Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 739 Heading to Iphamoni

Early morning, the sky was still dimly lit.

The city was still shrouded in darkness, but the airport terminal was brightly lit, and the noisy announcements tirelessly broadcast flight information. A bustling crowd flowed between elevators and corridors. Loren and Hermione followed behind airport staff, avoiding the crowds, and went through security and boarded the plane via another passage.

Due to the tight schedule, no flight to Massachusetts was arranged; instead, a direct flight from London to New York was arranged, a journey of nine hours.

The two boarded the plane, put away their luggage, and sat in a row.

Perhaps it was due to lack of sleep. I didn't get home until late last night, and because of the long trip, I chatted with my mother until the early hours of the morning. I only slept for a few hours, and I was dragged out of bed before dawn to catch my flight. My head is dizzy and my thinking is a bit sluggish.

Hermione glanced at Loren and saw that he was wearing a plain white short-sleeved shirt with a beach shirt on top and denim shorts on the bottom, with a baseball cap on. He looked extremely casual, and the only serious thing about him was his shoes. He looked like a student on summer vacation.

She didn't really like this outfit, but it inexplicably looked good on Loren, and she couldn't help but steal a glance at him.

The traffic lights on both sides of the road lit up, dispelling the dim, deep blue night. Loren leaned close to the window, pressed his forehead against the glass, and stared intently outside.

"What are you looking at?"

"Look for any subtle signs."

"What?"

Loren shook his head, looking mysterious: "I once heard a story about seventeen-year-old students who boarded a plane that was scheduled to depart in the early morning. Before takeoff, they sensed many subtle cues and, under the influence of some kind of intuition, avoided a plane crash, saving several of their classmates in the process. However, in the days that followed, these survivors died one by one in accidents, and none of them escaped the pursuit of death."

"..."

Hermione was already experienced in dealing with these incomprehensible strange words. At this time, she should not make a sound, not ask any questions, and just pretend she did not hear them.

She reached out and rubbed Loren's shoulders, trying to soften them so she could rest her head on them. The effect was so-so; they were still a bit stiff. She could only manage to sleep there.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, a slight smile curving her lips.

For a long time, because the girl grew and developed faster, she was slightly taller than Loren, so he always rested his head on her shoulder. Now that their positions were reversed, it was time for her to experience that feeling too.

The girl's scent lingered around his nose, her warm head rested on his shoulder, and her loose, disheveled hair brushed against his cheek, causing a slight tickle. This feeling of being cherished and trusted was indescribable, and that warmth seemed to flow straight into his heart.

Loren subtly slowed his breathing and unconsciously lowered his voice: "Should we upgrade to a cabin and sleep in the front?"

The girl gradually drifted off to sleep, her voice fading into a lazy, nasal tone: "No, just like this."

So Loren stopped trying to persuade him, kept his shoulders steady, and turned to look out the window.

A dozen minutes later, the plane taxied along the flight path. After a slightly noisy engine sound and a slight feeling of weightlessness, the plane gradually ascended into the sky.

It was still dark, but after the plane broke through the clouds, a bright light rose in the east. This light was golden and dazzling, like a burning flame in the darkness, and gradually ignited the rolling clouds below the dome of the sky.

Loren stared at the burning clouds, gradually becoming sleepy. He obediently closed his eyes and snuggled up to sleep with the girl.

I don't know how the flight path was planned. Either the airline's estimated time was inaccurate, or the plane took a detour and arrived over New York in the evening.

The plane slowly descended and disappeared into the sea of ​​clouds.

Hermione sat by the window, her head still resting on Loren's shoulder, her eyes gazing at the boundless sea of ​​clouds outside. The clouds were dyed a vibrant orange by the setting sun. She quietly watched this beautiful and splendid scene, then noticed that Loren's face, which was tilted to the side as he slept, was bathed in a golden light. The angle was so beautiful that she couldn't help but steal a glance at him.

For a moment, I had a strange feeling that they had come all the way across the ocean not for any living Horcruxes, not for Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but just for a vacation.

She couldn't help but daydream that taking a trip for two after graduation would be nice.

As his vision was gradually obscured by clouds and mist, the feeling of weightlessness as he fell woke Loren from his sleep. He blinked a few times and slowly opened his eyes.

Hermione immediately closed her eyes, vaguely sensing a gaze upon her. She tried to pretend she was still asleep, but a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

The plane landed on the ground and taxied for a distance. A slight jolt indicated that the flight had ended.

Staff members came out to guide passengers to leave in an orderly manner. Loren took a small suitcase off his head and pulled it toward the cabin door. As they walked out of the terminal side by side, they immediately saw two familiar figures. It was the people Dumbledore had arranged to pick them up, who were waiting for them ahead.

A man and a woman stood at the exit of the passage. The man stood upright in a suit with the Auror insignia of the Magical Congress of the United States pinned to his chest. The woman had a gentle smile. At first glance, her appearance had not changed much, but her temperament was completely different, giving her the feeling of an adult wizard.

Pickley Grevis raised his head and looked around at the pedestrians, while Nancy Boots next to him would occasionally elbow him to keep him from going too far.

Loren and Hermione paused for a moment, then dragged their suitcases over.

"Loren, Hermione, it's been a long time!"

Welcome to New York.

"have not seen you for a long time."

Loren shook hands with the two of them, somewhat surprised: "Dumbledore said he would arrange for someone to greet us. I thought it would be Professor Ivermony or a staff member from the Magical Congress of the United States, but I didn't expect it to be the two of you."

"You guessed right, we are indeed staff members of the Magical Congress." Piccolo couldn't help but smile, pointing to the badge on his chest. "I am currently an Auror in the Department of Law Enforcement, and Nancy is a Federation Wand Licensing Officer."

"Please cooperate with my work."

Nancy said with a serious expression, then chuckled herself. She took the two wands, made a mark on the parchment, handed the wands back, and led them out: "Mr. Dumbledore and Professor Fontana specifically asked us to apply for a Portkey to Mount Greylock. We won't stay in New York; we'll go directly to Ivermony."

Girls always find topics to talk about faster, and Hermione and Nancy quickly became acquainted, whispering about the Ministry of Magic and the Magical Congress.

Two boys walked together, discussing the unexpected situation that had started last night.

"The Magic Congress got busy as soon as it received the news last night. The Department of Legal Enforcement, the Department of Major Crimes Investigation, and the Department of Muggle Public Relations were all mobilized, and many experts from research departments also went to Iphamoni."

Pickley, walking beside him, said, "Excuse my bluntness, but I still want to ask, what emergency has occurred?"

"That's a long story..."