days at Hogwarts

Chapter 814: Nineteen Years Later

Diagonal alley entrance.

The long, flat cobblestone street meandered forward, with all kinds of strange shops on both sides of the street. The potion shop was filled with strange-colored smoke, which looked a bit eerie, as if luring young and ignorant wizards in to prepare potions with their flesh and bones.

Occasionally, people hurried in and out of the shop.

Imogen opened her clear and bright eyes, full of curiosity about everything around her, and occasionally looked into the store. Emerys was a little shy, pretending to look around the store, but actually secretly glancing at those of other races.

The Wizarding Commercial Street is one of the most lively and prosperous places in the entire New World, and Diagon Alley is a trend-setting place that brings together chain stores from the entire wizarding world. Wizards come here to go shopping, Pukki and giants occasionally come to buy daily necessities, and if there are goods of other races that want to sell, Diagon Alley is also the best choice.

The goblins were very dissatisfied with the wizards' bill to expel Gringotts, and sometimes they would sell some of their homemade artifacts in exchange for shiny gems and gold. For wizards who were good at alchemy, the forging artifacts produced by the goblins were very novel.
So, with the help of the International Confederation of Wizards, Diagon Alley became a trade center that resounded throughout the New World.

Neville pondered silently.

I heard that Senior Deputy Minister Granger was planning to expand Diagon Alley and renovate Knockturn Alley next door, demolish all those messy shops, and build a larger and more comprehensive commercial center.

By then, the shops in Diagon Alley will surely appreciate in value, so I can simply close my own boutique and sublet it to collect rent, which will free my parents up from the shop and allow them to explore the new world with Headmaster Dumbledore.

"..."

Neville looked at the shops on both sides of the road.

The sunshine of late summer and early autumn pours down, and the signs above the shops gleam in patches. The names are still the same, but the styles are completely different. The colorful glass tubes glow when infused with magic at night, giving them the temperament of Muggle neon lights.

On the right is Madam Malkin's robe shop. I heard that Madam Malkin retired a few years ago and the shop was taken over by her niece. The main customers are still Hogwarts students.

It used to be Ella's Pet Shop, originally a store specializing in owls, but now it's turned into a full-service pet store... It's all Loren's fault. Ever since communicators became popular, paper letters have become a thing of the past, and owls have been affected by this and have basically transformed into couriers.

At the end of the road stands a white building, formerly Gringotts, now called the "Wizards United Bank", directly under the Ministry of Magic and governed by Senior Deputy Minister Granger.

Neville silently withdrew his gaze and looked down at the school list.

Still the familiar light yellow envelope, emerald green ink:

"Personal equipment: a magic wand..."

Ollivander's Wand Shop is still at the original location, but the original Mr. Ollivander has retired. The new shop is run by the young people of the Gregorovitch family. There are many more combinations of wood and wand cores. There were a lot of jokes in the beginning, but it has only stabilized in recent years.

"Uniform: three sets of plain black wizard robes, a black pointed hat, a black winter cloak..."

The student uniforms at Hogwarts remain the same, having barely changed in hundreds of years, and can be found in robe shops.

"Textbooks and teaching aids: The school will purchase them at its own expense and distribute them after the start of the school term."

"Ah……"

Neville couldn't help but smile.

After more than a decade of restructuring, Hogwarts, with the efforts of Principals McGonagall and Snape, established its own business and completely got rid of the restrictions of the board of directors. Even students from poor families can use new teaching materials. After all, books and teaching aids don't cost much, and the annual donations from alumni can cover it.

The alumnus who donated the most in the past ten years was Dumbledore.

"Wow……"

Imogen found everything new and her eyes sparkled. She turned to look at the Herbology professor and said, "Uncle Neville, what should we buy first?"

"The wand."

"Can I get some ice cream first?"

"Um... OK."

"Thank you Uncle Neville!"

"What flavor do you want to eat?"

"We all want chocolate, and remember to bring one for little Algie, he wants vanilla..."

Neville agreed with a smile.

Emerys walked silently beside him. Little Algie was Uncle Neville's child. Last winter, he foolishly licked the iron fence. It was Imogen who coaxed him into saying that it tasted like ice cream.

……

The Dalton Institute, Manchester, UK.

A project team is celebrating the addition of a new member.

Following the person in charge into the laboratory, the new member quietly looked around the office and seemed a little uneasy. This was not because she was introverted, but mainly because she had to go through three security checks in a row. The security personnel seemed to be equipped with guns and their demeanor and temperament were like those of military personnel.

Transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer, differential scanning calorimeter, thermogravimetric analyzer... Various instruments show signs of long-term use, and the outer shells even have some paint peeling. A quick glance may make you think they are outdated instruments, but a closer look reveals that they are clearly the most advanced equipment in recent years.

Marjorie Carver, who had just graduated with a Ph.D., silently recalled the information about this laboratory.

Although it is a research group that is not very visible in the school, it can raise sufficient research funds every year and does not need to report research progress and results to anyone. However, the member control is extremely strict, and joining and leaving require very complex procedures and review. "Because it was established relatively recently, the recruitment of members is strict, the salary and benefits are generous, and the working environment is comfortable and relaxed, so no member has left yet."

The female researcher named Alice turned to look at the new member and smiled. "I've read your paper. You are not bound by reality and dare to put forward incredible hypotheses. Although they lack evidence, we all appreciate your unique thinking. I believe that after you understand the content of our research, you will not quit easily."

“So, what exactly are we studying?”

"We usually don't call it by its name in the team. We all use code names. Some call it endless energy, some call it supernatural flame, or mystical substance. Just pick the one you like..."

Alice led her all the way inside to the deepest part of the laboratory, where she stood in front of a medium-sized metal safe.

Marjorie slowed her breathing, already realizing something was happening.

After a rigorous and complicated unlocking procedure, the safe was quietly opened. There were no valuable materials or any paper documents inside, only a golden flame suspended in the ground, burning quietly.

"I prefer to call it the wizard's gift -

"Guplai fairy fire."

……

September is the start of the school year.

Hogwarts students still took the express train back to school. In order to adapt to the new world environment, the train was improved and the route planning was optimized. The original half-day journey was shortened to three hours. Vice-Principal Loren Morgan moved the sorting banquet to noon, and the afternoon was used to distribute teaching materials and clean classrooms and dormitories.

Since the promulgation of the "Elf Emancipation Act", the school's staff system has also been reformed. Several retired Aurors have been recruited as security guards, several older witches have been recruited as cooks, and the cleaning work is contracted out to teachers and students respectively, which is said to be labor education.

When Loren and others entered the auditorium, Principal Snape was sitting in the main seat, the Herbology professor was organizing the freshmen to line up, and the Sorting Hat was placed on a low stool in front, and the melody it was humming could be faintly heard.

"Good afternoon! Principal Snape."

"Ha! Someone almost got late for the Sorting Ceremony because of a date."

"What do you mean by for a date?!"

"Ah."

"Deputy Minister Granger and I were discussing the upcoming Goblet of Fire tournament."

"Ah."

"I can't explain it to an irresponsible principal like you."

Loren ignored his attitude and turned to greet Deputy Minister Granger and her assistant, a young witch named Delphy Malfoy.

It should be the year he took over as professor of Transfiguration. The young witch graduated from Slytherin College and entered the Ministry of Magic with excellent grades in all subjects. She was outstanding in ability, hardworking, and had a good sense of propriety in dealing with people. She was then promoted to become Hermione's assistant.

"..."

Loren couldn't help but grin, leaning close to Hermione's ear, he whispered, "Just thinking about Draco having a daughter this old makes me want to laugh."

Hermione ignored the man, her eyes fixed on the new student.

The two children of my family were gathered together. Emrys stood in the corner with his head down, looking introverted and shy, but in fact he was quietly observing everything around him. There were many children around Imogen, including Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy... When little Argyle entered school next year, there would probably be more followers.

As the Sorting Hat sang, the Sorting Ceremony officially began.

"SCORPIUS MALFOY!"

"Slytherin!"

"Albus Potter!"

"Slytherin!"

"Emeric Granger!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Imogene Morgan!"

"Slytherin!"

"..."

Hermione opened her eyes wide, her face full of surprise, and turned to say something to him, but was blocked by a piece of pudding.

Loren smiled and fed himself:

“That’s their story.”

(End of this chapter)