Leaving School
Dumbledore again, it was the morning of the next day.
Loren, Hermione, and the other fourth-year students stood together in the crowded Entrance Hall, waiting for the carriage to take them to Hogsmeade Station. Neatly arranged suitcases lined the side, and owls of various colors stood listlessly in their cages atop the suitcases—they should have been sleeping in the sheds in this weather.
It was another beautiful and pleasant summer day. The young wizards could imagine that when they returned to their homes, it would be very hot, with lush foliage in the yards and streets, and vibrant flowers blooming in the flowerbeds...
Standing on the steps of the Castle gate and gazing at the open space, the verdant vegetable patches and lush lawns appeared even greener under the sunlight. The knots on the Whomping Willow seemed more pleasing to the eye. Further away, the tall beech trees Edge of the Forbidden Forest. Occasionally, a few wildflowers whose names I didn't know would peek into my view, adding a touch of brightness to the scene.
After Dumbledore's warning last night, the young wizards recalled the terrifying stories about Voldemort they had heard from various places and chattered among themselves, sharing them with their friends.
"The old lady next door to me said that the Dark Lord hates wizards with impure blood. He sneaks into houses at midnight and brutally murders everyone in the family, not even the dogs. By the time the Aurors arrive, they only see corpses everywhere!" A young wizard living in the Devon wizarding community said mysteriously. The Muggle-born young wizard next to him was terrified and quickly asked for more details.
How does he know if this family is Pure-blood?
"I don't know either. That's what the old folks say. Maybe it's some kind of magic that detects bloodlines, like Sneakoscope. It will make a sound when it encounters a wizard with impure bloodlines."
"What can we do? Can't the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic catch him before he commits the crime?" Colin Creevey sighed.
"Aurors can't stop the Dark Lord. Only Dumbledore can deal with him, but Dumbledore find him." Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff looked at him with pity. "Good luck. Perhaps the Dark Lord will go after others first."
The Slytherin group was much calmer, after all, their house had the most Pure-blood wizard, not to mention that many of their fathers or uncles were Death Eater. Whether the news of Voldemort's return was true or false, it did not affect their enjoyable vacation.
Loren was standing next to them, so he could hear some scattered conversations, such as the two Death Eater sons talking.
"Draco, do you have any news?" Theodore Nott asked softly.
"No, I haven't had time to write home yet. I plan to ask when I get back," Draco said briefly.
"I don't know if the Dark Lord has made a comeback, but some people have already received the news, such as Principal Karkaroff who fled in a hurry, and Crabbe acted strangely two years ago..." Theodore Nott spoke in a calm tone, as if he were talking about something unimportant.
"Oh?" Draco's lips curled into a slightly mocking smile. "Is your father one of them, Theodore ... Nott?"
Nott seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in his words, and chuckled lightly, "Do you really think the return of the Dark Lord is a good thing for the Nott family?"
Draco's eyes flickered, then he glanced at him expressionlessly. "Who knows?"
"..."
Nott noticed the man's wariness and didn't press the matter further. He shrugged and walked away to chat with other students connected to the Death Eater.
Loren glanced at him curiously and noticed that this person's views were different from those of other Pure-blood wizards. Although he was also a Pure-blood Supremacy supremacist, he did not idolize Voldemort and even showed a hint of rejection in his attitude.
"It's true, isn't it? That infamous Dark Lord has regained his physical form and is preparing to reclaim his dominance over the Wizarding World." Draco approached expressionlessly, his lips barely moving, and asked in a low voice.
Loren also moved two steps to the side and nodded slightly. "After Voldemort's Resurrection Ritual was successful, he immediately summoned the Death Eater through the Dark Mark, and your father was among them."
"..." Draco fell into a deep silence and did not speak for a long time.
Loren joked carelessly, reaching out to touch the Dolphin Pendant around his neck and taking out a Bronze Knut, which he handed over. "Don't worry too much, think on the bright side, Draco. Your father mainly handles clerical work, so at least that person won't let him lead people to attack the Ministry of Magic."
Is this also part of your unique way of comforting others?
Draco grumbled as he took the coin and examined it, noticing that the design was completely different from the one exchanged at Gringotts. The side that should have been engraved with the goblin king's image was smooth and blank, with only a line of small text at the top—"To Draco Malfoy:"
Similar phrases usually appear at the salutation of letters, so this side is for the receiving side, and the other side...
Draco flipped the coin over to look at the other side, seeing 26 letters evenly arranged along the edge. He looked up and asked, "An alchemical item for communication? You made it? How do you use it?"
As expected of Malfoy, who frequents the Borgin and Burke Dark Arts Items shop, he is truly knowledgeable. Loren smiled and introduced, "This little gadget was made last semester. I improved it again last night. After spelling out my name, I infused it with a trace of Magic Power. After inputting the message you want to convey, I infused it with another trace of Magic Power... I'm only giving you one during this special period, so I won't charge you."
Draco couldn't help but examine the crudely made copper coin from all angles, and then looked deeply at the wizard of the same age in front of him, his admiration unspoken.
Most wizards in the world rely on owls for communication, but the Wizarding World is not without alchemical items for remote instant communication. However, most of them are made with precious materials and ancient Alchemy, with complicated processes and high prices. Only a very few people of noble status and wealth own one or two of them.
The copper coins in his hand were obviously crudely made and cheaply produced. If they could be mass-produced and promoted worldwide, they could replace the owl in just a few years... It was entirely foreseeable that his wealth would exceed the centuries-long accumulation of many Pure-blood Families!
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Draco quickly typed Loren Morgan's name on the tiny copper keyboard, randomly pressed a few letters and sent it, then stared intently at him.
"Sending too many spam messages will get you blacklisted by me..." Loren took out another Bronze Knut from his pendant, showing it to him while explaining, "There are also limitations on the transmission range. It's best to keep it within Britain. Some powerful defensive magic and enclosed spaces can also affect the transmission of messages..."
Draco thought for a moment, then couldn't help but add, "Only Bronze Knut? Why not use Galleons? Or Silver Sickle if all else fails..."
"It's good enough that you got Bronze Knut, and you even got selected..." Loren turned and left before he could finish speaking, looking disgusted.