Chapter 37

Anchorage welcomed us with pleasant, sunny weather and a calm ocean. The majestic peaks of the Chugach Mountains evoked a sense of grandeur and invincibility. I had never experienced anything like it before. The glaciers sparkled in the sunlight like diamonds, prompting reflections on the true values in life.

The ship entered a small bay. The gangway lowered, and two wizards with large mustaches and light-blue hats immediately approached us. Holstered on their belts were magic wands, along with metal plates engraved with "Alaska."

The captain handed a folder to one of the wizards while the other carefully inspected the ship, noting details that caught his interest.

"Rough seas?" he asked, with a hint of curiosity.

"Yes," the captain nodded with a slight exhale. "Constant attacks by sea monsters prevented us from making proper repairs."

"Hmm," the second wizard murmured, frowning slightly. "Was it hard to fend them off?"

"Very," the captain replied. "If it hadn't been for Timothy Jody, we wouldn't have made it."

"Timothy Jody?" the wizard asked, intrigued.

"That's me," I said, raising my hand to catch his attention. We were speaking in English, so communication wasn't an issue.

"Ahem," he nodded, turning his attention back to the captain. "I'm sure we'll be interested to hear all about it."

The rest of the inspection was straightforward and hassle-free. The American wizards checked our papers and directed us to the registration office, located on the same dock. Behind the desk sat a tattooed woman who quickly handed us plates with our registration information and let us go. Soon after, we were intercepted by local Aurors, who immediately began asking questions about what had happened. To avoid overwhelming them with too many details, I asked if they had a Pensieve. As it turned out, they didn't, which made the story take a bit longer to explain.

"Amazing," one of the Aurors said. "Your story matches exactly with the rest of the crew's."

I shrugged and finished the last drops of tea from my paper cup.

"May I ask what rank you hold?"

"Master of Transfiguration," I replied, showing him my ring. He examined it for a few seconds and then nodded. He had no doubt I was telling the truth. Frankly, neither did I see any reason to lie.

"What can I say," the wizard said with a sigh. "Honestly, nothing more than to wish you a pleasant day."

"Thank you," I nodded, accepting his well-wishes.

As I stepped into the corridor, I met Alena with her younger relatives, who had already passed a similar interview and were just waiting for me. Strange... I thought they would have left by now. However, if they were hoping I would accept them into my still-nonexistent clan, all the strangeness made sense.

"What are your plans?" she asked.

"I'm going to check the map for our next destination," I replied calmly. "And then we'll see."

"We'll join you..." she said. "If you don't mind?"

"I don't mind," I nodded in response.

The family of four women stayed in the same motel as me. We all needed some rest after the stressful voyage and to mentally prepare for the continuation of the journey.

From Anchorage, one could travel to various places using Portkeys, but they were all within a certain radius. You could move to major cities with a significant magical presence, such as Whitehorse, Skagway, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Calgary, and Yellowknife. The Floo Network only connected nearby towns and a few scattered wizarding settlements.

The first thing that interested me was the Vancouver-Seattle-Portland metropolitan area. It wasn't the largest magical hub, but it was still quite significant. What made it particularly intriguing was the proximity of several enormous magical reserves, where rare herbal ingredients for Potions were cultivated. I wanted to visit at least a few of these reserves and gather some plants.

With that decision made, I bought a Portkey. Since Alena and her younger relatives didn't plan to fall behind, they also purchased Portkeys—at their own expense. The next morning, we relocated to a warmer place.

Anchorage was merely an entry point. Yes, there were a few magical shops, but compared to Hogsmeade, it felt sparse. There weren't many people, and even fewer wizards among them. Many preferred to live in more resource-rich lands.

Portland, the city where we arrived, was livelier than Anchorage. Wizards didn't live openly, of course, but magical symbols could be spotted here and there, indicating how to find different magical parts of the city. There was even a MACUSA office here, the American equivalent of the Ministry of Magic in England.

The magical district was slightly different in terms of the variety of goods, many of which were unrelated to the magical world or only tangentially connected. For example, Muggle household items, cleaning products, and appliances were sold alongside magical goods, from cauldrons to a small boutique with magic wands.

The fashion of local wizards leaned more toward non-magical trends. It was rare to see anyone in robes.

"A completely different world," I said to Alena as we entered a small restaurant to grab a bite.

"Yes," she nodded. "We had a completely different style back home too."

The waitress, a plump Black woman with fake nails, looked at us with suspicion and even a hint of jealousy. Interesting… why?

"What would you like to order?" she asked rudely, her voice unpleasant. For a moment, I had the impulse to cast Silencio on her without a wand, but I restrained myself. I didn't want to attract any unwanted attention from the local Aurors.

"I'll have a burger with fries and apple juice," I ordered. I was curious to try this dish because it looked juicy.

"And you?" she asked the women.

"We'll share a Caesar salad for four," Alena said. "And cheeseburgers as well."

The menu wasn't particularly large, but this café was a popular spot. Many people passed by every day. Of course, some magic was used here, but not as much as I'd seen in other places. For instance, dishes were washed by hand, tables were wiped down manually, and even sweeping was done the old-fashioned way. I didn't get it—don't they know a few simple spells?

It was hard not to notice the occasional curious glances. Our clothing, manner of speaking, and gestures were quite different from the locals. It felt odd, like being a monkey in a zoo. Fortunately, that curiosity hadn't crossed any boundaries yet.

Our order arrived quickly. We ate in silence, finishing the meal efficiently. After paying, we left to continue with our plans.

The magical district of Portland was large, with several small hotels catering to traveling wizards. If one wished, it was possible to go to the Muggle part of town and rent a hotel room there. But I wasn't in a hurry to do that, since I didn't plan to stay in the city for long. The magical forests were calling.

The hotel was small. Most of the work was handled by a short man with a sharp gaze and a peculiar way of pronouncing words. After securing my room, I went to rest.

The women did the same.

As it turned out, before heading to one of the surrounding forests, I needed to register with the local MACUSA office as a gatherer of useful plants. Holding the title of Master, which is recognized by all countries, made obtaining such a permit easy. I had to visit the local Transfiguration Guild and request the necessary documents.

"Good day," I greeted the woman, who was chewing something while reading a magazine titled Cosmopolitan.

"Good day," she replied, putting the magazine aside and standing up. "How can the Transfiguration Guild help you?"

I showed her my Master's ring, and her eyes widened. It was clear she hadn't expected to see someone like me on such an ordinary day.

"What can we do for a Master?" she asked, recovering from her surprise.

"I'd like to go into the Magical Forest," I said.

"Let me connect you with someone who can help with that," she replied.

I nodded and waited. The woman quickly disappeared, leaving me in the care of a strange creature that resembled a mix between a house elf and a goblin. A little later, she returned with a middle-aged man who seemed intrigued.

"Good day," he greeted me first. "I'm Thomas Train, a Bachelor of Transfiguration and the manager of this guild."

"Master of Transfiguration," I nodded. "Timothy Jody."

At that moment, he immediately began inspecting my ring with an artifact. Since I wasn't a fraud, the artifact confirmed that it was indeed genuine and that I was truly a Master. The man nodded in acknowledgment and put the artifact away.

"May I invite you to my office?"

"Why not," I replied.

"Follow me," Thomas said, with a slight hint of nervousness in his voice.

I gave a small smile and nodded to the woman as I left. She continued to stare at me, forgetting to blink.

Thomas's office was simple: a desk, chairs, a bookshelf, and a map of North America marked with various magical locations of interest.

"Please, have a seat," he gestured to a chair across from his desk.

"Thank you."

The man was clearly intrigued by me, as the arrival of a Master in his department was a significant event. When he learned I was from England, his curiosity overflowed, and his questions came flooding out. He was curious about everything!

"So, how can we help you?" he finally asked after satisfying his curiosity.

"I'm interested in obtaining a permit to visit the Magical Forest," I said calmly.

"Which one?" asked the wizard. "Each forest requires its own permits."

"Which one would you recommend visiting first?"

"I think starting with the Gifford Magical Forest would be best," he said after a moment's thought. "They say Spitting Toadstools have recently sprung up there in particularly large numbers."

"Oh," I nodded. "That's interesting. What else is there?"

"Mount St. Helens and Speaker Adams Mountain," he answered almost instantly. "You can find high-quality volcanic ingredients at the volcano. And on the mountain, there are rare alpine plants that are hard to come by in Europe."

"Hmm," I muttered, thinking for a few seconds. "Why not? Let's do it. How much does the permit cost?"

"It's free for guild masters," Thomas said, pulling out a piece of paper.

He quickly scribbled something on it, rolled it up, and placed it in a small tube with the Transfiguration Guild's seal.

"You'll need to present this to the registration commission," he said.

"What are the coordinates for Apparition?"

He handed me the necessary coordinates. Thanking him, I headed back to the hotel to prepare.

Preparing for a plant-gathering expedition wasn't difficult. You needed to know the weather, the geography of the area, and whether there were any high-danger magical creatures around.

According to some of the books I had downloaded and analyzed, there were dangerous magical creatures in that forest, but they weren't particularly high-level threats. I think a Hogwarts graduate who passed Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts would easily survive in this forest. For me, it shouldn't be a problem.

That evening, I had dinner after a successful trip through the magical district, and to my surprise, I saw Alena and her relatives heading somewhere. She approached, and I nodded to the chair across from me, inviting her to sit.

"Timothy," she addressed me calmly. I tilted my head slightly, watching her closely. It seemed she had found a new opportunity she was ready to seize like a bulldog.

"Yes?" I asked, curious.

"I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us," she said. "We plan to continue our journey into the U.S."

"Good," I nodded, inwardly pleased. As they say, when the load is off the cart, it's easier for the horse. "I wish you all the best. What will you be doing, by the way?"

"My daughter and I were offered jobs at a local hospital," she said honestly. "There's a big shortage of qualified staff, so our skills will be valued."

"Then I'm happy for you," I nodded in response. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you," Alena said, bowing slightly before leaving.

The women left the hotel and went on to live their own lives, no longer connected to my clan. You know, I didn't feel a single bit of regret about how things turned out. Maybe in the future, I'll regret it, but definitely not now.

Being independent of others is both pleasant and freeing.

The next morning, I returned the keys to my room and prepared to set out on the expedition. After a light breakfast, I found a small alley, perfect for Apparition, and spun on the spot.

A second later, I found myself in a small clearing, surrounded by countless trees. A mountain peak was visible in the distance, and on the other side, the peak of a volcano. The air was astonishingly fresh and pleasant. Nearby, there was a small booth with a line of wizards waiting.

Approaching the booth, I saw the word "Registration" written on it. Taking my place at the back of the line, I waited for my turn. More wizards gathered behind me. Some were alone, while others arrived in groups. The younger wizards were mostly in groups, while the older ones tended to be by themselves.

Lost in thought for a moment, I almost didn't notice when a group of young wizards tried to cut in front of me. But they didn't succeed, as I stepped forward, standing firm like a tree. One of the young men bumped into me. Since I had braced myself, and he hadn't, I stayed on my feet while he landed flat on his backside. He hadn't expected that and looked around in confusion. His friends stared at me, equally puzzled.

"Oh, excuse me," the guy muttered. "I didn't see you."

"It happens," I nodded, returning to my meditative observation of the surroundings.

It didn't take a genius to notice the flash of anger in his eyes. In his group, he was clearly the weak link. You could read it from their dynamics. My gut told me this kid was going to try to pick a fight, pressured by his friends.

"Hey," he said, nudged by his buddies. I ignored him, pretending to admire the scenery.

"Hey, you!" another guy pushed me in the back, eager to stir up trouble.

I turned and raised an eyebrow at him.

"And what do you want?" I asked the guy who had pushed me.

"Why did you take our spot in line?" he blurted out something ridiculous.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I replied calmly, glancing at the other wizards in line, who quickly averted their eyes, not wanting to get involved. It was clear—no one wanted to be part of this potential conflict.

Now, the question is... do I want to get involved? What can these young guys do to me? Almost nothing. Their magical abilities weren't exactly impressive. Sure, they could hold their own against a fifth-year Hogwarts student, but a competent seventh-year would mop the floor with them. And an Outstanding student in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, or Transfiguration wouldn't even break a sweat.

These young wizards had their wands, and they weren't shy about showing them off, lifting their shirts and jackets to reveal their holsters. But... the first thing I noticed was how unkempt their holsters were. Greasy smudges, fingerprints, and dirt didn't inspire confidence that they took good care of their wands.

The next question I want to ask the universe is... why can't I go a day without dealing with some idiots who want to show off their wands or assert themselves at someone else's expense?

"Young man," I said calmly. "It's a beautiful day today. Why spoil it with unnecessary conflicts?"

"Why spoil it with unnecessary conflicts," he mimicked, twisting my words.

This was starting to get annoying, to be honest.

"I suggest you stop," I said once more, trying to defuse the situation. Nearby, two wizards dressed in brown hats and robes with unfamiliar badges were watching us with interest but hadn't taken any action yet.

"Or what?" he asked, stepping closer, now less than an arm's length away. "You gonna report me to the Forest Rangers?"

"And what if I do?" I decided to go along with the conversation. There was no fear, really, but I was ready to take him down if necessary.

This caught the attention of the Rangers, but they still did nothing, merely standing off to the side. They were waiting to see who would make the first move. For now, in their view, nothing significant had happened, so no intervention was required.

"They won't do anything," he scoffed. "You're just an immigrant. Or maybe just a tourist."

How many times had I encountered this attitude during my travels? More than once.

"Is that so?" I asked, then turned to the Rangers. "You gentlemen aren't going to do anything, are you?"

Their silence was my answer. Other wizards had long since created a bubble of space around us because no one wanted to get caught in a random scuffle. I couldn't blame them—if I were in their shoes, I wouldn't want to get involved either.

It seemed like the Rangers really weren't going to act. But I was sure that if I made a move, they'd try to penalize me. Too bad their powers would be completely insufficient for that. Of course, they could try, but I doubted it would make a difference. The real question was, should I take action or simply avoid being provoked? After all, I could handle this in a different way.

"Fine," I said dismissively, stepping aside.

At that same moment, with a casual flick of my hand, I cast a tracking spell on the guy.

"Go ahead, if you're so eager," I said.

"See? Told you!" the guy boasted, thinking he had asserted himself at my expense, laughing with his buddies.

Listening to their chatter was unpleasant, but I didn't show any emotion. When I reached the registration desk, the man gave me a look of pity. However, when he read the note from the Transfiguration Guild, his expression changed to one of silent questions.

"You know," I said to him, "they say the planet is round, but shaped like a suitcase."

The man paled slightly, and a flicker of fear crossed his face. Waving me through, he let me pass. A bit further down the path, there were several fireplaces under cover, along with a large map with Apparition coordinates. The group of boys who thought they had bested me had already gone about their business using a fireplace. I simply Apparated to one of the points that had caught my attention.

Finding myself almost halfway between two peaks, I began wandering in circles, searching for interesting plants. And I found them—sometimes within ten steps, sometimes within a hundred. The local soil was rich in a wide variety of valuable magical plants, which would be quite useful to any professional Potion Master.

I gathered them into special containers I had purchased long ago but hadn't had the chance to use. Berries, roots, leaves, and other magical ingredients—all went into the containers. Sometimes, to retrieve something particularly valuable, I had to use my broom and fly up to the treetops.

If a magical creature was guarding a plant I found, I left it alone. Let it live—I could always find another nearby.

At one point, I found myself in an area devoid of resources, so I decided to take a break. A small snack while observing nature brought a sense of peace and relaxation. It made me want to stay there, doing nothing but watching the trees rustle.

Setting aside the urge to relax, I resumed searching for new places to gather ingredients. Fortunately, many generations of wizards had solved the problem of resource hunting with a single spell. Using it, I summoned a small magical pointer. Following it, I eventually came to a small crevice in the ground, surrounded by several large rocks and cliffs.

There were interesting plants here too, so I stayed a bit longer. By evening, I had harvested the area completely, and with satisfaction, I Apparated back to the registration area. After checking in at the registration office, I stepped outside and found myself face to face with the same group of boys.

"Oh!" the leader shouted. "Look who it is! Our friend, who seems to have gotten quite the haul."

"It's not cool to ignore your friends, especially not to share with them," the second guy said, stepping closer.

Looking around, I saw that there were no Forest Rangers nearby, and no one was watching me. I didn't know why they weren't here at this time, and I didn't care.

A quick Apparition back to the city, and I was in Portland's magical district.

Finding an inexpensive magical hotel was easy. It was dirt cheap, so I didn't think anyone would be looking for me there. And I didn't want that either. After casting a magical illusion of myself, I headed toward the mark I had placed on the boy who had tried to bully me.

The boy lived in a small house that opened directly onto the magical street. When the last light went out, I slipped inside, carefully checking the surroundings for magical traps or alarms. But there was nothing. Not even a simple repelling charm, which surprised me a little.

With no problems sneaking into the house, I headed straight for the room where two adults were sleeping. These were the boy's parents, the ones I had marked. I wasn't going to kill them—they didn't deserve that—but I didn't mind getting some compensation for their son's behavior.

Delving into the man's mind, I saw his dream. Let's just say it was somewhat uncomfortable for me, as he was dreaming about filming his wife getting involved with three other men. What a pervert…

Finding his stash, as well as the methods of protecting it, was child's play. Then I moved on to his wife, who was sleeping in the next bed. She was dreaming about flowers and cute shapeless animals. Finding her stash was even easier, since she barely had any magic to speak of and no natural protection.

Next, I went to the boy's room, the one I had marked. He was sleeping peacefully, unaware that the person he had insulted was in his room and could do whatever he pleased.

He was dreaming about dominating several of his female friends and even some of his relatives. He didn't have any stashes at all, which disappointed me a little.

I think this will be sufficient payback.

Robbing the house, equipped with a large bag enhanced by an extension charm, was simple. Even easier, knowing all the protective mechanisms and passwords. In just ten minutes, I became richer by about a dozen vials of various potions, all the ingredients they had gathered for sale, and some pure gold. I left the silver behind—I didn't need it. I also grabbed a few diamonds.

I didn't leave any notes, as I saw no point in doing so, but I did derive great satisfaction from my actions. I never would have thought that this kind of revenge could bring such gratification. I think this punishment fits their behavior.

Returning without anyone noticing, I lay down in bed. Sleep didn't come at all. A light rush of adrenaline that I hadn't felt earlier began to surface. My heart was pounding quickly and pleasantly. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, I calmed myself and slipped into a meditative state, resuming my analysis of books.

That's how I spent the rest of the night. The next day, I headed to the volcano. There was plenty of magical ore here, but to reach the most valuable veins, I had to dig—and dig incredibly deep. Breaking through the remains of lava, mixed with rare magical inclusions, wasn't easy. Finding a good vein was one thing, but developing it and extracting the material was another.

This time, I had to spend the night there because the spell couldn't function without the wizard who cast it nearby. By midday the next day, I had reached the first tips of the vein, and after that, the work went faster. Let's just say that mining magical ore turned out to be incredibly energy- and time-consuming. In one hour, I could barely extract fifty grams of high-quality material.

I worked tirelessly until evening, eventually collecting about half a kilo of ore. When I realized I was completely exhausted, I decided to take a break. Magic simplified the process, but I still had to control every step.

After checking in at the registration office, I returned to the hotel and collapsed onto the bed. I didn't want to do anything else. After a shower and tidying myself up, I headed to a bar for some relaxation. I wasn't looking for company, so I simply enjoyed the music from the live band performing there.

The next day, I found out that the forest was closed for plant population recovery. But that didn't mean it was impossible to enter at your own risk. You could go in, but if you ran into a Forest Ranger, you'd face a hefty fine. And if a magical creature attacked, you couldn't expect help. Still, I managed to gather many useful things for potion-making and other branches of magic.

While reflecting on my next steps, I noticed a tall man with white sideburns and a peculiar cane sitting down next to me at the bar. Upon closer inspection, I saw he had a prosthetic leg with intricate designs. His mind was shielded, though not at a particularly high level—I could probably bypass it.

"Never would've thought a traveling master could be so young," he said.

"And you are?" I asked, stretching the words to prompt his introduction.

"Oh, where are my manners," he said, realizing his oversight. "Vasiliy Khvostov. Master of Transfiguration from the New York branch of the guild. As soon as I heard another master had arrived, I came to meet him."

"Timothy Jody," I introduced myself, showing him my ring. He did the same. "Honestly, I didn't expect anyone to want to meet me."

"When a master from the Old World arrives, everyone is curious to talk to them," Vasiliy said. "Are you staying long in America?"

"I don't think so," I replied calmly. "I've just been to the forest to gather some resources and materials."

"And what are your plans?" he asked further.

"I'm thinking of heading to Forks," I told him. "I'm curious to see one of the largest markets in North America."

"Yes," the wizard nodded. "Forks is quite an interesting place."

There were several such trade hubs: Forks, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco.

"That's more or less the plan," I added. "I might visit some other magical sites too. But I'm not sure yet. We'll see."

"Not a bad plan," he agreed. "Up north, everything's just thawing out. By the way, would you be interested in giving a master class at our Transfiguration Guild?"

"A master class?" I repeated.

"Yes."

I thought about it for a moment. If I were planning to stay on this continent, it would be a great way to make a name for myself. But since I wasn't planning to stay and intended to return to London after finishing my business here, I considered whether it would be worth my time. On the other hand, recognition—even if I didn't plan to stay—was an attractive asset that could be useful later. It could be converted into something valuable in the future. Moreover, these master classes could serve me well when I eventually worked toward my Transfiguration mastery.

"Overall, I agree," I told him.

He immediately perked up, clearly sensing that I wanted something in return.

"How much will it cost?" the wizard asked.

"I want to earn a Mastery in Charms," I told him my goal. Earning a mastery in another country wouldn't look suspicious because no one knew me here. A Charms mastery earned here would be fully recognized in England.

The thought struck me suddenly. I had considered it when I first embarked on this journey but had then shelved the idea. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, organizing it with the help of the locals wouldn't be difficult.

"Hmm," Vasiliy said, drawing the word out. "I think that can be arranged, but I'll need to talk to my colleagues in the Charms Guild."

"No problem," I nodded. "In the meantime, I'll prepare for the exam and work on the master class. When do you plan to hold it, by the way?"

"In a month," the wizard replied instantly, as if he had already thought about it. "We need a month to send out invitations and inform other wizards on the continent. I think that will be enough time to fulfill your request and arrange the Mastery exam. But are you sure you're ready?"

That was indeed an important question. I couldn't be entirely sure, but I thought I could prepare in a month. I'd probably have to set aside other plans for America and shopping for various items. The Archive would help me with that.

"I want to take the exams in levels," I confessed. "First as an Apprentice, then as a Bachelor, and only then as a Master. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself."

"Not a bad idea," the wizard nodded. "Arranging the exams for apprentice and bachelor levels won't take long. As for the master level… I'll take care of that."

"Excellent," I said with a satisfied smile. "One more thing—where will the master class be held?"

"Oh, that's easy," Vasiliy waved his hand. "There's no better place than New York."

"New York it is, then."

Indeed, I needed to start preparing for the exam. I had enough magical power and wand control skills for sure. The only thing that might be lacking was some knowledge of Charms required to meet the high standards of a master. But the Archive would help me solve that problem quickly.

"So, is it a deal?" Vasiliy asked.

"Yep, it's a deal," I nodded.

We shook hands. It was a sign of our agreement, one neither of us intended to break. Our conversation then shifted to various magical topics, particularly Transfiguration. He was deeply interested in my methods for creating certain objects, while I, in turn, was eager to learn more about the Transfiguration of solid objects with extraordinary properties.

The exchange of knowledge over a pint of beer turned out to be incredibly beneficial for both of us. It even made me think about potential topics for my Mastery thesis. A few ideas came to mind, but I set them aside for later reflection. I'd decide whether to pursue them after giving them more thought.

The music played softly, and wizards chatted about all sorts of topics. Yet, I didn't feel the same comfort as those around me. After all, I wasn't home... But could I really consider England my home? I think I could—it's where I was reborn, where the former owner of this body was born and raised.