LRAB Chapter 143 Home and Preparations for the New School Year
Chapter 143 Home and Preparations for the New School Year
Chapter 143 Home and Preparations for the New School Year
I don't know how much time passed, maybe only a few seconds, but that crazy pulling force suddenly disappeared.
Karen's feet landed heavily on a cold, smooth stone surface. The immense momentum caused him to stumble several steps before he could barely regain his footing, his stomach churning. Even with two previous experiences, the dizziness still made his vision blur, and the ringing of spatial travel lingered in his ears. He wondered if all door keys were like this, or if there was a difference between long-range and short-range keys.
"Name?" A bland, somewhat drowsy voice sounded in front of me.
Karen shook his head, trying to focus. He found himself standing in a bright, spacious, and clean hall. The floor was made of polished dark gray marble, and the walls were light beige, adorned with notice boards bearing the Ministry of Magic's insignia. Directly in front of him was a tall, dark wood counter, behind which sat a middle-aged wizard in a deep purple robe and pince-nez glasses, holding a long quill pen and looking at him through thick lenses.
Beside him sat another witch dressed similarly, head down, organizing a stack of documents. A few other wizards stood or sat scattered throughout the hall, waiting. The air was filled with the faint scent of parchment, ink, and some kind of cleansing magic. This was clearly the "Ministry of Magic, London, England, International Flyway and Portkey Management Department, Immigration Registration Office A" that Nico had mentioned. The old copper kettle sat quietly on the counter.
"Karen Hawthorne." Karen composed herself, gave her name, her voice still a little hoarse from the high-speed travel.
The wizard glanced down at the enormous register spread out before him, tracing a name with his quill. "Hogwarts first-year student, holiday destination France, returning via a Portkey authorized by the Paris Ministry of Magic. Identity confirmed." He looked up at Cullen's pale face and Phoebus perched on his shoulder. The raven seemed to be adapting well to this mode of travel, only shaking its feathers in dissatisfaction. "This is the reaction to using a long-distance Portkey. Take your things, next!" He waved, indicating Cullen could leave, his gaze already fixed on a wizard who had just emerged from the Floo Net behind Cullen, rubbing his temples.
Karen quickly pushed the copper kettle back behind the counter, picked up his backpack and pastry basket, and hurried away from the immigration counter. Phoebus cooed twice, seemingly complaining about the journey. Karen didn't linger; he needed to leave the Ministry of Magic and return to the ordinary world as soon as possible. Following the signs, he walked through several corridors and arrived at the Ministry of Magic's vast communal fireplace area.
This place was much busier than the arrival hall. Dozens of fireplaces embedded in the walls were arranged in rows, their green flames rising and falling intermittently. Wizards constantly emerged from the flames or grabbed Floo Powder and disappeared into them. The air was filled with the faint sulfurous smell of burning Floo Powder and the hurried footsteps and conversations of people.
Karen found a temporarily empty fireplace, looked up the nearest Floo Network location, and then grabbed a handful of shiny Floo Powder from the nearby communal dispenser.
"Plymouth, 13 Oak Street, Smokey Whiskey Bar!" He clearly called out the name of the nearest public place with a FiloNet connection, the Muggle bar where his father, David, often went for a drink. He never expected that this place would also be a FiloNet location.
He stepped into the flames and scattered Floo Powder.
"puff!"
A vibrant green flame enveloped him, followed by a familiar, but much gentler, twisting pull than a key. A few seconds later, he stumbled out of a soot-covered fireplace burning with ordinary orange flames, landing in the dark-wooded back room of the bar. The aroma of malt, tobacco, and wood replaced the scent of the Ministry of Magic. Old John, the bartender, was wiping glasses with his back to him. Hearing the commotion, he muttered without turning his head, "Oh? That guy using my fireplace again?"
Receiving no immediate response, old John turned to the fireplace in confusion. "Are you Carlen? David's son?"
"It's me, Uncle John! I never knew you were a wizard!" Karen replied, brushing a few specks of soot off her robe.
"Oh, so you've already enrolled at Hogwarts? I never expected one of my Muggle friends to be a wizard. By the way, you should go back and check on things; David's been mentioning you a lot these past few days." John said, then, as if remembering something, reminded Karen.
"Okay, Uncle John, thank you!" After thanking him, Karen pushed open the door to the back room, walked into the main bar area, which was slightly darker and had only a few afternoon drinkers, waved to old John, and quickly walked out of the bar.
A slightly salty sea breeze swept over him in the Plymouth afternoon. Karen took a deep breath, truly feeling the comfort of returning home. He checked his bearings, quickened his pace, and headed towards the Hawthorne's house. The closer he got to home, the lighter his steps became, and the stronger his longing for his family grew. About ten minutes later, the familiar street and that cozy house came into view.
He had just stepped onto the path in front of his house when the window of his younger sister Lily's room on the second floor was suddenly pushed open.
"Karen!" A clear and loud child's voice broke the afternoon's tranquility.
Immediately afterwards, there was a series of hurried footsteps as people rushed downstairs, then the door opened, and Lily burst out, heading straight for Karen.
"Lily!" Karen smiled and picked up her little sister. "Karen!" Lily's face flushed with excitement, and she tilted her head back, her big gray-blue eyes sparkling. "You're finally back! Look!"
"I've learned magic!" She struggled to jump down from Karen's arms, ran to the center of the living room, took a deep breath, and pointed her little finger at her favorite plush teddy bear on the sofa, her face flushed with concentration.
David and Emily had already come out of the kitchen and study upon hearing the noise, their faces beaming with warm smiles as they watched this scene.
Lily tried to concentrate, and after several seconds, the teddy bear finally and very slightly, wobbly, lifted off the sofa surface.
It floated for about an inch, lasted for less than three seconds, and then "plop" fell back onto the sofa.
"Look! Did you see that!" Lily jumped up and down excitedly, pointing at the teddy bear. "It flew! I made it fly!"
"That's wonderful, Lily!" Emily stepped forward and gently patted her daughter's head. "You're a gifted little girl." She turned to Karen, opened her arms, and gave him a warm hug. "Welcome home, dear. Was the journey safe?"
"Everything went very well, Mom. Professor Nico and the others asked me to give them their regards." Karen hugged his mother back, feeling the familiar warmth of home. He turned to his father, a hint of discovery in his smile: "And Dad, you'd never guess, Uncle John, the owner of that Smokey Whiskey Bar you frequent, is actually a wizard too!"
"What?" David Hawthorne's smile froze instantly, his eyes widened, and his mouth gaped open, as if he had heard something utterly unbelievable. "John? Old John? The old John who discussed hop fermentation and ship engine vibration with me? He's a—wizard?"
He kept repeating the word, his face filled with disbelief, seemingly struggling to process this sudden, illogical news. "How...how is this possible? He looks—just an ordinary bar owner!"
“Absolutely, Father,” Karen nodded firmly. “I just went directly from the Ministry of Magic back to the fireplace in the back room of his pub via the Floo Network. He was surprised to see me in my robes, and he chatted with me for a bit, even urging me to come back quickly!”
"Oh my God!" David muttered, rubbing his forehead as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "This is really unexpected. Old John has been hiding this really well! No wonder there are sometimes some inexplicable little things going on in his bar." He recalled some details, such as how the bar was always spotless the next day no matter what the previous day was like, how there were hardly any staff at the bar, or his ridiculously good luck at cards. Now, all of these seemed to have new explanations.
After the initial shock, David's face lit up with a curiosity and excitement akin to discovering a new continent. "This is so interesting! Next time I go to his place, I'm definitely going to give him a good 'interrogation'!"
Emily was also surprised by the news, but more than that, she found it amusing: "Good heavens, I never expected this! It seems the magical world is closer to us than we thought. Mr. John is such an interesting person."
"Yes," David exclaimed, "the world is truly amazing."
"Oh, and I also brought gifts." Karen smiled as she picked up the wicker basket from the ground. "They're pastries baked by Mrs. Perenel; please have a taste."
"Oh, how thoughtful!" Emily took the basket. "Perfect timing for afternoon tea. Lily, go wash your hands!"
The family sat around the table, enjoying the magical desserts in a warm atmosphere. Lily raved about the lemon curd tart. Emily and David also praised its authentic flavor. The conversation about the desserts temporarily overshadowed the shock John had brought.
Karen handed her mother a list of textbooks and school uniform sizes. "We still need to buy some more school supplies."
Emily glanced at the list: "The Transfiguration textbook has a new version—there are more materials for Potions class—the school robe sleeves are too short, we need to buy new ones. We also need to replenish consumables like parchment, ink, and quills. David, are you free to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow afternoon?"
"No problem," David readily agreed, his eyes sparkling with a new light. "Perfect, this time we can 'take a shortcut'! Karen, since John has the Floo Network?"
Karen immediately understood her father's meaning and smiled, "Of course, Dad. Flying directly from Uncle John's pub to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley is much faster than driving to London, and it's also more convenient to take Lily with us."
"Yay!" Lily cheered again.
"It's settled then!" David declared. "Tomorrow afternoon, our whole family will 'visit' our newly discovered wizard neighbor, Old John, and then borrow his fireplace to go shopping!"
The following afternoon, the Hawthorne family appeared at the Smokey Whiskey Bar. The bar was quiet in the afternoon, with only old John wiping the bar counter.
"Hey, John!" David called out loudly as he entered, striding over with a mischievous grin. "I heard you have a rather special fireplace? And a rather special identity?"
Old John looked up and saw David's family, especially David's "I've got you!" expression. He paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly and put down the rag. "Ah, David, and Emily, little Lily, and Karen. Looks like the secret can't be kept." He shrugged, admitting it readily. "That's right, I'm a wizard. I've lived in this Muggle community for almost twenty years, just trying to keep it quiet. I never thought your kid would 'expose' me in the end." He winked at Karen.
"That's so unfair, John!" David playfully punched his old friend on the shoulder. "We've been neighbors for so many years, discussed so many technical issues, and you haven't let a word out! Were you secretly laughing at all those jokes I made about 'magic'?"
"A little chuckle now and then is harmless," John laughed heartily, making no attempt to hide it. "Besides, discussing Muggle technology is quite interesting, especially your ideas about ship engines—they're very solid. Magic and technology each have their own merits." He looked at Emily and Lily, "Welcome, Emily, and our little Princess Lily."
"Thank you, John," Emily said with a smile. "That was unexpected."
"Hello, Uncle John!" Lily looked at him curiously, as if trying to figure out what made him different from ordinary people.
"Alright, enough with the pleasantries." David rubbed his hands together, looking rather impatient. "We're here to borrow your 'magic portal'! Send us to Diagon Alley to do some shopping, okay?"
"Of course, no problem, follow me." Old John led them through the bar area to the familiar back room. The fireplace, covered in soot, looked particularly different now. "I don't know if you've used it before, but I'll give you a quick explanation. Remember the address: 'Leaky Cauldron'! Shout it clearly and loudly." He pointed to the Floo Powder in the communal dispenser next to them.
"Ladies first?" David looked at Emily and Lily.
Emily took a deep breath, looking a little nervous, but nodded nonetheless. She grabbed some powder, picked up Lily, and stepped into the fireplace. "The Leaky Cauldron!" she called out clearly, scattering the powder.
"Poof!" Green flames erupted, and the mother and daughter vanished instantly.
"Our turn, kid!" David grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and stood in the fireplace with Karen. "The Leaky Cauldron!"
Another flash of green light, and the father and son disappeared into the swirling flames.
A few seconds later, the Hawthorne family of four, looking somewhat wolfish but intact, appeared in front of the dimly lit, crowded bar at the Leaky Cauldron.
"Silicon!" Lily exclaimed softly, curiously looking around at this place, which was so different from Uncle John's bar.
"Welcome to the entrance to the magical world of England, Mama, Lily. Papa and I have been here before." Karen smiled, leading his family through the noisy pub to the small courtyard at the back. He drew his wand and tapped a few specific bricks.
The brick wall rotated, slid, and parted as if it were alive, revealing the bustling, magical Diagon Alley behind it.
"Wow!" Lily exclaimed without any attempt to hide her surprise, her mouth agape. Emily also covered her mouth, her eyes filled with astonishment; the atmosphere here was indeed quite different from the magical market in France they had visited before.
After sighing, Emily pulled out a list and began her shopping spree with a clear goal in mind. Karen followed her family with a smile, answering Lily's various questions from time to time.
Flourish and Blotts: Bought the new textbooks I need for next semester, and also replenished my parchment and a few new quill pens.
Lady Malkin's Robes Shop: Tailor-made new school robes and thick cloaks.
Patchis's Crucible Shop: Checked if Karen's tin crucible needed replacing. Fosco Ice Cream Shop: David bought everyone a super-sized, color-changing chocolate peanut butter ice cream, which Lily ate with her face covered in it.
Finally, Emily went to the pharmacy to replenish Karen's stock of some common energy drinks and basic white senna extract.
After finishing their shopping, the family returned to the Leaky Cauldron with bags and packages. Then, through the fireplace in the back room, they clearly called out, "Smokey Whisky Bar!" as they made their way back to Plymouth.
They emerged from the fireplace in John's Bar, where old John was waiting for them with a smile.
"Did the procurement go smoothly?" he asked.
"Fantastic! John, this fireplace is a revolutionary mode of transportation! How did I end up with my fireplace being transformed into one like yours?" David exclaimed excitedly.
"Stop, David!" John laughed and raised his hands in surrender. "This isn't my responsibility. This is a public area; if you want to renovate your place, you'll have to make it private." Then he looked at Cullen, "Little wizard Cullen, take care of yourself. Remember to give my regards to the professors at Hogwarts when school starts."
"I will, Uncle John. Thank you for your help!" Karen said sincerely.
After saying goodbye to John, the family walked back to their cozy home, carrying their shopping haul. After dinner, Karen packed her new items into her expanded backpack, a gift from Nicole.
It was late at night, and only the soft light of the wall lamps remained in the living room. Karen packed her backpack, went downstairs, and found her parents sitting on the sofa, talking quietly.
"Is it all done?" Emily looked up and asked with concern.
"Yes, they're all in." Karen sat down on the single sofa next to her.
David put down the newspaper in his hand, the Daily Prophet. It didn't have any follow-up reports on the Gringotts incident, only some Quidditch news and brief news about the International Wizarding Federation meeting. He looked at Cullen, his expression serious: "You're going back to school tomorrow. Your mother and I still maintain that safety is the top priority there, although being happy is also important."
Emily took Karen's hand: "We know you're learning something amazing, with incredible teachers. We're so proud of you, Karen. But don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you encounter any difficulties, or—anything that makes you feel uneasy—be sure to tell us, or your headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, okay? Don't try to carry everything on your own."
Karen sensed the worry and support in his parents' words, and a warm feeling welled up inside him. "I know, Mom, Dad. I'll be careful. Professor Dumbledore—he's a trustworthy elder." He paused, then added, "And I have good friends at school, Wesley, Fabian, Ernesto; we'll look after each other."
David nodded, a smile of encouragement on his face. "That's good. Remember, son, magic is amazing, but sometimes the solutions to problems are the same. The engineering principles and logical thinking you've learned might come in handy in the magical world. Keep an open mind, combine Muggle wisdom with magic in your thinking, and you might see paths that others can't."
"I'll remember, Dad," Karen replied earnestly. His father's words stirred something within him, reminding him of the intricate alchemical devices in Nico's workshop, and the concepts of "compression" and "guidance" that he had tried to incorporate into the protective badge. Weren't these also forms of "engineering"? The book "Basic Rune Energy Topology" in his backpack seemed to subtly echo this structured way of thinking.
"Alright," Emily stood up and gently hugged Karen. "Get some rest. We need to get up early tomorrow. Remember to bring the snacks you prepared so you can share them with your friends in the car."
"Goodnight, Mom and Dad," Karen said, getting up as well.
"Goodnight, son," David said.
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