Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

Chapter 607 The Next Level of Intellectual Struggle in the Wizarding World: Edward's Fake Death

At the end of July, Harry spent his seventeenth birthday in a very uneventful way.

He realized that the protection he had received had failed—meaning he had no reason to run from Voldemort anymore, and the day he would have to face Voldemort was surely coming soon.

Even if the Order of the Phoenix were worried about him and felt that "Harry wasn't ready," he still had to leave the gates of Grimmauld Place and settle things with Voldemort.

Coincidentally, the problem of "how to destroy Horcruxes" that had been giving Harry a headache was solved yesterday.

Sophia said that Cohen made her use her fangs to bite and destroy a Horcrux, meaning that the basilisk's venom could destroy this dark magic item.

Even more fortunately, although Sophia is now in human form, her original basilisk body was also brought out and is in the horned camel skin bag that Cohen left for Sophia.

The Horcruxes could be destroyed at any moment; now the only thing to do is defeat Voldemort…

"Harry?" Ron peeked in from Harry's half-open door. "Mom's made dinner—everyone's waiting to celebrate your birthday!"

I can't believe they actually celebrate their own birthdays—it's like the end of the world is just around the corner, and they still have to worry about trivial things...

Harry thought with a hint of despair.

How am I supposed to deal with Voldemort? Why does everyone think they can defeat Voldemort—even though Cohen is much stronger and more suited for this...?

Cohen just left; he betrayed us—like many previous "betrayals."

Harry just hoped that Cohen would come out with a grin this time and say that it was all a plan they had been keeping secret.

But when he answered Ron, Harry was surprised to find his tone remarkably calm:

"it is good."

Harry shook his head, trying not to think about Cohen.

After following Ron downstairs, the living room was already filled with a sumptuous meal, and the previously empty ceiling was now covered with round purple lanterns, each lantern displaying the striking number "17".

A banner that read "Happy 17th Birthday Harry" was hung on the wall behind them, in Sirius Black's handwriting.

Many people were gathered around the table, chatting and laughing. They were members of the Order of the Phoenix, the Weasley children, Hermione and Hagrid.

Tonks was asking Ginny, Hermione, and Sophia if her hair matched the atmosphere of the birthday party, and was always ready to change her hair color.

Lupin sat next to Tonks, looking less than happy, a stark contrast to Tonks beside him.

Harry knew why—last month, Tonks bluntly told Lupin that she liked him, but Lupin felt he was too old and dangerous and rejected her several times, but in the end he couldn't resist Tonks's relentless pursuit.

Hagrid wore his best furry brown suit, looking very serious about attending Harry's seventeenth birthday party.

The Weasley brothers built a magnificent card tower on one corner of the table, intending for Harry to "ignite" the top card.

Happy birthday, darling.

Mrs. Weasley said with a smile as she passed by Harry.

She used magic to levitate a giant golden snitch, which cautiously emerged from the kitchen—Harry soon realized it was actually a cake.

The Golden Snitch cake was placed securely in the middle of the long table in the living room, looking very impressive.

“Charlie will be here soon—he came all the way from Romania, saying he definitely can’t miss your birthday.” Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry after placing the cake down.

“They didn’t come back for my birthday!” Ron exclaimed, his eyes wide. “That’s because you celebrated your birthday at school,” Mrs. Weasley explained. “Hogwarts is very strict about the entry of outsiders, especially those returning from abroad…”

“I hope it really is because of this…” Ron muttered.

“Arthur might be late; he’s gone to work overtime again.” Mrs. Weasley glanced around the living room, counting the people. “Mad-Eye said his presence would spoil the birthday atmosphere—I told him Harry wouldn’t mind at all—”

“Of course I expect him to come!” Harry said immediately.

“I know, I know, dear,” Mrs. Weasley said with a chuckle. “But no one can go against Mad-Eye’s wishes. However, he left your birthday presents there; you can take them back to your room after the party. I was hoping to decorate the room a bit more elaborately, but there’s not enough time…”

“This is the first birthday I’ve ever had, Mrs. Weasley,” Harry said. “Thank you so much…”

“As long as you’re happy.” Mrs. Weasley ruffled Harry’s cheek. “Alright, go to the party. Hopefully, Fred and George aren’t planning on causing trouble at this time—”

"Slap! — Slap! — Slap!"

The tower Fred and George had built exploded prematurely, scorching their hair. Everyone laughed after looking toward the source of the sound.

"Turn green!" Sophia asked curiously after seeing Tonks' hair turn from blue to pink.

Then, Tonks' face turned red, and he tightly closed his eyes—

Her hair turned a tender green like leaves again, and Sofia clapped her hands happily upon seeing this magical sight.

Harry and Ron sat down next to them, chatting for a bit on the left and a bit on the right.

Not long after, a travel-worn Charlie entered through the foyer.

He was shorter than Ron, but more muscular, with his arms covered in burns and scratches.

"I didn't miss the party, did I, Harry?" Charlie smiled as he looked at the long table laden with food and cakes.

"It's just beginning," Ginny asked curiously. "How long will it take to get back from Romania?"

“It only takes a few seconds with the key,” Charlie said, sitting down at the long table. “But the Romanian Minister of the Department of Magical Creatures insisted I stay and say a few words—he was worried that Cohen Norton would return with those Dementors…”

"Cohen went to Romania?" Harry heard the familiar name.

“Don’t you know?” Charlie asked. “I thought the news had already come back—he went to several places, but only stayed for a short time each time before leaving. It seems he’s in Poland now.”

"Do you know what he's doing in those places?" Harry asked eagerly, while Hermione and Ron also perked up their ears to listen.

“It’s strange,” Charlie shook his head. “At first, I didn’t believe it at all when I heard he had murdered Dumbledore, until I attended Dumbledore’s funeral—but just when I thought he might have gone mad, he became very kind again… He took care of many poachers and dark wizards in Bulgaria and Romania—”

“I don’t understand what he’s trying to do,” Ron sighed. “Do you think he might be trying to get us to forgive him through this?”

“I don’t think Cohen is the kind of person who needs to be forgiven,” Harry sighed disapprovingly. “Have you ever heard him admit to anything?”
"The last person who wanted him to admit his mistake was Umbridge, and we all know what Umbridge went through those days..."

“But the Ministers of Magic of various countries are hesitant to arrest him,” Charlie said. “It’s a wise move, since he hasn’t shown hostility towards anyone yet—nobody wants to antagonize a large group of Dementors. But if he were to engage in terrorist activities in other countries, things would get much more complicated…”

When the party reached the point of cutting the cake, a silver-white weasel darted into the living room, stood on its hind legs, and spoke in Mr. Weasley's voice in full view of everyone.

"Tonks, come to the department. It's in complete chaos here. The minister is dead."

(End of this chapter)