Chapter 81. Dangerous but free
Okabe Rintaro, Makise Kurisu, and Suzuha Amane sat in a small hotel room where they had taken refuge after being chased. They were in shock from what had happened. They had traveled back in time to the year 2000 in a time machine to prevent a catastrophe that threatened the world, but something went wrong and they ended up in 1996. Furthermore, they found themselves not in Japan, but in Britain, where only Makise had a good grasp of the language. Suddenly, they were being chased by a young Death Eater named Torfinn Rowley, accompanied by his servant, Professor James Moriarty. Moriarty allowed them to escape the pursuit and later found the fugitives after leaving Torfinn behind. He gave them a note explaining the magical war and the people involved, as well as the Holy Grail War.
Okabe read the note aloud, trying to understand what they should do.
"What nonsense is this?" he exclaimed. "Magic, Holy Grail, Servants, Death Eaters... It's like a plot from a fantasy novel! How can we believe Moriarty? He's our enemy, he wants to kill us!"
"Don't be so naive, Okabe," Kurisu said. "We saw what he did ourselves. He summoned a gigantic serpent that destroyed the police cars. He used magic, that's a fact. We can't ignore this information. We need to figure out what's going on and how we can return to our time."
"But how can we find Harry Potter?" Suzuha asked. "He's a wizard, and we're Muggles. We don't know where he lives or how to contact him. We don't even know who he is."
"According to Moriarty's note, he's the most famous wizard in this world," Kurisu said. "He's the one who survived an attack from the most powerful Death Eater, Lord Voldemort. He's the one who can stop him and bring peace to the world. He's the one who can help us obtain the Holy Grail and fulfill our wishes."
"And how do we find him?" Okabe repeated.
"I think we have two options," Kurisu said. "The first is to try and enter the magical world and find him there. It says here that there are two places in London, King's Cross Station and the Leaky Cauldron, where we can find a passage to the magical world. At the station, there's Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, where the train to Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, departs. Maybe we can go there and board the train."
"And what, we'll just run through a wall?" Okabe asked. "That's madness!"
"No, it's magic," Kurisu said. "I think if we act confidently and inconspicuously, no one will stop us. After all, we don't look like Muggles. We have a time machine that can take us to any moment in time and change everything. That can be our trump card."
They pondered deeply.
"If only we had enough fuel..." Suzuha twisted her hair around her finger.
"What about the second option?" Okabe asked.
"For the second option, we need to do something that will attract Harry Potter's attention. I think we can use our science and technology to create some kind of effect that appears like magic. For example, we can do a laser show, or explode something, or launch drones. Something that will catch the attention of wizards and make them come to us."
"And then what, we just wait until they come?" Okabe asked. "That's dangerous!"
"Yes, and if anything, non-magicians will also become interested, and the police will come rushing to find out what's going on." Suzuha interjected.
"No, that's a risk" said Kurisu. "I believe that if we act quickly and boldly, no one will be able to catch us. After all, we are not afraid of magic. We have a time machine that we can use to escape. It can be our trump card."
"Hm, I don't know which option to choose" Okabe said. — Both seem too risky and unreliable to me. Maybe there's another way?
"I don't think there is" Kurisu said. "We can't just sit here and do nothing. We have to act before it's too late. We have to find Harry Potter and ask for his help. That's our only hope."
"Fine, fine" Okabe said. "Let's choose one of the options and give it a try. But I warn you, if something goes wrong, I'm not taking responsibility. This is all your idea, Makise."
"Don't worry, Okabe" Kurisu said. "I'm confident that everything will be fine. We can handle it."
Okabe, Kurisu, and Suzuha decided to try and find Number 12 Grimmauld Place, where, according to Moriarty, Harry Potter lived with his friends and the Order of the Phoenix. They couldn't see the house because it was protected by the Fidelius Charm, but they knew it must be somewhere nearby.
They decided not to use their science and technology to attract the attention of wizards, as it could be too suspicious and dangerous. They decided to behave as naturally as possible, like ordinary tourists who had come to London to see the sights. They only took a map, a camera, and a little money with them.
They walked to Grimmauld Place, where many people were strolling, talking, and shopping. They tried not to stand out from the crowd and pretended to be interested in the buildings and shops around them. Occasionally, they stopped to take photos or look at the map. They hoped that this way, they would be able to find Number 12 or at least see someone entering or leaving the house.
They walked through the square, counting the house numbers. They saw houses numbered 10, 11, 13, 14, but they didn't see Number 12. They thought it was strange and tried to figure out where it could be. They approached House Number 11 and House Number 13 and looked at the space between them. They didn't see anything except the wall that stood between the houses. They couldn't understand how that was possible.
They decided to ask someone passing by if they knew where house number 12 was. They approached a woman who was walking by, and Kurisu addressed her in English:
"Excuse me, could you tell us where house number 12 is on this square? We're looking for it, but we can't find it."
The woman looked at them with surprise and said:
"House number 12? There's no house number 12 here. There are only houses numbered 10, 11, 13, 14, and it has always been that way. Are you sure you didn't get the address wrong?"
Kurisu said:
"No, we didn't make a mistake. We know for sure that there should be a house number 12 here. We saw it in a photo given to us by our friend. He lives in that house, and we want to visit him."
The woman looked at them skeptically and said:
"A photo? Show it to me."
Kurisu took out the photo they had taken from Moriarty's note. The photo showed house number 12, with Harry Potter and King Arthur standing in front of it. They hoped the woman would recognize the house or the people in the photo and help them find it.
The woman took the photo and looked at it. She saw house number 12, with Harry Potter and his friends, as well as the Order of the Phoenix. She recognized the house and the people in the photo, and became frightened. She realized that the people in front of her were Muggles who knew about the magical world and wanted to enter the Order of the Phoenix's house. She thought it could be a trap or espionage. She decided they needed to get rid of them and alert the Order of the Phoenix. She said:
"I don't know what you're showing me, but that's not house number 12. It's some kind of forgery! You're lying to me, and I'm not going to help you. Get out of here before I call the police."
She returned the photo to Kurisu and hurriedly walked away from them. She took out her magic wand from her bag, which she had been hiding from Muggles, and whispered a spell:
"Accio owl!"
She summoned her owl, which flew to her. She attached a note to it, on which she wrote:
Urgent! Muggles have appeared on Grimmauld Square who know about house number 12 and Harry Potter. They showed me a photo with Harry Potter and King Arthur. I don't know who they are or what they want, but it could be dangerous. Alert the Order of the Phoenix and send someone to investigate the situation.
She sent the owl to house number 12, hoping that someone from the Order of the Phoenix would receive her message and come to help.
Okabe, Kurisu, and Suzuha saw a woman turn away from them and leave. They realized that she would not help them, and that she might be hostile towards them. They understood that they had made a mistake by showing her the photo, and that they could be in danger. They decided that they needed to leave before it became too late. But Okabe wouldn't be himself if he didn't...
Okabe, Kurisu, and Suzuha decided that they needed to leave Grimm Square before it became too late. They realized that they had made a mistake by showing the woman the photo, and that they could be in danger. They decided that they needed to return to the hotel and come up with a different plan to find Harry Potter.
They walked to the nearest bus stop to catch a bus that would take them away. They stood in line, waiting for their bus. They tried not to draw attention to themselves and not to talk to each other.
But Okabe couldn't resist doing something foolish. He was disappointed that their plan didn't work out and that they couldn't find Harry Potter. He wanted to entertain himself and his friends and show them that he wasn't afraid of magic. He wanted to do something extraordinary and amusing that would surprise everyone around. And he did.
It is unknown where he got the board and paint, but within a minute he was standing in Grimmauld Square holding a sign that read "Hail and welcome, our beloved Voldemort." Upon seeing this, Suzuha dropped her jaw, and Kurisu quietly muttered a phrase that was clearly distinguishable only by the word "idiot."
They didn't have to wait long. Okabe himself didn't notice how he ended up in a large, albeit slightly gloomy, room. He was lying on the floor, feeling pain throughout his body as if from a severe beating. Suzuha and Kurisu stood nearby, their faces showing excitement and concern, and their hands clenched nervously. In the corridor in front of them stood the same woman, her eyes looking at Okabe with some approval but with a hint of regret. Standing next to her were completely unfamiliar people, their faces expressing concern and confusion. Harry Potter was not visible. Everyone referred to the woman as a professor, so Okabe made the only possible assumption.
"Colleague?" he addressed the woman.
Those around him turned to look at him. The unfamiliar pale girl with platinum hair gave him an unpleasant look with yellow eyes. As far as he could judge, Kurisu was currently speaking on behalf of all three of them and was quickly saying something to the professor. At this moment, a tall man with a pale face and a hooked nose approached Okabe. He looked thoughtfully at Okabe, and his lips curved into a sinister smile. Then, slowly reaching out his hand, he showed a vial with some transparent liquid. It remained a mystery to Okabe what this man was saying, but when Kurisu fell on her knees in tears before him and prayerfully clasped her hands, a tiny fragment of all the sinister meaning of their conversation finally reached him. Finally, with the most indifferent expression, the man put this ill-fated vial in his cloak pocket and left with a gloomy look of a giant bat. Deep silence ensued, interrupted only by Kurisu's sobs. The shoulders of the genius girl trembled until she grabbed Okabe by the hand. Tearing him off the floor, she slapped him fiercely, causing him to fall down again. There was only one loud word in the air.
"Fool!" she shouted, her voice piercing, full of offense and insult.
To the great relief of all three, a young man in glasses appeared before them soon after. Casting a perplexed green-eyed look at each of the guests, he involuntarily gasped and rushed to help Kurisu and Okabe. When he approached Okabe, he recognized him. It was the famous Harry Potter himself, who helped him to get up.
He pressed the red button and the rocket soared into the sky. He watched as it exploded in a cloud of fire, tearing the plane into pieces. He heard it whisper its last words to him, "I love you too, Kiritsugu." He felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. He cried, and cried, and cried. He couldn't stop. He couldn't believe what he had done. He couldn't forgive himself. He couldn't go on living. He looked at the ocean, shimmering with the blue and green reflection of the sky. He looked at the sky, clear and pure, without a single cloud. He looked at the beauty of the world that he had destroyed. He looked at the death he had brought. He looked at himself, who was nothing. He looked, and cried, and cried, and cried.
In the depths of the snow-covered forests of Germany, the magnificent mansion of Einzbern stood above the winter landscape. Inside, the warmth of the fireplace and the soft light of candles created a cozy atmosphere in which the family gathered.
Kiritsugu, a man with dark hair and serious eyes, sat in a chair, dressed in a strict black coat. His gaze was fixed on the flames of the fireplace, and he seemed lost in his thoughts.
Next to him, on the sofa, sat Irisviel. Her long silvery hair was neatly arranged, and her blue eyes looked at Kiritsugu with love and care. She was dressed in a long white dress that accentuated her graceful figure and made her look like a snow queen.
Playing between them was little Illiasviel, laughing and running around the room. Her light hair was braided into two pigtails, and she wore a cute pink dress.
Maya, Kiritsugu's loyal assistant, stood by the window, watching the winter landscape. She was dressed in a simple black dress, and her short hair was neatly styled.
The room also contained the homunculi who served the Einzbern family. They were dressed in uniform suits and quietly carried out their duties.
"Kiritsugu," Irisviel began, her voice soft and soothing. "Are you ready for the upcoming Holy Grail War?"
Kiritsugu nodded, not taking his eyes off the flames.
"I am ready," he answered. "But who will be my Servant... that remains a mystery."
Everyone in the room fell silent, lost in their thoughts about the upcoming event. They knew that the Holy Grail War would be dangerous, but they were prepared for battle.