "But Kyle, do you have to be in such a hurry? The N.E.W.T. exams are coming up. At least let the seventh-year students graduate smoothly."
"What are you talking about!" The horned Death Eater shouted, "And who are you!"
"I'm afraid not, Professor," Kyle shook his head, disregarding the Death Eater's question. "I suspect that Voldemort hasn't shown himself because he's recovering from his injuries. Now is our best chance to deal with him.
"As for the N.E.W.T. exams, the Ministry of Magic can arrange for a retest. It's not a big deal."
"Hey, you..."
"If that's the case, then fine." Professor McGonagall said, "The Hogwarts Express isn't safe. I've booked the Knight Bus. That vehicle is special and has been modified to accommodate all the students."
"It will be waiting in Hogsmeade. Just use the Concealment Charm's hand gesture with your wand, and it will appear."
"Enough!"
The horned wizard finally lost his patience and roared, "Answer me, Minerva McGonagall, what are you planning to do? Or do you want to see some students suddenly die?"
"You're planning to send the students away right in front of us," the other wizard said with a sinister tone. "Who do you think we are, air? I'll inform the Dark Lord of all this, and you'll be..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly shuddered and then stiffened, falling face-first to the ground.
"Ouch, that must hurt," Kyle muttered. "If you hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten to deal with you two."
"Bang!"
Another sound, and the other wizard followed suit, lying on top of the first.
"What's wrong with them?" Professor McGonagall was startled by this sudden turn of events.
She was about to take action, but these Death Eaters had already collapsed.
"They're probably tired," Kyle said casually. "I've seen many Dark Wizards who like to sleep anywhere." He reached out and caught the Acromantula that jumped onto him.
A small Fang Sword was attached to its waist, making it look like a knight.
Professor McGonagall glanced at the Acromantula with a hint of curiosity but didn't think too much of it. Instead, she turned and walked into the school.
Professor McGonagall was known for her decisive and efficient personality. Now that she had decided to evacuate the students, there was no room for hesitation.
As for the two Death Eaters, with Kyle around, she felt at ease.
...
(End of Chapter)
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