"Whoosh—"
Nelson reached the entrance of the village at the foot of the mountain and felt the cold deepen. He quickened his pace, trying to cut through the autumn wind and leave.
The first gust of autumn always carried a killing chill. In an instant, it stripped half the leaves from the mountain and swept them toward another peak. One red leaf, reluctant to leave its homeland, was slapped against a telephone pole. Nelson walked over and pinched up the fallen leaf—intact, handsome, perfect for pressing between the pages of a book—revealing the yellowed missing-person notice underneath. He focused on it and saw that it was looking for a girl named Laura Riddle, a clever-looking little thing. He could not help reading aloud, "Missing in Greater London in 1932. Height: three feet. Short black hair. Wearing a red dress at the time of disappearance..."
"She might even be one of Tom's relatives." Nelson lifted his head and gazed at the broad, imposing mansion on the opposite hill. Even from so far away, he could see servants bustling through the building and the courtyard. Judging by the age of the notice, the girl's family had probably given up looking for her...
The opposite hill was bustling, while the wizarding village beside him looked desolate. The vagrant-like residents sitting at the village entrance and basking in the sun all stared at him warily. They clearly possessed magic, the most advanced productive force there was, yet lived like ruined paupers.
"Change is a good thing," Nelson sighed, extending his wand.
Soon, the Knight Bus stopped in front of him again.
"Sir, may I ask..." The door opened before the bus had even come to a full stop, and Ernie Prang, that eternally enthusiastic young man, leaned out again. "Oh, hello there~ Finished your