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Chapter 3: Encounter with Harry Potter
Chapter 3: Encounter with Harry Potter
After shopping, Professor McGonagall bid farewell to the Grey family outside Diagon Alley, as she had another young wizard to guide. Mr. and Mrs. Grey exchanged a glance and simultaneous grin.
"Let's find an inn first," Mr. Grey suggested.
"I think the Leaky Cauldron above us offers accommodations," Mrs. Grey, or Fiona, interjected.
"No! What if we run into some unsavory characters from the wizarding world? I'd feel safer at a Muggle hotel," Fiona asserted.
"You're right, Miss Fiona! I recall a nice hotel nearby that allows pets as well," Mr. Grey agreed.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Vidar feigned a resigned expression, shaking his head as he carried the owl's cage. The couple helped him with his books and crucible, rushing to check into the hotel.
After unpacking, they returned to the Leaky Cauldron in less than half an hour.
Upon entering, the Grey couple whipped out bags and pulled out wizard robes.
Noticing Vidar's surprised expression, Fiona winked and whispered, "While you were getting fitted, I took the opportunity to buy ready-made wizard robes. Don't just stand there; we got one for you too. Go change!"
In a corner, the trio donned their robes. Fortunately, it was summer, and they were already lightly dressed, so the addition of the robes didn't make them overly warm.
Fiona added a hooded cloak to her ensemble, pulling the hood over her head to reveal only a small portion of her chin, giving her a mysterious and cool appearance.
Now, they blended seamlessly into the mysterious and dim atmosphere of the pub.
Ferdinand, feigning the air of a regular, ordered lunch. While waiting for their meal, he whispered to the other two, "Even though this place might not be the cleanest, I want to give the food a try."
"Mhm," Fiona nodded, agreeing solemnly. "Me too."
"What's the difference?" Vidar quipped. "The best English cuisine is foreign food!"
True to his words, when their lunch arrived, the Grey couple stared blankly at their plates for a long while, unable to muster the courage to eat from the seemingly unwashed fork on the grimy table.
Fiona eventually used her handkerchief to pick up a piece of bread and ate a few bites, while Ferdinand took a few sips of rum.
"It's not that bad!"
"It's worse than supermarket food..."
As they spoke, the door creaked open, and a massive figure blocked the light from outside.
The Greys looked up and gasped, taken aback by the sight.
"Oh my... dear God," Ferdinand muttered, unconsciously shielding his wife and son. "God bless us..."
A remarkably tall and burly man stood in the doorway, having to bend down to squeeze through. His head nearly touched the ceiling.
His presence was so commanding that most people overlooked the tiny figure walking in front of him.
Only Vidar's gaze fell on the slender child, and as expected, he saw the name 'Harry Potter' floating above his head, along with...
'Tom Riddle'.
Unlike the Grey couple's terror, the other patrons seemed delighted to see the giant, greeting him warmly. Even the pub owner's tone was more enthusiastic as he asked, "The usual, Hagrid?"
"No, Tom. I'm running an errand for Hogwarts!" the giant replied amicably.
"Great! Doesn't seem like a dangerous person.
Ferdinand exhaled and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"What did he say, Hogwarts?" Fiona, on the other hand, had been paying attention to their conversation. "Vidar, is he also a teacher at the school?"
She craned her neck to get a better view, but all she could see was everyone in the bar standing up and crowding around, taking turns to shake hands with the child that the giant had brought in.
"Oh my, it looks like a celebrity has arrived!"
Fiona immediately jumped up, abandoning her bread, which was missing a corner, and exclaimed, "Quick! Fedi, Vidar, let's go join them!"
Unless it was absolutely necessary, Ferdinand would never refuse her impulsive requests, especially not for something as minor as this.
So he also pushed back his chair and walked over, imitating the others as they shook hands with the boy. He even added, with feigned solemnity, "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Potter!"
As if he actually knew who Harry Potter was.
The surrounded Harry Potter found himself involuntarily shaking hands with one stranger after another, feeling awkward as he listened to their words of admiration and flattery.
He unintentionally made eye contact with the black-haired boy at the back of the crowd, and under the other's curious gaze, he felt even more embarrassed.
Harry hadn't yet adjusted to his sudden fame and always felt like this reputation was somehow stolen.
Meanwhile, Vidar had turned his attention to someone else—
A young man with a purple scarf wrapped around his head, his face pale and nervous, inching his way towards Harry Potter. He seemed very anxious, his speech stammering and hesitant, as if he startled easily.
Noticing this, Fiona kindly stepped aside to make room for him to greet the "famous" Harry Potter.
But in Vidar's eyes, this young man also had two nearly overlapping names floating above his head—
[Quirinus Quirrell]
[Tom Riddle]
.................................................
"Wow, wizards aren't that different from ordinary people! They even chase after celebrities!"
Fiona was still excited when she returned, and Vidar couldn't understand what she was so worked up about.
"By the way, is that kid a child star in the wizarding world? It seems like everyone knows him," Fiona said.
"Based on his age, he should be Vidar's classmate," Ferdinand replied.
Unmoved by the crowd's enthusiasm, Ferdinand saw something more: "But that child looks a bit malnourished, and his clothes don't fit well. It seems like he's not being taken care of properly by his guardians."
"Hmm? That's unlikely, isn't it?" Fiona speculated. "The clothes... I guess they're the wizarding world's fashion? These wizards don't seem to understand Muggle clothing."
"Hmm... Maybe," Ferdinand said as he looked at his son. "Vidar, we also saw a Hogwarts professor earlier, the one with the purple headscarf. You should have come over to introduce yourself."
"Never mind, that professor doesn't seem very reliable," Vidar said, showing little interest.
Ferdinand thought about it and couldn't argue—because he also doubted the professor's abilities, as he couldn't even seem to speak a complete sentence fluently.
"Alright, let's go then!" Fiona pushed her plate away, pretending not to see the half-eaten lunch still on it. Excitedly, she said, "Let's continue shopping!"
How could they satisfy their curiosity about the magical world with just a quick trip to the fascinating Diagon Alley?
(End of Chapter)
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