Chapter 285: Dumbledore's Home Visit

The summer vacation started just like that.

These past two days John has done only one thing: add various Defensive Spells to this new home.

He also visited Hermione's house and set Defensive Spells there as well.

At the same time he gave each of the four parents a Door Key that can perform emergency teleportation at any time, ensuring they can instantly reach a safe place in a crisis.

The Door Key's destination was set to an unremarkable safe house in the southern suburbs, which contains enough daily necessities and emergency supplies.

It is enough for the family to hide there for a while.

Of course, John also prepared a Door Key for Hermione.

However, one issue is that the safe house has not yet been equipped with an effective anti‑tracking spell, so it could be traced by the Ministry of Magic or the Death Eaters.

So he plans to learn the Red‑Bold Loyal Spell.

Once he masters the Red‑Bold Loyal Spell, he will be able to conceal the safe house completely within the folds of the real world.

That will completely eliminate any lingering worries.

On the third day of summer vacation, John slept until the sun was high before getting up.

Just as he stepped outside, he heard a burst of chatter and a familiar voice coming from the living room.

"Oh, John, you're awake."

"I hope the sudden visit doesn't disturb you."

Dumbledore's aged face appeared in John's home.

"?"

When John saw Dumbledore, he thought he hadn't fully woken up, wondering how Dumbledore could have run into the house.

It took him a while to realize.

"Headmaster? Why are you here?"

John asked with a puzzled expression.

"You child, you don't even say hello when you see someone; you have no manners at all."

John's mother immediately patted her son's head and scolded him.

The chatter in the living room earlier was his parents making small talk with Dumbledore.

When the elderly visitor first arrived, the couple were initially bewildered, until he said he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, coming specifically to find John.

They then promptly invited him to stay as a guest.

Since John was still asleep, Dumbledore wasn't in a hurry and began chatting with John's parents.

During that time he praised John's performance at school repeatedly, making his parents beam with joy.

"Apologies, Mr. Dumbledore, this child never behaves properly."

John's father laughed, trying to smooth things over, and said.

Dumbledore simply smiled gently, "I came uninvited; that was my rudeness, no need to mind."

Saying that, he looked at John again and said.

"Weren't we saying we'd take you to visit Riddle Manor? Today is the time, so I came to find you."

John raised an eyebrow, showing no particular reaction, and replied calmly.

"Oh, that matter, fine; I'll just tidy up and go."

He didn't let his parents notice anything unusual; they simply thought the Headmaster was taking John to visit some Wizarding World celebrity.

Seeing John return to his room, his parents smiled and continued chatting with Dumbledore about John.

"Um, Headmaster..."

When John's mother saw the atmosphere had settled, she hesitated a moment before tentatively speaking.

"Actually, I wanted to ask, has anything happened recently in your Wizarding World?"

"A while ago, our home was broken into by thugs; thanks to our son returning in time..."

"Is he now doing something very dangerous...?"

John's mother lowered her voice and finally asked the thing she feared most.

Dumbledore nodded, full of guilt.

"I have known about the break‑in for a long time; I came today also to extend my sincerest apologies to you and John's father."

"The Wizarding World has indeed been a bit chaotic lately; we are doing our utmost to respond, but inevitably some ripples affecting the Muggle World arise."

Dumbledore did not deflect, but frankly accepted responsibility.

"You both can rest assured; the Wizarding World is now united, and peace will be restored soon."

"Student safety has always been Hogwarts' top responsibility; we will not let students endanger themselves."

Having said that, Dumbledore looked up toward John's room again, smiled, and said.

"Moreover, your son is braver and stronger than you imagine; you can fully trust his abilities, and please continue to give him confidence and support."

At that moment, John happened to push open his bedroom door.

He had already put on the black‑blue Cloak, standing tall with a calm gaze, his sleek black hair shimmering faintly in the morning light.

The childishness had completely faded, and his brows bore a resolve beyond his years.

He gave his parents a slight nod, a composed smile lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going out with the Headmaster; remember to leave my dinner for tonight."

His mother, looking at her grown son, smiled and nodded.

"Alright, go then; be careful on the way."

Dumbledore also rose slowly, smiled at the two, and extended his arm toward John.

John placed his hand on Dumbledore's forearm and waved to the two elders.

In the next instant, the two vanished on the spot, leaving only the gently trembling air to ripple with faint halos that faded away.

Caw! Caw!

A few crows swooped and skimmed over the dead branches, startled by the two suddenly appearing humans, they flapped their wings and flew toward the lead‑gray sky.

John and Dumbledore appeared together outside the desolate village of Xiao Hange Dun.

London was still bright and sunny.

Here, however, was a dead‑gray gloom.

"Although I don't want to say it, this place instantly gives off the feeling of a movie villain's lair."

John looked at the scene before him and couldn't help but quip.

Dumbledore smiled faintly and said, "Maybe it really is."

"So where is Riddle Manor?"

"Do you see the manor on the distant mountain? It's right there."

Dumbledore pointed toward the lead‑gray sky in the distance, where a solitary gray manor rose alone on a small hill.

"This manor originally belonged to Riddle, but fifty years ago, after the Riddle family was killed, the house got a new owner."

"Later, although the new owner never moved in, they kept arranging for someone to clean and maintain it regularly."

"Until last year, Voldemort returned, killed the gardener who lived at the foot of the mountain, and temporarily seized this manor."

"As for now, the manor's owner seems to think the place is plagued by bizarre deaths, so they simply abandoned it completely."

John stared at the gray‑stone manor, which had been tended to for the past several decades.

Yet it was still a genuine old relic.

The architectural style was entirely from the last century.

Of course, if you claim the rich like retro, there's nothing I can do.

"Let's go."

Dumbledore said no more, and directly led John toward the muddy path of Xiao Hange Dun.

This Muggle village was no different from an ordinary village; the Muggles lived their lives as usual, and no one cared about the arrival of the two strangers, John and Dumbledore.

As for the manor on the mountain, it was merely the "creepy house" that the nearby residents avoided mentioning during their leisure.