Hagrid and the Knight Bus

"Gryffindor!" Professor McGonagall said without hesitation. "I saw extraordinary courage in him. As Head of Gryffindor, of course I hope he can enter Gryffindor."

"I was thinking the same thing." Dumbledore nodded. The two Gryffindors reached a consensus in that moment.

"However..." His tone shifted. "Perhaps he is also suited to Ravenclaw. The calm he displayed when encountering the Runespoor fits Ravenclaw's requirements very well."

"That's true!" McGonagall nodded instinctively. "I imagine that, for the Sorting Hat, sorting Wizet won't be an easy matter."

"A Hatstall!" Dumbledore stroked his beard with great interest. "I remember that when the Sorting Hat sorted you, it hesitated for a long time between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."

"There are less than two months until term begins!" McGonagall's voice was full of anticipation. "I remember Harry Potter... will also be entering school this year, won't he?"

"Not quite yet." Dumbledore picked up the file again. "Harry's birthday is at the end of July. When the time comes, I'll arrange for someone to send him his letter."

"How quickly time passes!" McGonagall sighed. "As for the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, have you found a suitable candidate?"

"That hasn't been easy either!" Dumbledore sighed softly. "Fortunately... Quirinus sent me an application for a transfer."

"A transfer application?" McGonagall adjusted her glasses. "He taught Muggle Studies before. Transferring to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor... wouldn't that be too much pressure for him?"

"Since he is willing to try, he should be given the opportunity." Dumbledore picked up his quill and wrote a note on the file. "In a couple of days, I'll interview him."

After Wizet and Luna's family accepted one another, he finally learned that the family's financial situation was worse than he had imagined.

With the sales of The Quibbler, Xenophilius could only just scrape by with Luna.

Wizet's arrival made Xenophilius's finances even worse.

Xenophilius searched through boxes and cabinets, but only found some loose change, all Silver Sickles and Bronze Knuts.

Fortunately, Hogwarts had a student grant, which allowed Wizet to receive thirty Gold Galleons to buy his school supplies.

Gold Galleons, Silver Sickles, and Bronze Knuts were wizarding currency. To buy all kinds of magical items in the magical world, one had to use them.

Early in the morning, when the sun had only just begun to show itself, Wizet had already finished washing up and gone to the first floor to wait quietly.

A shopping street that belonged solely to wizards—no matter how he thought about it, it was something to look forward to.

Luna was already up as well, holding a gnome sculpture in her hands. It was the piggy bank she had made.

"Take this with you! I know you might not have enough money... to buy the things on the list."

Wizet looked at Luna's silver-white eyes and was momentarily lost in thought.

After all, she had gone through a life-and-death separation from her mother. Luna was undoubtedly a precocious child, at least more precocious than the Luna Xenophilius imagined.

"I applied for a student grant. I'll be going to Diagon Alley today to collect the money." Wizet shook his head gently. "I heard Diagon Alley is very interesting. What present would you like?"

"I don't lack anything." Luna smiled faintly at Wizet and shook her head just as gently.

Knock, knock, knock!

A series of thunderous knocks rang out, breaking the quiet of the early morning.

Outside the door stood a giant more than three meters tall, wearing a fur smock with several pockets sewn onto it.

The giant's hair and beard were both thick, and his dark, gleaming black eyes were like black beetles.

"You're Wizet, right?" The giant's beard moved, and his voice was full of kindness.

"I'm Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Today I'll be taking you to Diagon Alley... I reckon it should've said so in the letter."

Wizet nodded. "Hello, Mr. Hagrid. I didn't expect you to come so early."

"Mr. Hagrid!" Luna rubbed her eyes and appeared beside Wizet. "Please come in!"

This was the magical world. As Hagrid approached the doorframe, the doorframe, which was only two meters high, suddenly widened and lengthened, becoming just large enough to fit Hagrid's build.

"Would you like some biscuits?" Luna very naturally brought over a box of snacks. "I'll go wake Dad..."

"No need! No need!" Hagrid waved his hands again and again, and the gust almost blew Luna over. "I'm here to take Mr. Wizet to Diagon Alley."

"As a first-year, there's quite a lot to buy! We have to hurry... Is there a Floo Network here?"

"No." Luna shook her head gently. "Dad said we usually wouldn't use it, so he didn't have the Ministry of Magic set up a Floo connection."

However, the real reason was that setting up a Floo connection was not cheap, and Xenophilius could not afford it.

"Then there's nothing for it!" Hagrid shook his head. "Good thing I came early. There's still time to get to Diagon Alley another way."

"Then take the biscuits with you." Luna stuffed the snacks into Wizet's arms. "You haven't had breakfast yet."

With the biscuits in hand, Hagrid led Wizet forward until they came to a dirt path.

Wizet saw Hagrid clutching an umbrella and raising his arm high. He asked tentatively, "Are we... waiting for a bus?"

"That's right! That's why I'm not eating the biscuits. You shouldn't yet, either..."

Before Hagrid could finish speaking, a triple-decker purple bus suddenly appeared, shuddering to a stop in front of the two of them.

"Welcome aboard the Knight Bus. I am your conductor... As long as you stick out your wand and step on, wherever you want to go, we can take you there."

This was an aged conductor, his eyelids drooping in a listless manner, as if he had no thoughts for the future.

Just like the doorframe at Luna's house, the narrow bus door instantly stretched wide, enough for Hagrid to walk smoothly into the carriage.

Wizet felt as if he had entered an old, dim dormitory. There were no seats or small windows inside, only six brass-framed beds, with the lighting coming entirely from tiny candles on either side.

The conductor asked listlessly, "Where are you going?"

"London Diagon Alley." Hagrid found a bed and sat down. The bed immediately let out a groan, as if it might collapse at any moment.

"That'll be thirty-four Silver Sickles, though two Gold Galleons will do as well." When the conductor reached out, he finally showed a little more energy.

The conversion of wizarding currency was rather complicated. One Galleon equaled seventeen Silver Sickles, or four hundred and ninety-three Bronze Knuts.

Hagrid reached into one of his smock pockets, pulled out two gold coins, and stuffed them into the conductor's arms.

Wizet sat on the bed across from Hagrid. "When we get to Diagon Alley, I'll pay you back for the fare."

Hagrid covered his mouth, his voice sounding unusually muffled. "Remember to hold tight to the rail. This bus is going to be very bumpy. If there's anything, say it after we get off. It's about to—"

Before he could finish, the Knight Bus had already started, shooting forward like an arrow loosed from the string.

Wizet hurriedly grabbed the rail to keep from being carried off by the enormous inertia.

Hagrid let out a bout of dry heaving, his bright eyes already squeezed shut, looking every bit like someone carsick.

Wizet's reaction was much better. Filled with curiosity, he studied the windshield at the very front of the bus.