The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 12 The Story of Old John

Dinner is over.

Ino added enough kerosene to the oil lamp so that the flame could illuminate the entire room as much as possible.

Speaking of kerosene, one has to admire how interesting the residents of this small town are.

Aside from not paying for stories, they'll "buy tickets" for all sorts of odds and ends, including this small can of kerosene, which is part of their payment.

After doing all this, Ino turned around and sat back down in her chair, asking, trying to make conversation:

"Old John! Why do you always use flint to start a fire? Although I don't object to saving money, we can still afford two packets of matches for one copper coin."

As he spoke, he casually took out a whole box of matches he had just bought that afternoon from his package. Judging by their appearance, they should last a long time.

To be honest, after spending so much time together, he had developed genuine compassion for this elderly man living alone.

It may not seem like much now, but what if we extend the timeframe to many years from now?

With no children, no savings, and not even the ability to work, what will become of old John?

But his abilities were limited, and there were many things he couldn't do. All he could do was buy small things like matches to make the old man's later years as easy as possible.

Just as Ino placed the matches on the table, Old John froze on the spot, a hint of inexplicable sadness in his eyes.

Sensing that something was wrong with Old John, Ino wisely chose to remain silent, knowing he was truly powerless to help him at the moment.

Moreover, no one knows why Old John is sad. If he accidentally says something inappropriate and offends the other party, that would be the worst possible outcome.

Silence became the dominant theme of the dilapidated hut.

a long time……

The sadness in Old John's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a resolute look.

"Thank you for the gift, little Ino. I'll accept the matches!"

Unlike his usual cheerful self, Old John's voice was somewhat hoarse at this moment.

Upon hearing this, Ino did not speak immediately.

After a month, the long-awaited sense of returning finally arrived.

"It seems the real reason they haven't left yet is still with Old John."

He immediately had the answer in his mind, and at the same time, he remembered a very rare situation, which was a story within a story.

In layman's terms, most places tend to settle into a mundane routine after the story ends.

However, there are some special cases where new stories continue to emerge after the original story ends. Although such cases are very rare, they do exist.

Closer to home.

After regaining her composure, Ino said with a relaxed expression, "I'm glad you like it. Consider it a parting gift. You know I can't afford to give you anything else valuable."

"Farewell?" Old John paused for a moment, but quickly understood the reason and murmured, "Indeed, bards are destined not to stay in one place for long, leaving is only a matter of time, I should have known that."

"Haha, you're right. We won't stay in one place for long. Every bard is like the wind, and the wind is like a transparent river that flows ceaselessly with the changing terrain."

Ino responded with a smile.

"But the river's final destination is the vast, boundless sea," old John advised, adopting an expression of someone with experience.

"Listen to me, little one! If you find the right place and the right people, stay there. Life is never short of passion, but it will eventually return to calm. You can't wander forever."

After hearing Old John's advice, Ino did not immediately reject it. After pondering for a few seconds, she finally spoke:

"Perhaps you are right! Rivers end at the sea. But the sea will rise with rain, which will be like cool shooting stars, riding on soft clouds, and once again showering down on the world."

"Hey! I'm actually debating with a bard." Old John shook his head with amusement, as if to put the matter aside, and didn't say anything more.

But Ino didn't want it to end there. Before leaving, he wanted to offer some words of comfort to the elderly man, since the sadness that had just flickered in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"Old John, do you know what my favorite thing is?"

Without waiting for a reply, he continued speaking to himself:

"I love the sun because it is both sunrise and sunset at all times. When it extinguishes itself and descends the mountain to collect the desolate afterglow, it is precisely when its other side burns as it climbs to the mountaintop, spreading warm morning light."

"So, old John, everything has two sides. Don't let your habitual thinking get you stuck and prevent you from ever getting out of it."

After saying that, Ino fell silent. Many things are best left unsaid; after all, saying more is pointless.

Similarly, he had already made up his mind to pack his bags first thing tomorrow morning.

About five or six minutes have passed.

Just when Ino thought the chat could end for the night, a soft sigh echoed in the room.

Looking up, I saw old John sitting on the other side of the table, as if he had finally unloaded a burden he had carried for many years.

Although her appearance remained unchanged, she looked much younger, and even her silver hair no longer appeared so pale.

At this moment, old John suddenly spoke up and asked, "I've been listening to your stories these past few days, but I wonder if you'd be interested in hearing one from old John now?"

Ino didn't speak, but he showed his feelings through his actions. He pulled up his ear with one hand, making a gesture as if he were listening attentively.

"Hahaha, you little rascal..."

Old John was also amused by the comical expression and laughed out loud. After a moment's hesitation, he began to speak slowly:

"The story isn't set in some faraway land; it takes place right here, in this small town. Once upon a time, there lived a young man who always longed for the free world outside. Whenever a wandering bard passed through town, he would tirelessly inquire about the outside world..."

"...As time went by, the young man finally succumbed to reality. He got married to a wife who wasn't particularly beautiful but was very virtuous, which gradually calmed his restless heart."

At this moment, old John's face was filled with a happy sense of nostalgia.

"But fate always takes unexpected turns. His wife was pregnant and passed away unexpectedly on the day she gave birth."

"He gained a daughter but lost a wife! This blow stirred up his gradually calming heart again. He wanted to go out and escape to a faraway place... A few years later, he entrusted his 5-year-old daughter to his younger brother and left the small town where he lived alone."

At this point, old John coughed agitatedly, his breathing became short, and his eyes were filled with annoyance and regret.

After a long while, he finally spoke haltingly, continuing:

"...What the young man didn't expect was that his hardworking and honest younger brother developed an alcoholic disorder after their elderly mother passed away, becoming slovenly, lazy, and idle all day long. In order to have money for drinking, he made his young niece sell matches barefoot in the cold winter to supplement the family income."

At this point in the story, Ino noticed that there seemed to be a glimmer of tears in Old John's eyes.

Similarly, he suddenly realized something, and a well-known story instantly came to mind—The Little Match Girl.

As the story continued, he was now certain that Old John was the irresponsible father in the story, the young man who abandoned his daughter and left more than 20 years ago before returning home.

……

Old John's story has finally come to an end.

The room fell silent, save for the occasional soft popping of sparks from the burning oil lamp.

A long time has passed.

Then, Ino slowly spoke, saying, "Old John, I also have a story about matches. Would you like to hear it?"

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(End of this chapter)