The Past of the Anderson Family

The Anderson Family's Past

No one moved. Everyone stood frozen in place for at least half an hour... Well, in reality, it had probably only been about ten seconds.

Albert bent down and picked up the pale yellow envelope. It had no stamp, and a line of emerald-green ink was written across it. He read it aloud softly: "Mr. Albert Anderson, at the door, No. 19 Tiber Avenue."

As Albert read those words aloud, he discovered that he had somehow triggered a quest: Wizarding Road.

You have the potential to become a wizard, but you are not yet qualified. You have now received a precious opportunity: attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a student.

Reward: 10,000 experience, 2 Skill Points, Wizarding Bloodline +1.

Wizarding Bloodline? Albert was stunned.

What the hell was that?

The 2 Skill Points were certainly tempting. Becoming a student at Eton College had only earned him 1 point, while after saving up for so many years, Albert had only accumulated 3 Skill Points—and he had never been willing to use them.

But what was even more absurd was that this was apparently a novel world.

The magical world from the Harry Potter novels?

Albert turned the envelope over and, sure enough, saw Hogwarts' shield-shaped crest: a large letter "H," surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.

"Mom, do zoos train owls to be mail carriers now?" Nia asked curiously, staring at the owl lingering nearby.

"Nia, I don't think anyone sends letters by owl. At least, no normal person would. Maybe this is just a prank." Daisy looked at her husband. Seeing Herb's deeply furrowed brow, she asked, "What's wrong, dear? Shouldn't we be leaving?"

"It's nothing. Albert, let me see the letter," Herb said quietly.

"Oh, here." Albert handed the envelope to his father.

"Dear!" Daisy was a little displeased.

Herb failed to notice the irritation on his wife's face. He quickly opened the envelope, pulled out the parchment inside, and skimmed it before saying, "Children, it seems our plans will have to be postponed."

"Dear Herb, what happened? What does the letter say?" Daisy felt that her husband was acting strangely, and her tone sharpened involuntarily.

"Dad, what does it say?" Nia could not help asking as well. Meanwhile, Albert—the one who had received the letter—showed little reaction.

"We'll talk in the living room, Daisy." Herb slammed the car door shut and led his family back into the living room.

After the front door closed, the owl that had delivered the letter still did not leave.

"Dear Herb, you had better give me a proper explanation." Daisy looked furious. She had been eagerly looking forward to seeing her son in an Eton College school uniform.

"Dad, what does the letter say? Read it out for everyone. I want to know too—just who could predict where I would be?" Albert's expression barely changed. Of course, he knew what this letter was about. If he had not already experienced transmigration and the panel incident, he might have looked shocked upon seeing it.

But after being shocked twice already, discovering that he lived in the world of a novel did not seem all that strange. Besides, he had read the bestselling Harry Potter series and had even written fanfiction for it.

Back then, he had researched plenty of material and had some understanding of the novel's worldbuilding.

"Then I'll read it." Herb glanced at his son, who was as calm as ever, and read aloud from the parchment:

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Albus Dumbledore (President of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chairman of the Wizarding Association, Order of Merlin, First Class) "Hogwarts... School!" Daisy's eyes widened in astonishment, for she had already guessed what this was... an acceptance letter? "Magic? Does magic really exist in this world?" Nia's face was filled with barely concealed excitement. "I want to learn magic too. I want to go to a magic school."

"Albert, you jerk, let go of me!" Nia glared at her brother indignantly. She had been about to lean in for a look at the letter, only for Albert to pull her back.

"Nia, let Dad finish reading the letter." Albert gestured for his father to continue, while also pulling his furious mother down to sit.

"Son, I absolutely will not let you go to some Hogwart—" Daisy was furious. She felt that her husband might know something.

Herb cleared his throat and continued reading: "Dear Mr. Anderson:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of required books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 21.

Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress"

Herb finished reading and handed the letter to his son.

Albert gave it a quick glance before passing it to his curious-looking sister. Holding the letter, Nia ran over to her mother, Daisy.

After studying the letter line by line, Daisy said slowly and emphatically, "I absolutely refuse to let Albert attend this kind of school. No, someone must be playing a trick on us. Perhaps we should call the police immediately and catch that obnoxious prankster."

"Mom, when it says it awaits our owl, does that mean we're supposed to write them back?" Nia suddenly asked.

Daisy said nothing. Instead, she fixed her husband with an intensely pressuring stare.

"Dad, do you know something?" Albert asked.

"Not exactly." Herb pressed a hand to his forehead, seeming to sink into a brief memory. "When I was about your age, my father—your grandfather—was disappointed that I had not received a letter from Hogwarts."

"I once asked Father what Hogwarts was. He only said it was a school."

"Later, one time when Father was drunk, I asked why he wanted me to go to Hogwarts."

"He only said that he was a Squib, but I never knew what that meant." Herb's voice was low. He still remembered that time—his father had cried.

"I think I know what Hogwarts is now. Father will be very happy to learn that his grandson received a letter from Hogwarts."

Albert naturally knew what a Squib was, but he had never truly considered that he might have some connection to wizards.

Come to think of it, there was no similar skill in his skill list. Otherwise, he would have noticed long ago.

"Yes, I should write him a letter. No, call him. He'll definitely be thrilled!" Herb suddenly said, apparently intending to phone his father.

"Herb Anderson!" Daisy shouted. "Albert should go to Eton College. He'll achieve things beyond anything we can imagine, not attend some school we've never even heard of. Do you understand? This concerns his future. I absolutely will not allow you to—"

"Mom, we haven't confirmed whether magic exists yet." Albert grabbed his mother, who was on the verge of exploding, and gently comforted her. "Doesn't the letter say it awaits our owl? Maybe we should write them a letter and ask that Hogwarts school to send someone over to prove that magic exists. If they can't prove it, then it's a scam."

"All right, son, I agree with you. Let that damned school prove whether this letter is real." Daisy clenched her fist and swung it hard. "Just wait. I'll call the police and have those frauds arrested. I'll make them spend years in prison."