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Chapter 922: I've Been Arrested
Chapter 922: I've Been Arrested
"I have to go, Hagrid." Albert pulled out his pocket watch to check the time and stood up to address Hagrid, who was plucking feathers from a chicken at the dining table, "I'll come visit again soon."
"Won't you stay for dinner?"
"No, thank you." Albert had no intention of fishing strange objects out of his dinner plate. "Don't take what happened earlier to heart. Those things aren't worth troubling yourself over."
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Hagrid dropped the half-plucked rooster and looked up at Albert, who was about to leave. "If I had listened to you and kept my mouth shut, none of this would have happened."
"To be honest, I never expected anyone to pay close attention to my suggestions." Albert paused at the door of the hunting lodge and looked calmly at Hagrid. "I'm not surprised that you messed up. It's like Potter getting into some sort of trouble every year."
"So, you predicted this would happen?" Hagrid asked, feeling a bit glum about the whole situation. "Maxim is right, she says I have a big bone structure."
"I thought you'd call her Olive." Albert bent down to rub Fang's head. "Don't dwell on it too much. Trust me, you and Mrs. Maxim will be back on good terms before you know it."
"Why?" Hagrid asked, looking bewildered.
"Because you have a lot in common. As long as you don't do anything foolish, you're sure to be friends at the very least." Albert bid Hagrid farewell and left the cabin.
During dinner, Hermione took the initiative to chat with Albert about her house-elf, Dobby. However, Albert showed no interest in Hermione's suggestions.
After all, he was also planning to send Barty Crouch Jr. away, even though he hadn't been the one to capture him. Albert didn't have the heart to adopt a house-elf who might be full of hostility towards him.
"Some things aren't as simple as you think, Hermione." Albert shook his head at Hermione, who was full of expectations. "Dobby's problem can only be solved by herself. If she can't get over the hurdle in her heart, no amount of help from others will make a difference."
"Is there really no other way?"
"If Dobby can't forget about the Crouch family, then time will have to help her forget." Albert comforted the somewhat dejected Hermione. "Not everything in this world can be done perfectly. It's better to do what you can. Besides, you're still a student, and there's not much you can do."
"Oh, you're right." Hermione looked distracted.
"If I were you, I'd focus on Potter's progress. There's less than a month left until the second task." Albert reminded her kindly, "If he's not adequately prepared, he's likely to face significant challenges during the task."
He actually liked Hermione's kindness, but sometimes, kindness without power was useless, except for self-satisfaction and consolation. And Hermione didn't seem to understand that yet.
Albert had no intention of telling Hermione, as it might be too cruel for her. Many of the things she was doing were not actually helping the house-elves.
"I think Hermione's suggestion is great. If you had a house-elf, it would be easier for us when we open the shop." George smiled.
"I've already hired Dobby." Albert peeled a tangerine calmly. "Dobby will help prepare your meals, clean the shop, and organize the merchandise."
"Dobby, I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before."
"He used to be the Malfoy family's house-elf, but he's free now." Albert explained.
"That's wonderful!"
The Weasley brothers enjoyed seeing the Malfoys in trouble.
"You actually spent money to hire a house-elf?" Fred interjected.
"So did Dumbledore."
"No, I'm just curious how much you're paying him." Fred wasn't too surprised. After all, it was Albert, and he wouldn't be surprised if he did something extraordinary.
"One galleon a week."
"Albert, enjoying a tangerine, replied to the twins, 'Just deduct it from my share of the profits later. I definitely won't be able to frequently visit the store.'
'If we're going to be based at the store, renting a place will probably cost quite a few galleons,' Fred commented.
'No need,' Albert calmly interjected, 'I've already thought of a solution—you can live in the box. If any trouble comes knocking, Dobby will immediately run off with the box, ensuring your safety and eliminating the worry of being murdered in your beds.' 'That's actually not a bad idea,' George mumbled, 'Even if the Ministry of Magic wanted to conduct a surprise inspection, they wouldn't be able to.'
'I've also come up with a poster for the store,' Albert added, pulling out a notebook and tearing off a page to hand to them.
Fred and George leaned in to read the message on the paper:
Why worry about You-Know-Who?
You should be concerned about Constipation Confectionery—
The feeling of constipation is torturing the nation! you know who (You-Know-Who)
u no poo (Constipation Confectionery) "Pfft!"
The twins couldn't help but burst into quiet laughter.
'Constipation Confectionery,' they whispered, 'Didn't know you had a sense of humor.' Fred suddenly understood why Albert had made that particular arrangement.
"What are you two snickering about?" Shanna asked, puzzled.
"Nothing," they replied.
Fred slipped the note into his pocket.
"You two are definitely plotting something mischievous. Oh, by the way, Professor Dumbledore asked me to give this to you." Lee Jordan walked over and handed a folded piece of paper to Albert.
Albert opened the note, glanced at its contents, and then put it away.
At 8 p.m. sharp, Albert knocked on the door of the headmaster's office. Upon entering, he noticed Moody's presence and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Professor Dumbledore, what did you want to see me about?" Albert asked, his expression turning solemn as he ignored Moody's scrutinizing gaze.
"I was hoping you could help us locate Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr.," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Divination is not infallible," Albert politely refused.
Of course, if Dumbledore offered a substantial enough reward, he wouldn't mind immediately tearing off Barty Crouch Jr.'s disguise right there and then.
"Just give it a try," Dumbledore urged.
Dumbledore handed him a notebook, and Albert glanced at its contents, recognizing it as a Transfiguration notebook.
Moody watched the private transaction with keen interest.
Albert hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to prophesy Peter's location.
As for Barty Crouch Jr., now was not the time. After this incident, Barty Crouch Jr. probably wouldn't dare to act rashly, but... he still needed to shoulder some of the risks.
However, Albert genuinely wanted Dumbledore's Transfiguration notebook.
He took out his crystal ball, placed his hand on it, and a tri-color flag of red, white, and blue appeared, followed by a wooden sign with a tulip logo, and finally, it settled on a dimly lit house where Peter was hugging a... bundle.
"Peter Pettigrew is hiding in the Netherlands..." Moody said, astonished, as a flash of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
"It seems that Peter has helped Voldemort regain his body," Dumbledore said, looking at the bundle in Peter's arms. "This is indeed bad news."
"This is troublesome," Professor Moody remarked.
"And what about Barty Crouch Jr.?" Dumbledore glanced at Moody, prompting Albert to proceed with the second prophecy.
"I'm afraid that's a lost cause..." Albert trailed off as he tapped the crystal ball. Soon, a new vision appeared—a winged boar statue, undoubtedly referring to Hogwarts.
However, the subsequent scene left both Dumbledore and Moody silent.
In the crystal ball, two Dementors were dragging a person away.
Barty Crouch Jr. had been arrested by the Ministry of Magic?
(End of Chapter)
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