Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 276 A Different Malfoy Manor

After leaving Newmontard, Ike went straight back to England with Old Voldemort.

This time is different from last year. Back then, they had to hide, but now they are not so careful about their whereabouts, at least not as cautious as last year.

The Ministry of Magic is currently overwhelmed with its own problems. While they were away in Britain, giants, vampires, werewolves, and Death Eaters were causing havoc everywhere, affecting not only the wizarding world but also Muggles. The Ministry staff are busy cleaning up the mess every day, and when they do manage to catch some unlucky souls, they can only temporarily imprison them in Azkaban.

This made their work even more complicated, as Azkaban had lost the Dementors, their cost-effective guards. Before leaving, Voldemort went to Azkaban and easily abducted the group. That night, at the Department of Mysteries, the Ministry of Magic captured many Death Eaters; they couldn't just let them escape.

There was no other way but to send more people, which made the manpower shortage even more severe.

They easily returned to Malfoy Manor, which had now become the Death Eaters' stronghold and was no longer the magnificent and splendid place it once was.

Entering through the main gate and walking along the roads within the manor towards the castle, all one sees along the way are wildly growing weeds, and the once beautifully trimmed plants are now scattered and broken, as if some large animal had rolled around in them.

Old Voldemort ignored everything around him and walked straight into the castle.

The interior had changed as well. The long table from the basement had been placed in the living room, and Voldemort's chair was in front of the fireplace. Bella, Narcissa, and Malfoy stood by the long table, and bowed slightly when Voldemort and Ike entered.

"Owner."

"Little master."

"Ah, Bella, Narcissa, and Draco..." Old Fuchong smiled at them, and everyone except Bella trembled slightly.

Old Fu acted as if he hadn't seen them, walked straight to his chair and sat down. He waved his hand, gesturing for them to find seats as well, and said, "Outside, I heard some rumors. I must say, you all did a great job this time..."

No one answered; Narcissa and Draco simply lowered their heads further.

"Don't be nervous, lift your heads and tell me, how are your preparations going?" Old Voldemort gently raised his hand, and Narcissa and Draco involuntarily raised their heads. Ike saw it clearly; Narcissa was alright, but Draco was sweating profusely.

"Master...Master, Draco..." Narcissa was interrupted by Voldemort before she could finish speaking.

"Let him say it himself!"

Draco's body trembled violently. He glanced at Voldemort, then lowered his head again under the gaze of those bloodshot eyes.

"I...I've made some preparations..."

"Oh? What is it? Tell me everything." Old Fu shifted his body to make himself more comfortable.

"I...I found a broken Vanishing Cabinet, it's been repaired, and its other exit is in Hogwarts..." Draco said. "I think we can use it to get into Hogwarts..."

"Anything else?" Old Fu asked without much response.

"And...and..." Draco glanced instinctively at Narcissa beside him, but seeing no reaction from his mother, he could only bite the bullet and say, "And poison."

"Poison? That's certainly a good idea." Old Voldemort nodded, tapping his fingers lightly on the long table in front of him. "I have to admit, you've come up with a good plan. After all, you can't just go and kill that old guy with your wand, can you..."

He paused, then suddenly stopped tapping his fingers on the table, sat up straighter, and his tone became much more serious.

"It seems Severus gave you some help?"

"Master!" Draco's body trembled violently, but Narcissa immediately spoke up, "It was me! I was the one who went to find Snape..."

Old Fu extended his right hand, interrupting Narcissa. Suddenly, he withdrew his intimidating aura and slowly said, "I don't mean to blame you. The task is yours; how you do it is up to you. I only care about the result."

As he spoke, he looked at Bella, who was gazing at him with adoration, and asked softly, "So, the Wormtail is still with Severus?"

"Yes, Master," Bella replied.

"He can come back now. If I remember correctly, it's almost time for Hogwarts to start school, and Severus needs to go back to that old man," Old Voldemort said. "Next, we'll need some manpower... Where are the others?"

"As you instructed, they have all gone out to do their work... However, Master, please forgive our incompetence, because many of our operations with the Order of the Phoenix have not achieved the desired results..."

"If you fail, just admit it!" Old Fu sneered, and Bella shrank back in fright.

"Useless!" He slammed his hand on the table. "You backed down with just a few people?"

"Owner……"

"Hmph!" Old Fu still looked furious. He looked at Ike, who was sitting quietly listening beside him, and said, "Go ahead, I need to hear some news that will please me."

"You will, teacher." Ike nodded gently in agreement.

Old Fu's face showed satisfaction upon seeing this, and when he looked at Bella again, his expression softened considerably.

"Bella..."

"Owner……"

"Go and call them back; I have something to say to them."

"Yes, Master."

Bella readily agreed, then stood up and walked outside. Old Voldemort waved to Narcissa and Draco, signaling them to leave as well, before beckoning Ike to come down the stairs with him and into the basement where he had been staying for the past year.

The basement was now empty; everything inside had been moved out. As soon as he entered, Old Voldemort pulled out his wand, closed the door, and cast a spell on it before taking out the small box that Ike had given him.

"Teacher?" Ike asked, puzzled, as Old Volt took out the Fruit of Life.

"I need you to watch me take the Fruit of Life. If anything goes wrong, you should know what to do," Old Fu said calmly to Ike.

"I understand, teacher."

Seeing that Ike had agreed, Old Fu put the entire Life Fruit into his mouth, chewed it twice, and swallowed it.

He closed his eyes and waited quietly. Before long, his face turned golden, and his gray robe billowed up as if blown by the wind.

As the golden light flashed, the veins that had been visible on his face disappeared, his skin became smooth, and even his nose, which had been reduced to just nostrils, grew back. Black hair also appeared on his bald head.

Old Fu couldn't help but let out a comfortable groan, but suddenly, the shimmering golden light abruptly receded from his body, and his newly grown nose and hair all disappeared.

His face changed from yellow to red, then from red to pale, but in the blink of an eye, it was as if nothing had happened.

Old Fu is still Old Fu, just like before.

Nothing has changed...

(End of this chapter)