"Giving the middle finger" first appeared toward the end of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. English archers inflicted heavy losses on the French, who swore that after defeating the English, they would cut off the middle fingers the archers used to draw their bows. Instead, the French suffered a crushing defeat. As they retreated, the English archers raised their right middle fingers, flaunting the fingers they still possessed. From then on, the gesture gradually evolved into its present-day meaning.
Tsk, that meant the Hunter Pathway was missing one extremely provocative gesture.
Edward hesitated for a while, but ultimately could not resist asking Audrey about it.
"That's a provocative gesture invented by Emperor Roselle. Nowadays, nobles and commoners alike use it."
Well, damn. Just... damn. That was the Emperor for you!
Sunday.
Edward had requested leave early from his Head of House, Professor Sprout, and Dumbledore. He had one final task to complete on this visit to the Harry Potter World:
Going to Akihabara with Audrey... to buy dolls.
Huh? Something about that felt a little off.
Chapter 40: Exploring Akihabara with Audrey
Since the Ministry of Magic strictly controlled the use of Portkeys, Edward took a "legitimate route"-flying to Japan.
Dumbledore had sorted out Audrey's identification. Whether he had done so through legal channels or magic, Edward had no idea, but the two boarded their flight without a hitch.
She had changed into casual clothes, pairing a light-colored sweatshirt with jeans, her long golden hair hanging down her back. It was an ordinary outfit, yet she looked especially lovely in it, drawing attention from the moment she entered the airport.
Sure enough, beautiful people looked good in anything.
With a sensation of weightlessness, the plane took off. Audrey pressed her back tightly against her seat and clutched her trousers with both hands. Her cheeks flushed slightly with nerves, and beads of sweat even appeared on the sides of her delicate little nose.
More than ten minutes later.
The plane leveled out. She patted her chest and said softly, "Just now, I felt as though my soul was leaving my body. It was terrifying."
She eagerly raised the window shade and looked out at the vast expanse below. Everything seemed to have shrunk, even the towering buildings becoming no bigger than fingers. She could not help marveling, "So this is what the ground looks like from the sky. I wonder whether I'll ever be able to fly on my own."
Edward smiled. "You could use a broomstick."
"That's different," Audrey said, a little embarrassed. "Besides, I always feel that sitting on a broomstick looks so strange."
"Then you've got a long wait ahead." Edward thought back carefully before saying, "For the Spectator Pathway, I think you need to reach Sequence 4 and transform into a dragon before you can fly."
Her eyes, reflected in the window, filled with disappointment:
"Sequence 4? But I'm only Sequence 9. How long will that take?"
"Only..."
Edward was just about to comfort her when the plane suddenly jolted violently. Audrey instinctively seized his wrist, the color draining from her face. "Wh-what happened?"
"Don't worry. The plane's hit some turbulence. It's perfectly normal. Besides, even if something really did happen, I could get you out safely with Apparition."
Edward reassured her gently. This was the first time they had "held hands" since the Unbreakable Vow. How did it feel? Well, she had quite a grip, and it hurt.
"Speaking of which, have you still not gotten over your fear of Apparition?"
She looked anxiously out the window and nodded slightly. "No. The sight of my arm and leg separating from my body last time left too strong an impression."
The plane shook violently again. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, seemingly trying to escape her fear by burying her head in the sand. Just then, the captain's reassuring voice came over the cabin speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize. That was caused by turbulence..."
A few minutes later, the plane steadied once more. Audrey let out a long breath and released Edward's hand. "I can't imagine what the passengers would do if something really happened this high up."
"Well, statistically, the probability of a plane having an accident is one in a million." After a pause, he added, "It's just that once an accident does happen, the fatality rate is practically a hundred percent."
No sooner had he finished than a man in his fifties or sixties in the row ahead turned around indignantly. "Hey, if you don't know how to say something sensible, keep your mouth shut!"
"Uh..."
"Pfft."
Audrey could not hold back her laughter.
"Ahem. Let's get some rest. The whole flight takes nearly twenty hours."
By the time they finished resting, it was the next day. Once the plane landed in Tokyo, Edward and Audrey began their trip through Japan.
They first exchanged some money at the airport, then took the subway all the way to Akihabara.
Audrey was astonished by the people around her, whose features were so different from her own. In the world of the mysteries, she had met people from several other countries. Though their heights and features varied somewhat, they essentially shared the same general appearance. But this country called Japan was different. Almost everyone had black hair and dark eyes, clearly belonging to another race.
"Actually, this country's people and culture came from another ancient, great nation on the continent across the sea. They only learned the basics of many things. When we get the chance, I'll take you there."
Audrey asked curiously, "You seem to feel something special whenever you mention that ancient country."
"Yes." Edward smiled. "In a sense, that's my real home."
Unfortunately, it was in another world, one I could never return to.
They emerged from the subway station to the sight of bustling streets.
Akihabara in the nineties was nowhere near as bustling as it would become, nor could it yet be called a "holy land" of anime culture. For the previous few decades, it had mainly sold televisions, refrigerators, VCD players, and the like. Only with the emergence of game consoles and the rise of several hugely popular manga in the eighties had the wheels of Akihabara's destiny begun turning.
"So many people! So many shops!"
As Audrey walked through Akihabara, her green eyes could barely take everything in. This world's "modern society" kept offering her new surprises. Compared with the streets of London, the shops here were far more varied, their colorful displays selling all kinds of things she did not understand but found "so amazing."
Edward, meanwhile, explained manga and anime culture, gaming culture, and otaku culture as they went. As someone highly accomplished in painting, Audrey was astonished. She had never realized that art could be used this way, even giving rise to an entire culture and associated industries.
They picked a relatively large shop and went inside. She was soon engrossed in the anime playing on a television, while Edward took the opportunity to find the owner and request high-quality, life-size dolls. Naturally, communicating this took considerable effort. Although the shop had a university student working part-time, Edward still had to say that the English spoken in Japan was simply absurd.
When the owner brought out five exquisite life-size dolls, Audrey's attention immediately shifted to them. She curiously poked one doll's face with a finger and said, "I never imagined a Vampire would like something like this. It's nothing like the mysterious image I had in mind. What a... strange hobby."
"Ahem. His hobby is rather unusual, but he's never hurt anyone. He earned the money to buy all his dolls himself. He's so poor he even has to steal blood from hospitals to drink... uh, stealing blood is his only blemish."
Audrey laughed. "Now that you've put it that way, I'd quite like to meet him."
"Sure. I'll introduce you when there's a chance."
After paying, Edward noticed that Audrey seemed interested in animation, so he splurged on a television, a VCD player, and a huge pile of discs for her. He then bought portable music players, walkie-talkies, and other electronics, filling several large boxes.
Delighted with her haul, Audrey nevertheless remembered to ask, "Won't these things stop working once I get back to my world?"
"Don't worry. We'll find somewhere to buy a small generator and stock up on a few cans of fuel. That should keep you going for a while." Edward then cautioned her, "But you'd better not take these things out of the suitcase, or you might attract trouble."
"Understood!"
She playfully made an okay sign.
With their shopping finished, they headed to a nearby food street. Audrey sniffed the air and said, "It smells wonderful. Are you hungry?"
"I've been hungry for ages. This is the perfect chance to try the local specialties."
They browsed their way past ramen, yakitori, oden, pork cutlets, tempura, takoyaki, sushi, and the most famous of all, sashimi.
They tried a little of everything. Aside from the sashimi, which she could not quite get used to, Audrey praised it all. The two were just like Edward when he first arrived in Backlund:
I'm gonna eat, eat, eat! Eat, eat, eat! Spin a full three-sixty and eat, eat, eat!
After finishing her last sip of ice-cold cola, Audrey let out an involuntary burp. Pinching her nose, she looked curiously at the red can and said, "This drink tastes so strange. The first few sips were like drinking... a potion, but after that, it got better and better."
Who would have thought cola could one day "rival" a potion? Hmm, if I gave it a pathway, Sequence 9 would probably be [Happy Couch Potato].
"Then let's buy some more to keep on hand. We can pick up some of those snacks to take back, too."
Her smile narrowed her eyes into crescents. "Okay~"
Next, they played video games at an arcade, had coffee at a maid café, tried capsule machines at a capsule toy hall, and bought figures at a figurine market, visiting every place that caught Audrey's interest.
By the time the sky began to darken, they happened to pass a haunted house. It had a hospital theme, and even the promotional standees at the entrance were deeply unsettling. Screams occasionally rang out from inside.
Edward immediately explained, "This is a haunted house. They mainly scare visitors using frightening props and music, along with staff in scary costumes. I'm guessing Loen doesn't have these?"
"No." Audrey thought for a moment, then asked in confusion, "You have to pay for this, right? But why would anyone pay other people to frighten them?"
"Hmm, for the thrill? I've rarely visited haunted houses myself, so I don't really understand either."
Edward glanced at her and asked tentatively, "Want to go in and try it?"
"Aah!!!"
A young couple came running out of the exit. The girl buried her face fearfully in the boy's chest, while he kept comforting her.
Tsk! That boy's plan worked beautifully. He got some intimate contact and showed off his manly courage.
Wait, no!
As the pair passed Edward, he clearly caught a fleeting, smug smile at the corner of the girl's lips. He sucked in a breath. Expert hunters really did appear in the guise of prey!
Unfortunately, Audrey had not seen it. The couple's appearance had made her pick up on a certain key detail. She immediately entered her spectator state and stared straight at Edward.
Edward felt as wronged as Dou E. What's that look supposed to mean? You were the one interested in the haunted house first. All I did was offer a reasonable suggestion. What are you looking at me like that for?
I, Edward, swear by these lights that my feelings for Audrey are nothing but the purest friendship, without a single improper thought. Otherwise, may the lights turn on and my life go out!
Snap!
As though on cue, all the neon lights along the streets and alleys switched on almost simultaneously. Akihabara transformed in an instant, as if a fantasy world had spilled into reality.
Audrey tilted her head up slightly, gazing in wonder at this world of lights. A rainbow of colors reflected in her emerald eyes, and her profile traced a stunning curve. Bathed in the glow, she looked especially beautiful.
Click!
Camera in hand, Edward preserved that heart-stirring scene forever.
Hey, that oath just now didn't count!
Chapter 41: Returning to the Mysteries and Being Found Out
Two days later, they returned to Hogwarts.
The drastic change of scenery, from quaint Japanese buildings to the ancient castle of Hogwarts, left Audrey feeling as though she had dreamed the whole thing.
Of course, the photographs in the camera proved that it had all really happened.
The two soon settled back into their studies. Audrey seized every opportunity to corner a teacher with questions, and with additional private lessons from Professor McGonagall, she finally began to master Transfiguration.
Edward, meanwhile, practiced the four spells he had received from Grindelwald. The Dizziness Spell and Protego Diabolica were not difficult, but the Lightning Charm required specific casting conditions, while the Fire Dragon Spell went out of control as soon as he cast it-and once it went out of control, it was Fiendfyre. His progress was less than smooth. By contrast, he had somehow grown accustomed to keeping the mandrake leaf he had forgotten about beneath his tongue. It neither interfered with his speech nor slipped down his throat while he slept.
Whenever practice left him exhausted and he happened to have no classes, Edward would tag along with Audrey to "sit in," witnessing firsthand Harry Potter and Malfoy's love-hate rivalry, Neville losing a notebook every other lesson, the walking encyclopedia that was Hermione, and the spectacular performances of demolition prodigy Seamus Finnigan.
The last time he sat in on a class, Edward asked Audrey to give Harry the revolver and Purification Bullets he had bought earlier.
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