bacchusnovels Chapter 264 Going to the Ministry of Magic Again
Chapter 264 Going to the Ministry of Magic Again
Chapter 264 Going to the Ministry of Magic Again
Sean is gone.
Luna stood at the door, watching his figure gradually disappear into the distance.
This day was bound to come; Luna had long realized that this farewell was inevitable.
But when that moment actually arrived, the sadness was still unbearable for her.
She had also thought about how to delay this moment and how to stop Sean from leaving in various ways.
Perhaps, she could do what Sean did and try her best to postpone his departure, even if it was just to keep him for a little longer.
But then I thought, what's the point of all this?
The tide of time will eventually carry them to their respective futures.
If they have another chance, they will surely meet again.
Luna secretly vowed in her heart that when that time came, she would definitely...
Sean's first stop is Lily's home in London.
Lily's home is located in a rather historic neighborhood in central London.
This neighborhood seems to have been forgotten by time; the ancient cobblestone streets are almost devoid of the noise of vehicles, with only the occasional bird song breaking the tranquility.
The buildings on both sides mostly retain the style of the Victorian era, with thick red brick walls and stained glass windows that look particularly stylish in the sunset.
Sean had another purpose in coming out this time, besides looking for Lily and ensuring her safety.
That was the "Deathly Hallows" she mentioned.
Lily tells a completely different story about her three brothers, the three Peverell brothers.
The story begins, as described in The Tales of Beedle the Poet.
The three brothers crossed the river and encountered Death.
Death, in order to kill the three people, gifted each of them a divine artifact.
However, what happened next was completely different from what was recorded in the storybook:
After obtaining the Elder Wand, the eldest brother did not choose to fight with others, but decided to protect the weak. He used the wand to defeat many dark wizards and save countless lives.
The second son used the resurrection stone to recall his beloved girl, but he found that she could not fit into this world, leaving him in pain and confusion.
So instead of wallowing in endless pain, he put down the stone and began to look for a new way to accept and commemorate her departure.
He decided to dedicate his life to helping those who have lost loved ones, teaching them to cope with loss and cherish the present.
Only the third brother's account is almost identical to the one in the story; after obtaining the invisibility cloak, he has been constantly hiding from Death.
When Death saw that his plan had failed, he became enraged and chose...
When Sean came to his senses again, he had already arrived at Lily's house.
He looked up and surveyed the house in front of him, his gaze settling on the weathered wooden signboard at the entrance.
The edges of the doorplate have been eroded and curled by time, and the original brownish-red paint has become dull and lackluster under the ravages of wind and rain. Even so, although the surface of the doorplate is somewhat worn, the numbers and letters are still clearly visible.
After confirming that he hadn't gone to the wrong place, Sean raised his arm and aimed it at the door lock.
"Ala Dong Huo Kai".
As the incantation ended, the air in front of the door seemed to tremble slightly, and with a soft creak, the heavy wooden door slowly opened a crack.
A gentle breeze drifted out from under the door, carrying the unique, musty smell of the room, and Sean stepped into the room.
Sean paused for a moment as he stepped over the threshold, his nose catching a wisp of dust suspended in the air.
That was a sign that the room had been neglected for a long time.
The room was dimly lit, the curtains remained closed, and only a few weak rays of sunlight slanted in through the dusty windows.
The light streaked through the air in several golden beams, clearly revealing the dust particles floating within it. These dust particles silently settled onto the furniture and the floor, casting a thin, gray film over the entire room.
Sean looked around. The bookshelves were piled high with books, but the spines were covered in a layer of dust. Occasionally, a few clear footprints could be seen on the floor, as if they had been left when the last person left.
The air in the room was filled with a faint musty smell, along with a familiar fragrance, like the scent left by some kind of herbal sachet that Lily often used.
However, the fragrance had become very faint, as if reminding Sean that the house had been uninhabited for far too long.
Sure enough, Lily wasn't there.
Could it be that she...
Sean instantly thought of the worst possible outcome.
That means Lily died thousands of years ago.
However, she clearly reappeared in the Department of Mysteries two years later.
Suppressing his unease, Sean looked around the room, making sure he hadn't missed any clues, before gently locking the door again.
The key made a crisp click as it went into the lock.
Lily's home in London offered him no clear answers, leaving him with no other option but to travel to her home in Scotland.
That was Lily's favorite place, and the refuge she often mentioned in the past.
If she is indeed in trouble, her Scottish home may hold more clues.
Sean quickly used Apparition, and the scene before him instantly distorted, like a stretched oil painting.
With a few soft sounds, the ancient streets of London disappeared from his sight, replaced by the expansive landscape of the Scottish Highlands.
The air in Scotland is fresh and cold, carrying a hint of damp grass.
Sean stood on a vast meadow, with a range of mountains visible in the distance, their peaks shrouded in a thin mist.
Lily's home in Scotland is nestled on the edge of a dense forest, seemingly hidden in the embrace of nature.
This is an old wooden house, its exterior walls worn grayish-white by time, and its roof covered with thick moss.
It blends perfectly with its surroundings.
A winding path leads from the cabin to a wide meadow covered with wildflowers that sway in the breeze as if welcoming Sean.
The cabin is surrounded by towering ancient trees, their branches intertwining to form a natural canopy. Through the treetops, one can vaguely see the highland mountains and a distant lake, its waters shimmering with a soft silver light under the sunlight, tranquil and beautiful.
Sean strode toward the cabin, the wooden steps creaking softly beneath his feet.
The door to the wooden house was half-open, and through the crack, one could vaguely see the warm light inside.
Sean's heart raced slightly as he cautiously pushed open the door to the cabin, feeling a warm breeze rush towards him.
The interior furnishings were simple yet full of traces of life. Teacups on the table still had undried tea stains, and the firewood in the fireplace had burned out, but still emitted a faint warmth.
The clock on the wall is still moving slowly, indicating that someone lived here not long ago.
A surge of joy welled up in Sean's heart; Lily didn't seem to have been gone for too long, or perhaps she would be back soon.
So he relaxed his tense nerves and decided to wait for her return here. He took off his coat, hung it on the coat rack by the door, and then sat in the armchair by the fireplace, intending to rest for a while.
Time passed slowly in the warm wooden house, the light outside the window gradually dimmed, and night quietly fell.
Sean lit the firewood in the fireplace, and the orange flames danced, dispelling the chill in the room.
However, just as Sean was about to get up and make himself a cup of tea, an unusual noise suddenly came from outside.
That was the sound of a branch breaking, followed by a low incantation.
Sean's alertness was immediately aroused. He quickly got up, gripped his wand tightly, and walked towards the door.
As he quietly approached the door, he saw several dark figures closing in through the crack.
The leader was a tall man with a black mask covering his face, obscuring his features.
They were clearly very familiar with the place, and their actions were exceptionally cautious and swift. However, their clothing and appearance were very professional... even ruthless would not be an exaggeration.
But in Sean's view, it was just a bunch of charts.
It's like...::
A child, dressed in brand-new boxing gear, stood on the same ring as Tyson.
It has absolutely no power.
Sean was certain that if these people stood in front of him, they wouldn't last three seconds.
He can make them feel the coldness of the floor.
Of course, these are all insignificant compared to the questions that follow.
The important question is, who are they?
What are you doing here?
What kind of relationship does he have with Lily?
Sean thought for a moment and decided to hold back for now, observe their behavior, and then make a plan.
Just after he made his decision, the door of the cabin was suddenly pushed open by a powerful force, and several black figures rushed into the cabin.
"Who are you?" Sean asked, feigning panic, his voice tinged with nervousness.
The tall, black-robed wizard at the head of the group coldly scanned the room before fixing his gaze on Sean. "Who we are is unimportant. What matters is what you're doing here. You'd better answer honestly, or we won't hold back."
Sean appeared even more flustered, his hands trembling slightly as he lowered his wand, seemingly offering no resistance whatsoever.
"I'm just an ordinary wizard who was passing by and wanted to rest for a bit," he stammered. "I have no idea what secrets this house holds, or what you're looking for."
The dark wizards' eyes remained filled with suspicion. The leader seemed not to believe Sean's story, but he did not make a move for the time being.
He signaled his men to continue the search, while he himself approached Sean step by step.
"You're a disgusting coward," the tall man said, patting Sean on the shoulder with a slightly contemptuous tone. "But cowards can be surprisingly useful. Tell me, what exactly did you find in this room? Anything strange, or any clues related to the blue-haired woman?"
Sean's heart skipped a beat; it seemed they really were looking for Lily.
He frowned in feigned confusion, then glanced at the man patting his arm before saying innocently, "I really don't know who you're looking for. I just came in and haven't seen anything."
The tall man at the head of the group sneered, clearly not entirely believing Sean's words.
His hand remained on Sean's shoulder, but he tightened his grip slightly, as if testing Sean's reaction.
Sean felt the power, but maintained an innocent expression, as if he was truly frightened.
"You'd better not play games with us," the tall man's voice grew deeper and more threatening. "We have ways to make you talk. If you want to live, tell me what you saw in this room."
Sean chuckled inwardly, knowing the other man was starting to get impatient. He continued to feign timidity, saying softly, "I really didn't see anything special. I just found a few old books on the shelf, but I couldn't understand the contents at all."
The tall man was clearly dissatisfied with the answer; he abruptly removed his hand from Sean's shoulder, his gaze becoming even more menacing.
His patience was wearing thin, and his companions quickened their search, trying to find what they needed in the room.
Just then, Sean suddenly noticed that one of the tall man's men seemed to have discovered something next to the bookshelf.
He turned his head casually and saw the tall man taking out a folded manuscript from a hidden corner of the bookshelf. The edges of the manuscript were yellowed, indicating that it was quite old.
"Boss, there's something here," the subordinate gestured to the tall man in the lead, his voice tinged with excitement.
The tall man immediately turned and walked towards the bookshelf, his eyes gleaming with greed.
He took the yellowed manuscript from his subordinate and quickly unfolded it to examine it. The manuscript was densely covered with writing.
Sean narrowed his eyes slightly, silently observing their every move.
"Looks like we've found something of value," the tall man chuckled coldly, putting away the manuscript and turning to Sean. "However, since you know nothing, there's no need to waste any more time."
As he spoke, he slowly raised his wand, pointing it at Sean, intending to eliminate this "insignificant" witness as quickly as possible.
Sean had also lost the will to continue playing around with them.
Just as the tall man was about to cast his spell, the wooden door, which had been tightly shut by several dark wizards, was suddenly smashed open violently. The door let out a mournful cry as it was about to collapse under the weight of the blow, and at the same time, several bright beams of light instantly illuminated the entire room.
Several other wizards rushed in, their wands flashing with dazzling light, their targets clearly locked onto the dark wizards inside the room.
"Don't move! We are Aurors! Put down your wands!" the leading Auror shouted, his voice filled with irresistible authority.
The dark wizards were clearly taken aback by the Auror's sudden appearance; their movements faltered, and a hint of panic flashed across their faces.
But the tall man in the lead quickly regained his composure and turned around to fight back.
However, Sean was already prepared. The moment the Aurors rushed in, he quietly retreated to the side to avoid being drawn into the direct conflict.
"How dare you stop us!" the tall man growled through gritted teeth, attempting to cast a spell.
However, the Aurors reacted even faster, striking him and the other dark wizards simultaneously with several petrification spells, binding them firmly and rendering them unable to move.
With the dark wizards subdued, the Aurors quickly took control of the situation.
The whole process lasted only a few seconds, but the atmosphere inside the room had completely changed.
After confirming that the dark wizards could no longer resist, the leading Auror turned to look at Sean, who was standing in the corner, with a scrutinizing look in his eyes.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" he asked coldly.
Sean knew he couldn't appear too guarded, or it would arouse even greater suspicion.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief and, feigning shock, said, "I am Hack, an ordinary wizard. I happened to pass by this place, saw this house, and came in to rest for a bit. I never expected to run into these strange people."
Auror was clearly not entirely convinced by this explanation, but without further evidence, he could not immediately convict him.
He approached Sean, his sharp gaze sweeping over him as if searching for any sign of trouble.
"You said you were just passing by?" the Auror said slowly. "Then can you explain why these dark wizards are so interested in you?"
Sean sighed, feigning helplessness, and said, "I think they probably mistakenly believe I know some secrets about this place. In fact, I know absolutely nothing about this house or their purpose; I just happened to be passing by and got dragged into this trouble."
As soon as Sean finished speaking, a bound dark wizard suddenly let out a cold laugh. He glared at Sean and said in a malicious voice, "Don't be fooled by him! He... he's been in contact with us, trying to get that manuscript from us."
The other Aurors immediately became more wary, turning to look at Sean with suspicion in their eyes.
Their hands had already tightened around their wands, as if they were ready to deal with any unexpected situation.
Seeing this, the black wizard's eyes flashed with a smug light, and he continued to provoke, "Do you really want to believe what he says?"
No matter how innocent he tries to appear, he can't hide his behavior just now. If he didn't have some skills, would we care so much?
Sean was about to explain, but before he could speak, the leading Auror's face darkened, and he suddenly walked towards the dark wizard and kicked him.
Caught off guard, the dark wizard screamed in pain as he was kicked to the ground, clutching his ribs in a grimace. Clearly, the kick had been quite severe.
Sis Yi stood aside. Although he hadn't been hit, just seeing the black wizard being taken down made his ribs ache.
After delivering the first kick, the Auror seemed still not satisfied and kicked the dark wizard several more times, each kick filled with anger and disdain.
With each step, the dark wizard's face contorted more and more, and he couldn't help but shout, "Stop! You're abusing your power! I'm just stating the facts!"
"The truth?" The leading Auror scoffed, stopping in his tracks and looking down at him with contempt and disgust in his eyes. "You think we'd be fooled by your despicable tricks? Do you think I'm a fool? You dark wizards' words..."
Not a single word of it is worth believing!
The dark wizard was in obvious pain, but he still tried to appear calm, managing a weak, cold smile: "You won't believe me, but one day you'll regret it—then you'll understand why you made such a mistake today."
The leading Auror smiled dismissively, unmoved by the threat.
He turned to look at Sean, the suspicion in his eyes fading slightly, but he remained wary. "Friend, if you're truly innocent, you shouldn't be afraid of our investigation. We'll find out everything, but if you really have a problem, don't blame us for being ruthless."
With that, he waved his hand, signaling his men to escort the dark wizards out of the cabin.
"Where to? To the Ministry of Magic?" Sean asked instinctively.
"Of course." The leader Auror raised an eyebrow.
"Can we not go?" Sean asked hesitantly.
The lead Auror's face darkened upon hearing Sean's unexpected answer. "Of course not, there's no room for discussion."
"How long will it take?" Sean asked again.
"If you have no problem, it should only take a few hours." The leader, Auror, was already showing signs of impatience in the face of Sean's persistent questioning.
Sean thought for a moment, then paused, suppressing the urge to raise his arm.
He could accept it if it was only for a few hours.
Perhaps by the time he returns from the Ministry of Magic, Lily will already be home.
So Sean nodded, and under the watchful eye of the leading Auror, he left the cabin with them and headed toward the Ministry of Magic, which he "longed for".
I wonder if he'll be able to come back from this trip.