The Return to Hogwarts

"You lent those two guys Galleons, and you withdrew the money from the gambling pool to settle the debt yourselves. Now, you also need to give me the money they wagered at Hogwarts. I will talk to them and handle this matter properly. In addition, I don't want to hear any rumors about this matter outside, including everything that happened tonight. I don't want anyone to know about it."

If it were during his years of wandering, Amosta would have made the old goblin sign a contract first, but things are different now, and he is confident that he can keep the goblin's secret.

That's it for tonight. Amosta doesn't intend to confront Ludo Bagman and Cuthbert Mokrich immediately. The two of them can no longer create obstacles for this matter. It's better to wait until the review results are in before settling scores.

He didn't plan to tell Barty Crouch about this either. Although Barty had been shouting this morning that he wanted to kill the instigator, it was hard to say what choices the politicians would make if they really knew the truth and sensed greater benefits.

“Mr. Blaine—”

As Bana watched Amosta put away the list it had provided, straighten its slightly disheveled collar, and prepare to leave, it suddenly spoke up to stop it.

Facing Amosta Blaine's somber gaze, Gerson Barna hesitated for a moment, but finally, with a heavy sigh, it asked unexpectedly.

"Mr. Blaine, I'd like to ask, can we—the fairies—be your friends?"

Chapter 415 Visit

2023-08-11

Two hours later, Amosta returned to the dilapidated room in the hotel. He slowly reclined on the deck chair, gazing at the deeper starlight of the late night, his thoughts swirling silently in his mind.

Some things that happened tonight were indeed unexpected, but in terms of the outcome, it wasn't too bad.

In particular, the last request made by the old monster named Gerson Barna was arguably the biggest gain from Amosta's trip to Paris.

For the past few years, Amosta had been active in the underworld, building connections with people who walked the shadows. But when he was invited back to Hogwarts, a series of events gradually brought him into the public eye.

Meanwhile, he gradually built another network of relationships within 'high society'.

This was inevitable. Within a species, weaker individuals will instinctively seek refuge with the stronger. As Amosta's power gradually comes to light, more and more people will seek his friendship, just like Gerson Barna today.

Gerson Barna’s ‘defection’ was valuable to Amostra, meaning he had created some influence within another species with enormous potential, outside of the wizarding world.

Power brings influence, and influence, in some cases, also means power.

Harry will be in his fourth year this fall. Amosta doesn't remember exactly when Tom Riddle returned to the wizarding world to start a new war, but it's safe to assume it's within two or three years at the latest.

How will he handle the situation then?

How will Albus Dumbledore respond? How will the Ministry of Magic respond? And how will Voldemort regain his former power?

He had already anticipated the reactions from all sides.

For Amostella, the biggest problem wasn't Voldemort, but Albus Dumbledore.

The two men share the same goal, but their differing personalities and ideas inevitably lead to disagreements. When war looms and internal conflicts arise, it is undoubtedly fatal.

One side must back down.

In Amosta's view, Dumbledore's biggest problem was his soft heart; he always wanted to minimize the losses and avoid implicating or harming more people.

Amosta's view is that no one is innocent under the sword of war.

As the saying goes, "A merciful general cannot command an army." Once war breaks out, he will not allow anyone to waver. Whether someone is an enemy or a friend, it must be clearly distinguished. Then, he will gather all his strength and press forward relentlessly, step by step, to compress the enemy's living space. Incidentally, he will also take the opportunity to eradicate some of the malignant tumors in the magical world.

But to achieve this, he first needs to have greater influence.

Amosta's purple eyes reflected the dazzling yet fleeting afterglow of a shooting star against the night sky. He clenched his fist on the armrest, then relaxed it.

He still needs to choose the right moment to make a good appearance in front of everyone.

He also needed to maintain considerable influence within the Ministry of Magic, which is why Amostall didn't immediately drag Ludo Bagman and Cuthbert Mocrech out and throw them in front of Barty Crouch.

The Ministry of Magic, led by Fudge, was unable to cope with the overwhelming situation that would arise after Voldemort's return.

Cornelius Fudge's resignation is almost a foregone conclusion, and Amosta's current plan is to promote Amelia Bornes to the position of Minister of Magic after Cornelius Fudge's resignation.

This woman possesses a certain degree of decisiveness and courage. She also harbors dissatisfaction with the stagnant state of the wizarding world and seeks change, unlike Barty Crouch, who is solely concerned with power itself.

Ludo Bagman was not a wizard capable of great responsibility. The reason he became one of the high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic and served as the Director of Magical Sports was largely due to the power vacuum created by Voldemort's impact on the wizarding world over the past decade or so, which allowed this former Quidditch player to take advantage of the situation.

However, it cannot be denied that he is indeed popular among the general public, which means that Ludo has a certain influence in the British magical community, and therefore, he has value.

As for Cuthbert Mocrech, Amosta didn't know him very well, but judging from his age, he had only stepped down from his current position within the last year or two, and his reputation was not particularly prominent. However, since he had leverage over Amosta, and Amosta was currently eager to increase his influence over the Ministry of Magic, he was now intrigued.

A strange light flashed across Amosta's eyes; he had already made up his mind about Cuthbert Mokrich.

Early morning, outside Paris.

Above a winding tributary of the Seine, a cool mist rises and changes shape with the breeze.

To the north of the river lies a large area of ​​paddy fields, where several magically powered machines are cultivating the vast expanse. Half a mile from the south bank of the tributary lies a sparse birch forest, at the edge of which sits a five-story wooden house with a red roof and white walls. At this moment, wisps of smoke are rising from the chimney, filling the air with a rich, homely aroma.

A layer of fallen leaves covered the large open space in front of the wooden house, and several little ones who looked to be only seven or eight years old were running around happily on the cobblestone path leading from the wooden house to the riverbank.

A playful red-haired boy, separated from his brothers and sisters, chased a small goblin to the riverbank. A small fish leaping from the clear, trickling stream caught the boy's attention. He let the goblin go, which had burrowed into the mud, took off his shoes and socks, rolled up his trousers, and carefully stepped into the water on the pebbles along the riverbank.

The cool stream water in the morning made the little boy grimace, but the little fish swaying in the clear water quickly diverted his attention.

He bent down, cupped his hands together, and enthusiastically followed the little fish, occasionally letting out a cheerful laugh.

Danger always strikes unexpectedly. The little boy playing in the water was unaware that he was gradually walking towards the center of the stream.

Just then, the children playing in the open space finally noticed that one of their companions was missing. As their eyes darted around, a sharp-eyed little girl spotted a little boy walking towards danger in the stream.

"What are you doing, Alger!"

The little girl exclaimed in surprise, and the two smaller boys were immediately drawn to her attention as well. The three little ones ran wildly toward the riverbank.

"Come on up, Alger!" the little girl, panting, cried out as she stopped at the riverbank. "The water in the middle of the river is very deep; you'll drown!"

It's over!

A few sparkling water droplets splashed into the air. Feeling the life leaping within his clasped palms, Alger laughed happily.

"It's nothing, Kamiya. Look what I caught! Oh, why don't you all come down together? We can make ourselves a pot of mixed fish soup!"

Alger grinned and straightened up, preparing to turn around and call Kamiya and the others down. However, an irresistible dizziness suddenly struck, blurring his vision. Amidst a piercing scream of panic, Alger vaguely realized that the world before him was tilting in his eyes!

Whoops!

A sudden gust of wind swept across the gently flowing stream. On the riverbank, several children screaming in terror suddenly felt a shadow flash before their eyes. Then, a young man with gray hair and purple eyes appeared beside them, carrying Alger, who had fallen into the water, under his arm.

"Don't worry, little ones, you're all fine now--"

The gray-haired young man's friendly smile seemed to have a calming effect. Camilla glanced at Alger, who still seemed dazed, swallowed, and felt less panicked.

"Who are you, sir? How did you get here—"

The little girl said in her childish voice,

“What I mean is, this is the private property of the Dregern family, protected by magic. No one can enter without an invitation, unless—”

Kamia blinked her eyes and asked curiously,

"Are you Grandpa's guest?"

The gray-haired man smiled slightly. He was about to put the naughty little one down from under his arm when a loud bang suddenly came from behind the children, and a slightly flustered, aged figure appeared in the air.

"What's going on, Kamiya? I heard you—"

He stopped abruptly mid-sentence. Wearing plain clothes, Whip Dreghan's stiff expression vanished. He glanced at his grandson, who was being carried under someone's arm, and his hoarse voice radiated intense killing intent.

"What do you want, Amosta Blaine!"

Chapter 416 No acquaintance without fighting

2023-08-12

Inside the riverside cottage's dining room, Amosta sat at the table, engrossed in reading the day's Gargoyle Roar. This newspaper held a similar influence in France as the Daily Prophet. Amosta remembered that at the press conference held at the Ministry of Magic regarding the Greyback incident, a female reporter who had asked him a question belonged to this newspaper.

Among the recent hot topics in Paris, the three-way battle for supremacy is undoubtedly the most prominent.

However, this matter is still under wraps. Even though it's no longer a secret in high society, the general public in the European magical community knows nothing about it.

The newspaper contained some trivial news items. After quickly flipping through it, Amosta tossed the newspaper onto the table, smiled, and looked at the restaurant window. Several children who were peeking through the window immediately ducked down.

Whip Dregern entered the dining room with a grim expression, carrying a plate of steaming bread and a silver pot full of hot milk. He placed the plate in front of Amosta.

"I don't have much to offer you, Blaine—"

Despite his advanced age, Whip Dreggen still had a fiery temper. His face was frosty, and if it weren't for Amosta Blaine's recent accidental rescue of his grandson, Amosta wouldn't have been able to enter the house. But there was nothing to thank him for; even without him, Alger wouldn't have been in any danger, and besides, Amosta Blaine had trespassed on his land without permission.

“It’s alright, Mr. Dregern, I’m not picky—”

Wip Dregern's attitude was much better than expected. In fact, Amosta, who had barged in, was prepared to fight Wip Dregern first before having a proper conversation. It was just that the wonderful coincidence just now saved this very likely situation.

"According to the bylaws--"

Looking across the table at Amos Blaine, who was leisurely enjoying his breakfast and seemed completely unaware that he was an unwelcome guest, Whip had to admit that Amos Blaine was no ordinary wizard, based on that composure alone. Considering his age, the word "outstanding" was not an exaggeration at all. Dumbledore's judgment was as excellent as ever.

At the party, due to Karkaroff's misleading remarks and my own desire to embarrass Hogwarts and Dumbledore, it was indeed a foolish decision to rashly attack Amostella Blaine without proper investigation.

However, the thought of the insults he had suffered overwhelmed his anger towards Amosta Blaine, and his fists, hidden under the table, clenched tightly.

"Before the review meeting, Blaine, I shouldn't have any private contact with representatives from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang, or with officials from the three Ministries of Magic, so--"

Vip's breathing eased for a moment, but his barely suppressed anger immediately erupted, and he shouted angrily.

"After you finish eating, please leave my house immediately, Blaine. I will not report anyone to the Ministry of Magic for trespassing. Just pretend we never met today!"

It seems—

Facing the cold stare from Whip Dreggen, Amosta calmly picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, then leaned back in his chair and smiled slightly.