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Chapter 662: Do You Two Want to Be Faceless?!!
Darren didn't comfort Harry either.
He thought about it, and then made the second point.
"I think the second point is that Voldemort is really smart. When everyone else was ignorant, he already knew how to punish people with magic.
Obviously, the weird things Mrs. Cole mentioned—he did them.
Although they couldn't find evidence, anything done by a person must leave traces. There is no way around that."
"Yes, his desire for revenge is very strong, and he also has a cruel, strange, and domineering nature."
Dumbledore said softly.
"Thirdly, Voldemort likes to collect trophies. I think that is what you wanted to tell us the most.
When I saw you obtain that obsidian ring, I guessed you might want us to pay attention to the Slytherin locket."
Dumbledore clapped his hands.
He said admiringly, "Darren, I knew you would see this.
That is exactly what I wanted to tell you, though I thought it would take you a little longer to realize.
Yes, I need to continue tracking the Slytherin locket, but at the moment that is my task. I thought you—"
Dumbledore paused.
Darren suddenly interrupted him.
He said abruptly, "Headmaster, do you mean that the relics of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff might also be items Voldemort wanted to collect?"
Dumbledore looked at him in surprise.
"You can think that far… Then why didn't you consider the Sword of Gryffindor?"
Darren showed an embarrassed expression.
He said hesitantly, "I heard that Gryffindor's relic is a sword, and that sword is with you. I think Voldemort would not have a chance to steal it, right?"
"Yes, yes, child, you are very clever. You seem even sharper than before."
Dumbledore looked at Darren with some doubt.
Darren knew what he meant.
Dumbledore was wondering why he hadn't been this insightful earlier.
But of course Darren knew how to answer.
He said softly, "Since you told me these things could help my brother survive, I haven't missed a single detail."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
Dumbledore's voice choked.
Finally he said gently, "I know. But I still hope you can relax a little and not push yourself too hard."
Darren nodded.
But both Dumbledore and Harry knew he wouldn't take that to heart. All he wanted was for Harry to live.
He only wanted to do everything he could.
"Alright, children, it is time for you to sleep. I have already delayed you too long tonight."
The next day.
Harry naturally told Ron and Hermione what had happened in Dumbledore's office.
Hermione looked at Darren with a frown.
"You aren't still using a Refreshing Charm on yourself every day, are you?"
After hearing Harry repeat what Darren had said to Dumbledore, she began to suspect that Darren never slept at night.
In her mind she even imagined Darren pulling out his memories again and again, reviewing them over and over, desperately searching for what he had missed.
This made her heart ache.
Darren could only promise her that he absolutely wasn't doing that.
But not a single one of them believed him.
They all felt he was capable of it.
They even thought that, in order to hide it from everyone, he was using spells on himself every day.
The more Darren denied it, the more worried they became.
They only stopped when Darren reluctantly admitted to their "guess" and promised he wouldn't do it again.
Then the topic shifted to Voldemort.
"He was really terrifying even as a child!
But I still don't understand—what is the point of Dumbledore showing you all this?"
Ron said doubtfully.
"There must be a reason. The fact we can't see his intention just proves how brilliant Dumbledore is.
If anyone could easily see through Dumbledore's plan, that would be suspicious in itself!"
Hermione said disdainfully.
They were squeezing juice from the puffer-pod in Herbology class.
Hermione slapped away a pod that tried to sneak attack them.
She looked at Darren worriedly and said, "Darren, no matter what, I just hope you stay safe. I want you to live well!"
…
In Harry's mind.
Recently, besides worrying about Darren, the thing weighing on him most was the approaching Quidditch match.
But Ron's condition, as always, fluctuated with his mood.
Especially since the Slytherins had begun mocking him even more fiercely.
Ron's performance became worse and worse.
He even told Harry privately:
"Every time I hear them singing, it feels like someone is beating drums in my head. Remember what happened last year?
I knew I shouldn't have joined again. I got carried away. That one victory was probably just luck."
Harry had thought it was only a minor issue.
But as time passed, Ron's state kept deteriorating.
The day before the match he even whispered to Harry that after the first game he would quit voluntarily.
Facing everyone's ridicule again and again completely shattered his confidence.
Harry spent half the night trying to persuade him, but it was useless.
He lay in the dormitory with a gloomy face, thinking for a long time.
He absolutely could not lose to Malfoy in Quidditch.
Suddenly, a dangerous idea appeared in his mind.
Early the next morning.
The Gryffindor team members were eating in the Great Hall.
Ron looked lifeless.
Especially when a Slytherin began singing "Weasley Is Our King," his face turned pale.
"I really don't think I can do it…"
Ron whispered.
Darren handed him a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Don't be so nervous. They're just trying to mess with your head. Look, I'm in Slytherin, but I'm still cheering for you."
"But you're basically the same as Gryffindor. And you're younger than me—being encouraged by you makes me feel like a kid is comforting me!"
Ron said dejectedly.
Harry suddenly grabbed the cup in front of Ron. In his hand was a small bottle, and he tipped it over the drink.
"Harry, what did you put in it!"
Hermione asked angrily.
Ron also realized something.
He immediately grabbed the pumpkin juice and drank it in one gulp.
Hermione stared at the two of them in horror.
"You—you'll be expelled…"
"Hermione…"
Darren tugged at her sleeve, looking confused.
"What happened? Why are you suddenly angry?"
Hermione became even more furious.
She leaned sideways and whispered fiercely in Harry and Ron's ears:
"Do you two have no shame at all? If Darren finds out, he'll be heartbroken!"