Chapter 02: Diagon Alley

The golden light faded, leaving a card and an egg before Luke. He recognized the card style—his three Unforgivable Curses had also come from skill cards—but this was his first encounter with an egg.

Luke picked up the card first.

[Skill Card: Patronus Charm]

Description: "Summon your happiest memories to conjure a Patronus, a symbol of one's inner light."

Note: "Only the host may use this skill card. Please ensure you have a happy memory before practicing."

Luke's mouth twitched slightly. This spell had always resonated with him, even back when he watched it in the movies. However, neither his past life nor the present provided memories he could call "happy" just yet.

With a sigh, Luke accepted the situation. It wasn't the spell he wanted most, but it was certainly useful. He tore the card, which dissolved into particles of light and entered his temple. The words "Patronus Charm Lv 0 (0/1)" now appeared in his skill list.

Since practicing the spell was out of the question, he hoped his time at Hogwarts would bring him some happier memories to work with.

Turning his attention to the egg, Luke gently cradled it in his hands. Information appeared in his mind as he examined it.

[Name: Basilisk Egg (Enhanced)]

Description: "This is a unique basilisk egg, destined to hatch a very unusual creature."

Note: "Place the egg in the system storage to incubate. Remove it when it's ready to hatch. Countdown: 67 days, 16 hours, and 44 minutes. Keep your expectations high :)"

Luke was genuinely looking forward to the hatching of this egg. Given the previous items that he got with the golden light effect, this time it was just one skill card and this egg, so he expected it to be equally valuable—perhaps even comparable to Slytherin's wand.

He placed the egg in his storage slot and noted the countdown with satisfaction. Even if he hadn't received it, Luke was determined to find a clever snake to keep as a pet. Though the Hogwarts letter mentioned pets such as owls, cats, and toads, Luke figured the professors could handle a snake... probably.

The following morning, Luke was up early, exercising at sunrise.

Even as a wizard, physical health was essential. Whether brewing potions or practicing spells, a strong body was necessary to endure the mishaps of magical training—especially for those who, like magizoologists, sometimes grappled with magical creatures.

After a simple workout, Luke began practicing spells.

"Incendio! (Fire!)"

A large fireball burst from his wand, colliding with a boulder and engulfing it in flames. The intense heat caused cracking sounds as the stone charred, but it showed no further signs of damage.

Luke observed the boulder with mild disappointment. Only about one in ten full-power Fire-Making Charms would improve his skill proficiency. Draining his magical energy completely, he could manage around twenty full-power fire spells—leaving him too exhausted for further practice that day. This forced him to alternate between rest and training, which felt inefficient.

"You should lower your wand tip a bit, keep your incantation's ending short and sharp, and imagine the effect you want from the fire spell," an authoritative voice called from the clearing's edge.

Luke furrowed his brow, considering this advice, then raised his wand, focused on the intended effect, and cast again.

"Incendio!"

This time, a blazing spear shot from his wand, piercing the stone before exploding. A small crater appeared, and his Fire-Making Charm proficiency jumped by three points—a surprising and welcome boost.

Quickly composing himself, Luke turned and bowed respectfully toward the woman who had spoken. "Thank you for your guidance."

Professor McGonagall looked approvingly at the polite and astute child before her and nodded in satisfaction.

"Luke Gaunt, I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and Head of Gryffindor House. You may call me Professor McGonagall. I'm here to guide you in purchasing supplies and to offer some pre-enrollment advice."

Pre-enrollment guidance was usually outside McGonagall's purview, as keeping Hogwarts mysterious was a valued tradition among adult wizards.

However, seeing Luke in person, McGonagall had her own motives.

"Thank you, Professor."

Luke led her toward his cabin, offering, "Please, come in for a cup of coffee. Have you had breakfast? Would you care for some?"

Professor McGonagall didn't hesitate. She intended to get a good sense of this unusual child, so she gladly accepted.

"Yes, please. Prepare some for me, too, child."

Inside, Luke pulled out a chair for McGonagall, then began cooking in the kitchen.

Magical utensils danced gracefully as ingredients appeared near the stove in a flash. Though McGonagall had sharp eyes, she couldn't quite imagine what green beans, ham, rice, corn, and carrots would yield together. Yet, Luke's seamless actions and the aroma drifting into the air inspired confidence.

Soon, he served two bowls of fried rice.

"Fried rice, Professor. Enjoy."

Placing the bowl before her, he handed over a delicate spoon adorned with a beautiful snake design, faintly imbued with magic. McGonagall, a well-known figure in the wizarding world, had never eaten with such an exquisite utensil.

"Fried rice? Is this…"

Before she could finish, she noticed Luke using two wooden sticks to eat.

Noticing her interest, Luke swallowed his bite and asked, "Yes, Professor?"

"Have you been to Asia?"

McGonagall's question was filled with curiosity.

Luke shook his head. "No, but my family traveled to a lot of places long ago. I learned this from their notes. I hope I'm doing it justice."

His explanation was partially true: his branch of the Gaunt family had indeed spent considerable time in many parts of world. The part he didn't share was that his culinary skills came from his previous life. Living alone, one picks up these skills over time.

McGonagall nodded. These things were hard to verify, so she accepted Luke's account.

Taking a bite, McGonagall found herself surprised by the taste. House-elves at Hogwarts were excellent cooks, but Luke's cooking skills were not bad either.

Thinking of this, she asked with some doubts: "Where's your house elf?"

Most affluent families, particularly purebloods, had house-elves, as manual labor was seen as beneath them.

"He passed away. I buried him and all those heads mounted on the walls. Those things don't represent honor or legacy," Luke replied, sipping water, his tone calm yet laced with a quiet pride and distaste for traditional pureblood customs.

McGonagall sensed his aristocratic pride and quiet disdain for outdated traditions, but she said nothing and continued her meal.

Sunlight filled the room, illuminating a vase on the table, where sunflowers stood tall, reflecting the golden glow.

Finishing her meal, McGonagall set her cup down and said, "Let's go. I'll take you to Diagon Alley to buy your supplies."

Luke nodded with a smile. "Of course, Professor."

Just as McGonagall made her way to the fireplace, Luke stopped her.

"No, Professor," he said. "My fireplace isn't connected to the Floo Network."

If it were connected, Luke wouldn't need the Professor's help. After all, though he looked like a child, he was certainly capable of handling a simple shopping trip.

McGonagall nodded, sensing this place restricted even Apparition slightly—likely making even the Knight Bus a non-option.

But despite these restrictions, breaking through them would be no problem for a witch of her caliber.

And so, it was no wonder this child had asked for help. After all, the trip from here to Diagon Alley would be a challenge for him.

What she didn't know was that Luke's biggest worry was that he didn't know where the Leaky Cauldron was located. In the movies, they just 'whooshed' right over, but in reality, finding it seemed quite troublesome.

He hadn't bothered to figure it out himself, thinking that, surely, someone would eventually take him there.

"Come here, child. I hope you're ready for the experience."

Realizing she intended to Apparate him, Luke felt a mix of anticipation and apprehension—descriptions of the experience in the books were hardly pleasant.

But he steeled himself; he had faced hardships before, he could manage this.

McGonagall noticed his nervousness and reassured him, smiling gently, "It's not so bad. Though it won't be pleasant, it's efficient."

He smiled back, his unease fading as he held onto her sleeve.

Professor McGonagall smiled again and lightly waved her wand.

"Whoosh!"

A loud crack resounded, and they vanished.

Luke felt like he was squeezed into a narrow tube, surrounded by suffocating darkness and pressure.

It was unpleasant but brief; in the next instant, he felt light again as they reappeared.

"We've arrived, child—Diagon Alley."

McGonagall's voice echoed in Luke's ears, blending with the lively noise around them. Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath, gazing at the narrow yet bustling street.

He had finally arrived—at the true world of wizards