Chapter 339: The Campsite
As the evening drew near, Felix and Lupin emerged from the headquarters of the "Future World" Company. Due to the presence of branches for selling specific products, the vertical castle-like building was dubbed the company's headquarters, dedicated to research.
Felix intended to expand the company's sales network globally, much like Gringotts Bank. Many British wizards were unaware that Gringotts had branches in different countries; they thought it was the only one.
The two of them stood at a distance, looking at the storefront. As the sky grew darker, the entrance of "Future World - Diagon Alley Branch" featured two floating fire dragons. Whenever someone passed by, they would exhale a burst of white flame-like light, causing astonishment among the onlookers.
"Hedwig has delivered the tickets. You weren't around at the time, so I accepted them on your behalf," Lupin said softly.
"Yes."
...
Felix returned to his residence in London and visited some friends. Then, one early morning, he apparated into a misty forest, a designated area set aside by the British Ministry of Magic for Apparition.
"Walk in that direction and remember to register at the entrance," a weary old wizard said lethargically. At that moment, there was a sound of crackling nearby, and a South American wizard dressed like a peacock appeared, spinning around and bumping into a tree.
The old wizard from the Ministry muttered something that sounded like "silly bird," and Felix followed his indicated direction, leaving the forest behind. Emerging from the mist, he saw a sloping hillside covered in a cluster of odd-shaped tents, extending upwards. These were tents set up by wizards who arrived early.
Around the Quidditch World Cup venue, the Ministry had prepared several resting areas for the wizards coming to watch the matches. Of course, the lower the ticket price, the earlier the arrival time.
Felix reached a stone house where a man stood at the entrance, wearing a vacant expression as if he didn't care about anything. Felix could tell he was the only Muggle in this entire area, and he had just been subjected to a Memory Charm.
"Hello, sir?"
"Hello, I'm Roberts," the man said calmly. "State your name and pay up."
...
Felix made his way through the tents. Near the entrance of the campsite, Ministry patrollers maintained order and acted as enforcers. "You!" one of them called out, "What's with the chimney on your tent?" The reprimanded wizard vehemently retorted, "I haven't violated any secrecy laws, Muggles do the same!"
"Are you sure?" the enforcer was somewhat puzzled. His colleague whispered, "I've seen it too; you might be mistaken."
So, they left, leaving the victorious wizard to continue fiddling with his tent. Felix carefully navigated through this area, and as his sight broadened, he noticed that the Ministry patrollers were mostly focused on tents near the edge of the venue. As he moved farther away, a variety of tents with "magical traces" began to vie for attention.
One tent, crooked and twisted as if glued together by a child, stood firm in the wind. About seven or eight feet away from it was a normally sized tent. On its side was an animated poster of what seemed to be a sports star, around thirty years old, with a grim expression.
"Why are there extra things here?" a familiar voice shouted.
Next, Hermione's voice came, "Oh my, those are tent poles!"
"Can we make do with them? Will they suddenly collapse?" Sirius' voice followed.
Felix followed the sound and saw several of the Weasley children gathered around. At the center of the field, adultsMr. Weasley and Siriuswere inspecting the problem.
"Hello, do you need help?" Felix couldn't help but chuckle.
Sirius lifted his head from the ground, clearly frustrated. He immediately stood up, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at the loosely assembled tent. It immediately sprung up and reassembled itself.
"Well, you're right, thougheven though we've lost a lot of fun," Mr. Weasley got up from the ground too.
"Hello, Mr. Weasley."
"Hello, Professor Harp," Mr. Weasley said with a somewhat stiff expression. He looked concernedly at his children and continued, "Children, put down your luggage, set up your beds; we might be here for a few days."
He took Felix aside, and Sirius followed, glancing around.
"Professor Harp, I heard from Harry that you taught him Apparition?" Mr. Weasley said with a conflicted expression. "It's not that I doubt your teaching, but I can't help but feelit's, well, don't you think it's a bit early?"
"Too early? Mr. Weasley, I'm not quite understanding."
"The Ministry regulations state that Apparition should only be taught starting in the sixth year and after passing strict exams. A friend from the Inverse Occurrences Reversal Team told me about severe splinching incidents. Actually, I wouldn't mind having it introduced a year or two early, but Harry was only in his third year at the time..."
"Harry has the potential," Felix said.
"Many adult wizards struggle with this magic," Mr. Weasley said anxiously, wiping his balding forehead with a handkerchief.
Unbeknownst to them, the chatter within the tent had quieted down. A gap appeared in the tent, and pairs of bright eyes peered in their direction.
"Mr. Weasley, I've always believed that Apparition should be included as a mandatory graduation requirement," Felix said with a smile, unconcerned about his tone. "I've already proposed this to Dumbledore, and it's likely to be implemented this year."
"Graduation requirement?" Mr. Weasley asked in surprise, his attention diverted. In truth, he wasn't preoccupied with the Apparition issue; he was worried that Felix was rushing for results and might harm Harry. That's why he gently offered his reminder.
He had no idea that Ron and Hermione were secretly learning as well. He only found out today while they were searching for the Portkey at White Tomb Hill, when Sirius mentioned it. He had assumed it was something Sirius was teaching Harry privately, but now he learned it was Professor Harp teaching at the school.
As the evening approached, Felix Harp and Lupin emerged from the headquarters of the "Future World" company. Due to the existence of branches for selling specific products, the tall castle-like building had been named the headquarters, which was dedicated to research work.
Felix intended to establish the company's sales network worldwide, similar to Gringotts Bank. Many British wizards were unaware that Gringotts had branches in different countries; they thought it was the only one.
The two of them watched the storefront from a distance as the sky grew almost completely dark. Over the entrance of "Future World - Diagon Alley Store," two floating fire dragons hung, spewing out bursts of white flame-like light whenever someone passed by, eliciting startled cries from the onlookers.
"Fawkes has delivered the tickets. You weren't there at the time, so I accepted them for you," Lupin said quietly.
"Yes."
...
Felix returned to his residence in London and visited some friends. Then, on an early morning, he apparated to a misty forest, where the British Ministry of Magic had designated an area specifically for Apparition practice.
"Go in that direction and remember to register at the entrance," a tired old wizard said weakly. Just then, a cracking sound came from not far away, and a South American wizard who looked like a peacock in his attire spun into view, only to crash into a tree beside him.
The old wizard from the Ministry muttered something that sounded like "silly bird," and Felix followed the direction he indicated, walking out of the forest. Through the mist, he saw a gentle slope extending upward, dotted with various oddly shaped tents set up by wizards who had arrived early.
Around the Quidditch World Cup stadium, the Ministry had prepared several campgrounds for wizards to stay in batches to watch the matches. Naturally, the lower the ticket price, the earlier the visitors would arrive.
Felix arrived in front of a stone hut, where a man stood at the entrance, wearing an absent-minded and indifferent expression. Felix could tell he was the only ordinary person in this area, and he had just been subjected to a Memory Charm.
"Hello, sir?"
"Hello, I'm Roberts," the man said calmly. "Give me your name and pay the money."
...
Felix moved through the tents. Near the entrance of the campsite, there were Ministry enforcers responsible for maintaining order and enforcing the rules. "You!" one of the Ministry enforcers called out. "What's with the smokestack on your tent?" The scolded wizard vehemently defended himself, "I haven't violated any secrecy regulations. Muggles do the same!"
"Are you sure?" the enforcer looked puzzled. "Your tent is different from the others..."
His colleague whispered beside him, "I've seen it too. You might be mistaken."
So, they left, leaving the triumphant wizard to continue fiddling with his tent. Felix cautiously moved through the area, and as he walked, his field of vision widened. He noticed that the Ministry enforcers were mainly focused on the tents near the edges of the campsite. As he moved further away, the tents with various "magical traces" started competing for attention.
A crooked and misshapen tent, seemingly put together with glue by a child, stood unyielding in the wind. Several feet away, a normal-sized tent stood, but on its side was a moving poster displaying a certain Quidditch star, around thirty years old, with a somber expression.
"Why the extra features?" a familiar voice called out.
Next came Hermione's voice, "Oh, Merlin, those are the tent poles!"
"Can we make do with them? Could they collapse suddenly?" Sirius chimed in.
Following the voices, Felix turned his gaze. Several of the Weasley children were gathered, looking towards the center of the campsite. Mr. Weasley and Sirius were on the ground, inspecting the problem.
"Hello, may we be of assistance?" Felix couldn't help but chuckle.
Sirius lifted his head from the ground, in a thoroughly bad mood. He stood up immediately, drew his wand, and pointed it at the loosely constructed tent. It promptly jumped into place, assembling itself.
"Well, you're right, althoughwe've lost a lot of fun," Mr. Weasley also got up from the ground.
"Hello, Mr. Weasley."
"Hello, Professor Harp," Mr. Weasley said, his expression somewhat stiff. He cast a concerned look at his children, "Kids, put down your luggage, make your beds, we might be staying here for a few days."
He pulled Felix aside, and Sirius looked around, then followed.
"Professor Harp, I heard from Harry that you've been teaching him Apparition?" Mr. Weasley said hesitantly. "It's not that I question your teaching, but I just feelisn't it a bit too early?"
"Too early? Mr. Weasley, I'm not quite following," Felix replied.
"The Ministry regulations state that Apparition should be taught from at least sixth year, after passing a rigorous examination. My friends from the Reversal of Inadvertent Transfiguration Unit have mentioned serious cases of splinching... I actually wish we could start a year or two early, but Harry was only in his third year then..."
"Harry has the potential for it," Felix said.
"Many adult wizards aren't proficient in that magic," Mr. Weasley said anxiously, rubbing his somewhat balding forehead with his handkerchief.
Unbeknownst to them, the tent had fallen silent as the chattering within stopped. A gap appeared in the tent, and pairs of bright eyes peered toward them.
"Mr. Weasley, I've always believed that Apparition should be part of the mandatory curriculum for graduation," Felix said with a smile, seemingly unconcerned about Mr. Weasley's stance. "I've already proposed this to Dumbledore, and there's a good chance it will be implemented this year."
"Graduation criteria?" Mr. Weasley asked in surprise, his attention shifted. In truth, he wasn't concerned about Apparition, but rather, he worried that Felix's eagerness for achievement might hurt Harry. So, he was gently offering a reminder.
Mr. Weasley was still unaware that Ron and Hermione were secretly learning as well. It was only today, while searching for the key to the portal on White Ridge, that Sirius had mentioned it. He initially thought Sirius was secretly teaching Harry, but it turned out to be the school's Professor Harp.
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