Harry Potter : Bloodraven-Chapter 128: A Weasley Welcome (CH - 148)

The chessboard clicked softly, shifting a white bishop into place. Maverick leaned back in his chair, letting the sunlight wash over him from the Diagon Alley skyline. It was mid-morning, clear skies overhead, and the breeze carried the distant hum of early shoppers. A cup of coffee steamed on the table beside him, its surface trembling as he set his hand down.

Checkmate.

He watched the black king fall over by itself with a faint mechanical hiss. A small smile tugged at his lips. This old enchanted chessboard wasn't his creation, nor particularly innovative—it had existed in the wizarding world for decades. Still, it had its charm.

His thoughts, however, were far from the board.

The first Horcrux was gone. Tom Riddle's diary—destroyed, cursed soul and all. And Dumbledore had already taken care of Marvolo Gaunt's ring years back, though at no small cost. That left five. Well—four, if you discounted Potter.

Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem was next.

From what he could recall of the original story, the diadem should be buried somewhere inside Hogwarts, hidden away in that ever-changing space called the Room of Requirement. He hadn't bothered to search for it before. In terms of benefits, it meant little to him. Power, knowledge, artifacts—he already had more than enough.

But this year, he planned to explore the place. Clear out the Horcrux. Inspect the space. Maybe even find something interesting.

As for the others…

Salazar's locket would have to wait. Sirius Black was due to escape that godforsaken prison next year—if the timeline stayed on course. And the man could be useful. Very useful.

Helga Hufflepuff's cup would need careful planning. Cumbersome, but not impossible. A quieter approach—something smarter than busting into Gringotts like a madman.

And then there was the snake woman, Nagini, cursed by blood and fate. He had already set the search in motion. Sooner or later, she would be found. If there was a way to cure her, of course he would try. If not, well... he intended to leave Voldemort a rather explosive surprise inside her.

Finally, there was Potter himself. The most unpredictable piece on the board. freёnovelkiss.com

The plan remained the same—for now. Let history play out. Let Harry face Voldemort and burn the shard out of his own soul, just like in the original story. Unless, of course, he found another way.

But that wouldn't be simple. Dumbledore—that old man—had spent over a decade searching for a solution and still had no safe method. Regardless, Potter would be free of the parasite. Either through how things went in the story… or something else.

He took a long sip of his coffee.

A week had passed since his "friendly" visit to the Malfoy Manor. And today, it was time for another visit. Purebloods, but a very different house.

The Weasleys.

He checked his watch.

It was Saturday.

He stood up from the comfortable chair and brushed a bit of dust off his dark coat. The meeting with the redheads wasn't a random decision. If everything went well… they'd soon be part of the plan too.

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With a soft pop, Maverick Apparated into the air, feeling the familiar weightlessness that came with the travel. His feet hit the ground, and he found himself at the edge of a vast, sunlit meadow. The wind rustled through the wildflowers as the faint sounds of birdsong mingled with the distant hum of a busy morning.

The Burrow loomed ahead, an oddly charming, crooked house that seemed to defy gravity in places, its crookedness making it seem as if it were built piece by piece with no real plan. Smoke rose from the chimney, blending with the afternoon sun as it cast a golden glow over the home. The house sat like a warm, welcoming beacon amidst the open fields, surrounded by lush greenery and the distant hum of life in the countryside.

Maverick took a few steps forward, moving toward the front door, feeling the soft earth beneath his boots. He knocked firmly on the door, and it creaked open almost immediately.

"Professor!" Percy Weasley greeted him with a formal but warm smile, stepping aside to allow him in. "Father's been expecting you."

"Good to see you, Percy," Maverick replied, offering a polite nod as he stepped inside.

The inside of the Burrow was just as warm and inviting as the outside, filled with mismatched furniture that somehow complemented the homey atmosphere. The walls were adorned with family portraits, some of which seemed to move in time with the conversations.

The scent of something delicious wafted through the air, a mix of herbs and spices. The wooden beams creaked overhead, and the floors were worn, showing the years of family activity within these walls.

As Maverick stepped further in, a voice called out from the back of the house. "Who is it, Percy?"

"It's Professor Caesar!" Percy called back, loud enough for his voice to carry through the house.

The sound of hurried footsteps reached Maverick's ears, and a moment later, Molly Weasley appeared from around a corner, wearing an apron and wiping her hands on it. Her face lit up as she saw him.

"Professor Caesar!" she exclaimed warmly, her voice full of genuine kindness. "I'd love to give you a hug, dear, but I'm afraid I'm a bit dirty." She laughed lightly. "Welcome to our humble home."

Maverick chuckled, smiling. "I appreciate the offer, Mrs. Weasley, and I don't mind at all."

Before they could speak further, Maverick heard voices coming from the stairs.

"Professor!" The voices echoed through the house in unison, followed by the sounds of footsteps as Fred, George, and Ron Weasley appeared on the landing, their faces breaking into wide grins as they descended.

"Oh, and this is Ginny," Percy added, pointing to his younger sister as she joined the group.

"We've met," Maverick said, smiling and nodding at her.

The Weasley siblings gathered around Maverick, clearly excited to meet him, and began bombarding him with questions right off the bat.

Fortunately, Molly quickly took control of the ruckus. "Don't just stand there surrounding him!" she said, eyeing her children. "Show the professor around. Show him some Weasley hospitality!"

Molly then winked at Maverick. "Arthur just went out to buy something, but he should be back soon. Oh, and I hope you like pumpkin. I'm making pumpkin pasties, pumpkin soup, and a pumpkin pie for dessert," she added cheerfully before returning to the kitchen.

Maverick smiled back. "Oh I love pumpkin, Mrs Weasley..." His mouth was already watering at the thought. He truly did, both in his previous life and in this one.