On the day of Professor Morry's party, Vid changed into the outfit and dragon hide short boots that Fiona had carefully selected for him after breakfast. He stood in front of the mirror, and Fiona circled around him, adjusting some details from time to time.
"You're so handsome, darling!" Fiona exclaimed with exaggerated praise: "You are definitely the most striking little gentleman at the party. Really, why don't you wear the necklace I picked for you? The bow and arrow pendant is super cool. It would definitely make other kids envious."
"No way, Mom, I am not a three-year-old kid." Vid refused firmly without hesitation.
Fiona sighed, "You didn't want to wear it when you were three either—"
"So I definitely won't wear it now that I'm eleven."
Ferdinand occasionally raised his wrist to check the time and occasionally glanced outside the door.
"The professor said he'd come to pick you up at 10, right?" he confirmed with his son.
"Yes, that's what the letter said."
But it was almost 10 o'clock, and there was still no one outside the door.
"Is he late?" Fiona guessed.
"Maybe something delayed him." Ferdinand peeked outside again: "I just hope they don't suddenly appear at the door."
"That won't happen; there are only ordinary people around here! So many people would see it if that happened!" Fiona said reassuringly: "It has to be some delay, maybe we'll get a letter from an owl any minute now."
As Fiona spoke, she ran over to open a window to make it easier for an owl to fly in. Just as she turned around, the flames in the fireplace suddenly turned green with a "whoosh," bathing the entire room in a green glow, as a dark figure walked out from the fireplace.
Ferdinand jumped up and quickly reached behind his clothes to pull out a gun with one hand and pushed Vid back with the other, shouting, "Who is it?!"
"Wait—Dad, it's Professor Morry."
Vid quickly grabbed his father's arm, suddenly noticing how cold his father's hand was.
He looked over in surprise and saw Ferdinand's face tense, his veins protruding on his neck. His expression was very cold and unfamiliar.
Vid was stunned.
Since he received his Hogwarts acceptance letter, the Greys had always shown genuine happiness. They were full of curiosity about the world of magic, eagerly engaging in it, even understanding the wizarding world better than Vid.
Vid had always thought so.
But now he suddenly realized that in his father's heart — perhaps there had always been a deeply hidden fear of the wizarding world.
Fiona was only slightly startled at first. Hearing Vid's words calmed her down quickly. She stepped forward and asked curiously, "Is this Floo travel?"
Ferdinand walked quickly over, as if to welcome the guest with his wife. But Vid saw that he was actually standing in front of Fiona.
The figure walking out of the flames was indeed Professor Morry. He patted the soot off his body, smiling, "Yes, a safe and convenient way of travel, apart from getting covered in soot—Hello, Mr. Gray, Madam Grey, I am Terence Morry, as you may already know."
"Of course," Ferdinand had already put his gun away, and his face showed no signs of abnormality: "Welcome, Professor Morry. Sorry, our fireplace hasn't been thoroughly cleaned for over two years."
Fiona peeked over his shoulder and asked, "Can we also travel through the fire?"
"Oh, probably not," Professor Morry smiled, "In fact, the Ministry of Magic prohibits connecting the fireplaces of non-magical households to the Floo Network. I requested special permission to temporarily connect it for picking up Vid. Once we leave, it will be restored—Vid, I'm glad to see you're ready."
"—Yes, Professor."
Vid glanced at his parents, put his magic wand into the wand pocket of his robe, and walked over, asking, "Are we leaving now?"
"Of course, the guests are waiting for us!" Professor Morry magically took out a small bag filled with shining powder and asked, "Have you used Floo Powder before?"
"No, Professor."
"It's simple, watch me."
He handed the bag to Vid, took a pinch of powder, and threw it into the fire. Suddenly, the flames turned emerald green.
"Remember, you must clearly speak the address—Soros Garden. Close your eyes, and don't move around in the fireplace, or you might end up with a bruised nose or come out of the wrong fireplace."
Professor Morry walked straight into the fire, demonstrating: "Soros Garden."
He disappeared from the flames in an instant.
Vid pinched a small bit of Floo Powder and walked toward the fireplace. Just before throwing it in, he turned back, looking deeply at his father and said, "Dad, I'll be back tonight."
"Hmm." Ferdinand's Adam's apple bobbed as if he wanted to say something but held back, looking down at him: "Stay with your professor—don't get into conflicts."
"I understand," Vid nodded seriously.
Fiona put her hands on her hips and pretended to be angry, "Saying goodbye only to Dad, not to Mom?"
"How could I?" Vid smiled, stepped forward, and hugged his mother, "Goodbye, Mom."
He sprinkled the Floo Powder, and the flames immediately turned emerald. Vid controlled the instinctive fear of flames and walked into them as if he was used to it.
The flames surrounded him like a warm breath. Through the firelight, Vid saw the lingering fear in his father's eyes.
It was as if the sanctuary he always presumed safe was suddenly invaded by strangers, causing anxiety and trepidation.
"Soros Garden." Vid said clearly, maintaining eye contact with his father.
In an instant, his parents and the living room disappeared from view. He spun rapidly in the emerald flames as numerous fireplaces flashed by quickly. Vid immediately closed his eyes, and when he was nearly overwhelmed by dizziness, the rapid spinning suddenly stopped. Just as he was about to fall, a pair of strong arms caught him.
"Not feeling too well, are you?" a voice said, "I heard it's your first time using the Floo Network."
The person pulled him out of the fireplace. Vid coughed twice, rubbing out some soot that got into his eyes, and saw a big man standing in front of him.
He was very tall, about two meters, large and imposing, though his expression softened as he bent down to look at him.
"Cough, cough—sorry, you are?" Vid asked.
A cup of water was offered to him.
"Have some water." The large man took out his magic wand and used a "Scourgify" spell. The dust on Vid disappeared completely.
He said, "I'm Steven Moray, son of Terence Morry. My father was supposed to meet you here, but a friend from France just arrived, and he went to greet them—you can look around and have something to eat."