"You have the ability to travel unlimited distances in literal seconds by using magical closets?!" Delilah gasped.
"I actually knew the wizard who invented the Vanishing Cabinets. He wanted the ability to change his clothes and have access to his extensive wardrobe whenever and wherever he went. It didn't go exactly the way he wanted, but the outcome was still quite the achievement," Nicholas Flamel noted.
"I can't believe instantaneous travel and a kind of magical pocket space storage was invented because somebody wanted their closet to follow them around," Sam said in disbelief, Harry nodding in agreement.
"Many a magical invention and spell was created for rather hilarious and petty reasons," Perenelle admitted. "The witch who invented the Muggle Repelling Charm lived next to a very nosey and gossipy woman and simply wanted her privacy."
"And don't forget the time that Polish fellow wanted to steal his brother-in-law's favorite rocking chair and so invented Apparition to get inside his house," Nicholas added. Both of them laughed at that while we stared with wide eyes at the couple.
"Wow. Witches and wizards really do lack common sense," Delilah muttered under her breath.
"I told you," I whispered back.
Our conversation came to a brief halt as food appeared on our plates. For the hors d'oeuvre, I'd ordered dragon liver pate on thin little crackers. It was delicious!
The next courses came out one by one as we ate. For the soup it was pumpkin, flavored with a few magical spices that gave it a pleasant taste and let me breath orange smoke from my mouth between spoonfuls. Salad consisted of a Greek salad that while plain on the surface gave me a pompadour until it was finished.
My main course was no slouch either. I had no idea Dodo bird – or rather, Diriclaws, as they were known in the magical world – could taste so good roasted with garlic and topped with creamy cheese sauce!
And for dessert, there was a hefty slice of cheese cake topped with a mouthwatering golden berry sauce. It tasted great and made my breath smell nice and fresh afterwards.
"That was amazing," Harry said, leaning back in his chair slightly. His own meals had been just as magical. Who knew the Giant Squid who lived in the lake near Hogwarts was so tasty? Or at least, his kin were, if the way Harry had enjoyed the kraken calamari was any indication.
In fact, all of us had had a good meal. I knew just by looking that Delilah would never be able to look at high society mundane food the same way, and that Sam was insanely jealous of the talents of the chefs here, as well as determined to find a way to learn how they'd done it.
"Would you care to join us for a night cap back at our place?" Perenelle offered, and Harry sat up in surprise.
"Can we?" he asked excitedly, glancing over at me, and I looked at the others. Sam and Delilah both seemed interested as well, so I nodded in agreement.
"Wonderful! I do so love having guests," Perenelle said happily.
Nicholas nodded, then clapped his hands. A sheet of parchment appeared in front of him, containing the bill for the meal, and I choked as I caught a glimpse of some of the numbers on there.
'No wonder they didn't show the prices on the menu!' I thought in shock. They'd give somebody a heart attack!
The famous alchemist didn't even blink at the outrageous cost, and just pressed one of his rings against the bottom of the parchment, leaving a mark. I assumed it was like the keys Gringotts used, able to leave a magical imprint behind that identified which vaults would be used for payment.
Once he was done, the bill vanished, and Nicholas stood up, offering his wife a hand which she took, rising from her seat gracefully.
"Come along, we have a private floo we can take to return to our home," he said as he and his wife linked arms, and we nodded and rose as well.
We followed them out of the door, but to our surprise, instead of the long hallway he'd come in through, it instead now led to a cozy parlor chamber, perfect for tea or sitting around and drinking and smoking. The furnishings were as high-class as the rest of the restaurant had been, and a massive fireplace dominated the far wall.
"Don't worry about saying any passwords, simply walk on through. The floo here leads directly to our home, and nowhere else, after all," Nicholas assured us as emerald green flames sprang to life when he approached the fireplace.
"How did you manage to get a direct link to your home set up in here?" Sam asked curiously, knowing a little bit about how this method of magical transportation worked thanks to me.
"Oh, we own the place, so it was quite easy to include a 'secret entrance' when we built it," Perenelle tittered as she stepped into the greenish blaze, causing Sam to stumble at the answer.
"I see," he said.
We followed behind the elderly couple, and I chuckled as my friends experienced the effects of floo travel for the first time.
Being thrown about like you were riding a roller coaster while standing up is not very fun, and when we were all spat out of the fireplace I only laughed a little bit at the sight of them woozily staggering to their feet.
"Heh, sorry about that," I chuckled.
"You could have warned us!" Delilah huffed, slapping my shoulder.
"Probably, but this was more fun," I admitted, snickering to myself. "Now, let's see what this place…"
I trailed off as I turned to take in the Flamel's house, and stared in disbelief.
The interior of the building we'd stumbled into felt like we'd been tossed backwards into the Middle Ages. The roof was thatched, the floor made of sod, and there was only one other room, which was behind a door. A cauldron bubbled in one corner and it looked like it was being used for food rather than potions as I'd normally expected in a magical household.
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