Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

[...Sirius is doing much better now. We’re planning to play ”Adventure in a Little People’s Kingdom” once before the school starts. It would be great if you could join us!

Even though you’re one of the inventors and probably already familiar with the game, playing with friends surely feels different. Are you free lately?]

On the triply folded parchment, there were Harry’s somewhat sloppy handwriting.

On the desk, there were still stacks of Friendship Book parchments in correspondence with Michael, Hermione, and others; the topics of discussion were more or less similar.

Machioni had advertised ”Adventure in a Little People’s Kingdom” at the American Alchemy Competition, and naturally did not miss other villages where wizards gathered globally. Recently, this game has become the hottest news in the Magic World, overshadowing even people’s memory of Voldemort’s temporary resurrection.

Due to the tourist number eager to experience the adventure far exceeding expectations, and with only one game field available, it was hard to accommodate the surging crowd even with 24-hour operation. Machioni had to introduce a reservation system into his amusement park.

Every tourist who personally participated in this adventure, without exception, gave it a high evaluation. The word-of-mouth praise, like a growing snowball, made the game reservation increasingly tight.

Harry and the others had booked the game as soon as they returned to the country, and they are still waiting in the queue till now.

Vid looked at the parchment, a slight smile naturally appeared on the corners of his mouth, he could almost imagine his friends’ faces full of anticipation when leaving messages.

He lightly smoothed the parchment back to its blank state, and the ticking sound of the clock in the distance suddenly became clear, while the curled book pages and ink exuded a unique fragrance.

Vid picked up the quill and wrote in reply to Harry:

[It sounds interesting. But unfortunately, I have some research recently, and I can’t split my time...]

For Michael, Vid wrote:

[…I can’t spare any time as of late. After you play, be sure to tell me your true thoughts; I trust your insight.

Also, there might be something I need your help with...]

Afterward, Vid contacted Machioni to arrange his friends to be accommodated in the next few days.

To ensure tourists’ experience and avoid accidents, Machioni didn’t stuff the amusement park to full capacity for profit, limiting the number of game reservations to about sixty percent of the venue’s maximum capacity.

Therefore, inserting a few temporary slots was not a difficult task, as it was one of the convenient channels reserved for important partners, friends, subordinates, and others.

After handling various matters, Vid unfolded Dumbledore’s parchment and ran his fingers over the simple line of message:

[The Auror team is heading to the United States in three days.]

The young man’s gaze appeared calm and sharp at this moment.

The time to leave had come; he would arrive in the United States two days ahead of those Aurors.

Thinking about the time to wait, Vid couldn’t help but shake his head.

The Ministry’s sluggish administrative efficiency was already within Vid’s expectations, yet it still left one helpless.

It’s been nearly a week since the plane incident occurred, and even the Muggle news hotspots had shifted from ”the plane swallowed by lightning” to ”government announces a crackdown on ’dangerous dog breeds’ owners”.

If the other party had intended to cover things up over such a long period, I’m afraid all clues would have been carefully cleaned by now.

By the time the Aurors arrive in the United States, they might only see the conclusions the other party wants them to see.

Fortunately, he never intended to fully rely on these people, even if it included Moody and Kingsley.

...

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, outlining a halo of soft light around the young man walking slowly down the stairs.

Fiona, arranging flowers in the living room, looked up at the sound, her gaze falling on the ”son”, yet she momentarily felt dazed.

In an instant, certain details from last night’s dining table sharply flashed through her mind—

The unusually gentle curve at Vid’s lips when listening, the particularly focused gaze when speaking to them, and the harder-than-usual hug goodbye at bedtime...

The perception clouded by ”the son is still as cute as he was” happiness suddenly became clear; everything had signs.

Fiona’s daze quickly faded, replaced by a knowing, slightly crystalline tenderness.

She arched her eyes into a smile: ”Oh... it’s Vise!”

The magical android, Vise, halted his steps instantly, unable to resist touching his face, he asked:

”How was I recognized again? Is there writing on my face?”

Looking at his bewildered look, Fiona couldn’t help but chuckle:

”Silly child. How could a mother not recognize her own child?”

Vise remained silent for a moment, then sincerely inquired:

”It seems my performance isn’t good enough. Please enlighten me—how should I act at school so as not to be noticed by others?”

”Um... about that...”

Fiona set down the flowers, pondering as she said, ”You already resemble well enough, just pay attention to a few more details...”

Ferdinand, holding the newspaper he had just brought back, stood at the dining room entrance, listening to their conversation, and felt a complex surge of emotion.

He was amazed at how simply Fiona accepted a magical android as a son’s replacement, freely moving outside. Such a discovery, which could chill Ferdinand’s back, seemed to leave little shadow in her heart.

Perhaps when she first saw Vise in the wardrobe space, she had already prepared for today’s scene?

Or maybe...in her world, the love and support for her son always came before all cognition and emotion.

Just like when Vid brought Dobby back, saying he wanted to employ the house-elf, Fiona immediately showed immense joy and even enthusiastically helped Dobby prepare a room.

She didn’t do it because house-elves were particularly lovable, nor because Dobby could help with work, but because he was Vid’s friend, a partner who would travel far and wide to find Vid.

This unreserved trust and acceptance sometimes even amazed Ferdinand, along with a hint of jealousy.

The man stood at the doorway for a while, took a deep breath, then moved into the living room, laying the newspaper on the coffee table as usual, and naturally said:

”The weather is nice today, Fiona. I smell the scent of toasted bread—Vise, what would you like for breakfast?”

...

”British Airways flight BA183 to New York’s Kennedy Airport is now ready for boarding. All passengers, please carry your boarding passes and proceed to gate 7 for inspection...”

Amid static noise, a gentle female voice came from the airport speakers.

The young man, wearing sunglasses and a brown trench coat, upon hearing the announcement, picked up the black suitcase by his feet and stepped into the queue at the boarding gate where quite a number of passengers had already lined up.

Soon it was the young man’s turn; he handed his ticket and boarding pass to the staff. The blond lady in the British Airways uniform took them, punched a small hole in the boarding pass with a hand puncher, then looked at him with a smile:

”Good morning, Mr. Yor Blake, have a pleasant journey.”

The young man took back the boarding stub, gave a slight nod, and passed by the blond lady.

Behind the sunglasses, a pair of gray eyes seemed to faintly flicker with a golden light, giving a non-human feel for a moment.

[Greta Bailey].

In his sight, above the blond lady’s head, a name swayed slightly with her movement.