allendalepharm Chapter 266 The Slow Journey of the Zhang Family
Chapter 266 The Slow Journey of the Zhang Family
Chapter 266 The Slow Road Home (Part 1)
The Christmas holidays have arrived. Looking out the window at the students leaving with their luggage, Loila pursed her lips and took a deep breath.
She had a rather ominous dream last night, but at least she fell asleep, didn't she? It was much better than the time she went to Muller's house—and it didn't snow heavily today.
Looking out the window at the bright sunshine, Loila felt much better.
However, her good mood vanished immediately upon thinking about what would happen next.
She was going home—to a home she had never been before—and there was a group of strangers waiting for her—in essence, they were no different from Muller's family—the only difference being that they shared the same surname.
"Cousin, are you all packed?"
Peterson's voice calmed Roy down a bit. After all, Peterson was going back with him this time, which was different from the time with Muller, right?
Loila opened the office door and nodded gently.
"Aren't you going to take anything, cousin?" Peterson asked instinctively, looking at Loila's empty hands. "Like clothes or something—"
"I've got them all." Loila forced a smile, then patted the book on spatial expansion hanging from her waist, and also patted the hat that Mr. Lupin had given her.
Her luggage was all inside—and in fact, there wasn't much luggage; most of the things inside were materials related to magic arrays.
"I see. Magic arrays are really convenient, aren't they?" Peterson chuckled and waved the box in his hand. "Shall we set off then?"
"Uh-huh!"
Following in Peterson's footsteps, Loila stepped out of Hogwarts.
By this time, all the students had left. Occasionally, a student would walk by, and Loila would lower her head slightly to avoid seeing them.
"Don't be too scared, cousin," Peterson reassured her as they walked. "Most of them are quite friendly."
"Most of them are still like that?" — Roy's legs went weak — and she had actually heard these words once before, but the result wasn't good —
"Of course, don't worry if anyone tries to cause trouble, cousin." Peterson shrugged. "I'll handle them."
"After all, geniuses are sometimes easily envied." He seemed quite relaxed.
But the more he talked, the more nervous Roy became—even though she hadn't left Hogwarts yet, she wanted to use a shrinking charm to turn herself into a stone and hide by the roadside.
Ah—Peterson kicked away a stone blocking his way—
"Um—um—" Loila pursed her lips and whispered, "They wouldn't want to kill me, would they?"
"Huh?" Peterson paused for a moment. "No—of course not."
"We're not Rozier—"
von Ansbach wasn't Rozier after all—Loira bit her lip, remaining silent. She felt she couldn't get any comfort from Peterson—she should have asked Miss Nagini to go along too—
She gripped the tip of the wand tightly in her sleeve, her ears drooping.
"Alright, cousin—" As they reached the entrance to Hogwarts, Peterson gently extended her hand: "Take my hand."
"Hmm."
Loila carefully tugged at his sleeve.
"Apparition".
"Buzz".
-
'
Loila felt a blur before her eyes, and then in the next instant, they found themselves on a wide bluestone road.
Even though it had just snowed, there were no snowflakes on the road. As she looked along the road, Loila saw a manor in the distance, surrounded by a cluster of ornamental trees.
"This is the Hamilton family's estate," Peterson said with a slight smile, adjusting his glasses.
Why does it feel a bit like showing off? — Although the Hamilton family's manor is impressive, compared to Lord Grindelwald's Newmontard and the Muller family's castle — it seems to be just so-so.
But seeing his showy demeanor, Loila's nervousness lessened considerably.
However, as the two walked towards the manor, the tension returned.
"Cousin, this is a garden." As they walked, Peterson casually remarked, "In spring, all the flowers planted here will bloom—"
Hmm—those planted here should be tulips—and Scottish golden tulips (fictional), which would be excellent materials for magic arrays—
"Of course, if my cousin is interested, she can instruct the servants to plant some other kinds."
"No—no need—"
This will cost a lot of money—and Loila prefers things that are usable to flowers that are only for looking at.
"This is where you play Quidditch," Peterson said, pointing to a fairly large open space on the other side. "When the weather gets warmer, lots of the younger members of the family play there."
"If my cousin is interested—"
"I—I'm not interested!" Loila waved her hand hastily; she couldn't even ride a broom.
"I see—" Peterson wasn't embarrassed at all. He raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm actually not that interested either."
"Ah—where am I—?"
Along the way, Peterson kept introducing Loira to the facilities and interesting things that "her" Hamilton family had.
Although in the end, all Loila remembered was that field of tulips —
Soon, with their hearts pounding in their throats, the two finally arrived at the iron fence at the entrance of the manor.
There stood a middle-aged man in a formal suit.
"Welcome back, Master Peterson." He bowed slightly to Peterson, then looked at Loila with a slightly scrutinizing gaze.
"Ugh!" Loila instinctively shrank back. This person's eyes were terrifying—like someone who had killed many people.
"Let me introduce you. This is Loira Hamilton, my cousin." Peterson nodded slightly to Loira.
"He's a bodyguard for the Hamilton family, Allen. Don't let his ordinary appearance fool you—he's killed a lot of dark wizards before."
Peterson lowered his voice and said, "It's said that there are even saints under Grindelwald's command."
"Ugh!" Loila's body trembled even more violently. Putting aside what it means to be ordinary, I am a dark wizard, and a saint at that!
"Greetings, Miss Loila." Allen didn't make any special gestures; he simply nodded slightly.
"Don't mind him, that's just how he is." Peterson shrugged, then led Loira through the iron gates of the manor, casually adding as they walked, "The Hamilton family doesn't really have that many rules."
"Everyone here is a very gentle person," he said, adjusting his glasses. "I always feel a very warm atmosphere."
Along the way, they encountered many servants who bowed slightly upon seeing the two. However, to Loila's surprise, she did not see a single house-elves.
Logically speaking, pure-blood wizard families should have many house-elves—but why doesn't the Hamilton family have any?
Just as Loila was wondering what was going on, the two of them had already arrived at the Red Rice Gate in front of the manor.
There was another middle-aged man standing there, but his complexion was not very good.
He glanced at Peterson first: "Welcome back, Peterson."
"Are you here to greet me?" Peterson asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not." The middle-aged man shook his head slightly. "I just came to see what Miss Loila looks like." He glanced at Loila as he spoke.
"————" Loila wanted to have the courage to look him in the eye, but as soon as her eyes met his, she couldn't help but shrink back and lower her head.
"To be honest, I'm a little disappointed." The middle-aged man slowly shook his head. "Could she be an imposter, Peterson?"
"Don't you feel ashamed to call someone like that your cousin?"
Well!
I didn't feel any warm atmosphere at all!