bookpub Chapter 138 Before the Start of School
Chapter 138 Before the Start of School
Chapter 138 Before the Start of School (Taking leave, only one update today)
With a click, Harry watched as Lynch locked the shop door.
The midday sun made the cobblestone pavement of Diagon Alley slightly warm, and the distant noise seemed to become clear again.
But Harry felt as if he had just passed through a membrane, and the sounds around him still seemed distant and unreal.
They embarked on their journey back to the Stone Pagoda Chamber of Commerce.
Harry, clutching his brand-new flying broom, stopped instinctively before turning the corner and glanced back at the dilapidated shop he had just left.
It remained dilapidated and inconspicuous, with its mottled wooden door tightly shut and thick dust covering the windows, standing out from the surrounding world.
But in Harry's eyes, it was completely different.
It was no longer a forgotten, gloomy corner, but a piece of amber that was carefully treasured and emitted a faint glow.
It contains a part of his life that he never had the chance to participate in, a heartwarming story about dreams, love, and an unfinished future.
It is "moonlight and morning dew," a place my mother once longed for. In this short time, it has also occupied a special corner in my heart, becoming my source of strength.
Lin Qi noticed his pause and stopped as well, standing quietly a few steps away, waiting to the side without urging him.
Harry turned around and his gaze fell on Lynch's back in front of him, the tall and straight figure in a well-tailored suit.
He recalled the speculation and uncertainty he had felt a few months ago, after Uncle Lynch had just revealed his identity.
A wave of shame washed over him instantly, making his cheeks burn.
There is no doubt that Uncle Lynch was good to me.
They not only treat their friends and family with enthusiasm, but also care about their studies and future.
No one had ever cared about me like this before.
An indescribable emotion surged within Harry: gratitude, being touched, and a strange yet warm sense of belonging.
Harry took a deep breath, suppressing the feeling, and quickened his pace, no longer following behind but jogging to catch up with Lynch.
He raised his head, and the hesitation and reluctance in his emerald green eyes had been replaced by a bright and determined light.
"Uncle Lynch," his voice was much clearer than before, "thank you."
This expression of gratitude is full of sincerity.
Lynch looked down at him slightly, said nothing more, just smiled knowingly, and gently patted Harry's shoulder.
"Let's go," he said in a gentle and calm tone. "The Weasleys and Grangers must be getting impatient."
Sunlight fell on the two of them, stretching their shadows as they walked side by side onto the bustling streets of Diagon Alley.
Back at the Stone Tower Merchant Guild, Harry's agitated emotions gradually subsided, but a warm, profound sense of fulfillment remained in his heart.
Lynch led him to meet up with the two families at "Rip's BBQ Restaurant".
After a pleasant and lively meal, it was time to say goodbye.
The Grangers were heading back to the Muggle streets from the Leaky Cauldron, while the Weasleys planned to use the fireplace on the first floor of the Stone Tower to transport their large purchases back to the Burrow.
"See you at the start of the school year, Harry!" Hermione hugged him and said earnestly.
After saying goodbye to Hermione, Harry followed Ron toward the row of fireplaces in the corner of the Stone Tower Merchant Guild's first floor.
His gaze kept drifting towards Lin Qi beside him.
Although a strange longing to spend more time with Uncle Lynch was welling up inside him, all his belongings were still in the Burrow, so he had to suppress the thought.
"Come on, George, you go in first," Mrs. Weasley called to one of the twins closest to her, who was busy counting the shopping bags on the floor.
"Mom, I'm Fred," the boy she had greeted corrected her in a habitual, helpless tone as he passed by.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said instinctively, pushing him toward the fireplace.
The other twin immediately burst into laughter and jumped into the fireplace: "Just kidding, Mom! I'm Fred!" Before he finished speaking, he grabbed some fly powder, shouted "The Burrow!" and disappeared into the rising green flames.
"Those two!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, both amused and exasperated, but with a tolerant smile on her face.
Witnessing this heartwarming farce unfolding in the Weasley family, Lynch couldn't help but smile, a genuine and relaxed expression spreading across his face.
One by one, the Weasleys entered the fireplace, and soon only Harry was left.
Lynch turned to Harry and said gently, "Alright, see you at school in a while, Harry."
Harry nodded, but didn't move immediately. His emerald green eyes glanced at Lynch before drooping down again.
Lin Qi raised his hand, patted his head, and was about to speak.
He suddenly stepped forward, stretched out his arm, and gave Lin Qi a hug, albeit somewhat clumsily but with remarkable speed.
The hug was brief, almost instantaneous, as if the boy had exhausted all his courage, yet feared that the action was too abrupt.
"Thank you for everything today." Harry released his grip, bowed slightly, and said in a clear but not loud voice, "See you at school, Uncle Lynch."
Having said that, he dared not look at Lynch's reaction any longer, quickly turned around, grabbed the fly powder, stepped into the fireplace, and clearly called out, "The Burrow!" The green flames instantly engulfed his figure, sending him away from there.
Lynch, unusually, remained motionless in place.
Harry's sudden, awkward yet sincere hug was completely unexpected.
He raised his hand and, seemingly unconsciously, straightened the front of his suit jacket, which Harry had just touched but which was actually perfectly wrinkle-free.
He felt a faint but lingering warmth, which remained on his chest from the gentle bump.
"Phew~"
Lin Qi let out a long breath, then regulated his breathing and turned to leave.
As summer drew to a close, time seemed to fly by, and before long, the corridors and courtyards of Hogwarts Castle, which had been silent all summer, were awakened once again.
The professors, weary from their travels, returned to this ancient castle from all corners of the world.
The doors to offices and classrooms, which had been closed all summer, were reopened, carrying with them the smell of old parchment and dust.
The industrious house-elves have entered one of the busiest times of the year. Wielding rags and feather dusters, they work like little whirlwinds, enthusiastically cleaning up the dust from every nook and cranny, making the castle shine again.
When Professor Flitwick returned, his skin was a healthy bronze and he was in high spirits.
It is said that he not only visited the spell master in the Pyrenees Mountains, but the two also impulsively went to Africa to observe the dance and spell-casting techniques of the local indigenous shamans, and shared his thrilling and interesting experiences with everyone he met.
Professor Sprout rushed into her third greenhouse and exclaimed in anguish at the scene of devastation.
Although she had set up what she thought were foolproof automatic care mechanisms before leaving school, a particularly mischievous Devil's Web potted plant clearly broke through the restrictions and began to grow wildly and frantically. The dark green, slippery vines almost wrapped half of the greenhouse into a giant cocoon.
Professor Sprout was rolling up his sleeves, looking at the precious specimens that still had a chance of survival.
Like bats returning to their nests in the cellar, Snape silently returned to Hogwarts from his gloomy mansion in Spider's End. His arrival brought no joy, only making some corners of the corridor seem even colder.
It is worth noting that Gilderoy Lockhart—the new, radiant Defense Against the Dark Arts professor—has already moved into the Defense Against the Dark Arts office with his collection of portraits.
Lynch had met him twice in the corridor, but had not had much interaction with this newly crowned top salesman of the Stone Tower Chamber of Commerce.
Amidst this gradual recovery and busyness, Lynch visited Snape twice, ostensibly to "have tea."