Chapter 954: Fear of Death and Greed
Chapter 954: Fear of Death and Greed
As June 24th drew near, Albert's nerves began to tighten. Unlike the Savior, Harry Potter, who was growing more confident by the day, Albert wasn't particularly interested in the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. To be precise, he had no desire to risk his life exploring a maze.
Even though Albert knew that by dealing with the fake Moody during the third task, he would gain tremendous benefits, the rewards were often proportional to the risks. To complete the task on the panel, he would have to risk his life to take down a dangerous Death Eater.
After all, the Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra, treated everyone equally.
Perhaps it was because he now possessed so much that he had lacked in his previous life, along with his cheat-like system, that Albert was afraid of losing everything he had gained.
He found himself more anxious than he had been a few years ago when facing the Basilisk or other dangers. After all, he was now much better prepared and far more capable of handling perilous situations than he had been back then.
Perhaps the saying, "Wealth and honor come from danger," no longer applied to him. Leading a long and cautious life suited him better now! More than once, Albert had mocked himself inwardly, finding it amusing that he had been sorted into Gryffindor. He knew he wasn't a brave person.
At the very least, Albert didn't consider himself courageous.
Despite maintaining a calm exterior, his constant checking and rechecking of his plans throughout June betrayed the anxiety lurking within.
Even though the outcome of the third task was likely to unfold as he had originally planned, he continued to make more meticulous preparations to ensure he could extricate himself safely if necessary.
Albert suddenly understood why so many people feared death.
Perhaps it was because there were some things they couldn't bear to part with! He wasn't the savior, Harry Potter, nor did he possess the same recklessness that defined the boy who lived. He even suspected that if the book hadn't been titled 'Harry Potter,' the stubborn savior's grave would have been overgrown with grass by now.
Of course, there was no point in bringing this up now.
Defeating Barty and winning the Triwizard Tournament was what Albert should prioritize.
He needed to focus solely on clearing the third task and then consider other matters.
Eyeing his reflection in the full-length mirror, Albert patted his cheek and murmured, "It doesn't matter what the outcome is. I'll definitely survive."
After all, he had once prophesied that he would marry Isabelle.
If he died, that prophecy would never come to pass.
However, he still needed to be at his most alert to face the third task.
The future he saw in the crystal ball could also be changed.
There was a knock on the door, and Isabelle pushed it open, looking at Albert inquisitively as she wondered why he was wearing the Hungarian Horntail outfit.
Albert paid no heed to Isabelle's puzzled gaze and instead began moving his body to check if the outfit would hinder his combat abilities.
This time, his opponent wasn't a dragon but a Death Eater, and he needed to ensure he was agile enough to dodge the curses the fake Moody would cast, even under the influence of Felix Felicis.
As for relying on the outfit's robust defense to withstand spells, that strategy was only viable against ordinary wizards, not the Death Eater intent on killing him.
Of course, the Windy Magic Apparel Shop had sent the Horntail outfit back to him so that it could fulfill its final mission—to share in Albert's glory as he won the championship, rather than have him carried out of the maze in it, a corpse, becoming a laughingstock.
As long as Albert could wear this outfit and emerge victorious, the shop would redesign a brand-new Horntail outfit according to his preferred style as a reward.
Albert suspected that after the newspapers reported his achievement of subduing Barty and exiting the maze while wearing the Horntail outfit, it would attract a wave of hatred from Voldemort's followers.
This was certainly not good news, as it meant he would climb up a few notches on Voldemort's hit list.
"How's the progress on that house coming along?" Albert asked abruptly.
"It's not ready yet. It'll probably take some more time," Isabelle replied, eyeing Albert with a hint of confusion as he continued to test his outfit. "What's going on? Are you in a hurry?"
"After this term ends, we might have to lie low for a while, for safety's sake," Albert said, pausing in his movements and turning to the red-haired girl beside him. "You'll probably have to rely on the two-way mirror to communicate with your family for a while."
The two-way mirror technology had been restored, although it wasn't as convenient as the original mirrors. Still, it meant they could sell it at a higher profit.
"It seems you've indeed been keeping quite a few things from me!" Isabelle said, not angrily but standing there, waiting for her boyfriend to explain.
"The Dark Lord is likely to be resurrected, and I'm probably one of the most unwanted types of people around," Albert said, his face filled with guilt and helplessness. "As my girlfriend, everyone knows about our relationship, so for your safety, it's best if you lay low with me."
"You can actually talk to me about these things. There's no need to keep everything bottled up inside. I know you've been under a lot of pressure lately."
Isabelle's gaze remained calm and steady on Albert, not showing any anger that he had intended to keep things from her. Yet, this action inadvertently put a lot of pressure on Albert.
"Okay, I guess I'm implicated," Albert finally conceded under Isabelle's stare. He had been under quite a bit of stress lately and needed to confide in someone. "Someone wants to go after Potter, and I think you've probably guessed that already."
"The maze in the third task is indeed a good location." Isabelle quickly realized what was going on. The fact that Harry Potter became the fourth champion was strange in itself, so it was not surprising that someone wanted to harm him.
"I'm currently the most favored to win the championship, and I've become an obstacle for certain people." Albert said helplessly, "I have a hunch that the guy's goal is not to kill Potter, but to take him away. As for the reason, I think it may have something to do with the Dark Lord's resurrection."
"What does their plan to harm Potter have to do with you?" Isabelle asked with a smile.
However, the smile on the girl's face was a bit unnerving no matter how one looked at it.
"To divert attention." Albert hesitated for a moment, knowing that this reason would not be enough to convince Isabelle, so he continued, "Of course, he also probably knows that I helped Dumbledore with a few prophecies related to the Dark Lord, and Peter, the small dwarf, was also sent to Azkaban by me. He is likewise a follower of the Dark Lord and an enemy from past grudges. It's not strange that they want me dead."
"Of course, another reason is to stir up hatred among pureblood supremacists by having a Muggle-born wizard marry a genius like you. I guess that once the Death Eaters hiding out there return to their master, they will want to find an opportunity to kill me." Albert's emotions suddenly calmed down, "I plan to take this opportunity to get rid of the Death Eater hiding in Hogwarts and minimize the risk as much as possible. After all, if they dare to cause trouble for me, killing them is the only way to guarantee our safety."
"A duel to the death?"
Isabelle was not concerned about Albert's plan to kill a Death Eater. Although she did not know why things had come to this, the fact that Albert was on high alert and so uneasy meant that the situation was dangerous.
"Sort of," Albert replied.
"Are you confident you can win?" Isabelle asked, frowning.
"I'm more powerful than I used to be." Albert mumbled, "But as you know, dark wizards always like to throw Avada Kedavra around. Even though I've made thorough preparations, I still can't help but worry about you."
Isabelle remained silent for a moment, then reached out and hugged Albert. "I believe you can solve any problem. Just like how you defeated Rowena Smith back when the odds were against you, you have even more reason to win now. Plus, you promised to marry me next year."
"Of course." Albert kissed Isabelle's cheek and said seriously, "I never do anything I'm not sure about."
"Now, can you tell me what makes you willing to take such a big risk?" Isabelle did not think Albert was unaware of the risks involved in this matter. Since he was willing to take the risk, there must be greater benefits.
She knew Albert's character and every aspect of him very well.
Dumbledore must have offered a substantial reward.
Although there was some deviation from the expected outcome, Isabelle's guess was not wrong.
"I will be able to obtain Dumbledore's knowledge."
"Isn't Mr. Flamel's knowledge enough for you?" Isabelle's expression was complex. Knowledge was indeed precious, but... life was even more so.
"It's a profitable deal." Albert explained, "Anyway, I already attract enough hatred from pureblood supremacists. Most of those guys are Death Eaters who weren't captured and imprisoned in Azkaban. Since being murdered by them is inevitable once the Dark Lord gains power, it doesn't really matter if I attract a little more hatred. As long as we stay in a safe place and cheer from the sidelines, someone will help us deal with the remaining troubles."
Isabelle knew that Albert was right, and all she could do now was support him in continuing on this path.
"On the day of the third task of the Triwizard Tournament, my family will receive an invitation to watch the competition. You will come with them and help me look after them." Albert continued, "After the Tournament ends, I plan to send them away from Britain immediately."
"I'll help you."
"You're so kind!" Albert took a deep breath.
"Knowing that is enough." Isabelle gently rubbed Albert's cheeks and then lightly kissed his forehead.
Sometimes, Albert even thought about giving up the mission and hiding with Isabelle to live a quiet life. However, he quickly suppressed this idea. He knew that he was well-prepared and had a backup plan, so he would not fail easily, nor would he die easily.
More importantly, he wanted more experience, more skill points, more precious knowledge, more power, and even more beyond that...
Greed, sometimes, was indeed a sin.
(End of Chapter)
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