Christmas at the Granger household might not have been as grand or extravagant as at Hogwarts, but it was every bit as warm and heartfelt.
On Christmas Eve, Qin Yu and Hermione helped Mr. and Mrs. Granger decorate the house, setting up a small Christmas tree adorned with stars, snowflakes, ribbons, and all manner of sparkling ornaments. It looked absolutely charming.
After a good night's sleep, they woke early on Christmas morning to find gifts waiting at their bedsides.
Qin Yu received a red-and-gold striped scarf—warm and cozy, the kind that seemed to chase away winter's chill. Hermione's present was a full set of colorful paintbrushes, which left her squealing with delight. She immediately insisted that Qin Yu be her model so she could paint his portrait.
That morning, Mrs. Granger was already bustling about the kitchen, preparing the Christmas feast.
After all, what's Christmas without roast turkey? Thanks to King Henry VIII's patronage and King Edward VII's enthusiastic promotion, turkey—a delicacy from the New World—had become the centerpiece of every British Christmas dinner.
A ten-pound turkey was the star of today's meal.
With little else to do, Qin Yu pitched in as Mrs. Granger's assistant.
It seemed every British family had a secret roast turkey recipe, passed down from mothers or grandmothers. Mrs. Granger was no exception—she claimed her recipe had been in the family for four generations, though Qin Yu suspected that might be a slight exaggeration.
He watched as she expertly separated the turkey's skin from the meat, then slathered a blend of butter, thyme, sage, sea salt, and other aromatic herbs between the layers. She coated the outside with more of the secret butter and loosely stuffed the cavity with chopped carrots, onions, celery, and other vegetables.
Finally, the prepared turkey went into the oven. Every thirty minutes, Mrs. Granger would open the oven to baste it with the savory drippings, ensuring the skin stayed golden and crisp without drying out.
Three hours later, the fragrant turkey took center stage on the dining table, surrounded by an array of side dishes. The Christmas feast began around two in the afternoon.
With the holiday in full swing and a table groaning with food, everyone ate their fill—Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Qin Yu, and Hermione alike.
They finished with a generous helping of Christmas pudding—perfection!
…
During the Christmas season, the Grangers took Qin Yu and Hermione out to see the festive street lights, wander the Christmas markets, and even visit a carnival in the nearby park.
For two days, Qin Yu and Hermione played to their hearts' content.
But on the third day after Christmas, a man in a black uniform and a wide-brimmed black hat appeared at the Grangers' front door.
He looked to be in his twenties, with a polite, professional air.
"Mr. Qin, Miss Granger, good morning. My name is Wade Brook. I'm an official from the Underage Wizard Registration Office, under the Department of Magical Education at the Ministry of Magic," he introduced himself.
"Underage Wizard Registration Office?" Qin Yu repeated, genuinely puzzled.
Hermione, however, was already frowning with curiosity. "Wasn't it always May who came before? Why isn't she here today?"
"May has transferred to the Department of International Magical Cooperation—a promotion," Wade Brook explained with a smile. "I'm now responsible for underage wizard registration in this area."
"Oh, I see," Hermione nodded.
"Mr. Qin, your initial registration was submitted directly by Professor Dumbledore, so it's perfectly normal that you haven't heard of our office. We're responsible for managing underage wizards. Today, I'm here to verify your information and remind both you and Miss Granger of a few important guidelines for magical conduct outside school," Wade explained.
Qin Yu nodded in understanding. His own identity paperwork had been handled entirely by Dumbledore, so it made sense he'd never dealt with this department. Hermione was different—she'd had a dedicated contact for her registration, and from her tone, she seemed quite familiar with "May," the Ministry official.
He guessed, privately, that May had been the one to introduce Hermione to the wizarding world and provide her with guidance before she started at Hogwarts.
After checking Wade's Ministry badge and confirming his credentials, Qin Yu and Hermione invited him inside.
Mr. Granger was in the living room reading The Times, while Mrs. Granger was in the kitchen tidying up.
Both parents were a bit surprised to see such an official visitor, but as guardians of young witches and wizards, they'd half-expected something like this eventually. They allowed Wade to speak with Qin Yu in his room, with Hermione tagging along.
"Here's the situation, Mr. Qin," Wade began, sitting down in a chair. "Professor Dumbledore only registered your current address and guardian information—there's very little else on file. Could you tell me a bit more about your background?"
Floating beside him was a parchment form, and an auto-recording quill hovered above it, poised to take notes.
Hermione's eyes went wide with amazement at the sight of the quill. May had never brought anything so magical before.
Qin Yu, by now, was quite used to such wizarding gadgets and didn't bat an eye.
He paused to consider, then answered slowly, "I actually lost my previous memories for certain reasons… All I remember is being taken in by Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Later, I had some magical outbursts, which Professor Dumbledore happened to discover, and that's how I was enrolled at Hogwarts. That's really all there is to it."
He kept things as honest as possible, sharing what he could.
When he finished, Wade frowned slightly. "You don't remember anything from before?"
"Not entirely nothing. I can recall some things—knowledge I've learned, a few life skills," Qin Yu replied, cautious but calm.
"The information is a bit sparse, but it's not unheard of for young wizards to suffer accidents or memory loss. I'll make a note of it," Wade said, nodding.
The auto-quill scratched rapidly across the floating form, recording every word.
Once finished, Wade summoned the parchment, which rolled itself up and tucked neatly into his coat. The quill slipped into a case.
With the formalities complete, Wade turned to face the two children, his tone serious:
"Now, I need to remind you about magical conduct outside school. According to Section Three of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, any witch or wizard under the age of seventeen is strictly forbidden from deliberately using magic in front of Muggles in Muggle-inhabited areas while outside school. Violations will result in a warning letter from the Ministry. In serious cases, the Improper Use of Magic Office will send an investigator. In the most severe cases, the matter will be referred to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, or even the full Wizengamot for a hearing. Though, to be fair, that almost never happens."
Seeing the two children grow solemn, Wade smiled reassuringly. "No need to be nervous. This is just a reminder. As long as you don't use magic carelessly, you'll be fine."
"What about… if we're in danger?" Qin Yu asked, unfamiliar with the details of the law.
Hermione looked concerned as well—her life had always been peaceful, so she'd never really thought about it.
"According to Article Seven of the Decree, if the life of the witch or wizard, or any other wizard or Muggle present, is threatened, you may use magic—even in front of Muggles," Wade explained.
"That's good to know."
"Well then, thank you both for your cooperation today. That concludes my visit," Wade Brook said, standing up.
"You're welcome, Mr. Brook!" "Thank you for your hard work!"
Qin Yu and Hermione stood as well, and together they saw the young Ministry official to the door.
After he'd gone, Qin Yu asked Hermione about her previous interactions with May.
Just as he'd suspected, May had not only informed Hermione of her magical identity, but had also enthusiastically explained the wizarding world and given her several books.
"She sounds like a wonderful person," Qin Yu remarked.
"She really is," Hermione agreed warmly.
…
What neither Qin Yu nor Hermione knew was that Wade Brook, after leaving the Grangers' house, didn't return to the Ministry's offices beneath Whitehall. Instead, he simply vanished from the street—only to reappear moments later in an ancient and opulent manor in Wiltshire.
A house-elf quickly led him to the master's study.
"Wade, how did the investigation go?" asked the blond, middle-aged man seated behind the desk.
"Mr. Malfoy, after checking the Muggle records, I confirmed that this boy—Qin—did indeed appear in that Muggle neighborhood this spring. There are no records before that. I also met the boy today, posing as an official from the Department of Magical Education. What he told me matches my findings. Here's my report." Wade handed over the registration parchment.
The blond man—none other than Lucius Malfoy, lord of the manor—scanned the page quickly.
"So, everything seems normal, then?" Malfoy asked quietly after a moment.
"That's correct," Wade replied evenly.
"Hmph. Everything's normal again. It seems our dear Headmaster really wants everyone to believe he's just an ordinary child," Malfoy sneered.
He might not have found any evidence, but he knew that when everything appeared normal, that was often the greatest abnormality of all.
"I believe so," Wade said coolly.
"Thank you, Wade," Malfoy said, his tone softening.
"Just doing my duty, sir," Wade replied with a small bow.
…
Qin Yu's Christmas holiday lasted a good ten days, but grown-ups didn't get nearly as long a break.
After a few days' rest, Mr. and Mrs. Granger returned to work.
The two children were left to their own devices at home.
After Qin Yu answered a few of Hermione's questions about magic, they found themselves at loose ends. Especially after Wade Brook's reminder, Qin Yu didn't dare let Hermione touch her wand. Simple spells might have been fine, but if they accidentally caused a ruckus, he certainly didn't want to end up facing the Wizengamot—or the appeals bench, as it might be called.
So, one morning, Qin Yu suddenly had an idea. With a mysterious smile, he said to Hermione, "I'm taking you somewhere fun today. I promise you'll love it."
"Hmm? Where are we going?" Hermione asked, puzzled.
"You'll see when we get there," Qin Yu teased, keeping her in suspense.
They left the house, taking the Tube, then a tram, and finally arrived at a shabby, narrow building nestled between a large bookshop and a record store. Ordinary Muggles passing by seemed to look right through it, as if it didn't exist at all.
That's right—this was the Leaky Cauldron.
"Come on! Let's start our Diagon Alley adventure!"
With that, Qin Yu took Hermione's hand and led her inside.
Her face was already shining with excitement and anticipation.
—Dimensional Wall—
Sorry for the late update—I spent yesterday outlining the next part of the story, which took longer than expected.
Honestly, the more mundane a chapter seems, the more research and care it takes to make the story engaging (not that I'm sure this book is particularly gripping, mind you). I'm always worried about breaking immersion, fussing over every sentence and word to make sure nothing jars the reader. Maybe that's why writing this story can be so painful—my skills aren't great, but I can't help being a perfectionist. Lastly, if you're willing, please consider clicking that "Power of Love" button. Every little bit helps, and maybe I'll be able to afford a decent meal. Thanks for putting up with my shamelessness!
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