Chapter 42
At the Burrow – The Weasley Home
The Weasley family sat down for lunch, gathered around a worn wooden table radiating warmth and familiarity. At the center, Mrs. Weasley placed a large serving dish holding two plump fish garnished with lemon slices and accompanied by two ripe tomatoes.
Mr. Weasley helped himself first, taking only a modest portion. The others followed suit, passing plates and exchanging quiet chatter.
Mrs. Weasley broke the calm. "Arthur, I heard there was a dragon sighted near these parts recently. Is that true?"
Ron froze for a moment, anxiety creeping into his face. He and his brother Charlie had been tangled up in that very affair. But after a brief moment of panic, Ron relaxed—Charlie lived far away, outside the country. There was no way his parents would know about Ron's involvement.
Arthur nodded. "Yes, as the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, I found traces of a rather large dragon. Unfortunately, we weren't able to locate it. It either moved on by itself or someone took it elsewhere."
He smiled, clearly not wishing to dwell on the subject. "Anyway, let's talk about something else. Ron, how was your first year at Hogwarts?"
"It was brilliant, Dad," Ron replied eagerly. "I made some great friends. You know Harry Potter? He's in my year. The same Harry Potter who survived you-know-who. He's in my house!"
Arthur beamed. "Is that so? What about the other boy we met in Diagon Alley? That quiet one—Albert, was it? Is he your friend too?"
"Yes, Albert's a friend as well. He's really smart—probably the smartest in our year. But I'm better than him at wizard chess," Ron added proudly.
Mrs. Weasley frowned. "Ron! That's nothing to brag about!"
"Alright, alright," Ron mumbled, poking at his food.
Arthur chuckled. "Once we finish lunch, Ron, I'd like you to help your sister Ginny with some basic revision. She'll be starting Hogwarts after the summer break, and I want her to have a good head start."
Ron groaned inwardly but replied, "Okay," with clear reluctance.
Ginny said nothing, quietly finishing her meal, pretending she hadn't heard a thing.
Then George spoke up, nudging Fred. "Mum, there's something we'd like to tell you."
Mrs. Weasley raised an eyebrow. "Well, go on then."
George cleared his throat. "The 200 galleons Dad gave us… they're all gone."
Mrs. Weasley's face tightened.
"You see," George continued quickly, "Fred and I are going into our fourth year soon, and we were hoping you could give us a little extra—"
"What?!" she interrupted, her voice rising. "Two hundred galleons gone already? That money was meant to last you the whole year! Food is free at Hogwarts, lodging is free, and your textbooks—your father and I already paid for those. So tell me, what on earth did you waste it all on?"
She gave both boys a smack on the head.
The twins were, in fact, passionate about magical inventions. Recently, they had been working on creating a prototype for a sleep-inducing magical bomb—a project that required considerable funding. Hoping for support, they had dared to approach their mother.
George forced a laugh. "Heh… just joking, Mum. We still have the money. Isn't that right, Fred?"
Fred nodded quickly. "Yes! Absolutely!"
They knew all too well that if their mother discovered the truth, they'd be dodging curses until dawn.
Mrs. Weasley narrowed her eyes. "Oh? Then where is it?"
Caught off guard, George stammered. Fred jumped in, "We left it in our Hogwarts lockers! Just to be safe. We didn't want it stolen!"
Mrs. Weasley relaxed a bit. "Alright then."
They had lied again, of course. They didn't have a single sickle left between them. But it had been the only way to escape her wrath.
Although the Weasleys were among the oldest pure-blood families in the wizarding world, their economic situation was modest at best. They lived simply, and any mention of borrowing money often stirred Mrs. Weasley's temper.
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Meanwhile, at the Black Residence
Albert sat in his room, studying intently from a thick tome titled Master-Level Invisibility Spells. He knew this spell would be invaluable—especially in the coming school year. He needed to access the Chamber of Secrets, uncover what he could about Tom Riddle, and perhaps weaken Voldemort by destroying the diary.
If he could manage that, perhaps he'd chip away at the dark lord's power, seeking vengeance for the mother who had died at Voldemort's hand. Though he hadn't shared much time with her, something deep inside pushed him toward revenge. It was as if the soul of this body still mourned and remembered her.
"Alright," Albert muttered. "I understand the core mechanics of this spell now. Let's try it… on Kreacher."
He raised his wand and attempted the advanced invisibility spell for the first time. Though his body vanished from sight, faint traces of his breathing and shadow still remained.
Disappointed, he canceled the spell and reviewed the instructions again. With renewed focus, he tried a second time. This time, it worked perfectly. He disappeared—completely and utterly. No sound, no shadow, not even footprints.
Slipping out of his room and down the stairs, he crept silently toward the living room, where Kreacher was sweeping the floor.
Albert passed right in front of the old house-elf, unseen and unheard. A grin spread across Albert's face—success.
He canceled the spell, appearing suddenly in front of Kreacher, who nearly dropped the broom in shock.
"M-master—was that… Apparition?" Kreacher stammered.
Albert shook his head. "No. It was the Master-Level Invisibility Charm."
Kreacher blinked in awe. "Young master has learned that spell already? Truly, young master is growing into a fine wizard."
Albert dismissed the compliment. "It wasn't all that hard. Honestly, it's not worth praising."
"Where did you find that spell, if I may ask?" Kreacher inquired.
"In the advanced section," Albert replied.
"Ah, that explains it," Kreacher muttered. "Only the most skilled of wizards study from the advanced section. It's no wonder you learned it quickly—you've always had a talent for magic."
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