Ch. 221Welcome Home (Thanks to Chenmeng Liuli for the Two "Powered by Love" Gifts, Thank You)
Chapter Summary: “Welcome Home”
Key Plot Points and Events
- On the first official day of school, Hogwarts’ elite squad prepares to leave for Eastern University despite heavy rain.
- Harry remains isolated by the student body, with only Ron staying beside him. Neville does not support Harry because Harry distrusts Neville’s girlfriend, Parvati, whom he considers a gossip.
- Su Yu spends the morning in the Slytherin common room rather than attending breakfast. The Nine-Tailed Fox reveals that she secretly followed Ginny during the night to raid the Hogwarts kitchens.
- Ginny was caught by Mrs. Norris and later Professor McGonagall while attempting to sneak away. She lost house points and was sent back to her dormitory, while the Nine-Tailed Fox waited in the kitchen and ate Hufflepuff’s food.
- Sister Fa and Sister Ka announce that the group must depart that day. The seventeen-person team includes students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, led by Su Yu.
- The group originally plans to use a Thestral carriage and then a plane, but Su Yu chooses the faster Floo Network. They arrive at Privet Drive, startling the Dursleys, and then leave in a convoy arranged by Butler Carson.
- At Farnborough Airport, the students board the Su family’s luxurious private Boeing 747. The young wizards are amazed by the scale and sophistication of Muggle technology.
- Grindelwald and Isolde are already on board, along with Pheobe, whom Isolde has brought because she would otherwise be alone at Hogwarts.
- The plane departs for Guangzhou, the most suitable airport for the enormous aircraft. The chapter ends with a warm welcome home to the travelers.
Character Developments
- Su Yu acts as a practical and confident leader. He prioritizes efficiency by replacing the long Thestral-carriage journey with Floo travel and manages the entire expedition.
- The Nine-Tailed Fox is shown as mischievous, gluttonous, and closely attached to Ginny. Her nighttime kitchen adventure highlights her playful and impulsive personality.
- Ginny demonstrates similar recklessness by attempting to sneak into the kitchens, but she is caught and punished lightly.
- Malfoy is portrayed comically as excessively materialistic and overprepared, nearly stripping the Slytherin common room bare before leaving.
- Harry becomes increasingly isolated from Hogwarts, relying almost entirely on Ron.
- Pheobe is incorporated into the traveling group, suggesting that Isolde is concerned about her welfare and does not want her left alone.
- The young wizards gain a new appreciation for modern Muggle technology after seeing the Su family’s private jet.
Significant Themes
- Homecoming and belonging: The title and final welcome emphasize the emotional importance of returning home, while Pheobe’s inclusion reflects the desire to prevent anyone from being left alone.
- Muggle technology versus wizarding magic: The chapter humorously contrasts magical travel and conveniences with the luxury and efficiency of the private jet.
- Leadership and practicality: Su Yu’s decisions show his willingness to ignore tradition when a faster or more convenient solution is available.
- Friendship and isolation: Harry’s alienation contrasts with the close-knit traveling group and the Nine-Tailed Fox’s attachment to Ginny.
- Comedy and everyday absurdity: The kitchen raid, Ginny’s arrest, Malfoy’s overpacking, and the Dursleys’ panic provide lighthearted humor amid the larger expedition.
Character Interactions
- The Nine-Tailed Fox and Ginny collaborate in the failed kitchen raid, though Ginny is caught while the fox escapes.
- Su Yu, Daphne, and the Nine-Tailed Fox discuss Ginny’s fate using the group chat logs.
- Su Yu leads the Slytherin students and coordinates with the other houses before departure.
- Blaise has to physically pull Malfoy away from his frantic packing.
- Su Yu deliberately startles the Dursleys by arriving through their fireplace, then mockingly thanks them for their “generosity.”
- Grindelwald, Isolde, and Pheobe join the students on the plane, expanding the group’s family-like dynamic as they begin their journey east.