Chapter 120: Damn it, the young master ran away
"Gines, I think I need an explanation." Mr. Ollivanderangrily slammed the table. "Why did Aaron's note say 'too many classes, overwhelmed'?"
"Uh, this…"
"Don't stammer. How exactly did you arrange his holiday?"
"I just arranged some tutoring classes for the Young Master, that's all," Gines explained with a sheepish smile.
"Some?" Mr. Ollivander paused, looking directly at Gines. "How many exactly?"
"Three, or four if you count the sword fighting class."
"Really?" Mr. Ollivander was a little suspicious. If it was only four classes, Aaron wouldn't have written "overwhelmed." He knew the boy's mental fortitude.
"This was the Head of the Family's arrangement," Ginesimmediately added, dispelling Mr. Ollivander's doubts.
As for the Ancestor's arrangements, he selectively ignored them. Tell the truth? That was absolutely impossible.
Mr. Ollivander was getting on in years, and while that age was nothing for a Wizard, he would be furious if he knew Aaron had been scheduled for a full twenty-nine classes during his holiday.
In his rage, he would surely send a message to the Head of the Family's wife, and then he, the butler, would definitely be in for it.
Mr. Ollivander managed to calm down, saying meaningfully, "Aaron is only twelve. You've arranged four tutoring classes for him. The pressure might be a bit much.
Holidays are meant for relaxation. You can't keep his nerves too taut; you can't go too far."
"I apologize, Mr. Ollivander, this was my oversight," Ginessaid sincerely. "I will definitely take care of the Young Master's mood in the future."
"The immediate priority is to find Aaron quickly.
He is a child, after all. It would be terrible if he encountered danger."
"Don't worry about that, Young Master has dedicated protection," Gines said with a relaxed expression, very confident in the two bodyguards accompanying Aaron.
However, the next moment, his expression turned rather grim.
But noticing Mr. Ollivander in front of him, he quickly adjusted his expression.
"Mr. Ollivander, I guarantee the Young Master's safety will not be an issue."
"It better not be.
When Aaron returns, have him come see me. I'll give him a good talking-to.
If I can't discipline him, I'll tell his mother, and she'll discipline him. Learning to run away from home at such a young age!"
"This… I think it's better not to tell the Madam.
Although the Young Master is young, he has his own thoughts.
As elders, what we need to do is guide, not interfere."
Mr. Ollivander fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Perhaps you are right.
I have customers at my shop, so I won't bother you any longer."
"Goodbye!"
Watching Mr. Ollivander walk away, Gines took a deep breath, hung the 'Closed' sign outside, and then shut the shop door.
"Come out!"
Two figures emerged from the shadows of the wall—the two bodyguards responsible for protecting Aaron.
"You've disappointed me, extremely disappointed.
You lost a living person right under your noses.
The Family spends vast resources cultivating you, yet you can't even handle such a small matter. Truly useless."
The two exchanged glances, maintaining a silent understanding.
Past experience told them that saying little or nothing during a scolding made it easier.
"Phew! Explain yourselves!
How did you lose him?"
"The Young Master went to Ollivander's Wand Shop," one of them said, somewhat aggrieved. "Lord Gines, you know that place is practically half of Young Master Aaron's home.
And Mr. Ollivander is the Madam's own uncle. Out of respect, we couldn't just enter there."
"Lord Gines, we can both guarantee that we blocked the main entrance.
We've always done it this way before, but this time, an accident just happened," the other quickly added. "After Mr. Ollivander left in a hurry, we realized something might be wrong, but we searched every corner of the Wand Shop and couldn't find any trace of the Young Master."
"That's no excuse. I only look at results."
"Our sincerest apologies."
"I'm deducting a month's salary from both of you. Any objections?"
"No objections," they said in unison.
"Never mind, discussing this now is pointless," Gines sighed deeply. "You have a chance to redeem yourselves. You know what it is, right?"
"We'll go find the Young Master right away."
"Not entirely foolish."
Just as the two were about to move, Gines stopped them.
"Wait a moment. Do you know how to find him?"
The two looked at each other, once again remaining silent.
What's so hard about finding someone? Just ask around, right?
A handsome twelve-year-old boy, plus a very eye-catching pet—these features would stand out like a firefly in the dark.
Furthermore, the Young Master was only an Advanced Magician, he couldn't Apparate, nor did he know any profound magic. Plus, the Ministry of Magic forbids minors from using magic in the Muggle world, and so on and so forth.
With all these limiting factors, he was just an ordinary child. It was easy to imagine how far he could run.
However, even though their minds were clear as day, the two still chose to listen to their superior's instructions.
Seeing that the two weren't speaking, but without much severity in his eyes, Gines knew what they were thinking and felt utterly speechless.
"Take this seriously, all of you.
You've also watched the Young Master grow up. Would he run away from home if he wasn't confident?
Ordinary methods of finding people are for ordinary people, but is the Young Master an ordinary person?" Ginesdisplayed an unprecedented sternness. "Understand this clearly: this isn't a prank, nor is it an exercise.
This is a premeditated runaway. The Young Master is out of our sight, and none of us can guarantee his safety."
Hearing this, the two's expressions were no longer so calm; they even showed some anxiety.
"Lord Gines, we…"
"Don't worry so much," Gines waved his hand. "The Young Master is much more mature than you think; he'll protect himself.
But, but, this is a very serious provocation for us. You are all elites who have followed me for over ten years; you know what I mean.
Allowing the Young Master to slip away under our noses is already a dereliction of duty, but if we can't find him before Hogwarts starts, it won't just be a dereliction of duty—it will be a complete loss of face!
Gentlemen, the dignity we have guarded for twelve years is facing a severe challenge at this very moment. If we fail, we will never be able to look the Young Master in the eye again."
The two immediately straightened their backs, their expressions incredibly serious.
"Lord Gines, what should we do?"
"Let me think," Gines rubbed his forehead. "First, contact the others for me. Gather all four remaining people."
"Yes." One person took out his Wand and carved the Gaius Family crest in the air.
Red runes floated in the air, and in a short while, four figures suddenly appeared in the small shop.
Among the four, some were wearing casual clothes and holding a golf club, some looked groggy as if they had just woken up, some were refined and wearing glasses, and some were holding an ice cream.
Today wasn't a rotation day; they were all enjoying life, so their demeanor was naturally less formal. But upon receiving the order to work overtime, they arrived immediately.
Seeing everyone assembled, Gines cleared his throat, making everyone look at the note Aaron had left.
"Everyone, I apologize for calling you together on such short notice.
But Young Master Aaron has run away from home, and he's even issued a challenge.
The last time this happened was over three hundred years ago, and that generation of guardians failed. This time, whether we can uphold our dignity depends on your performance."
"Lord Gines, just tell us!
How do we find him?" The only female among the six stepped forward and asked.
"Very good, Anna," Gines gave her an approving look. "The Young Master ran away less than half an hour ago, so we still have a good chance. My idea is to split up.
Number One, you inquire in Diagon Alley. There are many people here, and no matter how well he disguises himself, someone will surely see him. Perhaps he's hiding in a neighbor's shop.
Remember, when inquiring, don't mention his clothes, don't mention his pet, don't mention his appearance. These external factors are easy to disguise. Just ask about a child around twelve years old, alone.
Number Two, you contact the Gaius Family's relatives and friends. There aren't many places he can go, so these need to be focused on.
Number Three, you inquire in the Muggle world. Even if he wants to run, he can't get out of London's territory in such a short time. I authorize you to use Gaius's influence in the Muggle world to extensively search every hotel and station in the city, offering a high reward for information about the Young Master.
Number Four, the most dangerous place is the safest place. You return to Gaius Castle and thoroughly check it again. No place should be overlooked except for the treasury.
Also, have someone take inventory to see if anything is missing. The Young Master would absolutely not run away without any preparations; at the very least, he would need to bring some funds.
Number Five, you go to Knockturn Alley. We cannot rule out the possibility that the Young Master took a risky move or an unconventional path.
Number Six, you… stay and mind the shop."
"What?" Anna looked bewildered. "I mind the shop? Are you kidding?"
"Your task is the most important. If anyone finds a clue, you need to inform us immediately, and it's possible the Young Master might even return."
"Understood." Anna reluctantly accepted the task. "Then, Lord Gines, what will you be doing?"
"Me?" Gines gave a bitter smile. "As per the Young Master's request, I'm going to prepare the things he needs for school.
If we don't find him before Hogwarts starts, this might at least save us a tiny bit of face."
Everyone: …