Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

After leaving the tea shop, Henry turned into a shop that sold plants.

The shop is small, but it's surprisingly spacious and charming.

The walls were covered with various dried magical plants, and flowerpots hanging from the ceiling were filled with glowing moss. In the corner, there was a miniature version of the Whomping Willow—trimmed to only about a foot tall, idly swinging its two thin branches.

Judging by the force, it's more like a tickling willow than a hitting willow.

The shopkeeper was a young witch wearing thick glasses. She was squatting in the corner watering the Willow Tree. She wasn't angry when a branch lashed her, but just smiled and scolded, "Naughty."

Hearing the door open, she looked up at Henry.

"What would you like to order?"

"I'm looking for some magical plants that would be suitable as gifts for elders," Henry said. "Preferably ones that are related to environmental protection and nature."

The witch thought for a moment, then got up and walked deeper into the shop, taking down a small flowerpot wrapped in burlap from the shelf.

"This one," she placed the flowerpot on the counter and untied the burlap cloth, "is called 'Four Seasons Tree'."

In the pot was a small, unremarkable sapling, only the height of a palm, with four thin, bare branches, like a pitiful creature frozen stiff in winter.

"It's still asleep," the witch said, "but if you water it and put it by the window, it will slowly wake up."

She picked up a small spray bottle and sprayed some water on the sapling.

A magical thing happened: the four bare branches began to tremble, and then—on the leftmost branch, a tiny bit of tender green sprouted. The green unfolded at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into a tender leaf.

"It is spring," the witch said.

She pointed to the branch next to her, where the leaves had grown and turned from light green to deep emerald, and the leaves were larger and thicker than the previous one.

"summer."

She pointed to the one on the right, where the leaf had begun to turn yellow, its edges curled, exuding the desolation of autumn.

"autumn."

Finally, she gently touched the base of the sapling, and the yellow leaves on the branch fluttered down, revealing a small branch covered with a thin layer of frost.

"Winter. And then the cycle repeats."

Henry stared at the sapling, watching as a new green sprout appeared on the last bare branch, the leftmost branch representing spring began to turn into summer, and the original summer branch became an autumn branch.

"Will it keep looping like this?"

"Yes," the witch nodded. "It doesn't need special care, just water and sunlight. It won't grow, it won't flower, it won't bear fruit—it just lives and then cycles."

She paused, then said, "My grandfather said that looking at it reminds you how time passes. It's not the kind of anxiety of 'Oh dear, I'm another year older,' but the kind of peace of 'Oh, so that's how the seasons go.'"

Henry was silent for two seconds.

"I want it—and that 'Hibiscus truncata' too."

He decided to give the two potted plants to his grandfather, who actually quite liked these novel things.

……

By the time all the purchasing was finished, it was almost dark.

One by one, the colorful lights in Diagon Alley lit up. Unlike the neon lights Henry had seen in the Muggle world, these magical lights seemed to have a life of their own. Some floated around the lampposts like fireflies, while others meandered over the shop signs like thin rivers.

The most unique feature of the Florin Ice Cream Shop is its colorful lights, which cluster into tiny orbs of light that bounce around above the children's heads, making them reach out and giggle.

Then I was taken to the entrance of the ice cream shop.

Was this also part of your plan, Florin?

The air on the street was filled with the sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts, along with the scent of caramel and butter. The crowd remained dense, with the last group of shoppers hurrying past Henry, carrying large bags and bundles. Several young wizards stood on a street corner, chatting and laughing while holding steaming cups.

Lucy stood quietly beside Henry for a long time, until he looked away, before asking, "Your Highness, shall we return to Kensington Palace?"

Henry nodded: "No need for Apparition, there's a car waiting for me outside."

Lucy blinked, didn't ask, but simply bowed slightly and followed half a step behind Henry toward the Leaky Cauldron.

The Leaky Cauldron was more lively at night than during the day. The fire in the fireplace burned brightly, casting a warm glow on the old, patina-covered wooden tables. Several elderly wizards sat around in a corner, steaming glasses in front of them, arguing about something.

Henry couldn't hear clearly either; it seemed they were talking about some strange things happening in the Albanian forest.

The bar owner, Tom, noticed Henry, went up to him, and greeted him. Henry smiled and responded.

He then led Lucy out of the Leaky Cauldron.

On the streets of Charing Cross, pedestrians hurried along, bundled up in thick coats and carrying shopping bags as they rushed home.

In the glow of the streetlights, snowflakes fell in a fine, dense pattern, accumulating into a thin layer of white on the asphalt road.

Henry didn't look at the snow, but instead looked at the black Jaguar parked by the roadside.

It was a sleek sports car, its body gleaming warmly under the streetlights, with a thin layer of snow on the hood, indicating it had been parked for a while.

But what truly stunned him was the two tufts of furry heads peeking out of the car window—

"Henry!"

William's screams could be heard clearly through the glass. He was pressed against the car window, his nose flattened, revealing a smile with a missing front tooth, and he was waving frantically in their direction.

Harry was short, and with William blocking his way, he couldn't reach the car window at all. He could only stick one hand out from under William's arm and wave it frantically, like a small octopus that was being held down trying to extend its tentacles.

Then, the driver's side door opened, and Princess Diana stepped out of the car.

She was wearing a dark gray cashmere coat, her hair was a little messy from the wind, but her smile was more radiant than any carefully applied makeup.

She walked around the front of the car toward her son, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, her steps as light as a joyful deer.

"Mom?" Henry went to greet her. "What are you doing—"

"Why did you come in person?" Diana interjected, cupping his face in her hands and looking him up and down. "Because someone hasn't been home for three months, of course a mother misses him."

Before Henry could say anything, the back door was suddenly pushed open.

Two small roaming balls rushed out of the car and bumped into his arms from the left and right.

"Why are you only just getting back!"

"You went to magic school, right? You know magic now? Turn into a rabbit! Turn into a rabbit for me to see!"

"Mom said you caught the golden thief. What color is the golden thief?"

"Don't you dare steal my Henry!"