Chapter 177: Magic Riot
Chapter 177: Magic Riot
Felix asked, "Potter, are you here in Diagon Alley to buy books?"
Harry seemed a bit uneasy and mumbled, "Uh, I’m currently staying in Diagon Alley... in room eleven at the Leaky Cauldron..."
He couldn’t very well tell Felix that he had inflated Aunt Marge, had nowhere to stay, and was therefore arranged by Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge to stay at the Leaky Cauldron.
Felix found Harry’s attitude a bit odd and probed, "You’re alone?"
Of course, the Leaky Cauldron had many guests, but it was clear Harry understood what the professor meant. "Yes, just me", he quickly added, trying to divert attention, "I’m quite comfortable on my own. I go shopping, eat out, and write my homework at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor... Oh, and Dobby keeps me company."
Felix also smiled, "If I remember correctly, he works at the Leaky Cauldron, doesn’t he?"
Seeing that Professor Hup wasn’t pressing further, Harry breathed a sigh of relief and responded enthusiastically, "That’s right, Dobby works at the Leaky Cauldron. He’s been waking me up in the mornings these past couple of days, but at this hour, he’s probably busy serving guests at the bar."
As they walked and talked, Harry shared more about the quirky House-elf.
"Dobby sent me a birthday gift and a card! He said it was from his earnings, and I’ve always wondered where he worked—his letter didn’t mention it, but I never expected it to be the Leaky Cauldron", he suddenly realized and turned to Felix in surprise, "Professor, how did you know?"
Felix replied briefly, "Dobby and I are friends. We’ve talked about it."
Harry nodded, and Felix then asked, "So, you saw me while shopping? That’s quite a coincidence. I might have left a minute later."
Harry explained, "Actually, I saw your Patronus—the silver Swift. Hermione mentioned it to me. I thought it looked familiar, so I waited in the shop nearby."
"Is that so? You have a keen eye", Felix’s response was somewhat absent-minded, his attention entirely focused on Harry. From the moment they met, his intuition told him something was off.
He subtly shifted his perspective, and in the black-and-white world, Harry’s magic was jumping and unusually active.
"Professor?"
Harry felt his gaze and saw Professor Hup looking at him with a scrutinizing eye, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Potter", Felix said softly, "this must have affected you deeply..."
Harry froze, stammering, "Y-You know? You know everything?" A chill ran through him, and he panicked, "I didn’t mean to, it’s just that Aunt Marge insulted my parents, and I couldn’t take it anymore!"
Would the professor think badly of him? He had just bought the Ancient Runes textbook yesterday.
"No, you’ve misunderstood, Potter."
They walked through the wall and left Diagon Alley, arriving at the Leaky Cauldron. As they passed the bar, Felix heard a sharp greeting, "Dear Mr. Heap, Dobby never expected to see both you and Mr. Potter at the same time! What a wonderful day this is!"
The other patrons turned to look, whispering among themselves.
Felix calmly looked back, his voice low as he turned to the house-elf, "Dobby, it’s been a while."
Dobby’s eyes widened, and he wiped his dirty rag across his eyes, "Oh~ Mr. Heap remembers Dobby, it’s so touching..."
"Dobby, please arrange a private table for us. Potter and I need to talk", Felix said gently.
"Dobby understands, sirs. Please follow me."
The house-elf led them to a relatively quiet private table, served them food and drinks, and then respectfully left.
Harry looked at Felix with a somewhat bewildered expression. It was in this very spot that he had sat with the Minister Fudge after riding the Knight Bus and being caught at the bar entrance.
Felix didn’t rush to speak, pondering how to start the conversation.
Harry stared at the doorpost to his right, where a wanted poster hung. After staying at the Leaky Cauldron for two days, he had become very familiar with the poster.
"Potter—"
Professor Hup’s words brought his attention back to the present, and he listened quietly.
"I heard you enjoy Duelling Class?"
"Yes, Professor", Harry replied. "I think it’s a great class, and I learn a lot. It’s just that we only have it once every two weeks, and some spells are quite difficult."
"I’m still not very proficient with the Shield Charm..."
Felix nodded. "So, would you like some private tutoring, Potter? I’d be happy to help."
Harry was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a good thing to happen, and it almost seemed too good to be true.
He felt that ever since he blew up his aunt, the people he knew had started acting strangely. Dobby greeted the bar patrons with ease, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge turned a blind eye to his illegal actions, and now, even Professor Hup was offering to train him?
"I’d be delighted, but why?" he asked cautiously.
"Potter, to be frank, your current state is quite fascinating—your magic is in a highly active state. From my perspective, it’s like a fire that constantly leaps and burns."
"In short, I find it very intriguing to study."
Felix decided to be straightforward with Harry. There was no need to hide anything—except that his interest in studying Potter might sound a bit odd.
But if he framed it as concern for a young wizard in a unique state, wouldn’t that make it better?
Harry swallowed hard. "I don’t quite understand what you mean."
"Harry, if I’m not mistaken, you must have experienced a magical surge recently?"
"A magical... surge?"
"You must have heard similar terms—loss of control, awakening, surge... Many people see it as a sign of young wizards possessing magic during their childhood, but it’s always there. Sometimes, due to intense emotional fluctuations, young wizards display various extraordinary powers."
Harry listened quietly, his memory returning to a few days ago. Aunt Marge, who lived in the countryside and bred dogs, had come to visit. She was an extremely rude and cruel woman, and those two words barely scratched the surface of her character.
Each of her visits was a nightmare for Harry.
But to get the signature for Hogsmeade, he endured a whole week of her verbal abuse. On her final day, she was drunk and spewing insults about his parents, which made him furious.
He didn’t have his wand, but he was a wizard. By the time he came to his senses, Aunt Marge had inflated into a balloon, much like the giant pumpkins Hagrid had grown last year, but with small, ugly eyes.
He angrily left home, never wanting to return to Privet Drive. It wasn’t until he calmed down that he started to fear being expelled or even sent to Azkaban to be locked up with Dark Wizards.
He even thought about living on the run, evading the Ministry of Magic for the rest of his life. But he needed to withdraw some money first. However, things didn’t go as planned—just as he reached the Leaky Cauldron, he was caught by the Minister of Magic.
Fortunately, Fudge not only didn’t hold him accountable but also arranged a room for him at the Leaky Cauldron, ensuring he stayed in Diagon Alley until the start of the school year and didn’t return to the Muggle world without permission.
What reason did he have to refuse?
...
Professor Hup’s voice seemed to come from a distance. "But such occurrences usually happen during childhood, and they rarely occur after young wizards start school. So, Potter, your case is quite rare. Something significant must have happened to you."
The Professor didn’t blame him; he understood him...
Harry lifted his head and said with a light tone, "I agree, Professor Hup. When do we start?"
(End of Chapter)
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