The conversation that had just taken place between Juma Kalembo and Malika Kalembo was entirely unknown to Wentworth. At that very moment, Wentworth had already returned to his private cottage within Uagadou.
The moment he stepped through the door, his eyes fell immediately upon a familiar green figure, sprawled across his bed and snoring loudly.
Seeing this, the corners of Wentworth's mouth curled into a subtle grin. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, he sprinted forward and launched himself into the air, landing with a heavy thud on the bed.
The green figure, Greenbud, his beloved Bowtruckle pet, was jolted awake mid-dream, flailing in panic before landing with a muffled bounce on the mattress.
When Greenbud realized that Wentworth was the culprit behind this rude awakening, it sprang to its feet, huffed indignantly, and turned its back toward him, slapping its rump with one hand in protest.
Wentworth chuckled, reaching out to gently pet Greenbud, but the creature dodged his hand with practiced defiance. Unbothered, Wentworth smiled and asked:
"Found the place?"
Greenbud threw him a quick glance but turned its back again, clearly still sulking.
No matter how much Wentworth teased or coaxed, Greenbud stubbornly refused to respond, keeping its back turned.
Amused, Wentworth reached into his robes and pulled out a small glass bottle. He quietly uncorked it and placed it on the bed, just behind Greenbud.
A few moments passed.
Greenbud's nose twitched. Then, with clear excitement, it spun around with bright eyes.
Wentworth pointed to the bottle and said cheerfully:
"Tulip Morning Dew. I had it specially imported from the Netherlands, just for you!"
Greenbud nodded enthusiastically before scampering over and dipping its head into the bottle, sipping the rare dew with pure delight.
Even after letting out a satisfied burp, Greenbud wore a blissful, contented expression, clearly enchanted by the treat.
Seeing that his companion was finally in a good mood, Wentworth asked:
"Greenbud, can you still remember the place you followed Jabari to?"
At the question, Greenbud immediately straightened up and thumped its chest with confidence.
Pleased, Wentworth nodded and said,
"No time to lose. Let's go!"
With that, Wentworth slipped out of Uagadou under cover of night, Greenbud perched on his shoulder. Once outside the school, Greenbud guided him westward until they stopped before a thick bramble of undergrowth.
Wentworth pointed toward the dense brush and asked cautiously,
"You're saying… it's in there?"
Greenbud bobbed its head vigorously.
Wentworth drew his wand and approached the undergrowth with care. Pointing ahead, he whispered:
"Aparecium!"
Ripples shimmered through the air, and before them appeared a hidden village. Its huts made of straw and timber, scattered like stars across the land. Silhouettes moved gently among them, flickering in the moonlight.
Casting a swift Disillusionment Charm on himself, Wentworth crept forward with Greenbud into the quiet village, a hidden enclave of African wizards.
It didn't take long for Wentworth to realize that, by comparison, even The Burrow looked like a manor. Each home here had bundles of odd herbs hanging out to dry near the doorways.
Perhaps due to the late hour, most houses were completely dark. Only a few faint lights flickered from some of the huts.
Following Greenbud's directions, Wentworth stopped outside one of the lit homes.
Greenbud, now perched on his shoulder, pointed emphatically at one of the rooms inside.
Wentworth nodded and tucked the creature gently into his robes.
Then, he stepped forward quietly and leaned toward a crack in the doorframe.
Inside, a young Black witch was carefully pouring a freshly brewed potion from a crucible into a glass vial.
Unlike many of the girls Wentworth had seen before, this one didn't wear her hair in braids or twists. Instead, she had long, silky hair cascading smoothly past her shoulders.
Though she was kneeling, Wentworth could tell she was probably even taller than he was.
All in all, to Wentworth's eye, she was quite striking. Tall, elegant, and graceful, though her skin was notably darker.
As the thought passed through his mind, Wentworth scolded himself:
What are you doing, you idiot?! You came here tonight to find out who's been advising Jabari in secret, not to gawk at some girl!
He mentally slapped himself and turned to leave, to seek out Jabari, when he suddenly heard a door opening nearby.
Turning toward the sound, Wentworth spotted Jabari approaching with two wooden bowls in hand, jogging toward the hut.
Though confident in the strength of his Disillusionment Charm, Wentworth stepped behind a nearby pillar to avoid direct contact.
Jabari reached the door and knocked gently.
From within came a voice as crisp and melodic as a Fwooper's song:
"Come in!"
He opened the door and stepped inside.
A few moments later, Wentworth heard Jabari's voice from within:
"Sis, please eat something! You haven't had a bite all day!"
The same melodic voice replied:
"It's alright. I've been brewing this Felix Felicis for over six months now. Today is the final step, I have to make sure it's perfect."
Wentworth's heart skipped a beat.
Felix Felicis, Liquid Luck, was one of the most advanced potions known in the wizarding world. Its difficulty rivaled its potency.
Even Wentworth himself had never attempted to brew it.
And yet, here was a girl, not much older than himself, who had not only attempted, but seemingly succeeded, in brewing it!
Inside the hut, Jabari continued urging his sister to eat, but she responded with a calm command:
"Jabari, go fetch one more bowl."
Jabari looked puzzled, but before he could ask, the girl added:
"We have a guest. We mustn't be rude. What kind of host eats while their guest simply watches?"
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]