Preparing to Leave, Reuniting with Allies / Setting Out for the Land of Eagles

"You...you just told me that?" Harry's frankness startled Scrimgeour, but he immediately realized, "No! You already knew my identity back then, didn't you?!"

"Indeed... I'm sorry to say this, but I've heard about the fact that the Head of the Auror Office has always been ostracized." Harry smiled apologetically. "As I said before, I thought you were a more upright person and might be able to let the wizards of the Wizarding World see the truth, which is why I entrusted Peter Pettigrew's body to you."

"Furthermore, I truly feel indignant on your behalf. Cornelius Fudge is clearly a nepotistic and opportunistic scoundrel. If the benefits are right, even the perpetually disliked Mr. Weasley could be promoted, yet you're stuck in the same place..."

"Boy, I'm warning you, don't try to sow discord within the Ministry of Magic!" Scrimgeour's eyes widened, and he suddenly roared like a lion. "Especially Arthur, with his abilities, he's absolutely capable of a higher position; he just has nobler aspirations than the average wizard!"

"Of course I also think Mr. Weasley deserves better treatment, and whether I'm instigating anything or not depends entirely on whether you believe me or not." Harry shrugged indifferently. "If your Ministry of Magic is truly united, and if Cornelius Fudge is truly capable and willing to get things done, then what I say won't make a difference, will it? In short, the Peter Pettigrew matter is settled with me. How you investigate further is your own business."

"Ugh..." Harry's sudden release of force made Scrimgeour feel like he had punched cotton.

This kid is definitely not easy to deal with...

Slightly embarrassed, Scrimgeour stared intently into Harry's eyes, trying to discern any ulterior motive or desire on Harry's face, hoping to ascertain whether the other truly harbored ill intentions towards the Ministry of Magic.

But in the end, he found in vain that Harry's face was as calm as a stagnant pool, and he couldn't tell anything from it at all.

"What... do you want?" After a long silence, Scrimgeour sighed deeply and asked tentatively.

Scrimgeour was somewhat frustrated that he, a grown man, couldn't see through a child, yet he felt compelled to ask the question.

Because Harry is definitely a very dangerous person... and now the entire Ministry of Magic recognizes this.

So he really wanted to know Harry's thoughts, even if he could just tell that Harry was lying to him.

"What I want is very simple: kill Voldemort when he comes back, and make sure no one harms me or the people around me, that's all."

"But the You-Know-Who has already fallen! He wouldn't..."

"If he really falls completely, I won't need to come to Hogwarts." Harry's tone suddenly turned somber. "Mr. Scrimgeour, you're also Auror. Surely you haven't completely forgotten what happened when I was ten?"

Scrimgeour was speechless. He suddenly remembered that when this child was ten years old, he had once outwitted a large group of Auror.

At that time, he clearly wanted to escape Dumbledore's control, but in the end he still ended up in Hogwarts.

"If I hadn't gone to Hogwarts, I would probably be preparing to take over my family's dental practice and then marry Hermione when I was old enough." Seeing that the other person didn't speak, Harry continued softly, "It's pretty much the same now. I'm doing quite well at Hogwarts, except that taking over the dental practice would mean killing Voldemort instead, but the rest of the process remains the same."

"Ah..." Looking at Harry, who remained completely calm in front of him, Scrimgeour had no idea how to evaluate his 'ideal'.

You might say he has lofty ambitions, but his ultimate goal is simply to get married... Although for Scrimgeour, who has been a bachelor for almost his entire life, marriage might indeed be a lofty ideal.

But if you call him simple, then there's the added element of defeating a You-Know-Who, and even more audaciously saying he wants to 'kill' him.

But if everything he said is true, doesn't that mean this child, who has been constantly at odds with the Ministry of Magic, ultimately has absolutely no interest in the Ministry of Magic's power?

Is this even possible?

"Mr. Scrimgeour, I think we should end our conversation here." Seeing Scrimgeour's apparent confusion, Harry chuckled and shook his head. "In any case, Voldemort is the root of all problems. Until he returns, anything we say is meaningless. Neither the Ministry of Magic nor I can trust each other."

"Alright... but there's one last question: the You-Know-Who... will he really come back?"

"He definitely will," Harry nodded gently. "And once Voldemort returns, Fudge certainly won't be able to handle it."

"But if that day ever comes, even more people will stand up!" Scrimgeour declared firmly. "Even if the You-Know-Who truly restores his dark rule, we will fight him to the very end!"

"I personally admire your courage, but that's all in the future." Harry smiled and stood up, extending his hand to Scrimgeour again. "Mr. Scrimgeour, please return."

"Mad-Eye Moody has decided; he will answer your call and go with you to Albania!" Before leaving, Scrimgeour shook hands firmly with Harry. "If you feel you don't have enough manpower, I can send some Auror, or even come myself!"

"I appreciate your kindness, but it's best if you don't get too close to me, or you'll be ostracized even more. You and Mr. Moody are different; he's already retired."

Harry shook his head slightly, declining Scrimgeour's offer of assistance.

After the Head of the Auror Office left, Harry gradually suppressed his smile.

Scrimgeour may have genuinely believed Voldemort's return, or he may have simply wanted to verify it himself, but in any case, it doesn't diminish Harry's admiration for this righteous wizard.

However, someone as marginalized as him ultimately knows too little.

Alastor Moody actually volunteered to go to Albania...

Rather than helping, it's more accurate to say that Albus Dumbledore probably sent him to keep an eye on him.

Chapter 536 Preparations for Departure, Gathering Helpers

Although they've only met twice, including this time, Harry truly admires Scrimgeour and thinks he's much more reliable than Fudge.

He might even be more reliable than Albus Dumbledore.

Admittedly, in terms of intelligence and strength, Scrimgeour and Dumbledore are worlds apart, but Scrimgeour has one major advantage.

That is, he is straightforward and simple enough.

Harry could tell that Scrimgeour didn't have the usual cunning of a politician; all his thoughts were written on his face, otherwise he wouldn't have asked Harry so directly... what he wanted.

Therefore, Harry didn't mind opening up to him and revealing his ultimate ideal.

Of course, Harry did hide some things. For example, in the process of realizing this ideal, he might screen all the wizards in the entire Britain Wizarding World, and then drag those who harbored arrogance and malice towards ordinary people into writing self-criticisms...

But that's a story for later; at least until Voldemort is completely dealt with, Harry doesn't have the time or inclination for that.

In short, after this interlude, Harry's first legitimate business, aside from inheriting the estate and engaging in arson, murder, and robbery, was finally on track.

The Weasley Brothers have been working with great enthusiasm since opening their shop, because they estimate there are still one to two months until the Quidditch World Cup final. If the shop's turnover is good enough, they will have a lot more when they settle their wages at the end of the month, and the capital they can use for gambling will naturally be more substantial.

Harry didn't care what the purpose of their hard work was, as long as they didn't embezzle the shop's funds to gamble.

Besides, Harry really doesn't have time to pay much attention to the shop right now; he'll be heading to Albania soon...

So, just a few days after the Odd Jobs Shop officially opened, and even before the end of July, Harry had already convinced his parents and others, settled things at home, and officially decided to set off!

He certainly wouldn't be taking Hermione and Luna Lovegood with him on this trip, but that's alright, Harry has other helpers.

Using the Vanishing Cabinet, Harry quickly returned to Hogwarts. When Harry appeared in the alchemy laboratory on the Seventh Floor, the Flamel couple were already waiting there.

On the alchemy table beside them, all the items Harry needed for this trip were already neatly arranged.

For example, there are alchemical gadgets to handle different environments, maps for reconnaissance, magic cameras, and even enchanted bullets, etc.

"Teacher!" Harry rushed forward upon seeing this, taking the hands of the two elderly people. "I'm so sorry to have troubled you two to make these things for me."

"It's nothing, just a simple activity." Nicolas Flamel earnestly advised, "Doctor, no matter the outcome of this mission, remember that safety is the most important thing. You must come back safely."

"That's right, we've all been waiting for you," Perenelle said with a kind smile. "The most important thing is not to worry those two girls."

"Yes, you two can rest assured." Harry nodded solemnly, "I know what I'm doing."

Harry's trip to Albania was primarily for publicity. If he could capture Voldemort, all the better; but if he accidentally escaped, there wouldn't be much to regret.

Moreover, Albus Dumbledore sent Mad-Eye Moody over, and Harry knew that Moody's task was to both monitor and assist him.

Although having him around might cause a little trouble, it's actually exactly what Harry wanted.

After all... with such an Auror around, who in the Wizarding World would dare to doubt his 'experience' as recounted in person?

After packing the necessary items, Harry bid farewell to his two teachers and headed to the Forbidden Forest with his suitcase.

With Moody accompanying him this time, and Harry certain that Moody's Magic Eye could see right through his trunk, Harry couldn't bring many contraband items...

For example, Norberta.

"You'll stay in the Forbidden Forest for now. I can only take Zouwu with me this time. Wait for me... Oops! I know I was wrong, stop licking me... and absolutely no spitting on me!!"

After placing Norberta from the suitcase into the dragon's lair hidden deep in the Forbidden Forest, the female Dragon, upon hearing that Harry was again refusing to take her along, unsurprisingly began to throw a tantrum, spitting saliva all over Harry's body and face with her tongue.

"Norberta, you really are..." Harry complained helplessly, wiping the spit off his face. "You spit whether you're angry or happy. You really need to change this habit."

Every time, Harry would end up sticky and wet, and even after being Scourgify, he still felt like something was left on him, which made him feel a little awkward.

But Harry couldn't blame Norberta for being temperamental, and he really couldn't take it with him; after all, he couldn't afford to give anyone cause for criticism.

Knowing that Harry was raising dragons is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes is quite another.

Moreover, given the current state of the Britain Ministry of Magic, they would absolutely not approve Harry's application to keep a dragon privately... Just as they would never allow Harry to learn Apparition legally and through proper channels beforehand.

To be honest, the female Dragon had actually gotten used to spending less time with Harry during the holidays, so Harry didn't have to worry too much each time; he just needed to tell Hagrid to take good care of her.

Having been raised by Harry all this time, Norberta is definitely more rational than the average Dragon; at least it has basically accepted that Hagrid is one of the people who have been raising it all these years.

This recognition naturally delighted Hagrid, and he would beam with joy every time he took care of Norberta.

After settling Norberta, Harry found some Fantastic Beasts, including the Swooping Evil, in the Forbidden Forest to help him. He also made a detour to the Centaur to tell Ronan that the two incompetent Centaur no longer needed to do the hard labor.

Speaking of which, Harry was furious when the topic came up.

He had finally managed to catch a few Ground Bat, and before he could even properly study them, one of them was lost. He really didn't know how the Acromantula and the Centaur were doing their jobs as guards.

When he learned of this, he ordered the other spiders to devour the two Acromantula that were guarding them.

Don't think Harry is cruel, because that's just the kind of creature the Acromantula are; the more you kill them, the more readily they submit.

However, Harry couldn't be so 'brutal' with the Centaur, so he simply let Ronan handle the punishment within the tribe himself.

Finally, after completing all the preparations, Harry arrived at the nursing home, which was under renovation.

That said, ever since he moved into the Witanhurst mansion, his people no longer go to the Three Broomsticks or the Hog's Head Inn for any business.

Alas, it's so easy to go from frugality to extravagance...

In the nursing home's reception hall, Harry encountered Sirius and Snape, who were at odds with each other, as well as Moody, who had come uninvited, and Lupin and Tonks, who had come solely to say goodbye.

Sirius Black, Severus Snape... it really doesn't need much explanation who Harry's helpers were, does it?

Aside from Hermione and Scamander, these two are the people Harry trusts most right now.

To this, he really has to say from the bottom of his heart... Dear Mom and Dad, you two are truly amazing!

Chapter 537 Departure, Kingdom of Mountain Eagles

"I missed it again... Harry, I missed it again..."

With parting imminent, Lupin appeared deeply regretful.

Whether it was the previous search for Regulus or the current journey to find Voldemort, Lupin had to miss these important missions due to his health, which made him feel truly useless.

"Hey, Moony, don't be so down," Sirius patted Lupin on the shoulder reassuringly. "My going is the same as your going, isn't it? Don't worry, with me with Harry, he'll be perfectly fine!"

"Remus, time waits for no one." Compared to the carefree Sirius, Snape only uttered this somber sentence.

However, everyone knows that he is telling the truth.

Setting off to search for Voldemort's remnant soul is not something that can be done lightly. Harry has been planning this for a long time and cannot let Lupin's health keep delaying it.

Lupin understood this perfectly well, but he still felt very frustrated.

"Harry Granger, is this our first time meeting?" On the other side, Moody stared at Harry from head to toe with his terrifyingly large demonic eye.

He was already more perceptive than most people, and he also suffered from severe paranoia, always feeling as if he had seen the boy in front of him somewhere before.

"I don't think so," Harry denied without batting an eye. "Anyway, thank you for your help, Mr. Moody."

"I only accepted Albus's invitation, and I genuinely wanted to see you, this famous kid." Moody stared intently at Harry and asked in a deep voice, "I'm really curious, how exactly did you manage to snatch three Death Eater from the heavily guarded Azkaban without anyone noticing?"

"Harry and... Death Eater? Mad-Eye Moody, what are you talking about? I was there when Azkaban happened, Harry ... how could he be that guy who broke out of prison?!"

Upon hearing her mentor say this, Tonks immediately spoke up in Harry's defense, though her tone sounded somewhat flustered.

She had her own suspicions, but she kept forcing herself to forget about it because she considered Harry a friend...

"Hmph, now most of the Ministry of Magic knows. You're the only one who still thinks he's a normal student."

Moody glanced at Tonks helplessly, feeling that his student was far too trusting and prone to letting personal feelings cloud his judgment.

However, Moody was unaware that it was precisely because of Harry's friendship with Tonks that Dumbledore felt comfortable letting him keep an eye on Harry.

Otherwise, replace Moody with Kingsley Shacklebolt Shacklebolt... haha~

"Mr. Moody, a place like Azkaban could be easily infiltrated by any wizard who possesses Patronus."

Harry casually brushed it off; he wasn't going to give the other party any ammunition.

As for Moody, who was eager to test him, Harry didn't mind making him feel a little uncomfortable.

"I think we should get going!" Harry's extremely serious words immediately created a tense atmosphere in the room.

But then he suddenly turned to Moody, a playful smile appearing on his face, "Mr. Moody, do you have a passport?"

"Passport...?" Moody was taken aback. "What's that?"

"I suppose this is something Muggle use when they travel abroad," Tonks said after a moment's thought. "But...why don't wizards just need to submit an exit application to the Department of Magical Transportation to travel abroad?"