svetikya Chapter 181 Questioning the Missing Demon Forest: Mysterious Events
Chapter 181 Questioning the Missing Demon Forest: Mysterious Events
Chapter 182 (6k long chapter): Questioning the Missing Demon Forest Reveals Mysterious Behavior
As soon as Ron finished speaking, Harry clapped his hands and laughed:
"Those two siblings are quite the tricksters! Could it be that they've planted a series of sentries along the way?"
Before Ron could answer, Harry had already lifted his coat and strode up to the second floor.
As they turned the corner of the stairs, they saw Percy standing there, chest puffed out and belly protruding, his Ministry of Magic robes fluttering like a raven spreading its wings.
He held his chin high and spoke slowly and deliberately:
Happy birthday, Harry.
"As a senior who was invited to intern at the International Department of Magical Cooperation right after graduation, I have three pieces of advice for you..."
Harry, with his sharp eyes, noticed the way the man puffed out his chest and took a deep breath, and knew he was about to launch into a long and eloquent speech.
He immediately reached into his pocket, pulled out three or five Galleons, and stuffed them into his palm without saying a word.
"Brother, you are too kind to me. I can only offer you this small token of my appreciation.
The heavy Galleons weighed down Percy's wrist, instantly turning his vast knowledge into a jumbled mess.
Before he could speak again, Harry had already glided past like a fish, his boots clattering as he flew straight to the third floor.
As soon as I stepped into the third-floor corridor, I heard a burst of noise.
It turned out to be seven or eight little dwarfs, each holding a clapper, singing "Happy Birthday" in broken, hoarse voices, making it sound like ghosts wailing and wolves howling.
The dwarves were surrounding a man, who was none other than Lockhart.
Lockhart, his face flushed and beaming with pride, saw Harry and, without a word, opened his arms and embraced him, exclaiming:
Happy birthday, Harry!
"I have some incredibly exciting news to share: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban has surpassed three million copies sold worldwide!"
"Not only in European countries, but also in the United States and even China, many wizards are interested in this book!"
Seeing him arrive, Harry thought to himself: This trip to see my older sister is going to be a real ordeal, she's going to be so difficult to deal with!
Lockhart, unaware of Harry's inner turmoil, pressed closer with eager anticipation, pulling a manuscript from his robes and presenting it as if it were a precious treasure:
"This is my latest masterpiece from this summer, a retelling of the story of the basilisk and its heir from the perspective of the savior!"
"The name is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."
Seeing him staring longingly at his house, how could Harry not understand?
He immediately waved his hand and replied readily, "Professor, please feel free to print it. How could I possibly refuse?"
"There's only one thing: the background of that successor needs to be changed. Whether it's hinting indirectly or naming him directly, just say it's Voldemort."
After saying that, he ignored Lockhart's profuse thanks behind him and strode straight up to the fourth floor.
Harry left the third floor, wondering how Hermione was waiting, and before he knew it, he was on the steps to the fourth floor.
Looking up, he saw a figure standing there. After recognizing the face, he hurriedly straightened his robes, stepped forward, brushed his hair, and bowed, calling out:
"Oh dear! It's my second uncle here!"
"Why didn't you send a letter first? That way, I could have told my nephew to prepare some wine and drinks to welcome his second uncle!"
"If we had told you in advance, it wouldn't be a surprise."
Lupin smiled and helped Harry up, then took a brocade bundle from his bosom.
When it was untied, it turned out to be a finely crafted satin dress, with meticulous stitches and a shimmering sheen.
"Happy birthday, this dress is specially bought for you at Tuofan Clothing Store."
Harry took it with both hands, his fingertips tracing the fabric, feeling its warmth, knowing it was no ordinary item, and couldn't help but smile:
"I am deeply grateful for your generous gift, Second Uncle. However, such fine clothes, if worn on an ordinary day, would be as conspicuous as a bright star in the sky."
"This is for special occasions," Lupin smiled slightly. "Trust me, Harry, you'll definitely need it this year."
In the past, Harry would have pressed for an explanation. However, preoccupied with other matters, he changed the subject, saying:
"Why did you decline when your godfather invited you to stay with us? Is there something important that you're dealing with?"
"Oh, you mean this?"
Lupin shrugged. "Umbridge passed the Anti-Werewolf Act, so I have to fight for my rights along with the other werewolves."
Harry was taken aback upon hearing this, and clapped his hands, saying, "Is that so! Why didn't you tell me sooner, Uncle! I've been so bored lately, I should go and cheer you on!"
"Oh, Harry, not all werewolves still identify as wizards."
"With hundreds of werewolves gathered together, I can hardly guarantee that they won't have any bad intentions towards you."
"Besides, the matter is over now."
Hearing Lupin's words, Harry asked urgently, "What was the result of this resistance?"
"The Ministry of Magic only backed down half a step. Although I retained most of my rights, I still have to resign from Hogwarts."
"The Board of Trustees is putting pressure on Professor Dumbledore, and I don't want to put him in a difficult position."
Upon hearing this, Harry was filled with rage and, driven by a surge of malice, roared, "It must be those bastard parents from the aristocratic club abusing their power!"
"Second Uncle, please don't worry. Once I return to Hogwarts, I'll teach these scoundrels a lesson they won't forget!"
After saying this, he clasped his hands in farewell and headed straight for the fifth floor.
As Harry reached the porch, before he could even push open the door, he suddenly heard a whooshing sound overhead, and a gigantic man, as black as a towering black tower, crashed down from the beam with a deafening roar, like Mount Tai bearing down on him. Harry was so startled that he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the impact.
Happy Birthday, Harry!
The Titan, with a voice as loud as a bell, shouted only once, and with a loud crash, a huge hole was punched through the floorboards, and he plummeted to the fourth floor.
Then, three loud "bangs" rang out in succession, like the beating of war drums, piercing through three floors in succession, finally creating a crater more than ten feet deep on the first floor.
Harry peered into the cave, then let out a long laugh, leaped down, and landed steadily beside Hagrid.
"Brother's fall was truly earth-shattering! Even the Giant Spirit God descending to the mortal realm couldn't have done it this way!"
Hagrid laughed heartily upon hearing this, slapping the dust off his body with his two giant hands, causing wood chips to fall from his beard.
"If I had known the floorboards were this fragile, I would have waited for you on the first floor."
As the group was chatting and laughing, they suddenly heard the front door creak open. The Weasleys entered together, followed by two burly men.
Molly spotted Harry immediately, a loving smile spreading across her face. She rushed forward and embraced him tightly, then held his shoulders and examined him closely, saying joyfully:
"Look, Arthur, our Harry is all grown up now."
Arthur smiled and embraced Harry, then introduced the two behind him.
"Let me introduce you, Harry, this is Bill, and that is Charlie."
Upon hearing the name, Harry hurriedly straightened his clothes, stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and saluted.
"Hearing about you is not as good as seeing you in person, and seeing you in person is even better than hearing about you. I have often heard Brother Ron speak of your heroic deeds, and to meet you today is truly an honor!"
Bill and Charlie were momentarily stunned by Harry's overly polite manner and archaic speech.
Bill, who spent years in Gringotts dealing with all sorts of alien races, was the first to recover. He reached out and shook hands firmly with him, smiling:
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Harry."
Now that all the friends and neighbors had arrived, Blake hurriedly called everyone to move to the dining room for a banquet.
Hundreds of gift boxes were stacked high and low beside the fireplace in the restaurant, resembling a magnificent mountain. It was the sisters and brothers of the Boxers who, upon hearing of Harry's birthday, specially sent owls to deliver their heartfelt wishes.
Just then, a sudden whistling sound of wings was heard outside the window, as if a gale had ripped the window open.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Legnac's tamed night owl, which burst in, dropped a vermilion lacquered box, and flew away.
When Harry opened the box, he found ten first-class tickets for the Quidditch World Cup lined up inside.
Harry tucked the money into his pocket, thinking to himself: This Legnark is quite polite, choosing my birthday to give me this gift.
When Blake saw the mountain of gift boxes, he was so astonished that he was speechless for a long time.
After finally regaining her composure, she exclaimed in surprise, "Harry, do you have so many friends at school?"
Fred and George, those two rascals, exchanged glances and then chuckled foolishly.
"Mr. Black, you should say that there is someone who is not Harry's friend."
George feigned fear, "Going against Lord Potter means falling under the Auror's curse!"
His words caused a great stir among the guests.
Kreacher and Dobby, the two house-elves, were already busy running around the hall, their feet barely touching the ground.
And look at that long table, where: suckling pig wrapped in honey, resting on a blue-and-white porcelain bowl; whole roasted turkey, its golden-red color filling the room. Steaks piled high on large platters, forming mountains of meat; a dazzling array of wines, fine brews filling the courtyard with fragrance.
Everyone was seated and about to raise their glasses when Harry glanced around, slapped his forehead, and exclaimed:
"Oh dear! I almost forgot about my eldest sister!"
Just as he was about to go upstairs to look for her, a woman in green with a pale face emerged from behind the stairwell and sat down sullenly at the corner of the mat.
"Don't bother looking for me, I came by myself."
Harry quickly clasped his hands in apology, "Please don't be offended, elder sister. I was so anxious when I saw Hagrid fall down that I rushed to take care of him and forgot about everything else." He then bowed repeatedly.
Although Hermione saw his sincerity, she was still deeply troubled. She had planned a surprise for Harry in the room, but now it seemed like she had been caught in the act.
Just as I was frowning, I suddenly heard the warbling of orioles at the top of the stairs.
"Look on the bright side, at least Harry remembers you weren't here."
"I'm being completely ignored~"
When Harry turned his head, he saw Ginny leaning against the carved railing, her clothes slightly disheveled, and a hint of melancholy on her cheeks.
It turned out that she and Hermione had the same idea, both lying in wait for Harry in the room, but they both missed their chance.
Harry saw her trying to appear calm as she looked up at the sky, but her starry eyes were misty and her long eyelashes trembled, just like a crabapple tree wet with spring rain.
Harry felt ashamed and hurriedly got up to lead her to her seat, singing "Fei Nuo" three times in a row.
"Please don't be angry with me, sister. I've been so busy with chores these days that I've been like a headless fly. I just neglected it for a moment."
After speaking, he took out a first-class ticket for the Quidditch World Cup from his pocket and presented it to him.
"This is a token of my apology; I hope you will accept it."
Upon seeing the money during the meal, Arthur was so startled that he dropped his knife and fork and exclaimed:
"Oh! Harry, do you already have tickets?"
Harry then pulled nine more bills from his pocket and spread them out on the table like the feathers of a goose.
"However, I'd like to ask for a favor through our old acquaintance at Gringotts. If the Director is interested, you may take these."
Arthur was stunned for a moment, then pulled out a stack of bills from his own pocket and put them together with Harry's stack, like two red clouds blooming side by side.
He shook his head and chuckled, "Looks like I'll have to change your birthday present."
You ask how Arthur, who is usually very poor, suddenly has so many valuable tickets? Well, there's another reason behind it.
The younger brother of Ludo Bagman, the former director of the Department of Sports and Mobilization, was a troublemaker. He put a spell on a Muggle lawnmower, turning it into a magical object, which led to a manhunt by the Ministry of Magic.
Since Arthur was serving as the supervisor in charge of prohibiting the misuse of Muggle items, this matter was his responsibility to handle.
He intended to uphold justice, but out of consideration for Ludo, he secretly did him a favor, thus Ludo owed him a debt of gratitude.
Since the Quidditch World Cup is now under the jurisdiction of the Department of Sport, Ludo slipped Arthur a stack of first-class tickets as a way of returning the favor.
During the meal, Arthur recounted the whole story in detail, and at the end, he smiled gently:
"I like Ludo. There are very few people in the Ministry of Magic who are so high-ranking yet so passionate."
"Of course, it would be even better if he could control his gambling habit."
"Yes, Mr. Bagman is quite charming," Percy said dismissively, pursing his lips. "But compared to Mr. Crouch—I really don't know how he became a boss."
"Bertha Jorkins from his company has been missing for a month. She went on vacation to Albania and never came back, and he's just letting it go unnoticed!"
Percy casually dusted off his official robes, took a sip of elderflower wine, and drawled out the sound.
"If someone from our International Magical Cooperation Division were to go missing, Mr. Crouch wouldn't do this. I dare say he's the most meticulous and conscientious person in the Ministry of Magic."
"Unfortunately, after the Quidditch World Cup, Mr. Crouch and I have to organize a large event, so we don't have time to look for people for other departments..."
He kept muttering to himself, but Ron had already rolled his eyes up to the rafters and whispered to Harry:
"It's been like this ever since he started working. He can say 'Mr. Crouch' a thousand times a day. All because he sent his Death Eater son, Crouch Jr., to Azkaban."
"I dare say that if Crouch were a lady, Percy would bring a bouquet of roses to work every day."
Harry, no longer in the mood for jokes, thought to himself: Damn it! This Albanian region is really weird!
Helena met her end in the dark forest, and Voldemort, the leader of the Quirrell Cult, was possessed by her—all in Albania. Now, Nabersha Joggins has vanished here as well. Could this place be beset by some evil spirit?
His suspicions grew, and he interrupted, asking, "Who is Bertha Jorkins? Did she do anything suspicious before going to Albania?"
The question came abruptly, and Hermione, with a quick glance, knew that he was suspicious.
After hearing Harry's question, Arthur pondered for a while and shook his head, saying, "Jorgins has always been very forgetful. She once forgot to go to work for a whole week in a row."
"However, no one has any objections to this. After all, she can't remember anything and is of no use. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been transferred from one department to another."
What Arthur said seemed reasonable at first glance, but it didn't stand up to close scrutiny.
Hermione thought for a moment, then frowned and said:
"This isn't right. If Bertha Jorkins is completely useless, how did she even get into the Ministry of Magic in the first place?"
Hermione! That was a very insightful and accurate question!
Arthur paused for a moment, then hesitated and said, "She was quite normal when she first joined the Ministry of Magic, just a little oblivious."
"I don't know when she became so forgetful."
"Hmm!"
Lockhart's eyes widened suddenly, his throat tightened in surprise, and he hurriedly swallowed the steak in his mouth, blurting out:
"This sounds a bit like being under a forgetting spell."
"If a very powerful wizard uses the Oblivion Charm, the magic can very easily damage brain tissue."
After these words were spoken, the entire room fell silent. The flickering candlelight cast shadows on everyone's faces.
Arthur was terrified and wished he could rush to the Department of Sports and Sport to discuss the matter with Naruto.
Lupin slowly set down his knife and fork, his gaze sharp as he fixed on Lockhart. "Gidero, your mastery of the Oblivion Charm seems quite high?"
"Ahem! I only heard it from others, it's all hearsay..."
"Enough with the idle chatter!" Harry suddenly threw down his cup and laughed. "What a fine day! What disgusting talk! Let's pour wine into big bowls and cut meat into large chunks!"
This sound was like a spring thunder breaking through the ice, and the banquet hall erupted in noise again. Amidst the clinking of glasses, one could see that the roasted pig was reduced to white bones in an instant, and the mead was emptied to the bottom of the jar in a flash.
When the banquet ended, the heroes agreed to meet again at the World Cup, and each clasped their hands in farewell.
Hermione stayed behind, subtly tugging at Harry's sleeve and giving him a meaningful look. She then called Kreacher, and Dobby cleared away the dishes and filled in the paving stones Hagrid had trampled, before the two headed straight for their bedroom on the fifth floor.
Once inside the bedroom, Hermione turned around and secured the door bolt before taking a closer look at Harry.
"Harry, do you think there's something wrong with Bertha Jorkins' disappearance?"
Harry sat back on the bed and recounted his speculations from the meal in detail.
After saying this, he sighed deeply, put his fist on his knee, and said, "Originally, I only had three-tenths of a doubt, but after Lockhart's words, it's become seven-tenths of the truth."
Hermione frowned slightly and sat down next to him. "If I had to pick a suspect, I'd guess it would be Voo-hoo...the Man of Mystery."
"Damn it! I still can't pronounce his name!"
"He's been harassing you for three years now, there's no reason why he wouldn't come when you were in fourth grade."
Harry rubbed his knuckles against the hilt of his knife, lost in thought, and said, "If Jorkins really did fall victim to Voldemort, then there must be something fishy about Albania."
"Helena stole her mother's golden cup and fled into the Albanian forest. I fear that Voldemort may have also pried secrets out of her and discovered the location of the golden cup."
Hermione noticed the worry etched on his brow, so she swept her ochre hair back, neatly tied it up, and knelt on the bed, saying:
"Don't think about that, Harry, I have something to show you."
After speaking, she parted her red lips slightly and stuck out half of her tongue.
Harry was completely confused and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, saying, "I hope you can enlighten me, elder sister."
Suddenly, the tip of the tongue flipped over, revealing a mandrake leaf, its emerald green color clinging to the tongue and spinning around.
Hermione snapped her tongue back into her mouth and chuckled, "I ate quite a lot just now, but not a single food scrap stuck to the leaves."
Harry clapped his hands in admiration, "Big sister, you are truly a genius! I've only been teaching you this ventriloquism for a few months, and you've already mastered it so well."
Hermione felt a surge of pride, raised her pointed chin, and then suddenly became serious:
"Harry, is the only difference between your Animagus transformation and what your father's notes describe, the artificial thunderstorms?"
Harry, upon hearing her question, immediately understood what she meant. He quickly replied:
"Does my elder sister intend to transform the Animagus into a magical creature? Absolutely not!"
"I had no choice but to do it that day because I had a knife to my throat. If what Brother Salazar said is true, I was able to save my life entirely because the Invisibility Cloak deceived the eyes of the King of Hell."
"Sister, you currently have no protective treasures. If you take a risky move, wouldn't you be like a lamb entering a tiger's den?"
Harry tried to persuade Hermione, but Hermione remained silent with her head down for a long time.
Suddenly she looked up, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "Alright, Harry, I'll do as you say."
Seeing her agree so readily, Harry felt something was amiss and pressed her for more information: "Sister, are you sure you mean it?"
"Of course, why would I lie to you?"
Hermione grabbed his wrist and was about to press it against her heart. "I swear to you."
Harry quickly pulled his hand away. "Sister's words are law, how could I not believe them?"
Hermione gave a soft snort, rolled off the bed, and headed straight for the door with her hands behind her back. Just as she reached the threshold, she suddenly turned back with a sly smile and said:
"I'd like to stay here for a while. Are there any spare rooms available?"
Before Harry could reply, he had already shuffled off.
Time flies, and more than twenty days have passed in the blink of an eye. It was the day before the Quidditch World Cup, and Harry and the others were packing their bags to head to the stadium in Devon.
Blackburn wanted to take the two of them on his flying motorcycle, but Harry, eager for the exhilarating experience of transforming into a mirage and soaring through the clouds, politely declined.
Hermione had long been looking forward to the experience of riding a mirage through the clouds, so she immediately bid farewell to Black, straddled Harry's neck, and shouted "Rise!"
But then the mirage raised its head, shook its scales, and carried Hermione into the sky.
At first, she felt the wind caressing her hair, a pleasure beyond words. However, Devonshire is more than a thousand miles from London, and Hermione's legs, which had been pressed against the neck of the mirage for so long, gradually began to feel soreness and numbness in her legs.
But the dragon's back was covered with scales that stretched out like cold blades, so he couldn't sit on it and had to endure the jolting.
When Hermione landed in front of the camp, she staggered down and leaned against a tree trunk, massaging her legs and feet. It took a full half incense stick's time for her blood and energy to flow smoothly again.
Just then, the Weasleys came into view, carrying their luggage, with Black standing beside them.
The group reunited and went to the stone house in the camp to purchase two tents that had been enchanted with spatial expansion spells.
While Arthur and Black discussed the arrangements, Harry strolled around, looking around. He saw hundreds of tents scattered like stars, and many wizards dressed as Muggles were filing into the camp.
Harry thought to himself: If each tent can hold ten people, and they are lined up so closely, there could be tens of thousands of people gathered here, which is exactly the number of people under my command when I was in Bozi!
He was looking around when suddenly his green eyes widened, he gasped, and exclaimed in horror:
"Damn it! This is truly a sign of the world going to the dogs, morals and ethics completely corrupt! How dare they parade around in public dressed like that?!"
At his shout, Ron, Hermione, and the others all turned to look, and instantly blushed.
What did he see?
But then came a witch: her tight-fitting leather blouse half-undone, revealing her snow-white breasts and cleavage; her fishnet stockings tightly bound her, exposing her full, jade-like legs. She held a leopard-tail whip upside down, a golden sparrow hairpin tucked askew into her hair. Truly:
A crimson silk robe cannot conceal her allure; even the touch of a whip on the ground exudes charm.
Don't say that practitioners are upright; they merely imitate the swaying willow branches of Zhangtai!
As for how this witch is dressed up, we'll find out in the next installment.
(End of this chapter)