Seeing their daughter's pale face, the Grangers quickly went to check on Hermione.
Seeing Ethan smirking to himself, Hermione stubbornly declared, "I'm fine, I'm just a little carsick."
Ethan, with great shrewdness, slipped away from the three of them and secretly handed his mother a small packet of potion he had quietly purchased.
He tiptoed and whispered in Sofia's ear, "Mom, I bought a few extra. You can give some to Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Granger to try."
Sofia gave him an approving look, then discreetly put away the potion and divided it into two portions.
Professor McGonagall asked, "How is Hermione feeling? If everything is alright, let's leave Diagon Alley."
"I'm fine, Professor." The strong-willed young girl answered bravely, though her face was still a little pale.
"Then let's go."
Several adults walked ahead, while Ethan lagged behind and asked the clerk when the books would be delivered.
"Don't worry, sir, we'll send an owl to deliver them to your door tomorrow!" The shop assistant assured the wealthy young man who had spent hundreds of Galleons.
Ethan was satisfied and followed his parents, carrying a few textbooks that were easy to take with him.
Passing through the archway he had entered from and stepping into the dim lobby of the Leaky Cauldron, Ethan did not see the old hag who had disgusted him earlier.
"Alright, my task is complete. Here are your tickets, students. See you at Hogwarts on September 1st."
McGonagall took out two letters containing Hogwarts Express tickets and handed them to the two children.
"King's Cross Station, Platform 9¾. I'll be waiting for you at Hogwarts."
"Huh? Nine and three-quarters? Professor, you're not mistaken, are you?" The two of them looked up at Professor McGonagall in unison.
McGonagall smiled and said, "That's right, it is indeed that platform. It's the one reserved for the Hogwarts Express, between platforms nine and ten."
"Don't worry—if you really can't find it, you can ask the Ministry of Magic representatives on the platform for help; they wear Hogwarts badges on their coat pockets."
"Yes, Professor, see you at Hogwarts." The two answered in unison, then exchanged a glance, and Hermione quickly turned her head away, blushing furiously.
After dropping the six off on the street, McGonagall turned and went back into the Leaky Cauldron, unsure whether she was picking up other students or simply planning to have a drink.
Hermione silently hugged her books and walked toward her car.
Ethan followed behind, carrying the birdcage in one hand and books in the other.
The adults chatted and laughed, while the two little ones remained silent, creating a stark contrast.
When it was time to part, Sofia handed several bottles of potion to Mrs. Granger, whose eyes lit up and she happily accepted the gift.
"See you Monday." Ethan poked Hermione's shoulder with the book he was holding.
Her face flushed red again, and she bit her lower lip, whispering, "Yeah, see you Monday."
Hermione rushed forward with her head down and quickly disappeared from Ethan's sight.
Once in the car, Ethan and Sofia both sat in the back.
"Son, do you like this girl?"
The question was so direct that Ethan was caught off guard: "Oh, Mom, no, I didn't, don't talk nonsense."
He denied it three times in a row, shaking his head and waving his hands repeatedly.
Sofia remained noncommittal: "Really? I thought you liked this girl. What a waste—I've been putting in a good word for you with her parents."
Ethan glanced at her speechlessly. He was only eleven years old, so why was his mother already asking him about girlfriends?
Although he didn't deny that he found the grown-up Hermione attractive, the current Hermione was still too young, and he wasn't a pervert, so he couldn't bring himself to feel that way about an eleven-year-old.
To prevent Sofia from delving deeper into the topic, he quickly changed the subject, starting a conversation with Albert to keep him from becoming too nervous and causing problems.
After nearly crashing, a shaken Ethan said, "Dad, I think you're tired from driving. Why don't you call the driver and have him take over?"
His mother wholeheartedly approved of the proposal.
So the three of them parked on the side of the road, found a small restaurant, called the driver, and ate a couple of bites to soothe their stomachs, which hadn't had anything substantial besides ice cream all day.
The driver arrived quickly, and the three of them got home safely.
"What a dreamlike day!" Sofia exclaimed, and Albert put his arm around her waist and nodded in agreement.
Ignoring his parents' public display of affection, Ethan let out a burp and said, "I'm going upstairs now."
Carrying books in one hand and the cage in the other, he trudged upstairs.
Back in his room, Ethan first opened the cage to let the giant Eagle Owl out to stretch its wings.
He named the Eagle OwlEdward, after several British monarchs in history. Although there was no connection between "British monarch" and "eagle king" in English, he still found the private joke amusing.
Ethan filled the small bowl he used to feed stray cats with owl treats and offered it to Edward. Then he tore open the oiled paper wrapping the books and pulled out the one that interested him the most—Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
This magical book, written by Newt Scamander, was one Ethan had longed to read in his previous life. He had a deep fascination for the various magical creatures that appeared in the movies, and of course, what he wanted most was that briefcase that was like a small private world.
He devoured the pages, gazing longingly at the animated, colorful illustrations.
He was so engrossed in reading that he didn't even hear Sofia calling him for dinner.
He only snapped out of his trance when Sofia appeared beside him.
"I'm sorry, Mom, this book is so captivating that I lost track of time."
He placed the book face down on the table, walked down the spiral staircase to the dining table, and ate his meal absentmindedly, his mind still on those magical creatures that fascinated him.
Sofia was very dissatisfied with his performance.
She had used the beauty potion that afternoon and was waiting for her son's praise. When she stood up, crossed the dining table, and gently tapped Ethan on the head.
"What's wrong, Mom?" Ethan hadn't even swallowed the food in his mouth yet, and his blank stare and mumbled words only made Sofia more dissatisfied.
She simply scoffed and said, "Eat your food properly!"
Seeing his father sitting beside his mother, winking and gesturing at his own face, he finally realized what was happening and began to praise her:
"Oh dear, Mom! I was distracted and didn't notice, but I just realized how stunning you look! You don't look like my mom at all—you look more like my older sister!"
Overjoyed by the praise, Sofia asked with a beaming smile, "Is the effect really that obvious?"
He swallowed the food in his mouth and said seriously, "How can you attribute all the credit to the potion? Mom didn't look old to begin with, and the potion just made it a little more obvious."
Sofia smiled and stroked her smooth face, no longer making trouble, while Albert secretly gave him a thumbs up.
Ethan smiled inwardly, quickly finished his food, greeted the two of them, and ran upstairs to continue the book he hadn't finished yet.
I will not sleep tonight.