Chapter 504: New Release

What good does it do to fight the darkest wizard in the world?

Sirius suddenly asked,

“I don’t understand—Voldemort, the merciless Dark Lord—aside from us, the magical world is filled only with cowards and fools…

Why would a seer, please forgive my boldness… a wizard capable of rivaling Merlin, choose to oppose him?

I’ve never met a wizard like you, a wizard of such extraordinary talent—why do you stand against him?

He probably doesn’t even know you exist. No matter how the magical world changes, you could still thrive, wouldn’t you?”

A few owls flew through the night, their wings flashing past the streetlamps.

Beneath the moonlight, the wind through Diagon Alley stirred the oaks, and bells on shop fronts chimed softly.

Xiang Xiang Xien stared at the gaunt man before him—his eyes burned with fire, fixed on Xiang Xiang Xien as if confirming something.

“I attend Hogwarts.”

Xiang Xiang Xien said.

Sirius was momentarily stunned.

“Hogwarts is good.”

Xiang Xiang Xien added.

“I’m sorry…”

Sirius frowned—he hadn’t expected such an answer.

“Don’t you understand, Mr. Black? Does fighting the darkest wizard in the world require too many reasons?”

Xiang Xiang Xien stared into his eyes.

“Of course it does!”

Sirius glanced at Regulus’s pale corpse, his eyes filled with solemn resolve.

But Xiang Xiang Xien fell silent.

“I’ve rarely met wizards who think this way—dying with a school… it’s hard to believe Hogwarts holds such power…”

Sirius murmured,

“Why, sir?”

“Mr. Black, you don’t live in this house, do you?”

Xiang Xiang Xien asked softly.

“Of course not,”

Sirius said, though puzzled by the boy’s words, he nonetheless followed an inexplicable trust to the end of the corridor.

At the end, a tapestry covered the entire wall, depicting a woman’s portrait—she screamed the moment she saw Sirius:

“Disgraceful wretch, filthy mongrel, family traitor, vile spawn…”

The tapestry looked ancient, its colors faded, several sections gnawed through as if by teeth.

Yet the gold thread still gleamed brightly, clearly revealing a sprawling family tree stretching back to the Middle Ages.

Above the tapestry, embroidered in large letters:

【The Oldest and Noblest House of Black

Always Pure】

“I’m not on it,”

Sirius ignored the screaming Black Lady and pointed to the bottom row.

“Though I once was.”

Sirius gestured to a small charred circle on the tapestry, like a cigarette burn,

“As Kreacher says, after I ran away, my dear mother erased me—Kreacher loves whispering that story.”

Xiang Xiang Xien listened quietly.

“I was about sixteen then,”

Sirius said,

“I’d had enough.”

“You went to Mr. Potter’s home.”

Xiang Xiang Xien said.

“Even now, I find it hard to believe such magic truly exists…”

Sirius looked at the boy and whispered,

“Harry’s grandparents were incredibly kind—I’m sure you know him—they treated me almost like a second son.

Yes, during school holidays, I stayed with them; at seventeen, I found my own place.

My uncle Alphard left me a considerable fortune—he was also erased from here, probably for that very reason—so from then on, I cared for myself, though Mr. and Mrs. Potter always welcomed me for dinner every Saturday.”

So why are you asking this?”

Sirius asked.

“What if someone tried to destroy Mr. Potter’s home?”

Xiang Xiang Xien asked.

“I’d kill him!”

Sirius rasped.

He froze, suddenly understanding.

“Harry—you and Harry, you…”

He grew flustered.

Only one kind of person treats a school like home—like Harry…

The night fell silent.

Sirius could read nothing from those brilliant green eyes—only emptiness, calm, like a deep ocean.

“Perhaps I’ve seen the endings of some stories—you’d know they aren’t good.”

Xiang Xiang Xien whispered; when the distant wind blew, he always spoke a little more.

“Prophecies never fail…”

Sirius blinked, then said.

“Oh, that was the first time.”

Xiang Xiang Xien smiled gently.

Sirius had never met anyone who inspired such a vague, quiet faith.

“My centaur teacher told me fate is something easily misjudged.”

Xiang Xiang Xien gazed at the distant mountains,

“Only those who have given everything are worthy to ask fate, sir.”

Outside the window, far across Diagon Alley, mountains stood, overlooking life, overlooking the dense clusters of houses crammed into the corners.

They lived in gray buildings, watching daylight fade, night fall, all sinking into dark stillness.

Then the stars lit up.

Above them, the stars shone with eternal light.

“I need your help—but you know our task is extraordinarily difficult.”

The boy’s silhouette was bathed in the new moon’s glow, radiating a soft white light.

“Of course… I am at your command.”

Sirius’s throat moved.

Nothing was more comforting than obeying a seer, nothing more thrilling than following a mysterious, great wizard against fate.

Knowing he would not become their enemy, Sirius felt a long-forgotten surge of joy.

And he knew—tonight, his fate had made its choice.

…

Diagon Alley welcomed another long, sunlit day.

Wizards everywhere were talking about Sirius’s case; Harry was now withdrawing Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts from Gringotts’ underground vault.

After refilling his pouch, he had to exert great willpower not to spend it all at once.

Diagon Alley remained as noisy as ever; his friends had already gathered ahead.

Harry looked closely—everyone was there except Xiang Xiang Xien.

Of course, Xiang Xiang Xien’s absence was common—like Professor Snape deducting house points.

But they all waited for him; everyone knew that when they needed help, he would always appear.

As Harry passed Flourish and Blotts, he found it packed with wizards; those at the back of the queue stood dozens of meters from the shop.

A huge banner hung above:

【Scamander’s Final Work Now on Sale!】

Evening emergency task—requesting a day off.