Upon hearing John's inquiry, Hermione hesitantly revealed, "Harry is studying in the library." She had wanted to express her concerns about John to Harry but feared causing a rift between the two friends. Upon learning Harry's location, John immediately stood up, determined not to let Harry evade him this time. "He's missing Parseltongue, so he should be the one to open the door for me," John thought, showing a hint of frustration.
Upon arriving at the library, John discovered that Harry was nowhere to be found. Exasperated, he muttered to himself, "This guy is like a mouse, always finding new places to hide." Resorting to the Marauder's Map, John quickly realized that Harry had already returned to the Gryffindor dormitory. "Does he really prefer staying in now?" John wondered, pocketing the map and rubbing his forehead in disbelief at Harry's unusual behavior.
As John made his way towards the Slytherin dungeon, he encountered Ernie McMillan, who was eagerly spreading the latest gossip. "The heir of Slytherin has been found—it's the gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid!" John nearly stumbled over a raised stone brick in shock. "Who did you say?" he asked, seeking confirmation.
Ernie, spotting John, replied with excitement, "Rubeus Hagrid! I just saw Ministry of Magic officials taking him away." The news left everyone at Hogwarts bewildered. The gentle, albeit clumsy, Hagrid was the heir of Slytherin?
John hurried outside and managed to catch a glimpse of Hagrid before he was taken away. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, was there in person, accompanied by Lucius Malfoy. Hermione and Ron also rushed to the scene, pleading with Professor Dumbledore, "Professor, there must be some mistake."
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but we need to take Rubeus Hagrid to Azkaban immediately," Fudge responded, his tone somewhat apologetic, as long as his position remained unaffected.
Dumbledore's expression was grave, and Hagrid looked utterly dejected. Hermione, increasingly anxious, asked, "Where are you taking him?"
"Azkaban, I'm afraid. This has happened before," Fudge replied, checking his watch with a hint of impatience.
Lucius Malfoy, smirking with satisfaction, seemed to relish the unfolding events. John, however, reassured Hagrid with a determined look, "Don't worry, I'll find a way to rescue you."
Lucius, eyeing John with disdain, sneered, "Rescue? You seem unaware of the dangers of Azkaban, young wizard. You'll only see him in your memories unless you plan to join him."
John met Lucius's gaze calmly and retorted, "We'll see about that." His response caused Lucius's smugness to falter.
As Lucius departed with the Ministry officials, Ron looked to Dumbledore in disbelief, "Professor, what can we do?"
"For now, Mr. Weasley, we wait," Dumbledore replied, his eyes lingering on John, intrigued by his confidence.
John watched the Ministry officials leave, a sneer playing on his lips. "The Ministry of Magic doesn't belong to any one person," he murmured, hinting at a plan.
The incident caused a stir at Hogwarts, and even Harry, who had been unusually reclusive, felt compelled to act, murmuring to himself, "I should help."
Back in the dormitory, John received some letters from Basil. In a surprising turn of events, Hagrid, initially destined for Azkaban, was instead detained at the Ministry of Magic—a development that infuriated Lucius Malfoy. Lucius had hoped that suspending Dumbledore, with the support of other Hogwarts governors, would resolve the issue. However, he hadn't anticipated interference from Dharma Alex Belby, recently honored as an Order of Merlin, First Class, and Rufus Scrimgeour from the Auror Office, both of whom advocated for Hagrid's detention.
Lucius had grossly underestimated the influence of the "insignificant" young wizard he had mocked. John's letter had sparked a chain reaction, thwarting Lucius's plans.
John reviewed the conditions proposed by Rufus Scrimgeour: "Auror office 20 sets of amulets and a ring of strike." John and Dharma Alex hadn't known each other for long, and it was rare for someone to offer help without expecting anything in return. The Auror Office had shown a keen interest in the equipment John had previously provided. Being an Auror was fraught with danger, never knowing when a dark wizard might target you with a deadly curse. The amulets, particularly the Whomping Willow amulet, proved to be a remarkable solution. Its sensitivity to even the slightest hint of malice made it an invaluable tool for their protection.
"Dharma Alex is being generous, offering his help for free this time," John mused, feeling a mix of gratitude and obligation. He pondered over how to reciprocate the gesture, eventually deciding to share some of his research. He believed that Dharma Alex might find it intriguing, potentially marking a historic breakthrough. After jotting down his notes, John sealed them in an envelope and entrusted Basil with its delivery.
Closing his silver-covered contact list, John let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the Ministry of Magic was still undecided, possibly about Hagrid, which explained their relaxed stance. "We need to find the diary and access the Chamber of Secrets as soon as possible," he thought, concerned about the consequences of further delay.
John had been trying to keep tabs on Harry using the Marauder's Map, but Harry, seemingly in possession of the map himself, managed to evade him every time. Realizing Harry was intentionally avoiding him, though puzzled by the sudden change, John decided to employ a different strategy and turned to Draco Malfoy for assistance.
"Draco, it's time to put your skills to the test," John said, catching Malfoy off guard. Despite not catching every word, Malfoy understood the task involved Harry and was eager to participate, especially if it meant embarrassing Potter.
However, before they could act on their plan, John was approached by Daphne with unsettling news about Pansy's peculiar behavior, suggesting she might be under a curse due to her interactions with an "invisible" person. The mention of a diary immediately alarmed John, connecting it to their search for Tom Riddle's diary. Daphne's revelation that Pansy referred to someone named Tom only solidified his suspicions.
Wasting no time, John led a group, including Malfoy, Daphne, Goyle, and Crabbe, to confront Pansy. In the lounge, they found her giggling at the sight of the giant squid outside the window. The group quickly took control of the situation, with John instructing Daphne to retrieve the diary from their bedroom.
Pansy's reaction to the mention of her diary confirmed John's fears that she was in possession of Voldemort's horcrux. It was a critical oversight on his part, not realizing the dark artifact was hidden right under their noses.
As Daphne hurried to the dormitory to search for the diary, Malfoy confronted Pansy, his feelings of betrayal evident. He had always seen himself as superior, especially to someone like Potter, and the thought of Pansy choosing someone else over him was infuriating.
The urgency of the situation was palpable, with the discovery of the diary not just a matter of resolving Pansy's strange behavior but potentially stopping a greater evil from unfolding within the walls of Hogwarts. "I never expected someone like you." The two families had been close since their childhood, sharing countless moments of camaraderie and friendship. It was a bond they believed unbreakable, yet now, it seemed as if an insurmountable wall had been erected between them by Neptune's actions. Malfoy was seething with anger, his only desire at the moment was to confront Tom and make him pay for his betrayal. The turmoil within him was intense, reflecting the inner conflict of a Death Eater's son who was grappling with the legacy of his father's dark past. It was likely that his father, were he aware of his son's current turmoil, would lament the path of vengeance and anger his son had chosen, fearing it would lead only to further destruction and sorrow.
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Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge