novellaaa Chapter 68 The Portrait and Dumbledore
Chapter 68 The Portrait and Dumbledore
Chapter 68 The Portrait and Dumbledore (Bonus Chapter for First-Time Subscribers)
If we rewind a little, when Lynch was walking through the deserted Hogwarts Castle, all the noise, passion, and life had converged on the Quidditch pitch in the distance, leaving only the cold breath of the ancient stones themselves.
In fact, there were other hidden eyes lurking in the corners of the castle, quietly observing Lin Qi.
They moved silently from one frame to another, watching Lynch's every move from the corners of the canvas.
They watched as Lynch stood in front of the stone wall on the eighth floor, and watched him reach out and push forward forcefully.
Then, the tremors from the stone wall and even the corridor shook them so badly that they lost their balance and tumbled and fell into a heap on the canvas.
A woman dressed in a Victorian-era dress barely managed to lift her head, only to see Lynch's figure disappear behind a door that suddenly appeared in the stone wall.
The commotion ceased as Lynch disappeared.
The figure in the portrait gets up from the ground and straightens his clothes, which have become disheveled from the fall.
"He went in! The new professor, he went in!"
The woman in the Victorian dress pointed at the others who had shouted into the canvas, only then realizing that the stone wall was empty and Lynch had vanished.
A few seconds later, an uncontrollable commotion erupted from the portrait.
"What happened?"
"A door! A door appeared out of the wall! Then he went in and disappeared!"
"Merlin's beard! I've been at Hogwarts for over three hundred years, and I never knew there was a door there!"
"Go tell Armando! No, tell Delis! Quickly! This is very unusual!"
The first to move was a portrait of a knight, whose armored figure quickly disappeared from the frame, clearly eager to deliver this astonishing news.
The castle's ancient network of portraits was instantly awakened and sprang into motion by Lynch's mysterious actions. Messages were rapidly traveling along the channels between the frames, their destination the portraits of past principals on the walls of the principal's office.
Diagon Alley, headquarters of the Stone Tower Chamber of Commerce.
Dumbledore, dressed in a deep purple robe adorned with silver stars, stood at the edge of the railing, surveying the bustling scene in the first-floor hall from above.
The Stone Tower Merchants Association has announced a three-day mega sale starting today until Boxing Day, with everything 40% off.
So at this moment, the building is not only filled with spectators who came to watch the World Wizards vs. Card Championship, but also with wizards who came to shop.
The wizards, their faces beaming with excitement, strolled through shop after shop, carrying large bags of purchases. The aromas of food from the bars and restaurants around the hall mingled with the scents of hot cocoa and buttered popcorn, creating a wave of heat that rose through the air, a blend of excitement and the general atmosphere.
The scene in the middle of the first-floor hall was even more spectacular. A giant pit descended in a stepped shape in the very center of the hall, with the stepped audience seating extending downwards in a ring, densely packed with wizards from all over the world.
The Seamless Expansion Spell was used to its fullest extent, allowing the already spacious area to now accommodate thousands of spectators from all over the world.
They waved flags printed with various card symbols, their faces painted, and the air was filled with a competitive atmosphere that was completely different from, yet equally fervent, from that of the Quidditch stadium.
A massive magical projection floated in the center of the hall, not yet activated, but it was already enough to attract everyone's attention.
Staff members dressed in uniform with the Stone Pagoda emblem embroidered on their chests moved about like worker ants, maintaining order and selling snacks and limited-edition card merchandise.
Dumbledore's deep blue eyes swept across the turbulent sea, a hint of profound contemplation in his gaze.
He was currently in a special area, a platform extending from the second floor of the Chamber of Commerce towards the center. It was a banquet area temporarily set up by the Shita Chamber of Commerce for the opening ceremony of this competition, and also the main stage for the opening ceremony.
The dull thud of a cane tapping on the carpet reached his ears as Lucius Malfoy stood beside Dumbledore.
He wore a flawlessly tailored dark green velvet robe, his silver serpent cane resting elegantly on his arm, and an impeccable, reserved smile on his pale face.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, it is a great honor for our Chamber of Commerce to have you come to watch the game despite your busy schedule." Lucius's voice was smooth and pleasant, and he bowed slightly, his movements as standard as a textbook.
"Mr. Malfoy, what a magnificent event! There must be more than a quarter of the wizarding world in the UK gathered here now," Dumbledore exclaimed in his resonant voice.
"We hope to attract the attention of the entire magical world, and so far, it seems to be working quite well."
Lucius's smile was quite radiant, and Dumbledore could tell that he was genuinely pleased with the current situation.
As he spoke, he turned around and stopped a waiter who was passing by behind him, taking two glasses of red wine from the silver tray in the waiter's hand.
Lucius handed one of the glasses to Dumbledore: "Try this, the 1858 Goblin Secret, there aren't many left. It was specially prepared for a special occasion like today."
The deep red liquid rippled in the crystal glass.
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore took the glass but did not drink it immediately, instead turning his gaze to the bustling crowd below.
"Then I won't bother you any longer. Thank you again for coming."
After Lucius finished speaking, he politely left and turned to join Ludo Bagman, the Director of Sports and Physical Education at the Ministry of Magic, in his conversation with someone.
But Dumbledore could sense that Lucius Malfoy still retained a considerable amount of attention on him, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye from time to time.
Does this include people like Lucius Malfoy?
This question arose in Dumbledore's mind.
But before his thoughts could delve deeper into this question, his keen eyes caught sight of something unusual.
Across from him was a shop selling exquisite oil paintings. On the wall of that shop, there was a portrait of Delis de Winter, the famous healer of St. Mungo's and former headmistress of Hogwarts, waving incessantly at Dumbledore.
Seeing Dumbledore's gaze fall upon her, Lady Delis breathed a sigh of relief. Then she began gesturing towards Dumbledore, pointing repeatedly to a portrait of a castle nearby.
Hogwarts!
Dumbledore immediately understood that something had happened at Hogwarts.
He put down his wine glass and walked outside.
But before he could take a few steps, a figure blocked his way.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, the match is about to begin, what's the rush you're up to?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, I just remembered I have an urgent matter to attend to."
Just then, the huge magic projection screen in the center of the hall below suddenly lit up, and the dazzling light instantly attracted everyone's attention.
A master of ceremonies, dressed in an extravagant suit and with a voice amplified by magic, appeared in the center of the light screen. He waved his arms and shouted in an excited, almost hoarse voice:
"Ladies and gentlemen! Wizarding card game enthusiasts from all over the world! Welcome to the finals of the first-ever World Wizarding Card Game Championship!!!"
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