Diagon Alley was bustling with people. Mu En appeared once more and immediately saw Harry, who had returned from shopping. The two children were still holding Assorted Flavor Ice Cream Cones from Flourish and Blotts Ice Cream Parlor.
Harry took the lead and, spotting Mu En in the crowd, waved repeatedly. "Uncle Mu En, where did you go?"
"I ran into a friend who gave me some gifts," Mu En said, handing the parchment-wrapped box to Harry.
Harry also took out the Golden Thread Cloth Bag Gringotts had given him earlier and stuffed the box inside.
"Mr. Jones, do you have anything else to do? If you have time, how about we have a simple meal in London?" Chris asked as he rose to his feet.
"Of course, but I need to visit the Potions Shop to buy some ingredients." Mu En nodded and did not refuse. The Grangers seemed quite easy to get along with.
Afterward, Mu En went to the Potions Shop and bought many things that looked rather... bizarre to the Grangers. Only then did the group return by the same route through The Leaky Cauldron.
The two adults also took a stroll through the record store beside The Leaky Cauldron.
At a French restaurant on Charing Cross Road, the group chatted casually. Chris clearly wanted to know more about the Wizarding World. Perhaps because it concerned his precious daughter, he seemed somewhat anxious.
As for Hermione, she had not thought that far ahead. She was rather unhappy because Diagon Alley did not accept Pounds Sterling. She had taken a fancy to many books but had no money to buy them.
Only then did Mu En learn that exchanging Pounds Sterling for Galleons was restricted. It was a benefit policy only available to Hogwarts students, and there was a limit on the amount that could be exchanged.
After getting Mu En's permission, Harry excitedly shared the interesting things that had happened at Moonlight Castle with Hermione. Before long, she no longer minded the matter of Diagon Alley so much.
Although she was also intensely curious about magic, her upcoming final year of primary school was indeed more important.
At least, that was what Hermione thought...
Only then did the Grangers learn Harry Potter's real name, though no explanation was given for why it had been hidden.
After dinner, Chris learned that they lived in Surrey and even offered to drive Mu En home, but Mu En politely declined.
He also gave them a demonstration of Apparition.
After returning to Moonlight Castle, Mu En lounged lazily on the sofa, feeling completely at ease.
It had been a long time since he had gone out for a walk like that.
"Harry, give me that Ancient Greek manuscript," Mu En said lazily.
When he had seen the manuscript in Borgin's shop earlier, he had immediately sensed that it was extraordinary.
Some of the runes in those notes bore far too many similarities to the runes on the Trident of Poseidon he had seized from Blackbeard in the Caribbean Sea.
Mu En's main research now focused on two things, both of which came from the Caribbean Sea.
One was the Trident of Poseidon he had seized from Blackbeard. The other was the trident he had obtained from the depths of the sea.
The curses of the sea, divine artifacts, even Davy Jones's power—he did not care about any of them.
What a true wizard needed was nothing more than the occult knowledge behind the power of those curses and divine artifacts.
As long as he could successfully decipher it, he could take another step forward.
With that in mind, he had taken the book out of the display case. He then discovered that although the manuscript was only a fragment, it came from Thales, one of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece.
Mu En could not confirm whether it had truly come from Thales himself or was an imitation produced by later followers.
But for notes of this caliber to end up in a Dark Magic Items Shop was simply unbelievable.
Just then, Harry handed the manuscript to Mu En.
Seeing Harry's expression, Mu En asked curiously, "Are you that happy today?"
Harry smiled awkwardly. "No... I just... well, Hermione is my first friend."
After saying that, Harry asked uncertainly, "Uncle Mu En, does this count as being friends?"
Harry had never had friends before. At school, he was always the one being bullied. No one was willing to be friends with him, because that meant becoming Dudley's enemy.
As a result, Harry now... did not even know what counted as a friend.
"I think that certainly counts as a friend." Mu En thought for a moment, then nodded.
A smile immediately appeared on Harry's face. Mu En then asked, "How long until school starts?"
"Half a month," Harry answered.
Mu En nodded. "Then if you have nothing to do, you can go out more often. The work around the castle is mostly done, so there's no need to stay cooped up here every day."
Harry was a little happy, but then he suddenly remembered something and shook his head. "Forget it. There's nothing for me to do outside. If Dudley and the others see me out there, they'll just cause trouble for me..."
Having read a great deal of history, he already knew that wizards now had to hide among ordinary people. He no longer had the idea of taking revenge on Dudley after learning magic.
Mu En stood up. "Suit yourself. Or you could go ride the flying broomstick in the mountains or something."
"Really?" Harry looked excitedly at the flying broomstick, Meteor.
Without turning his head, Mu En said, "Just be careful. Oh, and the next spell is the Scouring Charm. Get familiar with it within a week."
"Okay!" Harry nodded quickly.
After Mu En went down to the basement, Harry looked at Meteor, which was bouncing toward him, and excitedly grabbed its broom handle.
It had clearly been pent up for too long. As a flying broomstick, it could only be reduced to sweeping the floor at home every day.
Just when Meteor thought the two of them could finally go out for a good flight, Harry unexpectedly let go.
Harry said apologetically, "Sorry, Meteor. I think I should finish my work first.
Let's clean up first, then I'll learn the spell Uncle Mu En mentioned, and finally we can go out and play."
Meteor's broom handle immediately drooped like a noodle, expressing its disappointment.
Then the broom head shuffled back to the corner and leaned against the wall resentfully.
Harry smiled awkwardly, then went upstairs to the wardrobe. He still had not folded the clothes he had brought in that morning...
Knock, knock, knock—
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Lucifer poked sleepy eyes out of the fireplace. "Privet Drive is calling."
After saying that, it shrank back in to sleep.
Harry hurried over. With a ding, the dial on the door pointed toward Privet Drive, and he opened it.
Outside stood a familiar face—Mrs. Hudson, who lived next door.
"Oh, little Potter, why are you here? I thought you lived at Number 4, Privet Drive?" Mrs. Hudson exclaimed.
"Hello, Mrs. Hudson. I'm here... playing," Harry said casually. "May I ask what's the matter?"
Mrs. Hudson said, "Oh, it's nothing. I wanted to ask whether there's a lawnmower here. My lawnmower broke down halfway through mowing, and I don't know why. I wanted to borrow one from the owner so I could finish trimming the lawn."
A lawnmower...
Harry thought about it and shook his head. "Sorry, Uncle Mu En doesn't have a lawnmower."
Hearing that answer, Mrs. Hudson sighed. "All right, it seems I can only ask the other neighbors. Have fun, little Potter."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hudson." Harry smiled in reply. As he watched Mrs. Hudson leave, an idea suddenly struck him.
Perhaps he could subtly use magic to change a few things, just like before.
Only, he had not been able to control it before. Now it was different. He could control it, and he could even do better...
"Mrs. Hudson, if you don't mind, could I take a look at the lawnmower?"
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