The night became thicker in the cold air. The frost-covered roofs and chimneys, the dry and entangled tree branches, and even the sculptures on the eaves of the shops seemed to have fallen into the mysterious silence.
Of course, Hogsmeade has always been like that.
There is a cold and shady feeling everywhere, and at night it becomes vague and a bit scary.
But the two bars here use the dim red lights from the windows to bring a touch of warmth to the evening guests every dark night.
Maka held a magical creature in her hand and walked slowly along the street, walking leisurely towards the Pig's Head Bar on the other end.
In Hogsmeade, the Three Broomsticks Bar and the Pig's Head Bar happen to be located at the beginning and end of the village. The types of customers on both sides do not interfere with each other and have always coexisted harmoniously.
In the past few days, it has stopped snowing in Hogsmeade, and the view has become much wider.
Maka looked around and soon saw the faint light of fire falling on the snow.
Turning right and passing an intersection, the old bar that had not been repaired for many years immediately came into view. Looking at the tattered sign, it was really a bit too shabby.
Pushing the door open, Aberforth at the bar glanced at the door casually as a muffled sound of a broken bell rang.
"Um?"
Aberforth's bearded face moved slightly, and his eyes widened even more.
"good evening!"
Maka smiled and said hello, and looked around, only to find that there were no guests here tonight.
Aberforth narrowed his eyes and twitched at the corners.
"...Good evening," he said dryly, as if he was holding back his anger, "pets are not welcome in our store. Please tie them outside before coming in."
Maka shrugged and said, "Didn't I hear that you like sheep? Look!"
He turned the sheep he brought around by holding the rope in his hand, and then patted the sheep's tail hard.
"Altay big-tailed sheep! Came all the way from Asia... Look at these perfect curves..." he said, and patted it hard again, "How great is this plump and round sheep tail!"
Aberforth's eyes twitched again as he listened.
"I like goats! Do you understand? Goats!" He said in a low voice, "You actually brought a sheep here. Are you planning to insult my biggest hobby in life?"
"Isn't this bad?" Maka looked down again and subconsciously slapped her face again.
"You kid, you don't understand the beauty of goats at all!" Aberforth pushed the wine glass in his hand onto the bar and pointed at Maka angrily with his hands on his hips.
"Okay, okay... can't I apologize?" Maka smiled and waved her hand, took the sheep out again, tied it to the pillar at the door, and then walked inside.
"Butterbeer," he pointed to the stove at the back, "can you heat it up for me?"
Aberforth casually took out an ashes-covered wine bottle from under the bar, and put the wine glass in front of Maka.
"Keep yourself warm!" he said angrily.
Maka shrugged, took out her wand and pointed at the wine bottle and glass. After cleaning them, she poured the butterbeer from the bottle into the wine glass.
Immediately afterwards, he drew the wand around the wine glass a few times. Along with a faint flame fluttering, tiny bubbles gradually appeared in the liquid in the glass.
Soon, there was steam rising from the rim of the wine glass, and a rich smell of butter spread out.
"Another so-called genius..." Aberforth muttered in a low voice, "I hate geniuses."
"What's wrong with geniuses? They're not all human." Maka said with a smile, "When it's time to be unlucky, no one can escape..."
"You don't deny that you are a genius?" Aberforth looked at him with contempt.
"Based on what I know so far, I need other people's consent to deny it..." Maka said, picked up the wine glass and took a long sip, then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The so-called 'genius' , it is never self-proclaimed by the person involved, don’t you understand this when you look at your brother?”
"Him?" Aberforth snorted, "At your age, he has long claimed to be a genius, and he has been complaining all day that he has no place to display his talents..."
"...The older you get, the more humble you become?" Maka asked curiously.
"Huh... how can you say this?" Aberforth said disdainfully, "A 'genius' will only know how to restrain himself when he does something stupid! Unfortunately... by then it will be too late!"
Maka couldn't help but touch her face as she listened.
What this old man said is really right. Not only his brother Dumbledore, but also himself almost embarked on the self-righteous road of no return...
"Well..." Maka thought for a while, then suddenly raised her head and said seriously, "You are right! To thank you, I will definitely pick a goat for you next time I come back!"
"Shut up!" Aberforth glared at him and said, "I don't want to hear the word 'goat' in your mouth. For an ignorant brat like you, such a beautiful word is coming out of your mouth. An insult to it!”
Maka slapped her forehead hard and shook her head helplessly - this guy is definitely hopeless!
At this moment, the door of the bar was pushed open again, the broken bell rang again, and a man in a black cloak strode in from outside.
"go out!"
Aberforth just raised his head, glanced twice more, and then immediately roared.
"Well?"
Maka turned around and found that the man stopped at the door because of Aberforth's loud shout. He seemed to be in a dilemma. It seemed that he was Snape.
"What's wrong?" He turned around and looked at Aberforth strangely.
"This kid came here to eavesdrop on other people's conversations fourteen years ago, and I kicked him out!" Aberforth pointed at the door.
Maka turned back and glanced at Snape again - he was wearing a hood! And... fourteen years ago? Do you recognize this
"… time to go!"
Snape's voice sounded quite irritated. After he said a word, he immediately turned around and walked out.
Maka looked at Aberforth with a complicated expression and couldn't help but take a few more glances.
"You have such a good memory!"
After he finished speaking, he picked up the wine glass and drank it in one breath. Then he put down the money and walked out the door. Aberforth behind him just snorted impatiently.
The air outside was obviously much colder than inside. Maka couldn't help but shrink her neck and then looked towards Snape.
"You still need me to take you there?" Snape frowned and said, "With your ability, you don't need it, right?"
Maka smiled bitterly and shook her head: "It's not impossible, it just always deviates from the target. No matter how hard I try, it doesn't work..."
Apparition is not a movement in space, and it cannot be solved by calculation alone. It is more of a long-distance movement that relies on memory and sensory residue.
For ordinary wizards, just rely on feeling. But if Maka relies on feeling to cast a spell, there will always be deviations.
At least, until he studies and understands all the broken rules and runes contained in the Apparition Spell, he will never be able to rely on precise calculations to correct the offset of the coordinates.
"As for what the problem is, I still don't understand..." He spread his hands helplessly.
"You'd better figure it out soon."
Snape said, reaching out and grabbing Maka's arm. With a twist, the two of them immediately disappeared on the spot.
…
Coming to Riddle Mansion again was a different feeling.
Regarding Voldemort, Maka no longer had the original confusion about the unknown, and now he roughly knew the secret behind Voldemort's resurrection.
As for whether he should continue to explore the "Bewitching Monument", he also had preliminary plans.
The original plan has been terminated, but part of it can be continued in the current situation. It's just that he won't do anything at will until everything is completely understood.
Following Snape, after he opened the slightly worn door, the two of them walked into the hall together.
"Hiss—"
A giant snake comparable to the original basilisk was entrenched in the hall. It was obviously the snake named "Nagini" raised by Voldemort.
The last time Maka came here, it wasn't here, but this time he bumped into it.
Although it's not clear what Voldemort... or the Monument of Bewitchment did to it, since it can become so big, it has obviously grown completely.
It seemed that most wizards would just run away when they saw it.
In the darkness, Nagini's eyes shone with the light of wisdom, and her whole body was filled with a lot of black energy like a Black Death. She looked extremely ferocious, but was secretly shrewd.
Maka didn't understand Parseltongue, so she didn't understand what its "hissing" meant. Judging from the behavior of this snake, it is obviously not difficult to guess - it seems to instinctively not want to come near this side.
"It feels like he's not much dumber than Aragog?" Maka pondered, "Is this a basilisk transformed by Voldemort?"
"Don't speculate on the greatness of the Dark Lord!"
Unknowingly, Snape had gotten into the act, and now he was seriously criticizing Maka.
Maka just shrugged, then stopped looking at the big snake and followed Snape up the stairs to the study upstairs.
"Tuk Tuk"
Two light and cautious knocks on the door sounded, and the Death Eaters in the study all turned their heads warily and looked towards the door.
Voldemort, who was sitting at the other end of the long table with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes.
Compared with last time, there was obviously a strange black flame in his pupils, beating constantly inside, looking mysterious and unusual.
"Come in."
His voice also seemed to have a hint of hoarseness, as if he hadn't drank water for a long time, dry and solemn.
Following his words, the study door was gently pushed open, and Snape walked in first.
"Master, Maka McClain is here."
Before he finished speaking, even before the Macca people came in, all the Death Eaters immediately opened their eyes wide and stared at the deep and dim doorway with a cautious look on their faces.