From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 588 Diagon Alley Encounters in the New World (Part 3)
Having acquired all three essential items for a freshman at Hogwarts, Ivy felt it was time to head home.

The magical world in this anomalous timeline was clearly not as peaceful as it appeared. To be honest, the fact that these undisciplined and chaotic wizards could regard that strange set of standardized rules as gospel was already somewhat unexpected for Ivy.

After rounding a corner, Ivy decided to take little Cassandra to Florin Ice Cream Shop to relax a bit. Although the temperature wasn't high this summer, the sunshine celebrating the streets was clearly a valid reason to enjoy ice cream.

Ivy was also very curious about whether the store had introduced any new flavors.

As a place for wizards to relax and unwind, an ice cream shop obviously couldn't occupy a prime location in the renovated Diagon Alley. Although the sign with the ice cream cones was visible from afar, the end of the alley was clearly a place with sparse customer traffic.

Like Florin's Ice Cream Shop, Weasley's Magic Tricks Shop suffered the same fate. Although the giant Weasley Brothers dolls outside the door still kept tipping their hats to customers, very few people dared to linger outside the window, let alone go inside to buy anything.

Fortunately, the two stores are right across from each other, so Ivy can enjoy the Weasley brothers' joke merchandise while eating ice cream.

"What's wrong?" Ivy noticed Cassandra's distraction and followed her gaze to the shop windows on the street.

The glass case displaying the brooms clearly belongs to the Quidditch boutique, but the brooms on the display stand are really nothing special.

"The Supreme Firebolt?" Ivy shook his head. Just as Muggles add suffixes like PRO, MAX, and PLUS to electronic products, wizards clearly understand the marketing tactic of upgrading models. However, because their general purchasing power is far lower than that of Muggles, professional brooms like the Firebolt are usually only for professional Quidditch players, not for ordinary wizards and witches to use for transportation.

Not to mention that this thing is outdated. The first generation of fire crossbow bolts was created in 1993, and now it's 2008. Fifteen years have passed and there is still only one supreme version. The time for technological updates is too slow.

It seems that without Nimbus as an opponent, Randolph Badmore, the creator of the Firebolt, has also lost his drive.

“If you like flying brooms, I have a few spares that are pretty good in every way, much better than this boring model.” Ivy looked at the Supreme Firebolt’s tripod, which was made entirely of gold, like setting diamonds on a Muggle’s phone—an aesthetic only a nouveau riche would choose.

“Thank you, Uncle Doom. But no, thank you… Mom and I talked about Quidditch… I’m just curious what it would be like to travel on a flying broomstick.” Little Cassandra only lingered in front of the window for a moment before moving on.

“The manor is spacious enough that you can practice using a flying broom with DouDou’s help. Although Hogwarts has flying lessons, no one says you can’t do your homework beforehand, right?” The Poppies, being a modified version of house-elves, possess more magic that can make life easier, and they are also skilled in various protective spells. Therefore, Ivy wasn’t worried at all about entrusting Cassandra to them.

“Preparing for class…” Little Cassandra looked up, her bright emerald eyes fixed on Ivy. “Can I learn magic from you, Uncle Doom?”

“Don’t be too impatient, girl.” Ivy reached out and patted her head. “You can’t become a magic master overnight. It’s a never-ending road. If you want to run, you have to watch your step at all times, otherwise you will inevitably fall into the abyss.”

"If it really is endless, then how did you find the right direction?" It seems that Cassandra did indeed inherit some of the prophetic bloodline, at least in her sharp wit and witty banter.

“There is never a right direction, or you could say every path is the right direction.” Ivy shook her head. “You need a broad perspective and an open mind to find your own path, and then walk it with unwavering determination. If you’d like, I have a few other types of textbooks that are perfect for beginners like you.”

Cassandra didn't say anything, but turned her head to look at their last stop on this trip, Florin's ice cream shop.

Since no one objected, Ivy took it as tacit agreement. It was just a textbook or two anyway; let her learn. In any case, Ivy herself didn't have the energy to take on another apprentice or sorcerer for the time being.

The Florin Ice Cream Shop on the street corner was deserted; perhaps Ivy and Cassandra were its first customers of the day.

"What would you like to eat?" Florin's enthusiasm and surprise were palpable. He jumped out from behind the counter and began to introduce the ice cream in the magic freezer to the customer.

"The red one is tomato flavor, the black one is chocolate flavor, and the light yellow one is butter peanut flavor... We're having a promotion right now, buy two scoops of ice cream and get one free!"

Ivy ordered a berry mixed flavor ice cream, which consisted of three different scoops of ice cream: strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry. The three enormous scoops were covered with crushed nuts and chocolate sauce.

Cassandra ordered a classic flavor, strawberry peanut butter ice cream, which was also topped with crushed nuts and chocolate sauce.

"I'm so glad this shop hasn't changed." Ivy scooped out a large hazelnut with a small spoon and put it in her mouth with satisfaction. "Let's go take a look across the street."

The Weasley Wizarding World's shop window perfectly matched Ivy's preconceived notions of the Weasley brothers, with all sorts of dazzling magical items displayed in the window and on the shelves, constantly spinning, twitching, flashing, jumping, and screaming. However, it seemed that only Ivy and Cassandra were attracted to them.

The merchandise was piled up so high that the aisles for customers were extremely narrow. In some places, even little Cassandra had to squeeze in sideways.

“Uncle Fred!” The person sitting behind the counter was a beautiful silver-haired girl with features almost identical to Fleur’s sister, Gabrielle. Ivy guessed that she must be Bill Weasley and Fleur’s daughter in this timeline, but judging from her appearance, she didn’t seem to be of school age yet.

The little girl, who was one-eighth Veela in blood, shrieked, "We have guests! Uncle George! Where are you two?"

The little girl didn't get a reply from her family; instead, she heard the sound of something heavy falling over coming from the direction of the warehouse or workshop.

“Sorry!” The little girl shrank back. “My name is Viktorva, and I’m the shopkeeper’s niece. Would you like me to introduce our merchandise? Our prank products are absolutely the best in the entire wizarding world!”

“It’s okay, we’ll just look around.” Ivy stuck a spoon into an ice cream scoop and casually picked up a pair of binoculars from the shelf.

However, just as he unfolded the lens, a huge fist popped out from the back cover of the eyepiece and came straight at his eye socket.

The Sword Saint's incredible reflexes were no joke. Although he hadn't expected the product's effect, Ivy still managed to dodge it by tilting his head. However, the shelf behind Ivy wasn't so lucky. A hat fell from the shelf that had been punched by the boxing binoculars and landed squarely on Cassandra's head.

The next moment, both the fancy top hat and little Cassandra's golden head disappeared.

Ivy put his fist back into the binoculars and, with interest, reached out to touch the empty space above Cassandra's collar. His hand passed right through it, not through invisibility, but through a kind of phase-shifting magic.

“I’ll take this hat.” Ivy took the Vanishing Hat from Cassandra and had Viktoria wrap it up. “I’ll look at the others.”

"A rug that combines terrain magic and the Unseen Extension Charm?" Ivy had already activated her Arcane Vision and was examining the rolled-up rug with interest. "What's inside?"

“A portable swamp…” Viktoria began to describe, “It’s all stinky mud that you can sink into, and even if you pull yourself out, the stench will linger for a long time.”

"Good stuff." Ivy wasn't referring to the swamp in the carpet, but rather the idea behind this magical item. If it could be used to fix travel spells like Leomon's Hut, it could fetch a high price in many worlds. Of course, magical items that alter terrain are also strategically valuable, but this carpet is still too small, so its effectiveness is quite limited.

Viktoria noticed that little Cassandra was holding up a box of cookies and quickly explained, "Canary Cookies, which can turn the eater into a canary. 7 silver shiko."

"Can I try it?" Ivy was also very interested in the transformation item. If the effect of transforming into a canary were changed to that of a ferocious beast, it should be very popular with low-level adventurers. After all, the druid's signature ability is Wilderness Transformation. As a special ability with a limited number of uses, its effect is very powerful, granting druids many biological characteristics that mortal races do not possess.

If the recipe for Canary Cookies could be further developed, it might very well replace Wilderness Transformation. Even if Wilderness Transformation lasts only a short time and costs seven silver coins, it would likely be popular with adventurers.

“Of course!” The Weasley brothers finally emerged from behind the store, supporting each other. Whatever they had been doing before, their niece’s interruption had hurt them a little. “Just pay up.”

“Okay, two boxes, please.” Ivy pulled out a small pile of Galleons and placed them on the counter. He then selected a few items that interested him. He remembered that he had invested in the Weasley brothers in his own world, and it seemed that he could outsource the development of Wilderness Transformation Candy Cookies to the two brothers.

Seeing that Ivy paid so readily, the Weasley brothers exchanged a glance, both seeing the sign of making money in each other's eyes.

So they started enthusiastically recommending other products in the store.

"A nose-biting teacup! It lets you bite the nose of someone you hate!" Fred held up a chipped teacup, but Ivy showed little interest.

"Weasley—whoosh—bang!" George pointed to a large pile of boxes on the ground. "It can't be forcibly stopped by a spell before it completely stops. If hit by a Stunning Charm, it will explode violently. If you use a Vanishing Charm, it will multiply! There are so many variations, and we can even accept customization now. Whether you want to print swear words or slogans in the night sky, or show a flying fire dragon, it can do it! If two or more fireworks collide, it will trigger many additional new variations!"

Ivy was somewhat interested in this explosive device, which was not easily countered by magic and also came with an eye-catching fireworks display.

But before Ivy could place an order, the bell at the store entrance, used to signal the arrival of customers, rang again.

“I remember you assured me last time that there were no more dangerous products in this store.”

Ivy turned her head and saw that the speaker was a burly man with a full beard, whose eyes under thick eyebrows were glaring fiercely at the Weasley brothers who were selling explosives.

“I think this is just a misunderstanding, Neville!” Fred stepped over the fireworks box blocking his way and stood in front of Ivy. “He’s our partner! He’s in charge—”

"The harmless disposal of flammable and explosive hazardous materials!" George quickly added. "Don't be so disrespectful, Fred, this is Chief Longbottom!"

"Hmph." Director Neville Longbottom snorted coldly, reaching out to remove his wide-brimmed hat. He wore a pair of half-finger dueling gloves, the exposed skin covered with scars from cuts and burns. His equally scarred cherry wood wand was inserted into a quick-draw sleeve on his forearm, allowing him to quickly enter combat mode with just a flick of his finger.

Director Longbottom's gaze bypassed the two Weasleys in front of him and fell on Ivy, who was constantly glancing at the group of Aurors outside the door: "You should be glad I'm not here to see you today, George, Fred."

“Great!” Fred tried to go up and shake hands with Director Longbottom, but the latter rudely pushed him aside.

George turned half his face to the side and gestured forcefully toward the back door, presumably indicating an escape route.

But there aren't many people who would make Ivy need to make a strategic shift; at least the Director of the Enforcement Division of the Ministry of Magic wouldn't do.

“Victor Worre,” Chief Longbottom said, drawing his wand from his snapback. “You’re under arrest for concealing your whereabouts and falsifying your identity. We suspect you’re involved in a murder. Surrender.”

“That’s strange.” Ivy scraped a few crumbs of fruit from the ice cream bowl with a silver spoon. “I don’t recall ever breaking any Ministry of Magic laws.”

"Whether it's illegal or not isn't up to you to decide, it's up to us to decide." Director Longbottom took a step forward, but was immediately tripped by Fred, who had fallen into the prank merchandise.

"Give me a minute." Ivy tossed out a money bag full of Galleons. "Wrap everything up for me first."

"You didn't set up any anti-apparition magic, did you?" Although it was a question, Ivy used an affirmative tone. He took little Cassandra's hand. "It might be a little bumpy, so be careful not to throw up."

(End of this chapter)