How to Enter Diagon Alley

Luan became extremely busy over the next few days. He cut another hour from his time sleeping beneath the bridge so he could carve one more little penguin.

But even though his woodcarving skills had improved considerably, he could only carve two more small animals each day than usual. He was still far short of three hundred pounds.

However, when Luan returned to Xilin Town seven days later, things took a turn for the better.

"Little Luan, the hazelnuts won't ripen for another month. Why don't you come home for a visit? Your Aunt Daisy nags about it every day."

The speaker was Luan's uncle, Neil.

As the steward of York Farm, he managed thousands of acres of orchards, including the Hazelnut Forest. It was also through his arrangements that Luan had come here to work.

"Uncle, once I'm done with this month's work, I'll visit Aunt Daisy and Sophia."

Though Luan spoke, his carving never stopped. He worked toward his grand savings plan almost every moment of every day.

Seeing all kinds of wood carvings arranged around the cabin, Neil examined them curiously.

He recognized some of the carved animals and not others, but he was certain that his nephew Luan had never seen some of them.

Rhinoceroses, lions, tigers.

He himself had only encountered such animals while serving as a soldier in his youth.

"Little Luan, are you hiding something from me?"

Neil looked at his nephew with concern. Luan's father had saved his life on the battlefield, which was why Neil insisted on taking care of Luan despite his crippled leg.

Luan had many secrets he had not told Uncle Neil, such as how he could see the bars above Spellcasters' heads, or how he could travel to that strange world.

At first, he had not known how to explain it. After all, Uncle Neil not only had a family to care for and an entire farm to manage, but also regularly supported and looked after veterans who had returned from the battlefield.

Neil was too busy, so Luan felt there was no need to tell him those secrets.

Of course, whenever he needed to ease the pain in his heart, he would tell his secrets to Bouncing.

But Bouncing could not come to this world.

"Uncle Neil, it's nothing important. I just need some money."

"You need money?" Watching Luan carve the rough shape of a monkey in the brief span of their conversation, Neil reached into his pocket.

"I happen to have three Federal Silver Coins here. Take them."

Luan did not accept the coins. He did not know how to explain that Federal Silver Coins were not accepted in the other world.

"Uncle, you saved that money behind Aunt Daisy's back. Keep it. If you really want to help me, then carve a few wood carvings you're good at."

Luan had learned woodcarving from Neil. He knew the man did not earn much, and compared with silver coins, carving a few more pieces might help him more.

"So these carvings are for selling? But I haven't seen anyone in town buying them."

"Oh, I made a deal with a traveling merchant. He'll come by in a few days, and we'll trade then."

Luan glanced at Neil, who was still inspecting the carvings, and explained carefully.

"I see. Then let me tell you, these little animal carvings aren't worth much. If you want to sell them at a good price, you need to carve people."

After some persuasion from Luan, Neil displayed his true skill.

One soldier after another, riding fine horses, came vividly to life in the wood.

Every figure was exquisitely carved. Even the rank ribbons of soldiers at every level could be seen.

Under Uncle Neil's guidance, Luan's carving skills gradually improved considerably. However, he still could not carve eyes with such spirit.

Neil said it required long observation, perhaps even living alongside such people for a long time, before one could grasp the essence.

Luan felt he would never have that chance, because the creature he spent the most time with at present was a black-furred beast with a long snout.

It did not matter that he could not carve people yet. Luan had already seen hope for solving his problem.

He sold the knights carved by Uncle Neil for a good price.

Two pounds each.

Four times the price of the animal carvings.

Once they were displayed outside the zoo, they soon attracted many little boys. Some grown men even bought several versions of the knight carvings at once.

As for the little girls, they still preferred the chubby penguins.

August 31st. Clear weather, with a light breeze.

It was the last day before Hogwarts began its term, and also the day Luan finally scraped together five hundred pounds.

More precisely, it was five hundred pounds and fifty pence. Luan had counted it three times the night before.

Of course, earning this enormous sum had not come without a price. Luan's hands were covered in more than thirty cuts, and the deepest ones exposed stark white flesh.

It was not just the cuts. The blisters worn into the web between his right thumb and forefinger from gripping his carving knife for so long had burst three times as well.

But none of that pain mattered. Today, Luan had finally obtained his ticket to learn magic.

Moreover, this was also Luan's ideal day for shopping.

According to the bargaining wisdom taught by the most skilled negotiator in Luan's social circle, Aunt Daisy had once said:

"If you want to buy the best yellow-striped fish for the right price, wait until the fishmonger is about to close up."

Luan had once used this trick to dominate the fish-selling area at White Sand Beach in Xilin Town. Naturally, he could not leave it behind after coming to London.

Early that morning, following the directions on the parchment Professor McGonagall had left him, Luan arrived at the long-awaited entrance to the magical world.

"The Leaky Cauldron."

Looking at the storefront, which was even more rundown than the bridge hollow where he lived, Luan could not help wondering whether this was a gathering place for Wanderers.

He lingered on the street opposite the pub for a while. Just as Luan gathered his courage to cross the road, a bald man with a face like a shriveled walnut emerged from inside.

Draped over him was another man wearing black robes.

When Luan saw the bars unique to wizards appear above both men's heads, he finally became certain that the decrepit storefront was probably only a disguise.

"Need a hand?"

Luan quickly crossed the street and spoke to the bald man.

"Oh, no. Valentine is just drunk. He's like this every day, but I have to get him out because new customers will be arriving soon."

Perhaps it was the fresh air, or perhaps the conversation disturbed him. The drunken man stirred awake.

After thanking the bald man, the man named Valentine staggered off by himself.

"Sir, I want to go to Diagon Alley."

Luan had just heard the drunken man call him the pub owner, so he stopped the bald man as he was about to return inside.

"Hm? At your age, you must be a Young Wizard entering Hogwarts this year. You're quite brave, going to Diagon Alley alone."

"Yes. Professor McGonagall is a little busy, so she left me some instructions."

As Luan spoke, he took a piece of parchment from his coat pocket.

"Professor McGonagall? Indeed, she must be the busiest professor at Hogwarts." The bald man spoke as if recalling something, then looked at Luan. "Come in, Young Wizard."

After entering the pub, Luan found that the interior was indeed very old-fashioned, though its style was quite similar to the pubs in Xilin Town.

"I'll be opening soon, so I can't accompany you. But child, you must remember this: once you've bought everything Professor McGonagall asked for, leave immediately. Do not enter unfamiliar alleyways. Understand?"

Seeing that Luan was still examining the pub's decor, the bald owner called out.

"Come to the backyard, child!"

"Sir, is Diagon Alley dangerous?"

Luan followed the owner toward the backyard, while his right hand touched the slingshot in his pocket.

It was his best weapon against squirrels that stole hazelnuts, and also the only thing he had for self-defense.

"Things have been fine lately. I don't know which fellow stole from Gringotts, but batch after batch of Aurors have been lying in wait in Diagon Alley to catch them. Even so, child, remember not to enter unfamiliar alleyways."

"Okay, thank you, sir."

Only after receiving Luan's reply did the bald owner pull a small wooden stick from inside his coat and tap the wall several times.

A small hole appeared in the wall. Then the hole widened into a bright passageway.

"Go on, child!"

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