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Chapter 700 What About You?!
Mrs. Weasley left.
She was still unwilling to accept that they were going to leave.
But she didn't argue any further.
Ron finally let out a sigh of relief.
He sighed and said,
"I told her a long time ago that I wasn't going to stay here. I've grown up. But she still doesn't want to listen.
Every time we argue about this, she even wants me to trick you into going back to school. Maybe then she'd finally be happy."
Harry sighed.
"Have you really thought this through? Mrs. Weasley isn't wrong. You still have your family."
Ron glared at him.
"We're friends, aren't we?
Besides, I'm ready. Follow me."
Harry and Darren followed Ron up to the attic, puzzled.
There was a ghoul lying there.
It was wearing Ron's clothes.
"If I go with you, the Ministry might give Dad and Bill trouble. They both work there.
So we decided to say I'm sick. That's all.
This ghoul can nod, giggle, hum, drool—whatever. It's convincing enough."
Darren stepped forward and examined it.
Then he said admiringly,
"Mr. Weasley, Fred, and George did a good job with the Transfiguration. It really looks like you."
Ron pointed at the ghoul and said gloomily,
"I always feel like you're not praising them—you're insulting me."
Darren smiled awkwardly.
"I really am praising them… though there's still room for improvement."
He waved his wand.
The ghoul's face became even closer to Ron's.
Darren withdrew his wand.
"At this rate, it might even be able to tutor Ron."
Harry burst out laughing.
It suddenly felt like Ron being replaced by a ghoul explained a lot.
The miracle wasn't that Ron failed exams—it was that he passed any at all.
Ron clearly didn't agree.
"By the way," Darren asked, "we still don't know who R.A.B. is."
Harry and Ron both shook their heads.
They simply hadn't had time to investigate.
"Then we'll look into it after we leave," Darren said.
"I already have a destination. Our first stop—Godric's Hollow."
"Godric's Hollow?"
"Yes. Also called the Valley of Godric. Same place, different names—don't worry about it."
Darren laughed.
Harry hesitated.
"Darren… I do want to see Mum and Dad."
"Of course. That was your home.
But it's also Headmaster Dumbledore's home."
"Dumbledore's home?!"
Ron and Harry exclaimed at the same time.
Darren nodded.
"Yes. Bathilda Bagshot lives there too. We can visit her.
We might even find clues about the Horcruxes.
This is just my guess—but if we're going to set out, it's a place we have to see.
Of course, Voldemort will definitely have ambushes there.
He'll have them everywhere we might go.
That's unavoidable. So over the next few days, review your spells as much as you can."
---
Early morning.
Harry was woken up by Ron.
"Get up! Today's our birthday celebration—your seventeenth and Darren's. Look at all these gifts!"
Ron sounded envious.
Harry put on his glasses and began opening presents.
When he unwrapped the Easter egg Ron gave him, he sincerely thanked him.
Soon, the Weasleys came in, urging them to breakfast.
"Hurry up, boys. Darren's been working all morning.
And Harry—happy birthday!"
"Thanks," Harry said, "but Darren's been really busy lately, hasn't he?"
"Yes," Mrs. Weasley sighed.
"He keeps getting letters while eating.
He just went back to work again. I was hoping they'd let him rest today."
She left in a hurry.
Harry and Ron sighed together.
They felt more and more distant from Darren.
Yet Darren, living under the same roof, didn't think so at all.
In fact, he was exhausted.
After only a few days, he felt like he'd aged years.
He was seventeen—not Dumbledore, with endless patience and time.
He wanted a few carefree years, not endless responsibility.
Fortunately—
Today was the last day.
Starting tomorrow, he would dump everything on Kingsley and Moody.
Let them handle it.
He was done.
Honestly, fighting Voldemort was more interesting.
Some of Voldemort's spell usage had even inspired him.
He almost looked forward to seeing him again.
---
Night.
Darren was finally free.
He planned to go find Hermione—
but Ginny stopped him.
"Darren."
He was about to say they couldn't—
but Ginny pulled him into a small room.
"Don't say anything," she said softly.
"I just thought… last time, you almost didn't come back."
"That phrasing is..."
"I don't care."
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him deeply.
Darren hugged her back.
Then the door opened.
It was Lupin and Sirius.
They froze when they saw the scene.
Their expressions were embarrassed—but understanding.
"You… go on."
They quickly left.
The moment was gone.
Ginny clutched Darren's sleeve, her voice trembling.
"Come back alive. Please.
Come back alive.
And… happy seventeenth birthday."
She handed him her gift.
An amulet.
The best thing she could give.
Darren nodded firmly.
Ginny wanted to say more—
but voices outside announced the banquet was about to begin.
She froze.
Then sobbed softly and ran out.
"See you later."
She whispered it three times.