The Leaky Cauldron in the River of Time
In less than a breath, Loren saw the Golden Hourglass turn back dozens of times—
An invisible wave enveloped the right corner of the bar, as if some indescribable force had isolated them from the outside world.
The aftershocks of the explosion... the blast wave hit the walls, causing them to crack and collapse. The blast wave overturned tables and chairs in the bar, knocked over a middle-aged Witch wearing a pointed wizard's hat at the entrance, and overturned a strange wizard hiding under a wide cloak... their screams, Old Tom's exclamations, the incessant Aurors and pedestrians outside...
The smells in the bar... the sweet, bubbly aroma of Butterbeer, the rancid smell of old stains and grease... the heat rising from the fireplace, and the cold wind squeezing in through the cracks in the doorway.
All sights, sounds, smells, and even bodily sensations disappeared.
Countless slender golden rays swirled around them, and in this dazzling golden world, a few faint streaks of blood red subtly gave off an unsettling feeling.
Loren and Hermione felt as if the world had shrunk to just them and the three professors beside them. They stared at each other, and Loren blinked and moved his lips, as if trying to say something.
But some invisible force imprisoned them, preventing them from moving or speaking.
Snape, McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick also saw them. A bright look of worry flashed in the eyes of the three professors, but it quickly disappeared into deep thought.
Suddenly, the golden light shone brightly, and Loren and the others felt themselves flying backward at an unprecedented speed. The blood in their bodies was struggling to be squeezed forward, and their throats and stomachs were pounding as if they were about to burst out of their bodies... Just as their eyeballs bulged as if they were about to jump out of their sockets, the flight came to a stop.
The golden light stopped, and the glistening grains of sand emitted a soft glow, like countless stars.
The light of the real world shone in again, and a cacophony of sounds flooded into my ears.
It was still the Leaky Cauldron, but this the Leaky Cauldron the Leaky Cauldron a little different from the one they knew. It was a bit cleaner, and the tables and chairs weren't as old.
At the bar, a group of wizards dressed in various styles sat together, looking worriedly at a construction blueprint.
Before Loren and Hermione could speak, Professor McGonagall pulled them into her arms and shook her head to signal them to be quiet.
Snape and Professor Flitwick simultaneously drew their wands and held them horizontally in front of their chests, flanking Professor McGonagall and the two young wizards. The atmosphere in the pub became tense and wary.
Loren frowned. The group of wizards at the bar gave him a strange feeling. There seemed to be a blurry, transparent barrier outside the Magic Power radiance, making it difficult to see them clearly.
Further away, beyond the bar walls, the golden glow of the Sand of Time still lingers, along with the crimson Sorcerer's Stone.
Just as the three professors were on high alert, the wizard at the bar began to speak:
"Damn it! That troll minister actually told us to avoid Muggle and abandon the Leaky Cauldron! He should die under the hooves of Centaur!"
The three professors and two students present were all top students well-versed in the A History of Magic. They immediately grasped the meaning behind the sentence and couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
Historically, the Minister for Magic nicknamed "The Spit-Out" was Faris Spavian, who served from 1865 to 1903. He was the one who enacted the "Law for the Reasonable Restraint of Underage Wizards," using Trace to detect underage wizards' use of magic and violations of the law.
Farris was the longest-serving Minister for Magic in history, and also the most verbose. He survived a Centaur assassination attempt (a flying kick).
The defense of the Leaky Cauldron occurred in the late 19th century when the Muggle Government planned to demolish the Leaky Cauldron in preparation for Charing Cross Road. Faris Spavian delivered a seven-hour speech to Wizengamot explaining why the Leaky Cauldron could not be preserved.
However, the wizards modified the entire road plan using numerous Memory Charm, allowing the Leaky Cauldron to find a place in the new road layout...
The conversation at the bar continued, "What a Minister for Magic! What a seven-hour speech! Screw it, who cares!"
"That's right, who cares!"
"We have to keep the Leaky Cauldron! If the Ministry of Magic won't do it, we'll do it ourselves!"
"Go find old Potter, they'll definitely be willing to help! I'll go find Old Malfoy for advice. Although they can be unpleasant, you can't go wrong with them for this kind of thing!"
"Split up and get the men... Weasley to Ottery St Catchpole village; Flume to Hogsmeade; Bagshot to Godric's Hollow... Old folks, we can't let our territory fall into their hands, let's get moving!"
"Let's take action!"
"After this is done, I want to drink a ten- Gamp's Old Firewhisky!"
"I've got it!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"..."
The people at the bar dispersed in a flurry and headed towards the door.
Just as the three professors were preparing for battle, something unexpected happened: those people passed right through Loren and Loren others, as if they were non-existent ghosts.
As the wizards walked out of the bar and disappeared in different directions, just as Professor McGonagall was about to say something, the golden light outside the bar enveloped them again, and they began to fly backward at an unprecedented speed once more.
After an unknown amount of time, the golden light stopped.
This is a small bar with soft lighting and simple decor. There are very few barware and alcoholic beverages behind the bar, and the candlesticks and torches on the walls and ceiling are bare and unadorned.
All sorts of guests mingled here... people in magic robes and strange wizard hats, people in double-breasted long coats, people in coarse cloth tunics... wizards talked about magic, about Quidditch, Muggle residents talked about Marseille in the suburbs, about the theater and opera...
Behind and behind the bar, a woman dressed in brown cloth moved among the patrons, serving them various drinks.
A man in a coarse cloth jacket took the beer and laughed heartily at her, "Daisy, are you going to Marseille tomorrow? I heard there are royal horses participating!"
"No, I have to stay at the tavern and clean."
"You must be very tired. No wonder your tavern is the cleanest in the area."
Before the two could exchange more than a few words, a guest nearby shouted, "Mrs. Dursley, don't get too close to that Muggle, be careful!"
"It's none of your business!"
"Muggle?" the man in the coarse cloth shirt muttered. "What's that? This bar is pretty good, it's just that the customers are too weird..."
"Ignore him." A wizard wearing a wizard's hat patted him on the shoulder. "Maybe he's so drunk his head is full of dragon dung."
"Dragon dung? Hahaha, what an interesting description!"
"..."
Loren and the others looked around the tavern. Although they knew it was an illusion, they couldn't help but be surprised to see Muggle and wizards so harmoniously and openly in a tavern.
Just as they were about to continue watching, Ms. Daisy Mrs. Dursley, who seemed to be the bar owner, walked towards them with a gentle smile and asked:
"Gentlemen, would you like something to drink?"