They only needed to consider a small part of the issues, and they already felt suffocated. How did Dumbledore, who was relied upon by everyone, feel?
Thinking of the increasingly hurried and perpetually frowning Dumbledore recently, the two hoped he would tell them what to do, yet they couldn't bear to seek advice or ask for help.
In the matter of rescuing Vid, they believed that Dumbledore's anxiety and efforts were no less than anyone else's, and the only thing they could do was follow orders, wait for orders, and do everything they could.
When their frozen limbs gradually regained some warmth, the two wizards took their brooms and Apparated away from this place.
The Cube Poppet's eye "plopped" out, followed by the other one.
The pair of round and large eyes squinted slightly, seemingly thinking.
A moment later, it moved to the pile of gifts and precisely picked a small package from it.
On the wrapping paper, written in a childish and clumsy hand, was the name "Mabel."
—Was this the same person as the "Obscurial" those two were discussing earlier?
She...had sent a Christmas gift to her master?
The Cube Poppet was personally imbued with thought by Vid. It could not only think but also had most of the common life knowledge and magical knowledge.
It knew what an Obscurial was, what powers an Obscurial had, and understood the meanings of "disappearance," "abduction," and "Witch Pure Party."
Metal claws took down the recent newspapers from the bookshelf, and its blue round eyes scanned all the contents, folded the newspapers back, and put them back.
The Poppet was not trusted by wizards like Grindelwald and Moody because they couldn't see where the brains of these magical creations were, even if the poppets made "happy," "angry," or "worried" expressions, it was a camouflage ability given by their creator, not representing the poppets' true thoughts.
Not to mention, the Cube Poppet didn't even have the word "expression"—because its eyes were two balls on antennae, and its voice came directly from inside its body, without a face.
Thus, nobody knew what this Poppet was thinking, but moments later, it picked up the Christmas gift sent by Mabel, carefully examining the wrapping paper, ink, and the sender's handwriting habits.
It also remembered the timing when each gift arrived, what the delivering owl looked like, and the direction from which that fellow flew.
The Cube Poppet moved to the other side of the room, looked up at a tall "wardrobe," and extended a claw to push the wardrobe door open, sliding inside.
The Metal Cloak was showing off its gleaming exterior smugly, thinking the door opening was the master coming in, hurriedly hid aside, then noticed the newly created poppet and floated over grandly.
"I haven't seen the master all day!" the golden bell sang: "Is he busy celebrating and has no time to hang out with us?"
A blue eye turned in a circle, scanning the empty wardrobe space.
Recently, Vid mainly organized wardrobe space and didn't make many poppets, to be precise, only four—
The bell at the door, a broom mainly responsible for cleaning, the Cube, and Peter the Second with the same appearance as Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew.
In addition, there was the Metal Cloak, Firebird Mikhail, and a group of Acromantulas as prisoners and Magic Potion Materials.
"The master is missing."
The Cube Poppet's words silenced the bell instantly, and the cloak with its claws outstretched also stopped moving.
Mikhail, lying in its nest, opened its eyes, and Peter the Second jumped in front of the Cube, asking: "Who did it?"
Its voice was exactly like the real Wormtail's, sharp like a rat's, yet its demeanor and tone were unlike that at all.
"A Dark Wizard named Grindelwald. He might have a group of wizards known as the Witch Pure Party under him, powerful and fierce. Even Dumbledore might not have a way with them," said the Cube.
"The master was captured by the Witch Pure Party?" the golden bell screamed.
"So it's said," the Cube said.
"I want to find the master," said the broom. "Don't underestimate me just because I usually only sweep; I actually fly quite fast!"
"That's what I'm here for," the Cube said.
"I'm going too!" said Peter the Second.
"Take me with you!" The cloak also flew over.
The proud Mikhail flew over, also stating its stance.
"Wait, what about me?" The bell was dumbfounded.
"Without the master, we can't shrink the wardrobe space to put it away," the Cube said. "Guard this place well, and don't let anyone in!"
"Got it, don't worry!" the bell said loudly. "I won't let anyone sneak in even if I break into pieces!"
The Cube's eyes flickered and said, "Very good, let's go!"
With a "whoosh," the broom flew over, and the Cube Poppet jumped on it, Peter the Second sitting behind, the cloak expanding to cover them and quickly camouflaging with the surroundings like a chameleon.
The wardrobe doors swung open as several poppets swiftly flew out, followed closely by a flash of firelight, and they heard the jingling sound of bells from behind.
Two figures passed through the window, flying into the cold sky.
Snow continued to fall, and Christmas carols echoed in the city—
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh... Dashing through the snow, on a one-horse open sleigh..."
…
Hogwarts.
"Vid is missing?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in surprise: "What's going on exactly?"