Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 587: Chapter 193: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

The similar hills, the grass on the field just sprouted a lush green; the similar farm, cattle and sheep munching on the pasture, and chickens and ducks of all sizes turning over the gradually softening soil, searching for bugs and grass seeds to eat.

Arriving at this unfamiliar place, Annie Johnson was initially still a bit panicked, but the familiar scenery gradually calmed her down.

She sat on the wooden floor surrounding the house, holding a squinty-eyed fat cat in her arms, her graying hair hanging down, glowing as if it were lit by the sunlight.

The Forgetfulness Spell had significantly impacted her brain, yet it seemed to have bestowed upon her a different kind of tranquility.

Vid looked at her, feeling very complicated inside.

Beside him, the farm owner couple took the Magic Potion handed to them by Mr. Dumbledore and smiled, nodding, ”Rest assured, Mr. Dumbledore, we will take care of her like family and ensure she takes her medicine on time.”

”From now on, she will be called Annie Bull, nominally your cousin,” Dumbledore said, ”As for the rest, since she has already forgotten, there’s no need to remember.”

The couple smiled and nodded, and not far away, their young children were playing and chasing each other on the grass.

”Annie Bull’s” empty gaze gradually moved to the two children, watching them intently. Her eyes became softer, and a teardrop unknowingly slid down her cheek.

...

”Both Mr. and Mrs. Bull are Duds, kind-hearted and generous, the Nikola Bu family has been running this farm since the time of their great-great-grandfather.”

On the way back to Hogwarts, Dumbledore introduced to Vid: ”Half of Hogwarts’ meat usually comes from Bools Farm.”

”So there are dedicated farms?” Vid said, ”I always thought they were sourced from ordinary people.”

”Sometimes they are, but we usually don’t,” Dumbledore said.

Vid asked, ”Because it increases the risk of exposing the school’s address?”

”That’s one aspect,” Dumbledore said with a smile, ”Plus, when purchasing from here, we only need one bag to carry everything back. But if it’s from a Muggle farm, we’d have to hire several trucks, otherwise, it’s hard to explain how everything just disappears in the blink of an eye.”

”Trucks too, I suppose? You’d also need a transfer warehouse, otherwise, the driver would find it very strange,” Vid said.

”Yes.” Dumbledore sighed, ”Wizards often overlook these details, especially since some places have started installing surveillance cameras... forcing a hasty relocation if exposed.”

Vid nodded, ”But surely you can’t move the castle too.”

Imagining a future where everyone’s phone is equipped with a camera, and reconnaissance satellites watch over the land from above, Vid felt chills for those wizards insisting on the Confidentiality Law.

Switching topics, he pondered a moment and finally spoke:

”Professor... although Mrs. Johnson can basically take care of herself, her intelligence is akin to a child’s. It must not be easy for the Bools to help take care of her, so I was thinking of giving them a monthly care fee... Do you think that’s appropriate?”

Dumbledore looked at him warmly and said, ”Of course, that’s very considerate of you... But I’m curious, why do you want to do this? Is it due to friendship with Mr. Johnson Jr., or... guilt?”

Vid thought for a while before saying, ”...Probably sympathy? And... a sense of kindred spirit? What happened to Carrel could very well have happened to me, I was just a bit luckier than him...”

Even as a Transmigrator, he may not necessarily see the truth of the world.

Fortunately, the people of this world were similar to those in the original works, making it easier for Vid to differentiate between good and evil, understand positions, and grasp his fate.

However, before crossing over, he had read some derivative novels, though he couldn’t recall the specifics, he’d retained some vague impressions—

Like in conspiracies suggesting Dumbledore was the mastermind behind everything, or that Voldemort wasn’t killed by Harry and under his reign, Hogwarts became as quaint as Gotham City.

Dumbledore wasn’t aware that Vid’s mind was constructing an image of a ”treacherous White Lord,” and he reassuringly said:

”I’m glad you didn’t immerse yourself in anger and hatred, Vid... but if the roles were reversed, I believe you would have found a more appropriate way to handle it.”

Vid smiled, but in his heart, he was pondering—does a more appropriate method truly exist?

Standing in Carrel’s shoes, perhaps he faced only a dichotomy.

The difference lies in whether he was dominated by overwhelming guilt, choosing recklessly to keep his mother alive, or rationally accepting the tragedy that happened, bearing the pain of losing a loved one and moving forward.

...

”Aikotai Ruoche—”

In the forest, Lockhart waved his Magic Wand, and an invisible wave ”boomed” outward, causing the dead leaves and shrubs on the ground to shake twice.

”Alright, now the Aurors won’t be able to easily track us.”

Lockhart said happily, putting down the Magic Wand.

Gall said nothing, sighing wearily. He walked to the stream, washing his hands and face with the cold water, and immediately felt much more awake.

The nearby Lockhart followed and squatted beside him, saying emotionally, ”I never thought you’d come back to save me, Gall. When those Vampires caught me, I thought I was finished...”

——I thought you were a goner too.

Gall thought.

When escaping, the reason he didn’t forget to bring Lockhart along and even helped him steal a Magic Wand was that Gall thought the wooden cabin had already been surrounded by Aurors and possibly Dumbledore himself outside.

Being a weak Vampire, facing those cruel and powerful wizards, he found himself helpless. Therefore, Gall initially planned that if stopped, he would throw Lockhart out as a target.

He himself had merely smuggled a bit of goods prohibited by the Ministry of Magic, a crime far less severe than Lockhart’s, who personally caused a dozen wizards to lose their memories.

Unexpectedly, they both escaped smoothly, and seeing Lockhart full of gratitude now, Gall naturally wouldn’t reveal his sinister plans, so he nodded and accepted the gratitude, asking, ”How does the Magic Wand feel?”

”It’s surely not as good as the original, but it feels alright,” Lockhart waved the Magic Wand, saying, ”It’s not very resistant to me.”

”That’s good,” Gall said, standing up. ”We’re not entirely out of danger, the Dementors might soon be summoned over. We should keep running for now.”

”Okay,” Lockhart agreed promptly.

Ever since he almost lost his life to a Vampire, Lockhart had been filled with a sense of urgency, especially considering that Gall had carried him half the way, making him ache terribly but not exactly tired.

The two of them drank some water briefly and then continued running deeper into the forest.

Minutes later, a large black dog resembling a bear followed behind, sniffing among the bushes and grass, then quickly trotting to catch up. Its paws tread silently on the ground.

Before long, Lock, wearing a tattered Cloak, followed the same path. A small gray mouse darted over tree roots, running swiftly, occasionally stopping to wait for him.

”No hurry,” Lock said as if to himself or perhaps explaining to it, ”If those two find out Peter Pettigrew is dead, my appearance could expose everything. I must find the right timing... a situation they can’t easily explain.”

”Squeak-squeak—” The mouse stood like a person on a branch, paws tucked in front of its chest, and said in a thin voice, ”Should we allow Sirius Black to make contact with them?”

”Hmm? Of course not,” Lock said, ”If he intends to, you must lead him away.”

”Understood!” The gray mouse chirped, diving into the bushes, darting away like lightning.

Lock turned back to glance in Hogwarts’ direction, then slowly followed.

It recalled when it had just been created, its master had a plan—for ”Peter Pettigrew” to appear dead, while delivering a devastating blow to Voldemort.

But later, for unknown reasons, its master never mentioned that plan again... perhaps because Voldemort hadn’t shown up for too long, forcing its master to change his mind.

Prior to setting off this time, Lock hadn’t received more detailed orders, so it had to think for itself on what to do.

Fortunately, this process wasn’t unfamiliar; it just needed time... and it had never lacked patience.

Lock touched its eyes, its expression remaining as calm as ever.