While Shawn and Harry were scribbling away at their homework...
At that very moment, inside the Fawley family's unassuming three-story house on the outskirts...
Old Fawley, still hale and hearty, was having morning tea with blue-haired Alice.
Naturally, their conversation could not avoid Shawn.
Alice had grown increasingly skilled at brewing tea lately, and now that she was home for the holidays, she naturally wanted to show her grandfather her affection.
The Clay Teapot bubbled on the small stove, sending up wisps of steam.
Elegant and poised, Alice took the Clay Teapot by its handle. After a series of fluid, practiced movements, she respectfully offered Old Fawley a cup of brightly colored, fragrant tea.
"Grandfather, please have some tea."
Old Fawley accepted the cup with a smile, took a small sip, and said affectionately,
"Not bad. You've improved. You're about a third as skilled as a master tea brewer I met while traveling in Hong Kong, China."
Alice tucked back her hair and smiled sweetly.
"You've been to China too, Grandfather? But I've looked through plenty of material lately, and the eastern and western wizarding worlds don't seem to have much contact."
Old Fawley took another sip of tea and set the White Jade Cup on the tea table before explaining patiently.
"China's wizarding world and Muggle world both have their own systems. They really don't have much contact with ours, and the past century has been particularly turbulent. But things have been developing quite well lately, so I went traveling there a little while ago."
Perceptive as she was, Alice only needed a moment's thought to understand why her grandfather had gone to China. Without standing on ceremony, she voiced her question directly.
"Grandfather, were you investigating why the Chief is so fond of Chinese culture?"
Old Fawley made