The Gray Family was startled simultaneously, and Fiona and Wade exchanged glances.
Ferdinand's face was tight, and his grip instantly tightened.
After a few seconds, he asked in a low voice, "What's going on? ...Why would you suddenly ask that?"
Landon sat on the sofa, holding his head, and it was a long while before he said, "Do you know why we sold all our assets and moved to America last year?"
"I remember... you said it was because your wife's uncle in America passed away... and he left all his property to you..."
Ferdinand didn't continue. It now seemed that what the Gray Family had said back then was clearly a lie.
"I'm sorry, I lied to you."
Landon said dejectedly, "There was no inheritance... The reason we moved was because Carlyle received a letter... an acceptance letter..."
"An acceptance letter!"
Fiona exclaimed. When everyone looked at her, she quickly covered up by adding,
"What kind of letter could make your whole family move from England?"
Landon gave a bitter smile, "It was... an acceptance letter from a magic school... I think it was called Hogwarts..."
Wade and the others' expressions changed to varying degrees, but Landon didn't notice. He was engrossed in telling his story—
About a year and a half ago, one morning, Carlyle found a strange letter in their mailbox at home, an acceptance letter from something calling itself "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
There was no stamp on the envelope, and no one knew how the letter was delivered. The usual assumption, of course, was that someone had secretly slipped it into their mailbox during the night.
In Landon's opinion, although the letter stated that a professor from the school would visit in two days to discuss the admission, this was definitely a scam or some new promotional tactic, just waiting for those with less brains to fall for it.
That's what he thought, and he told his family to ignore it, but Carlyle had a different opinion.
The eleven-year-old boy took the acceptance letter and ran to show off to his friends—he was special! He was about to become a powerful Wizard!
The children naturally laughed at his wild ideas and completely dismissed them.
But that evening, a Black-Robed Man knocked on the Johnsons' door.
"He said that magic really exists. He showed us extraordinary abilities right in front of us... Without any props, he made us float in the air. He even turned our coffee table into a spider..."
Landon said distractedly, seemingly still immersed in the shock of that time.
"And then?" Ferdinand asked, "He said he was a professor from Hogwarts? Coming to prove magic to you?"
After speaking, he realized he was wrong.
If things had unfolded that way, the Gray Family wouldn't have fled England in such a hurry.
Sure enough, Landon shook his head.
"No... he said... he said magic was real, but Hogwarts wasn't just a school... it was a base for training soldiers and brainwashing Young Wizards..."
Wade's expression immediately became strange.
Who was that guy? His way of thinking was so similar to Fudge's.
If the Minister of Magic could hear these words, he would surely consider him a kindred spirit, wouldn't he?
"And then? What else did he say?"
Ferdinand pressed.
"He said..."
Landon tried to recall the words that had changed his family's life.
"Hogwarts isn't as wonderful as you imagine. It's not just responsible for teaching magic; it's also a base for training soldiers. All Young Wizards there undergo brainwashing education."
"At the same time, Hogwarts also practices a survival-of-the-fittest strategy. If you're not strong enough, even if you're killed by a classmate, no one will investigate."
The Black-Robed Man looked at Carlyle with pity.
"I'm sure you can understand that a child like you, who has never been exposed to magic, will have no advantage at that school when facing students from Wizard families who have been studying magic since childhood."
"Children from non-magical families like yours are called 'Mudbloods' there, meaning they are as lowly as mud and can be trampled on at will."
"So, Muggle-born students are the ones who are bullied by everyone in school. Usually, less than one-tenth of them successfully make it to graduation."
"Then... then what should we do?" Mrs. Johnson asked in a panic, hugging her son, "We won't go to school! Can't we just not go to that school?"
The Black-Robed Man shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Hogwarts doesn't allow any talented Young Wizard to remain outside—not even a Mudblood. If you refuse, the school's professors will forcibly take Carlyle, and make you completely forget his existence."
In his panic, Landon couldn't think of the inconsistencies in this. Like a drowning man clutching at a straw, he eagerly pleaded:
"You're also a Wizard, you must have a way to save us, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be here telling us all this!"
"Of course." The Black-Robed Man revealed a mysterious smile, "Of course I'll save you—that's what I'm here for."
"You must remember, what can make one magic school wary is, of course, another magic school!"
"As long as you write back to Hogwarts saying that your whole family is preparing to move to America and that Carlyle will be attending the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in America, Hogwarts will naturally back down. They won't wage a major war with Ilvermorny for a mere Mudblood."
"This... this will work?" Mrs. Johnson said hesitantly.
"Of course, that's not all!" The Black-Robed Man said, "If you say you're moving to America, you must move, and quickly! If you're still in England before the school year starts, Hogwarts will definitely know! By then, there will be no way to save you!"
"So… Carlyle is really going to… Ilvermorny?" Landon asked.
The Black-Robed Man shook his head. "Ilvermorny is no different from Hogwarts… It's best if you all live under assumed identities, so no one discovers you. Carlyle must also hide his abilities and live as a normal person; that is the safest way."
"But I don't want to hide!" Carlyle clenched his fists and said loudly, "I have the talent of a Wizard, so why should I be a normal person? If I can't go to a magic school, can't I… can't I learn magic from you?"
"Carlyle!" Landon quickly interjected.
However, the Black-Robed Man said, "Of course you can… Why not? I was once just like you… It was only thanks to my mentor's pity that I became who I am today…"
"But child, this path is not an easy one. It is destined to make enemies of the major magic schools. If you join us, you will face countless powerful adversaries in the future. Are you truly prepared?"
No passionate youth could resist such an appeal to their pride, nor the temptation of being "different."
Carlyle, naturally, was no exception.
"As soon as we got off the plane, that Black-Robed Man appeared. He was with an old witch, and they took Carlyle away."
Landon covered his face, saying in anguish, "Since then, Carlyle has never returned, nor has he even sent a single letter… I realized we might have been tricked, but there was nothing we could do…"
"My wife and I went everywhere asking about Hogwarts, Ilvermorny, magic schools… No one could give us an answer. Then, suddenly one day, Annie forgot everything…"
"The Obliviation Charm was real… She forgot about magic schools, and even forgot that we had a son…"
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