Chapter 725 Gifts and Imperius Curse

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the foyer.

Because of the tense atmosphere during this period, everyone seemed to be suffocating in the castle. There were especially many students going to Hogsmeade this time.

There was a long queue in the foyer. Filch stood at the oak door as usual, checking the list of students who were allowed to go to Hogsmeade one by one, while using the dark magic detector repeatedly around everyone. The earth was measured back and forth.

"What a waste of time, so what if we take the dark magic items out of the school?" Mikel muttered dissatisfied: "I'm afraid you should check what we brought in."

"I don't need you to teach me how to do it." Filch dissatisfied and poked Mikel with the spy device.

Even so, he speeded up the inspection and soon arrived at Kyle.

There was a strong wind outside. To be honest, it was very uncomfortable to walk to Hogsmeade in this weather. Many people started shivering as soon as they left the castle, and their ears and cheeks were red from the cold.

But everyone didn’t want to stay in the castle, so they could only speed up their pace, wanting to get to Hogsmeade as soon as possible, and then go to the warm and comfortable Three Broomsticks and drink a cup of hot butterbeer.

Of course, there are also students who are not in a hurry, such as Kyle and Kangna. They wear warm-up badges with waterproof and moisture-proof charms on their chests, and this bad weather has no impact at all.

The two chatted, walked slowly across the grounds, and followed the path to Hogsmeade.

It must have been notified in advance, and for safety reasons, all the wizards from other places here have disappeared. Looking around, there are only Hogwarts students whether on the streets or in the shops.

"Oh Kyle, look over there." Ryan suddenly pointed to a store not far away, "Zoko is closed."

Kyle turned to look.

Sure enough, the door of Zuko's joke shop closest to the entrance of the village was closed, and there were many students nearby looking through the crack in the door.

"It's really closed, there's no one inside..."

"It's really disappointing. I also want to buy some exploding bees."

"Don't think about it. Even if you buy it, you can't take it back. Don't forget that Filch is still checking at the door."

"Maybe I can find a place to hide first..."

After everyone lingered at the door for a while, they left one after another. Now that it is certain that Zuko has the door closed, there is no need to stay here any longer. It is better to go shopping elsewhere during this time.

…

Fortunately, the beloved Honeydukes candy store is still open.

The small shop was crowded with students. Everyone waved Galleons and swept away the candies on the shelves like locusts. In just a few minutes, half of the full bucket of multi-flavor beans at the door was missing.

"Hey, leave some for me!" Mikel couldn't help it and ran towards the store in large strides.

"Kyle, do you need me to bring you some?" Ryan ran two steps and turned back and asked, "How about multi-flavor beans and chocolate frogs? These are the most popular things."

"No need." Kyle said, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" Ryan glanced at Kyle, "I guess there will be very few opportunities to come to Hogsmeade again in the future. It's best to take this opportunity to buy more..."

"That's true, but there's really no need." Kyle said, "I still have a lot of candies. It's not like you don't know. There's really no need to buy any more."

I don’t know when it started, probably for several years, but Kyle has never been to Honeydukes again.

The main reason is that he receives a lot of candies and chocolates every Christmas and birthday. Even if some of them are used as gifts in return, he can't finish the rest and doesn't need to spend any more money to buy them.

"We always have to change to different flavors, and we are too embarrassed to keep eating your candies." Ryan said, and then he followed Mikel and ran to Honeydukes.

Kyle and Connor didn't stop any longer. Taking advantage of the fact that most people were at Honeydukes, they decided to go to the Three Broomsticks first to get a good spot.

Drinking a hot cup of butterbeer in this weather is an irresistible temptation.

When the two of them braved the strong wind and arrived at the door of the Three Broomsticks, they suddenly found a few familiar people standing there.

That iconic red hair is so conspicuous.

"Fred, George?" Kyle asked tentatively.

When they heard someone calling their names, the twins immediately turned their heads.

"Haha, we were just discussing whether you would come."

"I didn't expect you guys to come right after I said that..." George smiled and waved, "Hey, Kangna, how was seventh grade?"

"Not bad." Kangna said, "What are you doing here, drinking?"

"To be honest, we don't have time for entertainment now." Fred sighed, "There are a lot of things in the ministry. We have tried to resign several times but never found the chance."

"It's okay to resign, but then those things will definitely be pushed to Dad." George said, "He is already busy enough and can't go home until late at night every day."

"Then what are you..."

"Trace a guy who sells fake amulets. There is news that he may come to Hogsmeade." Fred explained: "You should also know that person, Mundungus."

"The one from the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Who else could he be..." George gritted his teeth and said, "Now I finally know why mom didn't welcome him. Although he can always get us what we need, he also causes us a lot of trouble."

"Then have you found him?" Kyle asked, "Do you need any help?"

"No, I guess he has received the message and escaped." Fred pushed open the door of the Three Broomsticks, "Now that we have met, how about a drink? Let's treat him."

"Then I want the most expensive one." Kyle said.

"Don't even think about it, there's only butterbeer." George looked at Connor again, "Of course, you can order whatever you want."

As he said that, he raised his eyebrows at Kyle provocatively.

Kyle didn't tolerate him either. As soon as he entered the bar, he ordered a glass of the most expensive Ogden gold mead for Connor.

The price of a glass of ten galleons made the twins' faces contort with distress.

"You don't want to regret it..." Kyle said deliberately: "But it doesn't matter, I can pay."

"Ha, how is that possible!" George frowned and took out ten gold coins and lined them up neatly on the bar. "Just drink this, I'll treat you."

"Then I'll thank you on behalf of Connor." Kyle said cheerfully, and he handed the cup of golden mead to Connor.

"I'm so lucky. I didn't expect someone to treat me to a drink."

Seeing Kyle's proud look and the Weasley brothers' exaggerated expressions, Connor couldn't help but laugh.

"Stop pretending, you guys are earning two salaries, can't you afford these ten galleons?" After a few people found a seat and sat down, Kyle brought three more glasses of butterbeer. "What's the situation outside now?"

"Not very good." Fred sighed, "I see the Dark Mark almost every day, which makes people panic."

"There's no movement from the Aurors?"

"I have captured a few Death Eaters, but they are all small and of little use." George said, "By the way, do you know Stan Sham Parker?"

"That Knight Bus conductor?" Kyle said.

"That's him," Fred said. "He was also arrested this morning on charges of participating in Death Eater activities."

"Wait, am I mistaken..." Kangna raised her head, "He is just a conductor, how could he be a Death Eater?"

"We don't think it's possible either," George said, "but this is what Stan Sampark himself admitted."

"And it was in a bar, in front of at least a dozen wizards... The Aurors received several reports."

"Also Gula, a goblin, was also found to have been in contact with Death Eaters many times, but Gringotts insisted that it was just a normal transaction process."

"But I don't think so. If it's a transaction, why not do it in Gringotts instead of outside. I guess they are worried that collusion between goblins and Death Eaters will affect Gringotts' reputation."

A few people were chatting and drinking butterbeer. In the process, Kyle noticed that they were looking out the window from time to time, as if they were looking for someone.

There was another one who did this, the brown-haired wizard sitting at the door.

It wasn't until Harry, Hermione and Ron walked into the Three Broomsticks that they stopped turning their heads frequently.

"By the way, are you still responsible for protecting Harry?" Kyle asked softly.

"How do you know?" Fred was stunned for a moment.

"Guess." Kyle shrugged.

"Well, there's nothing to hide." George said, "The Ministry really can't spare any manpower... plus we happen to be coming to Hogsmeade, so we can help."

"Then you dared to come and drink just now."

"It doesn't matter, there are Aurors here, we are just helping."

"The wizard sitting at the door?"

"You know what?" Fred was even more surprised. He even suspected that Kyle was not in Hogwarts these days, but had been in the Ministry of Magic.

"Is it hard to guess?" Kyle said calmly, "Anyway, I have never seen any wizard with a beard come to the bar and only order a fruit soda."

"Well, she's actually Tonks," said Fred. "It's so obvious. No wonder Dad asked us to come over and help."

"Fred, George!"

At this time, Ron, who had just come in, also discovered the two of them.

"Why are you here!"

"We are here to inform you that Hogwarts will be on holiday tomorrow." Fred said, "Mom asked us to pick you up."

"What, Hogwarts is going on holiday?" Ron froze on the spot, "But Professor McGonagall never told us!"

"Seriously." George patted Ron on the shoulder, "Sometimes we really don't want to admit that you are our brother. This is simply a stain on our wisdom."

Ron immediately understood that what Fred and George said about Hogwarts holidays just now was just teasing him.

His face turned red with anger and he glared at the two of them angrily. However, Fred and George didn't care at all about this situation and continued to chat with Kyle as if nothing had happened.

Seeing this, Harry and the others also sat at an empty table next to them.

To be honest, meeting classmates who have graduated in Hogsmeade is quite a wonderful feeling.

About ten minutes later, the door opened again, and this time it was Slughorn who came in. He was wearing a huge plush hat and a matching velvet coat. He looked like a walrus.

Fortunately, the door of the Three Broomsticks was wide enough, otherwise he might not have been able to get in.

"It's so cold, Rosmerta, give me a glass of mead."

"Oh, crap..." When he saw Slughorn, Harry quickly lowered his head and tried to hide himself under the table.

It can only be said that his idea was good, but he was still discovered by Slughorn.

"Harry, kid." Slughorn strode over, looking even happier after noticing Kyle and Connor were here too.

"You have missed several of my small dinner parties. This is not acceptable. You must come and see them. Miss Granger loves these parties." He sat directly at the empty seat at Harry's table.

"How about tomorrow night? You won't have anything to worry about."

"I...I..." Harry faltered and was speechless, and at the same time he was thinking frantically in his mind about what excuses he should use to refuse this invitation.

Harry had been avoiding Slughorn since the last time he was surrounded by seven or eight people doing homework. He would rather deal with a bucket of Philobub caterpillars than that kind of dinner party.

"Sorry, Professor." Kyle said calmly without changing his expression: "There are too many things at the Ministry of Magic."

He pointed at Fred and George, "Look, even if I come to Hogsmeade on the weekend, they can chase me and ask for work reports."

"Are you employees of the Ministry of Magic?" Slughorn asked, looking at the Weasley brothers.

Although they didn't know what Kyle meant, Fred and George reacted immediately and nodded in agreement.

Slughorn's attitude immediately changed and he greeted the two of them friendly, but that was all.

"I'm afraid I can't do it either." Connor said the same way: "Professor Snape locked me up for...a month. During this time, I couldn't go anywhere."

"What?" Slughorn almost jumped up in excitement, "How could Severus do this? Doesn't he know how talented you are in potions?

"A month of confinement, my God, how could he give it up... No, I have to go find him and talk to him."

After saying that, Slughorn didn't even drink the mead he just served, and hurriedly rushed out of the Three Broomsticks.

"What is going on here? Is that the new Potions Professor?" Fred asked curiously, obviously having heard about the teacher transfers at Hogwarts this year.

"That's right, Horace Slughorn, a professor who likes to hold dinner parties." Kyle briefly introduced what he had done and his famous slug club.

This shocked the two of them, and they did not expect that this professor was so... special.

"By the way, doesn't he know about the relationship between Connor and Snape?"

"Obviously not," Kyle said, "but it would be a nice break from those boring dinner parties."

If Connor didn't want to go, she could even be kept in solitary confinement for the entire semester, even if Dumbledore asked, let alone Slughorn.

"Ron..." George turned his head and said meaningfully, "I noticed that he didn't invite you just now. Is it a coincidence? Or an oversight."

Ron's face turned red again.

In fact, Slughorn had never paid any attention to him, and he only talked to Harry every time they met, as if he was an insignificant decoration.

"I envy Ron." Harry said from the side: "His parties are simply a kind of torture."

"Yeah." Hermione nodded beside her, "This is really not a pleasant thing."

Ron's expression improved a little, and he mumbled something under his breath, but no one heard what he said.

Afterwards, everyone chatted for a while, and after drinking butterbeer, Kyle and Connor were ready to go back.

Harry and the others had the same idea.

The weather outside was getting worse, and rather than staying outside, it would be more comfortable in the warm common room.

They got up and walked towards the door.

At this time, two Gryffindor girls on a table not far away also stood up.

"Wait a minute, Kyle."

they shouted from behind as they walked out of the bar.

"What's the matter?" Kyle turned around and asked.

He recognized one of the girls as Katie Bell, a Gryffindor and member of the Quidditch team.

"This is for you." Katie came over and handed over a package.

Kyle was a little confused. He didn't seem to remember any friendship between him and the other party.

But when he set his eyes on the package, he frowned suddenly.

The same goes for Fred and George next to them.

Having worked in a department that hunts down dark magic items and counterfeits for so long, they could see immediately that there was something wrong with the package.

The reaction of black magic here is too obvious, and there is no cover-up. You don't have to think about it to know that there is definitely something fatal inside.

The two were about to say something when Kyle stopped them.

He shook his head slightly, then looked at Katie.

"Who gave this to me."

Katie didn't speak, but nodded slightly stiffly, her movements unnatural.

"The Imperius Curse!" A terrible idea suddenly popped into Fred's mind.

Damn it, someone used the Imperius Curse on a Hogwarts student!

Meanwhile, Kyle, after a moment's hesitation, slowly began to reach for the package.

Fred's heart immediately jumped. He wanted to remind Kyle, but quickly realized that it was not necessary, and immediately ran towards Tonks who was following them not far away.

George stayed there and watched nervously, his hand already in his pocket, ready to pull out his wand at any moment.

However, just when Kyle's fingers were about to touch the package, a gloomy voice suddenly came from behind several people.

"Get out of the way, you disgusting mudblood!"

It was Malfoy, who also seemed to have just come out of the Three Broomsticks and, unusually, without any followers.

Then, to everyone's surprise, he pushed Hermione who was standing in front of him very harshly.

Hermione didn't react for a moment, and her body stumbled into Katie's body.

Katie was hit by her and the bag in her hand fell to the ground.

…