https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-518-A-Wizard-Forced-to-Hold-a-Grudge/12526826/
Chapter 519: A Weary Heart
Chapter 519: A Weary Heart
"I'm finally home!"
On a scorching summer day, Albert lugged his suitcase down Privet Drive, gazing up at Number 19, suddenly overcome with a sense of relief at being home.
After returning to England using the Portkey, he had retrieved his wand and other magical belongings from Mr. Bade Brood and politely declined the man's dinner invitation before hurrying home.
However, Albert never expected to be locked out of his own home.
With no idea where the rest of his family was and without a key, Albert stood staring blankly at the iron gate that barred his entrance.
Then, he pulled out a set of lockpicking tools from his chamoleonic bag and picked the lock on his own front door.
Picking your own door lock was definitely a novel experience.
Albert tossed his suitcase into the hallway and headed straight for the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of soda from the fridge and taking a big gulp.
As he returned to the living room to turn on the air conditioning, he found a note under the remote control:
Albert, we're off to visit your Grandpa Luke for a few days, and we've taken Tom and Sheila with us. If you're back from abroad and we're not home yet, remember to eat on time and give us a call if you need anything. —Daisy.
"Unbelievable!"
Albert turned on the air conditioner, lay down on the sofa to cool off, and prepared to take a nap, but something felt a bit off.
Why bother leaving a note if the door was locked?
So...
Albert walked into the yard, lifted a stone, and retrieved a key from under the bottom of the crafted stone.
"Never mind, it must be the heat getting to me," Albert said, patting his head. He felt he needed to lie down and rest.
Using the Portkey wasn't exactly comfortable.
When Albert woke up on the sofa, dusk had fallen. After rummaging through the fridge, he ended up riding his bicycle to the nearby supermarket to buy some pasta.
Well, it was actually those square-shaped instant noodles.
They weren't popular in the UK and were usually tucked away in supermarket corners, gathering dust.
As for why he didn't opt for cup noodles, let's just say that the UK's version of instant noodles was downright unappetizing.
Albert made himself some egg and sausage pasta and toasted a few bread crisps as an after-dinner snack.
After dinner, he called Herb, and they wouldn't be back until tomorrow.
Nia asked if he had brought her any souvenirs.
American wizarding treats were, admittedly, not too different from Muggle snacks.
Though he was loath to admit it, American wizards led lives that more closely resembled those of Muggles.
While American wizards did have their unique treats, they were strictly regulated by the American Magical Congress, so their wizarding streets weren't as bustling as Diagon Alley in the UK.
To get gifts for his family and girlfriend, he had specifically asked Katherine to take him to the American wizarding street, also known as the American Wizarding Secret Exchange.
Located through an underground entrance at the end of a narrow alley in New York, the exchange had been magically widened, and it was said that there were several secret entrances, all warded with anti-Muggle repelling charms.
One needed to be recognized by the graffiti portrait at the entrance before being allowed into the wizarding street.
It must be said that American wizards' precautions against Muggles were more stringent than prison escape prevention measures.
After tidying up the dishes, Albert sat on the sofa and tried to contact Isabelle, whom he hadn't spoken to in several days.
Unfortunately, Isabelle didn't respond immediately.
After waiting a long while, Albert had no choice but to put away the two-way mirror and take out Katherine's mirror to try and reach her instead.
Okay, he was just bored and wanted someone to talk to.
Before long, Katherine's beautiful face appeared in the mirror.
"Good evening!"
Albert was a bit surprised, as he had only been trying his luck, not expecting to actually make contact.
"Evening?"
On the other side of the mirror, Katherine looked out the window, confusion in her tone.
"Oh, I almost forgot, the UK is five hours ahead of the US!" Albert casually brought up a topic to chat with the other party, such as the possibility of using American mint to make a skin rash ointment.
Katherine on the other side of the two-way mirror was taken aback, probably not expecting Albert to bring up such a topic.
She was actually quite skilled in potion-making, and soon, with Albert's guidance, she crafted a skin rash ointment.
"That's it?"
Katherine looked at the finished product in front of her, still a little dazed.
Although she didn't know how effective it was yet, the faint, pleasant fragrance made her feel that this ointment should do the trick.
Suddenly, Katherine felt a strong desire to collaborate with Albert and have him help her research a beauty potion that could preserve her youthful looks.
Being a vain young woman herself, she was well aware that her beauty would not last forever. Perhaps, with Albert's talent, they could create something extraordinary.
If they succeeded, she imagined many girls would go crazy for such a product.
Of course, Albert was oblivious to the American girl's thoughts. After hastily ending the conversation, he took out Isabelle's two-way mirror.
"You're back from the US. How was it?"
Having just stepped out of the bathroom, the girl with damp hair sat down at her desk, smiling as she examined her boyfriend.
"Not great. The magical society in the US is quite different from the rest of Europe." Albert gave Isabelle a brief overview of the American magical community.
"What about Miss Katherine?"
"Miss Katherine?" Albert was taken aback, unsure why Isabelle would bring her up.
"You mean Nicholas' granddaughter?" Albert's mind raced, asking with confusion, "What about her?"
"Don't you know?" Isabelle's expression grew more peculiar.
"Know what?"
"Your gossip scandal!"
As she spoke, Isabelle held up a newspaper with a black-and-white photo of Albert and Katherine shopping on Wizard Street, taken secretly by someone. The angle wasn't great, but the two people in the photo were clearly recognizable.
"Ah, this photo!" Albert feigned realization. "I must have forgotten. I think it was taken when I asked Katherine to take me to the American Wizard Street to buy souvenirs for my family. As for those pesky American journalists, they really are disgusting. All because I refused their interview, they'll do anything to create drama!"
"I think you should handle the interview with the Prophet carefully." Isabelle suddenly reminded him. "There are rumors about you circulating in France as well."
As she spoke, she picked up another newspaper, only to see her boyfriend on the other side of the mirror freeze.
The photo of Louise giving him a greeting kiss had somehow been twisted into a scandal.
"It doesn't end there."
Isabelle picked up a recent issue of the Prophet, where they had started concocting stories about him having a preference for older, beautiful women.
"You know, it's just their way of grabbing attention." Albert suddenly felt his heart weary from all the gossip.
"I know, but I wanted to remind you that they're painting you as a playboy with multiple lovers." Isabelle couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
"Stop laughing and help me think of a solution." Albert slumped onto the sofa, complaining to the girl on the other side of the mirror, "You certainly don't want people to think of your boyfriend as a heartless flirt, do you?"
"What can I do? You're the famous one." Isabelle shrugged helplessly, indicating that she was of no help in this matter.
"It looks like I can't use 'Harry Potter' as the book title anymore. They say they're going to change it, and although Lazy Cat already has a new one in mind, just in case (it's already been taken), I'd like to gather a few more suggestions here."
"If there are any good book title ideas, please leave a comment to help me out."
"I heard that when you change the book title, it might suddenly get taken down."
(End of Chapter)
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