Chapter 209 A new beginning

Five months later, Della met Aidan Royeria again at the Flamel Fountain where she met him at the beginning. He was the unreliable wizard from Country M who joined the Ministry of Magic of Country Y and used the wizard quota of Country Y to join the International Investigation Team.

"Hey, Della." Aidan, wearing a windbreaker, waved at Della and gave a casual smile. When Della nodded to him politely, he walked to her side and took the light suitcase from Della's hand.

"Thank you, Senior Aidan." Della did not refuse.

"The headmaster of Beauxbatons said that we should use the original door to go out." Aidan led Della to the front of Flamel Fountain. As soon as he said this, the two of them were swallowed by the familiar white light. When they came to their senses, they were already standing in a dead end with the flag of F country painted on the wall. "Ah, so fast."

"This is the door for outsiders," Della, who had studied at Beauxbatons for half a year, introduced it to Aidan after hearing his fake surprise. She pressed the wall painted with the national flag and was not swallowed again. "It is only open to registered personnel for a short time. It is closed now."

"The confidentiality measures of various schools are so good," Aidan sighed. He took out the plane ticket from his wallet and handed it to Della. It was a first-class ticket as usual. He worked overtime on Christmas and asked for four times the salary this time. "But we have to go through some trouble today. After arriving in Country D, we have to go to the forest to find a lake."

"Is there no direct passage to Durmstrang?" Della looked at the time on the ticket and followed Aidan.

"This school is not in Country D. I only know it is in Northern Europe. They usually use ships to pick people up. I'm quite looking forward to it." At this point, Aidan's smile widened. "I've been working during Christmas. I think they should be able to invite me on board to take a look."

"I think so." Della nodded. Karkaroff invited her over for Christmas. He would probably hold a party on the ship. Out of courtesy, he would not abandon the poor employee of the Ministry of Magic who was exhausted from the journey.

It's not easy for Aidan either. He has to contact the principals in advance, confirm the time and place of the pick-up, plan the route, and then report the plan to the Ministry of Magic of Country Y. If the Ministry of Magic of Country Y rejects the plan, he has to contact the school again. Ever since his Uncle Linde was transferred to the Department of International Affairs and then sent to Country M, Aidan, who has lost his backing, has deeply felt the cumbersomeness of the rules.

However, the thing that made him happiest was that Aryan went to Country M as an exchange intern. Moreover, the apartment rented by Aryan was very close to his training location, and Aidan, who lived in the dormitory, often went to visit him.

Last night on Christmas Eve, the two had a good date before going home to have a big dinner.

Aidan, who had been staying up late to travel, put on an eye mask after boarding the plane. Thinking about the sweetness of last night, he began to make up for his sleep. Della, who was sitting next to him, glanced at Aidan. She also didn't sleep well last night. She yawned lightly. After hesitating for a while between making up for her sleep and reading, she chose to put on the eye mask.

After all, you have to meet people in a good mental state.

Della closed her eyes. She was a little sleepy at first, but after closing her eyes, she couldn't fall asleep. The scenes after coming to Beauxbatons flashed before her eyes. She had a good life here and saw a lot of things. Before she left, Professor Weiss held a farewell party for her at the institute. Madame Maxime and Professor Jimenez, two women she admired very much, were also present.

She had not worked very hard to build her interpersonal relationships at Beauxbatons, and most of the time, to save trouble, she still acted like Riddle, polite yet arrogant. However, the admiration and concern in everyone's eyes at the farewell party were genuine.

Even if Della Riddle revealed everything, would anyone accept her...?

Della first thought of the amber-colored Belinda, and then recalled the light-gold Draco in the Shrieking Shack in her first year, and his frightened expression.

No, there is no comparison, they see different things.

Della finished her thoughts and finally fell asleep.

After a light sleep of an hour, Della got off the plane feeling refreshed. She and Aidan found a restaurant and had some sausages and bread for lunch. Then Aidan led her to a secluded corner and motioned Della to go with him to touch the empty water bottle that was twisted and compressed on the ground.

"The portkey," Aidan explained, and looking at Della who remained motionless, he added considerately, "They made sure it was clean."

Della missed Professor Snape's empty potion bottles.

Even though she thought so, Della remained expressionless as she and Aidan held the empty, squeaking water bottle one above the other. After a dizzying moment, they arrived at a dense and lush fir forest.

"Better take out your wands," Aidan warned, twirling his wand. "We've chosen a place where there's no one to supervise us. We might run into wild beasts."

"Can't I Apparate?" Della began to cast insect repellent and lightening spells on herself.

"It's not approved by the procedure." Aidan tilted his head to the side and rolled his eyes at the Ministry of Magic of Country Y, which was far away overseas. He then pulled out two half-human-high trekking poles from his palm-sized wallet and handed one to Della. "Don't worry, it's okay. I have quite a bit of experience in the wild."

"After all, why do we have to go through all this?" Della took the trekking pole and sighed.

Because the Ministry of Magic in Country Y has complicated feelings towards Della Riddle.

Milos Lind told Aidan this. On the one hand, there were actually quite a few people in the Ministry of Magic of Country Y whose families were broken up because of Voldemort; on the other hand, the Ministry of Magic of Country Y had to make decent compensation to the victims.

How old is Della Riddle?

In the third grade, at the age of 13, he already had to endure the intrigues of various forces in the department.

It’s not easy either.

But an hour later, when Aidan brought Della to the lake and was welcomed by the goateed Igor Karkaroff into a wooden ship that looked rather dilapidated from the outside, he opened his eyes wide at the incredibly luxurious decorations inside and didn't know for a moment whether he should envy Della.

"Ms. Riddle, please." The tall, thin, short-haired Karkaroff bent down in front of Della.

Della nodded and adjusted the wizard robe she was wearing, which revealed no skin at all, just like the robes of everyone else in the cabin meeting room. While Aidan looked around excitedly, she started her first round of socializing in the new semester with her professors and former partners.

At the same time, Beauxbatons, which Della had left, held a Christmas ball for young boys and girls as usual tonight.

Belinda, who had taken turns with Fleur Delacour as the queen of the ball for several years, appeared on the stage in a silver fishtail dress. She dressed up carefully and was as beautiful as she was every day before, but today there was a trace of sadness between her brows - Belinda's best roommate ever left today.

After rejecting several people's invitations to dance, Belinda walked out of the auditorium lacking interest, cast a warming spell on herself and went to the silver birch forest beside the fountain. Not long after she sat down against the tree, Zhou Yushi's familiar and gentle voice rang in her ears.

"Can I sit here, Belle?"

Bellinda didn't reply immediately. She looked up at Zhou Yushi, who was wearing a well-balanced gray suit that looked like a suit but wasn't one, and asked, "What are you wearing?"

"It's a Zhongshan suit, my grandfather's old clothes." Zhou Yushi buttoned up all the buttons of the suit according to the rules, especially the collar, making it fit neatly, which further highlighted his elegance and steadiness. "It can be used as a formal dress."

"Another old one," Belinda propped up her face and gave Zhou Yushi a look to signal him to sit down. "You always have old things with you. Are you reluctant to part with them?"

"Inheritance is an important part of the culture I have received," Zhou Yushi sat down, half leaning against the tree, still half an arm's length away from Belinda, "but I will only absorb and pursue what I think is good."

"Really?" Zhou Yushi's words were still as pleasing to her heart as ever. Belinda looked him up and down with her amber eyes.

Zhou Yushi is also very special among all the partners that Bellinda has dated. Bellinda does not like her partner's possessiveness towards her, but Zhou Yushi is very strange. He does not hide his possessiveness, but grasps it in a very subtle line, which not only does not make Bellinda feel disgusted but also makes her feel satisfied of being loved.

Love will inevitably give rise to the desire for exclusivity. Belinda is well aware of this. Zhou Yushi is the only one who has found the right balance in Bellinda's heart.

But once he crosses that line, his demands become more excessive than anyone else's.

He was like this a year and a half ago.

"You came here today because you want me to go back early?" Thinking of this, Belinda frowned and asked him softly.

"No," Zhou Yushi smiled and shook his head, "I came to dance with you."

"Dancing?" Belinda was surprised by Zhou Yushi's answer. She even admired the fact that Zhou Yushi could always deal with her difficult questions so well.

"Yes, Belle," Zhou Yushi said. He tentatively held Belinda's hand, and then under Amber's gaze, he slowly placed the hand he had longed for for a long time on his pounding heart.

There were four symmetrical pockets on Zhou Yushi's clothes, one of which was right in front of his heart. While feeling the man's strong heartbeat, Belinda also felt a raised round-frame-like object through his clothes.

A diamond ring, in her size.

Belinda, who was used to appreciating jewelry, knew what it was and tried to withdraw her hand immediately. However, the man in front of her, who was always gentle and polite, showed his strength for the first time. Zhou Yushi pressed Belinda's hand firmly on his heart.

"Don't worry, Belle," Zhou Yushi said before Belinda could struggle, his deep black eyes reflecting Belinda's amber color, "I won't take it out in front of you, I just want you to know that it's here, just like Zhou Yushi."

"Many people would give me this, Zhou." Belinda loosened her grip on her hand and stated the objective facts without a trace of sarcasm in her amber eyes.

"I know, and I also know that you will keep moving forward and keep meeting new people. No matter you are in front or behind, there will always be people looking at you," Zhou Yushi said, loosening his grip on Bellinda's hand. "Maybe I am the one left behind by you now."

"But I don't expect you to look at me, Belle," Zhou Yushi said, holding Belinda's hand that had felt his heartbeat, his dark eyes fixed on the amber color that was becoming purer under the moonlight, "I just hope that every time you look back inadvertently, you'll find me walking towards you."

"......" Bellinda opened her lips slightly and forgot to speak for a moment.

"Then, may I have the honor to invite Miss Eleta to dance with me?" Zhou Yushi put on a faint smile on his face at the right time. He withdrew his left hand, held Belinda's fingertips with his right hand and made a standard invitation gesture.

Sure enough, Zhou Yushi was the most cunning person she had ever met...

"You have waited for your honor," Belinda smiled and stood up with Zhou Yushi's strength, "Come on, let's go back and dance."

The bright moonlight shone on Belinda's dress, and Belinda glowed just like her silvery dress. Zhou Yushi seemed to have seen a real goddess, and he couldn't help but hold hands with Belinda.

After exchanging a smile with Bellinda, Zhou Yushi took her hand and walked towards the auditorium.