Chapter 5: The Familiar Revealed
Chapter 5: The Familiar Revealed
In the room at the orphanage, Jerry recalled the words he had spoken in the courtyard earlier, feeling that he probably hadn't left too bad an impression on Professor Mcgonagall.
Although he had punched a few boys, he had already explained the reasons, which could easily be considered an act of bravery.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!"
"I'm coming!"
Jerry’s eyes lit up at the sound of the knock, and he immediately got up to open the door.
The person knocking was the current head of Edward Orphanage, and standing beside him was a lady wearing square glasses, a tartan shirt, and a green robe, who looked to be around fifty to sixty years old.
"Mrs. Mcgonagall, this is the Jerry Carmen you were looking for!"
The headmaster’s tone was respectful, and Jerry could see a hint of fear in his expression.
Clearly, Professor Mcgonagall had already explained her purpose to the headmaster upon arriving at the orphanage and had demonstrated her magical abilities.
"Thank you, Headmaster Bryant. I would like to speak with Mr. Carmen privately now."
"Of course, I’ll be on my way then!"
The headmaster nodded hurriedly and quickly left the room.
"Hello, Mr. Carmen!"
Professor Mcgonagall closed the door and entered the room, greeting Jerry.
Jerry looked at Professor Mcgonagall and politely asked:
"Hello, may I ask who you are?"
"I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I will also be your Transfiguration teacher. You can call me Professor Mcgonagall."
Professor Mcgonagall explained.
Jerry immediately feigned a look of realization:
"So, the letter the owl delivered yesterday was from you. But, does magic really exist in this world? And what is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
Young wizards raised in the Muggle world often have similar doubts when they receive their acceptance letters. Professor Mcgonagall was well accustomed to this and knew how to quickly gain the trust of young wizards.
"Flippendo!"
She drew her wand and pointed it at the cup on the table. A beam of magical light shot out, and the cup instantly transformed into a fat, orange cat.
"Magic has always existed. During your growth, you must have had some inexplicable experiences, which are due to the magical power within you.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school where you will learn to control and use your magical abilities."
Seeing Professor Mcgonagall’s magical demonstration, Jerry couldn’t help but widen his eyes.
Although he had seen such magic in movies in his previous life, the experience of watching someone turn a cup into a cat with a wave of their hand was entirely different.
Transforming an inanimate object into a living being, Jerry felt, was indeed very magical!
Twenty minutes later,
"That's the general situation. Do you have any more questions?"
Seeing that Jerry was fully convinced, Professor Mcgonagall asked her final question.
"Professor, I would love to go to Hogwarts to learn magic, but as you know, I don’t have the means to pay the tuition."
Jerry thought for a moment and raised his concern.
He remembered from the movies that wizards born into Muggle families could exchange Muggle money for Galleons at Gringotts, but he doubted the orphanage would be willing to provide him with the funds to attend Hogwarts.
Professor Mcgonagall smiled slightly:
"You don’t need to worry about that. The school offers scholarships to ensure you can study normally. You can repay the debt once you graduate and start working."
"Alright, I have no more questions!"
Jerry nodded. Professor Mcgonagall had explained everything thoroughly, and he understood quickly, partly due to his prior knowledge.
"Excellent, Mr. Carmen. It seems you are not only very brave but also have a strong understanding!"
Professor Mcgonagall looked at Jerry, who remained remarkably calm, and her eyes showed a satisfied expression.
Earlier, while standing by the orphanage wall, Professor Mcgonagall had witnessed the entire bullying incident in the courtyard.
Jerry's performance at the time had also earned her high regard.
She believed that the courage and responsibility this eleven-year-old boy displayed, along with his positive and uplifting spirit, were qualities that many adult wizards lacked today.
If using a phrase from Jerry's former life to describe Professor Mcgonagall's opinion of him, it would be:
"This boy will surely become a great man in the future!"
...
"Alright, since you understand and are willing to study magic at Hogwarts, I will take you to Diagon Alley today to purchase all the items you need for the start of the term!"
Professor Mcgonagall pulled out her pocket watch, checked the time, and then stood up from her seat.
"Diagon Alley?"
Jerry's face showed a look of surprise.
It wasn't that he didn't know what Diagon Alley was for; he just hadn't expected Professor Mcgonagall to personally take him shopping after the home visit.
But after a moment's thought, he understood.
Ordinary wizarding families wouldn't need a teacher from Hogwarts to take their children to Diagon Alley.
And muggle families had parents who could accompany their children, so there would be no issue.
Hermione always went to Diagon Alley with her parents to buy her school supplies.
But he was an orphan now. If Professor Mcgonagall didn't take him, who would?
Relying on the orphanage staff would be too unreliable.
"That's a street where you can buy all the wizarding items you need for school!"
Professor Mcgonagall thought Jerry might not know what Diagon Alley was, so she explained briefly.
"How are we going to get there? By train?"
Jerry remembered that Diagon Alley was somewhere in London, and Wennington, where he was, was quite a distance from the city.
"No, grab my arm. It might be a bit uncomfortable, so you'll need to bear with it for a moment!"
Mcgonagall didn't elaborate further but extended her arm to Jerry.
"Could it be..."
Jerry's heart skipped a beat as he realized what was coming.
Sure enough, when Jerry grabbed Professor Mcgonagall's arm, she took out her wand and whispered:
"Side-Along Apparition!"
Suddenly, Jerry felt Professor Mcgonagall's arm trying to slip from his grasp, so he tightened his grip.
A series of loud, popping sounds like fireworks filled the air, and Jerry's surroundings instantly turned pitch black. He then felt intense pressure from all directions.
It was as if his chest was being squeezed by several iron bands, and his eyeballs were being pushed back into his skull, while his eardrums were pressed deep into his head.
The sensation was akin to being squeezed through a very narrow rubber tube.
It felt like an eternity, yet it could have been just a moment. Light returned to his vision.
He took several deep breaths to ease the dizziness, then turned to look around. He and Professor Mcgonagall were no longer in the orphanage room but on a street.
(End of Chapter)
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