Chapter 188: The Remaining Horcruxes

Harry had been exceptionally joyful lately, happier than he had ever been before.

It seemed as if the past 14 years had been a nightmare, and now he felt as if he had finally woken up from it.

Not only had he gained a godfather, but the culprit behind his parents' deaths had also perished in Azkaban. Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

When people are happy, they often can't sit still, and today was no different for Harry. In his free time, he and Ron decided to visit Hagrid's hut.

When they knocked on the door, they were greeted by the sight of another person sitting in a chair, someone who had been a key player in the whole affair.

"Good morning, Ino!" Harry greeted enthusiastically.

"Long time no see, Harry! And you too, Mr. Weasley!" Ino responded with a smile, his face finally free of the perpetual worry that used to mark it.

After they sat down, Ron immediately turned to Ino, feigning an air of maturity as he remarked, "I think you should charge George and Fred for copyright fees. They've made a fortune selling those straw rings, at least five Galleons in profit."

As he spoke, Ron gestured with his hands to form a big circle, putting on a face that suggested he was only thinking of Ino's best interests.

Seeing this familiar routine, Harry turned his head away in exasperation. Ron had mentioned this matter more than once, both publicly and privately, over the past few days.

Though it was unkind to harbor such thoughts about his friend, Harry couldn't help but feel that jealousy was never a good thing, especially when the object of that jealousy was his own brother.

Similarly, Ino easily perceived Ron's intentions. However, unlike before, he no longer viewed Ron through the lens of their shared past.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Weasley! But George and Fred did talk to me about it, and I authorized them to make the straw rings. Besides, I'm one of the future shareholders of their joke shop."

This wasn't something he made up on the spot. George and Fred had indeed approached him once.

Before the novel became a hit, the twins had already sensed a business opportunity and secured the copyright for a thirty percent profit share. Otherwise, Zonko's Joke Shop in Diagon Alley wouldn't have stocked up.

After all, straw rings weren't exactly high-end alchemical products. George and Fred's earnings came solely from their exclusive rights.

Ino never paid much attention to such trivial matters, but since Ron had brought it up today, he decided to clarify the situation for George and Fred's sake.

Hearing that there were copyright and profit-sharing agreements, Ron's expression froze. It took him a while to snap out of it, after which he looked away sullenly.

Seeing Ron's discomfort, Harry lowered his head to stifle his laughter.

At this moment, Hagrid came over with boiling hot tea, whether intentionally or unintentionally, providing Ron with a way out of the awkward situation.

Hagrid placed four ceramic cups on the coffee table, each as large as a bowl. The steam, mixed with the aroma of tea, instantly filled the room.

Ino didn't hesitate, picking up a steaming cup and bringing it to his lips, leaving Ron staring in amazement.

He didn't offer an explanation. After putting down his cup, Ino tapped his index finger lightly on the coffee table, causing the steam to visibly stop rising from the other three cups.

"Merlin's socks! That's really handy," Ron said as he picked up his now warm cup and drank it in one go.

Harry didn't say anything, but he nodded in agreement. He increasingly felt that he had attended the wrong Charms class. In three years, he had only learned twelve spells, none of which were useful in daily life.

Ino noticed their changed expressions but didn't say much. After all, Hogwarts Library didn't charge an entry fee. Many things had to be sought out proactively, and even if someone urged them, it was probably in vain.

While some matters could be left unspoken, others needed to be addressed.

"Harry, if it's convenient, could you write a letter to Sirius for me? I'd like to meet him during the Christmas break."

With the passage of time, his fear of Voldemort had diminished, so certain matters needed to be dealt with.

"Of course! I'll write to my godfather. He'll be very happy!" Harry agreed readily, smiling broadly as he answered on Sirius's behalf.

After discussing business, Ino leaned back in his chair, quietly listening to Ron's chatter about recent happenings at the castle.

Though the stories were trivial, they gave Ino a sense of peace. This was probably what school life was about—a mix of trivialities, laughter, and tears, making up the daily lives of young wizards.

As he listened, Ino's thoughts began to drift.

He planned to let some people lost in time remain lost. Since they had been declared dead, there was no need for them to stir up trouble again.

Out of the seven Horcruxes, apart from Nagini, Harry, and last year's diary, the others were valuable objects: relics of three legendary wizards and the Resurrection Stone of the Deathly Hallows.

For the sake of the greater good, these shouldn't be ignored. Sometimes, time not only hides forgotten people but also conceals secrets, as evidenced by the Basilisk left by Salazar Slytherin.

He hadn't dared to touch them before due to a lack of confidence. Now that he had Fide, he felt ready to prepare for the task ahead.

Meanwhile, although Ron was chatting with Harry about trivial matters, he occasionally glanced around.

Noticing that Hagrid and Ino were both listening intently, Ron became even more animated. His tone was full of ups and downs, and he effortlessly recounted various rumors.

In reality, out of the four people in the hut, only Harry was truly enduring Ron's chatter. Hagrid, though appearing attentive, was thinking about the Acromantula.

Ino was the same, lost in the continuous flow of Ron's words, which brought back a familiar feeling, like listening to bedtime stories through headphones.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but his eyelids grew heavier, and soon, everything around him seemed to fade away, replaced by the sound of his steady breathing.

...

He slept very soundly.

When Ino opened his eyes again, he found the hut empty, with only Fang lying obediently at his feet.

Glancing out the window, he saw that it seemed to be afternoon.

Although he wasn't sure of the exact time, it didn't matter to him. With only two elective classes, he often had one or two days a week that were very light, sometimes with no classes at all.

He patted Fang's head affectionately, then stood up and walked outside. As soon as he stepped out of the hut, a black swan appeared, flapping its wings and flying towards the castle in the distance.

Inside the hut, Fang, seeing that no one was around, dashed to the door and dutifully guarded the only exit.

...

At the same time, Ino had flown to the Astronomy Tower.

Circling from the Astronomy Tower to the eighth floor of the castle was the shortest and most convenient route, saving him from a long trek and climbing stairs.

Of course, the Ravenclaw Tower would be even closer.

But he only had one friend, Cho, over there, so flying into the girls' dormitory was not an option.

If he dared to do that, he would probably make the front page of the Daily Prophet the next day.

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