Chapter 88: Unexpected Guest at the Grossman Residence

Tom initially thought the package had been sent to the wrong place, but after reading the contents of the second letter, he understood that it was meant for him.

"Professor McGonagall seems to want to recruit some labor," Tom remarked, seeing through Professor McGonagall's intentions.

Tom, being a busy person with two part-time jobs and numerous books to read, felt overwhelmed by the amount Professor McGonagall had provided. The two notebooks and teaching materials contained enough knowledge to elevate Tom's Transfiguration skills to level 2.

However, Tom didn't mind such tasks, and so he packed his things, took a two-day leave, and headed to Eastbourne.

Eastbourne, East Sussex, 8:00 AM

Unfortunately, Tom arrived during rainfall in Eastbourne. However, it wasn't windy, so he managed to avoid getting soaked.

Upon reaching 17 Burlington Square, Tom discovered a two-story villa with a distinctive Western European style, complete with a small courtyard. The courtyard appeared somewhat neglected due to the untimely rain, making it look slightly disorderly, though overall, it still seemed charming.

The rainwater had accumulated in the courtyard, forming puddles. In one of these pools, a struggle ensued as an orange cat fought to stay afloat. Its life hung by a thread, and it could drown at any moment.

The curtains of a side window on the second floor lowered. Inside, a delicately featured young girl was choosing her outfit for the day. She had laid out three sets: a black vest and light blue short-sleeved top, a long-sleeved shirt paired with a black skirt, and an ensemble resembling a maid's uniform.

All three outfits were neatly arranged on her bed, and her bed itself was immaculately made. A small brown teddy bear lay perfectly in the center of her pillow. Along with the clean floor and well-kept furniture, it was evident that the occupant of this room had a touch of OCD—everything had to be in order.

Ultimately, the girl settled on the long-sleeved shirt and black skirt combination. With a faint smile, she stood by the wall, gazing at her wall of trophies, medals, and certificates. However, as her eyes passed over the letter on the table, a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes.

The letter stated that she had been accepted into a school called "Hogwarts," not an unusual occurrence for a clever girl like her to attract the attention of various schools. However, this was a magical school!

This revelation disrupted her understanding of the world.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. The girl, Peggy Grossman, shivered. She had an intuition that the visitor was related to Hogwarts.

Peggy's father, Mr. Grossman, opened the door and found a courteous young man standing outside with an umbrella, dressed in a black wizard's robe.

"Is this the Grossman residence? I'm Tom Yodel, a second-year student at Hogwarts. I'm here to assist with the enrollment procedures for your daughter," the young man politely inquired.

Mr. Grossman was initially dumbfounded. Was this prank initiator taking it too far? Especially arranging for someone to visit in person?

As he was about to recall which of his business partners might have such a mischievous sense of humor, something incomprehensible happened. The young man waved his hand, and a ginger cat flew over from the water pool.

"This cat was about to drown in your pond. Is it yours?" Tom asked.

"No..." Mr. Grossman instinctively replied.

Tom shook his head, gently cradling the nearly lifeless ginger cat. Glancing at Mr. Grossman, he snapped him out of his reverie. Mr. Grossman quickly invited Tom inside – it wasn't polite to leave someone standing outside on a rainy day.

Tom entered the villa, folded his umbrella, and, noticing the rainwater on the floor, gestured, "Clean!"

The water stains vanished.

Tom carefully placed the umbrella in the stand, cradling the ginger cat. He turned to Mr. Grossman, asking, "Can we talk?"

Soon, Tom found himself sitting at the Grossman family's dining table, where Mr. Grossman served him a cup of hot chocolate. Tom surveyed the interior of the house: clean, tidy, with modern appliances in good condition. Considering the location of the house, Mr. Grossman seemed to be doing well financially.

Mr. Grossman, somewhat reserved, asked, "So, magic is real? Peggy is really going to a school to learn magic?"

"Yes, Mr. Grossman. Your daughter has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the top magical school in Europe and perhaps the world," Tom explained, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "At the request of Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, I've come here to invite your daughter to attend the school."

Mr. Grossman hesitated. This was a difficult decision for him. Once he agreed, it meant that his daughter, who had been his companion since childhood, would leave him and go to a completely unfamiliar world, and he could be of no assistance.

"So, Hogwarts is a several-year school? Is it necessary to board? I mean, can't she be a day student?" Mr. Grossman still harbored a glimmer of hope. If Hogwarts allowed day students, his daughter could come home every evening, and perhaps attending a school of magic wouldn't be such a big issue.

Unfortunately, Tom mercilessly shattered his illusions. Hogwarts was a seven-year school located in the Scottish Highlands, and it didn't offer day student options.

"Hogwarts has a history of over a thousand years, while the Ministry of Magic in Britain has a history of only about three hundred years. Every Hogwarts graduate can find a decent job. Moreover, each Minister for Magic in Britain has been a Hogwarts graduate. When your daughter graduates, she'll only be eighteen, and she'll have many options," Tom analyzed, highlighting the advantages of attending Hogwarts.

Seeing Mr. Grossman still hesitating, Tom suggested, "Why not hear Peggy's opinion?"

You can read +127 advanced chapters on my P@treon page for just 4$ !!

P@treon.com/young_sunlight

Collection/Tag is : TDDH

(End of this chapter)