As Professor McGonagall gently tapped her wand, the ordinary glass suddenly began to twist and distort.
In the blink of an eye.
Fel swore that he had kept his eyes wide open the entire time, yet he still failed to catch what had happened.
The glass instantly turned into a tiny yellow hamster no bigger than half a palm, scurrying across the table.
Everyone stared with their mouths hanging open in shock.
“My God!”
Mr.
Granger nearly jumped to his feet, unable to believe what he had just seen.
Fel eagerly picked up the hamster and examined it carefully.
Its fur, body temperature, and squeaks…
there was absolutely no way to tell that it was fake.
This was magic, turning the impossible into reality!
“This is Transfiguration, the most advanced and dangerous subject taught at Hogwarts.”
“Even by graduation, most students are still unable to master it properly.”
Professor McGonagall explained it to everyone.
Hermione accepted the hamster from Fel and said excitedly, “One day I’ll become just as amazing as Professor McGonagall.”
Fel grinned.
If his memories were correct, Hermione would eventually earn the nickname ‘Little McGonagall.’
Professor McGonagall?
Then she would be ‘Big Hermione!’
After recovering from their shock, everyone became excited and eagerly questioned Professor McGonagall about the wizarding world and Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall patiently answered every question until the clock struck ten.
“Professor, I think it’s time for us to buy everything we’ll need for school.”
As Fel spoke, he looked toward Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger.
After all, enrolling in school naturally required the approval of their guardians.
“Oh, right, Professor. Where are we going?”
Mr.
Granger had no intention of refusing.
After talking with her for the past two hours, he had already gained a basic understanding of Hogwarts and the wizarding world, and it clearly was not some dark and bloody place.
So what was there to hesitate about?
Only a fool would refuse the chance to learn magic!
By the time the family finally headed out, however, it was already after lunch.
Mr.
Granger first needed to withdraw money from the bank so it could be exchanged at the wizarding bank, Gringotts, for wizarding currency.
Because of that, Fel deliberately asked Professor McGonagall whether there was an exchange limit.
Professor McGonagall nodded.
“There is. Muggle currency can be exchanged for a maximum of fifty Galleons per school term.”
“Even after paying for everything on the school supply list, that is still more than enough for a student’s living expenses.”
“However, gold can be exchanged without any limit.”
“Oh, and Muggles are simply people who cannot use magic. The word isn’t meant as an insult.”
Seeing their confusion over the word “Muggle,” Professor McGonagall added an explanation.
Fel felt the whole system was rather pointless.
After Gringotts accepted the pounds, couldn’t they simply buy gold in the Muggle world themselves?
Or did they simply not want the extra trip?
Still, it wasn’t something Fel could do anything about.
As long as he could exchange the money, that was enough.
Professor McGonagall had originally planned to return in the afternoon, but after the Granger family’s warm invitation, she stayed for lunch.
She was not exactly free, but she did not have too many other matters to handle that day.
For someone as responsible as Professor McGonagall, helping new students enroll was the most important task during this period, and everything else could wait.
Besides, there were only a few dozen new students each year.
The number of Muggle families needing guidance was even smaller.
Across all seven years, Hogwarts only had around three to four hundred students in total.
(In the original novel’s flying lesson, Gryffindor and Slytherin shared only twenty broomsticks, though the films showed a few more.)
In short, spending an entire day helping the Granger family was completely worthwhile, especially…
Professor McGonagall looked at Fel with satisfaction in her eyes.
This child was just as intelligent and beautiful as his mother.
Since the destination was in London, Professor McGonagall was able to ride in the Granger family’s car.
McGonagall explained that she was a half blood witch and that her father had been a Muggle, so she understood the Muggle world fairly well.
However, cars had not been so common during her childhood, so this was probably her first time riding in one, making it quite a novel experience.
Fel noticed that although she tried to appear completely composed after getting out of the car, the corners of her mouth still lifted slightly.
“Professor, where is the Leaky Cauldron you mentioned?” Mrs.
Granger asked in confusion.
“Over there!”
Hermione spotted the Leaky Cauldron immediately in the middle of the street and excitedly pointed at it.
However, Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger looked completely puzzled.
They could not see anything at all.
“The wizarding world is protected by Muggle Repelling Charms. Muggles cannot see it, and even if they approach, they will subconsciously leave.”
Professor McGonagall tapped Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger with her wand.
The couple immediately discovered a pub standing directly in front of them.
The group walked to the entrance while Fel carefully observed it.
It looked almost exactly like it did in the film, with an old, worn storefront made of black wooden boards.
Beside the entrance hung a dirty sign that was almost impossible to read, bearing the words “The Leaky Cauldron.”
After pushing open the door, they found all kinds of strangely dressed witches and wizards chatting and laughing together beneath the dim candlelight, filling the tavern with lively noise.
“I really should have bought that dragon hide. It’s rare to find one in such excellent condition.”
“Oh, Professor McGonagall, it’s been quite some time!”
When everyone saw Professor McGonagall, they greeted her one after another.
A middle aged man with a balding head and dressed in a bartender’s suit walked over.
“Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall. Here to guide another new student?”
Professor McGonagall nodded, exchanged a few words with him, and introduced everyone.
Fel had actually recognized him already.
Just as in his memories, he was Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron.
Gathering her courage, Hermione chatted with Tom for a few moments as well.
As for Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger, they were somewhat intimidated by the strangely dressed wizards and their alarming conversations.
The couple spoke very little, offering only polite greetings while secretly observing everything around them.
“This is Hermione, a young witch from a Muggle family. And this is Fel…”
Professor McGonagall paused briefly.
“The son of Isa Hefis.”
“Oh, children, welcome to the wizarding world.”
Tom’s attitude immediately became warmer as he said to Fel, “Child, I’m sorry about your mother. I believe you’re a strong boy.”
“When you have the chance, come to the Leaky Cauldron and have a Butterbeer. It’s every young wizard’s favorite, and it doesn’t contain any alcohol.”
Fel immediately became confused.
How did they know his mother?
Could his mother have been a witch?
Fel quickly realized the truth.
Wizards would never know an ordinary Muggle.
Sensing the confusion shared by Fel and the others, Professor McGonagall explained, “Fel’s mother was also a witch, but she met with an unfortunate accident.”
“Fel, once you enroll, I’ll tell you everything, or you can ask Headmaster Dumbledore yourself.”
Without spending any more time discussing the matter, Professor McGonagall led everyone to the pub’s back door, and they had no choice but to temporarily set aside their thoughts about Fel’s mother.
Outside the back door stood an old brick wall, with several worn brown barrels and bottles stacked in one corner.
“Fel, Hermione, watch carefully. This is how you enter Diagon Alley.”
Professor McGonagall walked over to a section of the wall where several bricks were missing, leaving a shallow hollow.
She circled the hollow with her wand and tapped several times.
Suppressing his curiosity about his mother, Fel carefully watched Professor McGonagall’s movements.
They were almost exactly the same as in the film.
As Professor McGonagall tapped with her wand, the brick wall suddenly began to ripple outward from the hollow.
In the end, an archway appeared before them.
The view ahead instantly became bright.
“Welcome to Diagon Alley!”