A Certain Magical Hogwarts

Chapter 4 The Life of the Rich

"Hagrid, how did you get here?"

William chatted with Hagrid the whole way, because the big guy seemed a little nervous.

He not only expressed concern about the safety of the Muggle car, but also felt carsick.

"I came here using Floo Powder, and from the fireplace in Headmaster Dumbledore's office!"

Hagrid spoke with an air of pride, as if using Dumbledore's things was some extraordinary thing.

What is Floo Powder?

After learning from Hagrid that Dumbledore was just a grumpy old man, Roy lost interest in the headmaster and began to become curious about wizards' modes of transportation.

"Oh, I forgot you Muggles don't have Floo Powder," Hagrid apologized.

"Floo Powder is a sparkling powder. You just need to grab a handful, clearly state the name of your destination, sprinkle it, and you can get there directly. It's very convenient."

William stroked Boba's tail and nodded thoughtfully.

This is a substance that's similar to teleportation, which is indeed very convenient, but... Hagrid, what kind of look is that?

William was certain that he saw in Hagrid's big eyes a kind of pity that said, "Muggles are all living in misery!"

Without magic,

No Floo Powder

Even Hogwarts is inaccessible.

Isn't that pitiful?

That's so pitiful!

"Besides Floo Powder, are there any other means of transportation?" William asked.

"Too many: door keys, apparition, the Knight Bus..."

Hagrid seemed to recall some unpleasant memories. He stared at William and said seriously, "Remember, never ride the Knight Bus. I threw up the whole way last time and almost died in it."

Merlin's beard... the Ministry of Magic should ban this kind of transportation...

Hagrid suddenly pulled out a stained, filthy handkerchief and covered his mouth. He waved his left hand, signaling William to find something else to talk about and distract him.

"Hagrid, you said Professor Robert is dead, so do we have a new professor?" William handed over a few olives and then rolled down the car window.

Olives can slightly reduce nausea, which will make Hagrid feel better.

After accepting the olive branch, Hagrid replied, "This position is hard to come by. Over the years, no one has been willing to come to Hogwarts as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor."

"Poor Professor Robert..." Hagrid turned the stained handkerchief over, blew his nose, and his voice was as loud as a morning bugle.

"I only knew that Professor Robert liked to drink, but I didn't expect that he would drink in the Forbidden Forest as well."

I got up early in the morning, opened the door, filled a small basket with beans, and prepared to visit my beloved Aragog in the Forbidden Forest.

Then, the Hufflepuff students told them that Professor Robert had gone missing. They searched high and low until they reached the Forbidden Forest, where they found a piece of his wizard's robe hanging on a thorn bush.

Professor Flitwick said, "Oh no, we've probably been attacked by magical creatures."

Going back in, Professor Robert was indeed lying in the Devil's Web, his stomach ripped open by the warthog, his hand still tightly clutching a bottle of whiskey that had spilled onto the floor in flames…

Hagrid wiped his nose, looking extremely sad.

"Hagrid, what is the Devil's Web?"

Hagrid shuddered, as if recalling the scene of Robert's death.

"Devil's Web is an extremely dangerous vine. Once mature, it can extend tendrils to entangle anyone who gets close to it, causing injury to wizards."

Hagrid complained, "If you ask me, these dangerous plants should all be eradicated, otherwise they could easily harm the fragile magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest."

I don't know why Professor Sprout collects devil's webs, it's such a strange hobby..."

William squinted as he carefully took notes of the magical knowledge Hagrid imparted to him.

He had a vague feeling that something was amiss. From Hagrid's words, it seemed that magical creatures were all fragile, cute, friendly, and innocent...

For example, the eight-eyed giant spider named Aragog that Hagrid just mentioned... in his description, it seems to be a hundred times cuter than Bobo Tea.

Hagrid also invited William to go and groom Aragog's leg hair.

My goodness, are there really such adorable creatures in the magical world?

William inexplicably felt a longing for the Forbidden Forest.

……

……

It took half an hour for the car to reach its destination.

"This is it." Hagrid excitedly raised his head, finally free from the need to travel by car.

With a loud thud, his head hit the roof of the car.

Hagrid rubbed his head, seemingly without any major problems, but there was a slight bulge on the roof of the car.

Roy stared blankly for a moment, then became excited. He finally had a reason to talk to Lyanna about getting a new car.

"Oh, sorry, I'll handle it," Hagrid said.

"It's nothing." Roy waved his hand magnanimously, as if the matter was insignificant.

"Restored to its original state." Hagrid took out his pink umbrella, gently tapped the roof of the car, and the bulge immediately disappeared.

"..." Roy discovered something terrible: once William learned magic, wouldn't he be driving this car until he died?

After getting off the car, Hagrid led the two into a bustling street, which was crowded with people.

The street had bookstores, record stores, hamburger shops, cinemas... seemingly ordinary, but notably absent was the Leaky Cauldron that Hagrid had mentioned.

and many more……

William finally found a sign in an inconspicuous corner—a shabby sign with a black crucible drawn on it and the words "Leaky Cauldron" marked in highlighter.

Hagrid smiled and said, "This is it—the Leaky Cauldron. It's a very famous place, and the oldest pub in London, much older than any Muggle pub."

Hagrid's words were full of pride, but Roy looked completely bewildered; he hadn't seen anything.

"It's a minor issue. To prevent Muggles from discovering it, there are plenty of Confusion Charms here. Helping Muggle families enter Diagon Alley is also part of my job."

According to Hagrid, there are also Confusion Charms and Muggle Expulsion Charms near Hogwarts, and Muggles cannot enter without the guidance of a wizard.

Although Hagrid was proud of the Leaky Cauldron, he found upon entering that it was a dirty, cramped bar.

It really doesn't live up to its ancient reputation.

William glanced at the infrastructure inside with disdain; it was not only old but also very dirty and messy.

What a waste! This is the best location, with a huge flow of people.

If William were the boss, he would upgrade the decor several notches and create the first place in the magical world that offers a one-stop service including food, chess, cards, bathing, massage, and karaoke.

Forget about calling it a bar, just rename it the Break the Cauldron Club!

William already has a plan in mind for the renovation, advertising, marketing strategy, celebrity endorsement, etc. The only thing he lacks is... money!

He felt his pockets; there were only a pitiful few pence inside… He was poor. How could his parents possibly give him much money when he was only eleven years old?

William couldn't help but miss that scratch-off lottery ticket again.

He also wanted to experience the simple, unpretentious, and boring life of the rich!

……

……

Recommendations needed, fellow aspiring wizards!

(End of this chapter)