章 140: 0140 Dilemma
Leaving the Dursleys and staying at the Leaky Cauldron was much more pleasant than he had imagined. For the first time in years, he had a carefree summer vacation. He could sleep until the sun was already spitting out scorching heat, lazily go downstairs for breakfast, and watch the other guests passing by the bar while chewing on toast. He enjoyed the freedom and comfort of the wizarding world, away from the nagging and abuse of his relatives.
But because of Sirius Black's escape, the business of the Leaky Cauldron had plummeted, and the wizards who stayed there became more and more weird. Most of them liked to hide their faces under large black cloaks or layers of bandages. They looked like they were afraid of being recognized or attacked by someone.
These people would hide in the corners or behind the wooden pillars that supported the bar, order a drink, and stare at the pedestrians all day long. They rarely spoke to anyone, except for whispering some rumors or gossips.
Harry had asked Professor Watson what these strange wizards were doing.
"Competitors, Potter, these are all my competitors."
Professor Watson glared at those wizards with a 'fierce' and 'gritting' tone, giving him an answer that he couldn't figure out. Harry wondered what kind of competition they were in, and why Professor Watson seemed so angry about it.
For the first few days, Harry was preparing for the next school year. He withdrew his living expenses from Gringotts, replenished his potion materials, bought new robes, and purchased textbooks for the next year. Harry figured out why Hagrid had sent him a book that looked very unsettling and said it would come in handy. It was a textbook for Care of Magical Creatures, a new elective course that Harry had chosen along with Ron and Hermione.
With Professor Watson's guidance, Harry easily figured out what to write for his summer homework for the two courses that bothered him the most - History of Magic and Potions. He helped him find some interesting facts and anecdotes from the history books, and gave him some tips and tricks for brewing potions.
A week later, Harry was ready to enjoy the wonderful summer vacation after finishing all the preparations for school, but Professor Watson's behavior became strange.
Every morning after getting up, he took Harry around Diagon Alley, not on the busy commercial street, but specifically picking those secluded alleys where few people passed by. He let Harry wander around in those alleys by himself, while he hung far behind.
He pretended to be casual, but Harry could feel his eyes watching him closely. This was really puzzling. Harry didn't want to waste his good time on exploring dark and remote alleys. He wanted to go to those lively shops, especially the Quidditch boutique, where Harry saw what he wanted most in his life.
"The fastest flying broom in the world, the Irish International Club just placed an order for seven of these fine products!" The shopkeeper shouted enthusiastically. "They are the darlings for next year's World Cup!"
He was talking about Firebolt, a sleek and shiny broom that looked like it could fly faster than lightning. Harry's eyes widened as he saw the broom on display. He felt a surge of longing and excitement in his chest. He wanted to touch it, to feel it, to fly with it.
"Stop looking, Potter!"
Bryan pulled Harry out of the crowd from the front. Seeing his desire in his eyes, Bryan said with a lack of interest and glanced at the displayed 'broom',
"We have serious things to do!"
Harry looked at Firebolt reluctantly until he walked away. Then he 'mournfully' and 'tearfully' looked at Professor Watson,
"Do you expect Sirius Black to attack me?"
"Oh!" Bryan showed a surprised expression. "You are smarter than I thought, Potter. I thought you couldn't guess it!"
Harry:"-_-"
"Don't be so downcast, Harry?" Bryan affectionately hugged Harry's shoulder and said, "We are engaged in a more noble cause. Think about it. If we catch Black soon, we can prevent more innocent people from being hurt by Black!"
Harry: "-.-"
"Okay!"
Looking at Harry who was a bit emotional, Bryan frowned and said with a pain in his heart,
"Firebolt, right? Okay, no problem! As long as you can lure Black over and let me save the wizarding world from Black's terror, I will pay for it myself and buy you one!"
Harry's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to tell Professor Watson that he didn't need to do that because he already had a very good flying broom. He had Nimbus 2000, which was still in good condition. But his body was obviously more honest. After hearing Professor Watson's promise, his legs didn't listen to him at all. He darted into the gloomy alley with a whoosh.
But obviously, Black was not stupid enough to be surprising. Bryan and Harry's attempt lasted for a week, but they got nothing.
Harry didn't care about it, but as the start of school approached, Bryan became more and more worried.
Once Potter returned to Hogwarts, back under Dumbledore's protection, it would not be so easy to make this big money unless he followed him back to that school and watched Potter all day long.
Bryan felt a surge of desperation as he realized this was his last opportunity to capture Black and collect the bounty. He had wasted the entire summer on this scheme, but he had nothing to show for it. He was filled with frustration and anger. In the dark inn, Bryan turned his head and looked at Potter who was making a slight snoring sound. He was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the danger that lurked around him.
Bryan pondered his next move in silence. To be honest, if Bryan wanted to go back, it was actually a very simple thing. He could always apply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position again. He had lost the voodoo doll, but he could acquire some centaurs or vampires from the black market and use some advanced dark magic to transfer the curse.
Or, he could take over the Care of Magical Creatures post, since Professor Kettleburn had retired. He was no expert in that field, but he could fool the young wizards by following the textbook. He had done some research on magical creatures, and he knew how to deal with them.
Or, he could simply ask Kakus to negotiate with the board of governors again, and let him return to Hogwarts as a security consultant for the castle.
Hmph, security consultant - Bryan Watson?
Bryan smirked in the dark. That name did not sound as impressive as investigator. It sounded low-end, like the castle caretaker Filch. He imagined himself wearing a uniform and a badge, patrolling the corridors and grounds, checking the doors and windows, and reporting to Dumbledore every day. He felt both amused and disgusted.
Of course, these were just Bryan's idle jokes. On that night a few months ago, after he had confronted Dumbledore by the Black Lake, Bryan had seen through Dumbledore's true intentions for him. If he wanted to go back to Hogwarts, he only needed to write a letter. Dumbledore would welcome him back with open arms.
But every time he thought of Dumbledore standing behind his desk, those blue eyes sparkling in the firelight, looking at him who had 'returned to the light', opening his arms and showing a 'kind and gentle' smile, and saying something like 'Welcome back to Hogwarts', Bryan felt a sickening urge to vomit.
"Even if I go back!"
Bryan turned over and gazed at the bright round moon outside the window. He muttered fiercely,
"It would have to be Dumbledore himself who came to me, admitted his faults, apologized sincerely, invited me eagerly, and promised to pay me at the headmaster's level. Then I would consider it!"
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Author's Note: Sorry! for the mistake, According to Harry Potter Wikipedia, The Bounty on sirius black is Fifty Thousand galleons, I have edited the mistake in previous chapter and upcoming chapters too.
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章 141: 0141 Future Plans
"Potter, Potter–" The dawn was breaking, the light was gentle, and the morning breeze came through the old window bars. The fresh air was mixed with a mysterious aura that belonged to magic. In a soft call, Harry opened his sleepy eyes.
He felt a wave of fatigue wash over him as he tried to get out of bed, he felt like he had gone through Wood's pre-match training. His muscles and bones. He struggled to get up, and looked at the window with a blank expression, but he couldn't see anything clearly. His glasses were nowhere to be found, and everything was blurry and fuzzy.
Coo, coo– The mocking sound of Hedwig, who was perched in the cage hanging on the window, made Harry's stiff brain more alert. He groped around the pillow with his hands, mumbling,
"My glasses–" Then he found that someone was holding something in front of his nose.
"Uh, thank you–"
Harry nodded his thanks and put on his glasses. When his vision became clear, he was surprised to find that Professor Watson had already dressed up and looked like he was going out. He wore a long black cloak that covered his slender figure, and a dark hat that hid his sharp features. He had a leather bag slung over his shoulder, and a wand in his hand.
"Wait, Professor Watson, I'll get up right away."
The socks were thrown on the ground beside the bed, and the clothes were thrown at the end of the bed. Harry opened the quilt and was about to crawl to the end of the bed to get the clothes. According to his daily habits these days, he would wait until he put on the clothes. After going downstairs to have breakfast, Professor Watson would take him for a 'walk' through the maze-like complicated alleys on both sides of Diagon Alley. Harry enjoyed these walks, as they gave him a chance to explore the magical world and learn new things from Professor Watson.
"Hold on, Potter–"
Just as Harry was about to get up, Professor Watson pressed his shoulder and stopped him from moving. Harry blinked and looked up, but he was shocked to find that Professor Watson's expression was different from what he had seen in the past few days.
He couldn't tell exactly what was different, but he vaguely felt that it was much 'colder' than before. It was a bit like the expression that Professor Watson had when he encountered some overly active young wizards in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class last semester. His eyes were piercing and stern, and his mouth was set in a thin line.
"You can stay in your room and rest for a while, Potter. I need to go out and do something by myself. I'm telling you in advance, so you won't be looking for me everywhere when you wake up."
Professor Watson explained with a slight smile in response to Potter's puzzled gaze.
'Do something' Such a vague statement made Harry alert immediately. A few thoughts flashed through his mind, and he jumped out of bed with a bang.
"You found him, didn't you?"
Harry's voice was suppressed with excitement and agitation.
"You found Sirius Black, so you're going to deal with him now?!"
'What are you talking about?' Bryan found harry's thoughts very amusing.
"We've been together these days, Potter. If I really found Black, you would definitely know."
"Oh, that's true–"
Harry touched his spiky hair that couldn't be smoothed down no matter what and muttered.
"Well, that's the situation, Potter. I'll be back in about two or three hours. During this time, you can wander around and kill some time, but don't leave the Leaky Cauldron."
After giving him a serious warning, Bryan left the room directly and disappeared from Harry's sight.
Under the disturbance of the breeze, a strand of hair swayed in front of Harry's eyes, making him feel annoyed.
The street below the window outside was very quiet. There was not much noise of people coming and going. Harry squinted his eyes and looked at the clock. He found that it was only a little past six o'clock. It was too early to go downstairs for breakfast. He took off his glasses and fell back on the bed with a clang. He pulled up the quilt and put his arm over his eyes to block the light that was already dazzling.
Tick-tock–
The second hand jumped over the top '12'. The time was 6:10.
'What exactly did Professor Watson go to do?'
Once his consciousness became clear, it was hard to fall asleep again. Harry closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, but this question popped up in his mind uncontrollably.
Speaking of which, what does Professor Watson do? This was another question without an answer. Last semester, Professor Watson told them in the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class that he was a 'freelancer', who made a living by running errands for people, looking for potion ingredients, delivering goods and so on. At that time, no one believed him.
They all thought he was hiding something more exciting and dangerous behind his casual words. And later on, as the course continued and the young wizards had a clearer understanding of Professor Watson's magical skills, especially when Harry saw Professor Watson casually deal with the Basilisk in the Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, he was even more sure that it was just a way to fool them.
He had never seen anyone perform such powerful and precise magic before. His roommate at Hogwarts, Dean Thomas, once guessed that Professor Watson might be a bounty hunter who was hired by the Ministry of Magic all year round to hunt down dark wizards and fight against criminals.
He said that Professor Watson had a mysterious and cool aura that suited the job. He also pointed out that Professor Watson always wore black clothes and carried a leather bag that could contain various weapons and tools.
This statement was somewhat credible, especially since Professor Watson had accepted the Minister of Magic's commission to look after him and was so eager to catch Sirius Black, who had escaped from Azkaban prison.
Then, Professor Watson's mysterious departure at this time was due to a new order from the Ministry of Magic?
'This was the most likely possibility', Harry thought.
Speaking of which, he had never thought about what kind of job he would do after graduating from Hogwarts.
At school, most of the young wizards around him were living their lives in a daze. They were busy with homework, exams, Quidditch matches, and other activities. They rarely talked about their future plans or ambitions.
Ron had never mentioned what he wanted to do in the future. Harry knew Ron and thought that Ron's only requirement for his future work might be to have a generous salary.
Although this ideal was not noble, Harry thought that it was not Ron's fault.He understood Ron's desire for money and comfort.
The Weasleys were indeed the best family Harry had ever seen, but because they had too many children, their financial situation was really bad. Ron often complained about his second-hand clothes, books, and broomsticks. He also envied Harry for his inheritance from his parents.
And besides, Ron had five outstanding brothers above his head and a little sister who was pampered by the whole family below. He didn't enjoy a wealthy life and had to face so many siblings who took away his parent's love.
As for his other good friend Hermione, to be honest, among all the young wizards who were studying at Hogwarts, Harry couldn't find anyone who could surpass Hermione in terms of studying hard. She was always at the top of every class, and she knew almost everything there was to know about magic. But she had never mentioned what she wanted to do in the future either. Harry thought that Hermione might be able to stay at Hogwarts after graduation and work as a teacher or something. After all, she was very similar to Professor McGonagall in many ways.
Of course, not everyone was so unclear about their future. Harry knew that Ron's brother Percy had a clear goal of working in the Ministry of Magic, and Fred and George were obsessed with researching magical joke products and definitely wanted to continue this 'noble' career in the future.
As for himself…
Harry moved his arm away and opened his eyes wide. He looked at the slightly yellowish wall and thought quietly.
Work in the Ministry of Magic?
Harry didn't mind becoming a Ministry official like Mr. Weasley, but the only problem was that the Ministry's requirements for selecting staff were very strict, and his grades were a big problem. He was good at Defense Against the Dark Arts, but he struggled with other subjects like History of Magic, Potions, and Divination. He doubted that he could pass the required exams and interviews.
Like Wood, aspire to be a Quidditch star?
Quidditch was Harry's favorite sport. If he could become a star player, that would be a good choice too. He loved flying on his broomstick and catching the golden snitch. He felt free and happy when he was in the air. He also admired Wood, who was the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and had a passion for the game.
Or… like Professor Watson, be a free and easy bounty hunter?
Unconsciously, Harry grinned. Fighting against evil was a very cool thing. This choice was not bad either, although he could probably never become as powerful as Professor Watson.
Tick-tock–
The second hand jumped over '12' again. The time was 6:11.
Splash!
Harry jumped out of bed and got dressed in ten seconds. He didn't have time to put on his socks. He felt the cold floor on his bare feet as he ran to the door. He grabbed his glasses and his wand, and slammed the door behind him.
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