After Apparating back to the safe house, the group sat on the sofa by the fireplace to warm themselves. They used the communication bookmark to try to contact Albert while analyzing what happened in Hogsmeade village with others.
"Who do you think did this?"
"Draco Malfoy."
The simple answer stunned the people who were originally talking in low voices.
"Albert also thinks that Draco Malfoy did it?" Cedric flipped through the Self-Defense Guide casually, staring at George, trying to get an answer from him.
"Albert hasn't replied yet, but it should be Malfoy who did the right thing." George put the communication bookmark used to contact Albert on the table, took out the medicine bottle from his pocket, and poured himself a purple pill.
"What is this?" Cedric asked curiously.
"It's a brain-enhancing drug. It can make your brain more flexible after use." George pushed the bottle of medicine to Fred, who also poured himself a pill.
"This thing was specially made by Albert, and it works very well."
"Sometimes, we need to use it to quickly sort out our messy thoughts and figure out what is going on." Lee Jordan also threw one into his mouth.
"so… "
Cedric picked up a smart potion and pinched it between his thumb and index finger, still a little hesitant about taking it.
Of course he knew about intelligence enhancers, but this thing... didn't look like an intelligence enhancer at all. Instead, it looked like some suspicious pills.
"That opal necklace should be worth a lot of money. Ordinary dark wizards would never spend Galleons to buy something like that because they are not rich enough and have no reason to do so, let alone send things to Hogwarts." George tapped his forehead with his fingers. "I think only those wealthy Death Eaters would be willing to spend that money. It is hard to think of anyone else who would do that, and the target must be their mortal enemy, who is still in Hogwarts. Except for Harry..."
"Except for Harry, Dumbledore is the only one who fits the bill," Fred analyzed. "Harry was in the bar at the time. Katie, who was under the Imperius Curse, could have given the package to Harry, but she didn't. This means Harry was not the target."
"Apart from Harry, the person the Death Eaters hate the most is probably Dumbledore."
"I think Albert could give it a try, too," Lee Jordan joked.
"Could it be Bellatrix who did it?" Shanna speculated.
"Perhaps, it was that crazy woman who controlled Madam Rosmerta."
"Bellatrix is related to Malfoy," George reminded.
"You think it was Malfoy, there must be a reason, right?" Sana asked directly.
"The Malfoys need this achievement, and they have their reasons for doing so." Fred continued, "Besides, they may not have acted on their own initiative to assassinate Dumbledore."
"You mean You-Know-Who gave Malfoy orders?"
Everyone was extremely surprised by this conclusion.
"Malfoy is only sixteen," Cedric reminded him, "Wizards become adults at seventeen. Even if he wants to replace his father Lucius as a Death Eater, I feel..."
"I suspect that the You-Know-Who wants Draco Malfoy to die." George raised his hand to stop Cedric from speaking, and made an even more shocking guess, "If Malfoy's mission is to assassinate Dumbledore, I don't think he has any chance of success."
"Can… "
"Why did the mysterious man do this?"
Shannah couldn't understand why You-Know-Who wanted Draco Malfoy dead.
"This is most likely revenge against the Malfoy family." George analyzed, "Don't forget, Lucius Malfoy indirectly killed many Death Eaters."
“It’s not enough reason, but it’s definitely related.”
If the Malfoys wanted to regain the You-Know-Who's trust, this would undoubtedly be the best way for their family.
"Are you sure this isn't the worst solution?" Cedric couldn't help but complain.
"If Draco Malfoy's goal was really to kill Dumbledore?" Shannah gestured with the scarf around her neck twice and couldn't help but complain: "Don't you think that assassination plan is very stupid?"
"Yeah, but how can you expect Malfoy to do better? He's only sixteen."
"I suspect you are mocking him."
"Even we have to admit that this plan is extremely stupid."
"Even a stupid plan could kill someone if they're not careful," Fred warned, "and if they hide the opal necklace as soon as they get it into school, Filch won't find it.
"You're right, Katie almost got killed." Lee Jordan was drinking a glass of warm mulled wine. He had just been outside taking pictures for people and needed to restore his body temperature to normal.
"I think there's no point in discussing this here." Cedric interrupted, "Even if Malfoy really wants to kill Dumbledore, so what? He has no chance of success."
"That's really not the point, but do you remember Albert's prediction?" George said suddenly.
"What prophecy?"
Although Albert never said that anything would happen to Dumbledore, it is not difficult for us to get a glimpse of the future from his predictions.
"You think Malfoy succeeded." Shanna raised her eyebrows slightly, obviously not believing that Dumbledore would be killed by Malfoy.
"I think it was Snape." Fred and George exchanged glances and said, "It should be said that Albert thought it was Snape, so he was very wary of Snape, and his predictions have never been wrong."
"We don't have any evidence, this is just everyone's speculation." Cedric thought this was ridiculous, and he would never believe it unless Albert admitted it himself.
"You don't know Albert." Lee Jordan shook his head. "That guy never leaks any information until he feels it's appropriate to say it."
"But it is not difficult for us to get some clues from his prophecy, especially the birth of the Defense Association. Don't you think it is unusual? You know, Albert himself is very afraid of trouble, but he established the Defense Association and planned to teach everyone how to defend against the dark arts?"
"They are all annoying Riddlers. I think your worries are completely unnecessary. It is more important to do your own thing well." Sana wrapped the knitted scarf around her neck, felt its comfort, and was quite satisfied with her results.
"If you are really bored, you can help prepare the materials for the next Hogwarts. Or you can come with me. I heard that there are quite a lot of people willing to join the DA gathering."
No one responded, and the air suddenly became eerily quiet.
"How's the contact with Sirius going?" Fred changed the subject stiffly.
"I guess he's busy. I haven't been able to contact him yet. If you're in a hurry, just go over there. Maybe you can get him dinner tonight."
"Forget it. It's not a very urgent matter anyway." George did intend to tell Sirius about this and chat about something else.
As for dinner, forget it. Lupin's cooking skills were only average, and Sirius's food was just edible.
"Do you think Zuo Ke will be targeted by the Death Eaters after this time?" Lee Jordan suddenly asked.
"Well, so that's why you want to contact Sirius. Are you planning to use that guy Zuo Ke as bait?" Cedric realized what these guys were trying to do.
"With the attention of the Ministry of Magic and the surveillance of the Aurors, Zuo Ke can at least be provided with some invisible protection."
"That's true."
"Who did you learn this from, Albert?" Cedric couldn't help but complain, "I don't think he's as hypocritical as you!"
"That's because you don't understand him." George shook his head, "And it's not hypocrisy."
Cedric felt that Zuo Ke was very unlucky. Not only did he have to work for others for free, but he also became someone else's bait.
Well, he remembered himself, but at least he had someone to rescue him. As for Zuo Ke, he could only rely on those unreliable Aurors.
"I don't know who they learned this from. Could it really be Albert?" In Cedric's impression, Albert didn't seem like a bad person.