The Leaky Cauldron

"Evans?" Dumbledore's eyes flashed, and he sat up straighter. "That's an interesting coincidence. No wonder, no wonder."

Dumbledore's fingers tapped lightly on the desk. "Many Muggle-born wizards may have wizarding blood in their ancestry from many generations ago, though there is still debate about this."

"So it shouldn't be strange for the Evans family to produce a Lily, and then a Yulian," Professor McGonagall said in agreement.

"And the child himself?" Dumbledore asked, this being the question he cared about most.

"The child himself... is very calm," Professor McGonagall said, recalling the situation at the time.

Professor McGonagall's lips even curved into a tiny, rare arc upwards. "Although his parents initially had strong doubts and resistance towards magic, Yulian seemed to have anticipated all of this and was full of anticipation for it. His eyes were steady, unlike the restless children his age. And, Albus, his eyes..."

"Yes, I've already guessed," Dumbledore said softly. "Exactly the same as Lily's. Emerald green, like olive leaves after the rain."

"Not only that," Professor McGonagall lowered her voice slightly. "The magical fluctuations I felt from him were pure and powerful, and their characteristics... were remarkably similar to Lily's back then. That kind of lively and resilient power originating from life itself."

"This is truly a wondrous arrangement of fate!" Dumbledore nodded slowly, his gaze drifting to the deep night sky outside the window.

"Minerva, look, the Muggle-born Evans family has produced two generations of gifted wizards in a row. Magic is like the vast starry sky; we know so little about it."

Professor McGonagall nodded in deep agreement. "I truly hope this child can come to Gryffindor," she said decisively. "I hope to personally guide him to become a true wizard, just like Lily."

"Well said, Minerva," Dumbledore praised. "Then, let's proceed as planned. Next week, you'll take him to Diagon Alley to shop. And by the way... keep an eye on his choices for me."

"Of course, I will. Are you still not at ease?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"After all, it's Harry's enrollment year, so we need to be extremely cautious."

Speaking of Harry, Professor McGonagall's brow furrowed slightly.

"By the way, Albus, about Harry Potter... I learned from Yulian's mother that Harry is not doing well at the Dursleys'. Petunia Evans publicly claimed Lily died in a car accident, clearly to cover up the truth. Dumbledore, are you sure placing Harry in that kind of family was the right decision?"

The smile on Dumbledore's face faded, replaced by a deep worry.

"Blood protection is the strongest, Minerva. As long as Harry still considers that place 'home,' Voldemort cannot harm him. This is the protection Lily exchanged with her life for him. As for everything else... alas, some endurance is necessary."

"Necessary?" Professor McGonagall's tone carried a hint of displeasure. "Watching a child grow up in a cupboard, enduring mistreatment, is this what you call 'necessary'?"

Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then finally waved his hand wearily. "We'll discuss this later. For now, let's focus on our new student. I hope he can bring something... different to Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall gave the Headmaster a deep look and said nothing more, turning to leave the office.

After the door closed, Dumbledore sat alone, his fingers unconsciously stroking a snuffed-out Deluminator on the desk.

After a long while, he murmured to himself, "Shilam Yulian Black... a sculptor of the stars. I hope your arrival can truly reshape the starry sky."

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

This morning, outside number 3, Wickham Court, Charing Cross Road, Yulian was wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit, looking both spirited and sharp for his age.

His parents, Altair and Clara, had also come along. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and a hint of imperceptible nervousness. After all, today they were stepping into a completely unknown world.

Professor McGonagall appeared on time. She was wearing a deep purple robe today, looking less stern and more approachable than during their last home visit.

"Good morning, Mr. Black, Mrs. Black," she nodded to Yulian's parents, then said to Yulian, "Are you ready, Shilam?"

"Ready, Professor!" Yulian replied excitedly.

"Very good. Then, please follow me." Professor McGonagall led them through the Muggle crowds on the street to a dilapidated pub wedged between a bookstore and a record shop – The Leaky Cauldron.

"This is it? I pass by here almost every day, how have I never noticed a broken-down pub?"

"This is it?" Altair frowned, looking at the crooked sign that read "The Leaky Cauldron." "This place looks so wobbly, it could collapse at any moment."

"I saw this place when Hermione and I came to this record store called Sister Ray last time," Yulian said with a smile.

Professor McGonagall nodded gently, not mentioning Muggle Repelling Charms or anything like that, just smiling slightly. "Appearances can be deceiving, Mr. and Mrs. Black." With that, she turned and pushed open the creaking wooden door.

Inside was a completely different world. Despite the narrow storefront, the pub was quite spacious. After all, space-expanding charms were not uncommon in the wizarding world.

The air was filled with a complex aroma. It was a mixture of burning candles, aged wood, alcohol, and perhaps some magical spices Yulian didn't recognize, creating a unique "Leaky Cauldron scent."

In the dim light, smoke swirled, and a few wizards in peculiar robes sat around a table, talking in low voices while smoking long water pipes.

A jug flew through the air automatically, constantly refilling the empty glasses of the patrons. Yulian felt that unless you covered the rim with your hand, it would keep refilling until you were unconscious.

Behind the bar, a tall but stooped old man was wiping glasses.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," the old man said, looking up at the sound, clearly recognizing her. "Bringing another new student to shop?"

"That's right, Tom. Good morning," Professor McGonagall greeted the old man familiarly, then turned to introduce them. "This is Tom, the owner of The Leaky Cauldron. He's a very good person. You can come to Tom with any problems in the future."

"Welcome!" Tom greeted them warmly and said to McGonagall, "Would you like to sit down for a drink and rest, Minerva?"

"Thank you, but no. The journey here was short and not tiring. Let's get down to business first."

At this point, Yulian noticed a young girl with long golden hair and a flushed face sitting inside the counter, reading a book, her head nodding.

The owner, Tom, noticed Yulian's gaze and couldn't help but chuckle. "Little one, let me introduce you. This is Hannah, Hannah Abbott. A child of a relative of mine. She's also a new student this year, so you're classmates."

The young girl looked up when she heard him, appearing very shy.

Ah, so this is the future "Lady Iron Hat King" and the proprietress of this place.

"Hello, Hannah. My name is Shilam Yulian Black. You can call me Yulian; my friends all call me that," Yulian said, waving hello proactively.

"Hello, Yulian," the young "Iron Hat King" blushed to the tips of her ears.

"Alright, Yulian. Let's go to Diagon Alley first," Professor McGonagall said, casually calling Yulian by his first name, which she had previously only used for Mr. Black or Shilam. "You can chat with your classmate when we come out later."