Capítulo 107: 107
Chapter 107: The Knight Bus
During the first week of summer vacation, Wade completed all his homework effortlessly. The required knowledge was already stored in his mind, allowing him to finish most assignments without consulting his books.
On the eighth morning, Steven Murray, Professor Murray's son, appeared at Wade's doorstep.
Since there were no pedestrians on the road at that early hour, Steven apparated directly to Wade's neighborhood instead of using the Floo Network.
At the sound of a sudden knock, Ferdinand opened the door to find a tall man standing outside.
"Hello, Mr. Grey. I'm Steven Murray—is Wade here?"
The man greeted with a wide smile.
"Of course... please come in."
Ferdinand stepped aside, his eyes betraying a hint of skepticism—
Most wizards he'd encountered didn't dress in Muggle attire, but this man was impeccably dressed.
Steven Murray, Ferdinand recalled Wade mentioning this individual.
For some reason, Ferdinand had always pictured him as chubby, but in person, Steven resembled more of a basketball player.
"Hey, Steven. Long time no see."
Wade descended the stairs and extended his hand in greeting.
"Wade, I'm here to take you to Alcyone Manor."
Steven's smile widened, his eyes sparkling. "Are you ready?"
"Absolutely."
Wade grabbed his pencil case from the shelf and tucked it into his pocket. After bidding farewell to his parents, the two departed Grey's residence together.
The cold morning light bathed the streets; most houses' windows remained dark. The mist lent an ethereal blur to the distant street scenes.
"How are we getting there?" Wade inquired.
"My father advised against apparating with you for safety reasons," Steven replied, raising his wand. "So, our only option is the Knight Bus."
With a resounding bang, a triple-decker bus appeared as if squeezed out of thin air, its front lights gleaming brightly.
"Wouldn't such a loud noise wake up Muggles?" Wade asked incredulously.
"No. The bus is under a concealment charm. Muggles generally can't see or hear it," Steven explained.
"...Generally?"
"Haha... you're quite sharp."
Steven chuckled. "Occasionally, some Muggles might notice the bus, but they usually attribute it to being dazzled."
"Welcome to the Knight Bus! Just stick out your wand and hop on, and we'll whisk you away to your destination. I'm Stan Shunpike, and I'll be your conductor tonight—"
A lanky young man leaned halfway out of the bus door, delivering a lengthy speech before noticing the two figures waiting on the roadside.
"Come on in, you two! What are you waiting for?" Shunpike greeted enthusiastically.
"Just waiting to see when you'd let me get a word in... Eleven Sickles each, right?" Steven handed Shunpike a gold Galleon and several silver Sickles.
"Care for some chocolate, sir? Just an extra two Sickles per piece!"
Shunpike asked loudly, pulling the door open.
"No, thanks. We're headed to Alcyone Manor," Steven replied.
"Yes, sir!" Shunpike shouted back.
Stepping onto the bus, Wade observed its interior. Several beds with brass bedposts lined the vehicle, curtains drawn over nearby windows. Candles on a shelf provided dim illumination, casting shadows throughout.
Only one bed was occupied.
A man in an old nightcap lay tucked under a quilt, breathing softly. Shunpike's boisterous entrance seemed not to disturb him in the slightest.
"Get some rest, Wade."
Steven chose a bed and reclined on it, cautioning, "This bus has a wild ride ahead."
Taking heed of the advice, Wade settled in.
Shunpike raised an eyebrow. "Speed is the essence of adventure!"
"Thank you, but I'd prefer this adventure to be a bit gentler," Steven remarked dryly.
Before he could finish, the bus lurched forward like a bounding frog, causing Wade to nearly tumble off the bed.
Quickly, he retrieved his wand and cast a sticking charm on his clothes, preventing further upheaval from the bus's erratic movements.
"Wow, student—breaking Ministry of Magic travel regulations!" Shunpike exclaimed, followed by a laugh.
"Will you be reporting us to the Ministry of Magic?" Steven asked.
"Of course not!"
Shunpike grinned mischievously. "My lips are sealed tighter than a Permanent Sticking Charm!"
The driver, Ernie, chimed in from the front, "Stan, we have professional standards—don't go joking around."
"Copy that, Ern!" Shunpike saluted, tapping his forehead.
Despite its wild ride, the Knight Bus was remarkably swift. Before long, it arrived outside Alcyone Manor.
Steven and Wade disembarked together. The manor's iron gates slid open noiselessly, closing behind them as they entered.
Compared to typical Muggle estates, wizarding manors were notably tranquil, requiring far fewer servants. House-elves managed all domestic chores.
"I was actually going to invite you to my farm, Alcyone Manor, but it's a bit too quiet there," Steven remarked. "However, my father insisted on giving you a few days of alchemy lessons first."
"Don't you need to go to Mr. Scamander's place?" Wade inquired.
"Mr. Scamander granted me a two-week summer break," Steven replied cheerfully. "After your lessons, we'll spend a couple of days at the farm. Then, we're off to Dorsetshire. Mr. Scamander said he'd be delighted to have you visit."
Wade eagerly anticipated the upcoming adventures.
...
As Steven had described, Alcyone Manor boasted over a dozen house-elves, although Wade had yet to catch sight of any.
The cuisine here far surpassed that of Hogwarts' cafeteria.
While the school's long dining tables always offered ample servings—baked potatoes, fried steaks, roast chickens, cakes, and more—it could grow monotonous after a while.
Alcyone Manor, however, provided a different experience.
Professor Murray, who had traveled extensively in his youth and attended international conferences in disguise, had introduced a variety of cuisines to the manor—Peking duck, Brazilian barbecue, Singaporean chili crab, Spanish ham, Mexican burritos...
The menu booklet for the cafeteria alone was two inches thick.
Additionally, guests could place custom orders. Selected dishes arrived silently at their tables within half an hour, courtesy of the house-elves.
At noon, Professor Murray returned from outside. Skipping pleasantries, he began Wade's lesson.
"You've mastered the fundamentals of alchemy," Professor Murray stated plainly. "This summer, we'll delve into something special—biological alchemy."
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