Chapter 53: The Twenty-Eight Sacred Families
Thanks to Merlin, the combination of Lockhart's antics and household magic kept Kate laughing, and her infectious mood had Alexander smiling for no reason.
He continued flipping through the Daily Prophet. There wasn't anything else amusing in it. Most articles were filled with sharp critiques of the Ministry of Magic, highlighting incompetence and corruption in various minor departments, such as Arthur Weasley's office for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, or obscure matters like cauldron thickness regulations.
However, not a single word was written about more pressing matters, like the budget cuts at Hogwarts or the Ministry's subtle political tactics to hinder potion shop licensing.
It was terrifying how newspapers like the Daily Prophet, which appeared bold and critical on the surface, could manipulate public opinion so effectively. No wonder, when Harry revealed Voldemort's return, the Ministry controlled the wizarding community simply through this paper.
Speaking of Arthur Weasley, one couldn't help but reflect on the loyalty of the Weasley family.
After Alexander arrived in this world, he had learned that Molly Weasley's maiden name was Prewett—one of the so-called Twenty-Eight Sacred Clans.
Hagrid had once told Harry that Voldemort was terrifying. "Once he decides to kill, no one escapes. He killed some of the finest wizards and witches, like the McKinnons, the Bones family, and the Prewett brothers. Only you survived."
The Prewett brothers—Gideon and Fabian—were members of the Order of the Phoenix and Molly Weasley's brothers. At the time, Molly herself hadn't joined the Order yet; she was busy raising her children.
Traditionally, a wizard receives a watch upon coming of age. The gold watch Harry received for his seventeenth birthday once belonged to Fabian Prewett.
Still, despite the family's legacy of loyalty and sacrifice, Arthur Weasley never received any honors. He was assigned to a minor department. Though he led it, few took it seriously, allowing him to quietly pass his own laws and regulations.
This had less to do with Arthur's merits and more to do with his bloodline. The Weasleys were also among the Twenty-Eight Sacred Clans.
A little-known fact was that Arthur's parents were Septimus Weasley and Cedrella Black. The Black family, another Sacred Clan, disowned Cedrella for marrying a "blood traitor" like Arthur. She was erased from the family tree.
The Sacred Twenty-Eight, also known as the Pure-Blood Directory, listed twenty-eight British wizarding families that were still "truly pure-blood" as of the 1920s.
However, some families—like the Potters—weren't included despite being pure-blood. The surname "Potter" was too common in the Muggle world, and the family's openly positive views on Muggles didn't sit well with the elitist standards of the directory.
Other included families were the Abbotts (like Hannah Abbott), the Ollivanders, the Crouches, the Longbottoms (like Neville), and the shop-owning Borgen and Burke (Borgin and Burkes).
Of course, the infamous Malfoys, Blacks, and Weasleys were all in it.
The Smith family, Alexander's own surname, was not widely known—but if the Longbottoms, who also descended from the Peverell line, made the list, why shouldn't the Smiths?
The list, much like Forbes in the Muggle world, was less about blood purity and more about social politics—favoring conservative pure-bloods who disdained Muggle integration.
The Weasleys, despite being pure-bloods, had grown close to Muggles. This made them a disgrace in the eyes of other conservative pure-bloods like the Malfoys and the Blacks, who labeled them "blood traitors."
This was also why Molly Prewett chose to elope with Arthur Weasley. The Weasley family's poor reputation among the pure-blood elite made them outcasts.
Alexander smacked his lips, sipped his black tea, and sighed at the copy of the Pure-Blood Directory in his hand.
Outside the window, dawn broke. The sunlight spilled in as Kate dashed about, full of excess energy. "This dragon meat really works!" she shouted, jogging in circles with endless enthusiasm.
Alexander watched her with a smile. What this Zombie Trail would bring next was truly something to look forward to. Tossing the outdated book into his pocket, he stretched dramatically. After all, his Level 4 body modification ensured that he could remain at peak physical condition with ease.
About ten minutes later, a low, resonant dragon roar echoed. It felt both solemn and majestic.
The Zombie Trail had arrived.
Thankfully, the exit wasn't through the dragon's rear end—though it wasn't a real dragon, such a method would be... psychologically damaging.
The exit was the same as the entrance: a passage leading to an ordinary staircase out of the belly.
Honestly, Alexander was a little disappointed. A more dramatic exit, even if uncomfortable, would have been at least memorable.
Once outside, Alexander turned to glance at the beast behind him. Its green scales shimmered in the morning light. Its dark golden eyes seemed to regard them with sentience. Its neck lay low to the ground, twin golden horns flanking its proud head—almost inviting one to climb it.
"Mr. Smith, Ms. Kate—welcome to Zombie Avenue," a thin wizard said, tipping his hat and gesturing toward a barely visible path.
Calling it a "path" was generous. It was a trail of dark yellow soil, but unnaturally smooth—no dirt clung to your shoes when you stepped on it.
On both sides, rustling bushes brushed against their clothes. If you looked closely, you could spot Florob caterpillars hiding in the corners. A scrawny little imp was pouncing on one, hungrily devouring it.
Not far ahead stood a small wooden cabin nestled in the shadowy forest. To the left of the house lay a quiet lake; to the right, a large cemetery stretched out—winding, seemingly endless through the woods.
So this is the Zombie Trail?
Trail? It looked more like a tower defense game. Were they supposed to hunker down in a cabin and fight off zombies all night?
If they planted a few Whomping Willows, it really would become Plants vs. Zombies.
"From here on, everyone stays in the cabin until tomorrow evening," the thin wizard explained. "At 6 o'clock each evening, the zombies will rise. The cabin is a safe zone. Unlike the earlier part of the journey, you're free to use magic as you like."
With that, he walked off casually—only to stumble a few steps later and fall on his face.
"Why not just Apparate?" Kate muttered, watching the wizard walk off.
"Maybe he doesn't have a license yet," Alexander said with a sigh, glancing at the long cemetery beside them.
One more important thing—being able to use magic freely meant Alexander could finally unleash his full power.
Although ordinary spells could be fixed quickly, if he used poison curses or deadly hexes, the zombies might need full replacements afterward.
"Let's pray this 'scary trip' doesn't get too intense," Alexander murmured. Taking Kate's hand, he pushed the wooden door open slowly.
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