Charlie lifted the tent flap, and the scene before him made him pause.
From the outside, it looked like an ordinary tent, but inside, it was another world.
The ground floor was a spacious living room, covered with Persian rugs, hung with oil paintings, and lit by a crystal chandelier hanging from above, emitting a soft light.
A fire burned in the fireplace, the sofas were leather, and a silver tea set was arranged on the coffee table.
Stairs led to the second floor, the railings were gilded, and every detail exuded luxury.
"Are you satisfied?" Lucius walked in.
"Not bad at all," Charlie said.
"You are too kind," Lucius smiled.
"This is just a temporary place to stay."
Tsk tsk tsk, the evils of capitalism—please, keep it coming!
Charlie looked around.
"I'd like to go out for a walk and see the surroundings."
Lucius nodded.
"Of course. But please allow Draco to accompany you; he can introduce you to some aspects of the wizarding world."
"That would be great," Charlie agreed with a nod.
Draco immediately straightened his posture, his eyes lighting up.
"Let's go, let's go, Charlie."
The two left the tent.
The tents in this area were sparse, spaced far apart.
After walking a few hundred meters, the scene changed abruptly.
Tents were packed densely together, colorful and of various shapes.
Some had smoke rising from the tops, with crooked chimneys; some had peacocks tied to the entrances, their feathers fluttering in the wind; and one tent even had a small fountain set up in front of it, splashing water everywhere.
No wonder Roberts had been hit with a Memory Charm more than a dozen times since early morning; none of it was unjustified.
Charlie also saw quite a few Wizards from other countries.
The African Wizards were clearly dark-skinned, yet they liked to wear white robes.
The American Wizards were also easy to distinguish; they were the ones glaring fiercely at the African Wizards while muttering words starting with the "N" word.
Draco was very displeased with the chaotic environment, but seeing Charlie's enthusiasm, he followed along.
As they walked, someone shouted from ahead: "Charlie!"
Charlie looked up and saw a group of people walking toward them.
Harry was walking at the front, followed by Hermione and the whole red-headed Weasley family.
"Harry, Hermione." Charlie nodded in greeting.
Harry smiled, his gaze sweeping over Draco beside Charlie, freezing for a moment, but quickly adjusting.
Last semester, Draco had helped him catch Sirius, and he had already changed his opinion of Draco significantly.
"Good morning, Malfoy," Harry initiated.
Draco slightly lifted his chin.
"Potter."
It counted as a response.
Ron's expression was a bit complex; he looked at Harry, then at Draco, and finally followed suit with a greeting.
The Weasley family greeted Charlie warmly, with the exception of Percy.
He was wearing a crisp suit, his tie knotted meticulously, and he held a briefcase, his gaze toward Charlie filled with superiority.
Hermione leaned in toward Charlie and lowered her voice:
"Percy works at the Ministry of Magic now, as a clerk in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. He's recently… well, a bit different."
Charlie glanced at Percy and understood.
It wasn't personal; as a public servant, he simply looked down on everyone else equally, believing that there was now a thick barrier between himself and his former classmates.
In such cases, Charlie generally identified the person as an idiot.
Harry excitedly talked about the World Cup.
"The World Cup is so much fun. I even saw students from other schools; I wish it could last a few more days."
Mr. Weasley winked, hiding something in his smile.
"Oh, Harry, there's more to this semester than just the World Cup."
Charlie took the lead.
"Mr. Weasley, do you mean there will be other activities when we go to school?"
"That's right…"
Just as Mr. Weasley was about to speak, Percy suddenly interrupted.
"Father," Percy said in a serious tone.
"This is a confidential matter of the Ministry of Magic, and it is not the time to make it public."
He frowned at Charlie, then said to his father.
"As a public servant, confidentiality is the top priority. I hope you can understand that."
Mr. Weasley's smile stiffened.
"Er, actually, it's not that confidential…"
"But it is not the time yet."
"Fine, fine."
The Twins exchanged a glance, and Fred muttered: "Confidentiality."
George continued: "Top priority."
Both of them raised their hands in a salute.
Percy's demeanor reminded Charlie of elementary school, where class monitors would treat minor authority like a royal decree.
Why elementary school? Because once they were older, they wouldn't do such foolish things.
"Mr. Crouch takes confidentiality extremely seriously," Percy said, straightening his back, his tone full of pride.
"He said that leaking secrets is the greatest betrayal to the Ministry of Magic. As his assistant, I must keep this in mind at all times."
He began to ramble on about Crouch's achievements.
Things like his iron-fisted suppression of Death Eaters during the war against You-Know-Who, his mastery of over two hundred languages, and how he was the most promising candidate for the next Minister of Magic.
When he got to the exciting parts, Percy's eyes were glowing.
"Mr. Crouch is the greatest Wizard I have ever met, bar none," Percy said in a high voice.
"As his assistant, I will surely become his right-hand man."
Fred and George exchanged a glance, eyes full of disdain.
The greatest Wizard? Where does that put Dumbledore?
Just then, Percy suddenly stopped.
His gaze crossed the crowd, staring fixedly into the distance.
Charlie followed his gaze and saw a middle-aged man in a crisp suit talking to another chubby Wizard.
The middle-aged man had a serious face and hair combed meticulously.
"It's Mr. Crouch!" Percy's voice changed pitch.
He adjusted his tie, smoothed out non-existent wrinkles on his suit, and strode toward them.
Mr. Weasley sighed.
Percy walked up to Crouch and bowed deeply, his waist bent almost ninety degrees.
"Good morning, Mr. Crouch!" Percy's voice was respectful to the extreme.
"You look wonderful today! Do you need me to prepare a cup of tea for you? I saw a tea station over there, I can go get it immediately!"
Crouch stopped his conversation and turned his head to look at Percy.
His brows furrowed slightly, and a flash of confusion crossed his eyes.
"Oh, thank you, Weatherby," Crouch nodded, his tone businesslike.
"No need for trouble."
The air froze.
Percy froze, his ears turning bright red.
Fred and George burst into laughter.
Just then, Crouch's gaze swept over the crowd and suddenly stopped on Charlie.
His eyes lit up, and the serious expression on his face softened.
"Mr. White?" Crouch walked over actively, a smile actually appearing on his face.
"I didn't expect to see you here."
He reached out his hand enthusiastically.
"Let me introduce myself; I am the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
"The Potion you developed has made a contribution to the wizarding world that is clear to all, and your Dragon Animagus is truly amazing."
Charlie smiled faintly.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Crouch."
Fred leaned into Percy's ear.
"Oh, Percy."
"Look, that's what a real big shot is."
Cruel and heartless.
Percy completely lost his composure, wishing he could dig a hole and hide in it.
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