In the next moment, as Malika stood frozen in astonishment, Rosier turned her gaze toward her and said softly:
"Now, Malika, the stage is yours."
Malika Kalembo looked at Rosier, still confused, while Rosier gave a casual wave of her hand and continued:
"You ought to thank the Kalembo tribe, not for raising you, but because everything they've accumulated over the years will now become your gift to your Master, as a housemaid would offer tribute."
...
Meanwhile, as Rosier, Abernathy, and the others, with Malika's assistance, were pillaging the treasures of the Kalembo tribe, Wentworth was struggling to row a sturdy wooden boat across the sea. With him were Albus Dumbledore and Nala Nwadike, heading toward a volcanic island in Japan, Minami Iwo Jima.
Beneath the blazing sun, Wentworth paddled laboriously, panting heavily.
"Professor Dumbledore," he said between breaths, "couldn't we have just Apparated to our destination? At Hogwarts, rowing across the Black Lake is all about ceremony. But here? Is this also supposed to be ceremonial?"
Dumbledore stood at the bow of the boat, gazing calmly out to sea as he replied unhurriedly:
"Of course not. This is your punishment for that little speech you made at Uagadou. I don't know exactly what you said to Lakayla, but I can safely assume it wasn't anything good."
At this, Wentworth's bravado faltered. He fell silent, guilt weighing down his words, and continued rowing without protest.
Just then, Nala stood and began to approach him.
Seeing her, Wentworth quickly called out, "Nala, you can just stay seated! Rowing's my job! If Professor Dumbledore saw me making a blind girl row the boat, I'd never be able to show my face at Hogwarts again!"
He threw a pointed glance toward Dumbledore.
But Nala merely came to stand before him, gave a small bow, and said evenly:
"Wentworth, you've misunderstood. I didn't come to help you row. I came to make something clear. I do appreciate that you stopped the Kalembo tribe's plan, but that wasn't because of altruism. You had your own motives for interfering with Uagadou."
"So for the upcoming Wizarding Schools Potions Championship, don't expect me to go easy on you. I'll be giving it my all. Uagadou must prove its worth to the magical world."
Her words caught Wentworth off guard. He rubbed his nose awkwardly and muttered to himself:
"Looks like I was overthinking things."
Just then, Dumbledore, still standing at the bow, spoke, his voice clear over the sound of waves:
"That's enough chatter. Prepare yourselves, we're nearly there."
At his words, Wentworth turned quickly in the direction Dumbledore was watching.
Through the drifting sea mist, he could make out the faint outline of an island in the distance, rising from the ocean like a sleeping giant. At its center stood a towering volcano, its peak piercing the clouds.
As they drew closer, more details came into view.
Atop the volcano stood a magnificent white palace, glistening in the sunlight. Upon closer look, Wentworth realized it appeared to be constructed entirely of creamy white jade, shaped like an ornate, delicate pagoda.
While Wentworth was marveling at the elegant palace, Nala's voice suddenly broke his reverie.
"There's a sound."
Wentworth instinctively glanced around the horizon, but saw nothing except the calm, open sea.
"Where?" he asked, puzzled. "I don't hear or see anything!"
But Nala was unwavering. She lifted her hand and pointed toward the sky.
"Up there! If you can't see them, it means they're hiding in the clouds."
No sooner had she spoken than several enormous seabirds, storm petrels, wings wide and glinting, burst out from above the clouds, soaring down in formation. They skimmed the ocean surface, flying swiftly toward Minami Iwo Jima.
As they passed overhead, Wentworth noticed for the first time that each bird carried a small figure on its back, a young witch or wizard clad in wizarding robes.
He gaped in wonder.
"Professor Dumbledore, do Japanese wizards keep storm petrels the way we keep owls?"
Dumbledore chuckled and explained:
"Wentworth, the magical school in Japan is called Mahoutokoro. They admit students as young as seven who show magical aptitude."
"But between the ages of seven and eleven, all students are day scholars, they only board at the school after they turn eleven."
"The children we just saw were likely the under-eleven day scholars. Their mode of travel? The storm petrels you just witnessed."
Understanding dawned on Wentworth, and Nala, too, listened with fascination.
Wentworth let out a low whistle. "That's an incredibly cool way to get to school."
Just then, several black specks appeared on the horizon in the direction of Mahoutokoro. As they drew closer, Wentworth could make out a group of witches and wizards flying toward them on broomsticks.
Dumbledore continued:
"Speaking of Mahoutokoro, one mustn't forget Japan's passion for Quidditch. The sport is immensely popular here, and the Japanese national team is among the strongest in the world."
At that moment, a voice rang out cheerfully from above. One of the broom-riders called down with a hearty laugh:
"To be praised by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself, our Headmaster Minamoto will be over the moon!"
A moment later, a young man, handsome and spry, flipped nimbly off his broom and landed gracefully on the deck of the boat. Standing tall, he bowed a full ninety degrees to Dumbledore and said respectfully:
"Tachibana Yusei, at your service. Headmaster Dumbledore, welcome to Mahoutokoro. It is an honor to receive your guidance."
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]