Chapter 21: The Broken Cauldron Bar

At this point, Sprout's voice cut off abruptly. She gave an embarrassed smile and started anew, "In short, your situation is quite special, and since you possess Eastern blood, Headmaster Dumbledore should have come to speak with you personally. However, the Headmaster is currently tied up with other matters, so..."

Chu Yang flashed a cute smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Professor Sprout!"

Sprout was very satisfied with Chu Yang's attitude and praised him with a beaming smile, "Ha, what a clever little cutie."

"No wonder you packed your bags early to wait for me. You seem to have guessed how we would resolve your predicament, haven't you?"

Chu Yang mused, "Perhaps by sponsoring a portion of my tuition in advance so that I can attend school, and then allowing me to do some auxiliary work at the school—working my way through school, right?"

"Working your way through school?" Sprout looked at Chu Yang in surprise, nodding repeatedly. "That is a very apt term. We do indeed intend to have you do some work at the school; getting something for nothing is not a value advocated by Hogwarts."

As if fearing Chu Yang might feel pressured, Sprout added an explanation, "The school will not arrange tasks beyond your capability. At most, you might help me tend to the Herbology greenhouses, or once you are familiar with Potions, act as an assistant to Professor Snape, who teaches Potions class..."

Hearing that he would have to assist Snape, Chu Yang felt a sense of refusal in his heart, but he steeled himself and said, "Professor Sprout, I will complete these tasks diligently."

"Of course you will," Sprout said loudly.

She then leaned down and patted Chu Yang on the head. "Wait here for a moment. I must go and explain the situation clearly to the Matron who looks after you, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings."

With that, Sprout walked straight toward the orphanage.

She pulled out her wand and gave a gentle wave toward the side door. "*Alohomora!*"

The Unlocking Charm!

With a *click*, the side door slowly opened. Sprout held her head high and, under Chu Yang's "admiring" gaze, walked in like a proud swan.

Chu Yang smacked his lips and muttered, "The only reason I snuck out was because Matron Anna is quite difficult to talk to. An elderly nun is not just ordinary stubborn. I hope Professor Sprout won't be treated like some strange person..."

Not long after, Professor Sprout emerged from inside looking quite disheveled, her hands clutching her head to protect her patched-up pointed hat.

"Do nuns in the Muggle world like to sleep hugging brooms?" Sprout complained. "Before I even had a chance to cast magic, I was swept out the door by her broom."

Chu Yang said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Professor. I should have warned you. To protect the children in the orphanage, Matron Anna's guard is a bit high."

Sprout sighed. "I understand. I feel the same way about protecting my students. Although the process was a bit circuitous, I managed to explain things clearly to her. You can follow me to Hogwarts with peace of mind."

Chu Yang pretended to be a child who had never seen the world and asked excitedly, "Are we going now?"

Sprout pressed her hands down slightly, signaling Chu Yang not to be so excited. "It is already very late. We must stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the night, and tomorrow we will go to Diagon Alley to get everything you need for school."

Chu Yang blinked and asked, "The things written in the school acceptance letter?"

"Close your eyes; the next part might be a bit uncomfortable." Sprout nodded, then took Chu Yang's hand, preparing to perform [Apparition]!

In an instant, Chu Yang felt a surge of magical power, a powerful pressure squeezing his body.

Immediately after, he felt as if he had been stuffed into a tin can, being shaken up, down, left, and right at will.

Fortunately, Chu Yang possessed an extremely resilient physique and a mental strength that surpassed ordinary people. Upon arriving at the destination, he showed no signs of discomfort.

"Few people can remain this calm after their first encounter with Apparition. You possess excellent talent and psychological composure, Mr. Chu Yang."

Sprout, having witnessed Chu Yang's performance, did not hold back her praise. Although they had not known each other long, she was deeply impressed by the boy before her.

Possessing a maturity and rationality beyond his peers—this was a necessary condition for becoming a great wizard.

"Where is this?" Chu Yang looked around.

He found himself on a quiet street. Since it was late, there were no passersby to be seen.

"Charing Cross Road! Directly opposite is the Leaky Cauldron I mentioned." Sprout pointed to an old-fashioned storefront across the road. Its dusty wooden door looked completely out of place with its surroundings.

Occasionally, someone would pass by without even noticing the sign, as if it were completely invisible.

"This place is under a charm. Muggles... ordinary people cannot see the existence of the Leaky Cauldron, and the same goes for Hogwarts." As Sprout explained, she led Chu Yang into the pub.

The lighting inside the pub was also dim.

Much like the outside, only a few scattered candles provided steady light.

An old man stood behind the bar and nodded to Sprout. "Hello, Professor Sprout."

"Hello, Mr. Tom," Sprout said, leading Chu Yang toward the bar.

Chu Yang's gaze lingered on the moving newspapers, the soup spoons, and the cleaning cloth in front of Mr. Tom that seemed to be tidying itself.

Although Chu Yang had prepared himself mentally, seeing it with his own eyes still left him in awe of the magic of the wizarding world.

"Haha, is this a new student wizard?" Old Tom smiled warmly upon seeing Chu Yang's curious expression.

"Yes, Mr. Tom," Chu Yang greeted him with a smile.

Old Tom reminded him, "It is the start of the school term, and many freshmen like yourself are staying in the Leaky Cauldron. If you meet them in the common room, don't hesitate to make friends in advance. You know, no matter where you are, having many friends is never a bad thing."

Chu Yang replied gratefully, "Thank you for your advice, Mr. Tom."

"Alright, Mr. Tom, enough small talk. I must take this child upstairs to rest; he has a mountain of things waiting for him tomorrow!" After receiving two keys from Old Tom, Sprout led Chu Yang upstairs.

In the deep of the night, Chu Yang fell into a heavy sleep, his heart thumping with excitement and curiosity about the magical world.

Early the next morning, a heavy knocking on the door startled Chu Yang awake.

"Chu Yang, it's time to head out. Get up, quickly." Sprout's voice rang out from outside the door, booming like a bell, even louder than an alarm clock.

"Okay, Professor Sprout, I'm getting up right now!" Chu Yang dressed briskly. Just as he was about to brush his teeth, he suddenly realized he had forgotten his toothpaste and toothbrush.

"Why do I forget my toiletries every time I go out? Is this a habit from my past life that I just can't break in this one?!" Chu Yang looked at himself in the mirror speechlessly. After packing his things, he opened the door to meet Professor Sprout.

(End of Chapter)