But the next day, Ron cheered up again.
Instead of sleeping in like he usually did, he got washed and dressed before dawn.
He sat huddled on the living room sofa clutching Scabbers, giving Molly a massive fright when she came downstairs shortly after.
“Merlin’s socks, Ron!
What are you doing hiding there?”
Ron mumbled a few excuses to brush her off.
It wasn’t until the twins, who had gotten up early to de-gnome the garden, came inside that they revealed the truth to their mother.
“Ron is sucking up to Vaughn!”
“That’s right!
We overheard them yesterday.
Vaughn said he’d give him his Christmas present early this year—a brand-new wand!”
“Indeed, George, an exceptionally accurate recap.
It seems our dimwitted little brother isn’t completely stupid; he knows to treat his benefactor with respect.”
“But he’s still not sincere enough, Fred.
He didn’t even dare to tell Mum!”
“Yes, George.
Our silly little brother and his useless pride.”
The twins took turns teasing him, laughing and driving Ron absolutely mad with rage, before they skipped merrily out of the house.
Vaughn was woken up by their cheers.
By the time he got out of bed, the sunlight had already climbed over Stoatshead Hill, casting striped patterns of light through the window.
Ginny was still fast asleep, curled up snugly in his arms.
Last night, she had come to him clutching a storybook.
Vaughn had read fairy tales to her for at least an hour before coaxing her to sleep.
This was one of the reasons the two siblings were so close.
Bill and Charlie had left home early for work, Percy never had the patience for anything outside of his studies, and Fred and George spent all day acting like hyperactive monkeys.
Only Ron and Vaughn were ever willing to read Ginny stories.
Of course, Ron only told stories he was interested in, so Ginny had stopped paying attention to him long ago!
Vaughn got dressed, pushed open the window, and saw old Errol flapping his aged wings, hopping around the weeds and bushes in the garden.
He was flushing out gnomes that were barely a foot tall, with massive heads and spindly limbs that made them look like potatoes with legs.
Meanwhile, the twins were flying back and forth overhead on their broomsticks.
They snatched up the gnomes that Errol flushed out, gave them a good shake and spin, and threw them far into the wild.
The air was filled with fading screams and the twins’ merry laughter.
“Those two…
they can find fun in absolutely anything!”
Vaughn chuckled and shook his head, then went back to the bed to pick up Ginny.
The little girl woke up, rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning.
“Vaughn?”
“I’m heading to Diagon Alley, Ginny.
You need to go back to your own room to sleep now.”
“Oh…” Ginny buried her face in his shoulder and muttered sleepily, “I want…
Chocolate Frogs…”
“Alright, I’ll bring some back for you!”
As he carried Ginny downstairs, he ran into their mother, who was just about to head up to wake them.
“Oh—look at my two sweethearts, my darlings.” Molly’s broad frame was able to hug both of them at once.
She wiped the corner of her eye.
“It makes me so happy to see you children being so loving.
Vaughn, you’re always so sensible, taking care of Ginny and buying Ron a new wand…
Honestly, I think his old one is perfectly fine!”
Downstairs, Ron, who had eagerly run over upon hearing the noise, tightened his grip in fright.
He nearly choked Scabbers to death.
He was terrified that his bad-tempered brother might go along with their mother’s words and break his promise.
Fortunately, Vaughn only glanced at him.
“It’s fine, Mum.
It’s just seven Gold Galleons.
Besides, using a wand that doesn’t belong to him might hinder his studies!”
Seven…
seven Gold Galleons, and “just”?
Ron felt as if he had been stuffed into a barrel of lemon juice; he was sour from head to toe.
Molly, knowing that her son was quite wealthy, didn’t say anything more.
Vaughn and Ron were both her sons, and she loved them both.
Although her parenting principles made her reluctant to let Ron spend Vaughn’s money, she wouldn’t object if Vaughn wanted to give his brother a gift.
It already made her feel guilty that her youngest son had to use his brothers’ hand-me-downs.
Besides, Vaughn was right—using a wand that didn’t belong to him would indeed affect his learning.
So, she didn’t stop them.
Molly carried Ginny back to her room.
Vaughn washed up and ate breakfast with Ron.
Seeing that it was getting late, Molly took down a flowerpot filled with ash-grey, glittering powder from the mantelpiece and said to them, “Vaughn, you’ve used Floo powder before, so you know what to do.
But Ron, you haven’t.
Watch your brother’s demonstration closely.
You must speak clearly and firmly.
Diagon Alley!
Diagon Alley!
Do you understand?”
“I understand, Mum!” Ron said excitedly, the tips of his ears turning bright red.
Molly held out the flowerpot to Vaughn.
Vaughn grimaced; he had never liked this stuff.
It always got his clothes and hair dirty.
But since he hadn’t learned Apparition yet, this was his only option.
Vaughn grabbed a handful of Floo powder, stepped into the fireplace, threw the powder down hard at his feet, and shouted, “Diagon Alley!”
With a loud whoosh, emerald-green flames roared up in front of his eyes.
Vaughn felt as if he had been sucked into a giant washing machine.
He was stretched out and spun rapidly around a single point, surrounded by blurred and dizzying streaks of color.
A few seconds later, he tumbled out, stumbling to a halt.
He shook his head to clear the lingering dizziness, brushing the soot off his clothes with disgust as he surveyed his surroundings.
This was an enclosed alleyway.
Several grates were neatly embedded in the dark brick walls.
Green flames flared up one after another, and wizards and witches stepped out, some leading children.
They were probably also Hogwarts freshmen who had received their letters and were here to buy books and supplies.
Vaughn didn’t look around much longer.
He waited in place for a moment.
Behind him, green flames flared up again, and the next second, a soot-covered Ron tumbled out, landing face-first right at Vaughn’s feet.
“Quite a grand gesture, Ron?”
Vaughn chuckled as he pulled him up.
Ron was so dizzy he couldn’t even hear what Vaughn was saying.
It wasn’t until Molly arrived, dusted the soot off him, and led the two brothers out of the enclosed alleyway into the bustling streets of Diagon Alley that Ron finally snapped out of it.
It was a long, winding cobbled street that seemed to stretch on forever, a few meters wide, crowded with men and women wearing pointed wizard hats.
On either side of the street were all kinds of shops, each with square windowpanes displaying their wares.
The sunlight streamed down from above the alley, making the shop windows and the goods inside sparkle brilliantly.
The door of the shop nearest to the alleyway opened, and a witch and wizard walked out with a young boy.
The boy was chewing on something, and his hair kept changing color with every chew.
Ron stared open-mouthed—he had spotted the sign of that shop.
Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop!
It was Fred and George’s absolute favorite store, and they had talked about it in his ear countless times.
It was the place he visited most often in his dreams!
In his daze, he heard Vaughn say to him, “Ron, welcome to Diagon Alley!”
At the same time, someone behind them was saying, “Welcome to Diagon Alley!”