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Chapter 512: Wand Permit
Chapter 512: Wand Permit
Talented young ladies always attract the attention of gentlemen, and Katherine was no exception during her school days. She never lacked suitors, envied by countless girls. However, she knew that most of her admirers were driven by vanity and the desire to boast about their conquest.
Finally free from the swarm of suitors who pestered her like flies, Katherine arrived at the International Floo Network waiting room with Nicholas. They were a few minutes late due to the constant greetings from acquaintances along the way, but it seemed that the person they were waiting for had not yet arrived in America via the International Floo Network.
Nicholas was inquiring about the latest news from an old acquaintance, Mr. Nathan.
"It's quite common to be delayed by a few minutes. I've never seen anyone arrive precisely on time," employee Nathan commented nonchalantly about the delay from France. He had worked there for several years and had seen it all. "You can't expect the staff in other countries to be punctual, and there's always a slight discrepancy in the schedules."
A slight discrepancy?
After waiting for half an hour, Katherine felt her patience wearing thin, especially with the annoying presence of a guy named Carter, who kept trying to strike up conversations with her.
She had clearly rejected him back in school.
Just then, the fireplace that connected to Europe stirred, and a very young-looking boy almost stumbled out of it, seemingly unaccustomed to using the International Floo Network.
"Mr. Anderson?" Nicholas reached out to help the boy out of the fireplace and asked tentatively, "You're even younger than I expected."
"Sorry, there was a little incident in France that delayed us by half an hour."
Hearing his name, Albert turned to look at the elderly man before him. Comparing him to the photos in his memory, he extended his hand and shook Nicholas's hand, saying, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Nicholas. And this must be Miss Katherine; you're even more beautiful than in your photos."
"You know me?" Katherine's eyebrows arched slightly.
To be honest, she was surprised. The young man before her, addressed as Mr. Anderson, looked no older than fourteen or fifteen. Could he really be the legendary heir of Wilde-Smith?
Wasn't the heir supposed to be an adult already?
"Mr. Sierra showed me your photos. He said you're a genius. And I must say, your beauty rivals your talent," Albert added.
Albert was indeed surprised by Miss Katherine's beauty; she was no less attractive than the ladies of the Drakul family, who were known for their allure.
Noticing that Albert quickly averted his gaze, Katherine realized that this young man was different from the others who had flattered her. His words of praise were sincere and heartfelt.
This generous compliment eased the annoyance Katherine had felt while waiting.
"Welcome to America, Mr. Anderson," she said.
Shooting a glance at Carter, who had been bothering her earlier, Katherine stepped forward and gave Albert a polite greeting kiss. With a smile, she introduced herself, "I'm Katherine, Nicholas's granddaughter."
"Are all American girls this passionate?" Albert murmured, taken aback.
He never considered himself to be like Garon, beloved by everyone. But he quickly understood the reason behind the unfriendly gaze directed at him, and he couldn't help but frown.
Perhaps his attire was out of place in the International Floo Network waiting room, as several witches and wizards nearby shot curious glances his way.
However, Sierra soon appeared through the fireplace. After a brief embrace with Nicholas, he chuckled and said, "That was quite a journey. The French side pulled a little trick to keep us there for an extra half hour."
Just then, an untimely voice interrupted from the side.
"Gentlemen, please come this way for registration."
The wizard from the Ministry of Magic, who had given Albert and Sierra a hostile look earlier, addressed them, "According to the regulations of the American Magical Congress, all members of the American magical community, including citizens and visitors, are required to carry a wand permit. Please come to the counter to process your temporary permits."
He then led the two men to the nearby counter to obtain their temporary wand permits.
Albert eyed the man, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he sensed the underlying hostility. He glanced at Miss Katherine beside him, guessing the reason for the man's attitude.
"This guy is nuts!" Albert muttered to himself.
As he watched Mr. Sierra obtain his wand permit, Albert heard a voice in his ear, "Sorry, sir, but are you underage?"
Albert noticed the man's slight smirk and furrowed his brows even further. He stared at the man expressionlessly, waiting for him to continue.
"In America, underage wizards are not allowed to possess wands," the man explained.
"I know, but that's in America," Albert reminded him.
"Yes," the man acknowledged, his voice calm. "According to the rules, I'm afraid I can't issue you a wand permit. Your wand will have to be kept in the custody of the Ministry of Magic."
"Oh," Albert interjected. "Does the American Ministry of Magic provide compensation if a wand is lost while in their care?"
"What?"
"I'm saying, in the event that a wand kept by the American Ministry of Magic is lost or damaged, does the Ministry offer any reimbursement?" Albert repeated himself.
"We don't... lose wands," the man replied stiffly.
"So, you don't provide compensation," Albert stated.
"If you're unwilling to leave your wand in our custody, then we may have to ask you to leave," Carter said, his expression turning strange.
"Oh, are you authorized to speak on behalf of the entire American Ministry of Magic?" Albert challenged.
"Sorry, these are the rules. Please don't make this difficult for me," Carter replied, his smile growing more insincere by the second.
"You're the one making this difficult," Albert said as he handed his wand to Carter. "Because I didn't actually bring a wand with me. This is just a souvenir a friend gave me in France. It's simply a piece of wood that resembles a wand, with a signature at the end."
Carter's expression darkened as he examined the 'A.A.' engraved on the wand handle. He seemed unwilling to accept this, waving the wand a few times, but to no avail.
Albert's wand, along with his Wizard Chess Champion trophy, had already been sent back to Britain. He had foreseen something like this through his crystal ball the night before, so he had mailed all his magical items home.
"You've misunderstood from the start," Albert said calmly. "But if you don't believe me, feel free to inspect it. Of course, you'll have to apologize afterward."
Carter's cheeks twitched as he considered Albert's challenge. It was clear that Albert was confident he wouldn't find any wand.
Katherine watched Carter's face contort with growing amusement.
In the end, the Ministry of Magic decided to inspect the wand.
Albert requested a cup of Assam tea.
The American Ministry of Magic had not intended to offer him tea and was prepared to send him on his way.
However, Albert casually mentioned his recent victory in the International Wizard Chess Tournament, implying that the American press would be very interested in his experiences during his time in the country.
As a result, the American Ministry of Magic was forced to apologize for their rudeness.
The four of them sat in the Ministry's guest room, sipping tea for half an hour before they finally left.
"Why did you do that?" Katherine asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
"I assume you can't perform Legilimency," Albert said suddenly. "So, you didn't detect the malice in that man's eyes. I'm certain that if I had left my wand with them, it would have accidentally broken or gone missing."
"As for why, it's because you kissed me earlier," Albert continued. "That idiot is now jealous, but that's to be expected. Ninety percent of the people working at the Ministry are like that."
"I haven't had the chance to teach Katherine Occlumency and Legilimency yet," Nicholas explained, clearly aware of Mr. Anderson's proficiency in the art of Legilimency.
"I finally understand why no one wants to come to America," Albert said as he turned to Sierra. "I don't think I'll be coming back here either."
(End of Chapter)
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