Hogwarts: I Obtained the Paternal System

He thought sadly, What was the point? It was no use at all.

It wouldn't help. Darren was already gone! Budleigh Babberton.

Harry followed Dumbledore past a telephone booth, then past a church.

At that moment, the midnight bells rang.

They hurried past house after house.

Finally, they stopped outside a house with a garden.

"Good heavens!"

Dumbledore exclaimed.

The house's door had been violently torn off and tossed crookedly to one side.

Through the open doorway, they could see that the inside looked as though it had been attacked. Harry's heart sank.

"Harry, take out your wand!"

Dumbledore said.

Then he strode inside first. Harry hurried after him.

Everything inside had been smashed. Even the clock had been knocked over.

There was also some red, sticky stuff on the wallpaper that looked very much like blood.

"Was he... dragged away?"

Harry asked softly.

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes.

Then he suddenly walked over to a squat, fat armchair and jabbed it hard with his wand.

"...Good evening, Horace!"

The chair let out a scream.

A bald, fat old man appeared.

He crouched there with tears in his eyes, rubbing his stomach.

"You didn't need to use so much force!" he said angrily.

He stood up. He only came up to Dumbledore's chin.

Then he said indignantly, "How did you see through it? I disguised myself perfectly!"

"Perhaps because, if Death Eaters had come here, there would have been a Dark Mark."

The old man smacked his forehead hard.

"The Dark Mark... I didn't have time. You came too fast. I'd only just adjusted the chair when you rushed in..."

The old man said regretfully.

Harry had never seen anyone so shameless.

"Would you like me to help you clean up?"

Dumbledore asked politely. The old man shamelessly nodded.

"Then I'll