Friday the 30th.
The Wayne family, having eaten dinner in advance, drove from London in the evening.
Surrey is southwest of the city, and it takes less than 4 hours to get there and back.
"Dad, should we not go to Grandpa's house?"
Eric held the steering wheel firmly. "To be honest, I haven't figured out how to explain to him that you're going to magic school."
Perhaps it was a childhood trauma, but he always seemed very nervous in front of Grandpa Wayne.
Vincent remembered the last time he went to his grandfather's house was when he won first place in the Britain Junior Mathematics Competition.
It's been almost five years. Hopefully, the old man can accept the fact that magic is involved.
Follow the Thames River westward to Waverley, where there is a town called Farnham.
Further south is Little Whinging, but the Wayne family got off at Burnham Beeches halfway there.
This forest is mainly composed of coniferous forests, and it is described extensively in Darwin's "On the Origin of Species".
Turn on your flashlight and hike over several undulating hills; everything around you is filled with a primitive atmosphere.
Vincent, holding Gu Gu in his arms, followed behind his parents without any psychological pressure.
That place with lights on in the distance is the house where Grandpa Wayne lives.
"Woof woof—" Even before getting too close, the sound of dogs barking could be heard from inside.
Gu Gu opened its eyes wide, its little body trembling uncontrollably.
"Don't be afraid, didn't I tell you that my grandpa's house has a lot of puppies—well, they should all be grown up by now."
"Gu Gu— " It curled up into a ball, seemingly even more frightened.
Because in addition to the barking of dogs, there was also the rustling sound of running on the grass.
It certainly didn't sound like just one or two; you could vaguely see about a dozen dark figures.
The Wayne family walked towards them calmly.
Perhaps it had been too long since they'd been here, because the Cocker Spaniel running in front of them only stopped barking when it was almost right in front of them.
Its tail, which had been standing upright, began to wag, and it lunged at Eric was already half-crouching.
"Oh—you are the Duke?"
The Cocker Spaniel named Duke sniffed at his scent with its wet nose.
Next up is the Springer Spaniel with its big ears.
It pounced on Eric just like the Duke, knocking him completely to the ground.
Gu Gu watched the two big dogs licking his face vigorously with their tongues, his little body trembled even more violently.
Then came four or five golden retrievers.
Instead of joining the Wayne couple in their fun, they circled around Vincent.
"Qiuqiu, Andy, Simon, Guodong, Pique..."
He read out each name one by one, and the enthusiastic golden retrievers ran even faster.
Gu Gu's little head turned around and around, and soon she was dizzy.
Even so, the little paws clung tightly to Vincent's arm.
"Don't do this..." Eric tried to stand up several times but was pushed down each time.
He and Evelyn were finally rescued when they heard a whistle in the distance.
The figure carrying a kerosene lamp and holding a hunting rifle in the other hand was Grandpa Wayne than Edward Wayne.
He was accompanied by a short-legged corgi, and even when he saw his son and daughter-in-law, he didn't give them a friendly look.
But when he saw his grandson holding a ball of brown fur, the corners of his mouth clearly turned up.
Vincent pulled Gu Gu's little paw away and waved at him, "Grandpa!"
Grandpa Wayne's wrinkled face was full of smiles.
Although it was dark and he couldn't see clearly, he was definitely laughing.
Eric stood up stiffly. "Dad."
"Hmm." Grandpa Wayne walked straight toward Vincent, who was surrounded by the golden retrievers.
"It was late at night, and I thought it was some wild boar that had accidentally wandered over."
His smiling expression seemed to be hinting at something.
Evelyn looked at Eric with a mocking gaze.
"Grandpa, if Dad is a wild boar, then I'm a little wild boar, and you're a big wild boar."
Grandpa Wayne grinned.
He patted Vincent on the shoulder lightly, "Your little mouth is still as sweet as honey."
"That's because you taught me well, Grandpa."
After the laughter subsided, the old man noticed Gu Gu in his grandson's arms.
Not a rag doll?
The eyes can move?
Alive?
Vincent held up the Gu Gu he was holding. "Grandpa, the Gu Gu is my pet from two years ago. It's a messenger owl."
"An owl!?" Grandpa Wayne's eyes widened.
This is a blob... Is this an owl?
"My God, what did you feed it?"
"Forehead--"
Looking at Vincent, who was speechless and choked with sobs, Grandpa Wayne burst into laughter again.
His grandson had no other talents, except that he was especially popular with the animals.
When the Wayne family last came over, these golden retrievers were just newborn puppies.
When they had just learned to walk, they would spend all their time around little Vincent.
Five years have passed, and the little ones have all grown up.
After recalling the past, he suddenly glared fiercely at Eric.
"Dad, I—"
"Let's go inside and talk about it."
Vincent followed behind his father like a good boy, casting a sympathetic glance at him as he passed by.
"That kid!" Eric gritted his teeth.
Without any hesitation, Evelyn linked arms with his and said, "Darling, let's go."
The old man and his wife's house is a two-story wooden house that they built themselves.
Grandma Wayne stood in the doorway, her face beaming with joy.
She looked exceptionally kind, the complete opposite of the stern old man.
"Grandmother!"
"Oh—isn't this my precious grandson!"
When she discovered that Gu Gu wasn't a rag doll, her reaction was exactly the same as the old man's.
As soon as Vincent sat down inside, the big golden retriever from before quietly lay down at his feet.
The Gu Gu, placed on the wooden table, carefully moved to the edge and lowered its little head to watch them.
"Gu Gu!"
Just as a large golden retriever brought its nose close, it flapped its little wings and flew towards the roof.
When it stood on the beam, it gently flapped its chest with its small wings.
Such anthropomorphic behavior immediately amazed Grandma Wayne, who was making tea with Evelyn.
"Grandma, Gu Gu isn't an ordinary owl, it comes from..."
"Cough cough!" Eric coughed violently, seemingly not yet mentally prepared to explain everything.
Vincent was much better, but he still spoke out about the Wizarding World...
"What's wrong?" Grandpa Wayne keenly sensed that they had something to say.
Grandpa, actually—
"Let me tell you," Eric took a deep breath. "Dad, Vincent didn't go to Eton School."
The old man and woman relaxed.
It doesn't matter where the fat owl comes from, as long as it doesn't eat people.
He also did not go to Westminster School.
When people get old, they can let their grandchildren go to school wherever they want.
Grandpa Wayne took it all in stride.
If he hadn't asked Eric to read Eton, their relationship might not be so strained now.
"He attends Hogwarts, a magical school with a history of nearly a thousand years."
"Oh."
Wait a minute—a magic school!?
Grandma Wayne also realized what was happening.
The old man, his face dark, roared, "Are you out of your mind, kid?!"
Sending your own son to magic school? You bastard, are you trying to drive me crazy?!
Eric knew he was going to get a scolding.
He quickly winked at his precious son.
"Grandpa and Grandma, actually..." Under the old man's gaze, which had become much more subdued, Vincent steeled himself and took his wand from the open briefcase.
"Actually, magic is real. Gu Gu comes from the Wizarding World."
A small flame ignited at the tip of the ebony staff.
Under the watchful eyes of two skeptical men, the flames swelled several times in an instant.
The golden retrievers all jumped up in fright.
The old man and woman stared in disbelief at the raging flame.
It can distort the surrounding air; it's definitely not an illusion projected using technology.
.