Chapter 735: Extra - Longbottom
Chapter 735: Extra - Longbottom
The changes brought about by the public revelation of the wizarding world are far-reaching. Today, Sky Island, the largest wizarding transportation hub and transfer station, connects the main wizarding communities around the world, effectively tying the entire magical world together and greatly facilitating communication among wizards.
The international mail service on Sky Island is also thriving. Any ambitious company would try to establish an office here, as a popular saying goes: "Here, the world is within reach."
But there's a piece of advice that follows: Before crossing the fire, make sure you have the necessary travel documents. Otherwise, you'll be kicked back, with a boot print on your behind and a fine and summons waiting for you. But don't worry too much; the international government agencies stationed on Sky Island are specifically set up to handle such issues.
After a few years of operation, at least you don't have to worry about fights breaking out due to language barriers.
A week before the World Cup opening ceremony, Neville received a letter from Harry. He was upstairs at the Leaky Cauldron, washing up, when an owl silently flew in through the second-floor window, landing on the bathroom shelf and giving him quite a fright.
"Hello, Hedwig", Neville said, his mouth full of foam, extending a hand.
Hedwig ruffled her feathers and hopped back a couple of steps to avoid the wet hand, lifting the leg with the letter. Neville carefully opened the letter, quickly read through it, and his eyes brightened.
A few minutes later, two heads were huddled together.
"The timing works, we can leave with the other professors", Hannah said. "I'll write back to Harry", Neville said, enthusiastically searching the room for paper and a pen.
The two had married a few years ago. After leaving the Ministry of Magic, Neville succeeded Professor Sprout as the Herbology professor at Hogwarts, while Hannah took over the Leaky Cauldron as its proprietress. Their combination was considered pretty cool by the students.
Two days later, as dawn broke, early risers in Diagon Alley found a sign hanging on the Leaky Cauldron's door, reading "Closed during the World Cup", and it was locked. No one was surprised; this year's World Cup had captured so much attention that even those uninterested in Quidditch wanted to join in the fun. It was said that many new and exciting products would be available during the tournament.
Neville and Hannah arrived at Hogwarts through the Diagon Alley fireplace. It was summer break, and the school was empty of students. Professor Mcgonagall stood among a group of professors, wearing a feathered hat and a fitted dark green robe, looking as elegant as Aurora Sinistra beside her.
Pomona Sprout was waving at them, and Neville waved back. Professor Sprout had retired and now lived in Hogsmeade, but she often returned to the school to visit her beloved plants in the Greenhouses and offered Neville a lot of guidance, especially on how to deal with Professor Snape.
"We don't start trouble, but... brewing potions requires a lot of herbs."
This was a big help to Neville.
Professor Mcgonagall nodded at Neville and Hannah. "Just the two of you? Frank and Alice, and Hannah's parents?"
"They're already on the island", Neville said happily. "They even sent us a stack of photos. Luna, Seamus, and Dean are there too. My grandmother is staying home; she's not interested in Quidditch." Professor Mcgonagall sniffed.
"My parents couldn't make it", Hannah said, shaking her head.
"Alright", Professor Mcgonagall said, glancing at the others. "Aurora, Pomona, Sybill, and—oh, sorry, Filius, the numbers are just right. Our Deputy Headmistress is, predictably, absent again, but we can forgive her this time. According to the Daily Prophet, she seems to be caught in a power struggle... I have my doubts. Let's go."
"I wonder how Professor Burbage is doing", Neville whispered. The professor had helped him a great deal.
"She's in a better place now", Hannah whispered back.
Neville nodded, and as Professor Mcgonagall passed by and overheard their conversation, her eyebrows knitted together tightly.
"Professor Burbage was just invited to the moon for research. She'll be back", she couldn't help but explain.
"Um, I hope everything goes well for her", Hannah said sincerely.
"If it were me, I wouldn't be so sure", Trelawney interjected. "I specifically observed the stars before my journey. From the angle between the moon and Mars, it's inadvisable to travel at this time. It could lead to unexpected misfortunes."
"Thank you for the warning, Sybill", Professor Mcgonagall replied. "The two places you mentioned, Felix has visited both. I'll ask for his opinion." She then led the way and walked off.
"I didn't know Professor Trelawney was interested in Quidditch", Hannah whispered.
"Neither did I", Neville whispered back. "But the other Divination professor clearly stated that she doesn't like Quidditch, so..."
Trelawney, with her head covered by several layers of veils, suddenly turned around as if she had heard their whispered conversation, making them quickly fall silent. Aurora Sinistra smiled at them. The group appeared in Hogsmeade Square, where a temporary fireplace had been set up amid the crowded throng, creating a chaotic scene.
"Everyone, don't push! Take turns, the Three Broomsticks is the Portkey collection point..." A somewhat bald Auror loudly maintained order. One by one, Wizards jumped into the fire, spinning and disappearing. It was soon Neville's turn.
"Designated location, Pacific Ocean—30 kilometers west of Sky Island, Ingalls Island—" The Auror checked Professor Mcgonagall's ticket and, upon seeing the members of the group, was taken aback. "Headmistress Mcgonagall? And a few professors? You could have applied to go directly to the island, no need for a transfer."
"We're not in a hurry", Professor Mcgonagall said. "And we can enjoy the scenery along the way."
"Then, I wish you a pleasant journey", the Auror said.
The swirling green fire carried Neville through a series of fireplaces, followed by a disorienting dizziness that was more uncomfortable than any previous Floo Powder trip. Finally, he felt his feet touch solid ground. He stood on a sandy beach, the sea breeze caressing his face, and the bright sun shining down. Surrounding him were footsteps and voices. Neville looked around, momentarily stunned: this was nothing like the desolate island he had imagined. Instead, it was a bustling beach with bikinis.
There were at least a thousand umbrellas on the beach. Some people were surfing in the sea, and others were flying kites and riding flying brooms in the sky. A little girl walked by, holding a purple flying carpet on which a middle-aged man with a round belly was dozing.
"Wow, did we come to the wrong place?" Hannah, who had just arrived, asked. She stumbled on the soft sand, and Neville quickly steadied her.
"No", Neville said happily, pointing in a direction. The clear sky over the sea allowed them to see the small island floating on the water in the distance. Hannah suddenly laughed. "It does look a bit like a squished ice cream cone. What are those dots around it?"
"They look different up close", Neville said. "Those dots are probably Wizards on brooms, possibly scouting the weather to guard against sea storms, or maybe just playing a dueling game. You know, riding brooms and trying to knock each other off. It can be one-on-one or a free-for-all, but only specific spells are allowed. This sport was quite popular among Aurors for a while. I think it was either Harry or Ron who came up with the idea."
Hannah looked at Neville.
"Oh, I'm not very good at Quidditch", he said sheepishly. "Professor Sprout believes that as a Herbology professor, it's best to always keep both feet on the ground."
"I did say that", Professor Sprout said, emerging from the fire with a joyful air. Her soft gray hair was blown high by the sea breeze. "Have you visited Classroom 7? I always thought my other self had a bit of a wild side, but it's cool."
"I've spoken to everyone inside and learned a lot", Aurora Sinistra said.
The professors, along with Neville and Hannah, stood on the beach, gazing at the golden sand and the endless blue waves. The Sky Island seemed to be slowly rotating, the sunlight reflecting off the Basilisk scales that encircled the island's base.
Twenty feet away, two staff members were waving small flags under a sun umbrella. As they approached the umbrella's shade, they were surprised to find it much cooler underneath.
"Special perk", one of the staff members said. "They’re worried we’ll develop ‘people phobia’ with all these thousands of visitors."
"Really? They’re all tourists?" Professor Flitwick asked in amazement.
"Yep, some folks always worry the Sky Island will fall, despite it floating here for twelve years. Whether Wizards or Muggles, they prefer to camp on the island overnight", the other staff member said, handing them a form. Neville wrote down everyone's names.
"What about the opening ceremony? That’s in the evening", Aurora Sinistra inquired curiously.
"Maybe get a bit tipsy", the registration clerk said with a humorous smile.
From his words, Neville and the others learned that the ferry to the island came every hour, giving them about half an hour of free time. They wandered around and ran into some acquaintances: Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. Both were dressed lightly, with Bill wearing shorts and sunglasses, a silver earring in his left ear that matched his wife’s moonstone earrings. Fleur was in a one-piece swimsuit, her silver hair cascading down her back, stunningly beautiful. Beside her stood a young woman who was almost as pretty.
"This is Gabrielle, my sister", Fleur said in a slightly raspy voice.
Neville and Bill exchanged a glance and moved aside.
"Did you get the letter too?" Neville asked.
"Yep", Bill said cheerfully. "The island needs more hands, and we’re happy to help. The kids can stay with Gabrielle", he whispered, "don’t let her hear. She thinks it’s a big important mission."
Neville glanced over to where the girls were giggling and chatting. He heard Hannah pointing at an African witch and saying, "Lee Jordan dated her." Neville blinked in confusion, then saw a tall, dark-skinned girl. After a few seconds, he barely recalled her identity—Nona Lebert, the Wagadu representative in the Fourth-Year Tournament.
"We’re waiting for the rest of our family, they should arrive in the next couple of days", Bill said. "Aside from Ron and Percy, who are both working at the Ministry and have to coordinate this big event. They’ll probably get a break a day or two before the opening. We’ve already spent one night here. The Wizards from Fiji brought their mascot, Dakuvaqa, a distant relative of merpeople that can transform into sharks. And there are dragons too! Charlie will love it."
Half an hour later, Neville parted ways with Bill Weasley’s family—“Sirius Black and I formed a band called ‘The Teeny Werewolves’!”—and boarded the ferry to Sky Island. The massive ship cut through the waves, with seagulls following alongside. People on deck chatted and laughed, their eyes filled with anticipation. However, as the ship neared the island, the chatter grew sparse. Everyone was moved by an unseen force, falling into a silent awe. A massive, inverted mountain-like structure rose from the sea, its shadow casting a vast darkness that covered the ferry from a distance. They glided through the shadow for a long stretch, surrounded by the tranquil sound of water, until they reached the island’s base. Suddenly, someone screamed. Neville looked up to see a colossal snake head facing them, its rough scales forming a landscape of jagged rocks. The snake’s mouth held its tail, and its long body coiled around the island’s inverted foundation six or seven times, almost blending into the island itself.
The ship stopped beneath the island. Everyone leaned over the railing, staring into the distant shadow where something was glinting.
Then they heard the sound of ropes and machinery, and after a moment, a glowing platform extended towards them, suspended above the water and connecting to the ship’s gangway. The glowing object became clearer—it was a lift, with a magical lantern hanging from the top.
People on the ship stared at the lift, which was about the size of a phone booth.
"Line up! Prepare to disembark!" the crew member shouted. "The lift has limited space, carrying a hundred people at a time. Please don’t crowd."
There was a moment of stunned silence before someone yelled, "This is magic!"
"Indeed, it is magic", the crew member replied with a knowing smile.
(End of Chapter)
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