Bronze Pocket Watch and the World Behind the Brick Wall

On the morning of July 31st, an unusual tension hung in the air outside Oak House Orphanage. Lynn had been waiting there since early, his simple cloth bag containing only the deep blue Starry Book, two sealed acceptance letters (his and Hermione's), and the cold "Star Stone" hanging against his chest. His heart beat a little faster than usual, his gaze fixed on the street corner.

Nine o'clock sharp.

Right on the dot.

An old, dark green car, looking somewhat aged, glided silently like a ghost to the orphanage entrance and came to a steady stop. The door opened, and a woman stepped out.

She appeared to be in her fifties, tall and slender with an upright posture. She wore a sharply tailored dark gray skirt suit, covered by a thick, dark green cloak-style coat buttoned all the way to her neck. Her hair was pulled back immaculately into a tight bun at the nape of her neck, revealing a smooth, stern forehead. Square-framed glasses sat on her nose, and behind the lenses, her eyes were sharp as an eagle's, as if they could see straight through a person. Most striking was the thin Bronze Chain she wore pinned to her chest, with something dangling at the end, hidden beneath her lapel. Her expression was extremely serious, unsmiling, exuding an undeniable air of authority and... a hint of extraordinary chill.

Lynn recognized her immediately—Minerva McGonagall! Though her demeanor was even more austere than in the movies, that trademark seriousness and precision were unmistakable.

"Lynn Li?" Her voice was as clear and cool as her appearance, with a crisp Scottish accent and no unnecessary inflection.

"Yes, ma'am." Lynn stepped forward, gave a polite slight bow, and handed over the two folded acceptance letters. "These are the acceptance letters for myself and Miss Hermione Granger."

Professor McGonagall (Lynn confirmed her identity in his mind) took the letters, her gaze sweeping quickly over the handwriting on the envelopes. Her sharp eyes lingered on Lynn's face for a moment, as if assessing him. She didn't ask a single question about why Hermione's letter was being delivered by him, merely nodded slightly and tucked the letters into an old-fashioned leather handbag she carried.

"Good." Her voice remained flat. "And Miss Granger?"

"She should be here soon, ma'am." Lynn had barely finished speaking when he saw a small figure running frantically from the corner of the street. Hermione was carrying her bulging backpack, her cheeks flushed, clearly having run all the way. Today she had deliberately worn a clean, light blue dress, with the milky white "Moon White Stone" pendant hanging around her neck.

"I'm sorry! I... I'm not late, am I?" Hermione panted as she stopped beside Lynn, her small hands nervously clutching her backpack straps. Her big eyes looked timidly at the imposing, stern-faced woman before her.

Professor McGonagall's gaze, behind her glasses, fell on Hermione. The sharp lines of her face seemed to soften almost imperceptibly, but her tone remained cool: "Right on time, Miss Granger. I am your guide from the school. You may address me as Madam McGonagall. Please, get in." She gestured succinctly toward the old car behind her.

Hermione let out a quiet sigh of relief and instinctively moved closer to Lynn. Lynn casually brushed her elbow, giving her a "don't be scared" look. This small gesture was caught by Professor McGonagall's sharp eyes, but she said nothing, simply turning to open the rear door.

The car's interior was small but exceptionally tidy, carrying a faint scent like old books mixed with mint. Professor McGonagall took the passenger seat. Lynn and Hermione sat side by side in the back, with a small gap between them. Hermione sat stiffly upright, her hands placed properly on her knees, stealing glances at the almost starkly simple interior. Lynn was much calmer, his gaze fixed on the familiar yet unfamiliar London streets rushing past the window.

The car drove for about twenty minutes before finally stopping at the mouth of an inconspicuous alley near Charing Cross Road. The alley was narrow and dim, lined with old bookstores and record shops that looked like they had little business.

"Get out," Professor McGonagall commanded succinctly.

The three of them stepped out and stood in the alley. Professor McGonagall didn't head toward any shop but walked straight to a dirty red brick wall deep in the alley. The wall was bare except for mottled stains and a few graffiti marks.

Hermione looked at Lynn in confusion, while Lynn gave her a subtle wink, signaling her to wait.

Professor McGonagall pulled the Bronze Chain from beneath her lapel—at the end hung not a pocket watch, but a smooth, irregularly shaped Bronze Metal Piece, etched with extremely fine patterns. She pressed the metal piece gently against a specific brick on the wall, one that looked no different from any other.

Hum...

Both Lynn and Hermione felt an extremely faint vibration in the air, like a plucked string! Then, something even more miraculous happened—

The brick pressed by the metal piece seemed to come alive, beginning to wriggle slightly and rhythmically! It sank inward, then slid aside! Then, the bricks around it, like dominoes falling, began to slide, rotate, and rearrange at astonishing speed!

In just a few seconds, a wide arched doorway, large enough for three people to walk through side by side, had opened in what was once a solid, seamless wall! Beyond the doorway stretched a winding, cobblestone street that seemed to have no end! On both sides of the street stood all sorts of oddly shaped, crooked shops, their windows gleaming with dazzling, multicolored lights! The air was filled with a strange mix of scents: cloying candy, old parchment, some kind of spicy herbal smell, and something like... metal and sparks!

Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp! Her big eyes were wide, filled with utter shock and disbelief, her lips slightly parted, completely captivated by the sight before her. So this was... the world the letter had talked about?! It was even more incredible than the wildest dreams she'd ever had!

Though Lynn had been mentally prepared, seeing the "wall opening" with his own eyes and the bizarre street scene inside still made his heart pound uncontrollably. This was Diagon Alley! The entrance to the wizarding world! The noise, the colors, the strange energy fluctuations everywhere—it was more real and more stunning than any imagination!

Professor McGonagall seemed to ignore their shock. She put away the Bronze Metal Piece and stepped through the archway first, her figure instantly merging into the bustling light and shadow. She turned back, her gaze behind her glasses sweeping over the two still frozen in place, her voice still calm: "Miss Granger, Mr. Lee. Follow. Time is limited."

Lynn took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. He turned to look at Hermione, still lost in her immense shock, like a startled fawn. He smiled and, with perfect naturalness, extended his hand to her.

"Ready, Hermione? Our new world is right inside."

Hermione's gaze shifted from the bizarre alley back to Lynn's outstretched hand, then to his warm, encouraging smile. The immense shock and unease seemed to be instantly infused with a stabilizing force. A smile bloomed on her small face, mixing 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, steadily enveloping her cool fingers.

"Yeah! I'm ready!" Hermione's voice trembled slightly but was filled with determination.

Lynn held her hand and stepped forward, following Professor McGonagall through the archway of red bricks into the unbelievable world. The cool touch of the cobblestones came through the soles of their shoes, and the noise of the crowd, the clinking sounds from the shops, and all sorts of strange smells instantly surrounded them.

Hermione gripped Lynn's hand tightly, looking around with curiosity and nervousness: shop windows with self-stirring cauldrons, floating quills, a store piled high with glittering crystal balls, and another with countless bronze statues of all shapes and sizes hanging at the entrance, seemingly still moving slightly... Everything exceeded her imagination, leaving her overwhelmed.

Lynn felt the dependence and trust transmitted through Hermione's hand in his palm. Looking at the living, breathing magical world before him, an indescribable surge of emotion swelled in his chest. He gently squeezed Hermione's hand and whispered, "Look, Hermione, our first stop should be over there." He pointed ahead to a towering, dazzling white building. It stood out among the crooked shops, imposing and grand, its bronze doors tightly shut. At the entrance stood two short, proud, pointy-eared creatures in scarlet and gold-trimmed uniforms—the Goblin Bank!

Hermione followed his gaze to the white building and the strange guards at the door, her mouth opening slightly in surprise again. Just then, the "Moon White Stone" pendant on her chest, as if sensing the strange energy fluctuations in the surrounding environment, suddenly emitted an extremely faint but distinct warmth!

Hermione instinctively pressed her hand to her chest and looked at Lynn in surprise. Lynn felt her grip tighten suddenly and immediately gave her a questioning look.

"My stone... it... it just got warm!" Hermione whispered in surprise, her eyes full of wonder.

Lynn understood. He touched the "Star Stone" on his own chest and indeed felt a faint warmth and a very slight resonant vibration. It seemed the stones, imbued with Hermione's feelings and their initial "energy," were quite sensitive to changes in their surroundings.

"Looks like they like it here too," Lynn said with a low laugh. He held her hand and followed the tall figure in the dark green cloak into the bustling river of magic and wonder called Diagon Alley. Hermione clung closely to his side, her initial nervousness replaced by immense excitement and a thirst for exploration. Her small hand held his tightly, as if he were her only anchor in this new world—and also the key to infinite possibilities.