Chapter 2: The Cauldron Pub
Chapter 2: The Cauldron Pub
The Cauldron Pub, established in the early 16th century, is one of the favorite gathering places for wizards and the entrance to Diagon Alley, the only wizarding street in the British Wizarding World.
As Diana led Kyle through the door, the once bustling pub fell into an eerie silence, as if someone had pressed pause.
The atmosphere was as quiet as a high school study hall during evening self-study, where even a falling pin would be heard.
This peculiar ambiance persisted until Chris followed them inside, but it never returned to its previous state. It seemed like everyone was intentionally keeping their voices low.
However, there was an exception.
Tom, the pub owner, approached them with a delighted expression, "Oh, Diana, it's been a while! Care for a drink? It's on me."
"Next time, Tom," Diana replied.
Smiling, Diana patted Kyle on the shoulder and gestured towards the Weasley family approaching them, "We still need to buy some things in Diagon Alley, and we might be short on time."
"Oh, of course."
Tom realized, "Time flies! Kyle is already eleven, so you're here to purchase supplies for Hogwarts, right?"
Diana nodded with a smile.
"That's right. It's a bit nerve-wracking, so you'd better get going. You know where it is."
Tom stepped aside, clearing the way behind him, but then he leaned down to Kyle and said, "I have to remind you, Kyle, if you move that trash can again, I'll write a complaint letter to Hogwarts."
"Merlin's Beard, do you know how anxious those new students get when they find Diagon Alley inaccessible? You can't keep giving an elderly man with bad legs unnecessary work."
Kyle felt a bit embarrassed as his good deed was pointed out.
Apparently, this wasn't his first visit to Diagon Alley.
But honestly, as a time-traveler, if you don't move the trash can in Diagon Alley, are you even a time-traveler?
No problem.
However, he couldn't say that in front of his parents. Kyle could only smile awkwardly, "I'll be more careful next time."
Hearing this, Tom didn't react much, but Diana, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow and glanced at her son thoughtfully.
Her intuition told her that there was something amiss with that statement.
But as the Weasley family had arrived, she didn't say anything.
"Oh, Kyle, dear," Mrs. Weasley warmly hugged Kyle and then pulled Diana aside for a chat.
Meanwhile, Mr. Weasley naturally joined Chris for a conversation.
The two families were close; Diana and Molly were like sisters, and Chris and Arthur were best friends, especially after Kyle's birth. The Weasleys' hospitality led them to move in permanently.
The adults often talked about these things during their gatherings, and Kyle had overheard quite a bit.
Due to the close relationship between the adults, Kyle naturally became friends with the Weasley children.
As the adults walked away, two arms rested on his shoulders, one on each side.
"Hey, Fred, look who's here," said one of them.
"Isn't this the new student for Hogwarts?"
George emphasized the word "new student" with particular clarity.
"Hogwarts can be dangerous, especially for newcomers like you..."
"Of course, if you're willing to say something nice, we might offer you some help."
Kyle ignored the two and greeted the other redheads nearby, "It's been a while, Percy, Ron, and Ginny."
They all smiled and nodded in response.
"It's been a while, Kyle," they said in unison.
The Weasley family originally had seven children, but Bill was in Egypt, and Charlie had left for an unknown destination a month ago, so only five of them were present today.
As they spoke, they reached the backyard of the Cauldron Pub, the entrance to Diagon Alley. Mr. Weasley immediately spotted the correct brick and tapped it with his wand.
Meanwhile, at the back of the group, the Weasley brothers, who had been waiting for a response, exchanged a glance and subtly raised their eyebrows, planning to teach a little lesson in manners to a junior who lacked etiquette.
For instance, they had just invented a jumping powder; sprinkling a tiny amount on one's hair would provide an unprecedentedly refreshing sensation.
They had tested it on themselves, and it worked wonders. How could one describe the feeling of not washing one's hair for ten days?
It was simply amazing.
If they were lucky, they might even unlock a hidden achievement and experience the special treatment reserved for middle-aged gentlemen.
Without further ado, the brothers took out the jumping powder, ready to apply it, but Chris's voice suddenly echoed from the front.
"Hagrid? What are you doing in Diagon Alley?"
The once calm voice now carried a hint of alertness, immediately capturing the attention of the Weasley brothers.
They couldn't help but react with caution; it was a reflex after hearing such a tone so many times.
"Nothing, really.
Upon meeting Chris, Hagrid, the three-meter-tall, two-meter-wide half-giant, unconsciously shuddered, his eyes darting about.
But then, as if remembering something, he visibly relaxed, pulling out a small package from his pocket. "Harry Potter will be coming to Hogwarts next year, and as a welcoming gift, I want to make him a birthday cake myself. I bought some berry seeds."
"Really?"
Chris's tone didn't relax much, and he eyed the small package warily. "If I recall correctly, the ingredients in the Hogwarts dining hall should be enough to make ten cakes."
To be honest, Chris's tone was somewhat aggressive. If an outsider witnessed this scene, they would undoubtedly perceive him as a villain.
However, Kyle, the twins, and even the Weasley couple, who had a good relationship with Hagrid, showed no reaction. Their expressions didn't even change, as if everything was as it should be.
And indeed, it was.
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As the Deputy Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and the Head of the Beast Division, Chris was all too familiar with Hagrid.
To put it bluntly, if Chris had to choose the person he least wanted to see, it would undoubtedly be the famous key custodian of Hogwarts, the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid.
Merlin's beard, the troubles this man caused accounted for more than a tenth of Chris's annual workload.
Especially those hybrid magical creatures he meddled with, which drove Chris crazy.
Oh, right, what was it last time? Ah, yes, the Serpentine Gryffindor, a two-tailed snake created by crossbreeding a Crup and a Runesnake.
Who knows where Hagrid got all those magical creatures from? They couldn't all be from the Forbidden Forest, as Chris didn't recall seeing Runesnakes there during his school days.
As a traditional Animal Magician, these human-induced crossbreeding practices were, in his view, heretical and absolutely forbidden evil acts.
Unfortunately, these actions weren't illegal. He had submitted several draft bills, but they had never received any response. After Cornelius Fudge became Minister, Chris even went to the Minister's office to discuss this issue, only to be stonewalled by the Minister's expert stalling tactics, and the matter was eventually dropped.
Clearly, in the eyes of their new Minister, the value of this bill on magical creatures was too low. It would be better to visit the Hogwarts Headmaster's office more often, which would not only make him feel more at ease but also improve his image and reputation among the public.
Therefore, Chris couldn't do much about Hagrid.
Moreover, those creatures Hagrid meddled with were, after all, new lives. He couldn't just ignore them or discard them.
Chris had no choice but to grit his teeth, observe, record, and classify them.
Over time, Chris's resentment towards Hagrid had reached its limit. The only reason he didn't take action was the presence of children around Hagrid.
Otherwise, he would have beaten Hagrid up, even with Dumbledore standing by.
Don't be surprised. Although Chris was the Deputy Director, he had been on the front lines dealing with magical creatures for many years, and he was confident in his abilities.
It's hard to say about pure-blood giants, but for a half-giant without a wand, Chris was very confident.
Hagrid, aware of his wrongdoing, voluntarily opened the package, which indeed contained only a pile of unknown seeds.
"In Dumbledore's name, I came to Diagon Alley this time just to buy some seeds." Hagrid's words caused Chris's furrowed brows to relax. He didn't question Hagrid further, gave him a few more instructions, and then let him leave.
Given Hagrid's respect for Dumbledore, it was impossible for him to lie about such a matter.
Kyle, however, turned and looked thoughtfully at Hagrid's departing figure.
"Not this time," he thought. "But what about other times?"
Kyle recalled that in the first book, Fluffy, the three-headed dog, was bought by Hagrid from a Greek man in a bar. Whether it was the Hog's Head or the Cauldron, he wasn't sure.
Don't assume the Cauldron is a legitimate place; there are plenty of shady dealings there. Moreover, it's the only place that offers accommodation without checking IDs, making it a popular choice for smugglers with small cargo and no criminal record.
Small cargo means convenience; they can easily be hidden in a box. It's almost impossible for anyone to notice.
It's not unusual for a customer to make a transaction while eating at the same time.
Hogwarts has an extremely passionate gamekeeper who loves magical creatures, and this is well-known among the brokers.
It wouldn't be difficult to inquire about his situation.
"Tsk, who said Hagrid is simple-minded? He's quite cunning, too."
Kyle estimated that his father probably didn't know about Fluffy yet, but he had no intention of reporting it.
After all, who could refuse a three-headed dog?
(End of Chapter)
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