Chapter 320: Manasseh Smith

At the heart of the estate stood a three-story villa where Manasseh Smith resided.

The house-elf led the two girls and opened the villa's door.

As Cho Chang and Penelope stepped into the villa and into the hallway, they were immediately struck by the sheer extent of antiques and collectibles that filled the space.

In every corner of the villa were various artifacts and collectibles.

As the elf guided them towards Manasseh, they saw a dazzling array of items.

The corners were adorned with vases of various styles, while the hallway displayed a series of knightly armors, seemingly products of goblin craftsmanship.

Cho Chang suspected they could move freely, much like the armors at Hogwarts.

Passing by the fireplace, they noticed many animal heads mounted on the wall, much like how Muggle nobles displayed their hunting trophies.

However, these heads belonged to magical creatures.

Among the heads Penelope recognized were Ashwinder, Horklumps, Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and Erumpents, along with some she did not know.

One particularly unsettling specimen looked like a large durian or a spiked balloon with a leopard's head attached—a truly dangerous-looking artifact.

Additionally, they saw a variety of copper vessels, many of which had lush plants thriving within them.

The plants were well-maintained, clearly pruned diligently by the house-elf.

Finally, after crossing the living room and climbing the stairs, the house-elf opened a thick wooden door for them.

Behind the door was a study where a very large, elderly lady reclined on a chaise longue in the center of the room.

She was dressed in a green floral robe and wore tight satin slippers on her plump feet.

This elderly lady was clearly the owner of the estate and Hepzibah Smith's sister, Manasseh Smith.

The house-elf took the introduction letter from Penelope and handed it to the elderly woman.

After reading the letter for a moment, the woman dismissively shooed the elf away.

Now, only the three of them were left in the room.

The old woman seemed irritable as she looked at the two visitors and spoke first.

"Amelia told me that two girls were sent by the Ministry to inquire about past events. Is that you two?"

"Yes, Mrs. Smith," Penelope replied first.

"We're here to inquire about the whereabouts of a certain antique. This antique is involved in..."

"Ah, an antique," Manasseh interrupted impatiently.

"I knew it was about an antique. There are antiques everywhere here.

How could I know the whereabouts of every antique? I don't even like them.

If it weren't for my sister, I would have gotten rid of these annoying things a long time ago."

"I assure you, this particular antique is something you must remember!" Cho Chang said quickly.

"It involves a very important matter, so you must help us!"

"Very important matter?" Manasseh squinted at them for a moment before suddenly asking.

"You both look quite young. Are you really sent by the Ministry?"

Manasseh's suspicion made Cho Chang nervous, but Penelope remained composed and took over.

"Actually, this task wasn't originally assigned to us," Penelope explained seriously.

"We just graduated from Hogwarts and joined the Ministry not long ago.

However, with the recent news of the Dark Lord's return, the Ministry has been extremely busy.

To prepare for any possible crisis, Amelia Bones has reassigned a lot of personnel, which means the Ministry is short-handed.

Thus, less critical tasks like this are handled by us new recruits."

A lie with nine parts truth and one part falsehood is often the most convincing.

Penelope's explanation was mostly true.

Amelia Bones was indeed overwhelmed at the moment, juggling power struggles with the stubborn Cornelius Fudge and preparing for Voldemort's return.

After all, even though Alaric promised to defeat Voldemort, it would take time.

If Bones did nothing and Alaric succeeded in defeating Voldemort, Bones would gain no benefit.

However, if she prepared for Voldemort's return and the plans succeeded, she would gain significant prestige.

After all, her preparations would at least demonstrate her capability and foresight, contrasting with Fudge's ineptitude.

Yet, Bones was struggling with understaffing issues.

Of course, Penelope and Cho Chang were not actually Bones's subordinates, but Manasseh was unaware of that.

So, Penelope's explanation perfectly deceived her.

"Well then, what information are you two seeking?" Manasseh finally got to the point.

"Rumor has it that the Smith family is descended from Helga Hufflepuff. Is that true?"

Cho Chang asked at the opportune moment.

"Of course," Manasseh said with a hint of pride.

"Our family tree indeed traces back to Helga Hufflepuff.

In fact, our family has been graduates of Hufflepuff House for generations."

"Then, do you know the whereabouts of Hufflepuff's Cup?" Penelope asked.

"Hufflepuff's Cup?" Upon hearing the name, Manasseh's demeanor grew cautious.

She frowned at Penelope, "Why do you want to know about that? What exactly are you after?"

Manasseh's reaction seemed odd. The two girls exchanged a glance, and Penelope finally answered.

"This is a very serious secret. I can only say that it's related to the Dark Lord."

"The Dark Lord?" Manasseh's frown deepened.

"Perhaps you've heard his other name," Cho Chang added, "Tom Riddle."

"Ah, him!" Manasseh gasped upon hearing the name.

"I think I know... I see now... The true culprit is him!"

Seeing Manasseh's sudden realization, the two girls looked at each other, puzzled.

After a moment, Penelope cautiously asked, "Does Tom Riddle have anything to do with Hufflepuff's Cup?"

"Well, that's a long story," Manasseh sighed deeply, her tone softening.

"Since you've made me realize the truth, I'll tell you about the Hufflepuff Cup and its whereabouts.

It's related to something that happened 49 years ago..."

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