Kael was originally invited to visit Nicolas Flamel's home as a secret, but just as Dumbledore once told Harry, secrets always find a way to get out...
By the time Kael returned, he suddenly realized that it seemed like everyone already knew about it.
During dinner, Mr. Weasley, much like Chris had an hour earlier, kept asking Kael about Nicolas Flamel, and whether he saw any talking refrigerators there.
"Dad worships Nicolas Flamel the most."
Fred whispered beside him, "Ever since Dad accidentally met Headmaster Dumbledore that day and found out where you'd gone, he's been super excited."
George shrugged, "I think he imagines Nicolas Flamel's house is full of talking Muggle gadgets."
In the end, faced with Mr. Weasley's hopeful gaze, Kael had no choice but to disappoint him... There weren't any talking refrigerators in Nicolas' house, and the lawnmower couldn't do tap dance while telling jokes, either.
In fact, none of the Muggle devices Mr. Weasley could think of were there at all.
This made Mr. Weasley terribly disappointed.
But Kael couldn't help it, because the manor Nicolas has in Paris is one he's lived in for ages, back when the Muggle world hadn't even invented light bulbs yet.
Even the deck chair Nicolas sat in while listening to opera was one he brought over from Devon.
Although Mr. Weasley wasn't interested in deck chairs, he still decided to buy a similar one just to be a bit closer to his idol—so he could tinker with it, of course.
This decision made Mrs. Weasley quite upset. With the car fiasco barely over, now there's going to be another chair around to get "modified"... Wasn't there already enough chaos in the house?
From the angry look in her eyes, it wasn't hard to tell that, after dinner, Mr. Weasley was probably in for a rough time.
...
Meanwhile, everyone else was equally curious about what Kael had been up to during the past month.
But as soon as they heard that Kael had spent the whole month reading, Fred, George, and Ron's curiosity vanished in an instant.
To them, vacations are for fun—spending them reading is just an unforgivable waste.
Percy did ask a few questions, but his interest was pretty half-hearted too.
After all, there's no Alchemy on Hogwarts exams, so there's no need to waste time on extra subjects like that.
Of course, some people had no idea about any of this... like Harry.
From the moment Mr. Weasley brought it up, Harry's mouth hadn't closed once.
He only knew that someone had invited Kael for a visit, but he never imagined that someone would be Nicolas Flamel, a wizard who's over six hundred years old and made the Philosopher's Stone.
He was still stressing over homework, and meanwhile Kael was hanging out at a legendary wizard's house.
Honestly, sometimes the difference between wizards can be bigger than the difference between a wizard and a gnome.
After dinner, as expected, Mr. Weasley was dragged back into the house.
Fred and George, feeling stuffed from overeating, decided to invite Kael and newbie Harry to do Ottery St Catchpole's time-honored activity... gnome tossing.
"The rules are simple, Harry."
In the garden, Fred, who had done this plenty, plucked a gnome from the bushes that looked like a big potato, and said:
"You can throw it, or whack it with a bat—just try to make the gnome fly as far as possible.
Like this..."
Saying that, he pulled out a Beater's bat from behind him and, striking the perfect pose, sent the gnome flying with a whack.
Harry's shocked face made George explain, "Gnomes have really tough skin, so hitting them with the bat doesn't hurt them at all.
Sometimes I even think they could replace the Bludgers."
Harry had been a little hesitant, but after getting a nasty bite from one of the gnomes, he immediately turned into a soulless gnome-whacking machine...
"Wow... Harry, that last one must've gone at least two hundred feet."
"I think it was at least two-fifty..."
Since it was already late, they didn't keep score or anything—just guessed the distances by feel.
"I think my aim was a bit off just now... Next one's going way farther!" Harry expertly grabbed a gnome that was gawking at the action and swung again.
"Nice one, Harry," George looked up and said, "That's a classic line drive—maybe you've got a future as a Beater..."
"Ouch!"
But before he finished speaking, a pained groan floated over from the distance.
Did they hit someone?
The group exchanged looks, then hurried over toward the sound.
From afar, they could see a figure crouched, clutching their head.
As they drew closer, Harry quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, sir, I didn't realize anyone was here..."
"No problem, I should've been paying attention, too..."
The man looked up, suddenly startled, "Fred, George, Kael... Oh, I get it, you're tossing gnomes again, aren't you."
Now, everyone could see who it was.
With slightly crossed eyes, fluffy white hair like marshmallows on his shoulders, a bright yellow robe, and a gold chain around his neck with a weird symbol—almost like an eye inside a triangle.
"Mr. Lovegood?" Kael was surprised.
The unlucky guy bonked on the head by the gnome was none other than Xenophilius Lovegood, who lived just north of Ottery St Catchpole.
"Did you just get back?"
"Yes," Lovegood rubbed his head, "I took Luna out looking for Curved-Horned Snoring Beasts, and got so absorbed that I lost track of time."
As soon as he finished speaking, a little girl came running over from a short way off.
She had a head of messy blonde hair, carrot-shaped earrings, and a necklace made of Butter Beer corks; in her hand was a half leaf she must have picked up from somewhere.
This odd getup and her actions made her seem a bit quirky and wild.
"Daddy, I just found on the ground... Oh, Kael, long time no see."
Luna skipped up to Kael, tilting her head, her slightly bulging silver eyes staring unblinkingly at him.
"Long time no see, Luna." Kael grinned, "Are you looking for Nargles again?"
"I've never seen any Nargles on you, still haven't this time," Luna sang softly.
Then she pointed at Harry. "But he's got loads—all around his ears."
...