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Chapter 895
Chapter 895
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Ivan, who had moved into New Manor, quickly realized the downside of owning a large house—it was simply too big!
For instance, it took a full ten minutes to walk from his quarters to the dedicated dining room. Sometimes, Ivan even mistook it for Hogwarts Castle.
Of course, the size had its advantages. It meant he could convert parts of the house into a Library, Training Ground, Potion Room, and Alchemy Room, in addition to his regular living space.
In case of emergencies, where he needed to gather people for a meeting, Ivan even expanded the Top Floor of the Manor into a spacious hall that could accommodate thousands.
While the underground fortress in Knockturn Alley had similar facilities, who would prefer to stay in a dark bunker when they could enjoy the sunlight and gardens?
However, such a massive renovation project couldn't be completed in a day or two. Even with the help of over a dozen wizards skilled in construction, only a small portion of the work was finished in three days.
Besides the expansion and defensive magic setup, Ivan also went out to purchase some common household appliances for Hermione's parents, who were Muggles. Fortunately, being in London, the house was already connected to the power grid, saving him a lot of trouble.
Once everything was ready, Hermione's arrival was later than Ivan had expected. It wasn't until the morning of the third day back home that he received the young witch's reply, confirming that the Grangers would visit the next evening.
...
"Are you sure this is the place, Hermione? We haven't come to the wrong address, have we?"
On the evening of July 4th, Will Granger, carrying a large trunk, stood on the pathway outside the manor, scanning the area for a more ordinary residence. However, all he could see was the grand manor before him.
"It should be here..." Hermione said, uncertain. She took out the letter Ivan had sent and read it carefully, confirming they were in the right place.
Despite Hermione's reassurance, the Grangers were still skeptical. The manor looked like the estate of a hereditary noble, with two massive knight statues holding spears, crossed in front of the entrance, giving off a menacing presence.
"I'll ring the doorbell", Will Granger said, straightening his clothes and mustering his courage to step forward and press the bell.
The next moment, a slight tremor echoed from above, accompanied by his wife's gasp. Will Granger turned his head in confusion and was shocked to see the knight statues come to life.
Will Granger was taken aback by the suddenly animated statues, but they didn't attack him. Instead, they slowly lowered their spears and opened the tightly shut gates.
In less than a second, a young boy appeared on the grounds.
"Ivan!" Hermione exclaimed, stepping forward to hug Ivan tightly. She blushed and quickly pulled away when she realized her parents were watching.
"I've been waiting for you for days, Hermione", Ivan said with a smile, then turned to the Grangers. "Hello, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, welcome to Hals Manor!"
"Oh, hello, Hals", Will Granger said, still reeling from the shock of the living statues but managing to politely shake Ivan's hand.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't their first meeting. During Hogwarts holidays, Will often saw Ivan at King's Cross Station, and they had even chatted briefly once. So, it didn't take long for them to reconnect.
After a brief conversation with the future "father-in-law" and "mother-in-law", Ivan snapped his fingers, causing their luggage to float behind them. He then invited them to enter the manor and enjoy dinner.
On the way, Will Granger took in the beautiful scenery of the manor, especially the fountain and garden, which he couldn't help but gaze at for a little longer. Finally, he couldn't resist asking, "Are you a wizard noble, Hals?"
"Of course not!" Ivan shook his head, replying earnestly. "To be precise, the British Wizarding World no longer has nobility. There are only some ancient wizarding families, and the Hals Family, being small, is not one of them."
"Then how did you... end up living in this manor?" Will Granger was genuinely puzzled.
Before coming, he had asked Hermione about Ivan's background and knew that Ivan was from a single-parent family, with his father having passed away and his mother running a magic shop, which wouldn't have the means to own such a large estate.
Hermione also found this strange but quickly realized something. "It must have something to do with the Philosopher's Stone, right?"
"Um, yes, that's right", Ivan nodded, not wanting to reveal that the manor was a gift from the Minister of Magic and required no payment.
"What is the Philosopher's Stone?" Mrs. Granger asked, clearly intrigued.
"It's the most remarkable alchemical construct. According to legend, the Philosopher's Stone can turn ordinary stones into real gold and create a potion that grants eternal youth..." Hermione explained, recounting various legends about the Philosopher's Stone and emphasizing that Nicolas Flamel, Ivan's master, was its creator.
The Grangers exchanged glances, finding it hard to believe. Turning base metals into gold and achieving immortality sounded like something out of a myth. Even if magic was incredible, it seemed impossible that such feats could be real, or else the financial system would have collapsed long ago.
Even if such powerful magic existed, it seemed unlikely that a young wizard could master it.
"Ivan is the most outstanding student in Hogwarts's history. Even Headmaster Dumbledore and Minister Pierce speak highly of him..." Hermione, noticing her parents' doubts, quickly chimed in to support him.
Will Granger laughed, not taking it too seriously. He had heard similar praise from Hermione many times before.
However, as they followed Ivan into the front hall, a massive, golden-glowing fireplace nearly blinded him...
(End of Chapter)
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