Chapter 526: Beachside Barbecue
Chapter 526: Beachside Barbecue
Isabel's home was located in the outskirts of Dingwoss Village, and it didn't face the ocean. After disembarking from the Knight Bus, it was quite a walk to reach her place.
According to the young girl, there were only five wizarding families residing in Dingwoss, and most of them settled in remote areas of the village, rarely interacting directly with Muggles.
The McDougall home was nothing like the eccentric Weasley residence. It resembled a typical Muggle villa, and even if a Muggle happened to notice it, they wouldn't find it peculiar.
"This place is warded against Muggle intrusion, so basically, we don't get unexpected visitors, nor are we noticed. It's a bit like the Leaky Cauldron in that regard."
Isabel had already briefed Albert about this on their way there.
Noticing her boyfriend's gaze drifting towards the flower beds in the yard, the young girl casually remarked, "Mom likes to grow herbs in the flower beds, but she rarely has time to tend to them, so they're mostly left to grow wild. Only the hardiest of herbs survive."
"It's evident that they haven't been cared for in a while," Albert commented.
If a Muggle were to see this place, they would likely assume it to be an abandoned villa! The couple walked along a path paved with cobblestones, leading up to the house. It was clear that this used to be a beautiful villa.
Unfortunately, due to neglect, it had gradually fallen into disrepair.
"She's usually not home during the day, and I expect she'll only return in the evening," Isabel added. "I think she'll definitely come back early today."
"I'll spend the night here," Albert suddenly requested. "In your room?"
"I'll probably use Floo powder to send you back," Isabel replied, rolling her eyes. "And no funny business."
"You know about that? You naughty girl!"
"I'm younger than you!" Isabel retorted, poking Albert's chest playfully. "You naughty boy."
Amidst their playful banter, Isabel pushed open the door and invited Albert inside.
In the hallway, Katrina was perusing the latest issue of the Witch Weekly.
Hearing the door open, she lifted her head to glance at the pair, her facial muscles twitching slightly.
Albert felt that this acquaintance of his didn't seem too pleased about his presence, and Katrina's expression was subtly intriguing.
"Would you mind showing me around the beach here?" he asked.
"Follow me!"
Isabel, noticing her sister's reaction, heaved an inward sigh. She wondered if she had made a wrong decision.
Having Albert stay here would only make the atmosphere more awkward. Perhaps it would be better to go somewhere else for their date.
"I'll come too," Katrina piped up, closing her magazine and getting to her feet.
At that moment, Albert wanted to protest. "What are you coming for? This is our date!"
Isabel and Albert exchanged odd looks, silently questioning Katrina's decision to tag along.
"It's boring to be alone at home," Katrina pouted, as if she was about to say something more, but a glance from Isabel stopped her.
"There aren't any beaches around Dingwoss Village; it's mostly cliffs," Katrina informed Albert. "But I know a place with a nice view. I can take you there. In fact, I have some business to attend to in that area anyway."
Indeed, there were no beaches around Dingwoss Village, or rather, most of the area consisted of cliffs, and below the cliffs lay a vast expanse of soft rock.
After walking for half an hour, the trio finally arrived at the spot Katrina had mentioned.
It was low tide, and in a secluded hollow beneath the cliffs, there was a small patch of beach.
"There's a path down there, but it's quite steep and dangerous, so we'd better use this," Katrina said, pulling out an old broomstick from her bag. She and Isabel flew down, leaving Albert stranded on the cliff.
"She must be doing this on purpose. Is it because of love turning to hate?" Albert couldn't help but joke with himself, finding the situation amusing.
Shaking off his thoughts, he surveyed his surroundings and retrieved his own broomstick from the lizard skin belt. Then, he flew down to join the girls.
This place was rarely visited, and the sand was fine and white, although the beach itself was rather small.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Katrina asked proudly.
"It truly is," Albert agreed.
Isabel had already taken off her boots and was strolling along the beach, letting the waves gently caress her feet.
"If you like it, we can buy a piece of land here and build a villa. We can even have a direct staircase leading down here," Albert suggested, taking in the surroundings. He had to admit that this place was quite nice.
Katrina felt like she had swallowed a fly, and she glared at Albert, annoyed. How dare he think of claiming this place as his own? What an absolute jerk! "Thanks, Katrina. I really like it here," Isabel said. "Albert was just joking."
"I don't think he was joking at all," Katrina huffed. "They say that most of what he says comes true."
"When we were very little, we used to come to the beach to catch fish," Isabel reminisced.
"Yeah!"
Katrina's tone suddenly changed as she pulled out a fish box and a net from her bag.
"Are we going to catch some seafood now?" Albert asked, amused.
"The rocks over there are rich in seafood. Maybe you can help out, and Isabel can make us some fresh fish soup for lunch," Katrina suggested confidently.
Albert felt that Katrina was trying to set him up for embarrassment, but he didn't mind. In his previous life, he had grown up in a seaside town, even though most of his later life had been spent in cities.
"It's a fun experience," Albert said. "I may not be able to cook with magic, but I can manage some simple dishes."
"You're quite the jack-of-all-trades, aren't you?" Katrina remarked dryly. "Well, I'll leave it to you then."
There were indeed plenty of fish near the rocks, and Isabel and Katrina skillfully scooped up the larger ones.
"It would be so much easier if we could use magic," Albert commented, spotting two large, meaty crabs hiding in the crevices of the rocks.
"Brits don't seem to eat much crab," Albert mumbled to himself. At least, he hadn't come across it often since arriving in this world.
"What are you muttering about?"
"Do you eat these?" Albert pointed at the plump, juicy crab.
"Of course, why wouldn't we? Have you never eaten these before?" Katrina asked, her expression growing more and more peculiar as she watched Albert effortlessly catch one of the large crabs.
"Actually, many people don't eat sea crabs because they're a hassle to prepare," Isabel explained. "I know how to cook them if you'd like to try."
"No, I'll do it," Albert said mysteriously. "I've never had a beach barbecue before."
"A beach barbecue?"
Soon, the sisters understood what Albert meant as he pulled out an alcohol stove, a frying pan, and various seasonings.
"How do you have all this stuff with you?" Katrina stared, wide-eyed, as Albert skillfully dissected the two crabs with a sharp knife. Soon, a mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air.
"This is even more amazing than magic! Is this how Muggles cook their food?" Isabel asked, biting into a piece of crab meat fried in butter. It tasted absolutely delicious, even though it had only been simply prepared.
(End of Chapter)
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