Chapter 24: The Black Wizard's Day of Suffering
It was not just physical pleasure, but also spiritual pleasure.
Especially since Chu Yang was an ordinary person before going to the Soul Palace, the contrast made him understand this unspeakable pleasure even more.
It was like playing a game where you fight a high-yield monster, but your damage is incredibly low. Then you come back with a cheat, and one hit instantly deals 999 damage, that feeling is simply exhilarating.
Chu Yang was in this state now and didn't want to stop, so he took out books from his backpack and continued reading until dinner time when his stomach rumbled, and he reluctantly put down the books.
In that short time, Chu Yang had already finished "A History of Magic," "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi," and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," three popular science books.
Chu Yang stretched, a tingling sensation spreading throughout his body. He murmured, "If I could have studied like this in my previous life, I probably could have gotten into a world-renowned university in a year or two, right?"
After a quick dinner downstairs, Chu Yang hastily prepared to return to his room.
"Hey, slow down, slow down, future Little Wizard, what's the rush?" Old Tom looked up and reminded Chu Yang, who was walking in the stairwell.
"Sorry, Mr. Tom, I'm busy going back to read!" Chu Yang replied, then lightened his steps and quickly walked back to his room.
"He's really studious..." Tom was stunned. In his impression, Little Wizards who came to Diagon Alley for the first time would almost always get lost in the wonderful magical world outside. Few people could calm down and read at his place.
Upon returning to his room, Chu Yang first let out his owl to feed, then eagerly took out "Magic Theory" to read.
Compared to popular science books, the reading threshold for "Magic Theory" was much higher, and the time Chu Yang needed for understanding and memorization also increased significantly.
It wasn't until dusk, when Chu Yang, mentally exhausted, put down the book and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Chu Yang, just like yesterday, stayed in his room reading "Magic Theory" and "Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Defense," which is often referred to as "Defense Against the Dark Arts." He read both books back and forth more than a dozen times.
In the evening, Chu Yang, wearing a hoodie over his wizard's robe, left the Leaky Cauldron.
Tonight, he was going to hunt in Knockturn Alley.
...
Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley are connected by a secret alleyway. Few people travel back and forth this way because there are too many malicious eyes watching.
In wizarding families, parents warn their children from a young age not to go to Knockturn Alley; it is a gathering place for Black Wizards.
If there's an urgent matter, adult wizards usually use Floo Powder for quick travel to and from Knockturn Alley. Those with stronger abilities would choose Apparition.
If Chu Yang was just running errands, he would also choose Floo Powder, but today he was here to hunt.
The more greedy people who targeted him, the better!
"Defense Against the Dark Arts" allowed Chu Yang to clearly know the incantations and starting gestures, or "casting pre-swing," of Black Wizards when they cast dark magic.
Observation Haki could help Chu Yang predict the opponent's movements and thus evade in advance.
With Chu Yang's current physical fitness, even without using the Body Flicker Jutsu from the Naruto World, most Black Wizards would find it difficult to hit him.
This was Chu Yang's confidence in daring to hunt Black Wizards.
An 11-year-old child swaggering through the street connecting to Knockturn Alley, as expected, attracted a lot of attention.
Chu Yang deliberately let his money pouch fall to the ground, and several Galleons clinked as they rolled out of the pouch.
A few pale and thin Black Wizards' eyes almost popped out.
Chu Yang quickly picked up the Galleons.
Facing the greedy gazes around him, he "panicked" and darted into an alley.
Immediately, Black Wizards followed Chu Yang, entering the pitch-black alleyway, their mouths emitting sinister laughter.
Chu Yang shrieked and ran even faster!
"Little Wizard, didn't your adults tell you where not to go in Diagon Alley?" a bald wizard with sunken eyes and a fierce appearance chased after Chu Yang, laughing loudly.
At the entrance of the alley, a group of Black Wizards stood guard outside. Hearing the bald wizard's rampant laughter, they also smiled.
But not long after, the alley suddenly became quiet again. For a long time, there was no sound, as if no one had ever entered.
Looking at the dark entrance, the Black Wizards exchanged glances.
Logically, dealing with a child shouldn't take this long.
"Who's going in to take a look?"
"York, why don't you go in and look? Are you afraid of the dark?"
"Hahahaha."
Amidst the mockery of a group of Black Wizards, the sickly-looking York immediately became enraged and embarrassed, "I'll go then, all of you shut up!"
With that, he shakily leaned on the wall and walked in.
The laughter behind him, after a brief pause, suddenly erupted.
"Hahahaha, York, the way you walk is like a woman!"
York cast a Lumos Charm, dispelling the surrounding darkness, and walked inside with big strides. However, his foot seemed to trip on something, and he stumbled and fell to the ground.
It felt as soft as if there was a cushion under his bottom. He looked down and saw the bald wizard who had been chasing Chu Yang earlier.
York's pupils suddenly constricted!
He looked around and saw a large number of people lying on the ground.
The Black Wizards on the ground were not dead, but they had been stripped until only their wizard robes remained.
York was so scared that he sat down on the ground and screamed at the top of his lungs. The Black Wizards outside poured into the dark, narrow alleyway, and they too were startled by the scene before them.
By this time, Chu Yang had already left Knockturn Alley and returned to the Leaky Cauldron.
He poured all his gains onto the bed, the sound of coins clashing like a magnificent orchestral concert.
Galleons, Sickles, Knuts—all three different denominations of currency were present.
He had earned nearly a thousand Galleons on this trip.
"Black Wizards don't have it easy either. Their richest days should have been during Voldemort's peak power. It's a shame, times have changed." Chu Yang felt a little regretful, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.
He hadn't used any magic throughout the entire process, so naturally, it wouldn't attract anyone's attention.
With a source of wealth, Chu Yang no longer had any qualms about spending money. He first went to Flourish and Blotts to buy some advanced textbooks, then holed up in his room to read.
For the next month, Chu Yang's life was very regular: reading during the day and going out to "work" in different guises at night.
He was like Batman, active in the nights of Knockturn Alley.
The carefree days passed quickly, and soon it was September 1st. Chu Yang packed his luggage, left the Leaky Cauldron, and headed to King's Cross Station.
The area around Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was enchanted, making it imperceptible to Muggles, who would unconsciously bypass it, just like the Leaky Cauldron.
Chapter 25: Chance Encounter
Chu Yang activated Observation Haki, and clearly heard the sound of cursing "Muggles." Following the direction of the sound, Chu Yang quickly found his target.
Just then, a bespectacled boy hurried past Chu Yang. He was pushing luggage just like Chu Yang, and there was also an owl above his luggage.
The boy looked around blankly, seemingly unsure of where to go.
Chu Yang looked at him and, as if by a strange impulse, asked, "Are you also looking for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?"
The bespectacled boy suddenly turned his head, a look of surprise and relief flashing across his face, "You too?"
"Mm! Follow me!" Chu Yang led the way, and the bespectacled boy followed closely behind.
"Are you also a new student going to Hogwarts?" The bespectacled boy, seeing that Chu Yang was about the same age as him, immediately became lively and said with a smile, "Hello, my name is Harry Potter. May I ask your name?"
"Harry... Potter?"
Chu Yang finally understood why he had suddenly felt the urge to speak to the other party. This boy, who had a strangely familiar feeling, was actually Harry Potter.
"My name is Chu Yang, you can call me Yang." In English, words like "Yang" can be pronounced as "Young."
"Yang!" Harry smiled and asked curiously, "Are you from the ancient Eastern country? Does Hogwarts also admit students from there?"
"From a bloodline perspective, I am indeed from there," Chu Yang said with a shrug, "but I grew up in an orphanage in London!"
"Oh, I'm sorry." Harry felt he had offended Chu Yang and quickly apologized.
Chu Yang waved his hand generously, saying indifferently, "It's okay. In fact, the orphanage isn't as bad as you think. I have many friends there, and Director Ann is a nun. She's very kind and good to children, of course, that's when we don't cause trouble."
Feeling the sincerity in Chu Yang's words, Harry also showed a look of longing, "Hearing you say that, I imagine it must be very interesting there."
Suddenly, Harry became somewhat dejected and lost, "Actually, I'm also an orphan, but I don't have any friends."
Perhaps because both of them were orphans, Harry naturally confided in Chu Yang about his experiences over the years.
Chu Yang patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him, "The moment you board the train to Hogwarts, it means you've said goodbye to the past. Don't worry, you'll make many new friends at school."
Harry immediately felt much better.
At the same time, he eagerly hoped to enter Hogwarts soon.
"This is Platform Nine and Three-Quarters!" Chu Yang pointed to a wall in the middle of the platform ahead and explained, "It's enchanted, we have to go through it."
"Go through it?" Harry's eyes widened!
Then he watched as Chu Yang pushed his luggage and charged towards that wall.
Just as Harry was so nervous he was about to cry out...
He saw Chu Yang's figure disappear into the wall, vanishing without a trace.
"Chu Yang?" Harry called out softly, but there was no response.
He then took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, pushed his luggage, and charged through.
After a brief moment of darkness, Harry's vision changed, and a brand new platform appeared before him, with a sign above clearly stating "Platform Nine and Three-Quarters."
"Hurry up, the train is about to leave!" Chu Yang's urging voice reached Harry's ears. He shivered and quickly pushed his luggage to follow.
Once on the train, Chu Yang and Harry casually found a compartment and sat down. Both of them were well-off, so when the snack trolley came by, it was completely cleared out.
Chu Yang paid the larger share, but to spare Harry's pride, he let him contribute a small portion.
The seats were piled high with snacks. Chu Yang and Harry were both picking and choosing. Harry was just curious about these never-before-seen items, feeling that each one was filled with the mystery of magic.