Gringotts' dazzling white marble steps shone so brightly in the afternoon sun that it was hard to keep one's eyes open.
Douglas had barely stepped through the doors when Diagon Alley's clamorous heat engulfed him.
His gaze passed over the bobbing heads and picked out a familiar outline with precision.
Beside the sinister entrance to Knockturn Alley, an enormous figure looked out of place.
Oh, no.
There were two.
Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper-his giant-like stature was his most unmistakable calling card.
During his school days, Douglas had shared quite a few secrets and plenty of bad ale with him.
The other was Harry Potter.
Douglas stopped, deciding to wait where he was for them to approach.
He was not surprised that these two had become involved with Knockturn Alley.
Harry, he remembered, had ended up there because of a disastrous Floo Powder journey.
It was also something he had always taken as a warning since entering the wizarding world: when magic was involved, never say the wrong thing.
As for Hagrid... heh.
The kindhearted big fellow never associated with Dark wizards, but few of the "little darlings" he raised were easy to handle.
For anyone looking for suitable treats or toys for those rare and exotic beasts, Knockturn Alley really was the best choice for some.
Hagrid was speaking in a low voice, looking displeased and gesturing with his enormous hands.
Harry Potter had his head lowered, like a kitten that had just crawled out of a chimney, his face and glasses covered in dingy soot.
Just as they were about to reach the alley entrance and Douglas was preparing to raise his hand-
A figure raced down the steps of Gringotts like a hurried brown whirlwind, heading straight for Hagrid and Harry.
Douglas' gaze lingered on the girl for a moment.
So this is Hermione Granger? he thought.
The next second, Hagrid's thunderous voice cut through the noise of the crowd.
"You won't have to look long... wait, you're... Douglas?"
Douglas saw Hagrid's previously wandering eyes snap onto him like an iron nail drawn to a magnet.
He went to meet him with a smile.
"Hagrid, long time no see."
"I spotted you a moment ago. I thought I'd wait until you were closer before saying hello."
Douglas patted Hagrid's sturdy arm, looking him up and down teasingly.
"Haha, I thought the quality of your meals would plummet after I left Hogwarts. Looks like you've been taking good care of yourself."
His gaze turned to the two children, who were studying him with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.
"And these two are?"
Hagrid immediately broke into a broad grin and gently nudged the two children forward.
"This is Harry... Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger. They're both second-year Gryffindors."
"They're both good friends of mine!" he added proudly.
Douglas nodded to them with a warm smile.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, pleased to meet you. I'm Douglas Holmes."
"Hello, Mr. Holmes!" Hermione immediately replied politely, like a little grown-up.
Harry, however, froze.
This was the first adult wizard he had met whose face showed no reaction whatsoever upon hearing the name "Harry Potter."
There was no surprise, no scrutiny, as though he had merely heard the most ordinary of names.
He studied the man before him curiously, momentarily forgetting to speak.
Holmes... he kept feeling he had heard that surname somewhere before.
Hagrid's excited voice rang out again, eager to introduce his old friend to the two children.
"Harry, Hermione, don't you underestimate Douglas!"
"He's one of the very few students in Hogwarts' history to have his own territory in the kitchens!"
"The braised pork, sweet-and-sour Black Lake fish, and white-cut chicken you eat now-all those recipes originally came from him!"
"And Harry, that orchard you worked in during your detention last year-Douglas cleared and planted it himself."
"Most importantly, he's also..."
Hagrid was abruptly cut off by urgent panting.
"Harry! We were only hoping you'd missed one fireplace... Molly's frantic. She'll be here any moment!"
A red-haired man with increasingly thinning hair hurried over. It was Arthur Weasley.
Everyone's attention shifted from Douglas to him.
Harry's cheeks flushed instantly, and his eyes immediately fixed on the toes of his shoes.
Douglas turned around, his smile growing more genuine.
"Mr. Weasley, long time no see!"
Mr. Weasley looked startled at first, then recognized him, pressing a hand to his still-heaving chest in delighted surprise.
"Oh, Merlin's beard! It's Douglas!"
"What are you doing here?"
"I mean, we haven't heard from you in ages. When did you get back to the United Kingdom?"
"Bill and Charlie both said in their last letters that you'd visited them..."
"Last Christmas, Bill even said you'd gone to South America! What's it like over there? I mean, that's so far away!"
"Molly's been regretting that she couldn't send you your Christmas present last year."
"She prepared a birthday present for you, but in the end she couldn't send that either. We thought you were still wandering abroad!"
Mr. Weasley's words rattled out like a fully wound-up machine gun, leaving no chance for anyone to get a word in.
Smiling, Douglas opened his arms and gave him a firm hug.
Before he could answer, two identical voices, full of mischievous amusement, came from behind Mr. Weasley.
"Oh, so it's Doug~"
"-lassie~"
Two red heads poked out. It was Fred and George.
Mr. Weasley immediately put on a stern face and scolded them angrily:
"Quiet, you two! I've told you a hundred times, Douglas didn't swindle you out of your money that time..."
Douglas instantly recalled the incident and could not help laughing.
He stepped forward without ceremony, reached out both hands, and vigorously tousled those two heads of trademark red hair.
"Haha, so you two are still holding a grudge. It's all right, Mr. Weasley. They really did learn a valuable lesson that time."
He winked and lowered his voice.
"By the way, although I couldn't tell whether it was George or Fred driving that night... nice driving!"
The grins on Fred's and George's faces froze simultaneously.
A rare flush crept up their ears.
They exchanged astonished looks and asked in unison:
"How did you know?!"
"I was talking about the driving!"
Douglas really could not tell them apart by their looks, but his magical perception of names was quite keen.
Simply reciting one of their names in his mind gave him a distinctive sensation.
Smiling, he explained unhurriedly:
"One night in early August, I happened to see a turquoise Ford Anglia cruising leisurely past the moon..."
At this point, he turned to look at the nervous Mr. Weasley.
"Mr. Weasley, your workmanship really is superb, but I do have a few small suggestions for improving that invisibility booster..."
At the words "suggestions for improving," Mr. Weasley's eyes immediately lit up, all his nervousness and worry vanishing.
"Oh! Really? Wonderful! I've been wanting to ask your advice for ages. After all, this car was originally completed at your suggestion!"
The children exchanged looks. They had never imagined that someone had seen every detail of the operation they had thought went completely unnoticed that night.
Ron leaned toward Percy and asked in a low voice:
"Percy, do you know this Mr. Holmes? What happened between him and Fred and George?"
Fred and George had already returned to normal. Laughing, they each hooked an arm around Percy or Ron and separated them.
Just then, an even more anxious voice came from nearby.
"Oh... Harry... goodness, dear, where have you been? How did you end up like this..."
A plump figure came running over, breathless and pulling a little girl along. It was Molly Weasley.
At the sight of her, Douglas instinctively edged half a step back.
He still clearly remembered this Mrs. Weasley's warmth, especially after she had heard that both his parents were dead-that almost melting maternal care.
Mrs. Weasley's gaze immediately locked onto Harry.
With a cry, she pulled a stiff-bristled clothes brush from her bag and began vigorously brushing the soot off Harry.
"Oh, child, where on earth did you go just now?"
Only then did Mr. Weasley notice Harry's glasses.
There was a clear crack across one lens.
He hurriedly took the glasses off Harry's face and tapped them lightly with his wand.
"Reparo!"
The glasses were instantly as good as new.
Hagrid answered Mrs. Weasley's question in a rumbling voice, his face stern. "Knockturn Alley."
"Brilliant!" Fred and George cried together.
"We're never allowed to go there!" Ron said, his face full of envy.
They completely failed to notice that Mrs. Weasley's brush-wielding arm had stopped in midair.
All the color drained from her face in an instant.
The smile faded from Douglas' face, and he first swept a stern glance over the children.
"I sincerely hope you never have any need to go to a place like that."
Only then did he turn to Mrs. Weasley and say soothingly:
"Don't worry, ma'am. Harry only went through the wrong fireplace. Hagrid got him out in time."
Mrs. Weasley turned her head numbly. As her gaze landed on Douglas' face, her eyes went from confusion and fear to utter shock.
"Yes, you're right... you're?... goodness, Douglas?"
"When did you get back to the United Kingdom?"
"You've been back so long. Why haven't you come round to the Burrow?"
Douglas smiled and nodded. "I've been back for half a year. I've been dealing with some personal matters on the Muggle side."
While the adults exchanged greetings, Ron suddenly slapped his forehead in realization.
"Goodness! I remember who he is!"
"Douglas giblet soup!" he shouted excitedly.
Harry and Hermione immediately drew closer, and Hermione asked quietly:
"Do you all know this gentleman? And he just said he spotted the flying car. Will he... will he report us to the Ministry of Magic?"
Percy shook his head, looking at Douglas with a somewhat complicated expression.
"No. Old... Mr. Holmes isn't just good friends with Bill and Charlie. He's close to our whole family."
He paused, then added, "Besides, that car... Dad only started modifying it in the first place because of his suggestion."
At that moment, Hagrid, who had been looking rather uncomfortable, suddenly spoke.
"I have to go. I've still got plenty of work to do today..."
He looked at Douglas, his eyes somewhat evasive.
"By the way, Douglas, once you're back at Hogwarts, remember to come find me by the Forbidden Forest."
"I still haven't decided where to plant those seeds you sent me."
Seeing Hagrid's eagerness to escape, Douglas understood at once.
He was afraid Douglas would question him about his real reason for visiting Knockturn Alley in front of everyone.
Then his gaze swept unobtrusively over Percy nearby.
Tsk, that little boy from back then has grown up too. There's even a hint of distance in his eyes now.
At that moment, Hermione instinctively raised her hand and posed a rigorously logical question.
"Mr. Holmes, as far as I know, under normal circumstances, Hogwarts doesn't allow outside wizards to enter freely, does it?"
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