Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 133 Different People and Different Summer Vacation Beginnings

Hermione patted their backs tenderly, while Arthur stood awkwardly to the side. Seeing his son looking over, he grinned, "Uh, I didn't expect Muggles to be so uncomfortable..."

Vaughn rolled his eyes.

Frankly, he hadn't expected it either; at least when they first got in the car, Mr. and Mrs. Granger seemed perfectly normal.

The bus driver had to brake suddenly four times in a row to avoid a cat and an old lady crossing the road. An impatient driver then chose a route that "glided" over the surrounding buildings.

The sudden weightlessness and the unfamiliarity with magic made Mr. and Mrs. Granger feel as if they had been thrown into a washing machine.

I haven't recovered yet.

Although Vaughn was very worried about Mr. and Mrs. Granger's condition, they still stood up straight with great strength after Hermione patted their backs for a while.

It must be said that the "training" provided by the bus riders was indeed useful.

At least when Mrs. Granger elegantly wiped her mouth and looked at the Burrow, its crooked shape didn't make her exclaim "God!" but instead calmly asked Vaughn:

"Darling, is this the place?"

"Yes, madam, welcome..."

As Vaughn was speaking, Molly pushed open the door and called out enthusiastically in a high-pitched voice, "Welcome, welcome Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, and of course you, my dear Hermione! Come in, a sumptuous dinner will be ready soon!"

Following her were Percy, Fred, George, and Ron, who was carrying Banban and being watched closely by Guoguocha from behind.

"Mrs. Weasley, hello..."

“Oh—you look so young and beautiful, just like Hermione…”

"My goodness, is this magic? That frying pan is cooking automatically, it's so convenient..."

"Actually, I'm quite interested in some things about Muggles, like lipsticks, face creams... oh, is that the word? Sorry, I don't know much about them..."

"...Yes, I really like Vaughn. In fact, he visited my home once, and I was very impressed with him then, and I really liked him..."

"...Hermione is undoubtedly a good girl, yes, everyone praises her, she's beautiful and academically gifted, and I'm so glad Vaughn can be her friend..."

Molly welcomed the guests and chatted with them while preparing dinner.

The friendship between the middle-aged women quickly warmed up amidst brief pleasantries and mutual flattery.

Their loud and enthusiastic laughter echoed throughout the humble dwelling.

Normally, the conversation should have been led in such a setting, but because of their similar family positions, Arthur and Mr. Granger, who could only stand aside, suddenly found common ground and began whispering to each other.

Meanwhile, at the dining table in the living room, Fred and George winked at Hermione.

Percy, who had been looking downcast for the past two days, forced a smile to welcome Hermione's arrival—he had always admired Hermione, and no one was happier than him after Hermione and Vaughn confirmed their relationship.

Because in Percy's view, among all his classmates, only Hermione's academic performance was worthy of Vaughn's.

"Granger, you look fantastic today!"

Percy praised.

The twins weren't to be outdone: "Not just great, absolutely fantastic!"

“You’re talking nonsense, Fred.”

Hermione smiled, pursing her lips.

Then, she noticed a gaze fixed intently on her.

It's Ron!
He sat in the shadows of the corner, holding the fat rat, his eyes practically brimming with resentment!
Hermione then realized she hadn't greeted her friends yet, so she waved and said, "Hi, Ronald."

"Hum..."

Ron snorted and said sarcastically, "Hello, Miss Granger!"

Hermione, who was already familiar with his awkward personality, didn't bother with him. Instead, she glanced around and asked curiously, "Where's Ginny? I've heard Vaughn talk about her a lot. I didn't even have a chance to talk to her properly when we met at the station last time."

Upon hearing this, the Weasley brothers exchanged a glance and chuckled quietly.

The twins, in a high-pitched voice, imitated a little girl's cry: "Mommy, Mommy, I don't want Vaughn to have a girlfriend!"

Fred, mimicking Molly in a gruff voice, asked, "Why, Joe... no, Ginny?"

"Once Vaughn has a girlfriend, he'll never love me again!"

The twins slammed their fists on the table and burst into laughter: "Our lovely little sister is jealous, Hermione! She says she hates you and never wants to see you again!"

Percy and Ron laughed too.

Then, a little girl shouted angrily from above: "I didn't say that!"

"You said it, you said it."

"You also said—Mom, Vaughn has a girlfriend, so I can't sleep in his room anymore. Can you kick her out?"

"Ah—Fred! George!"

The little girl screamed and slammed the door shut.

Of course, no one cared about a little girl's jealous words. Even Hermione just found it amusing. She tugged at Vaughn's arm and whispered, "Take me upstairs. I want to talk to her."

“Yes, my dear Miss Granger.”

"Hate--"

The Weasley brothers, who had been watching the two with smiles, suddenly felt unhappy as they saw them flirting.

Ugh, this pungent, nauseating smell of romance!

After Hermione went upstairs to chat, Ginny eventually came down.

The little girl happily held hands with Hermione.

Living in the Weasley family, with seven older brothers, he was pampered from a young age because he was the only child, but he was also very lonely.

When she was young, it was fine, but as she grew older, now that she is 11 years old, she began to experience some physiological changes. There are those private things that are unique to girls, and no matter how close she is to Vaughn, she can't bring herself to talk about them.

Ultimately, you still need a best friend.

As for Hermione, who is serious, self-centered, rule-abiding, and often seems aloof, how can she get along well with Ginny... it can only be attributed to the power of love!

Of course, the trials and tribulations that Harry and Ron, these two brilliant young talents, have undergone during their year at school are also indispensable.

Hermione also brought Ginny a gift: a girlish dress. Mrs. Granger, acting as her aesthetic advisor, was very reliable.

Of course, everyone should receive a gift; it's a matter of politeness.

Before the dinner began, Hermione opened the small handbag Vaughn had given her and took out the gifts one by one.

The gift given to Arthur was a Muggle book, "Fundamentals of Electromagnetism," chosen on Vaughn's advice. It systematically explains the basic laws and applications of electromagnetic fields and waves.

Molly received a copy of "French and Oriental Cookbooks," again based on Vaughn's suggestion. As for why I didn't give her a book about British cuisine... well, as everyone knows, the three thinnest books in the world are British cookbooks, German jokes, and Italian war heroes!
It's really not presentable.

Percy, the twins, and Ron also received gifts, mostly items chosen according to their individual personalities and interests that corresponded to things in the Muggle world.

For example, Percy got a set of books on how to improve learning efficiency. Whether they were useful or not is unknown, but they looked impressive.

Each of the twins received a set of basic science books to help them understand various scientific concepts in Muggle society.

As for Ron, Hermione gave him a whole box of Muggle candy.

At the dinner table, seeing the gift given to him—a complete contrast to everyone else's—Ron blushed as red as a monkey's bottom: "Actually...actually, I also love studying..."

Vaughn and Hermione, sitting opposite him, smiled without saying a word.

Regardless, everyone in the Weasley family liked Hermione very much, and the atmosphere at the welcome dinner was very warm.

The children were laughing and chatting, and the parents, who were meeting formally for the first time, were no less enthusiastic. Mrs. Granger and Molly, the two middle-aged women who held the reins of the family, talked about magic, Muggles, and how to raise children, and they felt like they had known each other for a long time.

Mr. Granger was rather mild-mannered and not very talkative, but when Arthur brought up Quidditch and subconsciously belittled football, he began to exchange heated opinions with him.

Of course, the overall atmosphere was quite harmonious, especially the food served at the dinner. Influenced by Vaughn, the Weasleys have developed a preference for Chinese cuisine in recent years, but not everyone can accept it, so Molly made some modifications to the cooking methods.

For example, change spicy and salty to sour and spicy or sweet and sour.

Although Vaughn had mixed feelings about it, he was highly praised by the Granger family.

“You are a true gourmet, madam,” Mrs. Granger exclaimed to Molly. “This cream… huoguo? It’s sweet and rich, with a delightful tang, like eating a pot of lemon cheesecake—absolutely delicious!”

On the other side, Vaughn, picking through his own pot with a fork, was somewhat speechless, unsure whether the other person was just flattering him or genuinely thought it was delicious.

Judging from how happily Hermione ate, it seems to be true...

While the Weasleys were enjoying a joyful and lively atmosphere, in the distant Scottish Highlands, the last group of seventh-year students were leaving school.

WAC's recruitment fair only ended tonight.

Over two days, under the guidance of Remus Lupin, the job fair comprehensively explained the job responsibilities, compensation, career prospects, and more for frontline clerks.

By the end of the recruitment fair, a total of nine graduates, including Slytherin students such as Phil Travers, had secured contracts.

About seven people wanted to think it over some more.

Lupin was not entirely satisfied with this result.

After the job fair ended, Lupin didn't leave immediately. Instead, he wandered around the now completely deserted castle, pondering the situation and seemingly trying to recapture the feeling of his student days.

During summer vacation at Hogwarts, without any mischievous students causing trouble, the plants in the courtyard take advantage of this rare opportunity to grow wildly. Their lush greenery, set against the light diffusing from the afterglow of the sky hanging down from the courtyard, resembles a rich and vivid impressionist painting.

Lupin plucked a sprig of lavender, twirling it between his fingers as he strolled through the quiet courtyard and corridor.

He walked for an unknown amount of time before he heard Dumbledore's voice: "Struggling with hiring?"

Turning around, he saw the dear headmaster standing silently not far behind him, his hands clasped in front of his lower abdomen, smiling at him.

Lupin was unsurprised; Dumbledore had already been making elusive appearances when he was in school: "Yes, the number of people recruited is far from enough. WAC needs a large number of wizards, but Hogwarts graduates tend to go to the Ministry of Magic... except for Slytherin."

"Yes, Vaughn has a lot of influence in Slytherin, and he always reminds me of Voldemort from decades ago."

Lupin didn't frown: "I don't want to talk about this."

“Ah, Remus, please forgive me, I am not belittling him, but praising him,” Dumbledore said with a smile. “You should remember the Slytherin tradition of respecting and submitting to the strong, but for many years only Voldemort and Vaughn have truly been able to command the respect and submission of the Slytherins.”

Lupin remained calm: "And you, Dumbledore."

"Hahaha--"

Dumbledore laughed heartily.

Since the day the student left school, after an "unpleasant" conversation between the two, they have never discussed similar topics again.

Lupin's reaction just now made Dumbledore completely certain that the other party would continue to follow in Vaughn's footsteps.

The answer was obvious—Vaughn could be Voldemort or Dumbledore!

Dumbledore, having received Lupin's perspective, showed no disappointment; his original intention was not to turn Lupin against Dumbledore.

Walking up to Lupin and looking at his former student, Dumbledore asked, "Did you notice the movies being shown in the Great Hall during your two days at school?"

"I've seen Harry Potter and the Painted World."

“I thought you would question me the moment you saw it, that the students thought it was fake, but I believe you can tell that the content filmed is based on real events.”

"..."

Lupin remained silent, turning his head to gaze at the colorful flowers blooming in the courtyard outside the eaves, watching them sway in the wind and the setting sun:

“You, me, James, Lily, and… we all know about that prophecy, the prophecy that the Dark Lord will personally mark his mortal enemy. When I learned that the Dark Lord had attacked the Potters, I knew he wasn't dead, and that he would one day return to fulfill his destiny with Harry…”

As a former key member of the Order of the Phoenix, Lupin was well aware of the power of fate.

Just as he knew how powerful Dumbledore was.

Even with his immense power, Dumbledore was powerless against Voldemort. It wasn't that Dumbledore was unwilling to help, but rather that fate had decreed that Voldemort would not die at Dumbledore's hands.

After a moment's hesitation, Lupin asked, "Dumbledore, what do you think of Harry's performance?"

“Fantastic!” Dumbledore said cheerfully.

After watching the movie, Lupin was speechless. "I want to know your true thoughts. At least in the movie, I didn't see any hope for Harry to defeat the Dark Lord. He was completely outmaneuvered by the Dark Lord. On the other hand, that girl named Granger did a commendable job."

“Oh, that’s our dear Mr. Vaughn Weasley’s girlfriend…”

Dumbledore calculated the time and continued, "As far as I know, they've even started to solidify their relationship. The Grangers should be visiting the Burrow right now. By the way, Remus, you've been to the Burrow too, haven't you?"

Lupin ignored the second half of the other person's rambling and stared blankly at the first half: "They...they're only 12 years old!"

"To be precise, only Vaughn is 12 years old, Granger is already 13."

Is there a difference?
Lu Ping, who had never been in a relationship during his school years, felt a dull ache in his heart.

Seeing his choked expression, Dumbledore laughed even harder, but he quickly suppressed his laughter and sighed, "Then you must have seen Vaughn's performance... I wish Vaughn and Harry could switch places."

"..." Lupin didn't know what to say. He had also seen the last scene of the "movie," where Vaughn killed the Dark Lord.

Ruthless and decisive.

There is also that kind of indifference where, once a goal is set, one must achieve it, even at the cost of one's own safety.

Lupin felt somewhat unwell.

Having already decided to join Vaughn's ranks for the sake of the werewolves, he naturally didn't want to comment on his boss at this moment, so he said, "Dumbledore, you don't need to try anymore..."

“No, Remus, you made it very clear last time that I respect your ideals, so I won’t ask you to do anything. In fact, I fully support your wholehearted help to Vaughn and help him achieve his goals.”

Lupin was taken aback, his lips moving slightly.

He seemed unable to believe that this was the Dumbledore he knew.

The old man smiled: "My dear, you've neglected your magic. You only see the surface, but you haven't noticed that in that movie, Vaughn, caught between Tom and Harry, these two chosen ones, was still able to take down Tom. What does that tell you?"

My mind went blank for a moment.

After a moment of stunned silence, Lupin suddenly realized: "Vaughn... he's unaffected by Tom and Harry's fate?"

"There is an impact, though not as obvious as for others," Dumbledore said. "More importantly, his fate can also affect Tom and Harry!"

"At the beginning of the year, the tremors of the Web of Fate caught my attention. Guess what happened in the wizarding world that involved Vaughn?"

Do I need to guess?
Lupin murmured, "The Werewolf Affairs Committee..."

"Yes, the establishment of this organization has created a tiny ripple in the web of fate. It feels like you throw a leaf into a lake, and the ripples spread across the surface. Yet, with such a small disturbance, Tom's fate, which had remained unchanged for many years, has been partially altered... How interesting!"

Looking into the distance, Dumbledore chuckled.

Despite his explanation, Lupin still couldn't truly grasp what that concept meant. All he knew was that the destiny of Harry and the Dark Lord, which he once thought was unshakeable, had been shaken by his future boss!
He listened to Dumbledore continue, his mind in turmoil:

"The emergence of the Werewolf Affairs Committee is Vaughn's first step in influencing this world, and you happen to work for it..."

“...Support him well, Remus. I can’t even imagine what the future world will be like. Maybe one day I will die along with the old world. Don’t be sad when that happens. It will definitely be my own will.”

Lupin understood every single word in those words, but he couldn't understand them when they were put together.

Or rather, he couldn't imagine the implications behind it...

As he was leaving, Dumbledore pulled his wand from his sleeve, examined it closely, then pressed it against his forehead, pulled out a strand of silver thread, and shook it off.

The silver threads floated down and drifted to Lupin's eyes, whereupon he instinctively drew his wand and caught them.

Looking at the wisp of memory hanging on the wand like mist, Lupin was somewhat puzzled: "Albus?"

"Take it, put it in your memory, and keep it safe."

"what is this?"

“You can think of it as a gift, a guarantee… I’ve locked it with magic, and when the time is right, the magic will naturally be removed.”

After saying that, the old wizard, dressed in a pinkish-purple nightgown and looking like a pervert, leisurely walked into the depths of the corridor where the light was gradually dimming and shadows were beginning to spread.

It soon disappeared.

Lu Ping was left alone, staring blankly at the strand of silver hair.

……

The dinner has ended.

Knowing that the Grangers would be tired today, Molly and Arthur made no other plans for entertainment; they simply used magic to set up a few tents in the reeds outside the Burrow.

In fact, Arthur even tried to set up the tents using Muggle methods. He specifically bought two Muggle tents, some nylon rope, and nails for fixing, intending to nail the tents to the ground.

Then Molly gave him a good scolding.

"My God—"

Led by Molly, Mr. and Mrs. Granger entered the magical tent, which had been enchanted with a Seamless Stretch spell, and were amazed by the enormous space of nearly 3000 square feet inside.

That was only half of the tent's space; the other half was divided into two cubicles to serve as bedrooms.

The wonder and luxury of the magic were hard for the two Muggles to believe, and they were initially quite puzzled when they heard that they would be staying in tents.

I've long forgotten the lingering unpleasantness I felt back then.

After seeing Molly off, Mrs. Granger, feeling dizzy, collapsed onto the bed and exclaimed, "What wonderful magic, isn't it, my dear?"

After she finished speaking, she noticed that her husband looked depressed.

"what happened to you?"

“Sigh, I’m worried about Hermione…she should be living with us.”

Mrs. Granger dismissed the question: "She lives with Ginny, what's there to worry about?"

"...You don't actually believe she slept with Ginny, do you?"

“I believe in my daughter, and even if I don’t, what does it matter? Are you living in the Middle Ages, or one of those old-fashioned Yankees on the other side of the Atlantic?”

Indeed, in the eyes of the English, North America, also known as the New World, was a place that was old-fashioned and conservative.

Both Muggle society and the wizarding world believe this!
Hermione really likes the Weasleys.

Everyone was kind to her and cared about her every move, except for Ron.

Everyone was witty and humorous. Even Percy, nicknamed "nerd" at school, was very lively during the after-dinner chat, not to mention the twins and Mr. Arthur, who always had delusions about Muggles.

Except for Ron, of course!
After taking a shower in the bathroom, Hermione was drying her hair and preparing to go upstairs when she saw Ron.

He sat in the dimly lit living room, just as he had this evening, holding his fat rat, Spotted, his gloomy demeanor almost blending into the shadows behind him.

"Oh my god, Ron! You scared me to death!"

Ron's face darkened. "I've thought about it over and over, but it still doesn't feel right. Hermione, can you please stop being with Vaughn?"

Hermione was puzzled and instinctively asked, "Why?"

Ron's face darkened. "You're my best friend, like Harry to me. Can you imagine Harry dating Percy one day? No way! I feel like throwing up just thinking about it, it's horrible. And now, seeing you with Vaughn gives me the same feeling, my brother and my brother..."

If she could, Hermione would really like to throw a poison curse in the face of that chattering guy across from her!
"Go to sleep, Ronald!"

Hermione stormed upstairs, still able to hear Ron calling from below, "Hey, don't go! Let's talk some more..."

Let's talk...

Hermione held back for a long time before managing to refrain from swearing, out of consideration for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as well as Vaughn and Ginny.

Foolish Ronald!

When she got to the third floor, she saw Vaughn, who was sitting on the stairs with Guoguocha, waiting for her.

Seeing the girl's sullen expression, Vaughn laughed: "Did Ron make you angry again?"

Hermione repeated what Ron had just said, angrily saying, "This is utterly absurd! What kind of eyes would consider me... a brother?"

Just thinking about it makes her stomach hurt!
"Okay, don't be angry."

Vaughn comforted her, "If you're really still upset, then I'll take some time later to develop a potion that will turn Ron and Harry into your sisters, how about that?"

After imagining the scene, Hermione burst out laughing.

Seeing that she had cheered up again, Vaughn took her hand and led her to the attic on the top floor of the Burrow.

This used to be his potions room. Although he didn't need it after starting school, his mother didn't change it back. She also cleaned it regularly to prevent ghouls from moving in again.

The attic, once filled with shelves of medicinal herbs, was now empty, with only moonlight shining in.

Vaughn led Hermione through the window that let in the moonlight. Outside the window was a specially constructed platform where one could sit or lie down, enjoy the breeze, and admire the scenery around the Burrow.

Sitting down on the platform, Vaughn said softly, "When I was little, I loved sitting here and watching the sunrise and sunset..."

The area around the humble dwelling is all wilderness, but from this high vantage point, the view is extremely expansive.

Watching the reeds swaying in the breeze under the night sky, their ripples spreading like ocean waves into the distance, and listening to Vaughn's gentle narration, Hermione's heart gradually calmed down.

She enjoyed listening to Vaughn talk about these things because she wanted to know everything about his past.

This is true for most people in love.

Of course, another similarity between couples is that they often start to go off-topic while talking.

Guoguocha, who was also lying on the platform, unaware that she was acting as a third wheel, suddenly twitched her pointed ears.

Turning its head, its huge cat eyes suddenly widened, as if it had seen something that shocked its soul!
A thin veil of cloud drifted gently across the sky, slightly obscuring the moon.

The rustling sounds from Guoguocha's astonishing actions continued for quite a while before Hermione's breathing became labored.

Hermione rested her head on Vaughn's shoulder, and then she heard Vaughn say in a hoarse voice, "Shall we go back to the room?"

"Um……"

Vaughn took her hand and led her out of the attic. Just as he was about to turn towards his room, the girl, who had looked so delicate a second ago, suddenly broke free and skipped downstairs in two or three steps with a cheerful laugh.

"Uh……"

Vaughn blinked.

Hermione smiled, her eyes crinkling, and bit her lower lip, her gaze flickering in the darkness: "Hmph, you big bad guy!"

Before he could answer, the girl, as if avoiding a ferocious beast, quickly opened the door to Ginny's room and slipped inside.

Even worse, Vaughn heard her lock the door from the inside!
Vaughn was speechless for a long while before sighing, "...The cunning little girl not only lied to me, but also guarded against me. Who doesn't know I'm a gentleman?"

"Meow~"

Guoguocha looked up at him and grabbed his thigh.

"...That's something only adults can do. Children shouldn't be so curious!"

"Meow!"

"You're only 2 years old, and I'm already 12. Who do you think is older?"

After bickering with the disgruntled Fruit Tea for a while, Vaughn picked it up and went back to his room.

Downstairs in Ginny's room, Hermione, who was leaning against the door, breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing the door close above her.

The girl's face flushed red, a mixture of worry and a faint sense of shameful anticipation.

Once she was sure Vaughn wouldn't come back, Hermione took a few breaths to calm her racing heart before slowly climbing into bed.

Ginny, who had been asleep for a while, seemed to sense someone approaching and whimpered as she hugged them.

Hermione pulled her into her arms.

Listening to Ginny's even breathing, Hermione looked at the ceiling in the darkness and whispered, "Goodnight."

……

Early in the morning, a roar could be heard coming from the house at No. 4 Privet Road:

"Damn it, how many times have I told you, don't let this damn thing appear in front of me, and definitely not outside!"

Harry shrugged, squinting and looking down to avoid getting his Uncle Vernon's spittle all over his face.

As Harry moved the cage containing Hedwig behind him, he whispered in his defense, "Hedwig is an owl, Uncle. She needs to go out and fly. She won't bother you..."

"Shut up!"

Uncle Vernon's face turned bright red, his thick beard trembling. "Don't think I don't know, owls are messengers in that godforsaken place, aren't they? I even saw one with a letter in its talons... Good heavens, damn it, this filthy place, even the animals are weird, get out! Get out!"

He tried to shoo Harry away, but dared not approach him.

Sensing his uncle's bluster, Harry's lips curled into a slight smile. Ever since returning from summer vacation, he had noticed that his aunt's family was terrified of magic and even hesitated to utter the word "magic" accurately.

So he kept the pamphlet that the school gave out during holidays hidden, not daring to let his aunt and uncle know, because underage wizards were not allowed to cast spells outside.

Maintaining a semblance of politeness, Harry bid farewell to Uncle Vernon and ran back upstairs with Hedwig in his arms—thank goodness for magic, and for his aunt and uncle's fear of magic, for they finally dared not let a "wizard" live in the storeroom anymore.

Of course, the downside was that Uncle Vernon locked his robes, crucibles, brooms, and other belongings in the storage room where he used to live, and wouldn't allow him to take them out.

You cannot ride a broom, read magic books, or practice spells.

Harry had no idea how he spent the first week of summer vacation. In the end, he could only bother Ron and send Hedwig a letter to the Burrow.

Hedwig was gone for a week, and today she finally brought back Ron's reply.

Harry rushed back to his room and eagerly removed the thick envelope tied to Hedwig's ankle. The envelope contained Ron's crooked, worm-like handwriting:

[To my dear Harry Potter, Your faithful Ron Weasley]

(End of this chapter)