Chapter 324: Imagination Bes Reality
Tiny beads of sweat formed on Draco Malfoy''s nose, his nostrils ring in excitement. His pale cheeks had a faint flush, stirred by the thrill of the speech he had just heard. Professor Harp''s performance was simply perfectconfident, graceful, and effortlessly engaging. It was the epitome of his ideal Slytherin image.
Especially the part where, right in front of everyone, he somehow managed to put that pompous bloke to sleep using some sort of magic.
Although, Draco had been called in by Headmaster Dumbledore for a talk after the funeral...
Draco stood beside a freestanding flower tower with a white spire, discreetly stealing nces toward a quiet corner. There stood Dumbledore and Professor Harp. Dumbledore''s expression was serious, while Professor Harp was exining something with a smile. Fragments of their conversation reached Draco''s ears, "...only recently mastered... a lesson, that''s all..."
On the other side was a small, awkward grouphis own parents, Potter, Sirius ck, the pink-haired woman, Professor Lupin, the Weasleys, and even Aunt Andromeda and her family, who rarely visited from their future home. Most of these people had some sort of connection to the Malfoy family, and Draco was used to the various rtives popping up unexpectedly. Except when his father specifically introduced someone, he paid little attention.
The only exception was Aunt Andromeda. The memory of her arguing with his mother when he was a child had left a deep impression. Even after all these years, he still remembered her. Especially in Astronomy ss when the professor talked about the constetion Andromeda, he would think of his rtive with the same name. She resembled another unfamiliar aunt, even though his mother never mentioned her two sisters. But he had seen their young photos while flipping through albums.
These three were easy to tell apart. The outgoing, slightly sharp-tongued eldest sister had ck curly hair. Second sister Andromeda had soft, blended light brown hair and gentler features. The youngest was his own mother, with flowing golden locks.
Draco scrutinized the wizard next to Aunt Andromeda, his gaze evaluating him. This was the Muggle-born wizard she had chosen? He didn''t seem all that impressive... blonde, a bit chubby. Other than having aforting voice that was gentle and patient, there was nothing particrly remarkable about him.
"Draco, let''s go!" Narcissa called to him, her voice annoyed. Reuniting after a long time wasn''t always pleasant, and the two sisters were parting ways again on less than amicable terms. Draco hurried to catch up with them as they left.
Soon, Felix and Dumbledore concluded their conversation too. Felix walked over with a rxed expression, finding the Weasley couple who were nning to leave with Ron. He engaged them in a conversation about the Weasley twins.
"I don''t know if they''ve told you, but I made a promise to them to show them some exciting things during the summer."
Mrs. Weasley looked a bit conflicted. She had always been against the twins'' mischievous creations, but on this point, she didn''t have much say. And within the family, aside from Percy, she couldn''t find many supportersunless she got angry, then the whole family backed her up unconditionally.
"Arthur" She looked at her husband.
Mr. Weasley wore a serious expression. "Oh, of course, of course. Fred and George mentioned it, when Molly was trying to tan their hides... ahem! You know, the O.W.L.s results," he ran his fingers through his slightly thinning hair, "everyone got four N.E.W.T.s, not as many as their older brother though... Can I ask what it''s about?"
"It can be seen as a special kind of social practice," Felix said. "I want to show them Muggle factories, machinery, concepts, and coincidentally, my newpany has a need for this"
"Can I join?" Mr. Weasley quickly asked, earning an elbow jab from Mrs. Weasley. He nced nervously at his wife. "Um, I mean... it sounds very meaningful, Molly. I have to admit that. It could benefit Fred and George."
Mrs. Weasley puffed up like a bullfrog. "Arthur, they still have two years before graduation. If they started taking things seriously from now"
"Molly, you and I both know their hearts aren''t set on that path. We can''t make decisions for them," Mr. Weasley insisted.
He left an address. "Professor Harp, you''re wee to visit anytime." He departed with his family.
In the evening, L.C.A. Tower.
In a temporarily partitioned office on the third floor, Felix saw Severus Snape.
Severus sat in a swivel chair, lightly turning his body. "So, the interview is tomorrow, and you haven''t prepared for yourpany yet?" His words carried a clear tone of reproach.
"The space is purchased, and I have building materials. I''m nning to construct it from scratch." Felix sighed, "I''ve been busy reading. It feels like entering a treasure trove and finding treasures everywhere you look."
"Have you sent out the interview invitations?"
"Of course, I had them send their applications to Andis at L.C.A. Tower. But, it was actually Dobby who received them. I''ve gone through them when I had the time. Some I recognize and can decide easily, others will need your expertise, Severus."
Snape disyed a surprised expression. "You really want me to assist with the interviews?"
"Oh, it''s me and you together."
Felix extracted a silver pocket watch from his chest pocket. He pressed the sp, causing the lid to pop open slightly, and a Snidget poked its head out, its pink beak twitching incessantly.
"This is... a Snidget."
"You can call her Valen," the Snidget crawled up Felix''s arm, agilely surveying the surroundings. It then retrieved a Merlin''s Medal from its pocket, hugging it closely and attaching itself to Felix. It entered a blissful dream.
"Vespertilio would regret awarding you, seeing this." Snape remarked.
"True honor can''t be taken away." Felix smiled.
The next morning, the two stood in a spacious area at Diagon Alley''s far end. The previous structures had been leveled, reced by heaps upon heaps of brick and stone materials. Just a conical sand dune was as tall as the adjacent two-story building.
"How do you n to proceed?" Snape inquired.
"I''ll conjure a house with magic." Felix said, extending his palm. Fine golden lines appeared on his hand, weaving and forming an ethereal three-dimensional castle structure. It was transparent, and if viewed through a magnifying ss, even the internally dividedyers and intricately carved patterns on the towering support pirs could be seen. Spiral staircases connected various points, the central hall extending straight upward, allowing someone standing there to see the massive crystal-like chandelier hanging from above.
Felix tossed the miniature structure from his hand. It transformed into a stream of light,nding in the center of the area. It rapidly expanded and grew, overtaking the formerly drab, gray-brown ground, emitting a bright magical radiance.
People on the street paused, pointing and talking. A young couple turned their astonished gazes toward the spectacle.
Felix waved his ebony wand. The building materials piled on the ground melted like water, white marble, brown sand, gray pebbles... A vortex appeared on the ground, sucking everything in. Then the ground heaved, producingrge, murky bubbles.
"It reminds me of the scene of brewing potions." Snape disguised his genuine sentiment.
Under their watchful eyes, a structure began to grow upward.
The illusionary three-dimensional image materialized into reality, various materials emerging from the whirlpool like little snakes, being incorporated into the building that existed solely in imagination. They stackedyer uponyer, starting from the very foundation and ascending upward, until a hundred-foot-tall vertical castle emergedan exact replica of the miniature model Felix had previously held.
Each straight line, each pattern from bottom to top converged upward and inward, harmoniously intertwined, creating a collective force. Finally, all united at the apex of the structure, pointing straight towards the sky. When viewed from afar, it resembled a drawn sword, awe-inspiring.
A ck stone tablet emerged from the ground, bearing a string of gilded letters"World of Tomorrow."
"By the way, there are seeds rmended by Professor Sprout."
Felix said, carefully retrieving two dark brown seeds from his pocket and tossing them at the building''s entrance. Under the effects of magic, they swiftly sprouted, growing branches that twisted and transformed into ancient, sturdy azure steps, extending all the way to their feet.
"Severus, allow me to formally introduce you," Felix smiled, politely extending his hand. "You''re the first guest."
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