Vaughn looked back and saw a stern, thin-faced witch walking out of a narrow archway with a young couple and a little girl.
That way lay The Leaky Cauldron.
Vaughn had been there, but unfortunately, Tom, the hunchbacked landlord, refused to serve him Butterbeer.
Back in his previous life when he read the books, he had been very curious about what it tasted like.
The young couple were obviously Muggles.
Dressed in a suit and a dress, they looked far too normal, which actually made them stand out in Diagon Alley.
Molly saw them too, and her face immediately lit up with pleasant surprise.
She waved from afar, calling out, “Professor McGonagall!
Professor McGonagall!
Merlin’s beard, how wonderful to see you.”
Professor McGonagall was clearly familiar with Molly.
With five Weasley children already enrolled at Hogwarts, all of them in Gryffindor, it would have been hard not to be.
Her stern expression softened slightly as she led the Muggle family over.
“Mrs.
Weasley, buying school supplies for the children?”
“Yes, Professor McGonagall…
Oh, and is this young lady a Hogwarts freshman this year as well?”
“Indeed.
This is Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger, and their daughter, Hermione Granger, who is also starting at Hogwarts this year,” Professor McGonagall introduced them, eyeing Vaughn and Ron, though her gaze focused mainly on Vaughn.
“Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger, this is Mrs.
Weasley and her two sons, Vaughn Weasley and—”
“Ron, Professor McGonagall!”
“…Ron Weasley.” Professor McGonagall nodded to Ron, who was hiding shyly behind Molly.
Her lips pursed, but she quickly turned back to Vaughn, a faint, barely noticeable smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.
She bent down and gently shook Vaughn’s hand.
“Mr.
Weasley, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Professor McGonagall.”
Vaughn smiled politely, then looked past Professor McGonagall at the Muggle couple, who were stiffly exchanging greetings with Molly, and the little girl watching him with curiosity.
*Snap!*
Vaughn snapped his fingers, sending out a faint ripple of magic.
The little girl’s bushy, unruly hair hanging over her forehead instantly floated up like seaweed.
This was just a minor trick, one that didn’t even require a wand.
But to a Muggle family who knew nothing of magic, it was clearly extraordinary.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger gasped, covering their mouths in shock!
The girl’s eyes widened.
She curiously tried to pat down her floating hair while staring at Vaughn, eager and seemingly on the verge of rushing over to ask him how he did it.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
“Ahem.
Well, Mrs.
Weasley, I must take the Grangers to Gringotts to exchange their currency, so we won’t keep you.”
As she spoke, she hesitated before casting a glance at Vaughn.
“Mr.
Weasley, I hope you won’t play such tricks in front of other Muggles.
You must know that this is strictly forbidden by the Ministry of Magic.”
Vaughn nodded with a smile.
“Understood, Professor McGonagall!”
As the group walked away, Hermione Granger kept looking back at Vaughn.
Vaughn smiled at her, making the little girl freeze for a moment, her face turning slightly red.
What a cute girl!
Vaughn watched her go as she repeatedly looked back.
Then, he heard Ron muttering impatiently beside him, “Aren’t we going to buy a wand yet?
There might be a long queue at Ollivander’s today.”
His mind was entirely consumed by the prospect of a new wand.
As for the Muggle family they had just run into…
Who were they?
What did they have to do with him?
Vaughn gave him a strange look.
Ron grew inexplicably nervous and touched his face.
“W-what are you staring at?”
“Nothing.
As long as you’re happy!”
Ron was happy, of course.
This was his first time in Diagon Alley, and he was nearly overwhelmed by everything around him.
Although he had been urging Vaughn to buy the wand, his legs suddenly seemed welded to the ground as they passed Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, refusing to budge.
Perhaps worried that he would feel left out when he saw Vaughn buying new books and robes later, Molly uncharacteristically indulged him and bought him an ice cream.
Clutching his ice cream, the boy finally stopped rushing.
Molly then led Vaughn through Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, Flourish and Blotts, and other shops to purchase robes, books, and other supplies.
Fortunately, these shops all offered owl-delivery services, saving the family the trouble of hauling heavy bags around.
“Books, robes, cauldron, scales…
Oh, right!
You can also bring a pet.
Eeylops Owl Emporium and the Magical Menagerie are over there.
Vaughn, what kind of pet do you want to get?”
Glancing at Ron, who was still blissfully munching on his ice cream, completely oblivious to his surroundings, Vaughn said mischievously, “I think I’d like a cat.”
Ron froze, his face turning pale.
He seemed to already foresee Scabbers’ miserable future at home.
But…
the new wand…
The devil’s whisper echoed and roared in his mind, and together with the ice cream, managed to suppress his urge to protest.
Ultimately, he remained silent.
The Magical Menagerie was the largest pet shop in Diagon Alley.
Aside from magical creatures strictly banned by the Ministry of Magic, almost any pet suitable for a wizard could be found here.
The shopkeeper was a witch wearing heavy, black-rimmed glasses.
She warmly welcomed the Weasley family, and upon hearing Vaughn’s request, quickly flicked her wand to bring over a row of cages.
“You have excellent taste, Mr.
Weasley.
Many young wizards don’t understand the importance of a pet.
Their first choice is always an owl, prioritizing utility over personal preference.
It’s quite a shame…
Oh, look, these are all the cats we currently have in stock.
A full selection!
And let me let you in on a secret: many of them have Kneazle blood in them.
Extremely clever!”
Meow, meow~
Those cats were indeed clever.
As if knowing someone was there to buy them, many that had been lazily lounging stood up and mewed softly at Vaughn.
One of them was particularly massive.
While the other cats were about two feet long at most, this one was a whopping four feet!
With a sturdy build and gorgeous fur, its long coat made it look two or three sizes larger than the others.
It was also the most eager of the bunch, pressing its stern-looking face against the bars.
When Vaughn reached his hand out, it desperately tried to squeeze through the gaps.
“Oh, Mr.
Weasley, it seems this little lady quite likes you.
She’s a Maine Coon with Kneazle blood.
They are currently only bred in America and are very rare in Europe.”
Vaughn reached out to play with it.
The cat retracted its claws, wrapping its thick, fleshy paws around his finger.
He loved its gentle nature, especially its coat—a mix of orange and golden-yellow that strongly reminded him of a tea beverage he used to drink in his previous life.
“I’ll take her!”
Having paid, Vaughn walked out of the shop leading the cat.
She was very heavy, easily over fifteen pounds.
At four feet long, it was difficult for the still-growing Vaughn to carry her.
When she appeared before Ron, his face grew even paler.
“Is…
is that a cat?”
Vaughn laughed happily.
“Of course she’s a cat.
I call her Fruit Tea.
Go on, Fruit Tea, get a sniff of that rat smell on Ron!”
Meow~