Chương 40: At Flourish and Blotts
sss'Anthony, you have a Basilisk as a friend? Having a basilisk is a crime that will give you one-way ticket to Azkaban, be careful my child'sss said Nagini.
sss'Serpent of Slytherin, she is my grandmother. Grandmother, he is the Serpent of Slytherin, of course, you know him that he is a basilisk.'sss said, Anthony.
---
On the 26th of August, 1992.
Diagon Alley was overcrowded with students. Many familiar Professors could be seen guiding students and helping them to have their school supplies.
Anthony got his Grandmother inside his briefcase and arrived back at his apartment. John Dawlish was energized to have hiked and traveled in the Albanian forests. It was just like a vacation for him. Especially the reimbursement of Anthony which is a thousand galleons helped him to buy his wife a new dress.
Anthony asked John Dawlish to have a week with his family and blinked his eye to him indicating that he wouldn't tell any Government official that John Dawlish is not present with him.
When Anthony finally got alone at his apartment, he provided a bottle of Elixir to his Grandmother Nagini. When the snake Nagini drank the elixir of life, her shape of Snake was transformed and she has become a beautiful Asian woman in her early forties.
Anthony provided his grandmother a blanket and a mirror.
When Nagini saw her face through the mirror, she had an astonished face and couldn't really believe that she has become a human again. She has lived as a snake for the majority of her life.
Nagini understood that the magical python she has transformed into was a magical creature for thousands of years. Therefore in human years, she has only aged 10 years.
Nagini touched the mirror and looked at her beautiful face. Her breath was agitating and a drop of tear was fallen on the floor through her cheek. She looked at herself in the mirror for a while becoming emotional. But collected herself and wiped her tear because she is in front of her Grandchild Anthony.
'She really looks like Claudia Kim! Wasn't she is supposed to be around 90 years old? Wait, if she was going to die soon, Voldemort wouldn't make her as his Horcrux in the first place. She is my grandmother but now she looks almost as if she is my aunt.' thought Anthony in his mind.
Anthony in his previous life had a crush on Claudia Kim. But in this lifetime, Nagini is his biological Grandmother! Thinking about this Anthony shook his head twice and took out the female clothes he has prepared beforehand day. Anthony purchased some old-fashioned elderly clothes, he never imagined that his Grandmother would be a late twenty woman in her human form.
Anthony left his grandmother and prepared some dinner. For the dinner, he prepared a simple broccoli soup and some beef dumplings. Soon after a while his Grandmother wore the old fashioned elderly clothes and came out from the bedroom.
When Anthony saw his Grandmother Nagini, she looked beautiful even though she is wearing old fashioned elderly clothes.
"An.. Anth.. Anthony." said Nagini with stammering and difficulty.
"Yes, Grandmother!" said Anthony with a respectful tone.
Nagini couldn't walk and talk properly because she was in her snake form for several decades and her human muscle memories were forgotten long ago.
sss"Can you please help me to get to the kitchen please, my child?"sss said Nagini standing by supporting the door of the room.
When Anthony helped her to get into the kitchen table, they started to have the dinner Anthony has prepared. At first Nagini couldn't walk utilize her utensils properly. She can speak English with a difficulty so she choose to speak in Parseltongue. After several try to use the fork and spoons, she started to use the dish utensils with a little proficiency and managed to eat the food.
sss'Let's speak in parseltongue my child. My English seems to be forgotten. Anthony, thank you for your potion that turned me back into a human. You wonderful kid has cured my maledictus! I can feel that there is no urge for me to transform into a snake anymore. And this delicious dish you have prepared is wonderful. I couldn't remember when was the last time I have eaten human food.'sss said Nagini in a parseltongue.
"It's alright Grandma, you are my blood relative after all. If you weren't born, how could I exist in this world? Just this as repaying my gratitude for giving birth to my father" said Anthony.
sss"Do you attend the school called Hogwarts at this moment? And is the Headmaster still Albus Dumbledore'sss asked Nagini with a worried face.
"Yes, Albus Dumbledore is still the headmaster, is there anything wrong with attending Hogwarts?" Anthony becomes curious.
"Be careful when you are next to Albus Dumbledore, even though when he seems a great light wizard, he always plots behind the scene, and perhaps he has already grabbed your fate, and now deciding your future" said Nagini expressing his disgust towards Albus Dumbledore.
Anthony asked about his Grandfather's death and what happened in 1945, but Nagini declined to give an answer. She only said once that Albus Dumbledore is someone dangerous, not like who he is in appearance.
The next morning, Nagini and Anthony went to the Gringotts bank. Anthony left her 1 million galleons for her use. When Anthony leaves Hogwarts, her Grandmother will need 9 months of living expenditure. He didn't want her to ask for money from him every time she needs something. Therefore he deposited a large amount of money for her.
After the business in Gringotts, Anthony and Nagini went to the Ministry of Magic and she was registered as a foreign wizard who immigrated into Magical Britain under the name Nagini Saputra. They have hidden her ability to talk and Nagini pretended that she is mute.
Since there is no one that could recognize her beside Albus Dumbledore, Grindelwald and Newt Scamander, and few old wizards, Anthony and Nagini agreed to be carefree and cautious at the same time.
Just as when Anthony and Nagini were passing the Flourish and Blotts bookstore, Gilderoy Lockhart's book opening poster of Magical Me could be seen.
'So, today is the day when Lucius Malfoy gives Tom Riddle's diary to Ginny Weasley. Interesting, let's have a look. I didn't collect my school textbooks yet, so I can shoot two rabbits with one bullet for this event' thought Anthony.
"Mrs.Saputra, I didn't collect my textbooks yet, can we pass through the bookstore and purchase my textbooks first?" asked Anthony.
In Diagon Alley, Anthony Dumbledore is a famous person. The richest kid in the Magical Britain would attract many eyes and ears. Therefore to be cautious he called his Grandmother by her last name.
"Ye- Yes, my dear," said Nagini nodding her head, and went into Flourish and Blotts along with Anthony. Just as when Anthony and Nagini were about to enter the Bookstore, a faint voice could be heard.
"Anthony, over here!" a boy with eyeglasses could be seen. It was naturally Harry Potter and he was with Remus Lupin coming after him.
"Anthony, are you here for the second year supplies as well?" asked Harry Potter shaking hands with Anthony.
"Well, yes I guess so Harry. Hello Mr.Lupin" Anthony replied to Harry Potter and greeted Harry's foster father who is also his employee.
Lupin and Harry's overall clothes and health could be seen excellent. Lupin was wearing his official business attire and an acromantula silk-made fine black wizard robe. And Harry has gained some weight and gained some height. Anyone who sees Harry will never guess that he was a short and malnourished boy last year.
"Well well, Mr.Dumbledore, nice to meet you! I hope that you will reply to my reports sent to you this month." Remus Lupin who saw Anthony said sarcastically. Actually, since going to Albania, Anthony couldn't read his business reports and haven't replied to them yet.
"I will, Mr.Lupin, I will. And thank you for raising Harry in a wonderful environment. Oh, by the way, this is Mrs. Saputra. She is my business partner from Indonesia, she will be staying at my apartment till she finds a suitable home." said Anthony introducing his Grandmother to his friends.
"Ni-, Nice, to .. meet you!" said Nagini with a difficulty. But since everyone thinks that she is a foreigner, they would think she is learning English and it's not a problem.
"Nice to meet you" Harry and Lupin shake hands with Nagini and they both entered the bookstore.
GILDEROY LOCKHART
will be signing copies of his autobiography
MAGICAL ME
today 12:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M
A poster with a smiling Gilderoy Lockhart could be seen. Harry has seen Gilderoy Lockhart's image in his Lightning beverage bottle tag before, but thinking that he would be present here signing his autobiography, he wanted to get a signature as well.
The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around mid-forties. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies. . . . Don't push, there . . . mind the books, now. . . ."
Harry, Anthony, Nagini, and Lupin squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books.
'I should have followed Lockhart's advise and got this bookstore under my name!' thought Anthony in his mind.
Harry and Anthony each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, and sneaked up the line to where the Nagini and Lupin were standing next to the Weasleys. Just when Harry and Anthony got his books, Ron Weasley came next to his mother. When Ron Weasley saw Anthony and Harry Potter, he became a bit jealous on what kind of clothes they were wearing.
Nagini and Lupin stood behind Anthony and Harry respectively and was waiting for the signing to begin.
Mrs. Weasley next to them kept patting her hair and said "We'll be able to see him in a minute. . . ."
Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forgetme-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.
A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs
with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every
blinding flash.
"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better
shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet —"
"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had
stepped on it.
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron — and then he
saw Anthony and Harry. He stared. Then he leaped to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter and Anthony Dumbledore?"
The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, blinked to Anthony and seized Harry's and Anthony's arm, and pulled them to the front. The crowd burst into applause.
Harry's face burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who
was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.
"Nice big smile, Harry and Anthony" said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth.
"Together, we are worth the front page."
When he finally let go of Harry's hand, and gave his new book Magical me to Harry Potter.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an
extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little
announcement I've been sitting on for some time!
"When young Harry and Anthony here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography — which I shall be happy to present them
now, free of charge —" The crowd applauded again. "that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great
pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up
the post of Protection Against Black Magic teacher at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry found himself being
presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly
under their weight, he managed to make his way out of the limelight to the
edge of the room.
When Harry looked at Anthony with a difficulty in breathing, Anthony was just waving his wand to levitate the books through Wingardium Leviosa Spell.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Inkglass
Inkglass Guys I can't post tomorrow. So I have just let it publish today.
By the way thank you for your support. I have got well from the Covid illness.
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