Hermione immediately gripped the Time-Turner tightly.
Although this thing had placed a heavy burden on her—and it had been exhausting to use it to travel back in time for classes while avoiding her classmates' attention—And she had already decided to drop two courses...
But now that the moment had come when she truly had to hand over the Time-Turner, she still felt somewhat reluctant.
After a brief pause, under the gazes of the others, she slowly unfastened the Time-Turner from her neck and placed it in Bode's hand.
"All right... To be honest, this thing has nearly driven me insane," Hermione said with a forced lightness and shrugged her shoulders. "I really don't know how Percy managed to arrange his schedule so well."
"Come with me, Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall, standing up. "We need to rearrange your class schedule. Have you decided which two classes to drop?"
"Of course," Hermione replied as she followed the professor out. "Muggle Studies and Divination."
Professor McGonagall, who had never liked Professor Trelawney of the Divination class, smiled approvingly upon hearing this. "A wise choice."
After the two of them left, Bode carefully put away the Time-Turner, then turned his gaze toward Wade:
"Mr. Wade Grey, we originally planned to retrieve your Time-Turner as well, but Professor Dumbledore assured us that you have the ability to keep it safe, and that you truly need it. I've heard that what Mr. Johnson tried to steal was actually your Time-Turner?"
"Yes."
"You used a magic doll to fool him and the vampires, so he only ended up with a fake?"
"Yes."
"May I see that doll?" Bode's eyes showed a hint of eagerness. "A doll so lifelike it could fool others—I've never seen one like that."
"Sorry, it's inconvenient," Wade replied evasively, of course would not summon Locke back. "I sent it on an errand to buy something—it's not at school right now."
Hearing this, Bode wasn't disappointed; instead, he seemed even more pleased.
"It can perform tasks independently? Looks like you're not worried about it causing trouble or getting lost. Its intelligence and loyalty must give you a lot of confidence, and it even has a certain degree of self-protection capability."
"But Aslan's store doesn't sell dolls like this at all, so I suppose it's your own personal creation."
Bode asked, "If I wanted to commission such a doll, how many Galleons would it cost?"
"It's not about the Galleons," Wade declined tactfully. "There are some ethical and legal concerns involved…"
"To tell you the truth," Bode said seriously, "I'm an Unspeakable from the Department of Mysteries. We often conduct extremely dangerous magical research. If we have such a doll, it could significantly reduce the casualty rate among Unspeakables."
Thinking of Locke, Wade said hesitantly:
"If it's for research purposes, I'd really like to help, truly. But my dolls have independent thoughts and personalities—they're like my own children to me… I don't want to see them treated as disposable tools to be sacrificed."
Sensing a slight shift in his tone, Bode revealed a faint smile and said, "We would give the doll the same level of protection as an Unspeakable, to ensure its core isn't damaged. But if it's only external damage, I assume that can be repaired?"
Wade nodded. "Yes, that's correct."
"How many Galleons would it cost to custom-build such a doll?" Bode asked again.
Wade did a quick calculation in his mind. He had no intention of saving the Ministry any money, so he gave a direct answer.
When Bode heard it was a six-digit figure, the smile on his face froze, and even his expression seemed a bit stunned. "Th-this expensive?"
"It's not that expensive," Wade replied, giving him a sympathetic look.
"Think about the prices of those dolls in the shops… and those are only fist-sized. What you're asking for is life-sized, with intelligence nearly indistinguishable from a real person. That price is barely covering the cost."
Bode had to admit that made sense, but his expression didn't improve.
Fudge didn't value the Department of Mysteries' research as much as previous Ministers had, and it was unlikely he would approve such a large budget just to buy a 'toy'.
In comparison, increasing the number of Unspeakables and hiring two actual wizards would be far cheaper.
With that thought, Bode's eyes shifted slightly as he looked at Wade and asked, "Mr. Grey, as an outstanding alchemist, would you be interested in joining the ranks of the Unspeakables?"
Wade was silent for a moment. Seeing Bode's intent written all over his face, he replied flatly, "The Unspeakables?"
"Yes," Bode said. "Our Department of Mysteries is the only branch in the Ministry of Magic that doesn't answer to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Even the Minister of Magic cannot interfere with us easily."
"That's because we study the most mysterious and dangerous forms of magic in the world. The Time-Turner is one of our creations—along with magic related to thought, space, death, prophecy, and more. You have to understand, our research has profound impacts on the entire world!"
"Only by becoming an Unspeakable can you study such things… So, what do you say? Will you accept my invitation?"
Wade looked into his eyes and said slowly, "It certainly sounds tempting."
"Of course!" Bode said enthusiastically. "Becoming an Unspeakable is incredibly difficult. You've earned this chance through your own talent. All it takes is the contribution of one little doll…"
"Hold on a moment, Mr. Bode," Wade interrupted.
"Let's set aside whether you actually have the authority to bring me into the Unspeakables directly. Right now, I haven't even fully mastered the fundamentals of magic. It's far too early for me to dive into cutting-edge magical mysteries."
"Uh… for a young wizard like you, I'm sure the higher-ups wouldn't object. You could start with reading and organizing documents…" Bode replied, though clearly with less confidence.
"Let's talk about joining once I graduate," Wade deflected. "By then, I'll have a clearer view of my own path."
The Department of Mysteries' research was indeed fascinating. But in the original story, the mysterious Unspeakables had done nothing to stop Voldemort from taking over the Ministry, and this Bode fellow in front of him had apparently been killed.
These people are like the wizarding world's mathematicians, theoretical physicists, or cosmologists. Their work is profound and full of allure, probing the limits of human understanding. But when it comes to the coming war—when it comes to protecting oneself or others—it seems their research offers little practical help.
Why rush to join such an organization? His current professors were Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, Murray… and even Grindelwald!
Bode looked at the young wizard's formulaic polite smile and fell silent for a moment before cautiously asking, "Then… the doll…"
Wade blinked and asked, "You're not suggesting that I pay for it myself, are you?"
"Of course… of course not," Bode said, blushing slightly. He cleared his throat and, after thinking for a moment, added, "The most I can apply for is about half the cost… If you could maybe offer a discount…"
Bode looked at Wade and added:
"Of course, I won't make you give something for nothing. The matter of Mr. Johnson using the Time-Turner without permission will end here — we won't pursue it further. Also…"
Thinking of Wade's identity as an alchemist, Bode gritted his teeth and said, "I can give you an ancient alchemical artifact… Of course, it's broken. But it came from a very old tomb, and the runes on it are ancient — it's highly valuable for research."
"What is it?" Wade asked curiously.
"A necklace."
Bode tapped the table with his wand, and a phantom image of the necklace appeared. It looked like it was strung together from oddly shaped stones, with ancient, mysterious runes carved into it.
Wade was just about to examine it more closely when the image turned to mist and vanished. Bode looked at him and said, "Deal?"
Wade smiled. "Deal."
Although he suspected this necklace was probably the kind of artifact collecting dust in the Department of Mysteries' storage room, completely forgotten by most, Wade was indeed very interested in such ancient items.
Generally speaking, technology moves forward. Many modern spells for daily life, healing, or curses didn't even exist in ancient times.
But magic doesn't always follow that rule.
Long ago, there might have been a time when gods could still walk the earth, or when magical energy was so abundant that some wizards were as powerful as earthly deities.
Whatever the case, wizards of that era were closer to the essence of the world, and as a result, they wielded incredible power and created artifacts with unimaginable functions.
…
Creating a magic doll capable of assisting in magical research wasn't something that could be done in just a day or two — especially since Bode wanted this doll to possess not just skills, but also a proper level of knowledge and research aptitude, which meant an Unspeakable would need to personally imbue it with thought.
So Wade set the delivery date for the doll as the final Hogsmeade weekend of the semester. Before then, he chose a pleasant afternoon to accompany Mabel on a visit to see Haley.
Haley had been adopted by a relative of Professor Sprout and now lived in a Muggle town. When Wade and Mabel arrived, they happened to see a group of children running past in the street, calling out to each other while playing a game of cops and robbers.
Haley was among them, her cheeks were flushed red from running, she was breathing heavily, but still gleefully keeping pace with the others.
She looked so full of life that it made the memory of that pale, frail girl once held in an underground cell feel like a distant ghost.
Mabel, having taken Polyjuice Potion, sat quietly on a bench by the street and watched for a long time. Eventually, she lowered her head and wiped the corner of her eyes.
"She looks so happy…" Mabel said with a smile. "Let's go."
"You're still a child yourself. You could go join them and play," Lupin reminded her. "There's no rush. We've got plenty of time today."
"No… I shouldn't." Mabel shook her head. "If I see her today, she might want to keep seeing me. She might look for me every time she passes this place… But only by forgetting all of that—only then can she really live a good life."
Most importantly, she already knew that Obscurials usually don't live long. Even if she wanted to visit Haley often, she probably wouldn't have the chance to.
Rather than endure the pain of parting again in the future, it was better to completely withdraw from Haley's life. The child was still young; perhaps as she grew older, she would gradually forget about her.
The girl was resolute, so Lupin and Wade said no more. They walked to a secluded spot, and Lupin drew his wand and raised it into the air.
After a moment, the Knight Bus suddenly appeared out of thin air with a "bang," like a giant frog hopping into view.
Mabel glanced back at Haley playing in the park before boarding the bus.
In the blink of an eye, the purple bus darted between two large trees and soon arrived at another city.
Lupin paid the fare, and Wade skillfully used magic to secure himself and Mabel in their seats to prevent being thrown about by the bumpy bus ride.
"The magic bus," Mabel held tightly to the rail and asked, "Can it take us anywhere?"
"Anywhere within the UK, it should be able to," Wade replied.
"How do you ride it?" Mabel asked again.
"Point your wand, and prepare eleven silver sickles," Wade glanced at her and said, "But traveling with it isn't really comfortable. You probably felt it—it's about as comfy as a washing machine on a spin cycle."
Mabel chuckled twice and said, "Remus took me to use the Floo Network once. That wasn't comfortable either. Do wizard travel methods never consider comfort? Magic is supposed to be so amazing."
"That's true," Wade rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Portkeys and Apparition aren't pleasant either; broomsticks are cold and make your whole body ache after a while. Flying carpets are better, but they're banned in the UK."
Lupin smiled at Mabel and said, "Sirius has a flying motorbike. When he's back, let him take you for a ride."
"A flying motorbike?" Mabel said longingly. "I'd love to have the chance."
"Of course you will," Wade said. "Newt Scamander will be back soon. About your condition, he'll definitely have a way to help."
Even if not, finding a way to suppress the Obscurus should slow Mabel's physical deterioration.
Wade looked at the girl's pale face and thought this.
Mabel didn't really have much hope; she pretended to be encouraged and nodded with a smile.
…
The weather gradually grew hotter, and the sunlight became scorching. But above the UK, a mass of dark clouds drifted continuously—from south to north, east to west—for more than half a year without dissipating.
Those were the Dementors out capturing criminals.
Under the Ministry's restrictions, Dementors were not allowed to approach humans unless a target was found. They could only occasionally fly over cities to absorb some happy emotions from afar and had to leave after at most half a day.
Otherwise, even if Dementors did not come close, people within a certain radius would become pessimistic and desperate, sometimes to the point of suicide.
The Dementors drifted for a long time, then found a place to rest under Auror surveillance. Across the woods was a playground a few hundred meters away, and the sound of screams and laughter faintly drifted over.
But the Dementors couldn't help stretching their necks deeply toward that direction to inhale; frost formed on the surrounding ground.
The Auror monitoring them lowered his broomstick and, seeing they behaved properly and did not approach the crowd unauthorized, took out a flask and drank.
The frozen grass suddenly bent in clumps, forming the shape of footprints one after another..
Several Dementors turned and faced the location where the footprints appeared.
Then, a human figure appeared in the air.
Barty Crouch Jr. took off his hood and smiled, saying, "Good afternoon, friends."
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