## Chapter 379: The Statute of Secrecy
"Good heavens, Harry! You're still training in this weather?"
Hermione exclaimed in surprise.
It had been raining heavily all day, and students heading to class had to run through the corridors with their heads down. She hadn't expected the Gryffindor team to still be training.
"The match against Slytherin is coming up, and Wood doesn't want to miss a single practice—thanks, Ryan." Harry said, looking exhausted.
Ryan used magic to clean the mud and water off him.
Michael tidied up the muddy footprints on the floor and asked, "You didn't run into Filch on your way back?"
"I did… he didn't give me any trouble."
Harry rummaged through the food cupboard, pulled out a pile of snacks, and mumbled indistinctly with his mouth full of chocolate.
Seeing everyone gathered in a circle, he asked, "What are you all doing?"
"Wade's putting an Undetectable Extension Charm on our bags. Isn't that cool?" Michael said excitedly.
"…That's amazing." Harry genuinely sighed. "I know that spell is really difficult."
Whenever he felt utterly exhausted, Harry would look at Wade and Hermione and wonder if he wasn't working hard enough.
But then, comparing himself to his roommates Ron, Seamus, and Dean, Harry felt he was working too hard.
Wade cast an Undetectable Extension Charm on everyone's bags. Seeing them happily go off to pack their things, he turned to Harry and asked, "Do you need one too?"
Harry shook his head and said, "Sirius already took care of mine."
He hesitated, then softly asked, "Wade, do you remember what Remus and the others said before? About… those Vampires possibly being controlled by Muggles…"
Wade nodded and said, "Of course, it's only been two days. I naturally remember."
"Then do you know why Remus and the others seem… seem unwilling to investigate?" Harry asked. "I can't quite explain it, but that's the feeling I get from them."
"It's simple. Whether it's tracking, interrogating, or retaliating against Muggles, all of it violates the Statute of Secrecy," Wade explained.
"Just because of that?" Harry was stunned. "But… Hagrid once gave my cousin Dudley a pig's tail…"
"So, he actually broke the law."
Wade continued, "But for certain reasons—for example, because of you, the place you live is under strict Ministry of Magic supervision, and your aunt and uncle are aware of the Wizarding World, so it wasn't considered a leak of the Wizarding World. That's why he wasn't punished."
"But if it involves powerful and influential people in the Muggle world, any action against them must be cautious, otherwise it could become a huge problem for the entire Wizarding World—the Ministries of Magic in all countries are very wary of this."
"Even if the Muggles are in the wrong? Even if they've already laid a hand on our people?" Harry asked incredulously.
Wade was silent for a moment before saying, "The Statute of Secrecy is the strictest law in every country. Even Dumbledore can't violate it at will."
"—Dumbledore? He's encountered something like this too?" Harry asked.
"When Professor Dumbledore was young, his sister was harmed by a few Muggle boys; his father attacked those three boys to avenge his daughter, was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban, and eventually died in that prison," Wade said.
Harry was completely dumbfounded.
In his mind, the Headmaster had always been that wise, powerful, and aged figure, as if he had been born that way.
Harry had never imagined that Dumbledore also had moments of weakness and helplessness, let alone that such a tragedy had occurred in his family.
"So, do you understand?"
Wade patted him on the shoulder and said,
"Sirius and Lupin won't let go of those who secretly took action, but this kind of thing can only be investigated in secret. They can't make a big fuss, can't publicize it, and certainly can't seek help from the Ministry of Magic."
"If others knew they were investigating Muggles, ignorant people would just mock them, while those with a bit of ability and knowledge would become obstacles, preventing them from investigating or retaliating."
"You too, just keep it to yourself. Don't tell Hermione or Ron about this, either."
Harry nodded silently.
…
The next day was Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
Wade used a Time-Turner to arrive on the second floor of the castle earlier than the other students. From a distance, he saw Professor Abigail pacing outside the classroom.
The professor was frowning slightly, casually twirling her Wand as if it were a fan. Every now and then, a spark would shoot out from the tip of her Wand.
Wade watched for a while before walking over.
"Oh, Wade." Professor Abigail raised an eyebrow when she saw him, seeming to want to smile but restraining herself.
"Professor." Wade took out a bag, handed it to her, and said, "I've completed what you asked me about last time."
"Completed?"
A look of astonishment appeared on Professor Abigail's face. She paused for a moment before a surprised smile spread across her features.
"—So fast?"
—What, is it too fast for you?
Wade looked at her with a hint of confusion.
"Oh, let me see."
Professor Abigail took the bag, examining the snakeskin pouch, which was only a little larger than a fist, before untying its drawstring.
Inside the bag were a pile of Magic Golems of magical creatures, roughly twenty or thirty of them, each no bigger than a knuckle.
"Uh…"
Professor Abigail glanced at Wade, wondering if he hadn't heard her instructions clearly, yet she also felt Wade wouldn't make such a basic mistake.
So she reached in and pulled out a Kappa.
This was a type of water monkey, known in Japan as a Kappa. It was entirely green, covered in scales, with webbed fingers, a turtle shell on its back, and a shallow, water-filled dish on its head.
As soon as this Kappa was taken out of the bag, its body immediately grew larger. Professor Abigail tossed it onto the ground, and in the blink of an eye, the Kappa was over a meter tall, its small, triangular eyes slyly observing the two people opposite it.
On its chest was a label: "Kappa 03."
Professor Abigail instinctively gripped her Wand, her entire body on high alert. Only after realizing it was just a Magic Golem did she slowly relax.
"It's too realistic… It's incredible that this is an artificial creation," Professor Abigail said, then asked, "Can it move?"
"Of course," Wade replied. "It's waiting for your command!"
—And it certainly looked like it was.
Professor Abigail suppressed the faint excitement in her heart and commanded, "Kappa 03, let me see what you can do—attack the students who will enter this corridor later."
Wade: "…"
This professor's style was truly as consistent as ever!
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