Chapter 190: Persuading Sirius
Watching Sirius deep in thought, Xiao Deng decided to turn up the heat.
"Or are you saying you can definitely defeat the Dark Lord?"
Sirius raised his head and took a step forward.
"I can fight him to the death."
Xiao Deng shook his head with a smile.
"There are only so many people in the Wizarding World; whoever you win over is someone the Dark Lord loses."
"The grudge against Wormtail naturally needs to be settled."
"But he is merely a tool, a tool that can be discarded at any time."
"He is dispensable to anyone."
"Harry's true enemy is the Dark Lord."
"Only when he is dead can vengeance truly be served."
"So, in my view, simply staying by Harry's side doesn't have much meaning."
"Vengeance is certainly important, but don't forget what your original advantages are."
"If the Dark Lord brings a bunch of Death Eaters to fight you, do you really intend to go and face them single-handedly?"
"That isn't Gryffindor courage; that's just recklessness!"
"Don't always think about how to strike back immediately after suffering a loss; it's not too late to act after careful consideration."
"Besides, even if you go to fight him to the death, will he necessarily fight you?"
"A bunch of Death Eaters will exhaust you to death."
"Fighting to the death?"
"After you die, you'll meet Harry's parents and tell them you tried your best, leaving Harry alone to face the Dark Lord's firepower?"
"Is this what you call vengeance?"
"To put it nicely, the Ministry of Magic will call it a sacrifice, claim you were devoted, give you an award, pin a flower on you, and that's about it."
"Besides, the Ministry of Magic locked you away for so many years; what good is their honor?"
"To put it bluntly, you are simply throwing your life away, reducing the support around Harry."
"Won't The Potters ask you from heaven, which side are you actually on?"
A barrage of questions left Sirius increasingly silent.
He suddenly felt as if he were still as impulsive as he was over a decade ago.
How could he have made zero progress after all these years in Azkaban?
"What should I do?"
Xiao Deng waved his hand, and the two arrived once again in that abandoned classroom.
"You should gather the power of the House of Black once again."
"Think about it, how many male heirs are left in the House of Black?"
"If you die, Harry will have no one to rely on, and the House of Black will pretty much be extinct."
Mentioning the Family made Sirius even more silent.
There were serious factions within the Family, but it used to be lively.
However, after the incident with the Dark Lord, the nature of things changed completely.
Bellatrix seemed like a completely different person; is the Dark Lord really that great? She could even turn on her own Family.
Xiao Deng curled the corner of his mouth, revealing a smile that felt somewhat familiar to Sirius.
"Currently, I think you might need a woman."
"You should start a Family, Sirius!"
Sirius finally realized what that familiar feeling was; wasn't this the precursor to a mischievous prank?
Sirius's face darkened, and he turned his head away.
"I don't need that!"
Xiao Deng slowly walked in front of Sirius.
"How could you not need it?"
"Look at when Harry's parents started dating and having children; you should know that better than I do."
"In a few years, Harry will also be at the age where The Potters started dating and having children."
"If you don't start a Family now, and when the time comes Harry has to urge you to settle down, where will you put your old face?"
Sirius, who had always been unrestrained and loved freedom, pictured the scene in his mind and couldn't help but feel his face burn.
If Harry had to urge his own godfather, it would indeed be embarrassing.
But, but, he loved freedom!
"Is there a compromise?"
"No!"
"Did you have a compromise when you were in Azkaban?"
Sirius fell silent; if there really had been one, he wouldn't have had to spend over a decade in there.
Seeing him like this, Xiao Deng couldn't help but feel an urge to persuade him further.
"Think about it from another angle!"
"Is Harry the same age as you?"
"You will grow old sooner or later; what will Harry do then?"
"Teaching your child how to fly on a broomstick in the sky."
"Whispering'sorry, sorry' in his heart."
"Or just holding your photo with no thoughts left."
"And with all your skills passed on to no one, his broomstick will only be used to clean up trash heaps."
Sirius fell silent once again; Xiao Deng was right. No matter how much he loved Harry, he couldn't be with him forever.
"Let's talk about development first; I need to think about this matter myself."
Xiao Deng nodded, knowing that being anxious was useless; he had to figure this out on his own.
If he couldn't jump out of this mindset, it would be useless for anyone to say anything.
Xiao Deng felt that he hadn't really grown much; not long after leaving Hogwarts, he had ended up in Azkaban.
Harry's parents were dead, and his heart had stopped back at the time he was playing with James over a decade ago.
"I opened a shop in Diagon Alley; you can start from there and coordinate with my shop."
"Do business? What's there to do? If I go back, I won't be short on money."
Xiao Deng was speechless; pure-blood bragging at its finest!
"The economy can determine the fate of many people."
"If you aren't short on money, who would complain about having too much?"
"When we control the economy of the Wizarding World, even if a Death Eater wants a bite to eat, they'll have to ask if we're willing to sell to them."
Sirius was slightly stunned; he had never thought about things in this regard, and a look of interest appeared in his eyes.
"Your approach is a bit unconventional; I haven't really heard anyone talk about it before."
"But can you outplay Gringotts?"
Xiao Deng waved his hand.
"Although Gringotts has business, they don't value it; they mostly focus on storing currency and such."
"When most of the market's economy is in our hands, most of the money will be held by us too."
"The money in Gringotts will be constantly withdrawn and used."
"Of course, this is a long-term plan; whether we can hold out until the Dark Lord arrives is still an unknown."
"You can also follow me and develop secretly."
"And as I make a name for myself in academia, my connections are just starting to grow."
"Everything is moving in a good direction."
Sirius was moved by Xiao Deng's words; rather than aimlessly or passively seeking revenge, it was better to accumulate strength first.
Didn't the Dark Lord also accumulate power for many years before starting the war?
"Good!"
"I agree with your idea; I'll work with you!"
"You really are a prodigy; it's hard for me to find any flaws in you."
"Although James was brilliant when he was alive, he didn't quite measure up to you."
"However, I might need to go home, and I hope you can go with me."
Sirius was starting to acknowledge himself now; this was a good thing.
"There's no rush for this; tomorrow is fine."
"Today, you might need to see an old friend."
"I think it's been a long time since you two have met."
Chapter 191: Taking Sirius to find Lupin
Sirius looked at Xiao Deng.
"Who are you talking about?"
Xiao Deng curled the corner of his mouth.
"In my eyes, he looks more like a wolf."
Sirius's pupils constricted. If that was the case, he was probably an acquaintance.
"Take me to see him. I haven't seen him in many years."
Meanwhile, Lupin arrived at his office.
"This place really brings back memories!"
"It's been over ten years, hasn't it? I haven't seen him in so long."
"Over ten years... I'll never see them again."
A gentle voice sounded behind Lupin:
"Is Professor Lupin missing someone?"
Lupin recognized who it was and slowly turned around.
"Are young Wizards these days so impolite?"
"Entering without even..."
As he turned around, he saw a tall man looking at him.
"Remus, does that mean I'm quite impolite?"
A smile appeared on Lupin's face, and he was about to step forward to hug Sirius, but at that very instant, Lupin stopped!
He stepped back and drew his wand, aiming it at Sirius.
The joy on Sirius's face also slowly faded away.
"Did you escape from prison?"
"Yes!"
"What is your purpose in coming out?"
"Revenge!"
"Revenge? Can you defeat so many Death Eaters?"
"Are you afraid you might kill Harry? Do you even remember that you are his godfather?"
Lupin shook his head.
"Can you please come to your senses!"
"James is already dead. Do you want his son to die too?"
Sirius laughed. After all these years, it was touching that Lupin still remembered the friendship between them.
But that was enough; this was much better than that guy Wormtail.
"You're overthinking it. Why would I kill Harry?"
"I have already met Harry."
"Together with this Xiao Deng Hehuan Sect, he told me the truth."
Lupin did not let his guard down; his wand remained raised.
"What truth?"
Under Lupin's gaze, Sirius pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Peter Pettigrew is still alive!"
"What? Tell me in detail!"
"Peter Pettigrew betrayed The Potters, cut off his finger, and ran away."
"He made everyone believe he was dead."
"In reality, the Soul Transformation rat pet hid in Weasley Family."
"None of Weasley Family recognized Peter Pettigrew, and they raised it as an ordinary pet for decades."
"All of this was investigated and tracked by this person here, who then used special means to notify me while I was still in Azkaban."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought about escaping."
Lupin looked at Xiao Deng suspiciously, but the wand in his hand had slowly been lowered.
To be honest, Lupin himself didn't really believe that Sirius would have betrayed The Potters back then.
But there was no solid evidence, and Wormtail had disappeared.
Important people were either dead or imprisoned, and the Ministry of Magic was unwilling to spend time uncovering the truth.
Since there was already someone to take the blame, sending them to prison was the best outcome for the Ministry of Magic.
Lupin was silent for a moment, then asked:
"Then where is Wormtail now?"
Xiao Deng stepped forward and spoke:
"Speaking of which, I have to take responsibility for this."
"Before the holidays, I caught him and locked him up at Hogwarts, but I just went to check on him, and he has escaped."
Lupin's expression stiffened, and he glanced at Sirius.
You dog, are you trying to get a young Wizard to play me for a fool?
How old is he? Catching Wormtail?
Although Wormtail doesn't have the greatest talent, he shouldn't be someone a young Wizard could catch.
And locking him up? You must have been locked up in Azkaban until you went stupid.
Even Sirius could see the disbelief in Lupin's eyes, and Xiao Deng naturally saw it too.
Xiao Deng didn't speak. He reached out his right hand, and Lupin's wand flew directly into Xiao Deng's hand.
At the same time, Lupin's body floated up.
"Professor Lupin, do you believe it now?"
"Even if you and Sirius were together, you couldn't beat me."
Sirius was slightly dissatisfied.
"If you want to mess with him, do it, but why are you dragging me into it?"
Lupin looked at Xiao Deng in disbelief. If he wasn't mistaken, Xiao Deng hadn't chanted or used a wand.
"Wandless Magic? Non-verbal spellcasting?"
Even people with as much talent as James or the Dark Lord couldn't achieve this when they were young Wizards.
Xiao Deng didn't hurt Lupin. Lupin slowly landed on the ground, and the wand returned to Lupin's hand.
"What... is your current strength?"
Xiao Deng shrugged and shook his head.
"I don't know. I can take on the Forbidden Forest by myself. You can try to assess it."
Lupin, who was always calm and composed, couldn't help but gasp.
He couldn't assess this level of strength because he had never seen it before.
He slowly let out a breath to calm his mood.
"What do you want to do?"
Sirius gestured with his hand.
"Talk to Xiao Deng about that. I'll listen to him for whatever I do next."
Lupin was somewhat shocked.
"Good heavens!"
"The most rebellious young master of the House of Black is now saying he'll listen to a young Wizard's arrangements?"
"I don't understand anymore!"
"Did the hole burned into your family carpet burn away your unruliness?"
Sirius couldn't help but laugh.
Lupin's roundabout way of scolding him barely gave him a feeling of returning to the lawless days of over a decade ago when they would tease each other.
"How can a Werewolf's mouth say such dog-like things?"
Lupin glanced at Xiao Deng without leaving a trace, but Sirius didn't notice.
The tacit understanding of old friends made Lupin realize that Xiao Deng, this young Wizard, knew about his Werewolf identity.
"Who can compare to you when it comes to being a dog? Isn't it all learned from you!"
Seeing Sirius getting worked up, Lupin stopped him in time.
"Alright, alright, let's talk about business first. What should we do next?"
Sirius pointed at Xiao Deng.
"Let him tell you; you might understand this better."
The topic finally fell on Xiao Deng, and he spoke.
"Originally, he wanted to stay by Harry's side, but I don't think so."
"I think he should first go and develop the influence of the House of Black."
"In case we really face the Dark Lord in the future, we won't be so thinly spread."
"First, we develop the economy. I have businesses in Diagon Alley, and I can lead the House of Black to expand."
"Professor Lupin should have heard of my reputation."
Lupin nodded in agreement.
"Your fame has indeed been quite hot recently. You are on the front page headlines of every section."
"Especially since you seem to have helped the Longbottom Family alleviate the symptoms of those two."
Xiao Deng continued after Lupin:
"So I am also expanding my connections."
"I am not a lone wolf; I am also working hard."
At this moment, Sirius interrupted and asked:
"When did you start having this idea?"
"When I saw the Goblin at Gringotts acting all shady and having a bad attitude, I decided I wanted to replace Gringotts."
Sirius burst out laughing.
"Indeed, that thing's attitude is annoying."
Xiao Deng ignored Sirius and beckoned to Lupin.
"I have another great plan, and Professor Lupin, you must help me."
"Oh? Tell me. If it's within my power, I will do my best."
"My plan is to find Sirius a wife!"
Chapter 192: What Is Left?
Lupin's expression stiffened as he stared blankly at Xiao Deng, his wand, its offensive posture relaxed, slipping from his hand and falling to the floor.
"Professor Lupin, why are you spacing out?"
Lupin pulled at the corners of his mouth to force an ugly smile, stealing a glance at Sirius in the process.
As luck would have it, Sirius was looking at Lupin too.
"Well, you know..."
"I think your suggestion is excellent. Although The Potters are gone, they have a son; Harry won't let the Potter Family line die out."
"Old dog, I think you should listen to Xiao Deng's sugges—"
He stopped halfway, catching the sharp look in Sirius's eyes.
"It's been over a decade, and your tongue has only gotten sharper. 'Old dog'... I'd prefer 'Padfoot'."
"And you? You want to pressure me into marriage too?"
Lupin looked helpless.
"Harry has already been born; what are you still waiting for?"
"You can't wait until your godson has children of his own, only for him to ask, 'Harry, why hasn't your godfather married?'"
Sirius sneered.
"You have the nerve to say that to me?"
"It's as if you have someone yourself."
Lupin's expression darkened.
"I suppose I probably won't be able to get married."
As soon as the words left his lips, Lupin realized that this dog was trying to attack his weak spot to make him shut up.
His expression jolted, and he stared at Sirius.
"Being a dog makes you insidious; I almost let you fool me."
"You need to find a partner soon. If you don't, I get this dangerous feeling."
Sirius looked confused:
"What dangerous feeling? What does me getting married have to do with that?"
Lupin shrugged, looking nervous.
"Of course it's dangerous!"
"Don't you know? Every time I transform, I clench my butt, terrified that you'll act like a dog and take a nip from behind!"
"After all, I might not be human, but you are truly a dog!"
Sirius couldn't hold back his explosive temper.
"After over a decade, your mouth has only gotten worse. Whoever said you were calm and collected, I'm the first to object!"
Lupin watched as Sirius stood up.
"What, want to wrestle?"
"I do! Bring it on!"
"Fine, let's go!"
Xiao Deng immediately ducked to the side to watch.
Two Wizards, surprisingly, didn't use magic, fighting just like Muggles.
Before long, the things in the office were knocked into a chaotic mess.
Finally exhausted, both of them lay on the floor, panting heavily.
"What's wrong with you? This strength is nothing compared to when you were dragging me around while I was transforming!"
"Don't even mention it. Just surviving in Azkaban was the greatest stroke of luck."
"The food there was practically inedible; I need a good recovery now that I'm back."
"And you, why so irritable today? Is that time of the month coming up?"
Lupin stood up and glared at Sirius.
"Why do I hate talking to you so much? You say I have a sharp tongue, but is what you said any better?"
Having regained some ground, Sirius chuckled on the floor.
Lupin reached out, and Sirius took his hand to pull himself up.
Lupin gave Sirius's shoulder a firm pat.
"Marriage isn't something to be rushed, but it shouldn't be ignored either."
"What Xiao Deng said makes sense to a certain extent."
Sirius didn't speak, just nodded silently.
"I'm heading back to the Black Family ancestral home tomorrow. Will you come with me?"
Lupin wanted to agree, but he refused.
"I'm afraid you'll try to save face and won't be able to cry with me watching."
Sirius punched Lupin and laughed, cursing:
"Why would I cry? I'm going back to take care of business."
Lupin drew his wand and cast a spell; the items in the room returned to their places, turning it back into a tidy office.
"If you're going back to take care of business, then I definitely can't go."
"You know my identity; many people avoid it."
Sirius didn't insist; Lupin had his own difficulties.
"Fine, that's that then. Xiao Deng and I will head over first."
The next morning.
Sirius looked at the somewhat dilapidated ancestral home, feeling a bit dazed.
How many years had it been since he returned? In his childhood memories, it hadn't been this dilapidated.
Although there were signs of cleaning, it looked like the job hadn't been finished.
Sirius led Xiao Deng into the ancestral home.
Sirius raised an eyebrow; the door didn't make a "creak, creak" sound.
It seemed someone was taking care of it.
"Who? Who's there? Who is it!"
A shrill voice came from inside the house.
Sirius became alert immediately, drawing the wand he hadn't been using and pointing it forward.
The voice approached slowly, and an aged-looking House-elf walked out.
The moment he saw Sirius, he froze for a split second.
"Young Master Sirius?"
A hint of tears appeared in his bloodshot eyes, but anger immediately took over his brain.
"Traitor, what are you doing back here?"
"The whole Family thought you died out there!"
Sirius had always known Kreacher had an opinion about him.
But he hadn't expected that upon just returning, he would dare to address him, his master, like that.
It seemed the hatred had reached its peak!
But Sirius ignored Kreacher and said softly to the air:
"I'm back."
But there was no answer; the only response he got was Kreacher's disdain.
"Putting on an act!"
Xiao Deng looked at Kreacher calmly.
"Are you a House-elf of the House of Black?"
"This is the first time I've seen a House-elf treat his master like this."
Kreacher then looked at Xiao Deng beside him; the moment he saw Xiao Deng, a chill ran down his spine.
He didn't know what that feeling was, but his sixth sense told him that this guest was someone he couldn't afford to offend.
"This is Kreacher's fault; Kreacher will punish himself."
"But Kreacher's words are not wrong! He is a traitor to the House of Black!"
Before Sirius could speak, a series of acerbic voices came over.
"Kreacher, who is it?"
Kreacher hesitated for a moment before answering:
"Mistress, Young Master Sirius has returned!"
The portrait on the wall fell silent for a moment before loudly beginning to curse:
"What Young Master? He was disowned long ago! He's no Young Master; he's nothing but a disgrace..."
Kreacher didn't reply; the Mistress could heap any words she wanted onto Sirius.
He could get angry and curse him a few times, but he couldn't deny that Sirius was a member of the Black Family.
This was Bloodline, a fact that couldn't be severed.
The insults made even Xiao Deng slightly frown, but Sirius remained expressionless.
He walked slowly to the front of the portrait, which then began to curse even more fiercely.
Xiao Deng was guessing that if the real person were standing right there, Sirius would have been showered in two pounds of spit.
Sirius smiled.
"You maintained your life with extreme attitudes and resentment until the very last moment..."
"Are you trying to maintain it even while hanging on the wall?"
"If you didn't use resentment, you would still be on the wall, actually."
"You held onto your obsessions for a lifetime; look at the House of Black now—what is left?"
"Nothing but a few portraits on the wall, still cursing!"
Chapter 193: Regulus's Room
This remark left the portrait on the wall momentarily speechless.
Indeed, what does she have left now? What is left of the House of Black?
All that remains is an old house and a portrait on the wall.
Even Kreacher, watching from the side, stood with his mouth agape, not knowing what to say.
Sirius spoke the truth; the Mistress prided herself on her pure blood her entire life, only to grow old and die alone.
She spent her whole life scolding; she despised Sirius, despised him for being sorted into Gryffindor.
She cherished Regulus, cherished the fact that he was favored by the Dark Lord.
Yet he died so young!
"Does it really matter now, talking about pure blood or betrayal?"
"After all, you're already hanging on the wall..."
Watching two people who didn't act like Family arguing here, Xiao Deng found it quite peculiar.
After all, having seen the harmony in the Weasley and Granger families, this combination was a first for him.
As he watched, Xiao Deng's brows furrowed.
He hadn't looked closely before, but now he discovered a lingering aura of Dark Arts drifting through the house.
It wasn't particularly thick, nor was it faint; it looked as if it had been sealed, but the Seal was poorly crafted.
Looking again at the blood-red in Kreacher's eyes, he saw that the area under his sockets was already stained with a faint layer of Black mist.
"Kreacher!"
"Noble guest, you may tell me if you have any needs."
Sirius, who was arguing with the portrait, suddenly looked over.
"You actually have moments where you're polite?"
Kreacher glanced at Sirius but ignored him.
"What I want to ask is, in the House of Black, is Sirius the only one of his generation?"
Kreacher shook his head slightly.
"That is not so!"
"As far as Kreacher knows, he has a cousin named Andromeda, but she fell in love with a Muggle-born Wizard."
"She was subsequently disowned from the Family and, like him, is considered a traitor."
"Bellatrix and Narcissa are his sisters."
"I am old, and I have no channels to learn of Bellatrix's whereabouts."
"I do know that Narcissa is doing well in the Malfoy Family."
"The greatest tragedy is his younger brother, Regulus, who died young!"
"The Mistress was so happy when he joined the Death Eaters back then."
"So, I must be the disgrace then?"
Before anyone knew it, Sirius had arrived behind Kreacher.
"Disgrace, you are not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Master!"
Sirius said nothing. Xiao Deng looked at Kreacher and asked:
"So, was the Mistress happy when Regulus died?"
"Or rather, because Regulus died for the Dark Lord, are you happy for him too?"
Sirius gave Xiao Deng a surprised look. Was this young Wizard speaking up for him?
But the way he asked it sounded quite good—at least better than that old hag.
Kreacher stood frozen on the spot, not knowing how to answer Xiao Deng's question.
The Mistress took pride in pure blood and was happy to see Regulus favored by Voldemort.
But Regulus had died; how could he possibly be happy!
If it were possible, he would rather trade his own life for Regulus's.
But if Regulus had been rebellious like Sirius, he would not have been accepted by the Family and would have been disowned.
Yet, he might have survived.
Kreacher clutched his head; he couldn't understand, couldn't figure it out.
Xiao Deng smiled, with a touch of inexplicable meaning.
How could that walnut-sized brain of his possibly comprehend the matter of "choice"?
To gamble away his master's life for groundless pride and vanity—such blind loyalty was simply too foolish.
Kreacher was merely a House-elf; he couldn't make his own decisions, so he could only follow the lead of the head of the house in his criticisms.
When things were actually put in front of him, he would only be at a complete loss.
Sirius ignored the still-conflicted Kreacher.
"Let's go take a look at the second floor!"
Xiao Deng nodded and followed him upstairs to the second floor.
The second floor was a bit strange; all the other doors were open, but one door remained closed.
"No need to guess; that closed door is Regulus's."
Sirius looked at the door, suddenly remembering when they were good brothers who used to play together.
When was it that he, as an older brother, stopped paying attention to his younger brother?
Was it when he argued with the Family? Or when he went to Hogwarts?
Or after he met James and the others?
Sirius couldn't remember, nor did he know where to begin sorting through his memories.
He seemed to have said that he would go to Hogwarts first to scout the path and look out for him later!
But what had he actually done?
He had indeed lived a bustling life at Hogwarts with James, but it seemed he hadn't helped him at all.
On the contrary, he had loudly demanded to know why he had gone to Slytherin!
Sirius felt he had never once considered what his younger brother was thinking.
He claimed to hate the Family, yet he had acted in ways that fit the Slytherin mold.
For his own honor, for his own freedom, for the life he wanted to live...
With that kind of arrogance, he probably wouldn't even bow his head if the Dark Lord came, would he?
Now that he thought about it, he had completely forgotten what his brother liked, or rather, he had never paid attention.
Regulus wouldn't forgive him, would he?
No wonder he didn't want anyone to enter his room; his own closest brother already hated him, so who else could he possibly like?
At this moment, Kreacher suddenly appeared before them.
"You are not allowed to enter the Master's room."
Sirius looked at Kreacher calmly.
"If I want to enter, can you stop me?"
Kreacher's face flushed red, and he was unable to speak for a moment.
In terms of status, Sirius was now the master of the House of Black, which meant he was Kreacher's master.
Yet he had blocked Sirius's path, which did not comply with the rules for House-elves.
In terms of strength, Sirius was just malnourished, not crippled; even in his old age, Kreacher could not defeat Sirius.
But Sirius didn't move; it was clear he didn't want to resort to violence with Kreacher.
Just as they were at a standoff, the lock cylinder on the door hanging the R.A.B. sign began to turn.
"Click!"
Kreacher turned his head sharply, and the door actually began to open slowly!
"Master, did Kreacher block the wrong person?"
Sirius looked at the open door, unsure for a moment whether to enter or not.
When was the last time he had entered this door?
Xiao Deng noticed Sirius's hesitation.
"Go in and take a look. The person is gone; there's no point in holding a grudge."
"Perhaps when he was alive, he had always hoped you would step into his room again to play with him?"
Sirius was silent, but his feet moved.
The room was cleaned very thoroughly; it was evident that Kreacher had put a lot of effort into it.
His name on the Family tree was dead; so when was that?
He was probably only in his teens!
Sirius sat slowly on the floor and covered his face.
Xiao Deng, knowing better, did not linger.
"Kreacher, take me to see other places."
"Very well, noble guest!"
Chapter 194: Lecturing Kreacher
Xiao Deng followed Kreacher, continuously observing the decorations here.
"The House of Black is truly massive; it lives up to its reputation as one of the premier pure-blood families."
Kreacher puffed out his chest with pride.
"Indeed!"
"Go ask around the Wizarding World; who doesn't give a thumbs up when the House of Black is mentioned?"
Xiao Deng was speechless; this Kreacher really knew how to take an inch and take a mile.
Go ask Lucius, and see if he gives you a cane strike for that.
"This item is quite old, isn't it?"
"This is an antique, it has hundreds of years of history!"
Xiao Deng rolled his eyes to the heavens in his mind; what a country bumpkin of a House-elf who had never seen the world!
"Kreacher, have you ever seen the Dark Lord?"
After chatting aimlessly for so long, Xiao Deng finally steered the conversation to the point he cared about.
"Noble guest, you have asked about the right thing."
"Other House-elfs might not have seen him, but I have truly done things for him."
"Back in the day, Master Regulus was favored by him, and he let him follow him to do tasks."
"Master was very busy, so he placed me by his side to work for a while."
Xiao Deng smiled.
"That's quite impressive!"
Kreacher felt a bit awkward; logically speaking, these weren't things that could be brought out into the open.
Some things couldn't be hidden; if one wanted to know, a simple investigation would make it clear.
After all, the Dark Lord's defeat back then was common knowledge.
But Xiao Deng's next sentence made Kreacher's pupils constrict.
"Then did your Master Regulus leave you anything?"
Kreacher had promised Master Regulus that he would absolutely never mention these matters to outsiders.
But how did the guest before him know?
Who was he? Whose side was he on? Could he be from the Dark Lord's side?
He wasn't afraid of death; he was afraid of dying without completing Master Regulus's final wish.
Kreacher was a House-elf after all; Xiao Deng naturally noticed his abnormality.
Regulus must have given him something before he died.
These things were related to the Dark Arts, and it was very likely related to Tom.
Otherwise, Regulus wouldn't have needed to entrust an insignificant Dark Arts object before dying.
"Kreacher!"
"I think you need to take out what Regulus gave you before he died."
Kreacher took a step back and shook his head.
"No, I cannot give it to you!"
As expected, Regulus had given him something before he died.
This House-elf was so easily bluffed, how had he managed to keep the item for so many years? It was strange!
"I promised Master Regulus that this item cannot be given to anyone!"
Xiao Deng looked at Kreacher indifferently.
"Regulus's death was likely because of this item, wasn't it?"
"Do you want to see Regulus die in vain?"
"You claim to be loyal to Regulus, but when it comes to this deep blood feud, are you unwilling to help?"
"The House of Black is pure-blood; it has the pride of the pure-blood."
"As a House-elf of the House of Black, shouldn't you be proud of the Family's pride?"
"You are more enthusiastic than anyone when shouting about glory, but when it comes to avenging Regulus, you hide things away."
"Can you only support the House of Black with your mouth?"
Kreacher had retreated to the corner, looking aggrieved, shaking his head continuously.
"No, Kreacher is honored to serve Black!"
"But Master Regulus's order is also real!"
Xiao Deng slowly relaxed his Aura and said gently:
"Regulus didn't let you take it out because, at that time, there was no one who could contend with the Dark Lord."
"If you blabbered about it outside, it would only cause trouble for the House of Black."
"Now, someone who can resist the Dark Lord has come."
"We can enter a world of peace."
"And we can avenge Regulus's death; what are you waiting for?"
Kreacher looked at Xiao Deng with tears in his eyes.
"But that scoundrel who caused Master Regulus's death also had a part in it!"
Xiao Deng frowned; was Kreacher this hostile towards Sirius?
It was his first time seeing a House-elf who hated his own master.
If it were Lucius, he would have taught him how to be a House-elf in a minute; he wouldn't have kept him until now.
"Then let me ask you, did Sirius kill Regulus?"
"No!"
"Were the things Regulus did arranged by Sirius?"
"No!"
"Was Regulus forced to join the Death Eaters by Sirius?"
"No!"
"But..."
"But what?"
"But they argued!"
"Your mistress didn't argue with him, but she forced him to join the Death Eaters and commit crimes in the Wizarding World, yet you don't resent your mistress!"
"The Dark Lord made him execute dangerous missions where he could die at any moment, yet you don't resent the Dark Lord."
"Regulus died because of the Dark Lord's Dark Arts object, and you don't resent that at all."
"Instead, you resent someone who has nothing to do with it?"
"Just because he survived? Or because he was too good to you?"
Kreacher immediately perked up to retort:
"But he would hit me!"
Xiao Deng was so angry he laughed.
"Don't you deserve to be hit?"
"You are so judgmental, so stubbornly believing that Sirius is guilty."
"Then when Regulus was in danger, why didn't you judge that?"
"Or is your judgment only limited to your mouth?"
"But I am just a House..."
"But you are just a House-elf, right?"
"You still know you are a House-elf? Then what things have you done that you shouldn't have?"
"Just the matter of insulting and hating your master alone—if it were anyone else, I don't need to explain to you what the consequences would be, do I?"
"Don't you dare say you haven't utilized even a shred of Sirius's kindness to bully him?"
"If it were your mistress, would you dare?"
Kreacher was usually a fluent insulter, but today, facing Xiao Deng's questioning, he couldn't say a single word.
Insult the mistress? What a joke; when the mistress was neurotic, she might chop him into who knows what shape of spicy strips.
Kreacher wanted to retort, but he couldn't think of a suitable angle.
He thought again of the scene where Regulus's bedroom door opened automatically earlier.
Could it really be that he was wrong? Did Master Regulus not resent this scoundrel at all?
Was the idea he had held onto for half his life wrong?
Did this mean that after serving Master Regulus for over a decade, he hadn't even been able to guess his master's thoughts for a single day?
And he hadn't been able to do things that satisfied Master Regulus's heart!
Kreacher was having a bit of an existential crisis as a House-elf.
Kreacher slowly crouched to the ground and fell into silence.
Xiao Deng glanced at a corner, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"That old dog in the corner, eavesdropping is not a good habit."
"Before The Potters passed away, did you also like to eavesdrop like this?"
"Hey, you little brat, what are you saying? How could I possibly do such a thing?"
"Besides, it's just listening to a couple of sentences, is it necessary to be so harsh?"
Xiao Deng spread his hands.
"It's mainly that if you didn't come out, the following questions would be hard to ask."
Chapter 195 Finding the Locket
Sirius walked slowly out from the corner.
"What on earth do you need to ask that requires me to be present?"
Xiao Deng glanced at Kreacher and said:
"This is a very important item, but, well, I don't want to use force."
"So, you'd better persuade this House-elf."
Sirius didn't speak, just silently looked at Kreacher.
Not to mention now, even back when the Family was still prosperous, his relationship with Kreacher wasn't very good either.
Did Kreacher really think he didn't know that he was cursing him behind his back as a spendthrift and a disgrace?
That was why he had never given him a pleasant look.
Xiao Deng looked down at Kreacher from a height.
"Kreacher, you can speak now."
Seeing the anger in Kreacher's eyes, Xiao Deng cut him off beforehand.
"Think carefully before you speak!"
"Right now, Sirius is the sole heir of the House of Black."
"He is your only master, and you cannot change that."
"Furthermore, Regulus's vengeance also needs to be carried out by Sirius."
"Surely you don't expect a House-elf like you to seek revenge?"
"Or by relying on your foul language and rude mouth?"
"This is the only time in your life you can speak the truth."
"This isn't someone forcing you under duress; this is an opportunity for you!"
"If you don't say it now, later on, who else will know, and what will it matter if they do?"
"Do you want your head to be hung up just like the Mistress is on the wall?"
"Then no one will ever ask you what the truth is again."
"Extinction! Would the truth still have any meaning?"
Kreacher suddenly started shouting:
"No!"
"The honor of the House of Black should not be buried!"
"My master's grievances and vengeance should not be forgotten!"
Xiao Deng leaned slowly against the wall.
"Just say everything you know, while there is still someone in the House of Black to stand up for this matter."
Kreacher glanced at Sirius and couldn't help but laugh, a laugh filled with mockery.
"To think that in the end, I have to beg a spendthrift like you!"
Sirius naturally wouldn't indulge him.
"I didn't ask you to beg!"
"If you don't say it, I will naturally seek revenge on him myself!"
Kreacher looked at Xiao Deng; by this time, he had restrained his previous sharpness and looked even older.
"Follow me!"
The three of them arrived at the door of Regulus's room once again.
After entering, Kreacher carefully moved things aside and took out a wooden box from the deepest corner.
The moment the box was taken out, Xiao Deng's eyelids twitched.
The scent of Dark Arts in the room became much stronger.
Kreacher held the box, stroked it gently, and then turned to hand it to Xiao Deng.
"This item is something my master exchanged his life for."
"I hope you will keep it safe!"
"But I advise you not to open it now!"
"This thing is a bastard! It constantly affects everything around it."
Xiao Deng looked at Kreacher in surprise; he actually knew!
"Don't look at me like that. My master died because of this, so naturally, I would research it."
"By the time I discovered how evil this thing was, I had already been affected by it."
"Fortunately, the House of Black has a deep foundation, and I found this box, which can temporarily suppress it."
Xiao Deng nodded, which meant that Kreacher's current state was already after being suppressed.
One has to say, Kreacher is truly tough!
"Don't..."
Before Kreacher's words had even faded, Xiao Deng opened the box under his shocked gaze.
A locket was lying quietly inside.
Sirius was a bit confused and reached out to take it, but was slapped away by Xiao Deng.
"If you don't want to die, don't touch this locket!"
Immediately, a strong aura of magic appeared on Xiao Deng.
It became increasingly intense, making Kreacher's eyes widen.
What terrifying magic talent and affinity this person has!
In just two seconds, the magic gathered into a Formation, emitting a yellow light.
This yellow Formation landed steadily on the locket in Xiao Deng's hand.
The aura of Dark Arts in the House of Black continuously converged until it all returned to this locket.
Kreacher was so shocked that he was stuttering.
"You, you, you can actually suppress it!"
"This is something that belongs to Voldemort!"
Sirius was somewhat confused, looking at the two's actions, unable to make sense of it.
"What exactly is this thing, and why are you both so cautious?"
"Especially Kreacher, he's scared to this extent."
"You spendthrift, what the hell do you know!"
"If this thing wasn't important, would my master have needed to trade his life to get it out?"
"Can't you have a better attitude?"
"And what is this thing, anyway?"
Kreacher shook his head.
"Kreacher doesn't understand very well, but Kreacher told my master about what Voldemort had done."
"My master immediately had Kreacher follow him to a cave and took this thing out."
"My master seemed to know something, but he didn't tell Kreacher."
"My master demanded that Kreacher destroy this thing, but Kreacher is useless; I had no way to deal with this locket at all."
"A while ago, Kreacher was planning to move this thing to the cupboard."
"In case it affected my master's room, that wouldn't be good."
Sirius turned his head to look at Xiao Deng.
"You were so anxious to find the whereabouts of this thing just now; you must know what it is, right?"
"Tell me, what is this thing?"
"At least, I need to know what he died for!"
Xiao Deng nodded slowly.
"Regulus is a hero; he should be remembered."
"Do you know what a Horcrux is?"
Both of them shook their heads.
Kreacher was just a House-elf; how could he know so much?
Although Sirius was indeed a Genius when he was at Hogwarts, he still couldn't have come into contact with such secrets.
"I have seen this thing in the library at Hogwarts."
"I also asked Dumbledore about knowledge related to Horcruxes."
"Everyone knows that the Dark Lord disappeared after meeting 'the boy who lived'."
"Many people think the Dark Lord is dead, but that is not the case."
"He used the method of creating a Horcrux to split his Soul and hide it in this object."
"As long as these objects are not destroyed, he can be reborn through them."
"It is normal that Kreacher said he tried every method but couldn't shake this locket at all."
"The Dark Lord's life and existence are bound to this; it's not so easy to destroy."
Sirius asked with some excitement:
"Then if we destroy this locket, he won't be able to be reborn anymore?"
Xiao Deng shook his head again, which made Sirius look stunned; wasn't this what Xiao Deng just said himself?
"First, how you intend to destroy it is a problem."
"Secondly, the Dark Lord has more than one Horcrux; if you destroy this one, there are others."
"I have one of his Horcruxes in my hand!"
Chapter 196: Just Leave It to Lupin
Sirius was slow to speak; this news had truly shocked him deeply.
He had originally thought that avenging The Potters would be enough, but now he also had to avenge his younger brother.
The opportunity for revenge was right before him, yet it was something that Kreacher had been unable to deal with despite years of research.
Sirius rubbed his face. What kind of hardship hadn't he endured? Was this really any different?
"We can find a way slowly. I think we should first find the rest of these Horcrux you mentioned."
Xiao Deng looked at Sirius with appreciation; the fact that he had survived until now really wasn't just due to good Luck.
Xiao Deng didn't mention that he had a way to destroy the Horcrux; it was better to keep an ace up his sleeve.
In his view, this was nothing more than an artifact spirit, or rather, a remnant soul; destroying it would be simple.
It was still necessary to see how the progress of the child of Luck was coming along.
If he interfered blindly, who knew if the Heavenly Dao here would throw a fit.
"Can I take it now?"
After seeing Xiao Deng nod, Sirius picked up the locket.
"I doubt this thing can be found just by looking for it specifically."
"Finding it at home seems like a stroke of Luck."
"So I think it's better to follow your original plan. Restoring the strength of the House of Black first would be safer."
"But I am a wanted man by the magic authorities right now, so it's not very convenient for me to show my face."
Xiao Deng curled the corners of his lips.
"Do you already have an idea?"
Sirius slapped the locket into Xiao Deng's hand, a smirk appearing on his face.
"Of course!"
"I think we can push that old wolf to the forefront."
"Don't look at how ragged he dresses, like a beggar; he is actually very meticulous."
"He is much more suitable than I am to manage the Family!"
Xiao Deng flipped his right hand, and the locket disappeared.
"Are you sure he will come to help you?"
Sirius's eyes were full of amusement.
"He has to come whether he wants to or not. If he doesn't, I'll pull his wolf teeth out."
Xiao Deng was also amused by Sirius.
"If he heard that, he'd probably say he'd knock your dog head crooked."
Sirius burst into laughter. He found Xiao Deng very agreeable now; it had been a long time since he had laughed like this.
"Hahaha! Hahaha!"
"You know, that's actually something he might say!"
While laughing, Sirius took out his wand.
He chanted a spell and waved his wand, and the entire old house began to change.
Messy items began to return to their places, and the decorations gradually became brand new.
The gloomy house seemed to regain its vitality.
"Kreacher!"
"I am now the heir of the House of Black, and I am going to restore the past glory of the House of Black."
"You are the House-elf of the House of Black, and I hope you can cooperate with me."
Although Kreacher hated Sirius, Xiao Deng was right; he was currently the only hope for the House of Black.
There was no second candidate!
"I hope you keep your word and don't squander the remaining Family assets!"
Kreacher's words still didn't give his master any face, but the meaning was clear.
Sirius nodded slightly, then looked at Xiao Deng.
"What do we do now?"
Xiao Deng wanted to laugh at the still awkward master and servant, but he held it back.
"The plan remains unchanged: accumulate strength in the shadows."
"The House of Black is not suitable to stand in the public eye right now."
"We can secretly make contact with other pure-blood families."
"They understand the principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold' better than anyone."
The two came to the living room, with Kreacher following behind.
Sirius plopped down onto the sofa.
"Just leave these to Remus; he can handle them."
"Just tell him when we go back later."
"But right now, I want to have a good meal with Harry."
"You don't know, Azkaban is really not a place for humans."
Xiao Deng couldn't help but mourn for Lupin in his heart.
At the same time, he somewhat agreed with what Kreacher and the Mistress had said.
He hadn't even earned his first cent back yet, and he was already thinking about spending; the reputation of a prodigal son was firmly established.
And leaving everything to Lupin—what was he going to do?
Whether the Mistress was right about other things was debatable, but calling him a rebellious son was very appropriate.
Sometimes, that reckless attitude of Sirius really made one want to punch him.
Even Xiao Deng, an outsider, felt this way; thinking back to his mother, it seemed a bit understandable.
Xiao Deng slowly stood up and walked over to Kreacher.
"We are leaving in a moment; there are still many things to deal with."
"The old House of Black still needs you."
"No matter how much outsiders help, you have to be able to stand up on your own; otherwise, it's all just empty talk."
These words were addressed to Kreacher, to let him put down his prejudices.
They were also for Sirius, telling him that no matter how much others helped, in the end, he had to manage the Family himself.
It was unclear what Sirius thought, but Kreacher didn't retort this time and became unusually silent.
Looking at the sky, it was getting late.
"We should go back; the start of the term at Hogwarts is not far off."
The two slowly walked out of the old House of Black.
Kreacher came out to see Sirius off with a look of reluctance.
The two walked to the gate, and with a wave of Xiao Deng's hand, they vanished from the spot.
Kreacher stared blankly at the place where the two had disappeared.
"A prodigal son... I hope so!"
"The House of Black can no longer withstand any more destruction."
"If you can revitalize the Family, perhaps the Mistress might see you in a different light."
Hogwarts.
Under Xiao Deng's persuasion, Lupin sighed deeply and finally took on the affairs of Sirius's Family.
"More than a decade has passed, and you're still just as troublesome. Can you be serious and stop peeing everywhere?"
"Hey, what are you saying? You've really got some nerve. Say that again!"
"Look at that defiant look on your face."
"I am defiant, let's duel!"
...
Xiao Deng rubbed his temples. Did these two brothers always argue like this in the past?
Didn't Dumbledore say that Lupin was very steady, and that back in the group of four, Lupin was very self-deprecating?
What Xiao Deng didn't know was that Lupin had experienced quite a few hardships, and his mindset had changed a lot by the time he saw Sirius again.
Plus, Xiao Deng had cleared up the misunderstanding between the two in time, so Lupin cherished this old friend of many years even more.
The meticulous Lupin had discovered from the very first day they met that the lubricant that was James was missing between him and Sirius.
It was a bit awkward!
He also meticulously discovered that there was an extra person, Xiao Deng, by Sirius's side.
Although he was a young Wizard, the way the two got along didn't feel like there was an age gap at all.
In order to rebalance the subtle feelings between the three, Lupin made a bold attempt.
He gradually leaned towards the direction of Potter, and at this time, Xiao Deng became the lubricant.
And he also surprisingly discovered that the relationship between him and Sirius was more stable.
It seemed his decision was correct, although it might be a bit tiring sometimes.
But it was happier and more reassuring!
Just as the two were face-to-face and about to fight, the expected lubrication from Lupin arrived.
"Alright, alright, you two combined are almost the age of Dumbledore; why are you still acting like children?"
"There is some serious business that you, Professor Lupin, might need to share the burden of."
"Sirius has to sleep in your Dormitory!"
Chapter 197 Encounter in the Forbidden Forest with Luna
"Oh! No, no, no, you can't do this!" Lupin stepped back, waving his hands in refusal.
"If you let him stay in my Dormitory, will I still be safe?"
"I can't just tuck my tail between my legs every time I transform!"
"What did you say?" Sirius got agitated, standing up to stare at Lupin.
"Am I really that kind of person?"
Lupin spread his hands and asked in return:
"Who knows?"
Xiao Deng covered his face. This wasn't going to work; he had to retreat. These two brothers would be at it forever.
With a flash, Xiao Deng left Lupin's office; they should be able to work it out on their own.
Now, Xiao Deng could finally enjoy some time to himself.
Xiao Deng arrived at the edge of the lake in the Forbidden Forest again, looking at the pitch-black water.
His heart found peace, and he suddenly felt like taking a walk.
The Forbidden Forest wasn't actually completely quiet; in the past, animals would avoid him whenever Xiao Deng arrived.
This time, Xiao Deng concealed his figure and aura, avoiding them.
Suddenly, an unexpected figure appeared within Xiao Deng's Divine Sense.
A blonde beauty was slowly stroking a patch of empty air—at least, that was how it appeared from an outsider's perspective.
Xiao Deng could clearly see a magical creature standing in front of the blonde beauty.
It was gaunt and bony, looking very much like a Dragon, but with bat-like wings; however, the two species were getting along harmoniously.
Xiao Deng slowly walked toward them, simultaneously ceasing to hide his aura.
The first to discover Xiao Deng was, naturally, the Thestral.
Noticing the Thestral's anomaly, Luna turned around, her eyes lighting up when she saw it was Xiao Deng.
"Xiao Deng! I didn't expect to meet you here."
Xiao Deng smiled and waved his hand.
"I had some matters to attend to, so I came back early."
"These matters are giving me such a headache right now."
As he spoke, he reached out to stroke the Thestral, which gently shook its large head, looking quite pleased.
Who was this person? He was the newly ascended Lord of Hogwarts. Others might not know, but magical creatures like them certainly did.
To be stroked by the Lord of Hogwarts was a true honor.
"You can see the Thestral?"
Xiao Deng nodded slightly.
"They say only those who have witnessed life and death can see Thestrals. It seems your story is not ordinary either."
Xiao Deng chuckled softly.
"Ordinary or not, it's all just about surviving."
"I don't have much of a concept for the future."
Luna gently hugged Xiao Deng.
"Things will work out in the end; don't be too obsessed with the meaning of future life."
"Sometimes living in the moment makes one feel more alive."
Xiao Deng returned the embrace, holding Luna tightly.
"You have quite a lot of philosophy for someone so young."
"It feels like you're even better at spouting nonsense than Dumbledore."
Luna didn't get angry; she just shook her head in Xiao Deng's arms.
"Many truths in life converge and share the same roots."
"But what I want to ask is, does the fact that Hermione and the others aren't with you make you feel lonely?"
Xiao Deng's expression froze; Luna had always been this direct with her questions.
Although, well, it was indeed because Hermione and the others weren't around.
News had already come from Griphook at Gringotts that everything was on the right track.
Even the candidates to replace Dabai and Xiaobai had been selected.
In a couple of days, he would be able to bring them back.
Seeing the slight embarrassment on Xiao Deng's face made Luna quite happy.
Many people didn't understand her; they all thought she was a crazy girl.
But even a crazy girl wanted to have a relationship, to have a harbor she could rely on and depend on.
"If Hermione and the others aren't here, then today you belong to me!"
Xiao Deng gently stroked Luna's soft hair.
"Have you really thought this through?"
"You might not get much!"
Luna cupped Xiao Deng's face.
"Do you know? My mother left when I was very young."
"I saw the result of an experiment gone wrong with my own eyes, which is why I can see Thestrals."
"But I've known since I was little that things in this world won't be known and understood by everyone."
"There will always be people who don't understand you, who might even misunderstand you, slander you, or attack you!"
"But just be yourself; there aren't many people who can do that."
"You are very special!"
"Your aura, your life—they all attract me."
"At the same time, you aren't like those people who call me a 'crazy girl'."
"Sometimes I even feel like you can see through much more than I can!"
"In short, I feel very happy when I'm with you."
"Happiness—that thing is a luxury."
"I am very satisfied!"
"Satisfaction is also a luxury. I am very happy!"
"So, don't ask questions like that in the future."
"Even if I can only get a little bit by being by your side, that is already very good."
Speaking to this point, Luna slowly closed her eyes, and Xiao Deng felt a stir in his heart.
Thump, thump, thump—it was beating. This was Luna sending a signal.
As a Disciple of the Hehuan Sect, his foundational theoretical knowledge was quite solid. Who would dampen a girl's mood at a time like this?
Banishing Ron from his mind, Xiao Deng touched the soft, tender lips.
Two large rows of crows flew over the Thestral's head.
Caw! Caw!
Are you two bullying me because there aren't many of my Thestral kin?
The Thestral flapped its wings twice to express its dissatisfaction.
Xiao Deng's Divine Sense naturally could see that the Thestral seemed to be emotional.
He freed one hand to wave at the Thestral, and it spread its wings and flew away.
The new Lord of Hogwarts is alright, I suppose; at least he didn't make me stand guard.
Luna had no idea when the Thestral left.
She only felt weak all over, breathing was a bit difficult, her mouth was dry, she couldn't move, and her legs were a bit soft, unable to stand straight.
If not for Xiao Deng's arm around her waist supporting her, she would have likely collapsed to the ground.
Xiao Deng felt Luna's state and slowly released her.
Luna leaned against Xiao Deng, breathing heavily.
"Such a... strange feeling!"
"But... I inexplicably like it!"
"You seem quite practiced; you must practice with Hermione a lot, right?"
No, little Luna, why do you keep bringing up Hermione? This atmosphere is getting a bit strange.
Luna cupped Xiao Deng's face again and planted a light kiss.
"Love me!"
Huh? What?
Seeing Xiao Deng's somewhat dumbfounded expression, Luna couldn't help but laugh.
"Why are you dazed? Can you really date girls like this?"
"I can even feel the wand in your pocket; do you really think I don't understand anything?"
Looking at Xiao Deng, Luna emphasized:
"Also! Stop asking me questions like 'is it,' 'can I,' or 'are you sure'!"
"I told you already!"
Luna's frankness made Xiao Deng relax quite a bit, and he pulled Luna into his arms.
"Alright!"
Xiao Deng waved his hand, and a yellow magical light rose, forming a large circle around the two of them.
Inside the large circle, grass grew continuously, turning into a soft cushion.
"Yellow shielding magic, very unique, and it suits your personality well."
"Slandering your husband comes with a price."
"What price?"
Xiao Deng lunged at Luna. Caught off guard, the two fell onto the soft grass cushion; the grass was flattened, staining it with yellow sap.
Chapter 198: Picking Up Da Bai and Xiao Bai
Luna pointed her toes straight, with several blades of grass caught between them.
"The price is to taste the power of my wand!"
Luna gently patted Xiao Deng's chest.
"You didn't hold back at all during that duel!"
"You didn't even let me win, my throat is hoarse from crying!"
Xiao Deng pulled Luna into his arms and gently flicked her forehead.
"You still have the nerve to say that!"
"People aren't wrong at all to call you 'Loony'."
"If I dared to hold back, I would have been 'driven crazy' by you!"
Hearing this, the usually frank Luna couldn't help but blush.
"Don't say it!"
Xiao Deng affectionately kissed Luna on the forehead.
"Alright, I won't say it, the 'Loony' is getting shy!"
Luna rolled her eyes at Xiao Deng.
"But you are quite amazing, the wand you use in duels is so versatile!"
"It's not as fierce now that it's not moving."
Xiao Deng smacked Luna on the bottom.
"If you keep dawdling, not only will you miss the time to return to the Dormitory,"
"but you'll also have to raise your wand and duel again."
Luna's eyes showed some panic.
"No, no, no, I need to go back quickly."
"I'm a bit tired and can't violate the rules of Hogwarts."
Xiao Deng smiled slightly, not exposing Luna's words. With a wave of his hand, Luna was cleaned up and stood fully dressed before him.
A trace of surprise appeared in Luna's eyes.
"Has your magic reached this level?"
"No wonder I heard others say you are someone who receives special treatment and doesn't have to attend classes!"
"I'm afraid many Professors can't do this."
Xiao Deng also tidied himself up and hugged Luna.
"Little Luna, you have too many questions. Which one should I answer first?"
Luna giggled and pushed Xiao Deng away.
"You should send me back to Hogwarts first."
This girl, honestly, she's so clever!
Xiao Deng took Luna's small hand, and the two disappeared from the spot.
The lush grass that was there gradually changed and disappeared.
The ambiguous atmosphere within the concealment magic array also disappeared, drifting away with the wind.
Hogwarts hadn't started yet, so there was no one around when they returned.
Luna waved at Xiao Deng and then turned to go back to the Dormitory.
Her walking posture was a bit awkward, as if she had the aftereffects of a Leg-Locker Curse.
Watching Luna return to the Dormitory, Xiao Deng turned around.
Most things had temporarily reached a stage-based result, so it was time to handle his own affairs.
The next moment, the place where Xiao Deng had just been standing was empty.
Da Bai suddenly opened her eyes. Someone had snuck in. She glanced at the sleeping Xiao Bai beside her.
Just as Da Bai sat up, her body paused, and then the corners of her mouth curled up.
Without warning, she opened her arms and hugged the side.
A familiar scent slowly entered Da Bai's nostrils.
"You've come to pick us up?"
"It seems nothing can be hidden from you."
"The factory side is all settled, and the people here have also been selected."
"You won't need to be busy here anymore in the future."
"You knew we like freedom, yet you made us do such tiring work."
"You must compensate us!"
Xiao Deng stroked that hair which shimmered with a silvery-white hue even in the night, his eyes showing tenderness.
"Of course!"
"Whatever compensation you want, I can find it for you."
How would Da Bai really make Xiao Deng find any compensation? She was just teasing Xiao Deng to vent her little resentment.
But a playful voice appeared between the two.
"Based on Mom's past style, it's so hard to guess!"
"What other compensation could there be? Of course, it's to compensate her seven or eight hundred times today!"
How many? How many did you say?
Xiao Deng's mouth twitched. How long was the whole night? Seven or eight hundred times—could she have been infected by Luna?
Da Bai was already blushing, her snow-white skin showing a pink hue, and she rolled her eyes at Xiao Bai.
"A young girl, speaking without any propriety all day!"
"You are not allowed to go out and play tomorrow!"
"Mom, you are using public office for private revenge. This is clearly your inner thought!"
Xiao Deng heard this and looked at Da Bai with a strange expression, and Da Bai became even more shy.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"What inner thought of mine? What level am I at, what level are you at? How could you see through my thoughts?"
"Could this be your thought, and then you're pinning it on me?"
Xiao Bai jumped out of the bed and hugged Xiao Deng.
"Yes, yes, it is my thought. Mom, do you have any advice?"
Da Bai was speechless for a moment and couldn't help but cover her face.
How to answer this?
How did she raise this child to be like this?
Unicorns have always upheld a pure land that values freedom and respects the heart.
I'm afraid Xiao Bai's pure land has been dyed by Xiao Deng's heart, right?
"Brother Xiao Deng, Mom didn't think that way originally, I guessed wrong!"
"Let's let Mom watch from the side when we duel later."
"Just go fetch some water, get some towels, and wipe the sweat!"
"No!" Da Bai's voice of refusal came.
Just after saying this, Da Bai covered her own mouth.
Oh no! Fell for Xiao Bai's trap!
"Mom, why not?"
"You know, dueling is very tiring. If you aren't dueling, you're just idle anyway, so you might as well do a good deed!"
Da Bai pulled Xiao Bai in front of her.
Duang! Duang!
Da Bai looked at Xiao Bai seriously.
"Xiao Bai, you cannot be like this!"
"Mom is doing this because she cares about you, afraid you'll get tired. Seven or eight hundred times is no joke."
"As a mother, this kind of hardship should be borne by me for you!"
Xiao Bai extended her slender, snow-white index finger and pressed it against Da Bai's forehead.
"Mom, you've learned to be bad!"
"Your thick-skinnedness is already on the way to catching up with Brother Xiao Deng's."
Xiao Deng's face darkened. No, you two can roast each other all you want, but why do you like to drag me into it?
You don't feel satisfied unless you drag me in?
"Slap!"
Da Bai smacked Xiao Bai on the bottom.
The sound sounded quite nice; one could tell it was soft and white just by listening.
"Don't slander me! Xiao Deng's face isn't that thin!"
Fine, fine, still at it?
Just as Da Bai and Xiao Bai were in a stalemate, a shadow enveloped them.
A huge quilt wrapped around the two of them; a short separation is better than a newlywed!
Xiao Deng couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had already set up several concealment magic spells when he arrived.
The sounds of the fight were too intense, so one cannot underestimate the potential of a Unicorn.
Especially the ability of a transformed Unicorn.
The wand was soaked with magic, emitting sparkling light everywhere.
...
Early morning.
"The Hehuan Sect specialty store is now open!"
"Everyone, please report your name and number to pick up your items!"
A passerby asked suspiciously: "Sir, weren't there two white-haired ladies running the shop before?"
"You wouldn't know, but our boss transferred them away."
"There must be other arrangements, but I don't know about that side of things."
At this time, Xiao Deng had already cleaned the room and put a magic lock on it.
He didn't want anyone else coming to this place.
"Babies, let's go home!"