Chương 148: Chapter 148: On the Eve of the World Cup
Energy supply was a more challenging issue. In this world, there were no magical cores like those in other realms. Augustus had to rely on his laboratory to refine elemental cores, a mentally taxing task. Elements were naturally scattered and disordered, making them difficult to condense. Moreover, the risk of explosion from over-condensation added to the complexity.
As Augustus's private property, the wizard tower had a robust surveillance capability. With the "Eye of the Tower Among the Clouds," it could monitor an area with a 30-kilometer radius around the estate. The principle relied on elemental reflections, making the estate exceptionally secure with the tower as its guardian.
At lunch, Augustus received a letter delivered by a falcon:
Dear Mr. Augustus,
I wonder if you recall our conversation on the train about the Quidditch World Cup. This year's Cup will take place next Monday night. Since your parents are traveling, the Ministry of Magic may not send tickets to the estate. Our family, through our connection with Fudge, has obtained several top-box tickets. Both Lokisor and the Malfoys are likely to attend. If you're interested, let's meet at the match.
Yours sincerely,
Lilian Alexia
Augustus sighed. As expected, Lilian was a bit scatterbrained. The letter mentioned meeting at the match but provided no details about the venue. Even if he figured out the location, he had no ticket. How was he supposed to get in?
Sitting on the front porch of the estate, Augustus pondered. Finding the World Cup's location shouldn't be too difficult, and this could be an excellent opportunity to test the Tower Among the Clouds as a travel vehicle. Lack of a ticket wasn't a problem—surely a wizard wouldn't be barred from entry over something so trivial. Besides, he might even run into Lilian before entering. With this decided, Augustus resolved to set off the next day. A month of staying home had grown tiresome, and some fresh air would do him good.
The following morning, Augustus entered the wizard tower behind the estate. A cool breeze swept across the grass as the Tower Among the Clouds ascended. Rising into the morning sun, Augustus identified the direction and activated the energy system, heading due north at full speed.
The skies were not entirely tranquil; birds occasionally flew past. Many flying creatures showed interest in the massive tower, but few could match its speed once it reached full throttle.
After noting the nearest Portkey location, Augustus continued northward. Flying directly from the estate to the World Cup stadium was too far, so he decided to travel to the Portkey site first and then use it for a quicker journey to the match.
The journey went smoothly. Just as the morning sun began to rise, the Tower Among the Clouds reached the Portkey site. Through the Eye of the Tower, Augustus saw two groups already gathered there, some of whom he recognized. After a moment's hesitation, he brought the tower down for a landing.
"Harry, look at that!" a red-haired boy exclaimed, pointing at a descending dark object in the sky.
The crowd looked up. Against the night sky, a deep purple crystal tower descended, emitting a faint ethereal glow. Like a blade from the heavens, the conical tower landed firmly on the grassy field, kicking up a cloud of dust. As the others stared in stunned silence, Augustus, dressed in black robes, stepped out.
"M-Mr. Augustus? Is that you?" Harry's green eyes widened with astonishment. "What's this tower for? Did you really move an entire tower just to watch the World Cup?"
"It's merely a means of transportation. Nothing special," Augustus replied with a wave of his hand. The deep purple crystal tower rose back into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. "You all arrived fairly early. I should have come sooner."
Arthur Weasley's face remained stiff as he watched the tower ascend. After a moment, he awkwardly greeted Augustus. "Long time no see, Mr. Augustus. Are your parents not with you? Did you come here in that tower? You know, flying objects other than brooms need to be registered with the Ministry of Magic. But that tower… it's not just a flying tool, is it? Does it have other functions?"
Unsure which question to answer, Augustus said nothing. Arthur realized he might have been too forward and scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Oh, let me introduce you," Arthur said, changing the topic. "This is Amos Diggory, from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. His son Cedric—you probably know him?"
Augustus nodded at Cedric, who returned a sunny smile and whispered to his father, "That's the Augustus I told you about."
Amos approached Augustus with a warm smile, extending his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Augustus. My son talks about you all the time. At last year's Dueling Club, you narrowly beat Cedric. He hasn't stopped mentioning you since."
Augustus shook his hand with a smile, while Cedric rubbed his forehead, exasperated. "Narrowly? Dad, stop exaggerating again."
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