bacchusnovels Chapter 152 Bella's Test of Fidelity
Chapter 152 Bella's Test of Fidelity
Chapter 152 Bella's Test of Fidelity (Part 2)
Tonks?
How did she end up here?
Shouldn't she be at Hogwarts right now?
It should be noted that Tonks' father was a Muggle and was not able to enter Diagon Alley. Tonks was the only one who could enter Diagon Alley and distinguish between Bella and Andromeda.
What bad luck!
Sean cursed inwardly.
How come he's so unlucky?
Could it be that he touched a woman's butt last night?
It seems like... I touched it.
The only thing Sean could be thankful for was that, just in case, he had made Bella's hair and eyes brown before he left.
There is still a chance to salvage the situation as long as Bella remains silent.
Tonks was also surprised at this moment.
Last night, she sat quietly in her office until late, eagerly anticipating Sean's arrival to bring her a Christmas present.
I wanted to surprise her. However, as time ticked by, the familiar footsteps never sounded outside the door.
Disappointed, she had planned to go on a shopping spree in Diagon Alley the next day to change her mood.
To her utter surprise, she unexpectedly bumped into her boyfriend, Sean, whom she thought was at Hogwarts, in Diagon Alley. Even though he had changed his clothes and was wearing a coin toss, she recognized him at a glance. What surprised her even more was that standing next to her boyfriend Sean was her mother, who should have been at home.
More importantly, his father was not there.
Analyze these abnormal behaviors.
Could it be that...
"Junior..." Sean looked into Tonks' eyes gently and frankly, "I told our mom about us."
When Tonks heard Sean address her mother, her face flushed instantly. She hadn't expected Sean to bring up their relationship so directly, and she was even more surprised that he had already shared this relationship with her mother.
A complex mix of emotions welled up inside her, a mixture of shyness and surprise.
“She’s very supportive of us,” Sean continued, “so she came with me to Diagon Alley this time to pick out a Christmas present for you and to prepare a surprise for you.”
Bella's mood shifted the instant she saw Tonks. As Sean spoke, she looked at Tonks with gentle eyes, nodded slightly, and smiled without saying a word.
Just as she expected...
How could the senior possibly forget her Christmas present?
Especially since this Christmas is their first Christmas together, the senior must have prepared a very big surprise for her!
However, I showed doubt and disappointment towards my senior, which I shouldn't have done.
Moreover, I actually stumbled upon the surprise my senior was preparing for me. Wouldn't that be letting down all his hard work?
Following this line of thought, what could be something that would allow my mother to accompany me in preparing a surprise...? Could it be... a wedding?
Thinking of this, Tonks' heart suddenly raced. She could clearly feel the powerful impact of each heartbeat, as dense and intense as drumbeats, making it almost impossible for her to calm down.
The excitement and anticipation intertwined, creating an irrepressible sense of exhilaration that made every nerve in her body tense up.
For a moment, Tonks's not-so-bright mind was somewhat muddled (Sean thought she had put all her attribute points into combat), a mix of emotions swirling within her: guilt towards Sean, surprise at what had happened, and anticipation for the future...
These emotions, like dozens of streams, eventually flowed into the sea, transforming into a profound sense of being moved.
Even if Sean made her...:
She would do it willingly.
"Junior, my mom and I are going to Gringotts to pick up something..."
Before Sean could finish speaking, Tonks suddenly threw himself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
It was as if she wanted to merge herself into his body.
Sean was startled by Tonks' sudden action. Although somewhat confused, he reacted quickly by gently embracing her to soothe her.
"Sean, I..." Tonks' voice trembled slightly, clearly overwhelmed with emotion, "I'm truly touched, thank you for everything you've done for me..."
Just as Sean was about to say something in response to the other person's words.
"Ahem," Bella coughed lightly twice, breaking the warm atmosphere, and then glanced ahead.
Sean and Tonks released each other at the same time, and Tonks looked at Bella awkwardly.
Seeing Bella being affectionate with her boyfriend in front of her mother, Sean clearly understood Bella's meaning, given her carefree personality.
He scratched his head. "Right, we should get going... Junior, you go straight back to Hogwarts from Diagon Alley and wait for me."
Retrieving the Horcrux is the priority now; as for how to fool Tonks, that's something to be done when we get back to Hogwarts tonight when it's quiet and deserted.
As long as she doesn't go back to her home in Edinburgh, which is thousands of miles away, this matter will never be exposed... So Sean specifically reminded her to go straight back to Hogwarts from Diagon Alley.
Tonks nodded happily; she couldn't wait to receive Sean's belated Christmas gift and surprise.
After Tonks left, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.
After reattaching his arm to Bella's, Sean couldn't resist pinching Bella's round, perky buttocks as a reward.
They arrived at Gringotts, the bank guarded by goblins, which gleamed in the sunlight.
At the entrance to Gringotts, a goblin guard in a uniform bowed to them.
Bella nodded slightly, trying to maintain Andromeda's gentle and graceful demeanor, and walked in side by side with Sean.
Inside the bank was a vast marble hall with soaring vaulted ceilings inlaid with glittering gems.
It illuminated the entire space.
The fairies busily moved between the counters, processing customers' deposits and withdrawals. Their faces were serious, but they maintained the proper politeness towards their customers.
Bella and Sean walked toward an empty counter. The fairy clerk looked up at them, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but it was quickly covered up by a professional smile.
"Hello, esteemed customer," the fairy-like teller said respectfully, "How can I help you?"
Bella said in the voice she could best imitate Andromeda's, "I've come to retrieve something from Vault 4."
She handed over her wand as part of the authentication process.
The fairy clerk took the wand, checked it carefully, and nodded. A moment later, a fairy behind the counter, dressed in a suit and looking like a little old man, bowed and said, "Okay, gentlemen, please follow me."
Sean once again experienced the mine cart service he didn't want to go through.
But as mentioned earlier, the things you fear most are often the ones that happen—because Bella's vault is located in the deepest part, his experience with the trolley was truly immersive.
Just as he was about to vomit, he saw the fire dragon he hadn't seen before.
Yes, you read that right, a huge fire dragon is on the ground in front of us.
Having been imprisoned underground for too long, the dragon's scales had turned pale and loose, its eyes were a cloudy pink, and both hind legs were bound with heavy, thick chains that connected to massive stakes driven deep into the rocky ground. Its spiked wings were folded to its sides.
Sean had no doubt that if it spread its wings, its body would fill the entire basement.
This was the biggest fire dragon he had ever seen.
After the initial shock subsided, Sean forgot about vomiting, and in the blink of an eye, the three of them were already standing at the entrance of the vault.
Bella looked at the familiar vault, placed her hand on the door, and the door opened. The entire vault, from floor to ceiling, was filled with gold coins and golden goblets, silver armor, the fur of various strange animals with spines or drooping wings, potions in vases, and a skull still wearing a crown.
The fairy next to him unconsciously swallowed, his eyes glued to the screen.
Under Sean's watchful eye, Bella climbed over a small mountain of Galleons and reached the top of the ceiling to retrieve Hufflepuff's golden cup.
When Sean reached out and took it, he noticed that the cup was small, had two handles, and was engraved with a character.
Based on Helga Hufflepuff's habits, Sean thought it might have some effect on things like food, but as for its specific function, he planned to study it slowly when he got back.
The small minecart that returned to the surface from underground moved exceptionally slowly.
The fairy driving slowly and patiently tried to persuade Sean and Bella in the car.
He was waiting for the two people to change their minds.
The moment the two people left, the entire vault seemed to be swept away by a gust of wind, becoming completely empty.
The once-mountainous piles of gold coins, gems, and various rare minerals have all vanished without a trace, leaving only cold stone walls and empty shelves, as if telling a story of past glory and present desolation.
This caused the goblin next to him to show a brief struggle on his face. He clutched his heart and kept taking deep breaths, which made Sean, who was emptying the vault at the time, very worried.
He was afraid that the fairy might faint in anger, and he would be extorted for medical expenses because of it.
Heaven knows if a fairy would actually do such a thing; he couldn't guarantee it.
When the fairy driving the car pulled out what he considered the most favorable offer—a reduction in the annual fee for the vault—he found that the two of them remained unmoved. He sighed inwardly, knowing that they would not turn back.
So he sped up, hoping to get them back to the ground as soon as possible and end this heartbreaking journey.
As night deepened, the streets of London, England, were brightly lit, but the chill of early winter could not be concealed.
The Black family’s old house, the ancient building at 12 Grimmauld Place, appeared even more solemn and majestic under the bright moonlight.
The two walked through narrow streets and onto ancient cobblestone pavement, each footstep seemingly resonating with the ancient pulse of the city.
As they drew closer, the outline of the old house gradually became clearer: the tall stone walls, the intricate windows, and the exquisite family crest on the gate all spoke of the family's past glory and honor.
After leaving Gringotts, the two went home for a meal, picked up some items, and then came here without stopping. In fact, Sean had come here with Bella around this time last year. The entire house was empty. Sirius Black, the only male member of the Black family, was still serving his sentence in Azkaban, and even the house-elf Kreacher was nowhere to be found.
However, Sean did some quick calculations and figured the other party would be released in a few months.
The two arrived at the gate, and the heavy wooden door slowly opened as they pushed it open, accompanied by a soft groan, followed by a sharp scream from inside.
"Who? Who is it!"
The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a strangely shaped house-elf slowly emerge from the shadows of the corridor.
Its eyes were bloodshot, its skin was wrinkled, its nose was abnormally swollen and bulging, and its bat-like ears were covered with sparse white hair.
The moment it saw Bella, its eyes widened in shock, a withered finger trembling as it pointed at her, its voice filled with anger and disdain: "You vile Domida, you filthy, shameless traitor! You were expelled from the family tree long ago, how dare you come back?"
Clearly, he mistook Bella for the evil Domeda. Meanwhile, the giant saw portrait of Walbuga Black (Bella's son), who had been sleeping on the first floor, heard the noise from the corridor and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the two uninvited guests at the door and was about to say something in her shrill voice when...
Bella ignored Kreacher and addressed the portrait of Walbuga, saying, "Long time no see, my beloved Yangyang. I didn't have the heart to disturb you when I came last time. You still look as radiant as ever."
Kreacher and Walbuga both sensed something was wrong.
The tone of his voice was completely different from that of the evil Domeda, who would never treat them with such an attitude.
Volbuga hesitated before asking, "You...you're Bellatrix?"
Bella smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, Yangyang, it's me. Bellatrix Lestrange."
"You...aren't you...in Azkaban?" Volbuga asked in surprise, her voice filled with confusion and doubt.
Bellatrix shook her head slightly. "Yes, Yang Gu, I did spend some time in Azkaban."
Her voice was calm and composed, as if she were talking about something unrelated to her. "But I'm out now."
Walbuga's eyes widened; the news was clearly too shocking for her. "You...how could you possibly be out here?"
Bellatrix, also a Death Eater, has been released. Does that mean her son, Wolf Star...?
"I have some methods, Yangyang," Bellatrix said vaguely, not wanting to reveal her master's identity. "The important thing is that I'm free now, and I have important things to do."
Walbuga frowned, trying to understand this sudden change. "So, what brings you here...?"
"I need...that locket..." Bella said, turning to look at Kreacher, who had been standing silently beside her.
Kreacher trembled slightly upon hearing the locket, then quickly lowered his head, as if afraid to meet Bellatrix's gaze.
"Kreacher, tell me, where is it?" Bella's voice carried an undeniable authority.
"I... destroyed it..." Kreacher replied in a trembling voice.
Of the entire Black family, he only harbored sway over Wolf Star, and he held Narcissa and Bellatrix in high regard... but this paled in comparison to his loyalty to Regulus.
Before he died, Regulus's dying wish was for him to find a way to destroy the locket.
But despite trying everything he could over the years, the locket remained unchanged, without even a scratch. This caused him immense pain, and he even resorted to self-harm to punish himself on several occasions.
Bella squinted, scrutinizing the expression on Kreacher's face, then said decisively, "You're lying."
She was all too familiar with that expression; she had seen countless wizards play language games in front of her.
Kreacher's body trembled slightly. He lowered his head, unable to meet Bella's eyes. "I...I didn't lie, Miss Bella."
"Kreacher, you know the consequences of deceiving me." Bella's voice was icy, as if it could freeze the surrounding air. "That locket is very important to me. If you want to stay in the Black family, you'd better tell the truth."
Kreacher shuddered, but he remained true to his promise to Regulus. "Bella, I can't say."
Bellatrix's eyes suddenly turned cold and ruthless. "You can't say it? Then I'll say it for you."
She raised her wand and aimed it at Kreacher.
Kreacher closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the impending pain.
However, just then, a voice suddenly rang out, "No need to ask him anymore, I've found him."
Sean walked out from behind the tassel, holding the pendant box in his hand.
While the two were talking, he had already entered the living room and, following the original text in his mind, successfully found it in a glass cabinet.
Undoubtedly, this was a heavy gold pendant box, its front inlaid with glittering green gemstones and engraved with a snake-shaped "S". Upon seeing the pendant box, Bellatrix and Kreacher were both stunned.
When Kreacher saw the locket, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. Facing Bella blocking his way, he obviously couldn't retrieve the locket, so he could only keep banging his head against the wall.
"We've got the stuff, let's go," Sean said, waving to Bella.
Out of family etiquette, Bella made a point of saying goodbye to Walbuga's portrait before leaving, saying, "Auntie, we'll come to see you again next time."
She had barely finished speaking.
The door at the end of the corridor was opened again, and someone who surprised everyone walked in.
His appearance seemed to freeze the surrounding air, carrying a chilling aura.
Bella gaped, staring incredulously at the person who walked in through the door.
She couldn't believe her eyes, and asked in a trembling voice, "You...how...how are you...not here at all..."
The newcomer remained calm, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Bella. "What, are you surprised to see me? My most 'loyal' servant..."
His voice was cold and deep, and he emphasized the word "loyalty".
This sent a shiver down Bella's spine.
The visitor is indeed the one.