Ministry of Magic's Warning

Chapter 47: Warning from the Ministry of Magic

Brook went out to buy meat to prepare dinner.

When he returned, he saw a stranger in wizard robes sitting on the sofa.

An An stood off to the side, watching the man warily.

The man stood up as soon as he saw Brook come in and introduced himself.

"I'm Leo Bronte, a specialist from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic."

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement had detected magical fluctuations in Kensington.

Tracking them down, they found the source was Brook's home.

Normally, if only harmless spells were detected, the Department would just send a warning letter.

But considering Brook was a first-year wizard who hadn't yet received notice that magic was banned during the holidays, they sent a specialist to explain the situation in person.

What Bronte hadn't expected, though, was that a House Elf would open the door, and Brook wasn't home.

Who had cast the magic was obvious.

That put him in a tricky spot.

"Hello, Leo Bronte. What can I do for you?" Brook asked.

Bronte then explained that young wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school.

As he spoke, his gaze kept drifting toward An An.

A glint flashed in Brook's eyes. "So, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement thought I was the one casting magic and sent a warning?"

Bronte scratched his head awkwardly. "That's right."

Brook spread his hands. "As you can see, I live alone. My House Elf needs to take care of me, which naturally involves magic. So..."

Bronte was inwardly conflicted.

After all, House Elves using magic wasn't illegal.

But he couldn't just ignore the situation either.

So he decided to report it honestly and let his superiors deal with the headache.

He was just an employee—why should he care?

"I'll report this as is. You'll be notified of the result by letter. But until then, you... and your House Elf, should refrain from using magic."

"No problem." Brook agreed readily.

Bronte pulled out his wand, ready to leave.

"Oh, by the way, An An is a Hogwarts House Elf, lent to me by Dumbledore."

Brook added the remark as if it were an afterthought.

Bronte's motion to Apparate froze mid-gesture.

"Understood. Please be patient—you'll have a reply today."

Then he waved his wand and vanished on the spot.

Bronte's visit was just a minor episode for Brook, not affecting his mood in the slightest.

In fact, he felt even better.

By now, the house had been cleaned spotless by An An, the floor so polished it reflected like a mirror.

Absolutely amazing.

"Brook, I caused you trouble."

An An hung its head, both hands clutching its big ears tightly.

Tears welled in its eyes as it looked at Brook pitifully, like a child who'd done something wrong.

Brook quickly walked over, crouched down, and patted its shoulder.

"How could An An ever cause me trouble? This is clearly a good thing."

"A good thing?" An An's eyes were full of confusion, its head tilting to one side.

Honestly, it was kind of ugly-cute.

"Definitely a good thing. Because of this, I might be able to use magic freely at home from now on." Brook explained with a smile.

"Really? That's wonderful!"

An An didn't quite understand why using magic freely was a good thing, but hearing that it hadn't caused trouble and had actually helped made it overjoyed.

"Alright, go back and take care of things at the Farm." Brook patted An An's head.

"As you command."

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement moved with remarkable speed.

In less than four hours, an owl shot through the window like lightning.

It dropped a letter at Brook's feet, traced an elegant arc in the air, and flew off with a flap of its wings.

Without a hint of reluctance.

Brook pulled out the letter and read.

Mr. Lott:

Due to the special nature of your circumstances, the Ministry of Magic will send someone tomorrow at nine in the morning to set up wards preventing magical trace leakage.

In the meantime, please do not allow any House Elf to use magic.

Also, please remember, according to Article 13 of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, any magical act that could attract Muggle attention

is considered a serious offense.

If discovered, you will bear the corresponding responsibility.

Have a pleasant holiday!

Mafalda Hopkirk

Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic

A smirk tugged at Brook's lips.

This outcome was even better than he'd imagined.

It was worth it to have specifically mentioned Dumbledore at the end.

Otherwise, the Ministry probably wouldn't have been so accommodating.

As dinner approached, Hermione and her parents arrived at Brook's house.

The moment Brook opened the door, Hermione ducked low, zipped inside, and headed straight for the dining room.

Her small hand quickly snatched up a piece of Braised Pork and popped it into her mouth without hesitation.

She squinted her eyes, her face full of satisfaction.

"This child." Mrs. Granger smiled as she handed Brook the Chocolate Cake and some oddly shaped cookies.

She leaned in slightly and whispered to Brook, "Hermione made the cookies. They're not much to look at, but they taste great."

Brook took them politely. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger. Please, come in."

As Mr. Granger passed Brook, he patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you."

After Hermione came home, she'd talked a lot about what happened at Hogwarts, and she'd been happy while telling it.

Most of those stories involved Brook.

So he was genuinely grateful to Brook.

"You're welcome. Hermione has helped me a lot too," Brook replied sincerely.

After all, Hermione had taken care of all his homework.

"Hermione." Mrs. Granger saw her daughter reaching for the Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs again and quickly tapped her hand away, a hint of reproach on her face.

Hermione stuck out her tongue sheepishly.

The dishes Brook had made were just too fragrant—she couldn't help herself.

To prepare this table of food, Brook had put in quite a bit of effort.

Luckily, An An had helped with handling the ingredients.

Otherwise, on his own, it would have been a real struggle.

The Braised Pork, glossy and tempting, rich but not greasy;

the Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs, tangy and sweet, crispy on the outside and tender inside—

both were Hermione's favorites.

Besides those, there were Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, Mapo Tofu, Oyster Sauce Lettuce, Dry-Fried Green Beans, and Cola Chicken Wings.

And to cater to British tastes, there was Fried Fish, French Fries, Baked Potatoes, and Mashed Potatoes.

Everyone gathered around the dining table, the warm light spilling over them.

Brook directly picked up a piece of Cola Chicken Wings and placed it in Hermione's bowl.

"Try this. You'll like it."

"Thanks." Hermione took a bite eagerly, and her eyes instantly curved into crescent moons.

The chicken wings were smooth, tender, and sweet, bursting with juicy flavor.

They brought great satisfaction to her taste buds.

"Brook, your cooking skills are really impressive."

Mr. Granger gave a thumbs-up in praise.

Mrs. Granger's tone carried a hint of teasing.

"I wonder which girl will be so lucky in the future, getting to eat your delicious food every day."

Hermione's face flushed slightly, probably from the spiciness of the Mapo Tofu.

(Readers, you're truly amazing—two extra chapters added. ୧꒰•̀ᴗ•́꒱୨)