Hogwarts: I graduated before the system came

Douglas lowered his eyes slightly, staring at the book that was clearly written by Xenophilius Lovegood, "The Half-Blood Prince of Slytherin".

According to his original idea, even if Voldemort saw this story, it would be during a chaotic moment when he returned from the abyss and once again swept the British wizarding world, and he would have discovered it inadvertently.

After all, for the Dark Lord who was bent on ruling, this kind of fictional biography was undoubtedly just an insignificant pastime, and it would not even attract too much attention from the Death Eaters, let alone them being foolish enough to present it to the cold-blooded Voldemort.

Voldemort and Wormtail on the run probably don't have the leisure time to read gossip stories now, right?

However, the other party's reaction was indeed intriguing. He could conclude that the rat had definitely revealed his information to Voldemort.

With his ability to be re-elected as the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, he should be taken seriously and feared by Voldemort.

What puzzled him at the moment was why the other party had the confidence to take Harry away from him without conditions like the Triwizard Tournament?

Moreover, even that crucial three-way competition will not officially begin for more than half a year.

Now, neither he nor Charlie, who was studying dragons in Romania, had received any news about the upcoming competition.

From this, it seems that Dumbledore's guess may be correct, and the other party accidentally saw the magazine and had a stress reaction. In this case, then Voldemort's early return to England can be reasonably explained.

"The professor means that even if he didn't find that the Horcrux was destroyed, after seeing this, he would definitely think that someone had discovered the secret of his Horcrux, so his purpose this time was to check the places where the Horcruxes were stored?

But at this moment, is he still in the mood to read this kind of gossip magazine?"

Dumbledore was staring at the magazine in his hand at this moment, as if there were some deeper secrets hidden in it, and his eyes were flashing with complex thoughts.

The silent air was filled with the scent of thought, and time seemed to slow down at this moment, waiting for the moment when he would lift the fog.

Finally, after a long silence, Dumbledore spoke softly, his words filled with the firmness and helplessness of a man who saw through the world:

"I think all our previous speculations and discussions ultimately point to one conclusion—this seemingly ordinary magazine is actually like a carefully woven web. It not only records Tom's past in detail, but even boldly predicts his future."

"From the beginning, I had a vague feeling that this might be the work of an old acquaintance. However, when I asked him directly, he didn't admit it. He also told me that this story was not written by Mr. Lovegood, but he didn't know who it was... I didn't quite believe it..."

"Tom's unusual reaction only proves that the layout has indeed successfully touched his heart. Even if Tom doesn't care about this gossip, I believe the layouter will always find an opportunity to make this magazine fall into his hands accurately."

"Besides, considering Peter's current status as a wanted man by the Ministry of Magic, the fact that he still took the risk of bringing Peter back to England is even more telling.

It is like an invisible big net, quietly and silently pulling all the key figures onto the chessboard one by one, and then he pushes every move in the game.

You and I are now both pieces on this chessboard. It all depends on whether we take the initiative or wait for the other player to make his move."

"However, what puzzles me most is how this friend was able to quietly complete such a complex plan under strict surveillance."

Douglas tried hard to suppress the subtle twitch that was about to appear on his face.

Oh, Merlin's long beard. He originally thought that this was just a trivial episode, and intended to lightly punish the editor who made up stories about him; at the same time, he also wanted to take this opportunity to tease the beloved Professor Snape; of course, he also had the intention of deliberately guiding the Horcrux to be found in advance.

How come this story, originally full of jokes and humor, was given such profound meaning and high philosophical connotations in Dumbledore's mouth, and even led to the complex game theory between chess players and chess pieces?

This sudden turn of events caught him off guard, as if a small stone he had accidentally thrown had caused ripples on the calm surface of a lake.

Fortunately, Dumbledore still doubted his friend with prophetic blood. Otherwise, if he knew that the chess master he mentioned was sitting across from him with a confused look on his face, the consequences would be...

Thinking of this, Douglas couldn't help but sigh deeply, an unprecedented pressure and worry looming in his heart...

But after hearing Dumbledore's words, he suddenly felt that same kind of trepidation and excitement as a chess player. Hmm, it was a pretty good feeling...

At this time, both Dumbledore and Douglas believed that Wormtail could never have returned to Britain alone to carry out a secret mission at Voldemort's instruction.

A Dark Lord as cunning and cautious as Voldemort was almost paranoid in his protection of the Horcruxes, which were the key to his immortality.

He would never easily reveal such core information to a servant as timid and easily manipulated as Wormtail, so this time Voldemort must have followed Wormtail.

Dumbledore saw Douglas's frown. He grabbed two Dobby beans from the plate in front of him, ate one himself, and handed the other to Douglas, saying softly and comfortingly:

"Douglas, you don't need to be overly nervous... Soap... I mean, the courage and wisdom you've shown have long surpassed Tom's back then, and even surpassed me. You uphold justice and conscience, which is a difficult but incomparably correct path."

He continued, his tone firm and powerful:

“You should know that you are not alone on this journey. You have the support of your family and the companionship of your friends. They are like the stars surrounding you, the bright moon.

No matter when, where, or what challenge you face, they will fight alongside you, advancing and retreating together. You possess not only magical power, but also an inseparable emotional bond... Um, what does yours smell like?

In order to hide his true inner thoughts, Douglas took the Every Flavour Beans from Dumbledore.

"Not bad, the taste of hot and sour shredded potatoes!"

Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder and said happily:

"See, you're luckier than me... Mine tastes like soap..."

Douglas blinked, wondering when Bebe's Every Flavour Beans started tasting like Hogwarts kitchen dishes.

Chapter 312 The Quidditch World Cup is about to begin

Douglas asked with a hint of confusion in his voice:

"So, what we need to do now is to protect Mr. Lovegood, or rather, we should focus on monitoring him. Whether it's the person behind the plot or Senior Tom, they are very likely to come into contact with Mr. Lovegood, right?"

Professor Dumbledore did not respond to Douglas's words. After a moment's silence, he said:

"In a few months, the much-anticipated Quidditch World Cup will kick off in the UK..."

Douglas saw that Dumbledore did not continue and wondered if the other party had set a trap.

But when I heard him talking about the Quidditch World Cup, I was shocked. How could he have overlooked such important information?

You really can't blame him for not remembering big things but knowing small things.

Mainly because his last experience watching the Quidditch World Cup was not a pleasant one, so he subconsciously chose to put the matter aside.

The Quidditch World Cup has been held every four years since 1473.

The 1982 competition happened to be a turning point in Douglas' life. He had just received the admission letter from Hogwarts, and without waiting for anyone to pick him up, he took the admission letter and sneaked to Diagon Alley alone to scout the area. With the help of Old Tom from the Leaky Cauldron, he successfully entered Diagon Alley.

At that time, the entire Diagon Alley seemed to be ignited by the fanatical atmosphere of the World Cup. Every corner of the streets and alleys was filled with heated discussions and debates about this event.

The fronts of shops along the street are filled with posters from the shop owners supporting the teams. The colorful posters are like a series of vibrant paintings, showing the unique charm and strength of each team.

In front of one of the small shops, there was a little wizard of the same age as Douglas. His parents went to watch the World Cup, leaving him alone to take care of the shopping.

The young wizard obviously had an almost obsessive passion for Quidditch. After making eye contact with Douglas, he couldn't wait to pull him over and talked incessantly for more than two hours about various team tactics, star players and legendary moments on the field in the Quidditch World Cup.

If Douglas hadn't wanted to find out more about the wizarding world at the time, he would have probably run away long ago because he couldn't bear it.

When the event was held in 1986, he was too young. Although he had some savings, he did not dare to go to the place where wizards gathered alone, not to mention that the event was held abroad.

However, after school started, Charlie made up for this regret in another way. Whenever he got together, he would start talking about the Quidditch World Cup non-stop, and his ears were almost callused.

It was not until 1990, when Douglas was immersed in the magnificent picture of traveling around the world and inspiring his footsteps to every corner of the world, that he heard by chance from an enthusiastic traveler that the 421st World Cup would be held in the United States.

Douglas immediately obtained three tickets through his editor, Slane, and invited Bill and Charlie to witness this sporting extravaganza in the United States, while also taking the opportunity to give Charlie, a recent graduate, a special celebratory gift.

At that moment full of anticipation and excitement, fate seemed to have arranged an unexpected adventure for Douglas.

On his way to the competition venue, a rare thunderstorm suddenly occurred. A thunderbird flew across the sky, attracting a bolt of lightning that broke through the air and hit an ancient elder tree nearby, instantly turning into an extremely precious lightning-struck elderberry staff.

This sudden gain seemed to foreshadow that his days ahead would be filled with extraordinary experiences.

However, it seemed that while the goddess of fate bestowed upon him this precious gift, she also quietly stole away his good luck.

On the second day of the competition, they were full of excitement and their blood was boiling in the stadium, especially the young and energetic Charlie, whose emotions were as high as fire.

Under his instigation, Douglas could not resist the temptation of impulse and first placed his bet on the traditional powerhouse England team. Unfortunately, the England team failed to advance as expected, which made him taste the bitterness of failure for the first time in the gamble.

But in this passionate Quidditch arena, winning or losing is only temporary. The fanatical British have focused their attention on the Scottish team. Doug, unwilling to give up, places his bet on this traditional strong team after listening to Charlie's advice, expecting a rich return.

However, the course of the event was beyond everyone's expectations. A fierce duel unfolded in the drizzle, and the final lasted two long and tense days... With an indomitable mental strength and good luck, the Canadian team surprisingly defeated the highly anticipated Scottish team with a score of 270 to 240.

At that time, Scotland's Seeker Hector Lamont was just a few millimeters away from catching the Golden Snitch... If Bill hadn't stopped him, Charlie and Douglas would have put him in the sack...

The World Cup is almost here again. Douglas decided to control his hands this time and not gamble again no matter what...

Dumbledore looked at Douglas, who had been silent, and slowly asked:

"What do you think of it, Douglas?"

Douglas couldn't help but blurt out a name that had nothing to do with the current topic - "Lamont from the Scotland team", but when the words came to his mouth, he realized that this was not the focus of their discussion at the moment, so he quickly changed the subject, "It's not important, professor." He added with an embarrassed smile.

He cleared his throat and tried to raise his concerns in a more serious tone. "I'm saying, considering this tournament is being held in the UK, and it coincides with Voldemort's return, will he use this globally-watched event to plot some ulterior motive?"

Douglas blurted out, "Lamont from the Scottish team... That's not important, Professor. This time we're fighting on home soil. Do you have any inside information... ahem, I mean, since the competition is being held in the UK, will Voldemort cause trouble there?"

In the original timeline, Douglas recalled that during this highly anticipated Quidditch World Cup, a sudden Death Eater riot broke the original harmony and passion.

Not only did the chaos severely damage the peace of the wizarding world, but what was even more shocking was that it was said that among the troublemakers was the son of a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Magic who had not been completely liquidated.

Later, this man somehow contacted Voldemort, disguised himself as Alastor Moody, sneaked into Hogwarts, and planned to obtain the important material for Voldemort's resurrection - the enemy's blood.

Realizing the importance of this clue, Douglas felt it necessary to check the list of Death Eaters from that year and unravel the mystery to find out which high-ranking official's son was this.

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Douglas suspiciously, and a hint of vigilance was revealed in his words:

"Douglas, I vaguely remember that after the last World Cup, Mr. Lamont was violently attacked by several groups of mysterious masked wizards. They pursued him relentlessly and eventually severely injured Lamont, sending him to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. At that time, the Aurors organized forces many times to try to arrest these suspects, but they were unsuccessful. Could you be involved as well?"

Douglas's face was filled with surprise and displeasure. He widened his eyes and responded with dissatisfaction:

"Oh, my dear old professor, how could I possibly be that kind of person..."

His voice echoed in the air, carrying a hint of hurt pride and helplessness at being misunderstood.

Dumbledore had a faint smile on his face, and then he looked at him silently with a knowing look...

Douglas muttered dissatisfiedly: "I told you not to play with Professor Snape..."

At this moment, the ancient portrait on the wall - Phineas Black, the always nagging and sarcastic Black ancestor, seemed to be touched by this subtle atmosphere and murmured:

"Oh, that's clearly you, young man. I remember you rummaging around the Black family mansion the other day with such reckless abandon."

Although his voice was weak, it was clearly heard by everyone, breaking the originally subtle silence.

During this tense scene, Fox, the phoenix with magical powers, who had been immersed in his dream, was also disturbed.

It slightly raised its gorgeous head and glanced at Douglas with an intelligent and slightly scrutinizing eye. Then, it gracefully lowered its head and continued to immerse itself in its dream, leaving the room in silence...

Chapter 313 Godric's Hollow Memorial Ceremony (I)

At dawn in Godric's Hollow, the Muggles woke up from their warm beds with their hearts full of confusion and curiosity.

They rubbed their sleepy eyes and caught a glimpse of people in strange costumes walking around the village. The clothes were complicated and gorgeous, as if they were characters from ancient legends or exotic fairy tales.

These uninvited guests gathered towards the square in the center of the village, their steps steady and mysterious.

The last time such a large-scale, strangely dressed crowd appeared in this peaceful valley was a distant memory dating back more than a decade. The grand spectacle back then was like a dream, and now it was reappearing, it couldn't help but stir ripples in the villagers' hearts.

However, they did not notice a subtle phenomenon: whenever some residents of the village tried to step into the bustling square and wanted to find out what kind of activities were about to be held there, they would inexplicably suddenly remember some urgent matters halfway - perhaps the stew on the stove needed to be turned over, or perhaps the lambs in the sheepfold were waiting to be fed. In short, all kinds of trivial reasons forced them to turn back in a hurry and failed to get close to the mysterious square.

At this time, in a remote corner of the square, Douglas's editor, Ryans, was surrounded by a group of people.

In a slightly secluded corner of the square, Slane, Douglas's editor, was surrounded by a group of anxious book fans, their faces showing a mixture of expectation, confusion and a little disappointment.

Slaine was dressed in a dark suit, and despite the somewhat awkward situation, he maintained his usual professional demeanor.

"Oh, my dear readers, I understand how you feel."

Faced with the barrage of questions from the crowd, Ryans responded with a helpless smile.

"As to your letters, I assure you that I have received and carefully read every one of them. However, Professor Holmes has not yet given any new response."

Someone in the crowd couldn't wait to ask:

"But why did Professor Holmes's novels suddenly stop updating? Every week I put letters in the mailbox with great anticipation. Have you ever forwarded these letters filled with my eager anticipation to the professor?"

Another fan added worriedly: "Also, I haven't seen you in Diagon Alley recently. Does this mean that Professor Holmes has really decided to stop updating? And are you planning to run away too?"

Slaine smiled bitterly again, a hint of understanding and sympathy in his bright eyes.

"Everyone, I came here today to actually look for Douglas himself."

He shook his head slightly and continued,

"In fact, I haven't seen him for a while. What makes me most angry is that he chose to write various articles for the Daily Prophet instead of continuing to bring us fascinating novels. I condemn him as strongly as you do..."

Some people were surprised to find that they clearly remembered that the Potter family's house was in this village, but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't find it.

(The protection of the Fidelius Charm does not completely hide the information of a place or person, but prevents anyone who does not keep the secret from entering or seeing the person even if they stand at the door. PS: There is a similar description in the second paragraph of Chapter 11 of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".)

The small valley path at the entrance of the village.

Tonks looked towards the direction where the sun was rising, the wand clenched in her hand and her hair changing color from time to time showed that she was not at peace at the moment.

Soon a bus slowly came into her sight. She made a covert gesture behind her, then waited for the bus to stop with a smile on her face.

Yesterday, they visited a botanical research institute accompanied by Professor Sprout and Professor Holmes.