Chapter 82: Sorting Out Gains and The Three Broomsticks

Wiltshire is a place in the southwest of England, known for its beautiful Cranmore Hills and Salisbury Plain.

Standing on the old streets of Wiltshire, the scenery before Ino was familiar, but his mood was completely different from before.

This journey, although seemingly fruitless with not even a copper coin gained and spent entirely in a tense and passive atmosphere, had undeniable hidden rewards that were significant.

To say nothing of other gains, simply having an additional travel destination was already the greatest gain.

For the past three years, he had only been able to move forward continuously, with no knowledge of what lay ahead or what he might encounter—everything was unknown.

Sometimes, he wondered if there was an abyss ahead, he might have to brace himself and walk down it because there was no other choice.

But now, there was an option of the Woodland Elf Kingdom. From now on, his travels would no longer be passive but rather a matter of personal choice.

Another gain was time, and time was precisely what underage wizards lacked the most.

Although this journey to Middle-earth was less than two months in total, possibly due to the story's background, the undeniable fact was that having another choice could mean gaining a few months or even half a year of time, and it was time gained without any consumption or cost.

Upon careful thought, the Middle-earth world would remain a blank slate in the story for the next hundred years.

Quietly staying in the Woodland Kingdom, even if he did nothing but read books and sing songs, he was confident he could have the magical power of an adult wizard by his third year.

Of course, not to mention the mysterious-looking blue-brick road; the miraculous change within himself was of paramount importance.

If not for the consideration of the Statute of Secrecy, Ino would want to experiment now because, deep down, he had a feeling that he could enter the blue-brick road at any time.

The only uncertainty now was the flow of time.

If everything was ideal, who would need a life-saving die or even a bottomless box? An absolutely safe haven would become his greatest trump card.

Even if he had to face Voldemort or provoke the entire wizarding world, at least his own safety would not be a concern.

...

On a quiet street in Wiltshire.

Ino held a suitcase in his left hand and drew his wand with his right hand, standing quietly at the crossroads without using any magic.

Now he was waiting for a way to return to London.

The Knight Bus was undoubtedly the most cost-effective choice in terms of both speed and price.

Wiltshire was exactly 132 kilometers from London. If he were to take a Muggle taxi, he would likely empty his pockets of all his pounds.

Even though he had rented out his little guy to Hermione before the summer holiday for 50 pounds, it was far from enough to cover the taxi fare.

Thinking of Hermione meticulously writing a rental contract, he couldn't help but smile.

"Screech…"

Suddenly, a sharp braking sound rang out.

A triple-decker bus seemed to materialize out of thin air, coming to a screeching halt before Ino.

In golden letters on the windshield were the bold words: "Knight Bus."

"Whenever you need to, just stick out your wand hand and the Knight Bus will appear to take you wherever you want to go. Of course, we don't go underwater."

The door opened, and a young wizard with large ears and a face full of pimples, wearing a purple uniform, recited the manual's lines with fluctuating tones.

"Hogsmeade! The Three Broomsticks," Ino stated his destination as he walked towards the door.

"Alright, that'll be six Sickles!"

The conductor at the bus door quickly reported the fare, then fiddled with an old-fashioned ticket machine on his chest.

"Here's your ticket! Of course, for an extra three Sickles, you can get a chocolate bar, and for an extra four... never mind, it's a short trip, no need for a toothbrush. By the way, my name is Stan Shunpike, and I'll be your conductor for this journey."

Facing this type of bundled sales pitch, Ino decisively shook his head in refusal.

"Sorry, I don't need any of that. Also, I'm very tired. Please let me rest for a while."

"Alright then, enjoy your trip!" The conductor shrugged indifferently and turned to the driver: "Off we go! Hogsmeade, outside the Three Broomsticks!"

...

Ino lay on a bed with brass posts, quickly securing himself to it while the conductor spoke.

Despite using nearly a binding method, the enormous inertia produced when the Knight Bus started up almost threw him to the ground.

But after a brief impact, he gradually adapted to this high-speed travel mode. It's undeniable that some people might genuinely enjoy this kind of high-speed thrill.

The Knight Bus.

Ino half-leaned on the bed, took a deep breath of fresh air, and felt the unique tranquility and harmony of the English countryside.

At the same time, he made up his mind that he would stay in Hogsmeade for the summer.

Besides giving himself a peaceful time, he also needed to think carefully about his future direction.

Magic, or rather the magic in the Harry Potter story, was never just simple tricks, though many people used it as such.

But he had always known that the world he was in now was no less significant than Narnia or The Lord of the Rings.

If viewed as a story, it was undoubtedly an epic, large-scale tale.

...

Time slowly passed.

With the Knight Bus's entirely illegal and speeding journey, it took less than ten minutes to travel from Wiltshire to Hogsmeade.

Ino got off the bus, saw the sign of the Three Broomsticks, and entered without a second thought.

After chatting with Madam Rosmerta for a few minutes, he returned to his former room, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with the familiar setting.

Of course, some things were different.

For instance, the Christmas tree and other decorations that used to be in the corner had now been replaced with bluebells that suited the summer season.

...

The days flowed like a gentle stream, unhurried and steady.

Yet silently, they gradually filled the sands of time.

Likewise, time quietly flowed, like a brook gently brushing past pebbles, everything silent and unnoticeable.

Ino stayed at the Three Broomsticks for an entire week, using summer homework as an excuse to temporarily decline Madam Rosmerta's invitation to sing.

This wasn't just an excuse. On the third day of his stay, he received a package from Professor McGonagall.

It contained the latest issue of "Transfiguration Today" and excerpts from the best rookie papers of recent years.

Faced with such blatant hints, he could only temporarily set aside other things and prepare a draft to send to Professor McGonagall for review before the new term began.