On the morning of July 31st, an unusual tension hung over the entrance of Oak House Orphanage. Lynn had been waiting there early, with only the deep-blue Starry Book, two written letters of acceptance—his and Hermione's—and the cool Star Stone hanging against his chest in his simple cloth bag. His heart beat faster than usual as he stared fixedly at the street corner.
Nine o'clock sharp.
Not a second off.
An old, dark-green car that looked rather dated glided silently to the orphanage entrance like a ghost and came to a steady stop. The door opened, and a woman stepped out.
She looked to be in her fifties, tall, slender, and upright. She wore a perfectly tailored dark-gray skirt suit beneath a dark-green, thickly textured cloak-like coat buttoned all the way to her neck. Her hair was impeccably groomed and wound into a tight bun at the back of her head, revealing a smooth, stern forehead. Square-framed glasses rested on her nose, and the eyes behind their lenses were as sharp as an eagle's, as though they could see straight through a person. Most striking of all was the slender Bronze Chain around her neck. Something appeared to hang from its end, hidden beneath her collar. Her expression was exceedingly stern and entirely unsmiling, and she exuded an unquestionable authority along with... an extraordinary chill.
Lynn recognized her immediately—Minerva McGonagall! Her bearing was even colder than in the films, but that signature severity and precision could not be mistaken.
"Mr. Lynn Li?" Her voice matched her appearance: clear, calm, firm with a Scottish accent, and devoid of any unnecessary inflection.
"Yes, ma'am." Lynn stepped forward, bowed slightly in courtesy, and handed over the two folded replies. "These are the acceptance letters from Miss Hermione Granger and me."
Professor McGonagall—Lynn confirmed her identity inwardly—accepted the letters. Her gaze swiftly swept over the handwriting on the envelopes, and her sharp eyes paused on Lynn's face for a moment, as if assessing something. She did not ask why he was delivering Hermione's letter for her. She merely nodded slightly and placed the letters into an old-fashioned leather handbag she carried with her.
"Very well." Her voice remained flat. "Where is Miss Granger?"
"She should be here soon, ma'am." No sooner had Lynn spoken than he saw a small figure racing around the street corner. Hermione had her bulging backpack on her shoulders, her little face flushed red from clearly having run all the way there. She had deliberately worn a clean light-blue dress today, with the milky-white Moon White Stone pendant hanging from her chest.
"Sorry! I... I'm not late, am I?" Hermione stopped beside Lynn, panting. Her small hands gripped her backpack straps nervously as her large eyes looked somewhat timidly at the imposing, stern woman before her.
Professor McGonagall's gaze fell upon Hermione through her lenses. The sharpness of her features seemed to soften by the barest fraction, though her tone remained devoid of warmth. "Right on time, Miss Granger. I am the school's guide. You may call me Madam McGonagall. Please get in." She briefly gestured toward the old car behind her.
Hermione quietly let out a breath and instinctively edged a little closer to Lynn. Lynn naturally gave her elbow a light touch, sending her a look that said, Don't be afraid. Professor McGonagall's sharp eyes caught the small gesture, but she said nothing. She simply turned and opened the rear door.
The car was not spacious, but it was exceptionally tidy and carried a faint scent like old books mixed with mint. Professor McGonagall sat in the front passenger seat. Lynn and Hermione sat side by side in the back, with a little space between them. Hermione sat rigidly upright, her hands properly placed on her knees as she secretly examined the car's sparse, almost rigid decor from the corner of her eye. Lynn appeared much calmer, his gaze directed out the window at the familiar yet unfamiliar London streets flashing past.
After driving for roughly twenty minutes, the car finally stopped at the entrance to an inconspicuous alley near Charing Cross Road. The alley was narrow and dim, lined on both sides with old bookstores and record shops that looked as though they had little business.
"Get out," Professor McGonagall ordered curtly.
The three of them got out and stood in the alley. Rather than heading toward any of the shops, Professor McGonagall walked straight toward a grimy red-brick wall at the far end. Apart from mottled stains and several pieces of graffiti, there was nothing on it.
Hermione looked at Lynn in confusion. Without changing expression, Lynn gave her a quick wink, signaling her to stay calm.
Professor McGonagall pulled the Bronze Chain out from beneath her collar. What hung at its end was not a pocket watch, but a smoothly polished, irregularly shaped Bronze Metal Piece, seemingly engraved with extremely fine patterns. She gently pressed it against a particular red brick in the wall, one that looked no different from the others.
Bzzzz...
Lynn and Hermione both felt an incredibly faint tremor in the air, like the vibration of a plucked string! Then, something even more magical happened—
The brick beneath the metal piece seemed to come alive, beginning to wriggle with a faint, rhythmic motion! It sank inward into the wall, then slid aside! Immediately afterward, the bricks around it moved like falling dominoes, one after another sliding, turning, and rearranging themselves to both sides at an astonishing speed!
In just a few seconds, a broad arched doorway wide enough for three people to pass through side by side had opened out of nowhere in the once-solid, seamless wall! Beyond it stretched a winding cobblestone street that vanished into the distance! On either side stood rows upon rows of strangely shaped, crooked shops, their display windows gleaming with a dazzling riot of colors! The air carried an assortment of strange mingled scents: cloyingly sweet candy, old parchment, a spicy herbal aroma, and something... like metal and sparks!
Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from crying out! Her large eyes were wide and round, filled with utter shock and disbelief. Her little mouth hung slightly open as the sight before her utterly captured her attention. This was... the world mentioned in the letter?! It was more incredible than anything she had ever seen in her most fantastical dreams!
Although Lynn had prepared himself, his heart still pounded wildly beyond his control when he witnessed the "hole in the wall" opening and saw the bizarre street scene within. This was Diagon Alley! The entrance to the magical world! The bustle, the colors, the strange currents of energy everywhere—it was more real and more breathtaking than any imagination!
Professor McGonagall seemed entirely indifferent to their shock. She put away the Bronze Metal Piece and stepped through the archway first, her figure instantly blending into that bustling sea of light and shadow. Turning back, her gaze swept over the two still standing there, and her voice remained calm. "Miss Granger, Mr. Li. Keep up. Time is limited."
Lynn took a deep breath and suppressed the excitement in his heart. He turned his head to look at Hermione beside him, still immersed in overwhelming shock like a startled fawn, and smiled as he naturally held out his hand to her.
"Are you ready, Hermione? Our new world is in there."
Hermione drew her gaze away from the fantastical alley and looked at Lynn's outstretched hand, then at his warm, encouraging smile. Her immense shock and unease seemed to be instantly filled with a stabilizing strength. A smile bloomed on her little face, mingling nervousness, excitement, and boundless anticipation. She nodded firmly, then without hesitation placed her small hand in Lynn's palm.
His hand was warm and strong, securely wrapping around her slightly cool fingers.
"Yes! I'm ready!" Hermione's voice trembled slightly, but it was full of determination.
Holding her hand, Lynn stepped forward behind Professor McGonagall and passed through the red-brick archway into the unbelievable world beyond. The cool feel of the cobblestones came through the soles of their shoes, while the clamor of voices, the clinking sounds from shops, and all manner of strange scents instantly surrounded them.
Hermione held tightly onto Lynn's hand, looking around with curiosity and nervousness: cauldrons stirring themselves in display windows, quills floating in midair, shops piled with gleaming crystal balls, and one storefront hung with countless Bronze statues in different forms that seemed to be faintly moving... Everything surpassed the limits of her understanding, leaving her unable to take it all in.
Feeling the dependence and trust Hermione conveyed through their joined hands, Lynn looked at the living tapestry of the magical world before him, and an indescribable sense of ambition surged in his chest. He gently squeezed Hermione's hand and said softly, "Look, Hermione. Our first stop should be over there." He pointed at a towering, dazzlingly white building not far ahead. It stood starkly apart from the many crooked shops, magnificent and imposing, with its bronze doors tightly shut. At the entrance stood two small, pointy-eared creatures in scarlet uniforms trimmed with gold, their expressions arrogant—Goblin Bank!
Following his gesture, Hermione saw the white building and the strange guards at its entrance, and her little mouth fell open in surprise once more. Just then, the Moon White Stone pendant on her chest suddenly gave off an incredibly faint yet unmistakable warmth, as if reacting to the strange energy currents everywhere around them!
Hermione instinctively covered her chest and looked at Lynn in surprise. Feeling her hand suddenly tighten in his palm, Lynn immediately gave her an inquiring look.
"My stone... it... it just got warm!" Hermione exclaimed softly, her eyes full of wonder.
Understanding dawned on Lynn. He touched the Star Stone at his own chest and, sure enough, felt a faint warmth and an extremely slight resonant vibration. It seemed that these stones, containing Hermione's feelings and their initial "energy," were rather sensitive to changes in the surrounding environment.
"Looks like they like this place too." Lynn chuckled softly. Holding her hand, he followed the upright figure in the dark-green cloak ahead and merged into the bustling river of magic and miracles known as Diagon Alley. Hermione pressed close to his side, her initial nervousness replaced by overwhelming excitement and a desire to explore. Her small hand gripped his tightly, as if it were her only anchor in this new world—and the key to endless possibilities.
Before you continue