There were no classes on Monday afternoon, so Adelaide made an excuse to separate from Senior Cho Chang, who was heading to the Library—she couldn't believe that on the very first day of school, Senior Cho Chang was already trying to drag her to the Library to do homework!
Adelaide escaped and sat down on the ground by the deserted Black Lake; she needed solitude to figure out her next move.
In truth, if she had been completely honest with Albus Dumbledore, obtaining the marauders map might not have become so troublesome—but the anger suppressed within her all night long made it impossible for her to take that step to ask Dumbledore for help.
Was it only because she was 11 years old that she deserved to be treated with such disdain?
As the person directly involved, didn't she deserve at least the most basic right to be informed?
They had received relevant news three months ago, yet they deliberately kept her in the dark, not letting slip even a single word!
The scariest part was that throughout these long three months, Dumbledore had neither placed her under house arrest nor instructed her to be extra careful.
This series of abnormal actions sent a chill through Adelaide—she had been used as bait for three months!
Edward had even taken her to watch the final match of the 421st Quidditch World Cup!
That intense competition lasted for five full days, and the stadium, packed with a massive and mixed crowd, was undoubtedly the most ideal place for an abduction... Thinking more deeply, during these three months, whether she was painstakingly directing that farewell tragedy with Hermione, or wandering alone in the bustling Diagon Alley, might she have already been surrounded by a group of Wizards casting the Disillusionment Charm?
Thinking of this, Adelaide couldn't help but shudder, a chill rapidly spreading up her spine.
Social death, total social death!
She took a deep breath to calm herself down, simultaneously rubbing the ring on her hand fiercely with her fingers—and this too!
She had originally thought that Gellert giving her this Portkey ring was hoping to provide her with a safe place to practice dangerous Curses, or perhaps conduct some secret Potion experiments—she was too naive; how could a normal 11-year-old Young Wizard have the capability to access such things!
The purpose of this ring was clearly to allow her to protect herself when facing a threat to her life; once hidden guards were breached or other accidents led to her kidnapping, she could use the ring to immediately transport herself to Iceland to await rescue.
She knew Gellert and Dumbledore loved her, and they did this to protect her, but she simply couldn't convince herself to passively accept their 'good intentions' like an idiot.
Adelaide knew clearly that if she couldn't quickly stir up some trouble to make Dumbledore take her seriously, her future might very well resemble that of Harry Potter, destined to be merely a pawn manipulated by Dumbledore, moving step-by-step along the path he set—No! She absolutely refused to accept such a fate!
Since Gellert and Dumbledore were holding back from her, it was perhaps excusable for her to be willful and investigate privately, keeping it secret from Dumbledore until she caught the Death Eater mole, right?
Adelaide fiercely tugged at the wisps of hair near her forehead; honestly, she felt very insecure—who could guarantee that at this very moment, there weren't Wizards casting the Disillusionment Charm around her?
Perhaps that person had silently listened to her conversation with the Weasley Twins earlier and passed this information to Dumbledore, making everything she was doing now seem like a joke—No, that wasn't right.
Amandine revealed this information to her, so Dumbledore must know; perhaps he even authorized it himself.
Why was the notification delayed by three months... No, it wasn't about the time, it was the location!
Amandine came to find her on her very first night at Hogwarts; could it be that Dumbledore was also uncertain?
Were the members of the Order of the Phoenix or the Wizengamot unable to stay at Hogwarts for long periods, leading Dumbledore to feel that her safety could not be guaranteed?
Unfortunately, these were all just her guesses... Adelaide shook her head vigorously a few times, trying to fling all these messy, complicated thoughts out of her mind.
Sigh, as people often say, those who are too smart are often prone to suspicion, to the extent that even their sleep quality is severely affected... Before confirming certain key matters using the marauders map, Adelaide guessed it would be hard for her to sleep soundly.
The Order of the Phoenix led by Albus Dumbledore and the Wizengamot controlled by Gellert Grindelwald might both become powerful assets for her in the future—however, as of now, she had no direct connection to these forces.
Adelaide was very clear in her heart: how could the second generation maintaining an enterprise compare to the first generation building one?
She had to build her own force to have a chance to communicate with Dumbledore and Gellert on equal footing.
Amandine was a member of the Wizengamot, and the Weasley family were staunch members of the Order of the Phoenix; although Edward pledged allegiance to her and often displayed an attitude of disagreement with Dumbledore, who was from Gryffindor, he never mentioned anything about Death Eater related matters... This seemed normal; after all, the Borgin Family, being typical opportunistic merchants, had their nature of seeking profit and avoiding harm deeply ingrained in Edward's very bones.
Until she became powerful enough to stand as an equal to giants like Dumbledore, Gellert, and Lord Voldemort, Edward would likely find it hard to entrust his entire fortune and life completely to Adelaide; currently, he clearly leaned towards supporting Dumbledore's decisions... The only person who was truly wholeheartedly friendly with her without reservation was currently Hermione Granger.
Thinking of this, Adelaide irritably messed up her golden hair; this was the retribution for her previous lazy days—her strength and influence were too weak... She now had to seriously consider what method she should adopt to rapidly accumulate power without relying on the prestige of Dumbledore or Grindelwald.
Just then, an image suddenly flashed in Adelaide's mind—those giant vines bursting from the earth, winding and coiling like green dragons!
Who said that forces could only be composed of people? Weren't these vines her hidden trump card!
Adelaide's eyes, which had been somewhat lost, instantly brightened; she stood up and gazed at the Black Lake, her gaze shooting out sharp and determined light.
At this moment, she no longer hesitated in the slightest; she started walking briskly towards the Library. She had to quickly investigate the origins of these vines so she could figure out how to get some seeds to plant within the Enchantment in Iceland.
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