Ancient Wizards Return to Hogwarts...

Chapter 124 Lupet's Dessert Shop

"Dear passengers, the train is about to arrive at King's Cross Station. Passengers who are preparing to disembark, please take your belongings and disembark in an orderly manner from the carriages and leave platform 9."

As the announcement came over the loudspeaker, the young wizards stood up from their seats, changed out of their wizard robes into Muggle clothes, and took their luggage off the racks.

When the train arrived, they all rushed onto the platform and were blocked there. The Ministry of Magic had sent people to allow only a few people to pass at a time, so that a large group of students wouldn't emerge from the wall at the same time and attract the attention of the Muggles.

"Why don't they cast illusion spells on the students at the exit? That would make it faster," Rice couldn't help but complain, looking at the long queue ahead. Besides, he felt that this method wasn't very reliable; he could come up with five or six faster and safer ways to enter and exit the station in just three minutes.

For example, they could set up fireplaces inside the station and use the Floo network to transport students; or they could arrange the station entrances and exits underground to avoid being seen by Muggles; having a wizard proficient in the Disillusionment Charm cast Disillusionment Charms on a large number of students at the station would also seem like a good option.

"Is it possible that the Disillusionment Charm is a very advanced spell, and there are just too many students going home for summer vacation, so the Ministry of Magic can't cast the Disillusionment Charm on everyone?" Daphne glanced at Rice and said in a somewhat uncertain tone—if the Disillusionment Charm were as simple as the Levitation Charm, then the Invisibility Cloak wouldn't be so expensive.

A year ago, her tone would have been resolute, but now she was a little uncertain. Because Rice had taught her the Disillusionment Charm, and she had learned it. She felt the spell didn't seem that difficult, and she didn't understand why so many people couldn't learn it.

"Using the Disillusionment Charm also has significant drawbacks. For example, parents waiting for their children at the station might not be able to see them after they leave. Also, if the Disillusionment Charm wears off and we suddenly reappear, it will cause even more chaos." A voice came from behind the two of them.

Rice turned around and saw a red-haired boy talking to him. Standing next to him was someone who looked exactly like him, who was also smiling at them.

He recognized them immediately; they were Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George.

Clearly, the long wait had bored these two overly energetic guys, so they started chatting with Rice, following his lead.

"I'm Fred," George Chongles greeted him, and Fred, standing beside him, winked at him.

"Hi George, this is Rice."

"Huh?" George raised an eyebrow, not understanding how he had been exposed. Then, the next second, he realized that Rice had actually said the same thing to both of them at the same time, and his reaction had inadvertently revealed his prank.

As for the source of Rice's suspicion, it was naturally the rich micro-expressions on her good brother's face.

George then elbowed his brother.

"See, you were making those faces on the side, now you've seen through my act!"

"Let's get to know each other again. I'm George, and he's Fred." George Chongles extended his hand and swore with his flying broomstick that he really was George.

"I'll remember that. I definitely won't mistake you for someone else in the future." Rice patted George's hand.

His words made George raise his eyebrows; he clearly didn't believe it.

"We can make a bet if you don't believe me," Rice said confidently.

"It's a deal." George agreed without hesitation. "We'll bet you'll recognize us at the opening ceremony this September—if you do, we can help you bring some things from Hogsmeade, whether they're on the permit list or not, we can get it done. If you don't recognize us, I'll treat you to candy, but it'll be candy we invented ourselves."

George Billes was even more confident because their biological mothers sometimes couldn't tell them apart, let alone this newborn they had only recently met. If he was lucky and guessed correctly, he and Fred wouldn't lose anything; on the contrary, they could take the opportunity to expand their reselling business, making it a win-win situation for both of them.

Rice's confidence stemmed from his ability to identify people by their magical aura. While Fred and George looked remarkably alike, as if they had both drunk Polyjuice Potion, there were subtle differences in their magical fluctuations. For him, distinguishing Fred and George was as difficult as differentiating Harry and Draco.

Finally, the group walked out of the platform.

The first thing Rice saw was Fred and George's family. They all had red hair, making them very recognizable in the crowd. Their youngest daughter even shouted excitedly when she saw Harry.

"Ginny is a huge Harry fan, I bet her obsession with Harry is no less than her mother's with Lockhart."

"That's the dirtiest thing you've ever said to Harry," George joked.

Not far from the Weasleys stood a well-dressed gentleman, and behind him stood a pretty little girl with silver hair, clutching the hem of his suit jacket.

The men were Daphne's father, Mr. Henry, and his daughter, Astoria.

Interestingly, a middle-aged, overweight man with a purplish-red face and a large beard was standing next to Henry, chatting happily with him.

Unlike other pure-blood families, the Greengrass family also retains some of their Muggle-world businesses, managed by Squibs within the family, such as several vineyards. This is one of the reasons why he successfully attracted Vernon Dursley.

"You can try harvesting grapes with our company's harvesters. They are extremely efficient, and we offer comprehensive after-sales warranty service."

"Mr. Dursley, my family's vineyard has insisted on hand-harvesting and picking since the tenth century. I have no intention of changing a tradition that has been maintained for thousands of years... Oh, sorry, my daughter is here." Henry walked quickly to Daphne, hugged her, and kissed her forehead.

Harry also walked out of the station and went to his uncle's side, cheerfully telling him that he had just been chatting with a male wizard with an amazing blood purity.

Harry was overjoyed to see his Uncle Vernon's chubby face turn deathly pale.

Rice found Lupert waiting for him at the station, handed her his luggage, waved goodbye to his new friends at school, and then started his journey home.

Saying it was going home meant actually returning to Diagon Alley. Neither he nor Rupert had a home, so they had to rent a place in Diagon Alley to live.

However, when Lupert brought Rice to the front of her rented house in Diagon Alley, he was completely stunned.

"Lupert's Dessert Shop?" Rice read the words on the shop sign in disbelief. "This is where you live?!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sparks are flying from my keyboard as I type! Here's the update, and the second one is coming soon!

(End of this chapter)