The Wind and the Wings of Hogwarts

Michael said seriously.

"I didn't expect racial discrimination to be so severe in your academy. Now you've even got someone killed... No wonder you're from the magical world, huh?"

Scott said, "To be honest, I thought... you'd react more strongly after hearing what happened to me today..."

“What do you think I’m going to do?” Michael said dramatically. “Fall in a panic like a woman, or accuse you of overreacting? Don’t be ridiculous, I’m your father.”

He put on an air of "I've seen it all," as if this matter was nothing to him.

Scott almost believed it, if he hadn't noticed that Michael's face was paler than usual and that his right thumb and forefinger were rubbing together incessantly.

But Scott didn't expose him.

“I don’t know.” Scott shook his head. “Maybe it’s because you accepted it too easily that I feel a little awkward.”

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Michael stood up laughing and opened his arms.

"Perhaps my little guy is still a bit scared and needs another comforting hug?"

"..."

Scott refused with his eyes.

"Okay, it seems you don't need it."

Michael withdrew his hands and sat down.

"What were you thinking?" he asked in a low voice. "Why not just destroy the evidence?"

"No, I can't touch her body. Who knows what clues I might leave behind?"

Scott shook his head.

"Besides, if someone goes missing... the more secretive they are, the more attractive they are to people who want to find them, right?"

Michael said, "According to you, the girl revealed her purpose for leaving? Whether she is dead or missing, you are a suspect."

"No, there is a difference."

Scott explained.

"Given the current state of affairs, in the eyes of the wizards, the most likely cause of the girl's death is her servant's failed Apparition."

He emphasized, "Of course, this is also a fact. I believe such facts should be made public."

He continued his analysis.

"If the body is destroyed to cover up the crime, I, as the person she was going out to, will very likely become the prime suspect for her disappearance and the Aurors' main target of investigation."

Having talked with Michael for a while now, and seeing his father trying to comfort him in unconventional ways, Scott's mood has improved considerably.

“It’s better to make a scene like this and cause some trouble for the Ministry of Magic during the Christmas season,” he said softly, “so that they won’t focus their attention on me.”

Michael threw away his cigarette butt, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his glasses, and put them back on.

He muttered, “Maybe you’re a genius at crime too, Scott.”

He looked his son up and down, then leaned closer and whispered, "Are you sure this is your first time doing something like this?"

"What?" Scott looked at him, puzzled.

“I mean… David,” Michael said quietly, “David Ward, who disappeared eight years ago. I remember that boy fought with you before he disappeared.”

"..."

Scott stared at Michael with half-closed eyes.

"Did you throw him off the cliff into the sea?" Michael asked again.

Scott said irritably, "Eight years ago, I was only six years old, Mike."

“It’s nothing,” Michael said dismissively. “When I was seven, I also planned to throw that old bastard Thomas across the street into the sea.”

Scott rolled his eyes. "But you're 37 years old, and Thomas is still as lively as ever."

Before Michael could speak again, he continued, "If your memory serves you right, you should know that eight years ago David disappeared because he sneaked onto his neighbor's fishing boat. He returned with the boat three days later!"

“I know, I thought you used magic to create a fake David,” Michael argued.

He looked at Rimbaud, who was perched on Scott's shoulder, "Just like you made this bird."

"..."

Scott was utterly astonished by his wild imagination.

“Magic cannot create humans!” he said emphatically. “Besides, I didn’t know magic back then, and I can’t do it even now. I’m not Merlin!”

"Okay, joke over."

Michael put on a serious expression.

"I mean, Scott, are you sure you want to stay in the wizarding world forever?"

He looked into Scott's eyes and asked.

"It seems that the place is not friendly, or even peaceful."

His questioning at this moment was undoubtedly very serious.

“There you will lack the freedom of choice, your background will inevitably put you on the opposite side of some people, and you will not even be able to determine what kind of person you will become in the future.”

"Yes, Dad."

Scott said it seriously.

"The magical world is indeed not as wonderful as fairy tales, and my future is full of uncertainty, but..."

He smiled.

“There is magic there, and I am a wizard, that’s enough.”

……

Chapter 098 Mother, Emilia Trollope

After the conversation ended, the father and son closed the door of the antique shop and returned together to their home on another street.

"Scott."

Emilia rushed out of the house and grabbed Scott at the front door, startling Rimbaud on his shoulder, who immediately flapped his wings and flew away.

Emilia has reddish-brown hair and looks several years younger than Michael.

She looked at Scott with her warm brown eyes and said excitedly, "It's been so long, darling, I've missed you so much."

“I miss you too, Millie,” Scott said with a smile.

He stood still, letting his mother rub his head and touch his face.

Afterwards, Emilia excitedly pulled him into the house, saying, "Come in quickly, my dear son, and see the Christmas feast I've prepared."

Scott turned around and smiled at Michael, who was being ignored.

Once inside the warm room, Scott took off his coat and followed Amelia to the kitchen to see the food she was preparing.

Besides the indispensable roast turkey, there's also roast steak, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, mulled wine, eggnog...

Faced with a dazzling array of food, Scott praised it all without reservation, which made Emilia very happy.

Afterwards, she let Scott leave the kitchen, satisfied.

In the living room, Michael was sitting on the sofa by the fireplace reading a newspaper.

“Mike, where is Shay?” Scott asked. “Is she alright?”

Michael, without looking up, said, "At this time, you're probably sleeping in your room."

“I deliberately left Shay at home, but you guys rarely write to me,” Scott complained casually.

“Your mother doesn’t trust owls to deliver messages,” Michael shrugged. “She’s afraid Shay will lose the letter or fly away and not be able to find his way back.”

"Okay, I still can't convince her on this issue."

Scott turned and went upstairs.

"I'll go see her."

He went up to the second floor and opened his room door.

The greywood owl, which was sleeping on the windowsill, immediately opened its eyes alertly.

"Shay, are you alright?"

Scott went over and patted its head.

Shay whimpered a few times, gave his hand a perfunctory rub, and then went back to sleep.

"Okay, okay, you get some rest first." Scott withdrew his hand. "You're going to be busy tonight."

He turned and closed the door, untied the deformed lizard skin pouch from his waist, and took out the bone.

Lying on his back in bed, Scott held the magical object up to his eyes and examined it closely.

Although he had heard Travers mention its name, "the severed arm bone," Scott couldn't tell what kind of creature's bone it was.

If it's human bones, it seems a bit too small.

As a complete upper arm bone, it wasn't even as long as Scott's palm.

Its color was not old; instead, it had a crystalline white hue, and its surface was densely covered with runes he did not recognize at all.

He decided to give it a try first.

Scott sat up, gripped the bone tightly with his hand, and channeled some magic into it.

However, he was unable to activate the magical item as he had hoped.

He could sense that it was rejecting his magic.

Could it be "bound equipment"?

Scott frowned at the thought of this possibility.

This was the "artifact" he had been longing for. With its ability to sever contracts, he could finally use magic to his heart's content during his vacation.