A day at Hogwarts.

Chapter 604 Don't Take the Wrong Path

Dumbledore pinched his brow hard, his knuckles turning slightly white from the excessive force, as an unprecedented feeling of exhaustion and annoyance surged into his heart.

For the first time in his life, he had the idea of ​​using his dual political influence as the chief wizard of Wizengamo and the president of the International Confederation of Wizards to do everything in his power to suppress Rita Skeeter, who was a troublemaker who made a living by stirring up trouble.

This woman has an alarmingly keen sense of smell and an even more alarmingly wide network of connections. She always targets the most inappropriate and dangerous topics, and now, sure enough, trouble has struck.

After Harry and Penny finished their phone call, they felt it wasn't safe, so they contacted Black and Lupin as well.

Although the two tried their best to downplay it, Harry already had preconceived notions and realized that Snape's relationship with his mother was not ordinary back then, and that they eventually broke up because of one incident.

Harry's raging anger had nowhere to go, so he took it all to the boxing club, causing the kids to scream and wail. The owner had to drive him to a boxing club for a "challenge."

Dumbledore's eyes were filled with worry. The beginning of a normal wizard's descent into depravity and the abyss of darkness often does not stem from powerful dark magic, but rather from an unhealable wound or problem within his heart that has no one to address it.

He absolutely could not, and would never, stand idly by and watch Harry slide into darkness; he had to find a way to intervene immediately.

Friendship is magic.

But Ron was different. The boy was just as fearless and impulsive. If he were to comfort Harry, the two of them would huddle together and whisper, perhaps planning to blow up Snape's poor ruins again, even if there wasn't much left to blow up in the house.

Fortunately, there's Hermione, who is always the calmest, most rational, and most reasonable of the three.

So Hermione once again arrived at the oppressive living room of 3 Privet Drive.

As for Charles, Dumbledore considered him a last resort; if all else failed, he could just have him take Harry to beat up Snape.

However, this time, even Dumbledore miscalculated.

He never expected that things would take such an absurd turn, completely deviating from his expectations.

When Harry handed Hermione a heavy pair of red boxing gloves, inviting her to try them with a hint of challenge, something deep within the girl—long suppressed by heavy schoolwork and Hogwarts rules—was awakened: a primal competitive spirit and a yearning for pure power.

On this day, the streetlights cast a hazy glow as a figure walked across the amusement park, carrying a heavy sports shoulder bag in his hand, his head drooping.

"Boom"!
Dali passed by a swing and punched the frame, causing the swing to sway slightly.

For the first time, I had a sport I loved, and I even won the Southeast Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Championship. These two joys overlapped, and this double joy brought even more joy. I should have been experiencing a dreamlike period of happiness, but why did it turn out like this?

These days, the glory brought by the championship has completely disappeared, and the praise of the past has turned into ridicule.

First, they were beaten up by Charles, and several of them were beaten together, with none of them able to fight back.

Then he had a practice match with Harry and got beaten up again.

Who knew, a female classmate of Harry's would show up...

Now everyone says that this championship was picked up while Charles and Harry were away.

What's even more infuriating is that a Chinese student was staying at one of the families and learned the saying, "When there are no lions, the monkeys are kings." Now everyone secretly calls Dali "Fat Monkey."

Dudley left the amusement park and prepared to walk through a narrow alleyway home, a shortcut between Magnolia Crescent Street and Wisteria Road.

The alley was deserted, with streetlights at both ends, leaving the middle completely dark.

As Dali walked into the alley, he felt a bit cold. Suddenly, he noticed something flying under the electric light at the alley's exit.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be two cod.

"Harry!" Dudley's voice trembled with nervousness. "Are you up to some kind of trick?"

The cod is flying around; it looks like Harry is playing tricks on him. Is he trying to scare himself, or is he going to hit himself with a cod?
The two cod flew over. Dudley remembered his mother saying that Harry wouldn't use such tricks when he was seen, so he turned to leave the alley and head for a more crowded area.

"what!"

I don't know who was so inconsiderate as to throw a banana peel on the ground. It was dark and I couldn't see it clearly. Dali screamed and fell to the ground.

He was about to get up when he suddenly shuddered, gasped, and felt as if his whole body was immersed in icy water. The lights at the alley entrance ahead and the starlight in the sky disappeared, and the sound of cars driving in the distance came to an abrupt halt.

"Harry, what are you doing? Stop it!" Dudley shouted.

He heard no response; the surrounding silence was terrifying.

Suddenly, his hand touched something in his pocket.

He was beaten up a while ago for secretly smoking. He lost his cigarettes, but he still kept his lighter.

Dali immediately took out his lighter, and with a soft click, a little light appeared around him.

In the dim firelight, the two cod slowly flew to the front of him.

The mockery at the boxing club, overhearing others giving him nicknames, Mrs. Figg's daily meals... all these unpleasant things kept replaying in Dudley's mind lately, as if there was no joy left in the world.

"Boy...you're injured...can you...stand up...?"

Suddenly, Dali heard a hoarse voice in front of him.

But he was completely exhausted, the lighter had already fallen to the ground, and the surroundings had turned pitch black again. His mind was filled with painful memories, and he couldn't make any response.

“That was a beautiful right hook, Hermione.”

Harry and Hermione were walking through the amusement park, chatting and laughing.

Today, the owner of the boxing club took them to Southampton to play a match. On the way back, they were supposed to be dropped off at Privet Road, but the two felt it was too conspicuous, so they got off nearby.

Hermione said, as if she had just finished an exam at Hogwarts, "I think I didn't throw that punch well. The twist of my waist and the punch weren't coordinated well, otherwise the power could have been greater."

Harry thought to himself, "That punch to the chin only made him dizzy; if it had been any stronger, it could have knocked him out."

However, he also found a bit of fun in it. Hermione used to guide him in his studies, but now it was his turn to guide Hermione. The sense of accomplishment temporarily overwhelmed his anger towards Snape.

After all, she could settle scores with Snape after school started, and then Hermione would be guiding her again.

Hermione added, "That American was so annoying today, always telling me to go to America and participate in some UFC."

As soon as they finished speaking, the two felt a chill.

Looking ahead, under the streetlight at the alley entrance, the Dementor held a cod in one hand and waved to them with the other.

Harry was startled and immediately pulled his wand from his backpack, throwing a Patronus Charm at the attacker.

The Dementor was heartbroken. How could you do this to me? I was just visiting a friend's house, talking about Voldemort looking for the Dementors, and even brought a gift. On the way, I saw a little kid fall down and wanted to help him up, but it turned out he was a Muggle and I was so scared that I called you guys for help. How could you hit me without even asking me anything?

"I might as well just join Voldemort's side."

The Dementor, sent flying by the silver stag, was thinking.

(End of this chapter)