Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 1108: Chapter 195: Heart-to-Heart

Stepping out of the heavy, intricately carved iron gate of Piqueley Manor, the afternoon sunlight seemed rather dazzling.

Hosone did not Apparate; he stood in place, taking a deep breath of the crisp air outside the manor. The weariness and duskiness that had shrouded his brow these days seemed to have been blown away somewhat by the breath.

A long-lost, sharp, eagle-like light reignited in his eyes.

”Walk with me, Ezra.”

He said to Hughes, who was silently standing beside him.

The two walked slowly along the secluded tree-lined path outside the manor. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows. All around, only the sound of soles crunching on fallen leaves and occasional birdsong could be heard.

After walking for about ten minutes, Hosone confirmed there were no ears listening, then stopped and lowered his voice to the utmost, almost whispering:

”Madam Piqueley told me...”

He spoke at a steady pace, but each word clearly conveyed everything he had just heard in the parlor — all the manipulation concerning Laira, the higher-level conspiracy, the horrifying secret of the Time Particles — relayed completely to Hughes.

After listening, Hughes did not show the shock Hosone expected; instead, he tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a complex smile mixed with understanding and bitterness.

He also lowered his voice, his gaze directed toward the silhouette of the manor vaguely visible at the end of the path: ”Just now in the garden, Stella also told me the same secret.”

Hosone raised his eyebrows, looking at Hughes somewhat surprised.

After a moment, the taut lines on his face relaxed and even released a low, self-deprecating, relieved laugh.

”You can actually laugh?” Hughes said helplessly, his voice heavy with anxiety: ”I just feel like I’m about to be crushed by this secret and this hopeless situation.”

Hosone collected his laughter, but the light in his eyes burned brighter, as he shook his head:

”I just think... it’s a bit ironic, Ezra.”

”I went through all the trouble, almost ripping out my heart just to barely touch the edge of the truth. While you...”

He looked at Hughes, with a strange smile in his words.

”Just by building trust with a little girl, she handed over the core secret to you.”

He took two steps forward, his steps seeming somewhat lighter.

”What does this tell us? It tells us that for any seemingly insoluble problem, there might be an alternative way, even a ’shortcut’. The key is not in how much effort we expend, but in whether we use the right approach and find the right person.”

”Find the right person?”

Hughes’s voice was somewhat dry: ”Now in the Magic Congress, how many people are still ’right’? Laira has almost turned it into her private domain...”

”By the way, Nicolas, do you still remember two hours ago, you just planned for a decent retirement?”

Hosone ignored his latter words, acting as if he did not hear them.

”If you can’t find the right person inside the Magic Congress, then look outward.”

He stopped, turned around, and said:

”This is no longer just a power struggle within the American Magic Congress, Ezra. This is a crisis involving the balance of the entire wizarding world, and even the Muggle world.”

”There’s no reason for just the two of us, or rather, just America to be worried.”

Hosone paused, a meaningful curve appeared once again at the corner of his mouth.

”Moreover, perhaps... We don’t even need to bother finding them.”

”...Don’t?” Hughes frowned and asked.

Hosone nodded and said: ”Because those people... are likely already here.”

Hughes thought for a moment, hesitantly asked: ”Do you mean... those people from the British Ministry of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt and the others?”

He shook his head and said: ”Forgive me for being blunt, Nicolas, these people are merely figureheads, and their leader Kingsley has already returned to his country. The ones remaining won’t stay for more than a few days.”

Hosone’s voice went even lower, almost whispering: ”No, not those Aurors.”

”Ezra, the person Seraphina wants to protect... the one who saw the complete crucial memory and delivered it to Dumbledore... coupling the series of incidents that have occurred recently that we cannot fully explain, yet have precisely struck Scourers and certain hidden forces as ’accidents’...”

His eyes shone, and the smile at the corner of his mouth seemed even a bit bizarre.

”I have reasons to believe that person is Vid Gray! Moreover, he is currently in America. The series of deaths in New York earlier, and how Laira could completely eradicate the Scourer organization, behind this... it’s likely all connected to him.”

Hughes quickly turned to look at him, shock flashed in his eyes. But he did not question, he simply listened quietly.

Hosone continued: ”Ah... I never thought about it before, because after all, he is still quite young... I cannot imagine how Dumbledore could entrust such an important matter to him...”

”But only this can explain it! No matter what appearance that person has taken at the moment, the wisdom and abilities he possesses are unchangeable — some things only he can accomplish!”

”I can’t believe... I was so foolish! Only realized it today.”

He seemed frustrated, but even more invigorated.

”Ezra, when the Magic Congress has already been infiltrated, hollowed out by Laira and those behind her, sticking to parochial views is foolish. We must... seek help abroad. True, powerful, and aligned assistance.”

”Dumbledore is certainly an option, his wisdom and influence are undeniable.”

”But Vid Gray... Ezra, I believe this young man’s potential exceeds what any of us can currently imagine. The little entities he has created are also far more powerful and dangerous than we assume...”

Hughes walked silently for several steps, digesting this massive amount of information. At the same time, he sensed the implicit, almost desperate connotation in Hosone’s words.

Ultimately, Hughes solemnly and slowly nodded.

”I understand, Nicolas.” He said stably: ”I know what to do now.”

He organized all the clues in his mind, based on Vid Gray being in America involved in secret, connecting many previously scattered doubts.

Suddenly, everything seemed traceable, and many questions that couldn’t be understood at the time appeared to have answers.

Hughes suddenly recalled the pumpkin carriage explosion at the banquet, the burst of Gold Powder, his eyebrows raised, and said:

”Could it be... the Gold Powder that suddenly appeared at the banquet... was not a prank, but mimicking the effects of ’Time Particles’?”

”It should be this.” Hosone sighed: ”Time... Time... Vid Gray was the first to come into contact with the Time Particles, but back then we didn’t think...”

Primarily because it was just a competition happening in the United Kingdom, among students, and Ilvermorny’s players were all eliminated.

Therefore, the content of the competition had no live broadcast value for Hosone and Hughes — they had too many things to worry about.

Only upon knowing that Voldemort appeared in the competition broadcast did the two take time to watch the ending part. At the time, their main focus was also on Voldemort, Witch Pure Party, and Dumbledore.

— As for the contestants being shrunk?

Isn’t that the effect of the Shrinking Potion? Moreover, some curses can achieve similar results; Voldemort’s ability is comparable to Dumbledore, even surpasses in curse proficiency, what’s there to be surprised by mastering similar magic?

Who would have thought that it was actually the most mysterious, hardest to control — Time?

While Hosone was lamenting, a flash of inspiration suddenly crossed his mind, a chill seeped from the crevices of memory, making him feel like he could hear his blood humming.

He recalled watching the banquet video with Hughes, remembered the frames on the Flow Mirror, recalled... after Laira led the team to eliminate the Scourers, the person standing in the corner.

The scenarios in his mind seemed to automatically replay, zoom in, slow down, with details flashing across his mind, everyone’s eyes, expressions, the direction their bodies faced...

”Something’s not right.” Hosone muttered, halting his steps: ”Ezra, I know... who it is that’s colluding with the Muggles...”

Hughes froze, instinctively asked: ”It’s not Laira and those people?”

”No, it’s not...” Hosone said tightly: ”Laira and they want the power of the Magic Congress, but the Muggles are different, they want magic and wizards themselves!”

”The ones seeing us all as prey... the ones greedy for the Time Particles...”

Before he could finish his sentence, a voice filled with disdain and hostility interrupted him:

”It’s me... isn’t it?”

The director of the Floo Network Administration, Reginald Perez, walked out leisurely.