Chapter 741: Eastern Magic
Chapter 741: Eastern Magic
Under the dining table, a tiny cat head poked out from behind one of the table legs, cautiously peering around its surroundings. It was unclear if the little cat was shy or simply anxious from being in a strange new place.
As if it had spotted something interesting, the cat scurried out from its hiding spot and dashed through the kitchen into the living room, making a beeline for Tom, who was napping on the sofa. It seemed that only the familiar scent of the large cat could provide it with a sense of security.
"Where were you hiding just now?"
The poor little cat couldn't escape the girl's grasp and was picked up from the rug before it could reach Tom. After some futile struggling, it was easily subdued by a comb, and its remaining resistance was bought off with a cat treat.
Tom opened his eyes and fixed them on the cat treat that Nia was using to tease the little cat. He got up from the sofa, stretched lazily, and was about to move next to Nia to beg for a treat when Albert scooped him up and placed him in the large hamster wheel in the corner of the dining room for his daily exercise.
Nia paused in her stroking of the cat's fur, her gaze falling on Isabelle who was sitting next to Albert. Her lips twitched imperceptibly, and she lowered her eyes, reaching out to restrain the little cat who was trying to take the opportunity to escape, and continued grooming its fur.
Next to them, Luke and Herbert were discussing their experiences in the colonies.
In fact, most British people, as long as their finances allowed, were also keen on traveling and vacationing abroad, and Luke and Sasha were no exception. This trip, however, was longer and farther away than most.
Albert pulled Isabelle over to sit in the empty spot on the sofa and spoke quietly about the content of the upcoming Wizarding Examinations in the latter half of the year.
It wasn't particularly difficult to get hold of the exam papers from recent years; most things were achievable with a little money.
Albert had obtained several past exam papers and found that the content hadn't changed much. They covered the same old topics, and for Albert, who excelled in many areas, they posed no real challenge.
Of course, he was also happy to take the time to discuss these things with Isabelle, who still seemed a little tense and could benefit from a distraction.
"Come and taste the mysterious magic of the East."
Daisy emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of steaming food, and Sasha invited everyone to the dining room to eat.
"Hmm, this looks like... fried dumplings?"
Albert was a little surprised by the food on the plate. He blinked and examined it more closely, confirming that it was indeed fried dumplings, or at least, they looked like dumplings.
Well, sort of.
The things on the plate didn't really resemble dumplings; they were more like small buns—the kind with two layers of dough wrapped around a filling and then pressed into shape.
"Yes, they're fried dumplings from the distant East. I tried making some myself the other day, and they turned out delicious." Daisy served a large bowl of dumplings to Isabelle and smiled, "I just made a big batch, so you can take some home later."
"Didn't you prepare any dipping sauce?"
Albert forked one of the dumplings and took a bite. It was passable, but what surprised him was that Daisy hadn't prepared any dipping sauce to go with them.
"Dipping sauce?" Daisy asked, her expression odd. "I tried making some last time, but it didn't taste very good with the dumplings."
"Let me handle it!"
Albert put down his fork and headed into the kitchen. Soon enough, he returned with a bowl of simple dumpling dipping sauce. He tasted it first and found it satisfactory. The dumplings without the sauce were indeed a bit bland.
The others exchanged glances, realizing that Albert seemed quite knowledgeable about how to eat dumplings.
Isabelle also followed Albert's lead and tried the dumplings with the dipping sauce, finding that this Eastern dish was surprisingly good.
At Albert's suggestion, boiled and fried dumplings were also brought to the table, and the group enjoyed a full dumpling feast. According to Herbert, the mysterious Eastern country traditionally ate these dumplings with their families at the end of the year.
Of course, this was just an excuse. They were simply trying something new and letting Luke and Sasha experience the cuisine of another country, easing them into the idea of traveling to the East and reducing any anxiety they might feel about the trip.
Immigration and vacation were two different concepts, and they didn't plan on staying there for long.
The plan was a success. Luke and Sasha were intrigued by the legendary country known for its culinary delights, and they agreed to join the others on a vacation to the Eastern colonies in two years' time.
Luke and Sasha knew they didn't really have a choice, especially after Albert had given Herbert a large sum of pounds. They understood Albert's determination to have them vacation abroad to avoid the impending disaster.
Since magic existed, the ability to predict the future didn't seem like an unacceptable concept. The situation wasn't as bad as they had imagined, and if Herbert could profit from it, Luke might even be able to retire early.
Over dessert, the conversation turned to the preparations they should make for their trip to the East.
Learning a language wasn't too difficult as long as one had sufficient time and regularly communicated with native speakers.
The key was to practice often.
"Yes, I have," Albert confirmed, not denying his proficiency in the language.
In fact, the Anderson family was already accustomed to their son's linguistic talents. No matter the language, he always managed to converse fluently with others, as evidenced by their trip to France and Italy, where Albert had served as their temporary translator.
After dinner, the group chatted in the living room until nine o'clock before Albert rose to escort Isabelle to a nearby park.
The young woman checked her pocket watch and, after Albert had walked away, used a Disillusionment Charm to return home.
At the age of seventeen, the Trace would disappear, and witches and wizards were no longer restricted in their use of magic. Of course, the caveat was that they must not use magic in front of Muggles.
Isabelle appeared at her front door and pushed it open. Mrs. McDougal was sitting by the sofa, listening to the radio and flipping through the latest issue of Witch Weekly, humming a tune Albert didn't recognize.
"You're back," Mrs. McDougal said, looking up at the sound of the opening door. "Did you have fun today?"
"His family was very welcoming to me. We spent most of the day discussing their temporary stay abroad." Isabelle placed the box on the table and asked, "Would you like some? Mrs. Daisy sent me back with quite a lot. They're said to be Eastern delicacies."
Mrs. McDougal opened the box and asked, "When are they leaving?"
"Probably in about two years."
"After your wedding?"
"I'm not sure. Albert will make the necessary arrangements," Isabelle said as she headed upstairs to call Katrina down for dinner. The McDougal family was equally intrigued by these Eastern delicacies.
(End of Chapter)
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