8:50 in the morning, the next day.
The Angus couple and the Grangers were all gathered inside the small cottage where Hermione and Loren lived, waiting for the staff from the wizarding school to arrive.
At exactly nine o'clock, there was a knock at the door. Mr. Granger, seated closest, quickly stood up to open it. A moment later, he returned with a woman neither family had ever seen before.
The lady looked somewhat aged, but her straight posture and the medieval air of her wizard's robes lent her an air of dignity and sternness.
Once she was seated, Mrs. Granger immediately offered the tea she had already prepared.
The witch took a sip, set the cup down, and said,
"I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Head of Gryffindor House. You may call me Professor McGonagall. By the way, this tea is excellent."
"Thank you for the compliment, Professor McGonagall," Mr. Granger replied politely.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school I've never heard of," Mr. Granger continued after a moment. "Does it really exist? When I saw that letter, I thought it must have been some kind of new scam."
"This is no trick, Mr. Granger," McGonagall replied. Ever since she had worked at Hogwarts, she had been answering the same question from bewildered Muggle parents every year; by now she had a set routine.
"Hogwarts has stood for over a thousand years, producing many of the finest witches and wizards of our world. Loren Angus and Hermione Jane Granger are both natural-born witches and wizards, which is why they received invitations. And, if you think back, you will remember times when they have behaved… unusually."
After this brief introduction, McGonagall smoothly drew her wand. By long habit, it was time to give the Muggles a taste of real magic. With a flick, the stool by the wall transformed into a little dog, which pranced around them in circles before being turned back into furniture with another wave.
"Oh! That's amazing!"
All four adults' jaws nearly dropped. It was their first time seeing anything so extraordinary.
And as they recalled what McGonagall had said, their minds turned to Loren and Hermione's quirks. Hermione, for example, sometimes moved objects without touching them. Loren had a knack for "finding" rare and expensive jewels that sustained their household finances. But compared to McGonagall's spell, those seemed far less wondrous.
"Professor McGonagall," Mr. Angus asked cautiously, "are you saying Loren and Hermione are wizards? I always thought they just had… unusual abilities."
"Yes, Mr. Angus, they are indeed a wizard and a witch. Some of what you think of as 'gifted' individuals are in truth disguised witches or wizards, while others are mere charlatans. At Hogwarts, your children can learn to control their power, and avoid dangerous surges of wild magic, such as the one that happened when they were eight."
Her knowledge of events from their childhood convinced the parents further.
Still, when it came to schooling, all four adults turned to Loren and Hermione. Both had always been clever and independent; their opinion had to be heard.
Hermione, too excited to hold back, asked eagerly:
"Can we really go to this wizarding school? Are there lots of witches and wizards there, and magical creatures, like in fairy tales?"
"Of course," McGonagall answered kindly. "Hogwarts is open only to wizards. Everyone there will be children just like you."
Hermione turned to Loren, seeking his opinion. Loren patted her back gently, signaling her to calm down. Then he asked,
"Professor, will our parents be allowed to visit us at school? We'll miss them if we're apart for too long."
"In principle, Muggles are not welcome in the wizarding world, because without guidance it can be very dangerous. But Hogwarts follows the same holiday schedule as Muggle schools—you will be able to return home during breaks. And you may send letters through owls at any time."
Satisfied, the parents nodded.
"Professor McGonagall," Loren continued, "the list of books and equipment—where do we buy them, and how much money will we need?"
"At Diagon Alley, the largest magical marketplace in Britain. I will take you there myself," she replied matter-of-factly. "As for the cost, four hundred pounds at most will suffice. Hogwarts tuition itself is free."
"So wizards use pounds as well," Mr. Angus muttered.
"Wizards have their own currency," McGonagall corrected. "You must bring pounds to exchange for Galleons at Gringotts. Each new student may exchange up to two hundred pounds."
Mr. Granger interjected, "And what about other things—gold, gemstones, perhaps? Both children love books. I'm afraid two hundred pounds in Galleons won't last them long." He thought of the speed with which Loren and Hermione devoured books and grew more certain of his concern.
McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the question but answered nonetheless. "Gold and gems are indeed hard currency and can be exchanged. Still, two hundred pounds' worth of Galleons is more than enough for a young student."
She then went on to explain more about Hogwarts and the wizarding world. Everyone listened, enthralled, as if a new door had opened before them.
Loren checked the time. Nearly ten o'clock. He interrupted politely.
"Professor, it's nearly ten. Shall we go to Diagon Alley now to shop?"
McGonagall blinked, realizing she had been carried away by the Grangers' and Anguses' enthusiasm. She couldn't even recall the last time she had encountered Muggles so engaging.
Straightening her robes, she said,
"Prepare yourselves. We leave at ten sharp."
Everyone nodded; they were ready to go at once. Loren stepped aside to shoulder a backpack he had prepared earlier, then returned to stand by McGonagall's side.
"Professor, how will we get to Diagon Alley? Will you take us with magic?" Mr. Angus asked, rubbing his hands.
"With so many of us, direct magic travel would be difficult. We will go by Muggle transport," she replied.
At her direction, the two families went to the garage, split between two cars, and drove toward Charing Cross Road.
…
Soon, they arrived. The adults climbed out and glanced around, trying to spot Diagon Alley. All they saw were a bookshop, a record store, a hamburger restaurant, and a cinema—but no wizarding street.
McGonagall gestured toward a shabby, narrow-looking pub.
"There it is. The Leaky Cauldron. A famous place, and the most common entrance to Diagon Alley."
But when the adults looked, they saw only the bookshop and record store. No pub at all.
"Entrances to the wizarding world are hidden with Muggle-repelling charms. Without a wizard to guide you, you would never find them. And if a Muggle strays in by accident, Ministry officials erase the memory."
Loren and Hermione, however, could both see the Leaky Cauldron clearly. In fact, they had noticed it often. In their later primary school years, they had often roamed all over London together, even buying books at the very store beside it. Hermione had spotted the pub before, but realized others couldn't see it. With Loren's warnings, she had resisted her curiosity and never entered. Now, at last, she could step inside openly, and her excitement was hard to hide.
Loren too was nearly trembling with anticipation. With Hogwarts' invitation in hand, and Professor McGonagall to lead the way, he now stood at the very threshold of the wizarding world—the same world that had marked him so deeply in his past life: Harry Potter.
The Harry Potter books had been among the few physical novels he had ever owned. They were etched in his memory, both ally and enemy: they had helped him fight back madness, yet the truths within them—about life and death—had also haunted him.
Together, Loren and Hermione stepped eagerly toward the Leaky Cauldron. Their footsteps, shaped by excitement, wavered almost comically as they crossed into destiny.
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