Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 802 Embarking on the Journey

The black rubber tires rolled over the asphalt road, the sun-baked surface exuding an indescribable, strong odor, mixed with hydrocarbons left by burning gasoline, with a faint fragrance. The sky was not yet completely dark, the afterglow of dusk making the red light of the car's taillights somewhat dim, the engine roared happily, and gradually drove towards Hampstead on the outskirts of the city.

Loren sat in the back seat, holding Hermione's hand, and leaned close to the window to look out at the concrete jungle.

"Tsk..."

Loren blinked, thinking that the high-rise buildings in the Muggle city were quite beautiful. With glass curtain walls on the outside, they exuded a sense of magnificence, whether it was the glow of the setting sun or the city lights that had already been turned on, as if to make up for the lack of starlight in the city.

Perhaps it was because I had spent so much time in an ancient castle like Hogwarts that I felt a little disoriented upon suddenly returning to a modern city.

Hermione also surveyed the buildings without speaking, her gaze occasionally drifting to the spot beside her and then to the passenger seat in front, her expression somewhat complicated.

The Mondeo Classic, a five-seater mid-size sedan, is a family car developed by Ford Europe for the global market. Hermione didn't quite understand the designer's original concept, but she always thought that if the two families were traveling together, with Grandpa Bates driving, her father Wendell should be in the passenger seat, not in the back.

Stare at her and Loren's hands clasped together.

The atmosphere inside the car was somewhat awkward.

Bates and Monica in the front row were chatting and laughing about the wizard parents they had just met. Loren sat in the back row by the window, holding the girl's hand and enjoying the night view. Hermione sat in the middle, sitting upright with a calm expression. Only Wendell had his brows furrowed and his eyes widened slightly, as if he couldn't quite accept it.

The first to break the silence was Bates. He casually gripped the steering wheel, glanced at the rearview mirror, and raised his voice with a chuckle: "Judging from what Harry said earlier, Hermione has already confirmed her job at the Ministry of Magic? When is she going to report for duty? Summer vacation has only just begun, she should enjoy a few more weeks of fun."

Monica smiled and asked, "Loren, how are your graduation trip plans coming along?"

"I can start working once my grades come out, but I plan to go in mid-August," Hermione said cheerfully.

Loren turned and smiled, "We'll set off on our graduation trip in a few days. We plan to find a legendary magic spring and then go to New York to attend the International Wizarding Union Conference."

Have a wonderful graduation holiday!

"..."

Wendell's lips twitched a few times, but he didn't speak. His gaze drifted down slightly, and he saw Loren and Hermione holding hands. His brows furrowed, and he hesitated, wanting to speak but ultimately said nothing. He could only glare at him to express his dissatisfaction.

An hour later, I returned home.

Monica's meticulously prepared dinner gleamed.

This is the normal reflection of oil under incandescent light. Strictly speaking, these dishes, cooked according to recipes from TV shows and magazines, are not sophisticated enough, nor are they amazing. However, they have a homey feel to them. For Loren and Hermione, these dishes are just as delicious as the Hogwarts year-end dinner.

As dinner drew to a close, Loren sat next to Hermione, sipping his ice cream.

Hermione glanced at him, licked her lips, then slightly tightened her abdomen, carefully felt it, and showed a slightly uncomfortable expression.

My stomach and belly are already full; there's no room for ice cream.

Loren glanced at her, seemingly understanding her dilemma, and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I have a digestive potion prepared by Lady Pomfrey."

Hermione's eyes gleamed: "You can't overeat."

"How can this be considered overeating? It's not like we do this all the time..." Loren whispered, his voice drifting into my mind. "It's the first dinner I had after coming home for vacation, to celebrate graduating and becoming an adult. Your mother made it for us herself. It's okay to eat a little more, right?"

"Only today."

"Eat."

"I'm still surprised. Mom definitely wouldn't have made ice cream before." Hermione sipped her spoon, glancing furtively at the sofa. Her voice was low and slightly sweet because of the ice cream. "The sweetest thing in the fridge used to be frozen ice."

"Perhaps it's because of my influence."

"snort……"

Hermione took a sip of ice cream and glanced at him sideways.

The ice cream on the plate gradually dwindled. She swallowed the last strawberry smeared with cream, tried again to gather her strength and tighten her stomach, but ultimately gave up in defeat. Turning her head, she saw her parents and Grandpa Bates chatting on the sofa. Meeting their teasing smiles, Hermione's face immediately flushed red.

……

It's been a week of vacation.

Before NEWT's report card even arrived, Hermione had already received an offer of admission from the Ministry of Magic. This haphazard sequence only made her more curious about her exam results, causing her anxiety and frequent sighs.

Loren received a letter from Dumbledore, sent from Bavaria, Germany, after several days and nights of travel by owl.

The letter was neither too long nor too short, and included several postcards.

Dumbledore briefly recounted his experiences and observations during his travels around the world, witnessing how Muggle technology had transformed the world in various places: skyscrapers and sophisticated machinery in cities, signal towers and power stations in the wilderness. Muggles had even ventured into primeval forests, setting up camps miles away from unicorns and centaurs. However, for the past few decades, most wizarding conquerors had not strongly resisted this expansion, effectively isolating wizarding residents and magical creatures from Muggles. Only recently have signs of this expansion become uncontrollable, causing panic among many magical creatures.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Dumbledore explained Loren's teleportation plan to the elders and leaders of various races. The magical beings were amazed and impressed, and trusting of Dumbledore, they quickly accepted the plan and offered their assistance.

The letter then mentioned Loren's upcoming graduation trip, providing a detailed description of the location of the Fountain of Good Fortune and the protective magic nearby, and advising Loren to make targeted preparations.

Even in retirement, he's still busy saving the world; Dumbledore should receive the Merlin Knight Lifetime Achievement Award.

Loren put away the letter, flipped through a few postcards, and the girl who had just come out of the shower sat down in front of him.

Her hair, damp and fragrant with shampoo, was naturally presented to him with a comb and hairdryer. Noticing his lack of response, her gaze shifted downwards to the neatly written letter and several postcards in his hand.

"A letter from Dumbledore?"

"I could dry my hair with just a few waves of my wand."

"The warm air from the appliance is more comfortable, and I love it when you comb my hair." Hermione drawled out the last syllable, with a hint of coquetry, and tossed her hair, deliberately letting a few strands brush against his cheek, leaving it damp.

"Magic has made things convenient for all wizards, except for you, hasn't it?"

Loren persisted in his verbal sparring, then casually took the comb and hairdryer and began to impersonate Tony the hairdresser. His movements were skillful and his techniques were superb, the kind of person who could open a shop and make money right away.

"I come from a Muggle family..."

Hermione hummed twice and flipped through the postcard: "What did Dumbledore say in the letter?"

"You can see for yourself what it's about magical creatures and the Fountain of Good Fortune."

"call……"

Hermione looked down at the letter. The sound of a hairdryer echoed in the room. The motor was still a bit rough at that time. The hot air blew through the pipes, and the whistling sound was mixed with some noise, like a hoarse voice with amazing lung capacity.

The boy's fingertips were also warm, which was reassuring.

……

Two days later, on June 22, the summer solstice.

Preparations for the graduation trip were all complete. The packed luggage was tossed into the pendant. Loren and Hermione, dressed in neat summer clothes, stood at the door of the house. They didn't look like they were going on a long trip, but rather like a young couple on a weekend date. The atmosphere was too relaxed, and the Grangers and Grandpa Bates didn't feel nervous at all.

"From a wizard's perspective, with our current magical skills, this trip can't really be considered a long journey. If things go smoothly, we can come back for dinner. If things don't go smoothly, we'll come back to rest first, and we'll still have dinner."

The Grangers: "..."

Grandpa Bates: "..."

"Anyway, there's nothing to worry about."

"We are not worried."

"See you tonight."

"..."

With a slight hum in the air, Loren and Hermione vanished from their spot.

The three parents stood in the center of the room, glanced at each other, and couldn't help but smile sincerely. Then they went back to their own business. Wendell and Monica had to go to work at the clinic, and Grandpa Bates had to go to the bank to handle some business, as a large fixed deposit was maturing.

……

Nine o'clock in the morning.

In the desert of eastern Egypt, between the Nile and the Red Sea, in a desolate valley, a strange magic enveloped the area. Driven by some will, the magic condensed and twisted into indistinct characters, which, through the influence of runes, connected this space with another unknown space. In the transparent air, signs of light distortion appeared, as if space itself was trembling slightly.

Accompanied by a low-frequency hum in the air, two figures appeared out of thin air.

Stepping onto the soft sand, I sank a few centimeters before regaining my footing, and immediately felt the scorching heat of the air and the blinding sunlight. It was only nine in the morning, yet the sun was already displaying its blazing intensity, relentlessly showering down its light and heat.

Hermione silently sensed it for a while. Between the undulating river valleys and sand dunes, the temperature was accompanied by air convection, and a noticeable wind blew in her face, mixed with sand and dust, hot and rough.

After experiencing it, I felt physically uncomfortable.

Hermione took out her wand, ready to cast a Bubble Head Curse, but was stopped by Loren.

"The 'bubble head curse' not only blocks the wind and sand but also hinders our sense of smell, delaying our exploration of the desert in search of the Fountain of Good Fortune. I have prepared a sun hat with a veil."

"You think this is interesting, right?"

"..."

Loren pursed his lips. Miss Granger had grown up and knew him all too well. "I'm here to find the Fountain of Good Fortune as soon as possible."

"oh."

"Here, I'll put it on you."

"Don't overdo it, watch the time."

Hermione gave a word of advice, watching as the man pulled out a sun hat and a white cloak, and they each put on a set, like the local indigenous clothing.

"It's a graduation trip after all..."

Loren muttered to himself, glancing up at the sand dunes and the sky.

The only sounds in this desert were the hot wind and the shifting sand. The wind howled indistinctly, and the sand rustled softly. The similar terrain and colors blurred the direction and distance, making it impossible to discern where these sounds were coming from. There were no other sounds of life; it was eerily quiet. It was unclear whether this was simply the nature of the environment or something else entirely.

A dozen minutes later.

The two moved quickly through the desert area.

The desert is vast and boundless, with undulating dunes and loose, fragmented sand. Whether climbing or sliding down, one must always be careful to avoid slipping and falling, and also be aware of quicksand terrain, which is fraught with danger. For adult wizards, this open terrain is actually quite safe; a single blink of Apparition can cover hundreds or even thousands of feet.

"Wow……"

Loren stood atop the dune, about to marvel at the magnificent view before him, when a gust of hot wind blew in, lifting the veil of sand and bringing in wisps of dust, interrupting his contemplation.

"Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!"

After finally managing to vomit completely, Loren pulled her veil tighter and gazed into the distance.

The sand and dust made my eyes squint.

As far as the eye could see, there was an endless expanse of golden sand. Although this was a river valley, the river had long since dried up. The sand, pulled by the ceaseless wind and gravity, had coalesced into massive, complex dunes resembling mountains. At first glance, each dune looked exactly like it had been carved from the same mold. But they had just experienced it; after walking only a few steps, the dunes that had been in sight the whole time had changed their appearance.

Loren's gaze swept around.

Behind the hill to his right, he could vaguely see a shimmering, magical glow, which should belong to some magical ruin, perhaps a tomb like a pyramid, or perhaps the Fountain of Good Fortune.

"Is the Fountain of Good Fortune hidden in this desert...?"

"That's what Dumbledore said."

According to the Tales of Beedle the Bard, the Fountain of Good Fortune is located in a magical garden, high on a hill...

"The hills here are indeed very high."

"What about the magic garden?"

"Who says gardens have to be lush and green?"

"..."

Hermione looked around and saw the sunlight refracting through the sand, making the surface of the dunes seem to glow faintly. After reading Dumbledore's letter, she also read a lot of information about this desert, whose history was even more profound and extensive than that of Hogwarts.

One of the birthplaces of Egyptian culture and shamanistic culture, traces of human life can be found there as early as the Paleolithic era.

Year after year, Gringotts recruits unravelers and sends them here in search of the gold hidden in the dunes. Hundreds and thousands of wizards venture deep into the desert to seek the truth deep in history.

In the story, Beethoven says that on the day with the longest day of the year, between sunrise and sunset, a group of unlucky people gather near the Fountain of Good Fortune. After overcoming many obstacles, one person will be chosen to bathe in the magic of the Fountain of Good Fortune and will be forever blessed by the goddess of luck.

(End of this chapter)