allendalepharm Chapter 259 The Dark Lord's Lair
Chapter 259 The Dark Lord's Lair
Chapter 259 The Dark Lord's Lair
Lockhart, along with several students, deliberately bypassed the oversight of the Magical Congress of the United States and once again approached the International Wizarding Federation's secret meeting room in North America.
Although Dumbledore didn't say it explicitly, the fact that the International Confederation of Wizards held that meeting on this land already indicated that the Confederation of Wizards no longer trusted the Magical Congress of the United States.
The Magical Congress of the United States has such weak governance capabilities within its own jurisdiction that it has created the current situation. Even without betraying the fundamental principle of wizarding society, the Secrets Act, such incompetence and dereliction of duty make it untrustworthy.
When Lockhart arrived, Dumbledore was ordering the Department of Education, a department under the Federation, to conduct an investigation into Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, while the surrounding senior committee members and executives of the International Task Force remained silent.
He looked around for a moment, told the young wizards to find a place to wait for him, and walked toward Grindelwald, who was leaning against the sofa in the corner.
A wizard nearby was trying his best to look aggrieved, bending down and whispering to Grindelwald, "Back then, many people, in order to balance the interests of both sides, allowed family branches to develop freely here. Actually... actually, at that time, no one was optimistic about this so-called new continent, and didn't provide much help to those family branches that were thrown here..."
"By now, those family branches are no longer willing to follow our orders..."
Seeing Grindelwald's expressionless face, he pitifully said, "As you know, because of the war that the mysterious man brought about, which affected the world, too many pure-blood families were ruined. Some died, some went to prison, and some even disappeared completely..."
"During that era, many family branches in North America severed ties with the main branch to avoid being affected by the war..."
Grindelwald scoffed, glancing at him. "Simply put, you no longer have influence over the collateral branches of the families in this land?"
The wizard chuckled, "There are some, you know, there are always some family members who make small mistakes and get caught, so everyone sends them here to hide them in the side branches..."
Grindelwald waved his hand, too lazy to listen to his explanation any further, and said simply and directly, "I demand that you regain control of all Rosier's collateral branches in this land, and anyone who refuses to obey orders, in the name of Voldemort's followers, be killed on the spot!"
"Huh?" The wizard was stunned.
Grindelwald's gaze was indifferent. "I'm only giving you one month!"
The wizard opened his mouth, as if he wanted to argue, but seeing Grindelwald's unquestionable expression, he simply performed a wizard's salute, turned around, and quickly left.
Lockhart knew the wizard; he had found him through introductions from members of the Ravenclaw Alumni Association when he was opening up book sales channels.
This Mr. Rozier serves as the Director of the Department of Sports and Physical Education at the French Ministry of Magic. Although his position may not seem high, he is a figure similar to Barty the Elder, wielding considerable influence within the Ministry.
Of course, this is thanks to his family.
The Rozier family is one of the Twenty-Eight Holy Pure-Blood Families, and is related by blood to families such as the Black and Malfoy families. Their branches are spread all over the world, and historically, several family members have held the titles of Minister of Magic and Headmaster of Magical School.
The Rozier family was present beside Grindelwald, and the Rozier family was also present beside Grindelwald.
Lockhart didn't get involved, but instead gestured curiously to Dumbledore in the distance, "Weren't we supposed to be investigating the Yaxley family's territories and farms in North America?"
Grindelwald frowned and shook his head. "You guessed it. The Cobblers have given all these lands to Voldemort. All the castle guardian magic information registered with the Ministry of Magic has become invalid and has been replaced. By the time we sent people to investigate, they couldn't find the places."
Lockhart was taken aback. "Isn't there a registered address?"
Grindelwald chuckled. "I'll tell you the exact address of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry right now. Go and try to find it. I'll eat my hat if you can."
Yes, magic like "Castle Protection Magic" is just that powerful.
Even at the height of Voldemort's power, he had to find Peter Pettigrew, a loophole, to gain access to the Potter family, protected by the Faithful Charm.
But...
Lockhart raised an eyebrow. "I know where Coban Yaxley is."
Grindelwald's eyes narrowed. "You know?"
"Of course," Lockhart chuckled, but didn't explain how he did it.
Of course he knew. He had opened a backdoor in Coban Yaxley's mind that night of the full moon; otherwise, why would he have been willing to make a deal with Voldemort to let the guy go?
The principle behind this back door isn't complicated. It's based on the methods Tom the Horcrux used on Ginny Weasley, but he elevated it a little, adding a bit of power to the memory and time domains, confident that even Voldemort wouldn't notice.
Lockhart wasn't a voyeur and had almost never used the backdoor. After his fight with Old Voldemort in Time, he gained more confidence and almost forgot about it.
This time it finally came in handy.
……
"The Dark Lord's evil lair?" Cedric exclaimed.
"Yes." Lockhart smiled at the three little ones in front of him. "This is your adventure."
Cedric exchanged a strange look with Luna beside him. They both looked at Dumbledore and the mysterious man not far behind Lockhart. With so many big shots present, why send them on such a risk?
"The professor always gives us opportunities!" Crabbe's simple face was full of seriousness as he looked earnestly at the two students in front of him. "Just follow his instructions."
He's just not smart, not stupid; he knows how to support Professor Lockhart's will.
Become Professor Lockhart's most loyal confidant.
This is the survival strategy of the Crabbe family throughout the ages, a survival strategy that even a fool can understand.
Cedric and Luna finally snapped out of their international trip with the professor and became serious.
"Very good." Lockhart took out the little golden retriever from his pocket and handed it to Luna. He then took out a wisp of black smoke, shook it, and the smoke turned into another little golden retriever, which he handed to Cedric, saying, "I will use it to give you hints, but how you do it is up to you."
Then, with a wave of his hand, a Hakimi suddenly appeared beside him. At Lockhart's call, the Hakimi yawned and walked behind Crabbe.
"Set off!"
"Remember, be very careful, the Dark Lord might be there!"
The three young wizards exclaimed in unison.
In fact, Voldemort was indeed at the farm they were about to visit, which was why he sent the young wizards to the front.
Old Voldemort is too cunning and sly. If he, Dumbledore, and Grindelwald appeared at the same time, he would probably return empty-handed again.
Lockhart wouldn't mind going along with it and helping to kill Old Voldemort.
Oh, I should say we caught Old Fu.
With the Horcruxes, Voldemort is impossible to kill no matter how hard he tries.
huh~
Whoosh~
The flying broomsticks soared into the sky, and the three of them took out invisibility cloaks from their backpacks, put them on, and quickly flew into the clouds, heading in the direction Lockhart had indicated.
After flying for more than an hour, they finally landed on the outskirts of a city, carefully landing in a secluded spot and sneaking towards a Muggle textile factory.
"You guys need to be careful!"
The three of them went to a corner to observe the place, put the flying broom into a bag that had been enchanted with the Traceless Stretch Charm, and cast detection magic around them.
The little blond-haired Boggart on Cedric's shoulder spoke, and Professor Lockhart's voice came through: "This is a small assassin organization established by the descendants of the Purifiers. What you need to do is enter the fireplace inside the freezer, and then enter the actual place from the fireplace."
"Don't be fooled by the fact that the members of this assassin organization are all Muggles. You should actually look at these people with the same understanding you would have with wizard Squibs."
"They used magical potions and cruel training to hone their willpower, and tormented their minds and bodies to the point that they gained a certain ability to interfere with the movement of matter."
"Just like when you were kids and there was no magic surge, you unconsciously controlled things to fly towards you."
"Don't underestimate them because of this. With the terrifying firearms of Muggles, they can easily kill you."
"What you have to do is keep them from finding out."
The three young wizards held their breath in fright. 'Little Golden Retriever' watched them with amusement, shaking his head. "You're wizards, you need to know how to use wizarding methods!"
Cedric reacted instantly and quickly waved his wand to cast the Bubble Head Charm on everyone.
This spell was taught in the senior spells class and was primarily used for underwater breathing and isolating harmful gases, but as it spread through the dueling club, young wizards developed numerous applications and expanded scenarios.
For example, when hiding inside an invisibility cloak, you don't need to hold your breath when using this magic.
Luna realized what was happening and, as if dancing with her wand, waved it at the three of them, chanting the spell, "Bunny Hop!"
Suddenly, clumps of cotton-like bubbles appeared on the soles of the three people's shoes. They walked on the ground without making a sound, and their bodies felt lighter, as if they could jump high and far with a single step.
Crabbe didn't cast any spells. The few spells the professor had taught him were all healing-oriented, so this kind of adventure wasn't really suitable for a healer like him. But since the professor had asked him to come, he had no questions.
He was just thinking about what magic he would use if he encountered trouble later.
Well, there's no need to think too much about it, because he doesn't know much magic.
Even fewer can be used for attacks.
It seems that the only thing that has any use is the rest that the 'Soul Campfire' brings to the soul. The professor said that if this spell is used well, it is no different from the Sleeping Spell.
He hasn't tried it, so he doesn't know if it will work.
Soon, the three of them hopped and skipped into the textile factory, instinctively feeling their way through the darkest corners. The invisibility cloak wasn't foolproof; if someone was watching them, they might be exposed, so they had to try their best to avoid being seen.
"etc!"
Luna quietly called out to everyone, adjusted her oddly-looking glasses, and pointed to a spot between a pillar and a doorway, "There are lots of spotted rats wagging their tails there!"
"A flower-nosed rat?" Cedric asked with a strange expression as he tried to recall. He was confident in his solid foundation of knowledge from his Magical Creatures Conservation and Potions classes, but he just couldn't remember such a magical creature.
"An invisible magical creature signifies that a couple in love is about to have a major argument here!"
Luna spoke in a sleepwalking tone, muttering, "It's so interesting. I've always wanted to see this kind of creature, and now I've finally seen it."
Cedric's expression turned strange, and he finally understood why his classmates called Luna "crazy girl" behind her back.
He was about to speak when Crabbe nudged him with a serious expression and said in a low voice, "The professor said that when we form a team to go on an adventure together, we should choose to trust the knowledge and judgment of our companions."
Cedric was taken aback, then nodded earnestly and asked, "So how do we get in?"
Crabbe shrugged. "I don't know either. I'll just follow you in."
Even Luna looked at Cedric.
Ok.
The problem has now shifted to him.
Cedric looked at the wide gate, sighed helplessly, looked around, and finally his eyes lit up. He gestured to a window on the side of the textile factory that had been opened a crack.
"Follow me!"
After walking a few steps, Luna quickly called them back, saying something they couldn't understand, and asked them to go around to the window.
Left with no other choice, the three of them had to spend even more time.
Finally reaching the window, Cedric had everyone hold each other's sleeves, then raised his wand, took a deep breath to calm his nervousness, and then waved his wand with measured precision.
Chant the incantation, "Darkness crawls!"
In an instant, everything went black before the three of them, leaving only a strangely curved passage of light in front of them.
They seemed to be squeezed into a thin, elastic human-shaped gummy by the darkness, wobbling as they squeezed into the light tunnel.
This experience is not good at all.
Not only was I physically uncomfortable and felt awkward, but the irritating sensation from not being able to see my surroundings also kept welling up inside me.
"Dark magic~" Behind the three, a red cloak made of a sack fluttered in the air. Among the three standing inside, Grindelwald whistled and looked at Lockhart with a mocking expression.
"You should describe it like this: Dark magic cast with the mindset of Defense Against the Dark Arts!" Lockhart looked at Cedric's spell with great satisfaction. "See, he understands the potential impact of casting this dark magic, and he's willing to bear and face the consequences."
Lockhart gave a thumbs-up and praised, "Flexible yet principled, excellent! You truly are a worthy student of mine!"
Dumbledore's face was also full of a kind smile. "Cedric is a good boy. The professors and students all like him."
Grindelwald chuckled coldly. "Of course I'd like it! Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has produced half of all the dark wizards in Europe!"
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, displeased. "Nonsense!"
Old Ge just chuckled, "But that's the truth, a fact that can't be changed by so-called correct slogans."
He used to attend Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which was known for teaching dark magic, but it should be noted that he was expelled for his excessive study of dark magic.
His alma mater taught black magic to a limited extent, and another school, Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, taught even less.
In contrast, Hogwarts doesn't teach dark magic at all, but it doesn't prevent students from secretly learning it either. In fact, the school library has a large collection of restricted books, waiting for any capable young wizards to sneak a peek and learn.
Despite this, Hogwarts is still an internationally renowned wizarding school, and the reputation of producing a large number of dark wizards has been bestowed upon its alma mater.
Tsk~
As they were talking, they saw the three little wizards finally "dart" into the textile factory, and they quickly followed.
Just as they were about to continue deeper into the factory, they were startled to see a man and a woman walking towards the gate. The woman had a sour face, and the man looked uneasy. If they had just walked through the gate, they probably would have bumped into each other.
And so, the three young wizards, each using their own methods and cooperating with each other, walked through the aisles between the high-speed spinning looms, avoiding obstacle after obstacle, and silently passed through the depths of the kitchen filled with hanging pork. Finally, they cast a sleeping spell on an old black man pretending to be a monk by the freezer, and arrived at the fireplace hidden deep inside the freezer, thus completing their infiltrative adventure.
But it's not time to relax yet.
Professor Lockhart said that this is just the entrance to the adventure, and the unknown lies ahead.
"This is an illegally and privately constructed Floo Net fireplace!" Crabbe didn't know how to analyze things, but he knew this thing all too well, having encountered it several times since childhood. Adults always warned these silly kids not to talk about what they saw, and the more they heard it, the more deeply it stuck in their minds.
"We don't know where our destination is or what awaits us." Luna put on her glasses and began to look around.
"I have a way!"
Cedric pulled a bag from his pocket, took out a fleshy, realistic-looking ear, stretched out the connecting part in the middle, and stuffed it into the fireplace flames.
These are the Weasley twins' prank gadgets, called "retractable ears," used for eavesdropping.
This gadget, when used in conjunction with the Floo Fireplace, is simply the perfect eavesdropping device.
Cedric listened for a moment, then nodded to the two of them. "There shouldn't be any problems, but we should still be prepared to cast spells at any time!"
With that, the three of them went back into the fireplace to face the flames.
They all looked very anxious.
Little did they know that Lockhart, Grindelwald, and Dumbledore had already entered the flames and were waiting for the children by the fireplace on the other side.
Dark Lord's Lair, arrived!
Looking around, there were countless snakes, big and small, so many that they were piled up together and wriggling, which looked indescribably terrifying.
Lockhart could sense that the classically trained was right there.
In particular, through the eyes of the student, he had already seen the figure of Voldemort opposite him.
Hehe ~
Old Fu, we're here!
(End of this chapter)