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Chapter 481: The Secret of the Golden Egg!!
Moody was clearly pleased.
He smiled and said, "Then thank you. By the way—have you figured out the secret of the golden egg yet?"
Harry felt a little guilty.
He had only received a hint from Darren and hadn't actually put it into practice yet.
Still, he thought it should be fine.
So he nodded vigorously.
Moody laughed.
"Darren told you, didn't he?"
Harry wasn't surprised that Moody guessed it immediately.
After all, Professor Moody seemed to like Darren very much.
He always listened to Darren attentively and laughed at his words.
He had even openly argued with Professor McGonagall, insisting that Darren should become an Auror after graduation, saying Darren would be the strongest Auror of all.
But Harry didn't want Darren to become an Auror at all.
Aurors were far too dangerous.
Just imagining Darren taking on that job made Harry feel like he wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
He'd probably end up with an anxiety disorder.
It was terrifying.
Fortunately, Moody didn't continue that topic.
Instead, he asked again whether the clue really came from Darren.
That, of course, was true.
Only Darren could uncover clues so quickly.
When Moody saw Harry nod, he became even happier—
though even when smiling, his expression still looked rather frightening.
"I knew it!" Moody said excitedly.
"He really is the strongest!"
Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he waved his hand.
"All right, Potter. Off you go."
Harry stood up and headed toward the library.
After walking a few steps, he turned back.
He saw Moody unfold the map again, his expression serious, as if studying a major case.
It was probably related to Crouch and Snape.
Hopefully, Harry thought, Moody will suddenly realize Snape is a complete menace and throw him into Azkaban.
Then Harry could wake up laughing in his dreams.
"You still haven't figured out the golden egg?!"
Hermione raised her voice.
Harry immediately glanced at Professor Flitwick.
Luckily, Flitwick was busy floating around the classroom, demonstrating the Banishing Charm.
"Lower your voice!" Harry whispered angrily.
"Darren already knows the answer anyway. I just need to think it through myself. It won't affect the task at all!"
Clearly, Darren had already solved it, but Hermione refused to let Darren simply tell him.
She insisted Harry had to think for himself.
It was incredibly frustrating.
"But—"
Hermione tried to argue, but Harry cut her off.
"Forget it. That's not important. What I really need to tell you is this—I met Moody yesterday."
Harry recounted everything that had happened.
Ron and Hermione were stunned.
Even Darren looked shocked.
Of course, Darren was just acting.
He had known Snape's background for a long time—probably better than Snape himself.
"Did Moody really search Snape's office?" Ron asked excitedly.
He disliked Snape just as much.
Darren was about to speak, but Harry immediately said,
"Darren, I'm not making this up. Both Moody and Snape confirmed it. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I just don't understand—why did Moody say Snape was someone 'covered in stains'?"
"Do you think he suspects Snape of putting your name into the Goblet of Fire?" Ron asked.
But even as he said it, he didn't believe it.
Snape had been furious when Harry and Darren were chosen.
He clearly felt neither of them deserved the position.
In his mind, the Triwizard Champion should have been a pure-blood Slytherin.
So Snape putting Harry's name into the Goblet was pure fantasy.
"Brother," Darren said calmly,
"you always see Professor Snape as a bad person."
"But in reality, he was genuinely worried about us."
"When he found out you and I were chosen, his anger came from believing we were being set up."
"Don't forget—back in first year, he didn't actually do anything wrong. He wasn't the villain."
[Ding, Holy Father value +10]
[Ding, Holy Father value +20]
[Ding, Father value +100]
Only Hermione was moved by Darren's words.
Harry and Ron disagreed completely.
They felt Darren had either been brainwashed by that old bat—or he was simply too kind.
He always believed the best of people and never noticed what others clearly hated.
This had happened many times before.
Still, they had no way to refute him.
Because it was true—
in first year, Snape hadn't hurt them at all.
Quirrell had.
On that point, Darren was absolutely right.
But convincing them that Snape was a good person?
Impossible.
Even if Snape stood there doing nothing, they would still feel he was plotting something.
They chose not to argue further.
Darren was too kind-hearted—he simply wouldn't believe it.
So Harry and Ron exchanged a knowing look.
They decided to talk about it later.
After class, Harry began secretly pestering Darren for clues about the golden egg, carefully avoiding Hermione so she wouldn't stop him.
When Darren finally mentioned the Black Lake and the merpeople, Harry's face turned pale.
"I can't swim at all!"
He sounded utterly desperate.
He had grown up as a complete landlubber.
He'd barely ever been in water.
To him, this sounded even harder than stealing eggs from dragons.
Seeing Harry's miserable expression, Darren laughed.
"Isn't it easy?" he said.
"Just use the Bubble-Head Charm. You'll be able to breathe underwater."
Harry's eyes lit up.
But once he tried practicing the Bubble-Head Charm, reality struck.
The spell was extremely difficult.
According to the clue, he needed to stay underwater for an entire hour.
But his Bubble-Head Charm only lasted a minute or two before collapsing.
Casting spells underwater…
Harry didn't think he could manage it.
If the charm failed, he might not even be able to speak properly to recast it.
Seeing Harry struggle, Darren taught him several spells that allowed free movement underwater.
They were said to be extremely smooth—almost graceful, like dancing.
Harry couldn't learn those either.
Some of the spells Darren demonstrated looked almost dreamlike.
He used them with flowing, elegant movements, almost like a ritual dance.
For the first time in his life, Harry seriously questioned himself.
Am I really… this untalented?