Chapter 244 Umbridge's Class
Dabai's pupils shrank slightly.
"Decades have passed, then what is her... situation?"
Xiao Deng smiled and pulled Dabai into his arms, while Dabai was still a bit shy.
"What are you doing? Xiaobai is still here!"
Xiao Deng pinched Dabai's cheeks.
"What are you afraid of? We are all family."
Xiaobai immediately chimed in, "Exactly, exactly!"
"It is not like I have never heard Mother's voice."
Xiaobai suddenly felt a chill and bolted away.
"Mother, I am going out to play!"
Xiaobai scurried away in a flash until she was completely out of sight.
"Why do you always scare her?"
"But she is too exasperating, and you have spoiled her out of any shape."
"You had better talk about this girl first."
Xiao Deng nodded slightly and glanced at the sleeping Myrtle.
"Her name is Myrtle."
"As for her resurrection, I was only giving it a try."
"Strictly speaking, she cannot be considered truly resurrected."
"After her death, she turned into a ghost and stayed in the second-floor bathroom."
"But ghosts are not equal to Souls; this concept should be much more concrete to what you felt."
"She has vitality in her body, can jump around, and can use the large wand..."
Hearing this, Dabai could not help rolling her eyes at him.
"You still have the nerve to say that!"
Xiao Deng gave a chuckle and kissed the corner of Dabai's eye.
"However, she just lacks the aura of a living person."
Dabai snuggled into Xiao Deng's arms.
"You are making it harder and harder for me to see through you nowadays."
Feeling Dabai's somewhat uneasy heart, Xiao Deng carefully pinched her hand.
"Are you so unconfident in your own abilities and judgment?"
"When we first met, you even taunted me."
"You had never seen someone whose inner color is as pure as mine."
Dabai gently bit Xiao Deng's arm.
"Ha!"
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Xiaobai and I will stick with you for the rest of our lives!"
Xiao Deng reached out and stroked Dabai's snowy white hair.
"Have you ever let Xiaobai look into your heart to see what color it is?"
Dabai's face blushed.
"What is there to look at? I must be a pure color!"
"I am a Unicorn after all!"
"Besides, her level is not enough to see through..."
Before Dabai could finish her words, her lips were sealed by Xiao Deng.
Dabai gradually got into the mood, her jade-like arms instinctively wrapping around Xiao Deng's neck.
The dipping of her waist outlined a tender curve, and her soft body made the casting of the large wand slow down considerably.
Here on the Eighth Floor, the ultimate beautiful scenery was the swaying forest.
After the fierce battle and duel, the lingering flush on Dabai's face had not yet faded.
"Then are you going to tell Dumbledore?"
Xiao Deng shook his head.
"I do not plan to tell. The matter of resurrecting the dead might easily be judged as Dark Arts."
"By then, both the righteous and evil factions will come looking for us."
"I want to be carefree together with you all, not be hunted down together with you."
"Although I fear neither, it is better to have less trouble than more."
Xiao Deng glanced out the window.
"It is already this late, why hasn't Hermione's class finished yet?"
Dabai shook her head.
"I heard today is that Umbridge's first class, maybe there are many things."
"This woman's reputation in the Forbidden Forest is not good at all, and quite a few creatures curse her."
Meanwhile, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.
"Harry, why isn't this Umbridge teaching anything at all? I am about to fall asleep!"
Hearing Ron's complaint, Harry looked at Hermione.
"Hermione, what do you think?"
Hermione shook her head slightly.
"This first class is indeed boring; everything she teaches is the laws enacted by the Ministry of Magic."
"This level is not even as good as attending Professor Snape's class."
"At least Professor Snape actually teaches things."
At this moment, Umbridge's voice sounded from the podium.
"Today's class will temporarily end here. The homework is to copy what I just taught three times."
The little Wizards all wore expressions of bad luck. What on earth was this lecture about? Copying the rules of the Ministry of Magic, of course!
Everyone wanted to curse out loud as a lunatic!
Several people walked along the corridors of Hogwarts.
"What kind of nonsense is this!"
"Pulling this stunt everyday, and she has class again tomorrow. We can't possibly listen to a whole afternoon of crappy rules again, right?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron.
"What are you yelling for? If she hears you, she'll add a few more times to your copying."
Ron only then reacted. Looking around, a figure suddenly pounced over.
"Ahhhh!"
"Professor, I was wrong!"
Immediately, a sweet kiss was imprinted on Ron's face.
Ron opened his eyes. It turned out that the person who pounced over was Lavender, which made Ron heave a sigh of relief.
Turning back to look at his companions, the others had long since walked far away together.
"Hey, why did you guys leave?"
"If we wait until the two of you finish kissing, Xiao Deng's training session will be over."
Ron grinned, glanced at Lavender, and could not say a single word.
In the end, he could only let out a sigh.
"Let's go eat first, we still have Xiao Deng's training tonight."
"Ron, how is Xiao Deng's training?"
"It looks like you guys are all very serious about it."
Ron stood up from the ground and said as they walked:
"Most of our current abilities were obtained through his training."
"As for basic theoretical things, we probably have to rely on Hermione."
"But actual combat and application are entirely Xiao Deng's credit."
"Although Lockhart has left Hogwarts, the Dueling Club is still here."
"Xiao Deng applied for Dumbledore to temporarily manage it."
"Every duel inside is recorded."
"As long as the few of us don't run into each other, we have no defeats."
Lavender looked at Ron, stars practically floating in her eyes.
"Ron, you are so amazing! How long have you guys been training?"
Ron spread his hands.
"You think it's amazing? Actually, it's all thanks to Xiao Deng's training."
"As early as shortly after the start of term, our training group had already begun."
"Back then it wasn't this lively; including me, there were only five people."
"Then I must experience it for myself!"
When Ron and Lavender arrived at the Great Hall together, the others had already started eating in groups.
The two sat down slowly, and Ron glanced around but didn't see Xiao Deng.
"Where is Xiao Deng? Didn't he come to eat?"
Harry raised his head and looked at the two stuck together like glue, letting out a sigh in his heart.
His good brother had been monopolized!
But if it weren't for Xiao Deng and Hermione repeatedly reminding and persuading Ron, judging by Ron's personality, he would probably just find Lavender too annoying.
"He probably has something to do, but usually he wouldn't miss meal times."
"He should be here in a moment."
Hermione rolled her eyes. What business could that damn man possibly have? He doesn't even have classes!
He definitely went to the Eighth Floor to eat, drink, and be merry, and maybe even enjoy some entertainment.
As a few of them were talking, Xiao Deng slowly walked in through the door and finally sat down beside Hermione.
"See? I told you, he would definitely come."
Xiao Deng ordered a steak and looked up at the crowd.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"How was Umbridge's class today?"
"Advanced officials of the Ministry of Magic giving a lecture shouldn't be too terrible, right?"
Hearing this, everyone looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.
"Xiao Deng, don't even mention it! Terrible? Terrible would be a compliment to her!"
Chapter 245: Cedric Comes to Find Xiao Deng
Xiao Deng raised an eyebrow. What kind of trouble could a lecture possibly cause?
"Tell me all the details."
Ron grinned and started chattering away.
"What is there to say? She didn't teach a single thing, and you can't even find a fault with it."
"Xiao Deng, you have no idea how ruthless this Umbridge is."
"She spent the whole afternoon lecturing on the regulations of the Ministry of Magic."
"She didn't talk about anything related to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class at all."
"At least Lockhart wrote a book, but she just forcibly droned on about a bunch of rigid rules!"
Xiao Deng hadn't eaten yet, and he was almost amused by Ron.
Is this Umbridge really that bizarre?
She really is a character!
Wait a minute? Character? Quest!
Could this be a task given to Umbridge by Fudge?
Is Hogwarts also a part of their play?
Xiao Deng shook his head; this wasn't something he should be worrying about.
"All right, let's put this matter aside for now."
"After all, it's the first class. We'll see how it goes later. If the quality is no good, I'll go back and talk to Headmaster Dumbledore."
"Just because she doesn't teach doesn't mean I won't teach."
"During tonight's training, I will teach you some other things."
"Go eat your fill!"
"Neville, did you tell Malfoy as I asked you to?"
Neville nodded.
"I told him. I'll definitely do what you instructed."
Before long, Xiao Deng had eaten his fill and slowly stood up.
"Same old rule, see you tonight."
Xiao Deng walked out of the Great Hall's doors. The spot where Malfoy had been standing earlier was now occupied by someone different.
"Oh, Xiao Deng, it's so good to see you!"
"I wanted to say hello to you right at the start of the term."
"But, as you know, being a Seeker and a prefect keeps me far too busy."
Xiao Deng looked at Cedric with a strange expression.
"Cedric, you are a very nice person."
"But do you know that you are not good at acting?"
Cedric's expression froze, and he instantly slumped like an eggplant beaten by frost.
"Fine, I admit it, I have something to ask you for help with."
"However, can we find somewhere quiet to talk?"
Cedric looked troubled at the bustling entrance of the Great Hall.
"Alright, let's head toward the Forbidden Forest; there are fewer people over there."
Xiao Deng didn't use his abilities. Although Cedric was not bad, it wasn't enough to show off his skills in front of someone he wasn't very familiar with.
"Go ahead, this should count as a place with few people."
When it was time to speak, Cedric stammered.
"If you're not going to say it, I'm heading back!"
"No, no, no, I'll talk."
"I came here specifically to find you, after all."
"What could possibly require you to come find me specifically?"
"Well... you're famous, so I had no choice but to find you!"
"You managed to make all the girls in Hufflepuff have seven kids each; I simply couldn't find anyone with better professional competence than you."
"What?"
Xiao Deng stared at Cedric in utter astonishment. Had his rumors really gotten this outrageous?
All of them? Even with Professor Sprout's good temper, wouldn't she tear me alive?
Who on earth spread this?
Two figures flashed through Xiao Deng's mind. They felt very suspicious, but there was no proof.
Xiao Deng took a deep breath to calm his mood.
"Spit it out, what do you want from me?"
Cedric chuckled foolishly, leaving very little of his handsome image intact.
"I'm a Seeker, right? And then I noticed a Ravenclaw Seeker."
"She's a year older than you, a girl."
Cedric began babbling incoherently, and Xiao Deng finally figured out what he meant.
"You mean you've taken a fancy to her, want to date her, and want me to help you out, right?"
Cedric was choked up for a moment. As expected of Xiao Deng, a seasoned veteran who had passed through countless clusters of flowers; he stated it so bluntly.
"Ah, yes, um, that's what I mean."
"But you at least have to let me know who she is and what her name is."
"Ah, right, right, right, you're right. I forgot for a moment."
"Her name is Cho Chang."
What?
Xiao Deng raised an eyebrow. Although this kid's looks were slightly inferior to everyone's Yanzu, he at least had thick eyebrows and big eyes; why pick her of all people?
"Look, Cedric, to be honest, romance has to be based on mutual willingness, you know that right?"
"Right, right, yes, I know!"
"Even if I pull strings for you, she has to fancy you back. If she's not willing, there's nothing I can do."
Cedric nodded hastily.
"I know that. You're good with girls, so I wanted to ask for your help in sounding her out."
"It would be even better if I could secure a chance to spend time with her."
"Regardless of success or failure, I will thank you."
"Hey, why say things like that? Aren't we friends?"
"Helping each other is only right, but we still need to make things clear."
"I'm familiar with this kind of thing, but I can't guarantee the outcome."
Cedric patted his chest.
"Rest assured, you can ask around; my character is definitely fine, and I won't put you in a difficult position."
"Whether it succeeds or fails, I'll treat you to Butterbeer!"
"Alright, I wish you success."
"Then let's head back!"
"Cedric, you go back first, I have an appointment."
Cedric looked at Xiao Deng with a knowing expression.
"Night wandering?"
"I understand, I understand!"
"Xiao Deng, if it's you, it must be with a little girl, right?"
"Aish, why spell it out so clearly?"
"You're still the awesome one. Well, I'm heading back."
Watching Cedric's departing figure, the smile at the corners of Xiao Deng's mouth gradually faded.
"If you actually manage to get a date, how would I have the face to face our Ancestral Master?"
"Still, it's not a particularly bad thing for a young boy to taste the bitterness of love."
"Heh heh heh!"
Ahem!
A Disciple of a proper, major Sect should focus on self-cultivation and nurturing their character. I am doing this for his growth as well!
The sky gradually darkened, and with a flash, Xiao Deng returned to Hogwarts.
Moonlight poured down, casting a very slender shadow of Xiao Deng.
Xiao Deng slowly looked in one direction, where a few people were walking out.
"You guys are actually punctual today."
Harry spread his hands.
"No choice, Umbridge is too useless!"
Afterwards, the little companions arrived one after another on time.
"Lavender, aren't you in the same Dormitory as Hermione?"
"You're here, where did she go?"
Lavender hugged Ron's arm and looked over.
"She was in a hurry to use the restroom, so she told me to come first. She'll be right here."
As soon as she finished speaking, Hermione walked out from the darkness.
With that, everyone was present.
Harry and the others looked at each other and nodded in tacit understanding as usual.
Hermione is really difficult to deal with!
"There are quite a few of you, look out for each other."
With that, Xiao Deng lifted his foot and walked away.
With so many eyes around, Xiao Deng still chose to lead the group on foot deep into the Forbidden Forest.
After walking for quite a while, they finally arrived at the place where they had first practiced Spells initially.
"I've already heard about what happened in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class today."
"Since Umbridge won't teach anything, I will teach you."
"However, you must not use them casually, nor can you spread them outside."
"Today, we are going to talk about the Three Unforgivable Curses."
Chapter 246: Struck Down Before the Battle Even Begins
On the way back, Neville was the most excited.
He had been looking forward to these three Spells for several years, and finally getting to touch them made him extremely thrilled.
However, as forbidden Spells, they naturally came with a high level of difficulty.
Although everyone had made some progress, only Hermione had completely mastered them.
After all, this was only the first night; having made any progress at all was already a very good thing.
"I solemnly warn you, unless you encounter a life-threatening situation, you must never pull them out to use."
"Otherwise, if Hogwarts holds you accountable, you won't be able to bear the consequences."
"Even if Headmaster Dumbledore is willing to forgive you, the Ministry of Magic is no pushover."
"Therefore, be cautious, cautious, and cautious again!"
Everyone was long past being naive newcomers entering Hogwarts, and they knew Xiao Deng's words weren't alarmist.
"Harry, do you think she'll still talk about the Ministry of Magic tomorrow?"
Harry shook his head slightly, but Hermione let out a scoff and turned back to glance at Ron.
"An idiot is an idiot; you can't see through anything clearly."
At this moment, even Malfoy became interested. Although he was the heir of the Malfoy Family, judging by his current vision, he really couldn't see through it well.
"Umbridge's purpose in coming to Hogwarts wasn't to teach books."
"She is a chess piece, a spy planted by the Ministry of Magic."
"She might not be able to take over actual control from Dumbledore."
"But she will definitely turn Hogwarts upside down."
"And she can conveniently use the rules of the Ministry of Magic to punish or control the children of certain Family."
"Hogwarts's status is too strong and too special. Coupled with the halo of Headmaster Dumbledore, it's hard for Ministry of Magic not to raise suspicions."
"Perhaps Umbridge's arrival is their first step."
Xiao Deng did not stop Hermione from saying these things. Everyone present was more or less connected to various Family, so talking about it wasn't a bad thing.
The next day, Xiao Deng was still fast asleep while everyone else went to class.
The young Wizard entered the classroom listlessly.
Cedric saw Cho Chang sitting in her seat at a glance.
With a turn of his eyes, he walked toward Cho Chang.
Xiao Deng said he would greet her well and pave the way for him.
Well, isn't this a coincidence? There's no time like the present; let's test Xiao Deng's results today.
Cedric silently sat down beside Cho Chang.
Cho Chang raised her head slightly, just feeling that the boy in front of her looked somewhat familiar.
"Hello, Cho."
Although she didn't know how this person knew her name, Cho Chang nodded slightly out of politeness.
"Hello."
"I am Cedric, a friend of Xiao Deng."
In the distance, Malfoy poked Pansy beside him.
"Look quickly, look quickly!"
"Isn't that Cedric!"
"Hitting on a girl so awkwardly, is that how you talk to a girl?"
Pansy rolled her eyes at Malfoy.
"Do you have the nerve to talk about him?"
"You coward with the heart of a thief but no guts, do you have the face to criticize others?"
"If Xiao Deng hadn't given you a push and forced you, you'd still only be swaggering around everywhere using your dad's name."
The enlightened Malfoy couldn't help but smile all over his face.
"Yes, yes, yes, we really have to thank Xiao Deng for this."
"At the same time, I also want to thank my darling Pansy for giving me the opportunity at Xiao Deng's house."
Pansy's face flushed red.
Malfoy, who was always arrogant and domineering, really had no shame saying such things. Pansy still gave him an eye-roll, and then looked toward Cho Chang.
Cho Chang's eyes lit up. Since this was Xiao Deng's friend, she couldn't neglect him too much.
"Cedric, I've heard Xiao Deng mention you."
Cedric felt a surge of joy in his heart; Cho Chang's surprised expression just now hadn't escaped his eyes.
As expected of Xiao Deng, this speed, this efficiency, truly lived up to its name!
"Speaking of which, we've also met before. I'm a Seeker too."
Mentioning Quidditch, Cho Chang, being a fellow player, became interested.
From the thinking behind catching the Snitch, to combat skills, and further to flying techniques and broom maintenance, they secretly chatted quite a bit.
However, all of this stopped the moment Umbridge walked in from outside.
Ron couldn't help but poke Harry beside him.
"Does she like pink that much? She's changed into another style of pink again."
Harry glanced at Ron.
"I think you'd better shut up right now; she likes to pick faults."
As soon as Umbridge stepped onto the stage, she revealed a smile she thought was pretty.
"Today we will continue from what we discussed yesterday."
...
Hermione shook her head slightly; as expected, it was still like this.
Even if you want to interfere with Hogwarts, you should at least put on a show and teach classes in the early stages. Is it proper not to teach anything at all now?
Let's just look forward to what Xiao Deng will talk about tonight instead.
In this class, Umbridge still filled the entire period with the rules of the Ministry of Magic.
As soon as class ended, the large crowd didn't want to stay for even a second, leaving the classroom in a massive swarm.
Cedric called out to stop Cho Chang.
"Um, Cho, I have something I want to say to you."
Cho Chang was somewhat puzzled.
"Is it still about Quidditch?"
"We can discuss this later, there's no rush."
Cedric hurriedly waved his hands.
"No, it's not, it's something else."
Looking at the somewhat flustered Cedric, Cho Chang seemed to have guessed something.
"Just speak directly, I have things to do later."
Cho Chang issued her notice, and Cedric immediately forgot Xiao Deng's instructions.
What about not rushing, what about taking it step by step—he wanted to say it right now!
"Cho Chang!"
"I like you, can you be my girlfriend?"
"No."
"Ah?"
Cedric was a bit dumbfounded; was this too fluent and natural?
Cho Chang found the dazed Cedric rather amusing; she had just been waiting for him to speak up so she could reject him.
"No, won't you consider it at all?"
"My conditions aren't that bad, are they?"
Cedric was somewhat depressed. Even if Cho Chang said she would think about it, he could understand, but now she had rejected him right on the spot.
"Your conditions are not bad."
"But, I won't consider it!"
"Why? Didn't we chat very happily?"
"Because I like Xiao Deng!"
"Chatting happily was limited only to Quidditch."
Cedric's expression stalled, gradually turning the color of pig liver.
Cedric took a step back and steadied himself against the desk.
What kind of sin had he committed!
He had asked Xiao Deng to help pull strings, and Xiao Deng had even offered him advice and strategies.
Xiao Deng had clearly told him to first understand the girl's inner thoughts before speaking, so why had he gone and acted so impulsively?
Seeing that he had no reaction, Cho Chang called out to him.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first."
Cedric nodded slightly, and Cho Chang cast an apologetic look before leaving.
Reflecting on the scene just now, it was all his own illusion, all his own misconception. Her liking to talk and chat was entirely because of Quidditch, not because of himself.
And Xiao Deng had already talked about all of this!
Cedric steadied himself against the desk and slowly sat down.
It was all his own fault for not listening to Xiao Deng's words. Now there was no way to salvage it, and knowing that Cho Chang liked Xiao Deng made him feel like a complete clown.
He shouldn't be here; he should be under the table.
Chapter 247: Umbridge Targets Hermione
This kind of life continued until the third day, when Umbridge overheard Ron's complaint.
"Weasley, your father seems to work at the Ministry of Magic as well."
"Even your father wouldn't dare talk to me like that!"
"But his father doesn't have to teach young Wizards classes!"
Umbridge raised her eyes and looked over.
"Young Miss Luna, please raise your hand if you want to speak in class, okay?"
"Your mother probably wouldn't want you to disrespect the Professor either, right?"
Luna looked at Umbridge calmly.
"My mother probably wouldn't want me to learn nothing at Hogwarts either."
The smile on Umbridge's face remained unchanged, but there was a hint of gloominess in her eyes.
"But your mother is dead."
Hermione had already frowned when Umbridge mentioned Luna's mother just now; this had long since exceeded the scope of teaching.
"Professor!"
"Is attacking someone else's mother something a Professor should do?"
Umbridge didn't look like she felt any remorse at all.
"Young Miss Hermione, I know you, the top-ranked child in your year."
"However, don't even think about using your top rank to threaten the Professor."
"I was just discussing the issue of respecting teachers with Young Miss Luna."
"Does respecting teachers require bringing up someone's dead mother?"
Umbridge's expression stiffened, but she quickly returned to normal.
"This has nothing to do with you."
"Then what does it have to do with someone's already deceased mother?"
The smile on Umbridge's face gradually disappeared.
"Miss Granger, are you determined to talk back to me?"
"I can deduct points from you!"
After seeing Xiao Deng's strength, Hermione's vision was no longer restricted to just a few house points.
Furthermore, everyone in the entire classroom had complaints about Umbridge right now.
Gryffindor certainly wouldn't think Hermione getting points deducted was any big deal; failing to stand her ground to the end would be what people gossiped about.
"Talking back to you still has nothing to do with Luna's mother."
"Even if you deduct ten thousand points, it still has nothing to do with her mother."
Harry and the others looked at each other and nodded one after another.
Hermione's difficult temperament was finally being used in the right place!
Luna, on the other hand, cast an unexpected glance at Hermione; previously, the two of them didn't quite get along, and she hadn't expected Hermione to stand up for her today.
Umbridge slowly walked over to Hermione's seat.
"For your behavior, I am going to punish you."
Umbridge took out her wand and tapped it against a quill, which instantly transformed into a sharp little knife.
"Since you are so obstinate, I have no choice but to resort to this drastic measure."
"Miss Granger, as long as you carve 'I will no longer talk back to the Professor' on your arm with the knife, today's matter will be wiped clean."
Ron grabbed hold of the little knife, while Harry simultaneously pulled at Hermione's Wizard robes, and the two of them spoke in unison:
"Hermione, you can't carve it!"
"Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!"
"Your friendship is truly touching."
"It's fine if the two of you carve it instead, but it will cost both your arms."
Hermione stared fixedly at Umbridge's smug face and reached out to draw her wand, but was held back by Harry.
Harry shook his head, and Hermione immediately thought of Xiao Deng's instructions.
If she pulled it out and gave Umbridge a blast right now, things afterwards would only become more troublesome.
"Clang!"
At this moment, the sound of a chair overturning attracted everyone's gaze.
Ginny glanced at the smug-faced Umbridge without a word, simply walking silently to Hermione's side.
"Do you still remember the agreement between you and him?"
Prompted by Ginny, Hermione also recalled an old incident from the past.
Back when she went home for the holidays, Xiao Deng had instructed her that if she ever encountered something she couldn't resolve, she should call his name.
At the time, she thought Xiao Deng was just bragging, but as time passed, Hermione had gained a thorough understanding of Xiao Deng's strength.
Now, even if Xiao Deng said he could beat Dumbledore, she wouldn't think he was boasting.
Not many people knew about this agreement, but at this moment, everyone's gaze had fallen upon her.
This matter required someone capable of holding down the fort to appear.
For Hermione, that person was undoubtedly Xiao Deng.
"Miss Granger, please don't waste everyone's time. I still have quite a bit left to lecture!"
Hermione smiled faintly; she must have eaten too much salt to be wasting so much breath talking to such a person!
Having been pampered by Xiao Deng year-round, Hermione had also developed a bit of willful petulance, and she softly opened her mouth.
"Xiao Deng!"
Everyone else in the classroom was stunned for a moment. What was the point of calling Xiao Deng at a time like this?
Malfoy crossed his arms over his chest.
"Now there's a show to watch!"
Pansy couldn't help asking Malfoy, "What do you mean?"
"You'll know once you keep watching."
Others might not know, but Malfoy knew all too well—Hermione was Xiao Deng's little sweetheart.
There were plenty of rumors about Xiao Deng floating around the school; although he didn't know how much of them were true, Hermione definitely was!
"Xiao Deng? Xiao Deng of the Hehuan Sect?"
"I almost forgot about that young Wizard who skips class and doesn't study!"
"What's the use of calling him here? I'll deal with him just the same even if you call him!"
"What did you say?"
A gentle yet chilly voice rang out behind Umbridge.
Umbridge's hair stood on end instantly, and she spun around, retreating several steps.
When did this person get behind her? In the event that he harbored any malicious intent, how could she possibly block it?
But in order not to lose face, Umbridge still forced herself to lift her chin.
"Xiao Deng, you skip class every day and scare the Professor—I'll deduct a hundred points from you!"
Xiao Deng ignored her, walking over to Hermione's side instead and gently bending down.
"What's wrong? Tell me if you've been wronged."
Luna came to Xiao Deng's side and recounted what had just happened.
Xiao Deng's expression visibly worsened, and the temperature in the classroom continuously dropped.
Pansy rubbed her arms.
"Affecting the surroundings... just what level has his strength reached?"
Malfoy shook his head slightly.
"I don't know, but I know that Dumbledore didn't have achievements like his when he was young."
A smile appeared at the corner of Xiao Deng's mouth.
"Umbridge, you'd better give me an explanation."
Umbridge was also somewhat panicked by the situation Xiao Deng created; where else had she ever seen such a spectacle?
Yet, she was still unwilling to let go of her pride.
"What... is there to explain!"
"I am a Professor, she is a young Wizard, I am the Advanced Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Magic, and she is just a Mug—"
While speaking, Umbridge silently drew her wand from within her robes.
"Fire in the hole: Fire-Thunder Blast!"
But before she could finish speaking, a spell from Xiao Deng blasted squarely onto Umbridge.
Umbridge's body blasted flying straight out, crashing through the classroom wall and continuing at full speed through seven consecutive classrooms before finally stopping.
By this time, Umbridge's condition was already extremely poor.
Her entire person was charred, and as for her clothes, needless to say, they had long since turned to ashes under the intense high temperatures.
The wand grasped in her hand had only half left remaining in her palm.
The entire classroom plunged into silence; no one had thought that Xiao Deng would actually dare to make a move against Umbridge.
But he actually did it!
Chapter 248: Summoning Lord Voldemort
The most shocked of all was Seamus, who understood this Spells the best.
In the past, he always thought this Spells was just a blasting curse, and whenever he used it, it caused wide-area damage.
He never expected that Xiao Deng could use it this way—not a single bit touched anything else, and it was effective only against the target.
He had still underestimated Xiao Deng; he himself was still far behind!
Xiao Deng didn't look at the expressions of the other little Wizards, and waved his wand once more.
"Accio: Umbridge, come!"
What was this? Accio?
While everyone was still stunned, Umbridge, who was lying in the seventh classroom, flew over with a "swish."
Xiao Deng stepped on Umbridge and pinned her to the ground with one foot.
"I can't let you die so comfortably."
A healing Spells landed on Umbridge.
Lying on the ground, Umbridge slowly woke up, and the moment she saw Xiao Deng, she couldn't help shrinking back.
"I am a person from the Ministry of Magic! If you dare to touch me, the Ministry of Magic will not let you off!"
Hearing this, even Ron shook his head.
Could this old hag still not see the current situation clearly?
Still pulling the tiger skin of the Ministry of Magic—your life is currently pinched in Xiao Deng's hands. If you really die, it would be useless even if the entire Ministry of Magic came.
At this moment, Professor McGonagall, having heard the commotion, finally arrived at the classroom, and her expression looked rather bad upon seeing the mess all over the floor.
Seeing Xiao Deng holding Umbridge, Professor McGonagall suppressed the anger in her heart.
"What on earth is going on here?"
"Xiao Deng, what happened here?"
Xiao Deng patted the non-existent dust off his body.
"Professor McGonagall!"
"May I ask if you know that Umbridge does not lecture?"
These words stunned Professor McGonagall, who was originally furious.
"Not lecturing? Then what does she do in class?"
Xiao Deng turned his head and scanned the entire classroom.
"She lectures on the laws of the Ministry of Magic, the rules of the Ministry of Magic, and the rules of her, Umbridge."
Obviously, these had nothing to do with the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.
Without letting Professor McGonagall speak further, Xiao Deng continued to ask:
"Professor McGonagall, do you know that Umbridge insults little Wizards in class?"
Professor McGonagall glanced at Umbridge and asked, "What is this about?"
Xiao Deng looked at Luna. Luna understood, walked in front of Professor McGonagall, and recounted Umbridge's words and actions just now.
Luna was smart after all; she only talked about her own part, and as for other matters, Xiao Deng would naturally make arrangements.
"Absurd!"
"Umbridge, what does Luna's mother have to do with you?"
Why keep holding on to it?
Umbridge wailed loudly: "She didn't respect me..."
"Langlock: Langlock!"
"No one asked you to speak!"
Professor McGonagall looked at Xiao Deng and felt that what he did was somewhat inappropriate.
"Professor McGonagall, do you know that Umbridge physically punishes students and even makes little Wizards self-harm?"
Professor McGonagall gritted her teeth and asked, "What is this matter about again?"
Hermione finally stepped forward at this moment and recounted how Umbridge forced her to carve her flesh with a knife.
Professor McGonagall pointed at Umbridge, unable to speak for a moment, her entire body shaking.
After a long while, Professor McGonagall's voice finally came through.
"Xiao Deng, lock her up. I'm going to find Dumbledore."
Looking at Umbridge, who was filled with terror mixed with hatred, as well as the messy floor, Xiao Deng suddenly felt it was quite meaningless.
Before coming here, he had already broken through to the Peak of the Body Integration Stage, just one step away from advancing to Mahayana.
He had long since lacked opponents; did he still need to endure this kind of suffering?
Xiao Deng took Goudan and the locket out of his ring.
When he first got his hands on them, he just shoved them straight into his ring. Now it seemed that the Karma lines inside were inextricably intertwined with Harry.
A yellow light flashed on Xiao Deng's body, and the two items also floated in front of him.
Even though Lord Voldemort had split his Soul into several parts, in Xiao Deng's view, there was still a connection after all.
He reached out and tapped the two objects, and several invisible threads drifted out.
One of them was unexpectedly connected to Harry's body.
Heh, this was getting a bit interesting.
But it didn't matter. The Soul-Gathering Technique he used was extremely domineering; back then, he had specifically spent half a year studying it with that kid who used the Human Emperor Banner.
"Harry, you'll feel some discomfort later, but don't worry, I'm helping you."
Harry didn't speak, just nodded silently. Over the years, he had long cultivated the habit of unconditionally trusting Xiao Deng.
Suddenly, Harry felt a pulling force appear, and the lightning bolt on his forehead also faintly grew hot.
It felt like something was about to come out...
Then, a white thing was pulled out and stopped near Xiao Deng's hand.
At this time, several items were already hovering around Xiao Deng's body.
"Look, isn't that Slytherin's locket?"
"Look at that one too, isn't that Hufflepuff's golden cup?"
...
Xiao Deng raised his brows slightly. It seemed there was a living creature, so he wouldn't summon it for the time being.
Professor McGonagall brought Dumbledore into the classroom, followed closely by Snape.
"Oh, Merlin, these are all long-lost items."
But Dumbledore frowned. With his discernment, he could naturally tell that all of these had been converted into Dark Arts items.
"Xiao Deng, what are you doing?"
Dumbledore knew that Xiao Deng could conjure an Expecto Patronum, so he wasn't very worried.
Xiao Deng smiled slightly.
"Principal, just watch."
Immediately, Xiao Deng tapped on these items with two fingers again.
[Lord Voldemort, come quickly!]
[In less than a minute, I will destroy all your Horcruxes.]
At the same time, Peter Pettigrew looked excitedly at the person in front of him.
"Master, congratulations on your return once again!"
"Peter, you've done very well. I will reward you..."
Before she finished speaking, she felt five Soul pulls, along with a notification.
A trace of panic flashed in Lord Voldemort's eyes—the other five Horcruxes had actually been found by someone!
The only usable one by her side now was Nagini.
In a minute's time, she no longer had a way to quickly gather her former subordinates.
Glancing at Peter kneeling on the ground, she had no choice but to make a choice.
"Peter, use my name to gather the Death Eater army."
"Remember, as soon as possible!"
"I have things to do. When I return, I hope you have it done."
"Yes, yes, yes! I'll go do it right away."
Peter agreed like a pug.
Lord Voldemort felt the message just now; it didn't look like Dumbledore, which reassured her a lot.
As long as it wasn't Dumbledore, she didn't care about anyone else.
With an Apparition, she vanished from the spot.
Lord Voldemort was worried about her Horcruxes after all; all the Horcruxes being gathered by someone was no joking matter.
In a little while, Lord Voldemort arrived outside Hogwarts and looked at Hogwarts vigilantly.
Xiao Deng, who was still staying in the classroom, suddenly laughed.
"You've arrived right on time!"
Immediately, Xiao Deng also disappeared.
Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore with worry.
"Albus, where did he go?"
Chapter 249: Issuing an Ultimatum to the Ministry of Magic
Dumbledore stepped out.
"Since he wants us to see, it shouldn't be far from Hogwarts."
"I faintly sense some magic fluctuations."
"Let's go take a look!"
Xiao Deng instantly appeared in front of Lord Voldemort.
"Tom Riddle!"
"I've heard so much about you!"
Tom lowered his hands, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by anger.
"How dare you speak that name directly, who gave you the guts?"
Xiao Deng patted his Wizard's robe, looking completely indifferent.
"In the future, more people will call out that name."
Lord Voldemort laughed out of extreme anger.
"Child, I don't know what skills you have."
"However, your biggest backing is Dumbledore, right?"
"My Death Eater army will be here soon!"
"Dumbledore can protect you alone, but can he protect everyone?"
Of course Dumbledore did not show up; he didn't know what Xiao Deng was going to do, and even more so, he had to guard against Lord Voldemort.
Since Lord Voldemort dared to stand openly at the entrance, he might have some backup plans.
Therefore, hiding it any longer made no sense. With a wave of Dumbledore's wand, the scene of Xiao Deng facing Lord Voldemort appeared before everyone's eyes.
Only what Dumbledore didn't know was that Lord Voldemort didn't come here voluntarily at all.
He had to show up because he was threatened by Xiao Deng.
Lord Voldemort moved, slowly raising his wand.
"Take out all my Horcruxes, and I can spare your life!"
Dumbledore's pupils shrank. Those many Dark Arts items Xiao Deng was holding earlier turned out to all be Tom's Horcruxes!
Xiao Deng waved his right hand, and not a single one more or less, they all floated in the air.
Lord Voldemort's eyelids twitched; this kid had actually managed to find all of them.
"Give them to me!"
"Bang!"
Before Lord Voldemort finished speaking, one of the locket split into two halves, looking completely scrapped.
"How dare you..."
"Bang!"
The golden cup was scrapped!
Lord Voldemort panicked. If they were all scrapped, he would truly have no way out.
"Wait!"
"Whatever you want, we can discuss it!"
"I will satisfy you to the maximum extent!"
Xiao Deng was confronting Lord Voldemort on the field, which worried Professor McGonagall to death.
"Xiao Deng, turn back quickly!"
A faint smug smile appeared on the corner of Lord Voldemort's mouth.
"Nagini!"
A giant snake suddenly ambushed Xiao Deng from behind.
"Heh, Moody wasn't wrong about this point."
Just as Nagini was about to bite Xiao Deng's neck, a flash of light passed, and the giant snake seemed to be heavily struck, instantly flying backward.
"This is that Horcrux with only living creature characteristics."
"You must have been inspired by the Snake King in the Chamber of Secrets, wanting to imitate Salazar."
"What a pity, your levels are not on the same plane."
"Even as a remnant Soul, Salazar can still maintain a clear mind."
"Even when controlled, the Snake King could steadily give birth to its own spiritual wisdom."
"You probably have impairments in all five senses, yet you still vainly hope for eternal life?"
The excited expression instantly froze on Lord Voldemort's face.
"No, impossible!"
"Nagini, pull yourself together!"
Suddenly Lord Voldemort looked at Xiao Deng and roared:
"What did you do to Nagini?"
"Why, why can't I feel my control over it anymore!"
Xiao Deng looked somewhat boredly at the impotently furious Lord Voldemort, originally thinking what kind of skills the Dark Lord feared by the world could have.
Turns out it was just this?
Slowly opening his hand, a remnant Soul appeared in Xiao Deng's palm.
That was the remnant Soul inside Nagini used to make the Horcrux.
Where had Lord Voldemort ever seen this scene? Tearing his Soul required him to go through a complex set of murder procedures.
Why could a young Wizard like him easily extract the remnant Soul inside Nagini?
"You just asked me what I wanted, right?"
Hope rose in Lord Voldemort's eyes.
"Yes, yes, yes, you are so strong at such a young age, if we join forces, we will definitely create brilliance again!"
Xiao Deng smiled and did not deny it.
"However, I want your life!"
Lord Voldemort wanted to laugh, but then he couldn't laugh anymore.
Xiao Deng casually obliterated that split-off Soul.
"Sword, come!"
A sword rang out, flying rapidly with a whistling sound piercing the air.
Before Lord Voldemort could see clearly, he felt a chill in his chest.
Lowering his head slowly, that Gryffindor's great sword had already pierced into his chest.
The edge of the sword carried an energy he couldn't understand, destroying all vitality within his newly resurrected body.
Everyone observing the battlefield from the dark fell into silence.
"Lord Voldemort is dead!"
Finally someone made a sound, and the Death Eaters who had been watching the battle for a long time left their places one after another.
Wormtail saw the situation was bad and immediately wanted to run.
But the moment he took a step, a huge pressure fell on his shoulders the next second, instantly forcing him to his knees.
Xiao Deng did not know when he had already stood in front of Wormtail.
"Want to run?"
"You still have a mission!"
With a wave of Xiao Deng's right hand, Wormtail disappeared from the spot.
When he appeared again, Xiao Deng's Clone had already brought Wormtail to the Chamber of Secrets.
Here, a person was likewise trapped, that person wearing pink clothes.
Umbridge had long been frightened out of her wits by the Snake King, hiding in the corner and not daring to move at all.
"Wormtail!"
"You joined the Death Eaters long ago, you should be very good at torturing people."
"This person is handed over to you, but she must not die."
Wormtail folded his hands together and asked tentatively: "Then should I use Crucio?"
Xiao Deng did not answer and turned to leave.
"What are you doing, what are you doing?"
"Do you know who I am?"
"I am from the Ministry of Magic..."
"Ah!"
...
Xiao Deng's main body stood in front of Lord Voldemort's corpse without a shred of pity.
This person had lost too many things and was destined not to succeed.
If he could also live on, it could only be said that the Heavenly Dao above Hogwarts was somewhat flawed.
Xiao Deng looked not far away and smiled faintly.
"The speed is really fast!"
"It seems Umbridge's professional capability is really not bad."
"She managed to connect to the Ministry of Magic's communication network in such a short gap."
Fudge brought people from the Ministry of Magic to surround Hogwarts.
When they saw the fallen body at the entrance, everyone widened their eyes.
"This is... Lord Voldemort?"
Fudge raised his head with difficulty and looked at Xiao Deng.
"Did you do this?"
The moment he saw Xiao Deng nod, Fudge was overjoyed.
"Great, you are the savior of the Wizarding World."
"We will vigorously publicize for you and award you honors."
Xiao Deng smiled and walked in front of Fudge.
Reaching out, he patted the non-existent dust on Fudge's shoulder. Fudge couldn't help frowning, but didn't throw a fit.
"I don't care much about these, whether they exist or not doesn't matter."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want the Ministry of Magic!"
Fudge was stunned for a moment.
"Mr. Xiao Deng, you are joking."
The smile on Xiao Deng's face gradually disappeared.
"Sir, do you think I am joking with you?"
Chapter 250 Handing Peter Pettigrew over to Sirius Black
Professor McGonagall couldn't help but pull Dumbledore beside her.
"Albus!"
"What on earth is he trying to do? Why can't I quite figure it out?"
Dumbledore's expression gradually turned serious, as if he saw the shadow of an old friend in Xiao Deng.
Only this time, should they still go and stop him?
He eliminated Lord Voldemort!
The scene outside Hogwarts was gradually growing awkward.
"Mr. Xiao Deng, I feel that you are not sufficient to fully represent your personal will."
"Please have the Principal of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, come out to speak."
Xiao Deng waved his right hand, then put it behind his back.
"No one will come out today."
"I am not some heinous person either; I'll give you time."
"Go back and think carefully today, and tomorrow I will go to the Ministry of Magic to hand things over with you."
...
Professor McGonagall was somewhat anxious.
"Is Xiao Deng trying to seize power?"
"Albus, hurry out and persuade him!"
Dumbledore gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"Xiao Deng is the Lord of Hogwarts. If he doesn't want us to go out, then we cannot go out."
Suddenly, the gates of Hogwarts opened, and only Xiao Deng was left outside.
Professor McGonagall looked at this child she had watched grow up, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Wasn't it just a matter concerning Umbridge?
How did it suddenly drag the Dark Lord into this muddy water?
Most importantly, Xiao Deng killed the Dark Lord with his own hands, and now Xiao Deng is beginning to threaten the Ministry of Magic. She was truly starting to worry about Xiao Deng.
Dumbledore looked at Xiao Deng for a long moment before speaking, his voice dry:
"What do you want to do?"
Xiao Deng smiled slightly.
"Nothing much, I just feel there's no need for me to keep lying low anymore."
"Principal, you have spent your whole life obeying the rules of the Ministry of Magic; you are a person of stature."
"However, this also makes the Ministry of Magic try to lord it over your head for a lifetime."
"Has Professor McGonagall told you about Umbridge's actions?"
"What she did today is likely what the Ministry of Magic will do tomorrow."
"You want to see peace, and you want to bind yourself with rules to keep yourself from acting recklessly—I can understand that."
"However, only when the light on the wand lights up can it deter those petty scoundrels."
"Put down your wand, and everyone knows you won't resist."
"After all, truth is only within the range of the wand."
"Think it over carefully!"
Xiao Deng slowly left the Great Hall, and Dumbledore fell silent for a moment before letting everyone disperse.
He then returned to the Headmasters Office.
Professor McGonagall followed Dumbledore to the office.
"Albus, what on earth is wrong with Xiao Deng? Have you been contaminated by the Dark Arts?"
Dumbledore knew that this was not a matter of Dark Arts items.
First, Xiao Deng did not have such an aura on him, and second, he was able to cast Expecto Patronum.
This was an ideological problem. In his life, he had encountered two such people.
Xiao Deng was the third!
Moreover, Xiao Deng's motivation and starting point were different from the first two.
He only aimed to seize power!
It was very simple, very pure, yet it also left Dumbledore baffled.
"He's fine! It's completely normal!"
Professor McGonagall wanted to say something just now, her eyes gradually widening.
"Could he be like that person?"
Snape had been standing nearby without speaking all this time, and this sentence piqued his interest.
"That person?"
Professor McGonagall couldn't help but reveal a smile.
"These are all things from Albus's youth; we can talk about them when there's time."
Dumbledore raised his head in surprise to look at Professor McGonagall.
At a time like this, you still have the interest to dig up my gossip?
"Tell us about your first love when you have time."
Professor McGonagall's expression froze slightly, carrying a trace of awkwardness.
"Let's talk about serious business! Serious business!"
Dumbledore waved his hand.
"Let's leave it at that for now, and see what Xiao Deng wants to do tomorrow."
"Things haven't reached such a bad point yet."
By this time, Xiao Deng had already returned to the Eighth Floor.
As soon as he entered the door, Dabai's eyebrows furrowed.
"There is a killing intent on your body. Did you kill someone?"
"I killed Lord Voldemort."
"What!"
Dabai stared wide-eyed at Xiao Deng. That was a Devil King who had dominated for many years!
"At the same time, I also took revenge for you!"
Dabai was silent for a moment, then her jade arms tightly wrapped around Xiao Deng's neck.
"After all these years, you still remember!"
"You are my person, I won't forget."
Dabai slowly closed her eyes, her fair legs already wrapping around Xiao Deng's waist.
...
The lingering flushed passion had not yet faded from Dabai's face when she saw Xiao Deng get up and put on his clothes.
"Where are you going?"
"There are still matters that need to be dealt with."
"Aren't you going to wait for Xiaobai to come back?"
"The matter is very important. You know what she's like; she won't come back until it's dark."
"If you do this, when she comes back, she'll blame me again for hogging it all to myself."
"Well, you've never admitted to it even once."
"You're so detestable!"
Xiao Deng grabbed the ankle Dabai kicked over in one hand.
"Wait for me to come back."
Xiao Deng came out of the Eighth Floor and arrived in the Chamber of Secrets, but the scene before him made him cover his eyes.
"Peter Pettigrew, your fucking tastes are really heavy!"
"How could you even bring yourself to kiss Umbridge?"
Even if you scrubbed the wand raw of its skin, it would still feel creepy.
With a wave of Xiao Deng's hand, a black robe covered Umbridge's body.
Looking at her, her consciousness seemed somewhat abnormally scattered.
"Did you use Crucio on her?"
Peter Pettigrew got dressed and trotted over.
"Yes, sir."
"I only used it once, and she was crying and begging me to let her go."
"I told her that if she made me happy, I would consider it."
"I didn't expect her to just come over like that!"
"And what I expected even less was that Umbridge, despite her age, turned out to be a maiden..."
"Fine, fine, fine, I don't want to hear your Umbridge reflections."
Xiao Deng looked at the humble Peter Pettigrew with disgust.
"You said you would let me go, does... does it still count?"
The corners of Xiao Deng's mouth hooked slightly.
"Of course, I said I would let you go, so I will let you go."
Light re-emerged in Peter Pettigrew's eyes.
Xiao Deng didn't say much more, then looked at the Snake King, who wore a resentful expression.
"Master, it's too hard for me. Do you know what I've suffered?"
"This human male tossed and turned for a whole day!"
"He'd rest a bit, then go at it; finish going at it, then rest a bit!"
"What a sin!"
Xiao Deng couldn't help covering his face. It was a scene he didn't dare to imagine, and the Snake King had watched it for a whole day—it had really been hard on it.
Raising his arm, a large snake fell onto the floor of the Chamber of Secrets—it was none other than Nagini.
"I found a companion for you."
The Snake King's eyes lit up, and it flicked its snake tongue.
"Thank you, Master, for the gift!"
With a wave of Xiao Deng's right hand, the two of them vanished on the spot.
When they reappeared, they were already outside Hogwarts.
Peter Pettigrew was extremely happy to see the world outside. Just as he wanted to express his thanks, he saw two people, and the smile on the corners of his mouth froze before it could even fully rise.
"Didn't you say you would let me go?"
Xiao Deng stood with his hands behind his back.
"That's right, I am letting you go right now."
"You can leave now."
Peter Pettigrew hesitated somewhat. He had tasted a flavor he hadn't experienced in all these years, and he truly wanted to leave Hogwarts and go live carefree.
However, the two people in front of him stared at him like tigers eyeing their prey, which made him not dare to take even half a step forward.
Chapter 251 Going to the Ministry of Magic
"Wormtail, it's been all these years, don't you even recognize the two of us anymore?"
Peter Pettigrew now had no choice but to turn around and face the two figures not far in front of him.
"Hi!"
"Long time no see, truly long time no see, I almost didn't recognize you."
"Have you been well?"
Lupin couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing; having seen right through him all these years, did he still think he could muddle through?
Sirius grinned, revealing eight teeth.
"Good, thanks to you, I've been doing just fine in Azkaban!"
As soon as the two made their move, they trapped Peter Pettigrew with Spells.
"Come back to the manor with us, it's time we settle some accounts properly."
Sirius grabbed Wormtail and vanished on the spot.
Lupin walked up to Xiao Deng.
"Thank you very much for everything you have done for us."
"Harry's parents can finally have their revenge."
Xiao Deng smiled.
"It was just a matter of convenience."
Lupin took a piece of paper from his bosom and unfolded it.
"The task you assigned has pretty much been completed."
"The bank has been listed as 'Xiao Deng Bank', and all the Family are very interested."
"The system you proposed is indeed much better than that of the Goblin."
"Since you are the Lord of Hogwarts, you have obtained more land privileges, and the surrounding land has also opened up a lot."
"It is no longer restricted to just one location in Diagon Alley."
"Under such rapid expansion, Gringotts' current situation simply cannot be maintained."
"As soon as your bank opened, their gold-minting teams all accelerated their speed."
"According to my estimate, it should be a drop in the bucket; gold isn't that easy to find."
"In less than three months, Gringotts will face a crisis."
Xiao Deng slowly returned the note to Lupin.
"Do you think that in their panic and haste, they will touch the customers' gold?"
Lupin frowned and asked somewhat uncertainly:
"You mean if they don't have enough Materials to mint Galleon, they'll misappropriate what Wizards have stored?"
Xiao Deng smiled and shook his head.
"I don't know, but we'll know by trying."
"Those not of our Human Race are bound to harbor different intentions."
"Letting them guard wealth was because of the kindness of the Human Race back then, not because they are Goblin."
"This is my token, you go and send someone to retrieve the things."
"Before, whenever I went to Gringotts from time to time, I deposited gold, and there are currently hundreds of tons."
"Right now is the most appropriate time to take it out."
Lupin's pupils constricted, and his palms broke into a slight sweat.
"When was the first time you deposited gold?"
"When opening the account at the start of term."
"You already wanted to replace Gringotts when school started?"
"Pretty much, their service attitude is too poor."
Lupin let out a deep sigh.
"You are simply too terrifying, your foresight is outrageously far-reaching."
"If they really touch your gold, I will widely publicize it, and Gringotts' reputation will instantly collapse."
"If so, they won't even last three months; in a month, they won't be able to hold on."
Xiao Deng slightly raised his head, looking at Hogwarts.
"Then it's time to talk about an acquisition."
"Let them only be responsible for making coins in the future; their privileges don't need to be so high."
"I entrust this matter entirely to you to handle."
After a conversation with Lupin, Xiao Deng also returned to Hogwarts.
Because of what happened, Dumbledore suspended all classes.
After Xiao Deng returned to the Dormitory, everyone looked at him.
Harry couldn't help asking: "Xiao Deng, have my mom and dad's revenge already been avenged?"
Xiao Deng nodded, a trace of excitement arose in Harry's eyes, but it dimmed before long.
"I've always lived amidst talk of being The Chosen One, and now that the profound revenge is taken, I actually don't know what to do anymore?"
Xiao Deng did not speak, simply sitting slowly back on his own bed.
Ron suddenly hugged Harry from behind.
"What's there not to know? You're still young, taking it one day at a time, you'll figure it out later."
"We will all stay by your side."
"Besides, you don't even have a partner, the Potter Family can't have its lineage broken with you, can it?"
"Ron, don't use this kind of thing to provoke me!"
Xiao Deng closed his eyes and spoke:
"The Triwizard Tournament hasn't started yet; when the time comes, there will be even more people, just make sure you don't get dazzled by choices."
"Hogwarts also traditionally has a dance ball, you still have a chance."
"Oh right, notify your Family and the families on good terms with your Family."
"If anyone works in the Ministry of Magic, they don't need to go tomorrow."
"Neville, you contact Malfoy."
"Harry, Seamus, you have a task as well."
"The three of you go to the Chamber of Secrets and drag Umbridge out, then throw her to the Centaur."
...
The next day.
Dressed neatly, Xiao Deng took a single step out and arrived at the entrance of the Ministry of Magic.
With his current strength, he could see through at a glance that defenses and traps had been set up here in advance.
"Since that's the case, there's no need to waste words with you people."
Xiao Deng stepped forward, and all the defenses and traps were completely destroyed. People inside the Ministry of Magic coughed up blood one after another.
"What kind of monster... is he anyway?"
"Seeing through all magic at a glance and rendering it obsolete, while also causing everyone to suffer heavy injuries!"
Xiao Deng slowly walked toward Fudge, and this time Fudge finally knew what fear was.
Yesterday he was still shouting in his office about what ability a little Wizard could have to destroy the Ministry of Magic, and now he saw it.
"Xiao Deng, spare my life, and from now on you will be the Minister of the Ministry of Magic."
Xiao Deng stepped on Fudge's chest with one foot.
"Even if I don't spare you, I can still do it!"
At this moment, his sharp politician's sense of smell was immediately triggered.
Since he hadn't killed him, it meant he still had value, and he needed to proactively bring it up himself.
"Xiao Deng, there are branches of the Ministry of Magic all over the world, and this is the headquarters, which I am most familiar with."
"Keep me, and I can serve you wholeheartedly."
This old fellow wasn't stupid; knowing his own situation, he was far better than Umbridge, not even giving anyone the chance to beat him up.
"If you had said that earlier, it would have been over."
Xiao Deng raised his foot to let him stand up.
"From now on, my words are heavenly laws, understand?"
Fudge's expression looked somewhat ugly, but he still agreed.
"Old man, don't look so unwilling."
"The fact that I could break in without injury proves that you are useless."
"And that was when you had fully prepared."
Xiao Deng flipped his right hand, and a piece of parchment appeared out of thin air.
"Take a look, trust me, following me is the Righteous Path."
Fudge cautiously took that piece of parchment that looked extremely ancient.
Although Fudge's performance in office was mediocre, his vision from long holding a high position was still there.
At the very first sight of the parchment, he froze in place.
That was a land deed, a very high-level magic contract; up until now, he had never seen such a high-level contract.
Ancient magic! It must be ancient magic!
Looking at the content again, he was dumbfounded: this was the land deed of Hogwarts, and the final signature was Xiao Deng Hehuan Sect!
Looking at the scope again, Fudge felt his throat go dry and couldn't say a single word.
This scope included the Ministry of Magic!
In other words, if Xiao Deng wanted to, changing the Minister of the Ministry of Magic right now—let alone changing the interior decoration—would be a piece of cake.
Chapter 252 Transferring to an Alternate Space
No wonder Lord Voldemort didn't even care about him; only that person could compare to him.
"What on earth do you want to do?"
"You will find out soon."
Xiao Deng instantly arrived in the sky, suspended in mid-air.
His middle and ring fingers joined together and slowly reached out, tearing open a spatial rift.
Xiao Deng silently withdrew his hand and looked around; fortunately, no one was there.
He was used to using his middle and ring fingers, so he subconsciously used them like that to poke open this rift.
Then, with a wave of his right hand, this entire part of the Wizarding World began to shake.
Professor McGonagall supported Dumbledore to steady their footing.
"Albus, what on earth is Xiao Deng trying to do?"
Dumbledore patted Professor McGonagall's hand to soothe her.
"I have a rough idea."
"Back then, when Xiao Deng took over the control of the Snake King, he should have had contact with Salazar's Soul."
"Salazar is, after all, one of the founders of Hogwarts, and preserving Hogwarts was probably his final dying wish."
"Back then, Xiao Deng wasn't this strong yet he took over the control of the Snake King within a few minutes; he must have made a deal with Salazar."
"And the content of the deal was to preserve Hogwarts."
"Xiao Deng is using his own method to protect the Wizarding World."
"That rift must be another space."
Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore in shock.
"Has his magic attainment already reached such a high level?"
"That being said, I don't know if anyone could do it before, but at least tracing back to your youth, there wasn't anyone either, right?"
Dumbledore didn't answer, but silence was also an attitude.
Snape finally spoke:
"Won't this cut off the connection with the Muggle World?"
Dumbledore also frowned slightly; what Snape said was indeed a problem.
...
Ministry of Magic.
"Notify everyone down the line, everyone in the Wizarding World will move into that space."
Fudge immediately bowed and agreed.
"Yes, yes, yes, I'll go handle it right away."
When Fudge saw that contract, he could no longer muster a shred of thought to resist.
He might still be able to fight Lord Voldemort, just in case he won?
But now the entire Wizarding World belonged to Xiao Deng; what the hell was there to resist!
Xiao Deng stepped forward and arrived in front of Dumbledore.
"Principal, this time you will need to step forward and lead in the magic schools from other locations."
"If they come in, we welcome them; if they don't, we won't force it."
"But if they suffer persecution from Muggles, we will not rescue them either."
"Every year when school starts, the passage to this world will open naturally, and admissions will not be affected."
"Although the Muggle World is also on the title deed, I think it's better to separate them."
As soon as Dumbledore heard this, he understood Xiao Deng's intention.
One contract, two systems was also a good way to handle it, and with the Wizarding World in a higher-dimensional space, even Dumbledore himself thought it was great.
"Alright, I'll go contact them right now."
"However, will this affect the Triwizard Tournament?"
Xiao Deng shook his head.
"If they cooperate, they can move in within three days, and the layout will be the same as before."
"If it's slow, it'll take about a week, it won't affect anything."
"We won't wait for those who drag their feet, dawdle, or are late."
"Not all good things in this world wait for people."
Dumbledore's figure disappeared, obviously going to handle matters.
Professor McGonagall slowly hugged Xiao Deng.
"Child, I didn't expect you to silently bear so much; it must have been hard on you."
Ah? This? Moving houses? And that's considered hard on someone?
Xiao Deng shook his head.
"These are all things I should do."
A gloomy voice rang out from behind.
"If you're under a lot of pressure, come over and make three hundred Potion batches to relax."
"Severus!"
Professor McGonagall called out to Snape in a dissatisfied voice, while Xiao Deng chuckled instead.
The next moment, Xiao Deng turned his right hand into a claw and pulled Moody over.
"You actually haven't left yet, which surprises me greatly."
"You look quite smart, why haven't you left yet?"
"Could it be that you still want to avenge Lord Voldemort?"
A flash of panic crossed Moody's eyes, but he quickly calmed down.
"What are you talking about, I don't understand. I am a veteran Auror, don't even think about threatening me!"
Xiao Deng gave a cold snort; it seemed this person wanted to pretend to be someone else for the rest of his life like Wormtail.
Xiao Deng gave Moody a shove—the force wasn't big, but it left Moody unable to resist.
The moment he sat down heavily on the ground, he reverted to his original appearance.
"Barty Crouch Jr.!"
The knowledgeable Professor had already shouted out the fake Moody's name.
"Professor, he will be your responsibility to handle; send him to the Ministry of Magic for trial."
...
Mid-next year.
"Ouch!"
"Ouch!"
"Ouch!"
Xiao Deng, Ron, and Malfoy each took a hit to the waist.
"Keep looking, your eyeballs are practically glued to her."
"You acted like this during the opening ceremony of the Triwizard Tournament, and you're still doing it now."
"You must empty your magazine tonight!"
Each of the three men had his own difficulties!
Ginny patted Hermione's back.
"Stop being angry, is today the first day you've known Xiao Deng?"
"Besides, it will be much better once the other schools leave."
Luna returned the book in her hand to Hermione.
"How can you be sure that Xiao Deng didn't accept a love letter from that person named Fleur?"
"Why don't you have Ron go search Xiao Deng's locker?"
"What?"
Xiao Deng widened his eyes and looked at Luna.
"Luna, what are you doing, don't frame me!"
Luna smiled slightly.
"I think you should first consider how to deal with tonight."
Hermione turned to look at Luna, Luna nodded, and Hermione sighed.
"It looks like we'll have one more sister. Are there enough rooms on the Eighth Floor?"
Cho Chang came over to smooth things over.
"However, Cedric is really amazing, he actually won the championship directly!"
Xiao Deng's lips curled up.
"Indeed, too amazing."
"It's very likely he suffered emotional trauma, turned grief and anger into strength, and worked hard to win the championship."
Hearing Xiao Deng's words, Cho Chang blushed and pouted her small lips.
"What are you doing! How long ago was that, and you're still bringing it up!"
"I didn't know he had that kind of thought back then!"
"You say it every time!"
Luna added a knife from behind.
"Mainly because out of all of us, only you have had this kind of experience!"
Hermione gave Xiao Deng a blank look and then walked over to Cho Chang's side.
"Don't mind him, stinky man!"
"In a moment I'll order some pumpkin juice for you, and you're not allowed to drop golden beans this time."
Cho Chang blushed and nodded.
Amidst the noisy crowd, a voice resounded through the entire Great Hall.
"Today we welcome the final champion, and the Triwizard Tournament is gradually coming to a close."
"Today is the final banquet of the Triwizard Tournament."
"Please have fun and eat happily, everyone."
After a speech, the people from the three houses all began their culinary journey.
Ron, just like a few years ago, attacked the chicken legs left and right.
The only difference was that after eating, someone helped him wipe his mouth.
Xiao Deng didn't eat much before silently leaving.
Standing on the rooftop, he looked out at the scenery that looked the same, yet seemed a bit different.
Chapter 253 Grand Finale
Many years later, Hogwarts welcomed another enrollment season, and the passages to the Muggle World opened up, with many people referring toحيان the Muggle World as the Lower Realm.
Xiao Deng, bringing Hermione along, came to the Muggle World once again.
"Xiao Deng, it seems the Avery family takes very good care of your industries; there are shops everywhere."
"Since we've already met your parents, it's only right to come back and look around my home, too."
As soon as the two stepped into the villa, the sound of a spatula dropping to the ground came over.
"Young Master, you're back?"
Xiao Deng pulled Martha into his embrace.
"Where is the child?"
"He went to the company. Should I call him back?"
"No need."
"How long will you be staying after coming back, Young Master?"
"Not long, I'll be leaving shortly."
Martha's expression turned somewhat desolate; she only blamed herself for failing to give birth to a little Wizard, otherwise she could have gone to the Upper Realm as well.
Xiao Deng saw through Martha's thoughts.
"The Upper Realm is not suitable for you people; ordinary humans would find it very difficult to survive there."
Martha knew this, she knew all of this. Every world always had a complete set of rules, and staying right here was the most suitable choice for her.
After Xiao Deng and Hermione came out of the villa, Hermione couldn't help asking:
"Why don't you tell her that after she dies, you will take her up?"
"I'm afraid she'll do something foolish. Surprises are only surprises when they are unexpected."
The most crucial thing Xiao Deng didn't say was that that child being born at all was already an immense stroke of luck.
He had already reached the Mahayana stage and hadn't cultivated much in recent years.
It was just that Martha became pregnant early; if it were changed to now, Martha wouldn't be able to get pregnant at all, as their life levels were far too far apart.
Without magic talent, she should just stay in the Lower Realm; someone had to manage such a massive industry, and at the same time, it wouldn't wrong his life.
The two walked down the alley and were blocked by four people once again.
"Hey, buddy!"
"We're a bit tight on cash lately, lend us some money to spend."
"Hey, buddy!"
"My belt is a bit tight lately, lend us a woman to play with."
Xiao Deng let out a cold snort. With this aura, what a small world!
Back then he let this group off easy, and Professor McGonagall cleared their memories, but now their sons came to rob him instead.
Truly, plagues live for a thousand years!
With a wave of Xiao Deng's sleeve, the four people instantly turned into ashes.
Hermione looked at Xiao Deng in surprise; Xiao Deng hadn't taken action in a very long time.
"Don't look at me like that, they and I have an old grudge."
"When Professor McGonagall came to pick me up back then, it was these four people who tried to rob me."
One cannot simply be blindly kind. This was what Xiao Deng taught, and Hermione kept it deeply in her heart, cuddling closely into Xiao Deng's embrace.
"Let's go back."
In the Headmasters Office, the walls were somewhat lively.
"Oh, Albus, the enrollment time has arrived. I still remember when I used to stop a young Wizard from hurting people in the Muggle World directly."
"Now I can't go to many places anymore."
Dumbledore's portrait chuckled.
"If you want to go further, you can ask Xiao Deng to hang up a few more portraits of you."
"Look at Phineas, he frequently visits the Black ancestral house."
Hearing Dumbledore's unreliable suggestion, Professor McGonagall didn't get angry.
"Albus, you know it, I have no descendants. Why do you think Phineas goes to the ancestral house?"
Suddenly, a clamorous voice appeared.
"Oh, what a rare piece of gossip!"
"Three generations of Principals have no offspring!"
Phineas remained as caustic as ever, and the things he said were unpleasant to hear.
Dumbledore stepped in to smooth things over.
"Oh, Xiao Deng's big underpants, Phineas, you should restrain yourself somewhat toward a lady."
"However, Minerva has a romantic story."
"Goodness, Albus, here you go again. Why don't you mention Severus?"
Snape finally couldn't help speaking up:
"Why do you keep dragging me into this?"
Dumbledore chuckled softly, not looking like a respected old Principal at all.
"Who hasn't been young before!"
Phineas shouted in a loud voice:
"Severus, I've heard some things. You truly are a deeply affectionate person."
"But I want to ask, is it true that you stripped Potter's underpants just to snatch him away?"
Snape's face turned green instantly.
"What kind of new version is this? Won't Xiao Deng put a stop to this?"
"When that brat comes back, I'll definitely make him brew three hundred batches of Potion!"
"Old Bee, aren't you going to clear my name?"
Dumbledore shrugged.
"I like listening to this version too, Phineas, tell us the details."
The ears of the other portraits also quietly perked up.
Professor McGonagall's protective nature flared up again.
"You're asking him to clear his name? In his entire life, he has never even met a girl."
Phineas asked with his eyes gleaming: "Could it be he's only met boys?"
Dumbledore's face had already turned flushed red.
At this moment, Xiao Deng walked in from outside.
"Yo, you guys chatting?"
The various portraits shook their heads in unison, and Dumbledore chuckled.
"What kind of love history? Who can compare to Xiao Deng's prowess?"
"If you can't pull out three girlfriends from a single street, it would be his dereliction of duty."
Xiao Deng's face darkened. A bunch of elders failing to act their age.
Xiao Deng closed the door behind him with a backhand swipe and walked out, while bursts of roaring laughter sounded from behind.
End of Novel.