Harry Potter: I started checking in from Diagon Alley

Chapter 209 The main battlefield isn't here, but on Eric!

“Even if you say that, our situation remains dire,” Moody said in a deep voice, his brow furrowed and his face etched with anxious wrinkles.

He sat by the window in his room, looking out at the night sky through the glass. The streetlights were dimly lit, showing no sign of an impending great battle.

“We are too few in number and have no backup. Although we have many skilled fighters, the number of Death Eaters is almost endless,” Moody continued, his voice revealing helplessness and powerlessness. “When we need to defend, we have to distribute our men to various locations, which will only lead to one result: we will be picked off one by one.”

The air in the room was heavy and silent. Professor McGonagall looked up at Dumbledore, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and worry.

“I agree with Moody. We have no intelligence on the Death Eaters’ movements. Under these circumstances, it’s extremely difficult to defend.” Professor McGonagall’s voice was weary.

Professor McGonagall and Moody's statements were undoubtedly more reasonable, and the others in the room nodded in agreement, all of them well aware of the predicament they were facing.

Faced with their questions, Dumbledore did not refute them, but chuckled and said, "Of course I won't send you to your deaths. I have my reasons for saying this."

Then, Dumbledore took a letter from his sleeve, placed it gently on the table, and said, "This is from Eric; it contains intelligence about the Death Eaters. We can use this to formulate a strategy."

He handed the information to Professor McGonagall beside him. She took the envelope, her brow furrowing slightly, and asked curiously, "Where did this come from?"

Dumbledore smiled and replied, "Hilary Rozier."

Professor McGonagall and the others looked up in surprise, staring at Dumbledore in disbelief.

"What?" Professor McGonagall couldn't believe her ears.

"What happened?" the others asked one after another.

"Why would she be willing to help us?" The atmosphere in the room instantly became tense.

Dumbledore slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down.

The name Hila Rozier surprised everyone; her addition undoubtedly gave them a glimmer of hope.

Moody pondered for a moment, then asked with a hint of doubt, "Is this one of your hidden moves?"

Dumbledore shook his head, a hint of approval in his expression: "No, this is Eric's doing."

"What exactly happened?" Everyone in the room was curious about the matter. They were eager to know more and hoped to find a way out of the predicament.

Dumbledore took a deep breath and began to tell everyone the story between Hilarious Rozier and Eric.

"This information came from Eric. He met with Gellert and Hilary Rozier and then brought back this intelligence." Dumbledore's voice was deep and firm, like an invisible force that penetrated into the depths of everyone's heart.

Grindelwald!

After the Quidditch match, Dumbledore informed the Order of the Phoenix that Grindelwald had been found by Eric.

So although official channels, such as the Ministry of Magic, have not yet confirmed the news, the Order of the Phoenix already knows about it.

Of course, the news that Eric and Grindelwald were hanging out together didn't cause much of a stir.

In their eyes, everything Eric did was extraordinary, and hanging out with Grindelwald was just a trivial matter.

So no one showed any surprise.

Eric, that's normal.

Moody's voice broke the silence, "So, is she one of us now?" His eyes flickered with anticipation and doubt.

He didn't mention Grindelwald, as Grindelwald's identity was too sensitive; only Dumbledore could make that decision.

Dumbledore shook his head slightly: "No, but she is no longer a threat to us; she has withdrawn from the war."

Almost everyone, including Professor McGonagall, breathed a sigh of relief, but also found the result hard to believe.

The war had just begun, and they hadn't even done anything yet, and Eric had already taken out one of the enemy's generals?

Although Hilary Rozier had mostly worked behind the scenes, her name was already widely known within the Order of the Phoenix.

Although she is not as threatening as Voldemort, her existence still requires vigilance and caution.

But not everyone was excited about this. Auror Kingsley raised his hand slightly, his brow furrowed as if he were thinking about something, and said, "How do we verify the accuracy of the intelligence? Please forgive me for saying this, I have no problem with Eric, but I don't trust Rozier. She was our enemy yesterday."

Moody remained calm, reminding him, "There's no such thing as leaving Voldemort's side. Whether you're his collaborator or a Death Eater... there's no choice but to serve him to the death..."

“I know,” Dumbledore said calmly, his voice serene.

Upon hearing Dumbledore's answer, Moody, Professor McGonagall, and the others' expressions all hardened.

They had all experienced Voldemort's last upheaval and knew that under Voldemort's rule, there was no place for betrayal.

If Dumbledore can say this, it means that Hilar Rozier, who provided this information, is most likely dead.

This fact cast a shadow of heaviness over everyone's hearts.

Regardless of Hilario Rozier's current stance, after paying such a price, the authenticity of the information she provided is beyond doubt.

She was definitely not a die-hard Voldemort follower like Barty Jr., and Voldemort didn't possess that kind of charisma that would make every dark wizard willingly die for him. Such a person, even in the darkness, would choose to pursue their own interests and survival.

In this context, the accuracy of this intelligence, if not 100%, is generally reliable. The Order of the Phoenix can use it as a supplementary tool to determine the Death Eaters' troop distribution.

Upon hearing this, even Mundungus couldn't help but smile slightly. He knew that Dumbledore's defensive strategy now had a chance of being implemented.

Kingsley lowered his raised hand upon hearing this, no longer doubting.

He might not trust Hilarious Rozier, but he trusted Dumbledore's judgment, and upon hearing Dumbledore's words, his doubts gradually dissipated.

“If that’s the case, I agree with the strategy of tightening the defensive lines,” Moody said in a deep voice, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore, his expression resolute. “But what do you mean by ‘we need time’?”

Dumbledore smiled and nodded: "Because our main battleground is not here, but in the duel between Eric and Voldemort. When we win does not depend on whether we can defeat Voldemort, but on when he finds Voldemort's fatal weakness."

Chapter 210 This is War!

Professor McGonagall frowned nervously: "But he's still just a..."

Before she could finish speaking, Moody interrupted her with a light laugh: "He's the kind of person who can team up with Dumbledore to defeat Voldemort. If you ask me, it wouldn't be unreasonable to give him your positions as Transfiguration Professor and Vice-Headmaster." Moody's voice carried a hint of inappropriate cheerfulness.

Professor McGonagall chuckled, shook her head helplessly, and realized she had overthought things.

She knew Moody and knew he wasn't the type to joke around.

But when he makes such jokes, it means he thinks it's a simple fact that anyone can recognize, which is why he likes to express his views in a teasing way from time to time.

Eric really doesn't need them to worry about him.

Dumbledore chuckled as well: “I know you have many questions, but this involves Eric’s safety, so I can’t reveal too much to you, but please trust me.” His gaze swept over the crowd.

The group exchanged glances, and finally, the youngest member, Tonks, spoke up with a smile: "Boss, ask around, is any one of us afraid of death? If we didn't trust you, we wouldn't entrust our lives to you." Tonks' voice was filled with determination.

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere immediately became relaxed.

When Mundungus Fletcher heard these words, he became anxious and hurriedly tried to refute them. Then he saw Moody staring at him with murderous eyes. He felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but shiver. He had no choice but to shut up immediately.

Dumbledore nodded and smiled: "Thank you. I won't say anything unhelpful. I'll just tell you that we will win."

All the wizards slammed their hands on the table together, letting out a low growl to encourage themselves.

Dumbledore turned around, took out his wand, and a faint ray shot out from the tip of his wand, pointing to the map behind him. "First is Hogwarts, our base and the key target for defense. Minerva, you will need to take my place at Hogwarts. Besides me, you are the only one with the right to activate Hogwarts' defensive magic, so you absolutely cannot be harmed."

Professor McGonagall, whose name was called, nodded solemnly.

"It is precisely because of the defensive nature of Hogwarts that we do not need to leave too many people in the castle. Minerva, you take Tonks and a few others to stay behind, that will be enough. All the faculty and staff in the castle can be at your command during wartime."

Dumbledore said, “Next are the areas we also need to defend. There are roughly only these places: here, number 12 Grimmauld Place, Diagon Alley for external communication, and the Burrow as a backup base. These are the places we absolutely cannot give up. In addition, we need to push our defenses outwards. Godric's Hollow, Hogsmeade, and the Ministry of Magic’s offices will be the first to become the front lines. We need to work with the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic to set up defenses in these locations first.”

“Then, I will proceed as follows.” Dumbledore slowly turned around, his wand gripped tightly in his hand, a faint beam of light emanating from its tip, illuminating the map precisely. The mountains and rivers on the map were clearly visible, intertwined and merged together, automatically separating upon encountering Dumbledore's point of light.

"First and foremost, Hogwarts, our home base, and the place we need to protect most," Dumbledore said solemnly. His fingers lightly traced the buildings on the map, as if casting a protective spell on every stone of Hogwarts. Then, his gaze turned to Professor McGonagall beside him, one of the people he trusted most.

"Minerva, you will be in my place overseeing Hogwarts. Besides me, only you have the authority to activate Hogwarts' defensive magic. Your responsibility is immense, and absolutely no accidents can be tolerated." Dumbledore's tone was serious and firm as he gazed intently at Professor McGonagall, as if passing on his mission to her.

Professor McGonagall nodded solemnly. Clearly, without needing to be explicitly stated, she understood the heavy responsibility she bore: to protect Hogwarts, the school of magic, in accordance with Dumbledore's expectations.

"Given Hogwarts's formidable defensive capabilities, we don't need to leave too many people inside the castle. Minerva, you will lead Tonks and several members of the Order of the Phoenix, along with all the faculty and staff within the castle. You will have the authority to deploy them to ensure the castle's safety," Dumbledore continued to explain.

Dumbledore pointed to several locations on the map, his voice revealing the importance he placed on these places: "Next are a few locations that we absolutely cannot lose. Number 12 Grimmauld Place is our current forward base and must be fortified. Diagon Alley is our supply line and our link to the outside world, and it must not be captured by the enemy. The Burrow, as a backup base, also needs to be fortified to ensure we have a safe foothold."

Dumbledore's gaze shifted to more distant areas on the map: "Besides these locations, we need to push our defenses further out. Godric's Hollow, Hogsmeade, and the Ministry of Magic's offices will become the front lines. We need to work with the Aurors at the Ministry to strengthen the defenses of these locations."

Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore's eyes met, and in that instant, they both understood that this war would be difficult and brutal, and that many people might die.

It's even possible that most of the people in this room won't be able to return safely even after tomorrow.

But this is war.

“Kingsley, you need to stay with Fudge. You are our liaison with the Ministry of Magic, and we need to keep in touch with them at all times. Tonks, you are also an Auror, but you need to infiltrate the ranks of the lower-level Aurors and help us keep track of their movements…” Dumbledore continued calmly, “Arthur and Molly, you two stay in the rear and take care of logistics.”

Mr. Weasley looked somewhat anxious and said, "We can fight too, Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore smiled, said nothing, but turned to Moody and continued, "Alastor, you are experienced. You are responsible for grouping everyone according to their duties and locations, with Minerva and a few others as the leaders, selecting suitable deputies for them, and then assembling the remaining elites into a mobile support force to reinforce various locations at any time..."

“There are others…”

Those whose names were called all looked solemn.

"In other words, all our efforts are merely to buy Eric time," Dumbledore concluded. "You think this is a protracted war just because we're not in a hurry to attack? No, you're wrong. We've already drawn our sword—Eric. He will be our blade, piercing Voldemort's heart."

Dumbledore stood up, his voice booming with an undeniable authority: "Gentlemen, justice will prevail!"

Chapter 211 Exploring the Soul Weapon!

Meanwhile, inside Hogwarts, Eric brought Sirius Black to the door of the Room of Requirement once again.

They stood in front of the door, and Sirius, recalling the days he had lived there, was filled with emotion.

Having been imprisoned in Azkaban for twelve years, he spent nearly half a year here in solitude, accompanied by a Dementor.

Sirius Black was in tears, watching the trolls beat the tapestry of Barnabas. Heaven knows how he managed to stay awake.

"I, Black, am back..." Sirius exclaimed, looking at the door of the Room of Requirement.

Eric had no time to heed Sirius's sentiments. He paced back and forth in front of the tapestry with practiced ease, making three rounds before a solemn door appeared on the wall.

Seeing this, Eric and Sirius, both regulars at the Room of Requirement, pushed open the door and went inside without hesitation.

As they entered the house, Sirius asked, "What kind of room did you request this time?" He looked at Eric with curiosity.

Eric replied, “A place where I can hide things.”

Sirius asked with some doubt, "We're looking for Horcruxes, how do you know Voldemort would hide it here? He has many other places he could hide things."

Eric explained, "Because Voldemort started researching Horcruxes a long time ago, long before we realized it, he would have chosen a special place to hide it instead of carrying it on his person."

Sirius can understand why Sirius doesn't carry Horcruxes with him.