## 177: The Old Gaunt House
For Britons, pubs aren't just places to drink; they're vital social hubs. People gather there to chat, watch TV, and enjoy some rare downtime after a busy day.
That's why even the most remote villages always have one or two small pubs.
Mike ran a small pub in the village of Little Hangleton. At noon, he was wiping glasses and chatting with a customer.
"Heard you had two out-of-towners yesterday?" asked Pete, a regular at the pub.
"Yeah, they were dressed really oddly, maybe that's the fashion in the big city."
Mike winked, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Two men, they booked a room."
"Oh... so that kind of relationship."
Pete understood, then frowned.
Even though public figures often advocated for accepting people of different orientations these days, and there were rumors about legislation to recognize same-sex marriage, in small villages like this, for old-timers like Pete, prejudice still existed.
"Do you know where they're from?" Pete asked.
"I didn't ask," Mike shrugged, "but judging by their accent, they sounded a bit like they were from London — they said 'dis' instead of 'this'."
Footsteps echoed from the stairs. Mike gave Pete a look, and they immediately fell silent.
Pete casually glanced towards the staircase.
First came a gray-haired middle-aged man, dressed in a well-fitting dark suit and an open robe. Though not particularly striking in appearance, he exuded a friendly yet resilient aura.
Hmph, Pete thought to himself.
But when he got a good look at the person behind him, he spat out the drink in his mouth and glared angrily at Mike.
Mike looked confused. "What's wrong?"
"That's a kid!" Pete gritted his teeth, his voice low and furious. "He must be traveling with an elder! Damn it, you're spreading rumors about a child and an adult!"
"What kid? I didn't."
Mike felt deeply wronged. He looked up and saw the two guests coming down the stairs, and he too was stunned.
Pete scoffed in obvious disdain.
...
Wade and Lupin walked out of the pub and looked around.
The last time Wade had been here was a hurried visit with Dumbledore, and he hadn't really noticed the surroundings. Now, standing on the village's wide road, he could clearly see a grand but desolate large house on a nearby hillside.
Two boys on bicycles sped down the road from the hillside.
A limping old man waved his cane, chasing after them and yelling angrily.
Of course, he couldn't catch them. The children laughed freely.
"Are we going there?" Lupin asked, standing beside him.
"No, of course not."
Wade said, "Voldemort's father used to live there, but we're going in the other direction, to where his mother once lived."
That statement was packed with information.
Lupin, who had been completely unaware of this, suddenly thought his ears were playing tricks on him.
He was silent for a long while, quietly pondering the connections.
Wade, like any ordinary tourist, walked out of the village along a small path, then took out a bottle of Potions labeled "Draught of Living Death."
This was a very strong sedative.
Wade pointed his wand at the bottle and whispered, "Misty veil."
Under his control, the potion in the bottle mixed with the moisture in the air, quickly forming a wispy mist that surged towards the village like a tide.
The boys who had just ridden down the hill soon felt drowsy. They dropped their bikes, found a shady spot on the grass, gave a long yawn, and fell asleep.
"So, I swear to you, what I saw was really a... thirty or forty-year-old... adult man..."
The bartender, Mike, was trying to explain, but he saw Pete had already drunkenly slumped onto the table. Mike scratched his head, completely bewildered, his eyelids stubbornly wanting to close.
"I'll just take a nap first..." Mike mumbled, then also slumped down and fell asleep.
On the hillside, the gardener of Riddle House—the limping old man—couldn't help but rub his eyes. He dropped his cane, slumped onto the sofa, and was soon snoring.
Ten seconds later, the entire village of Little Hangleton became quiet. Including the ants on the telephone poles, the mice in their holes, and the guard dogs, all had fallen asleep.
Lupin witnessed this scene, amazed. "No one has ever used Potions like you... Your Weather Charm is already outstanding."
"Thanks to Mr. Scamander," Wade said. "His teaching has greatly benefited me."
"How long will they sleep if Draught of Living Death is diluted like this?"
"About two or three hours," Wade said. "Enough time for us to finish our business without being disturbed by them."
The two walked along the intersecting paths towards the former Gaunt House. Wade took the opportunity to explain their purpose to Lupin.
"Before... the day Sirius's case was re-examined, Dumbledore brought me here. He showed me the path Voldemort had taken in his life."
"Both his parents were born near this village. Voldemort's mother used a Love Potion to control a young Muggle from that large manor, and then he was conceived."
"His mother was named Merope Gaunt, a descendant of Slytherin."
"Didn't you say before that I'd studied Fiendfyre theory enough to try practicing it?"
"Rather than burning down some unknown cave, I'd prefer to use Fiendfyre here."
"Using Fiendfyre in dense woods like this is extremely dangerous," Lupin said. "If you lose control, it could cause a massive fire."
"But you're here, aren't you?" Wade grinned slyly. "I trust that if my Spell gets out of hand, you'll definitely get it under control."
Lupin smiled. "Of course."
After a brief pause, he asked again, "By the way, is this a task Dumbledore gave you?"
"No, of course not... This is just my own idea."
How could Wade dare let Dumbledore notice this place?
He was afraid history would repeat itself, that the old headmaster would still be unable to control his desire for the Resurrection Stone and kick the bucket prematurely. If that happened, this transmigration would likely instantly turn into a difficult, even hellish, mode.
Moreover, with Wade's abilities, he didn't believe he could forcibly stop a Dumbledore who had fallen into obsession.
So, it was best to keep them from having any connection.
After walking along the path for a considerable time, the two finally saw the small house nestled among the bushes and weeds.
"Ready?" Lupin raised his wand. "We should clear the area around here first."
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