Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 150 The Trail of Azkaban

"Welcome aboard the Willump Silvia Explorer. This journey will begin on the Thames, pass through Grace, and proceed to Southend, before finally setting sail from Southend."

At the front of the crowd, a guide in a maritime uniform gave a sweet but mechanical introduction.

Loren felt nothing; in fact, he even felt a little sleepy. The Grangers stood on either side of him, protecting Loren and Hermione as they quietly waited to board the ship.

Wendell looked at the hull and said, "You can't fish while the ship is sailing, can you?"

"There will be periods of slow travel and pauses, specifically reserved for tourists to enjoy themselves," Loren explained.

Wendell stared at the large ship, gripping the box in his hands tightly, secretly plotting its contents.

"Everything's taken care of, let's board the ship." Grandpa Bates came up from behind and handed the tickets to everyone. "The bank manager told me that there are screening criteria for this trip, so the service will definitely be excellent."

The plan to rent a yacht was changed to boat tickets, and in any case, Loren felt it was a good deal.

He swayed the backpack on his back; it only contained a few sets of clothes and was hardly heavy.

The others' backpacks were similarly lightweight. Anything they might need was packed in Hermione's linen pouch, except for the two trunks Wendell and Bates carried.

"Daddy, why don't you put the things from the suitcase into my bag?" Hermione asked, holding Monica's hand and peeking out at Wendell's suitcase.

“Listen, Hermione,” Wendell said seriously, “we can’t all be carrying the same backpack; that might arouse suspicion.”

Loren looked at the fishing tackle box, which was longer and thinner than a regular suitcase, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.

He paused for a moment, then said, "The cruise ship provides fishing gear, so why do you have to bring your own?"

Bates grinned at this, but then remembered Wendell's request and suppressed his smile.

"Fishing gear? What does this have to do with fishing gear?" Wendell turned his head and asked, feigning confusion. "So, the ship offers fishing services?"

"There's a fishing icon on the handle of the suitcase," Monica pointed out.

Wendell was very upset.

Apart from Wendell, everyone else was also struggling to hold back their laughter.

The journey was silent. After boarding the ship, both families found their reserved rooms and put away their luggage. The two rooms were next to each other.

Loren tossed his backpack into the closet, sat on the bed, slumped back, stretched out his arms, and sank into the soft blankets.

The all-white sheets and duvet cover couldn't hide any stains, giving guests peace of mind. Only a blue stripe around the edge added decoration, and the bedding had a cleansing scent and a faint lavender fragrance.

"Not bad, quite clean." Bates walked around the room, looking around. He looked energetic and showed no signs of aging, much more vibrant than Loren, who had collapsed into the room as soon as he entered.

"Did you buy the fishing gear or Hermione's father?" Loren suddenly remembered this question.

After waiting a while without hearing a reply, Loren knew the answer. Wendell, he had fallen.

"Come on, let's go for a walk on the deck first." Bates pulled Loren out of bed and dragged him outside. "The Grangers need to unpack some things in their small bag, and there are two women with them. It'll probably take some time."

The distance from London to Southend isn't far; if you calculate the time, you can leave in the afternoon and set sail in the evening.

As they passed the next room, Loren peeked into the closet and called out to Hermione, who was tidying up, "Let's go for a walk outside. See you in the dining room for dinner!"

Hermione waved her hand, indicating that she already knew.

There weren't many people outside; most tourists were resting in their rooms. Loren and Bates stood in the atrium corridor looking out and could vaguely see pedestrians and trees on the bank, with ripples spreading across the curtain-like river surface.

The cabins are equipped with various entertainment facilities, shops, and even coffee shops.

As darkness fell, the Granger family arrived at the restaurant together, and Hermione immediately spotted Loren sitting next to her.

Grandpa Bates sat to the side, looking around the restaurant, while Loren was scooping a large cup of strawberry ice cream with a small spoon.

"Why are you only eating ice cream? Aren't you hungry?" Hermione asked.

Loren took a sip of his spoon, looked up, and began recommending: "Fish and chips are delicious, pasta is delicious, lamb chops are delicious, roast meat is delicious, salmon is not good..."

Hermione immediately understood; it wasn't just about eating ice cream, but rather that they had already finished their main meal and this was dessert.

Wendell and Monica went to get food, while Hermione sat down to exchange experiences with Loren, mentioning that the coffee wasn't good and that there would be musical performances in the cabin that evening...

In less than half a day, Loren had become familiar with the situation on the ship.

When Wendell and Monica returned with the food, Loren and Bates were gone. Hermione was alone, clutching the strawberry ice cream Loren had left behind, tasting it spoonful by spoonful.

The two didn't pay much attention; it was normal to be curious and explore when you've just boarded the ship.

Steaming hot fish and chips, pasta coated in bright red tomato sauce, golden brown lamb chops...

No wonder Loren said this was delicious and that was delicious. Hermione touched her bulging belly and realized with concern that she seemed to have eaten a little too much.

She looked up at Wendell, who was dipping large fries in ketchup and eating them one after another. "Dad, aren't you going fishing?"

"Fishing? What fishing? I'm not really interested." Wendell was very calm. He had confirmed that fishing would not be available on the first day of the cruise.

"Is that so?" Hermione nodded calmly. "But Loren is already gone."

"What?! Where? The boats are still running, aren't they? Fishing isn't open yet, is it?"

Hermione and Monica both stared at Wendell.

Wendell composed himself and paused for a moment. "I mean, don't break the ship's rules. It's unsafe and could cause trouble."

Hermione said "Oh," and added, "The fishing service on the ship isn't open, but some people will use their own fishing rods to fish on the second deck for a while. The staff won't stop them, and there are lifeguards nearby."

"I don't really want to go fishing either. Loren is just a kid, so it's understandable that he's playful," Wendell said, stiffly sitting back down and continuing to dip his fries in ketchup, though his movements weren't as enthusiastic.

As if remembering something, he turned his head and asked, "What about Bates?"

"Grandpa Bates went fishing too; the two of them went together."

"How could he...?" Wendelteng stood up abruptly, his expression extremely indignant. Facing the gazes of the mother and daughter, he sat back down. "I mean, some of his fishing gear parts are still with me. You can't fish without the parts."

"No, I have to take it to him." Wendell got up to leave, looking anxious for Bates.

"It's alright, with Loren here, there's no need to worry about lacking parts." Hermione's voice was both innocent and cruel.

Wendell sat back down, his expression shifting rapidly, visibly restless, shifting his body in his seat.

"But it's inconvenient to use magic on the ship, Dad, why don't you take the parts to Grandpa Bates instead?" Hermione's lovely face was full of kindness.

"You're right!" Wendell stood up abruptly and walked into the room.

Hermione watched her father's hurried back as she snuggled against Monica, giggling.

Monica tapped Hermione's nose with her finger and laughed, "Is it proper for you to tease your father like that? I wonder where you learned that from?"

"Hehehe..."

Hermione and Monica weren't interested in fishing. They slowly finished their dinner, then took a stroll around the cabin, listening to live music and watching impromptu performances, before going up to the deck to digest their food.

On a simple folding stool supported by a few strips of cloth, Wendell, wearing a large fisherman's hat and fingerless gloves, quietly held a fishing rod with a solemn expression.

Bates casually set up his fishing rod, focusing more on the sea, as if the waves were something more attractive.

To Hermione's surprise, Loren wasn't fishing. He was leaning against the railing, his arms crossed, looking in the direction the ship was sailing, as if searching for something.

A fresh scent suddenly wafted through the slightly salty air; it was Hermione's scent, which Loren recognized without turning his head.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione asked, mimicking his gesture as she leaned against him and looked in the same direction of the journey.

Loren's gaze stretched into the distance: "Do you know Azkaban?"

As for Azkaban, the infamous wizarding prison, how could Hermione not know about it? She had seen information about Azkaban before enrolling: "Azkaban was built in the 15th century and became a wizarding prison in England in 1718. It is a prison located on a small island in the middle of the North Sea. It—"

Hermione's eyes lit up when she reached this point. Their voyage would pass through the North Sea. She hesitated, then asked, "It was built using specific enchantments. Azkaban is hidden and unmappable in the Muggle world. We won't find it, will we?"

"Some magic only works on Muggles. Even if a prison is right in front of a Muggle, they can't see it. But we are wizards now."

"Yes! That's what the Muggle Exorcism Charm is!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly, racking her brains to find clues about Azkaban in the scene before her.

"It is said that Azkaban was originally just a fortress inhabited by an evil wizard named Extis. He lured Muggles to the island and then tortured them to death."

"After Extis died, the concealment charms he used on the fortress and the island failed. It was only then that the Ministry of Magic learned of the existence of this small island. At that time, the place was full of Dementors, and the Ministry of Magic was afraid that destroying the island would release the Dementors and cause heavy casualties, so the island was abandoned."

"In 1718, after Damocles Roll was elected Minister of Magic, he insisted on using Azkaban as a prison because he believed that the Dementors on the island could serve as guards, saving time, money and effort."

"Later, Minister Edridge Diggory, after inspecting Azkaban prison, witnessed the horrific scenes inside. He began to seek an alternative to Azkaban, but Edridge died of draconian smallpox in 1747, and the plan to replace Azkaban was abandoned."

"Its interior may have been protected by a smothering spell or similar magic to ensure it could hold all the criminals in the UK."

Listening to Hermione's incessant chatter, Loren's head started to ache, and he couldn't help but ask, "You actually memorized all this trivial stuff?"

Reflected in the ship's lights, Hermione's eyes sparkled: "Isn't this fascinating knowledge? I've wondered why one prison can hold all the criminals in Britain, whether there are other prisons, what prisons are like in other countries, how the death penalty for wizards is carried out..."

Hermione has an endless passion and curiosity for knowledge, and it is this very quality that makes her so captivating.

Chattering away, the two searched aimlessly for any trace of Azkaban as they stared at the dim sea.

"I know there's another wizard prison."

"Hmm? How come I don't know? What's her name? Where is she? Is she also on an island?"

"Call him Nurmengard..."

My eyes were almost watering from the wind, but I didn't see a trace of Azkaban, not even a small island.

"We're still in the Strait of Dover. This is below the North Sea, not within its boundaries, so we can't find it," Hermione said, her eyes red, explaining the reason for tonight's failure.

"If it weren't for you, I would have gone back to fishing in a few minutes. It's all your fault." Loren habitually and naturally shifted the blame, completely forgetting who had mentioned Azkaban in the first place.

"The ship will probably pass through the central North Sea tomorrow afternoon. We'll come here tomorrow morning to sit and watch." Hermione recalled the map around the North Sea and guessed where Azkaban might exist.

"Are you going to keep looking tomorrow?" Loren's face clearly showed his refusal. He had only acted on a whim and had no intention of going to war with Azkaban. "What if you still can't find it by tomorrow?"

"We have to give it a try!"

Hermione is also always particularly serious about certain things.

"Loren, Hermione, they're done fishing and heading back." Monica walked over, looking at their eyes, red from the wind, and chuckled as she ruffled their hair. "Didn't they know to take shelter from the wind? Are they both stupid?"

"Oh~" Hermione gently bumped her head against Monica's waist, and was led inside by her.

Bates carried two fishing tackle boxes, and Wendell carried a small bucket borrowed from the boat. The two men stood at the entrance to the cabin waiting for them.

Loren observed the smile on Wendell's face and knew that tonight had been fruitful. He didn't ask any questions and walked towards the guest rooms on his own. Hermione was clinging to her mother, not even wanting to open her eyes to see where she was going.

Wendell carried the bucket, but something felt off. Monica watched them fish and knew they had a good catch, but Loren and Hermione did not.

Without letting the two men know, he caught three slender hairy fish in a short time. He always felt empty inside, as if something was missing.

"Hey, did you know? The fish we catch can be taken to the ship's kitchen and cooked for free." Wendell's voice was louder than usual.

"I know, the crew mentioned it when we were fishing," Bates replied.

Wendell looked extremely awkward. He had intended to use this to remind Hermione and Loren, but now that Bates had answered, the two children didn't react.

Monica and her two companions walked ahead, showing no inclination to turn around and join their conversation.

Wendell paused for a moment, then called out, "Hermione!"

"Hmm?" Hermione turned to look at him.

"How did you know I'd catch three chub in a minute?" Wendell's voice was loud and clear, his tone natural.

"Huh?" Hermione looked confused. What are you talking about, Dad...?

Beside them, the shoulders of the other three were trembling, struggling to suppress their laughter.

A certain Hermione leader wants to keep the author informed and see if there are any other friends with similar ideas. Let's build a thread here, and I'll create a group once we have 20 people.

(End of this chapter)