38. Circus

Aurelius had limited connections with the magical world, but fortunately, through Queenie, I learned some common sense information about the magical world.

For instance, in Britain, the magical world is different than in other places. There is only one commercial street, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade makes up half of it. The reason for this is that Britain is a small place with a small number of wizards, so there isn't a need for a large commercial street.

America, on the other hand, is vast and sparsely populated, with three times the number of wizards compared to Britain. Combined with the animosity between wizards and No-Majs, a brief history, and other factors, a business model with the characteristics of the magical world of America was formed.

Commercial streets are nearly nonexistent in America. Wizards typically lead a family life and engage in a small-scale peasant economy, with most wizard families being self-sufficient. Additionally, due to the existence of Apparitions, geographical distance is not a major obstacle.

Some families can produce enough goods and therefore sell them in shops located in various towns in the country. Although several commercial streets have emerged over time, they are all relatively small in scale. Though the number of wizards in America is several times greater than in the UK, the size of their commercial streets is less than one-third of Diagon Alley.

The Magical Congress only recently moved to New York, and the largest shopping street in the country isn't located there either. New York, being an emerging city, is representative of all cities in the country. There has been no space reserved for wizards to build a commercial street in New York or any other city throughout history.

That is why the shopping street in New York is called Wally's Cave. It may sound rustic, but its transliteration as "Wo-ri Cave" makes it sound more foreign. Wally's Cave is an underground commercial street located in Queens, at a depth of several hundred meters. It was transformed from a massive cave, with the top resembling a starry sky, with countless suspended candles creating a starlight effect.

The unique style of the cave shops has quickly gained popularity. Despite being relatively small in scale, its special design has made it a must-visit destination for every foreign wizard. The Magical Congress plans to develop Wally's Cave further and has reached out to all famous magic shops in the world to open branches here, resulting in nearly a hundred shops being present. Wally's Cave has a circular layout around the large square in the center, unlike Diagon Alley which is linear. The cave's high roof provides more space, and the shops are arranged in a stepped manner.

Since it was recently built, the planning here is very new. Each store appears the same size from the outside, but the internal space is expanded using the Traceless Stretch Charm. 

Outside each shop, there are exquisite statues and magical plants that can illuminate the cold stone caves, adding life to the atmosphere. 

As you stroll through the central square, you'll notice many people. Normally, wizards in America don't enjoy shopping. But during the entire month of April, there's an exception. 

April is a festival month in the magical world of America, originating from the Salem witch hunt. In May 1693, Phillips granted a general amnesty to all prisoners suspected of witchcraft, ending all trials. This marked the end of a miserable period for wizards in America, as wizards and No-Majs are now completely separated, and large-scale persecution is no longer a concern. 

As a result, wizards celebrate this day as 'New Year's Day', and the month leading up to it is called 'Nirvana Month'. New Year's Day and Nirvana Month are the most important festivals in the magical world of America. Naturally, various parties, gatherings, and shopping are part of the celebrations. 

People gather in the commercial street, and the enormous crowd has given rise to various entertainment activities. 

The center of the square is occupied by a large red tent, bustling with activity and filled with all kinds of cheers. Outside the tent, clowns and jugglers showcase their unique skills, capturing people's attention.

"Circus Arcanus - this must be it," Aurelius says as he pays for the ice cream using Dragot, the currency of the magical world of America, roughly equivalent to British gold galleons.

Aurelius wants to confirm if this circus is the one he is seeking. He suspects it to be the case because of the circus's slogan: Monsters and Strange People! He is curious how this circus was allowed to come to New York, considering the magical community's aversion to magical animals, as they believe such creatures may expose their existence. As people filed into the tent, Aurelius scanned his surroundings. The place appeared to be just like any ordinary circus. However, since he arrived a bit late, he missed the beginning of the performance.

The clown, who was juggling, held three fireballs in his hand while balancing on a suspended metal rod. He entertained the audience with exaggerated and funny movements, never letting the fireballs fall to the ground. This impressive act received warm applause from the entire crowd.

Following the clown's final bow, a man with a full face and a big beard emerged wearing a top hat. He was the circus leader and the host.

"Ladies and gentlemen! At the Circus Arcanus, you will witness the most magical performances in the world! Clowns? Dancers? No! They possess special skills, but not the level of magic we have in store for you!" the bearded man announced with a smile. He continued, "Next, let us all welcome Jon to the stage for a truly magical performance!"

The audience responded with generous applause, even if some were unfamiliar with what an orc was.

Soon, the host left the stage and a thunderous roar echoed through the tent, startling the spectators.

A tall, snow-white figure leaped from the roof of the tent and landed forcefully in the center of the stage. The figure resembled a superhero, with a body covered in snow-white fur and a lower body wrapped in a wild animal skin skirt. With the beat of the drums, the figure rose slowly.

A bear?! No, that's not right!

There was a distinction between humans and bears.

The creature before Aurelius let out a fierce roar, standing at a height of about two feet. Its body was covered in white hair and it had the head of a white bear.

The Circus Arcanus - is renowned for its monsters and oddities.

The audience clapped enthusiastically, but Aurelius's gaze held a different expression.

His exceptional vision allowed him to observe that something seemed unnatural about Jon's snow-white fur. The hairless skin on his body appeared to be covered by the surrounding hair.

Aurelius recognized the hideous scars as well. Looking at his palms, he saw the marks left by Mary's previous punishment - he must have endured numerous whippings.