“Thank you.”
Vera’s voice was very soft, but Harry lit up instantly as if she had heard some incredible praise.
“You’re welcome!” Harry grinned, revealing two small canine teeth: “I just can’t stand him talking like that.”
Vera noticed that the collar of Harry’s old T-shirt was already frayed, and there were a few subtle mending traces at the cuffs.
“Have you finished buying everything you need to procure?” Vera changed the subject, wheeling herself to the counter and taking the package handed over by Madam Malkin.
Harry shook her head: “Not yet, Hagrid said the robes are the last item.”
“All right, dear.” Madam Malkin finished checking out and said to Harry: “Your turn.”
Harry nodded repeatedly, clumsily climbed onto the footstool, and watched curiously as the automatic measuring tape worked in front of her.
Vera sat quietly aside, her fingers absentmindedly stroking Nox.
The kitten squinted comfortably, making a purring sound.
And I don’t know when Harry looked over at her.
Standing on the footstool, she suddenly spoke: “Actually, I’m a bit nervous… about Hogwarts. Hagrid said there are moving stairs there, and ghosts and stuff…”
Vera watched Harry nervously push her glasses up, realizing only then that this girl was also contacting the magical world for the first time.
“I was also very surprised when I first heard about it,” Vera said softly, “but it’s said that first-years will be led by older students, so you won’t get lost.”
Harry’s pretty green eyes widened curiously, and just as she was about to say something, the shop door was pushed open, and Hagrid’s massive bulk squeezed in.
“Harry!
So you’re here!” Hagrid breathed a sigh of relief, but his expression turned subtle again when he saw Vera: “Uh… are the clothes done?”
Harry looked back at Hagrid, then at Vera, hesitating: “Vera, are you coming with us? Hagrid said he’s taking me to get ice cream…”
Vera calmly lowered her eyelashes: “No need, I still have things to buy.”
Harry’s green eyes dimmed for a second, but quickly lit up again: “Then… we can meet when school starts, right? I mean, if we can go to school together…” Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping . com.
Vera looked at this persistent girl and kindly reminded: “Miss Potter, we’ve known each other for less than twenty minutes.”
“But we’ve already fought together against an annoying pest!” Harry said, looking seriously into her eyes.
Vera fell silent for a moment.
She was still not very good at handling such an enthusiastic little one, and finally nodded gently: “If there’s a chance.”
This ambiguous answer seemed to have already satisfied Harry.
She showed a bright smile, took the package handed over by Madam Malkin, and jumped off the footstool: “It’s a deal then! Then we’ll… see you at school?”
Vera nodded gently, and as if remembering something, said softly: “By the way, happy birthday.”
Harry’s eyes lit up: “How did you know?”
“Just now, he mentioned a birthday gift.” Vera replied calmly: “Isn’t that owl your birthday gift?”
“You’re the first person other than Hagrid to say this to me!” Harry said excitedly, suddenly leaning over to give her a tight hug, then quickly pulling back: “Thank you, see you at school!”
Watching Harry’s back as she quickly left after expressing her gratitude, Vera blinked and stroked Nox on her lap.
“What a strange savior.” She muttered to herself.
However, unexpectedly not annoying.
Having finished the procurement on the school list, it was just past noon.
Vera wheeled herself out of Madam Malkin’s shop, the sunlight slanting obliquely onto the cobbled pavement of Diagon Alley, reflecting a warm golden glow.
Nox lazily yawned on her lap, amber eyes half-closed, seemingly not very interested in everything around her.
She looked down at the list, confirmed that all essentials had been bought, and returned to the Leaky Cauldron, using the floo network fireplace to return to Grimmauld Place.
At that time, Kreacher had long been waiting, and as soon as Vera appeared, he excitedly greeted her.
“Miss is back!” Kreacher hurried forward, “Kreacher has prepared Miss’s favorite fruit tea!”
Vera nodded, took out the purchased items one by one and handed them to Kreacher, who then helped her hang the robes in the wardrobe and neatly stacked the textbooks on the desk.
Nox lightly jumped onto the bookshelf, condescendingly sizing up this new environment, her tail swaying gracefully.
“Miss looks very happy today.” Kreacher tidied up the items while secretly observing Vera’s expression: “Did something good happen?”
Vera took out her wand and stroked it for a while, the corners of her mouth lifting unconsciously: “Sort of.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
The wand made of rosewood felt cool and smooth to the touch, and the golden patterns carved on the wand body faintly flickered in the sunlight.
Vera gazed at the wand, suddenly thinking of something, and looked up to ask: “Kreacher, is there a place at home to practice spells?”
The elf’s ears twitched: “The House of Black has an abandoned training room at the end of the fourth-floor corridor, but…”
He twisted his tea towel hesitantly: “No one has used it for a long time…”
“Take me to see it.” Vera pushed her wheelchair forward, excitement shining in her eyes.
The master’s command, a House-elf could not resist.
Even with misgivings in his heart, Kreacher could only dutifully accept.
Under the elf’s magic, the wheelchair beneath Vera was lifted by an invisible force, smoothly floating in the air.
Kreacher led Vera out of the bedroom, through the dark corridor, and to a carved wooden door on the first floor.
The silver handle on the door had oxidized and turned black.
With a gentle push from Kreacher’s bony fingers, the heavy wooden door let out a teeth-gritting creak.
The training room behind the door was much larger than Vera imagined, about half the size of a Quidditch Pitch, which could be told at a glance to be the result of an Undetectable Extension Charm being cast.
Several long-extinguished crystal chandeliers hung from the high dome, and the surrounding walls were covered with various traces of magic—charred burn marks, deep carvings, and even a few marks that looked like they had been scratched by a giant beast.
Most eye-catching were several training dummies standing in the center of the room.
They had been enchanted to simulate human reactions, making them excellent targets for practicing combat spells.
Vera pushed her wheelchair to one of the dummies and thoughtfully observed the traces left by various spells covering its surface.
She raised her hand and stroked a deep cutting mark, her fingertips able to feel the lingering magic fluctuations.
If she used the Magic Circuit to understand, memorize, and study these remaining traces of magic…
Her eyes lit up, and her usually calm expression finally began to show a hint of excitement.