Chapitre 55: Chapter 53: McGonagall's Curiosity... Parent's Worry...
Half an hour earlier...
After introducing the new student and his parents to Wizarding Britain's Diagon Alley, McGonagall escorted them to Gringotts to exchange Muggle money for wizarding Galleons.
Once the family converted their Muggle pounds to Galleons, she guided them to Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore where all required books for first-year studies at Hogwarts could be purchased.
The shop displayed a wide variety of books, both new and old, all legally approved by the Ministry of Magic.
After helping the family select the necessary books, they showed immense interest in sampling the local snacks and food items sold throughout Diagon Alley.
Taking their time, they enjoyed the experience, indulging their curiosity about the magical treats.
Finally, McGonagall brought them to a robe shop specializing in Hogwarts-standard uniforms for students.
After giving measurements for the school robe, McGonagall took the young wizard and his family to choose his wand.
When they arrived at the old, worn-looking Ollivander's shop and stepped inside, she noticed the shop was bustling with customers.
She immediately spotted a group of women standing near the counter, watching a teenage boy trying out several wands.
"____"
McGonagall was a little curious.
According to wizarding law, wizards and witches typically received their wands at the age of 11.
But the boy before her was not 11 years old—he appeared to be at least 16 or 17, well past the usual age for obtaining a wand.
They waited for quite some time, observing as the boy tried various wands.
'It seems he has real talent.'
McGonagall was impressed by the boy's persistence in finding a suitable wand.
However, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't recall ever seeing him at Hogwarts.
When Ollivander presented the boy with a wand he proudly declared as his grandfather's finest creation, explaining the story of how his grandfather regretted never finding a suitable owner, McGonagall's curiosity deepened.
"____"
'Who is he? I've never seen him at Hogwarts. Is he a foreigner or something?'
As the wand accepted the boy as its owner, McGonagall found herself with even more questions.
After paying for the wands and some cleaning kits, the boy and the group of women left the shop.
"____"
When the boy turned to look back, he was momentarily stunned to find her staring at him intensely, without blinking.
Phew~
'Damn... I know I'm handsome, but she's bold to look at me like that.'
With a chuckle, Leo glanced at the young McGonagall playfully before leaving with the others.
"Welcome to Ollivander's Wand Shop... Professor McGonagall. Fir wood, dragon heartstring core, stiff, 9½ inches, excellent for Transfiguration."
Ollivander greeted the newcomers with a small smile, accurately reciting McGonagall's wand details.
"____"
Hearing Ollivander recall her wand details so precisely, McGonagall rolled her eyes.
At first, she had thought it was simply Ollivander's habit to remember wands and their owners.
But after frequent visits escorting young wizards, she realized the eccentric old man—quirky even by wizarding standards—was simply showing off in front of the children.
The very first wand the young wizard tried chose him.
After paying 7 Galleons, McGonagall prepared to escort the family out of the shop and head to the potion store to purchase the necessary herbs and cauldron listed in the Hogwarts letter.
Cough~
"Sir Ollivander... who was the boy who bought the wand earlier?"
Just as she was about to step out of the shop, McGonagall stopped and turned toward Ollivander.
With a deliberate cough, she asked the question that had been nagging at her curiosity.
"Ah... you won't believe me, Professor, who he is."
Hearing McGonagall's question, Ollivander's face lit up with excitement.
His tone turned lively as he prepared to answer.
"____"
Seeing Ollivander so animated about someone piqued McGonagall's interest further, causing her right eyebrow to rise in surprise.
Chuckle~
"He is from the Morningstar family."
With a soft chuckle, Ollivander revealed the boy's identity.
McGonagall's eyes widened in shock, leaving her momentarily speechless.
'I need to inform the Headmaster about this. The Morningstar family has come out of their solitude.'
Making a mental note and feeling quite alarmed, McGonagall resolved to bring up the matter as soon as possible.
She quickly composed herself and left with the Muggle family, continuing to escort them to purchase the remaining items on the Hogwarts supply list.
The news worried her deeply.
Several noble families had recently aligned themselves with Voldemort and joined the Death Eaters.
The sudden appearance of such an influential and prominent family as the Morningstars had to be handled delicately.
While escorting the Muggle family, McGonagall's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a new shop along the busy Diagon Alley street.
The store seemed quite crowded, with people bustling in and out.
"____"
'Well, we still need to buy herbs and a cauldron... Let's take a look here.'
After a moment's consideration, McGonagall led the family toward the Cauldron & Charm Apothecary to make their purchases.
Cauldron & Charm Apothecary...
Chime~
With a soft chime, McGonagall entered the shop alongside the Muggle family, who looked around with curiosity.
McGonagall was pleasantly surprised by the warm and inviting atmosphere of the shop, a stark contrast to the dark and gloomy ambience often found in apothecaries.
"Welcome to Cauldron & Charm. Here, you'll find quality potions, herbs, and utilities—all of the finest quality for their price,"
a warm voice greeted.
Noticing the new customers, Eileen approached with a professional smile, her demeanour polite and welcoming.
Huh~
"We're here to buy these items,"
the young wizard said, handing over the supply list he had been holding.
Hmm~
"One moment, young man... I'll gather these for you,"
Eileen said with a gentle smile.
She then led the family to a comfortable waiting area while she went to fetch the requested items.
As McGonagall took a seat, her sharp eyes roamed the shop, taking in the details.
The shelves were lined with meticulously organized herbs and gleaming potion bottles.
The faint aroma of freshly brewed potions filled the air.
Her gaze, however, stopped abruptly when it landed on a figure sitting at the counter.
The boy was playfully entertaining a child beside him, with a small bat perched near them.
"____"
'Isn't that him? What is he doing here?'
She was momentarily startled to see the same boy from the Morningstar family here.
Questions swirled in her mind, but she kept her composure.
After a minute, Eileen returned, carrying neatly arranged bundles of herbs and a selection of cauldrons.
"Here we are,"
she said, presenting the items.
"I've prepared the herbs in three different tiers, and these are cauldrons in three quality ranges. Please feel free to choose what suits your needs."
Seeing there were far more items than what they needed, McGonagall was about to ask Eileen to reduce the quantity, her expression reflecting her confusion.
"You see, our shop is a little different,"
Eileen began with a polite smile, anticipating McGonagall's question.
"We provide customers with three different qualities of products, each with varying prices."
This explanation immediately caught McGonagall's interest, momentarily easing her confusion.
Oh~
"What is so different between these tiers?"
McGonagall asked, her curiosity piqued.
Though the price of potion ingredients typically varied based on quantity, there wasn't a widely established tiering system in the wizarding world.
The concept intrigued the young professor, and she leaned in, clearly wanting to know more.
Nod~
"Let me explain..."
Eileen said knowingly.
Her smile grew as she launched into a detailed explanation of their unique tier system.
In Cauldron & Charm Apothecary, products were divided into three distinct categories: Green, Yellow, and Red tiers.
In Green Tier...
Cheapest and most affordable. Quality is mediocre, suitable for beginners or casual use.
Ingredients are often cultivated rather than harvested from rare locations.
Less potent, with slower or less reliable effects.
In Yellow Tier...
Mid-range in price and quality.
Offers reliable and effective results. Ingredients are a mix of cultivated and wild-sourced, requiring moderate skill to process.
Balanced in potency and safety.
In Red Tier...
Premium quality, highest price.
Uses rare or exotic ingredients.Requires advanced brewing skills, often involving unique magical processes.
Extremely potent but may carry risks if improperly brewed or used.
"Then we'll take the Green Tier items,"
McGonagall decided firmly after hearing the explanation.
For first-year studies, this level of quality was more than sufficient.
With her insistence, the young wizard also chose a second-hand cauldron, understanding that it would be more economical for his beginner-level needs.
Nod~
Eileen nodded in acknowledgement, her professional demeanour unwavering, and led them to the counter where all the selected items would be packaged.
When they arrived at the counter where Leo was stationed, Eileen waved her wand, neatly packing all the items her customer had purchased.
"It's a total of 15 Galleons,"
she said with a smile.
Leo took over smoothly, calculating the cost and confirming it.
After collecting the payment from the young wizard, he nodded politely.
"Thank you for your purchase,"
he said, handing over the neatly packed items.
As the family turned to leave, Leo's sharp eyes lingered on the young wizard and his parents, who were dressed compared to most magical folk.
He smiled warmly.
"You must be a young wizard who will be attending Hogwarts, right?"
he asked, his tone casual yet kind.
The father, clearly put at ease by Leo's approachable demeanour, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.
There was a question in his eyes, one that he hadn't asked McGonagall out of what seemed to be discomfort or shyness.
Seeing Leo's genuine smile and calm disposition, the man finally spoke.
"Actually..."
he began tentatively.
With a glance at his wife for reassurance, he continued,
"We're sending our son to this... new world, and honestly, we barely understand anything about it. It feels fantastical, almost unreal. We're just concerned about his safety."
The mother nodded in agreement, her expression reflecting equal parts excitement and anxiety.
Leo's smile didn't waver. He placed the packages down carefully and leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady and reassuring.
"Your worries are entirely reasonable,"
he said gently.
"It's natural to feel protective when stepping into the unknown. But Hogwarts is one of the safest places in the wizarding world. The professors are skilled, the environment is well-guarded, and your son will learn magic in a structured, supportive way. Think of it as a place where he'll not only gain knowledge but also grow into his potential."
Huh~
The parents exchanged glances, still troubled despite Leo's calm reassurance.
Their hesitation wasn't born of doubt in his sincerity but from something deeper.
After a moment of silence, the father finally spoke again, coughing awkwardly.
"You see,"
he began, his voice dropping as though afraid others might overhear,
"While we were looking around Diagon Alley, we overheard... things. Whispers about groups of wizards who might threaten our son's safety."
The mother nodded, adding softly,
"They mentioned something about... bloodlines and certain wizards targeting those like us, non-magical people."
Her voice quivered, and her worry was palpable.
McGonagall, who had been quietly observing, stiffened slightly.
She had known this might be a concern, but hearing it voiced so directly struck a chord.
She wanted to interject, to comfort the family and assure them of Hogwarts' integrity, but she faltered.
This wasn't the hardened, authoritative McGonagall of the future.
This was her younger self, still learning how to command presence and wield authority.
For a brief moment, she looked at Leo, her gaze quietly pleading for his response.
What he said next might not only reassure the family but also shape her impression of him—whether he was a noble pure-blood who looked beyond the prejudices of blood supremacy or just another wizard clinging to outdated ideals.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
I hope you guys enjoying the story.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
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