Chapter 102: News Report

There was a huge oil painting in Tang Dun, depicting a gentleman in a suit giving a speech to workers. Harry and Eve had passed by it countless times, never thinking that a secret room was hidden behind the oil painting.

This secret room was told to Harry by Carson. Opening it didn't require speaking Parseltongue, but it required the butler's key. Harry decided to hide Tom Riddle's diary in the secret room's safe. He personally set a complex password to ensure that Eve or any other Muggle servant would never be able to touch it.

During this summer vacation, Harry felt as if he had returned to the days of taking classes, the difference being that he seemed to have become a teacher.

Eve held the History of Magic textbook and read aloud, "In the Middle Ages, non-magical people (generally referred to as Muggles) were particularly afraid of the existence of magic, but refused to admit it. When they rarely caught a real witch or wizard, they would burn them at the stake, but in fact, it had no effect at all. A witch or wizard only needed to cast a basic Flame-Freezing Charm, and they could scream in feigned pain while enjoying the warmth spreading through their limbs. Indeed, Wendelin was such a freak; she loved the feeling of being burned, so she appeared in different guises on various occasions, letting herself be caught at least fifty-seven times."

"What is a Flame-Freezing Charm? Harry, do you know? Is it really comfortable? Shall we try it too?"

Harry had no idea what a Flame-Freezing Charm was. He was certain that this was an advanced magic, or that modern wizards no longer learned it because they didn't need to be burned at the stake. In any case, he thought of a way to brush it off.

"Listen, Eve, we are not allowed to use magic outside of school, unless you want to go to Azkaban." He threatened. "That is a gloomy and terrifying prison; any wizard who is locked in there is a dead end."

"That's too scary. If I don't write my Potions homework, will it be illegal?" Eve stuck out her tongue and said.

"Forget it, Eve, how much homework have I helped you solve since the summer vacation started?" Harry said with distress. "You might as well tell Snape the truth, saying that Harry Potter originally promised to help you with your homework, but he broke his promise because his own homework was about to drive him crazy."

"Master Harry, there is a phone call for you." Butler Carson's knock interrupted the children's bickering.

"Oh Harry, I suggest you read today's Daily Prophet quickly. You can receive it there, right?" Luo En's voice came from the receiver; he seemed very excited.

"Is that so? I haven't read it yet. I've been busy helping Eve with her homework all day. I mean, what's wrong? Is there any news?"

"My dad won the grand prize! We still don't know how to spend this money... I mean, perhaps we will go to Egypt to visit Bill." Luo En said happily. He also invited Harry to go with him.

On the phone, the two children happily discussed the plan to go to Egypt. Jin Ni even snatched the receiver several times to talk to Eve. In short, they planned to set off in the last week of July, celebrate Harry's birthday in Egypt, and then return to school a week before the start of the term.

Harry also found the Daily Prophet of the day, which featured a family photo of the Weasleys. He saw the nine members of the Wei Wei Silai family huddled in front of a large triangular cone, pulling and tugging. Luo En was on the right side of the center of the photo, tall and thin, with his fat gray rat Scabbers winding around his little sister Jin Ni's shoulders and arms.

"That's really great, how interesting." Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Carson, give me the Daily Prophet during breakfast from now on."

In the eyes of the Muggle butler, it was just a black-and-white photo that didn't move, not as interesting as The Sun, and everything written in it was onion news. He was really worried that Master Harry would learn bad things, but now that Sir Crowley was away on business, Harry was still the one in charge of this house.

The next morning, just as Harry and Eve were chatting and laughing, imagining going to Egypt with the Wei Wei Silai family, Carson brought the Daily Prophet of the day and stacked it on top of the Daily Mail he usually read.

When they saw the news headline, both children were startled.

"Notorious Death Eater Sirius Black Escapes from Azkaban"

"Oh my god, you told me yesterday that any wizard who enters there is a dead end." Eve said.

"That just shows how terrifying this Sirius is; he is simply a demon who crawled back from hell." Harry said, beginning to read the news content in detail.

It was said that Sirius Black was a heinous guy who once used a spell to blow up thirteen people and was still laughing wildly when caught by Aurors.

Sirius was one of the Dark Lord's admirers. We are certain that his prison break this time was to retaliate against Mr. Harry Potter, who defeated the Dark Lord. According to some fellow inmates, he had shouted more than once on the eve of his escape, "He is at Hogwarts."

Minister for Magic Scrimgeour stated that he had contacted the Muggle Prime Minister. If Harry Potter is currently in Muggle society, please seek protection from the local police as soon as possible, and the Auror Office will also closely monitor this matter.

Harry only felt a chill rushing from the soles of his feet to his brain. Think about it, an extremely dangerous Dark Wizard searching for his tracks everywhere—this made him terrified.

"Butler Carson, please contact the police officer immediately." Harry said. "Ask him to report to the police."

"Report what?" Carson asked.

"Just say Harry Potter is here. The police will know, because a fugitive who has a grudge against me has escaped from prison, and this is very terrifying."

"I will go report it immediately, but please rest assured, Master, Tang Dun's security forces are enough to deal with any fugitive." Carson nodded and left. Harry looked at the breakfast in front of him, only feeling that he had no appetite.

He forced himself to swallow his breakfast, but he couldn't stop thinking about Black. From the photo, this was a man with a gloomy expression and a pale face, but Harry always felt that the face looked a bit familiar.

After deep thought, Harry felt that perhaps it was because he had seen photos of vampires in textbooks; the Black on the wanted poster looked just like a vampire.

In the morning, Luo En called again, regretfully informing Harry that the travel plan was canceled. Because of Sirius's prison break, the Ministry of Magic believed it was best to protect Harry as soon as possible. And in order not to let Harry feel disappointed, the Wei Wei Silai family discussed it and decided to stay in London, save the money, and plan the trip next time.

"Actually, you don't have to delay for me." Harry said with some embarrassment. "It would be nice for your family to go on a trip and visit Bill."

"In fact, Mom is considering whether to use this money to expand our house." Luo En said. "But at least we can take a little out to buy me a new wand; I'm still using Charlie's old wand."

"That counts as some good news, right." Harry tried to cheer up and chatted with his friend. "I originally thought I could spend this summer vacation happily, but I didn't expect this kind of thing to happen."

All day long, Harry felt worried and full of insecurity. He could now understand why Hermione was under so much pressure last year; the feeling of being likely to be attacked at any time was really not easy to bear.

However, in the afternoon, he was pleasantly surprised to see two people in robes arrive at the manor. They had firm expressions, and one could tell at a glance that they were very professional Aurors.

"Hello, Harry, I am Lei Sichuide, the Director of the Auror Office." The slightly taller man said. "Given your situation, we have decided to assign an agent to provide you with close protection."

"Oh, thank you so much, sir." Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is Mr. Johnny English, the ace of our Auror Office." Lei Sichuide said proudly. "He once cracked a major Anglo-French smuggling case as a striker, and later was seconded to Downing Street to protect the Muggle Prime Minister. It can be said that he is an expert in protection."

"Forgive me for speaking bluntly, aren't you the science teacher at the town's elementary school?" Carson said.

"Oh, is there any rule that an elementary school teacher cannot be a secret agent?" Johnny said with some helplessness. "I am just temporarily in a state of secondment. Failing to protect Minister Fudge from a terrifying assassination back then was a huge blow to me."

"I think in the coming time, we can let Johnny stay at Tang Dun to provide Harry with rigorous care..."

"Are you teaching me how to do my job?" Johnny interrupted Lei Sichuide's speech. "I am going to take Harry to the Leaky Cauldron. The more crowded the place, the less likely a fugitive will appear. That Siri, Sira, Seris... anyway, Black wouldn't dare to go to that kind of place, with so many pairs of righteous eyes watching."

He made a gesture of watching Harry, making it seem like he was the fugitive.

"And your security measures here are too poor. The fireplace isn't even connected to the Floo Network; how are you supposed to call for support? There are no defensive measures either. What if Black drops from the sky?" Johnny made a gesture of jumping down again. "Or he uses a tunnel to quietly sneak under the house and then blow you to the sky? How are these to be guarded against?"

Harry was already a bit scared.

"So, take your textbooks and move to the Leaky Cauldron." He said. "Under the supervision of the Ministry of Magic, plus the righteous masses, plus my great name. Believe me, Harry, Black doesn't have the guts to challenge the Tiger of the Auror Office."

"Then what about me, sir?" Eve said. "Can I go together?"

"Yes, let me say it again, Harry, take your textbooks, wand, cauldron, anything you need for class, and this little sister." Johnny added. "And her textbooks, wand, cauldron... in short, those things! We will set off this afternoon; by nightfall, it will give Black an opportunity!"

Harry began to pack his things with some distress. For now, he was still willing to believe this "Tiger of the Auror Office." ===== CHAPTER 103 =====