By the next day, as Hermione obediently waited for the professor from the magical academy to guide her to purchase the textbooks and school supplies listed on her acceptance letter, she was surprised to find that the stern-faced lady in the pale green robes and large felt hat was accompanied by Leon—the very boy she had quietly said goodbye to the previous night.
Noticing Hermione looking at him, Leon could only offer an awkward smile, while quietly taking a small step back to put some distance between himself and the lady walking beside him.
He was genuinely terrified of this lady.
After all, this was the famous Professor McGonagall.
The moment he saw a tabby cat appearing outside his door that morning, he had instantly recognized Gryffindor’s most stern and powerful lioness.
Although she had given a formal introduction of her background and purpose, she hadn’t said a single word about Leon hunting down that owl.
But from her meaningful glances and her seemingly casual small talk asking why he had never replied to his letter, Leon could tell that she clearly knew the fate of that unfortunate owl.
What could Leon do?
He could only play innocent and claim that he hadn’t had the time to reply, though Professor McGonagall’s expression made it glaringly obvious that she didn’t buy it.
Fortunately, she hadn’t come to hold a grudge.
After confirming that Leon had no plans for the day, she took him along to visit another prospective young wizard who needed guidance to Diagon Alley, intending for them to make the trip together.
And that was exactly how Leon ended up following Professor McGonagall into Hermione’s home.
“Mr.
Wicke, where do you think you’re going?” Noticing Leon’s subtle movements, the corners of Professor McGonagall’s mouth twitched upward slightly, though she quickly suppressed it and questioned him flatly.
“I just need to use the restroom, Professor.
Please, carry on.” Leon spouted the random excuse, but under Professor McGonagall’s profound gaze, he ultimately braced himself and walked into the Grangers’ bathroom with practiced familiarity.
Being neighbors, Leon was just as familiar with the Granger household as Hermione was, so Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger didn’t think anything of it.
Their primary focus right now was entirely on this elegant and mysterious woman who had knocked on their door, to the point where they completely forgot to greet Leon.
By the time Leon came out of the bathroom and returned to the living room, he happened to see Professor McGonagall waving her wand, directing a lifelike owl as it swooped and tumbled through the air.
Leon knew that Professor McGonagall was demonstrating the wonders of magic, using her specialty: Transfiguration.
But out of all things, the animal she chose to conjure was an owl, which made things incredibly awkward for Leon.
“You see, this is Transfiguration—a branch of magic that alters the form of an object.
It is also one of the subjects taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” Professor McGonagall explained with a smile to the dumbfounded Grangers, though her eyes flicked over to Leon, gesturing for him to come over and sit down.
Leon wouldn’t dare disobey.
He obediently approached the living room sofa, and Hermione, being quick-witted, scooted over to make a reasonably spacious spot for him.
However, the look she gave him carried just as much pressure as Professor McGonagall’s.
Leon could easily spot the blame and indignant embarrassment in her eyes.
But since now was clearly not the time to cross-examine him, Hermione had no choice but to suppress her impatience and quietly listen to the conversation between Professor McGonagall and her parents.
With that magical display of Transfiguration as proof, Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger were naturally convinced that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was real.
Though they were still in a state of shock, they ultimately went with the flow and accepted Hermione’s future enrollment at Hogwarts.
Of course, that wasn’t Professor McGonagall’s main objective; she still needed to take the Granger family and Leon to Diagon Alley to purchase their necessary school supplies.
Mr.
Granger volunteered to drive them to the Leaky Cauldron.
Professor McGonagall didn’t mind, so the group of five piled into the Grangers’ car, filling it to capacity as they began their journey toward Charing Cross Road in London.
While Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger chatted with Professor McGonagall in the front seats about the details of Hogwarts, Hermione, sitting in the back, didn’t use the opportunity to eavesdrop on information about the school.
Instead, she frowned at Leon and asked in a low whisper, “When did you receive your Hogwarts acceptance letter?” “Yesterday morning,” Leon replied honestly.
“Oh.” Hermione wanted to ask why Leon hadn’t told her, but realizing that she hadn’t planned on telling him either before he found out, she could only give a muffled response.
Before long, however, she couldn’t resist asking another question.
“If I hadn’t been going to the same school as you, would you have said goodbye to me?” “No,” Leon said, shaking his head.
“Why?” Hermione instantly sat up straight, her voice rising a couple of octaves.
“Because I wasn’t even sure if I was going to attend Hogwarts,” Leon bluffed.
After all, he couldn’t exactly tell her that he already knew she would definitely go to Hogwarts.
“True.
I suppose before receiving the letter, neither of us knew that wizards and magic even existed in this world.” Hermione was instantly mollified.
Then, seemingly very pleased, she leaned in close to Leon and muttered, “That means we can keep being classmates!
Leon, do you think we’ll encounter any other schoolmates besides ourselves?” “Probably not,” Leon replied.
Young witches and wizards with the ability to cast magic were a minority, after all.
Otherwise, wizards wouldn’t be living in hidden, secluded corners of society today.
The entire population of the British magical world probably didn’t even reach five figures.
“Why?
Is it because our talent is so rare?” Hermione pressed curiously.
“I guess so.
I’m not really sure either.
Why don’t you ask Professor McGonagall?” Finding it difficult to answer, Leon could only deflect Hermione’s attention back toward the professor.
Hermione looked tempted at his suggestion, but glancing at the fiercely dignified Professor McGonagall, she felt a sudden pang of intimidation.
She promptly ignored Leon’s proposal and changed the subject.
“Are you really going into the wizarding world all by yourself with the professor?
Aren’t your parents coming with you?” “Well, have you ever seen my family?” Leon teased with a smile.
“No, now that I think about it, it seems like you’ve always lived alone.” Hermione realized that despite being around her age, Leon had always lived by himself.
Immediately, a wave of guilt washed over Hermione.
She felt as though she had inadvertently hurt Leon’s feelings.
Sensing her thoughts, Leon smiled reassuringly.
“I know what you’re thinking, but you’re overthinking it.
I’m not an orphan.
It’s just that my family is abroad.” “Still, it must be very hard living all by yourself.” Hearing this made Hermione feel a bit better, but she still felt a twinge of sympathy for him.
“Not at all.
I might live alone, but a housekeeper comes every day to cook and clean for me.
My uncle also drops by once a week and leaves me a very generous amount of pocket money.
My happiness is far beyond your imagination,” Leon explained with a dismissive wave of his hand.
This was exactly what he was most satisfied with regarding his reincarnation.
In terms of material conditions, he had basically been born at the finish line.
On top of that, he didn’t constantly have to use an adult’s mindset to masquerade as a child around family.
His starting point was vastly superior to those typical web-novel orphans whose parents were sacrificed for boundless magical power.