Chapter 997: The Decision, Hogwarts Express (Conclusion)
Chapter 997: The Decision, Hogwarts Express (Conclusion)
A delightful piece of news—Fred and George did not receive the golden invitation they had been eagerly anticipating.
Instead, they received a talking little trinket.
The object looked like a bowtruckle dressed in a tuxedo and top hat, somehow finding its way into the Burrow, standing before them, and gracefully performing a hat-doffing gesture.
It was truly magical to see the bowtruckle being so polite.
Like a magician's trick, a line of words leaped out from the top hat, glowing yellow, and hovered in mid-air.
"Oh, Kyle, you can't do this..."
Before dawn, Sirius rushed to Hogsmeade, banging on Kyle's door.
"Here comes another one, look what you've done..."
The door was opened from the inside, and Chris, holding his forehead, said helplessly, "Come in, but you'll have to conjure a chair."
Sirius was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Kyle's house was already filled with people.
The most noticeable group on the central sofa was the Weasley family, with their distinctive red hair. Almost the entire family was present, including Bill, who was far away at Shell Cottage, Fleur, and Charlie, who had been in the Fire Dragon Sanctuary.
Next to them were Kingsley, Lupin, Tonks, and other familiar faces from the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic.
There were also people he recognized but didn't know well, and some he didn't know at all.
Kyle's living room wasn't particularly large, and now it was packed to the brim.
Just as he unconsciously stepped inside, an owl carrying a red envelope flew in from outside.
Wait, a red letter...
Before Sirius could relax, a box was thrown over, and a long tail emerged from inside, wrapping around the owl and the letter.
After a moment, the closed box jumped a few times on the floor and stopped moving.
"As expected, here comes the Howler from your mother." Chris picked up the box and handed it to Newt, rubbing his forehead as he looked at Kyle, who was further inside the house.
"Fortunately, if the Department of Mysteries had a mission today, it might not have been just a Howler."
"It's the same for me," Kyle said calmly.
Seeing the scene before him, Sirius's initially furious demeanor suddenly softened, but he couldn't help but ask, "Weren't we supposed to handle the invitations?"
"I had no choice," Kyle spread his hands, "No one expected that we'd just made the decision when Nicole appeared, insisting on helping. We couldn't refuse, could we?"
"Nicole?" Sirius frowned, "Nearly Headless Nick?"
"How could it possibly be a ghost?" Kyle said, "It's Nikoleme, the alchemist?"
"So that little thing I saw before..."
"It must be Nicole's creation."
At this, Sirius fell silent.
He wanted to support Kyle, but he wasn't arrogant enough to think his status was higher than Nikoleme's.
"Then... I'll keep it for Harry's wedding."
He muttered, but Harry, who had just walked to the door, turned pale.
If the 'it' Sirius mentioned keeping were the gold pieces for the invitations, Harry might have to consider learning from Kyle.
As expected, more and more people arrived.
Although no one had anticipated Kyle and Conna's sudden decision to hold the wedding, they quickly accepted it, knowing that this was Kyle.
"I'll go borrow the wedding tent right now!" Mrs. Weasley stood up and was about to head out, but someone stopped her.
"There's no need for such trouble." Tina said with a smile.
"But we need a very large space." Mrs. Weasley insisted, "This is Kyle and Conna's wedding, and there will be many guests. Hogsmeade simply can't accommodate so many wizards."
"No, you misunderstood. I mean we have better options."
After saying this, Tina turned to look at Newt.
Newt, who was not used to being around so many people, had been hiding in the corner, trying to pass himself off as a ghost.
The only action he had taken during this time was to use the box to contain the Howler sent by Diana.
But facing Tina's gaze, he had no choice but to step out from the corner.
"Leave it to me..."
Newt left with a suitcase in hand.
When he returned, a grand door suddenly appeared out of thin air between the Burrow and here.
Everyone was stunned.
"Hogwarts..." Harry unconsciously exclaimed.
It was too similar... Those two oak doors were identical to the ones at Hogwarts.
"I chose what I'm most familiar with... and probably what most guests are familiar with as well." Newt said.
And as everyone stepped inside, they couldn't help but gasp in awe once again.
They felt as if they had entered a vast plain, and even more astonishingly, there were snow-capped mountains ahead, and a lush forest when they turned around.
An endless lake was divided into two, with the bright sun shining above them during the day, while a moon hung in the sky on the opposite side.
Several mooncalfs were drinking water by the lake, occasionally raising their heads, their bright, large eyes curiously examining the visitors.
"This is..."
"I know, this is your box!" Fred exclaimed.
Although the surroundings had undergone some changes, he immediately recognized that they were inside Kyle's box.
And...
He looked up and saw a nearly fifty-foot-long fire dragon flying overhead.
The wedding tent probably wouldn't offer extra fire dragon services...
Mrs. Weasley was initially afraid, especially when she saw the fire dragon and a black beast on a nearby tree, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she thought of the identity of one of the people who had come with them.
According to legend, the master of magical beasts, Newt Scamander, was here, so it must be safe.
"Well, let's get started. Our task is heavy." She put on a pair of glasses, resting them on the tip of her nose, and scanned a long list of tasks on a large piece of parchment.
This was the list of preparations she had made with Diana and Chris a few days ago, including cleaning rooms, painting the house, and nearly eighty other tasks.
Although Kyle didn't know why they needed to clean the rooms when they were getting married in the box, he had no right to object since it was Mrs. Weasley and Diana's plan.
Soon, a group of people began to work busily.
And with Newt's presence, they also had the help of many magical creatures.
Fire crabs were everywhere, trimming the grounds, and phoenixes hanging balloons and ribbons... The house-elf Dobby also arrived, dressed in a golden suit, with a new bow tie around his neck.
Unfortunately, Tata wasn't there at the moment, otherwise they might have found a common topic to discuss.
After all, aside from Dobby and Tata, there wasn't a third House Elf in the wizarding world who dressed as formally.
...
As the crowd gathered, the venue began to transform before their very eyes.
From dawn to noon, the box underwent a complete transformation, and the most significant change was undoubtedly Norbert.
The once ferocious Norwegian Ridgeback now had balloons, flowers, and ribbons tied all over its body, reluctantly hovering above the venue as a mascot.
Oh, and on the Erumpent's back were mounted rows of fireworks launchers. As it ran, specially designed fireworks would appear in every corner, making it extremely convenient.
In the entire box, only the Cat Panther reacted swiftly, taking advantage of its innate ability to capture divine thoughts. It fled into the forest, far away from the scene, as soon as they decided to torment Norbert.
...
With everyone's efforts, the venue was finally ready.
"Mom, do you think a hundred chairs might be a bit too few?" Bill frowned slightly as he looked at the hundredth chair they had just set up.
There were more than a hundred guests at his wedding.
Moreover, Kyle had the identity of a Triwizard Tournament champion and the youngest Order of Merlin Second Class recipient. There was no doubt that many people would attend.
Perhaps there would even be foreign wizards.
A hundred seats were indeed too few.
"This is Kyle's request."
Mrs. Weasley also thought it was a bit too few, but there was nothing she could do. Kyle insisted on setting up only a hundred chairs.
"Maybe it's because of... Nikoleme," Minerva McGonagall said beside her, unable to hold back, "I heard he's also attending this wedding. You know, it's not suitable for too many people to see him."
"Nikoleme..." Mrs. Weasley's mouth hung open, and she quickly covered it with her hand.
"Are you sure, Minerva? Is Mr. Lemay, such a legendary wizard, really coming?"
Although they knew that the special invitation was the handiwork of the alchemist Nikoleme, it was a different matter to learn that he would personally attend.
"If I remember correctly, Mr. Lemay hasn't made a public appearance in two centuries, right?"
"Something like that," McGonagall said.
She wasn't an alchemist and didn't pay much attention to Nikoleme, but it was true that he hadn't appeared in public for a long time. Occasionally, people would run into him when they went to the opera.
Mrs. Weasley was also excited.
Although she wasn't a fan of Nikoleme, she was curious about this legendary wizard who had lived for over six hundred years.
It was like someone who only appeared in History of Magic and legends had suddenly appeared before her.
"Then we should prepare well..." She grabbed two people who were running past her and shouted, "Fred, George, put on your ceremonial robes! Don't embarrass yourselves in front of the guests!"
"Ceremonial robes? That thing is hot and tight, I don't want to wear it!"
"And Kyle said he didn't want all this fuss. We can wear whatever we like!"
The two of them ran off, laughing.
Mrs. Weasley was about to chase after them, but at that moment, more guests who had received invitations arrived.
First were Cedric and Cho, followed by Hermione.
Then came several older wizards.
"Dug..."
"Oh, Armando!"
The two elderly wizards recognized each other and greeted each other happily.
Dugmack, whom Kyle had met at Nikole's old mansion, was a pen pal, and they had exchanged many letters.
The other was an old acquaintance, Armando Dippet, one of Hogwarts' headmasters and the only living former headmaster.
Although most people believed he was dead, he was indeed alive and over three hundred and sixty years old.
Before they could chat much, they were stunned by the luxurious setup of the venue.
"Hey, Dug, did Newt have a fire dragon at his wedding?" Armando asked in a low voice.
Even with his three hundred years of experience, it was rare for him to see a live fire dragon used as a decorative item alongside the Erumpent.
"Probably not," Dug replied.
His gaze was also drawn to Norbert in the sky.
It was rumored that Kyle had a legal dragon-keeping license, and only he could have pulled this off.
Even if others had the ability, they would be immediately arrested by the Aurors.
"He said he'd be back. Where's Kyle?" Armando looked around.
He had some knowledge about the Headmaster's office portraits, but he hadn't seen Kyle in person.
So, when he heard from the portraits that Kyle was getting married, he promptly returned to Britain, hoping to meet Kyle.
But now that he had finally made it inside, Kyle, the host, had disappeared, and no one he asked had seen him.
Had Kyle truly vanished?
Of course not.
At that moment, he was on the other side of the box, looking exasperated at the person before him.
"It's just a simple wedding. You really didn't have to come all the way from Nurmengard."
"What, I'm not welcome?" Grindelwald raised his eyes.
"I helped you with such a big favor, and you don't even say thank you. Now you want to chase me away?"
"Is that what Dumbledore taught you?"
"Nonsense, it's been a long time since I taught students." Another familiar voice spoke.
Kyle looked at Dumbledore, who appeared like a ghost, and tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He had become numb.
To be honest, aside from Sirius's influence, he made this decision to avoid these messy acquaintances.
Unfortunately, Grindelwald seemed determined to join the fun, completely unconcerned about being recognized.
But Kyle couldn't afford to be unconcerned.
Among the guests were members of the Order of the Phoenix and former classmates, as well as many elderly wizards.
Not to mention, Newt would definitely recognize Grindelwald.
When that happened, his wedding would become quite lively... but not in the way he wanted.
And Dumbledore?
No one knew if he was dead or alive, though he appeared like a colorful ghost. His presence would also be problematic if noticed.
"Your gaze is truly heart-wrenching," Dumbledore said with feigned sadness, "I thought you'd be happy to see me."
"I would have been happy if you hadn't come with him," Kyle shifted his gaze, "So, you two came together?"
"Of course not."
Grindelwald remained silent, but Dumbledore vehemently denied, "I came with Ariana. I've been with her recently."
"Oh, right. Thank you, Ariana. Your mother was angry about your sudden marriage announcement, and Ariana certainly helped convince her."
Kyle gave a dry laugh.
On the other side, Grindelwald was getting a little angry. He furrowed his brows and looked at Dumbledore, or rather, since Dumbledore's appearance, his gaze had never left him.
"Why can't you come with me? Does my name bother you that much?"
"Not really. I just have better options," Dumbledore said.
"I thought that as long as my sister was alive, we could go back to how we were before," Grindelwald couldn't help but raise his voice, "Like that summer in Godric's Hollow, when we talked about everything."
"But I went to see you many times, why wouldn't you meet me?"
Dumbledore turned his head, his expression stiff, "Ariana was saved by Kyle, it has nothing to do with you."
"But at least I can confirm that I didn't kill her, isn't that enough?"
"This matter cannot be argued right or wrong."
"Why..."
The two of them grew more and more intense, and Kyle tried several times to interrupt them, but failed. He could only silently retreat to the side.
Alright, if he couldn't provoke them, he would avoid them.
Perhaps Grindelwald came to attend this wedding, not for him in the first place... even though it was his wedding!
...
"Oh, Kyle, where did you go just now?"
As soon as Kyle returned to the venue, he saw Ron, Harry, and Hermione rushing over with something in their hands.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone just delivered this as a gift for you." Ron handed over the item in his hand, "A middle-aged wizard, he didn't say anything."
"But don't worry, I've already checked it, and there's no Dark Magic on it," Hermione said from the side, "Do you have any idea who it's from?"
"I'm not sure either." Kyle took the item from Ron with a puzzled look.
It was a book.
'The Bard in the Wind'
Kyle was familiar with this book. When he first entered Hogwarts, Dumbledore had given him this book, which contained many useful magical tricks.
But...
The book looked exactly like the one he remembered.
But why would someone send him a book...
Kyle casually flipped through the book.
"What is this?" Hermione suddenly noticed something drawn inside and couldn't help but lean in for a closer look.
"It's a flying broom," Harry said suddenly.
Kyle noticed it too. After opening the cover, the first thing he saw was a drawing of a flying broom.
"But what does this mean?" Ron scratched his head.
"I think I know who sent this book," Kyle said.
"This drawing means to remind you to carry a flying broom with you. Sometimes this thing is more useful than a wand."
"Huh? What did you say?" Ron still didn't understand, and even Hermione was a bit puzzled.
"It's nothing. This is something I learned in my first year, a little trick with a broom."
Kyle casually closed the book without explaining further.
Ollivander, he was a bard when he came to teach at Hogwarts.
Kyle almost forgot about him.
Ever since Voldemort's death, he had disappeared.
Kyle had been guessing his purpose for joining the Death Eaters and had also asked Dumbledore about it.
But Dumbledore didn't know either, as Ollivander wasn't his person and hadn't had any contact with him.
He only said that Ollivander had been inquiring about werewolves and that before the final battle, Hogwarts had received a map marked with the number of Death Eaters.
In Dumbledore's words, "Bards are like the wind. You can't grasp the wind, nor can you guess what a bard is thinking."
Kyle casually put the book away.
He didn't care about the wind or the bard; he would never let Ollivander off the hook.
However, considering that Ollivander had once been a teacher at Hogwarts, Kyle decided to ask him directly about the meaning of the gift.
"Sorry," Kyle acted as if nothing had happened and turned his head, "The ceremony is about to start, and I have something else to attend to..."
"Oh, of course," Hermione quickly said, "Go ahead. I just saw that Connor was waiting for you at the entrance."
"Mhm," Kyle followed the corridor and left the box.
A moment later, the music played by the Weird Sisters suddenly changed, and the golden balloons in the air burst, releasing countless fireworks simultaneously.
Everyone's gaze turned to the entrance.
But after a long wait, they saw nothing. No one entered from outside, not a single person. All they heard was a loud, angry howl.
It seemed to be Snape's, but who had angered him was unclear.
It wasn't until McGonagall rushed in that they realized the bride and groom, the stars of the show, had run off, leaving everyone behind!
"So cool!" Fred instinctively stood up and shouted, "This is the best wedding ceremony ever!"
"Exactly," George chimed in, "When I get married, I want to..."
Before he could finish, his ear was caught by Mrs. Weasley.
The atmosphere instantly became lively.
In a corner away from the crowd, Nikoleme and his wife, Perenelle, sat close together, a winged mirror in front of them.
In the mirror, it seemed that Kyle and Connor were embracing tightly in the Hogwarts Express.
"So sweet," Perenelle wiped the corner of her eye.
But at that moment, the image in the mirror suddenly disappeared.
At the same time, Kyle in the Hogwarts Express removed a decorative piece from Connor's dress and casually tossed it aside.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Kyle shook his head.
Connor wanted to ask more, but her lips were sealed by a kiss. She could only close her eyes and wrap her arms around Kyle's neck.
Time passed, and no one knew how long.
"Let's go on a trip," Kyle suddenly said, "A honeymoon."
Connor laughed, "A trip? Or are you trying to hide from the spotlight? I imagine many people are looking for you now."
"That's partly the reason," Kyle admitted, "So, will you agree?"
"Of course," Connor said with a smile, "I do."
No one knew what Kyle had done, but the originally stationary train suddenly started moving, carrying the two of them away.
It was as if they were students again, heading to Hogwarts for the first time.
(End of Book)
(End of Chapter)
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