Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 319: What Happened Before (Part 5)

When Harry and Dumbledore reappeared, they were in front of a large, ornate iron gate. The gate looked a bit old, and the yellow carvings had faded somewhat, but it was very clean, and together with the green plants climbing on the walls on both sides, it gave people a very peaceful and warm feeling.

The iron gate was open, and as they walked in, they found themselves in a large, meticulously manicured lawn. A clean and tidy path led directly to a building inside. On either side of the building were two playgrounds filled with various amusement facilities, but no one was playing there at the moment.

When Harry reached the front of the building, he finally understood what this place was from a sign next to the door:

St. Mary's Home in Gloucestershire.

"This is the orphanage where Ike came from," Dumbledore said softly.

"We're here to..." Harry hadn't finished speaking when the door to the building was opened from the inside, and a woman who looked quite kind came out, followed by three or four children who looked no more than seven or eight years old.

"Mommy Julianne, could you bring me a lollipop?"

"Mommy Julianne, can I have a new comic book?"

"Mom Julianne, I can..."

The children's faces were filled with expectation as they waved their hands, eager to hand the crumpled coin to Julianne.

Julianne squinted and smiled as she took the money from the children. Harry checked it; it wasn't much, probably only a few pounds in total. It certainly wouldn't be enough to buy the children what they wanted.

"Okay, okay, I'll bring it back for you." Julianne solemnly put the money into her pocket, smiled and patted the children's heads, and said, "Now hurry back, or Aunt Rona will be angry."

"Okay! Mommy Julianne...don't forget!" the little ones responded in unison, with the slightly mischievous ones even giving a gentle reminder. Julianne, however, deliberately feigned anger, puffing out her cheeks and saying, "When did I forget? You little rascals, get out of my sight!"

"Aaaaah! Julianne's mom's angry! Run, run!"

The children ran off shouting and yelling, while Julianne stood at the door watching them until they all went back inside. Then she straightened her coat, closed the door, and came out.

"Let's follow." Dumbledore grabbed Harry's arm and followed Julianne into a car that was probably ninety percent new.

"Clutch, brake, accelerator... accelerator, clutch, brake..." Julianne muttered to herself as she got into the car before turning the key. After stalling twice, the car finally drove smoothly out of the orphanage, along the road into the city, and finally stopped outside a supermarket.

Harry, sitting in the back row, saw Julianne take a small notebook out of her bag, open it, and see it filled with names. She then took out a pen and started writing after the names.

Chocolate, lollipops, comic books, hair ties, hair clips—she wrote them all after each name. After writing the last name, she looked at it twice before putting the pen back in her bag.

Then, Julianne took out her wallet, put the crumpled banknotes from her pocket into it, and began counting them.

"There are already so many..." Julianne muttered to herself, "These kids..." She shook her head slightly, but a smile remained on her face. She put her wallet back in her bag, picked up her bag, opened the car door, and then walked into the supermarket.

"Sir, this..." Harry was a little confused as to why this memory started like this. He looked at Dumbledore, who was standing calmly beside him, wanting an answer.

"Keep watching, Harry." Dumbledore gently shook his head and closed his eyes. Harry had no choice but to continue waiting.

It was still daytime when they left the orphanage, but by the time Julianne returned pushing a cart full of things, the sun was almost setting.

Julianne opened the trunk of the car and put the items from the stroller inside one by one. Harry glanced at them; they were all the things written in that notebook, mostly candy.

Next, they went with Julianne to a bookstore and a clothing store. This time it was much faster, but they still filled the trunk to the brim. By the time Julianne drove back, the stars were shining brightly in the sky.

"It's already so late..." Julianne glanced at the sky and sighed. Then she got in the car and repeated "accelerator, brake, clutch" again. This time, the engine didn't stall and started moving smoothly.

The car wasn't going fast, and Julianne drove very steadily. Although every time a car passed by, it would startle her, she never panicked and swerved the steering wheel.

Harry stared boredly out the window at the scenery, but all he saw was a dark forest. Suddenly, Dumbledore tapped him on the shoulder, pointed ahead, and whispered, "Watch out, don't blink!"

I quickly focused my attention ahead, but all I could see was the road illuminated by car headlights; there was nothing else.

"boom!"

Just as I was about to ask a question, a deafening clap of thunder sounded, and suddenly the sky ahead lit up as lightning flashed across the distance. The next second, a torrential downpour began.

Julianne hurriedly turned on the windshield wipers and slowed down, clearly nervous about driving in the rain.

"Wasn't it sunny just now, sir? Why is it raining all of a sudden?" Harry couldn't help but ask. Dumbledore didn't give him an answer, only saying, "Patience, Harry, keep reading..."

Gradually, Harry realized something was wrong. Even though Julianne had slowed down, the journey was still far too long. It had only taken them half an hour to get to the supermarket before, but now it had been almost an hour and a half—why hadn't they gotten back to the orphanage yet?

Julianne clearly noticed this as well, her face showing visible tension as she muttered a prayer under her breath, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Suddenly! A blinding flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark woods on either side of the road. Julianne screamed, slammed on the brakes, and stared ahead in terror.

The sudden braking didn't cause Harry to lurch forward involuntarily, but his face showed a far greater expression of terror and confusion than Julianne's. Before she could react, Julianne flung open the car door and ran forward. Bending down and standing up again, she held a swaddled, sleeping infant in her arms.

The swaddling clothes were very clean, and on them was embroidered a name that Ike knew very well in gold thread:

Ike Strayder!

(End of this chapter)