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At the exit, Carson the butler stood waiting.

He looked as he always did—his black tailcoat pressed without a single crease, his silver-gray hair combed impeccably, and the expression on his face forever carrying just the right amount of respect. He stood straight-backed like an old tree planted in King's Cross Station. A few passing Muggles gave him extra looks, probably thinking that anyone dressed like that to pick someone up was either a butler or an actor.

Su Yu pushed his trolley over to him. It was piled high with luggage, stacked taller than a person. Kurama lay sprawled on top, her tail dangling over the edge and swaying back and forth.

Carson took the trolley, glanced at the luggage, then at Kurama lying atop it. Kurama blinked at him and curled her tail once in greeting.

Carson said nothing more, merely smiling back at Kurama. The young master had his own secrets, and he never asked questions. Otherwise, he would not have worked for the Fuli family for sixty-three years.

Just then, Ginny came running over.

She was in a hurry, her boots clacking against the stone floor as her red hair streamed behind her. She had deliberately made her family wait just to see Su Yu. Mr. Weasley's car was parked outside the station with its engine still running, and Ron had urged her several times from inside, but she pretended not to hear him.

When she reached them, she was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed, though it was hard to tell whether that was from running too fast or something else. She looked at Su Yu with bright, shy eyes, as if she wanted to look at him but did not quite dare.

"Hi, Su Yu," she said much more softly than usual, unconsciously tugging at the hem of her clothes—pulling, letting go, then pulling again. "I... I wanted to ask if the Christmas fudge was good?"

Su Yu looked at the adorable girl and smiled gently. "Slow down. The fudge was delicious. Kurama is even looking forward to the next time you make some for her. How about you? Have you been well lately?"

Kurama poked her head out from atop the luggage and nodded along. Ginny saw it and smiled even more brightly.

Ginny visibly relaxed. "Then I'll make more for you! I've been pretty good too. I read lots of interesting magic books." As she spoke, she grew a little bolder and met Su Yu's gaze directly. "Actually... actually, I've been looking forward to school starting again so I could see you."

The moment the words left her mouth, she blushed first.

Then Ron's voice came from afar, calling Ginny's name at the top of his lungs. "Ginny! Let's go! Dad says we'll be too late if we don't leave now!"

Ginny's face reddened further. Twisting her hands nervously, she said in a small voice, "I have to go. We can talk next time. I'll remember to make you fudge!" With that, she hurriedly turned and jogged back toward her family. After a few steps, she looked back once, then quickened her pace and vanished toward the exit.

Su Yu watched her departing figure.

Then he left the station with Carson.

Sitting in the car, Su Yu looked out at the bustling metropolis and felt like a wild man who had suddenly crossed into modern society. After spending a year at Hogwarts, all he had seen were stone castles, the Forbidden Forest, and the Black Lake, perhaps with a few owls thrown in. Now, faced with streets full of cars, skyscrapers, traffic lights, and billboards, his eyes could barely take it all in.

Kurama was secretly peeking outside too. Half her head stuck out by the window, her nose pressed against the glass until her breath fogged it up. She kept asking questions about this and that.

"What's that?"

"A candy shop."

"Is it good?"

"I haven't tried it either."

"What about that?"

"A cake shop."

"Why is it so small?"

"Maybe London property prices are high."

Su Yu stroked Kurama and answered every one of her questions. She asked about the candy shop, then the bakery, then pigeons, then the bottle in the hand of the hot dog vendor by the roadside—it was ketchup. Kurama frowned when she heard the word "tomato" and stopped asking.

Suddenly, Su Yu said to Carson, "Carson, let's find a Chinese restaurant and eat before we go back."

Carson glanced at him through the rearview mirror without speaking. He switched on the turn signal and turned the car around.

London Chinatown. At Lido Restaurant, 41 Gerrard Street, a pair of red lanterns hung outside the entrance, and faded good-fortune characters were pasted on the glass windows. The scent of food could be smelled from far away.

Carson parked the car, and Su Yu carried Kurama inside. Quite a few people were already seated within, all Chinese. Voices, clattering bowls and chopsticks, and Cantonese news from the television blended together in a warm, lively bustle.

A waiter led them upstairs to a seat by the window. Su Yu sat down and took the menu, flipping through it.

Then he ordered an entire tableful of roast duck, roast goose, char siu, shrimp dumplings, chicken feet, and steamed spare ribs.

They ate with great relish. Su Yu picked up a piece of roast goose, dipped it in plum sauce, and stuffed it into his mouth, his eyes narrowing contentedly. Then he picked up some char siu, chewed twice, and reached for a shrimp dumpling. His chopsticks never stopped moving.

Kurama was also nibbling on egg tarts and coconut milk cake. Flaky pastry scattered all over the table, and she used her paws to sweep it into her mouth. After finishing one tart, she licked her lips and went for another. The coconut milk cake was cold, cut into little squares and placed on banana leaves. She nudged a piece to her mouth with her paw, took a bite, shook her head, then took another.

Carson sat beside them with only a cup of tea before him. He did not eat, merely watching Su Yu and Kurama. Occasionally, he refilled Su Yu's water, and occasionally, he used a napkin to wipe away the crumbs Kurama had scattered across the table.

The two of them had a grand feast. Su Yu leaned back in his chair, rubbed his stomach, and burped. Kurama was sprawled on the table too, her belly round and full as her tail swayed lightly behind her.

When they paid the bill, the owner gave them two extra bowls of red bean soup. Kurama took one taste, lowered her head, and licked her bowl spotless. The bottom was shinier than if it had been washed.

Only after they had eaten did Carson take the two of them back to Foley Manor.

The car passed through the manor's wrought-iron gates and drove along the avenue lined with plane trees. Their leaves had only grown in a few months ago, tender and bright green. The lawn was trimmed neatly, and the fountain was still spraying water.

At last, Su Yu lay down on the big bed he had been longing for. It was still the same bed, covered with his favorite down comforter, with pillows at exactly the right height. His entire body sank into the mattress as if he were sinking into a cloud, and every joint in his body relaxed.

Kurama bounced around on the bed too. She liked the softness as well, springing up with every jump. Su Yu reached out to catch her, but she dodged and bounced to the other side. He tried again, and she dodged again. Eventually, Su Yu stopped trying. She wore herself out on her own, flopped down, and panted, her tail sweeping back and forth across the sheets.

The two of them gradually fell asleep like that. Outside the window, the sky changed from pale violet to deep blue, and the stars lit up one by one.

They did not get up until Carson called them to dinner that evening. Su Yu came downstairs rubbing his eyes, with Kurama following at his feet, still yawning. Carson stood beside the dining table with a soup bowl in hand, waiting for him to sit down.

The other little Slytherin wizards had each returned home as well, giving their families quite a shock.

Especially Malfoy's father, Lucius Malfoy. He stared at Malfoy in disbelief—after one semester apart, the boy's gaze had changed, even the way he spoke to him had changed.

Lucius felt it was necessary to test him. So he proposed a duel with young Malfoy. Naturally, he had only intended to play around with the boy, stopping before things went too far, merely going through the motions.

But who could have expected it?

Young Malfoy suddenly patted the badge on his chest. Golden light surged from it, spreading over his whole body like flowing water. It glowed faintly beneath his clothes, and even his face was covered in a pale radiance. Lucius froze for a moment—what was that? He had never seen magic like it.

Then young Malfoy raised his wand. Without an incantation, without even a wand movement, Expelliarmus, followed immediately by Stupefy.

Lucius had no time to react. His wand flew from his hand, spinning twice through the air before landing on the ground and bouncing once. Then everything went black, and his body fell backward. The only thing he heard was Narcissa's scream before he knew nothing more.

And just like that, Malfoy lost his dinner.

Draco still had a curl to his lips as he went upstairs. Missing one dinner was nothing! Beating his own father was what proved he was impressive! He was so excited that he could barely sleep, tossing and turning in bed.

Likewise, similar scenes kept playing out in the homes of Slytherin's little wizards. Some defeated their older brothers, some defeated their older sisters, and some defeated their uncles.

Goyle went home and fought the family dog. He won. Goyle needed five stitches on his head because he had forgotten to activate the badge on his chest.

But his father patted him on the shoulder and said, "Good lad," then took him out for drinks. Goyle passed out after half a glass, and his father carried him home.

Pansy went home and sparred with her mother. Her mother had once been a professional Quidditch player and was in excellent physical condition, but Pansy was far faster than her. Before her mother could react, Pansy's Expelliarmus had already knocked her wand away. Her mother stood stunned for a long while, then hugged Pansy and cried. Pansy had no idea why her mother was crying, but she began to cry too.

Su Yu sat by the window with a cup of black tea in hand.

Kurama lay asleep in his lap. Her belly rose and fell, and her ears occasionally twitched, as though she were dreaming. Her tail hung down from Su Yu's knees, its tip swaying gently.

Carson stood beside him with a teapot in hand, ready to refill his cup at any moment.

Su Yu told Carson about everything that had happened over the past year and informed him that Fa-jie would be coming in a couple of days, so he could simply bring her in when she arrived.

The hand holding Carson's teapot paused slightly. The pause was brief, less than a second, but for an old man whose every movement was as precise as a clock, it was a very obvious reaction.

At last, a faint blush appeared on his ever-unchanging old face.

The young master had truly grown up. He knew how to bring a pretty girl home now.

God bless.