Chapter 45: chapter 45 - Magic tourism
Chapter 45 - Magic tourism
After an unforgettable night playing the roles of an evil sorcerer and a trusting young girl, Otto and Anna returned to the amusement park. However, approaching the wall, Otto and Anna were at a loss—how could they get inside? They hadn't had a chance to buy wands.
But within moments, the brick wall dissolved again, and a door appeared before them. Strangely, a voice echoed seemingly from nowhere.
"Come in, I see you. To your right, the wall isn't brick but transparent, just an illusion spell. I watched Rey bring you here yesterday, so I'll let you in."
Otto and Anna nodded synchronously and entered. Inside the building, to the right of the door, they saw an elderly but cheerful woman sitting behind a marble-black table in the corner with a sign that read "Ticket Counter." Yesterday, they hadn't noticed her because they immediately followed Faustino.
"I'm Miranda, the concierge of this transportation network branch. If you're not heading to the bar but want to go somewhere, you'll need to buy tickets from me. I also allow those who forgot which brick to touch. In rare cases like yours, I have to deal with those who don't have wands yet or those who don't use them at all, like Uagadou School of Magic graduates."
"Um, thank you."
"You're welcome. So, are you buying tickets? Or are you heading to the bar?" the cashier asked.
"We need tickets to England, to... what arrival points are available there?"
"Oh, England. There's a lot of good stuff there—Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the oldest wizarding shopping streets in the world—Diagon Alley, and the village of Hogsmeade near Hogwarts. But I understand you used to be a squib?"
"Yes, I used to be a squib."
"Then I suggest you head to Omnis, the shopping street in Adastra Village. It was built recently but has already become a point with the largest permanent wizarding population in the world. There are no fewer than 2,000 wizards living there permanently, and from Germany alone, at least 100 people travel there every day. And according to official data from all of Europe, no fewer than 900 people visit it daily. So, where do you decide to go?"
"To Omnis, the shopping street. Please, two tickets!"
"Ha-ha, I knew it. Except for those old folks who don't accept anything new, most people will choose the new Omnis. Do you want round-trip tickets, or one way?"
"What do you think?" Otto asked Anna.
"Hmm, we've never been to England, so maybe we should explore there a bit longer?"
Before Otto could answer, Miranda decided to ask, "Guys, how much are you willing to spend there? You need money to buy all the necessary wizarding supplies, as the Morningstar family sponsors squibs, but to stay in England, you'll need money. Of course, if you're planning to stay at 'The Leaky Cauldron' pub, forget about my question, but... I don't want to badmouth old Tom, but he should clean up his hotel more often."
"Money is not a concern; I brought some gold with me."
"Ahhh, so Faustino told you. It's an interesting loophole, but yes, if you have gold, the goblins will treat you like royalty. Well, in that case, I recommend you stay in a double room at 'The Hog's Head Inn.' Although now it's hard to call it a pub; it's more like a five-star hotel in the wizarding world.
"They have excellent rooms for the price of 5 galleons per night. I know it might sound steep, but it's worth it. They host conferences and gatherings for wizarding researchers from around the world. Recently, for example, there was a gathering of potion-makers, although it ended with Professor Severus Snape of Hogwarts throwing a vial of potion at someone who disagreed with him. But most of the time, it's very quiet there. Although 'The Hog's Head Inn' is not located in Adastra Village, it's on the outskirts of Hogsmeade Village, close to Hogwarts, and 5 kilometers from Adastra Village, so if needed, you can rent a flying carpet and reach there. Although, if you're willing to spend an extra 2 galleons, you can use the portal just like here, but I don't recommend it. Two galleons for a trip to another country is not expensive, even cheap, but 2 galleons for 5 kilometers... excuse me, but that's robbery in broad daylight. For a flying carpet, you'll pay a maximum of 20 sickles, much cheaper, and you'll get to see the landscapes.
By the way, the 'Hog's Head Inn' hotel/pub is owned by Albus Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth Dumbledore. If you don't know who Dumbledore is, ask someone in England; they'll be happy to tell you. Honestly, before Asmodeus Noren Morningstar appeared, he was the main figurehead of their wizarding community. Moreover, he is considered the most powerful wizard in the world today. Although no one knows how powerful Mr. Morningstar is... but most think he's still too young, even though there are reports that he burned a troll to ashes with a simple fire spell. But officially, Dumbledore is the strongest. Therefore, no one dares to cause trouble there."
Otto and Anna quickly realized that this elderly lady loved to talk, but then she provided such a large amount of information that they felt a bit overwhelmed. Nevertheless, Otto decided to learn in advance about the magical world of England to make the most of their time there. Besides, he checked on the display board, and there's still a whole hour and a half until the nearest portal to "The Hog's Head Inn" opens, so there's no need to rush.
"Mrs. Miranda, could you tell us what else we can do in England so that we know in advance how long we should book a room at the hotel?"
"With pleasure. You know, before becoming a witch, I worked for 40 years in a travel agency. That's why I chose this profession. So, after you settle in 'The Hog's Head Inn,' ask the locals where the parking for flying carpet drivers is; it's something like Muggle taxis. Until recently, they were prohibited in England, as the Ministry of Magic called them 'unsafe.' In reality, they just didn't want flying brooms to take a back seat because carpets are produced in the Middle East, and it's an import.
Oh, I got distracted. Find a flying carpet driver and tell him to take you to 'Omnis' trading street or 'Adastra' village, depending on what you want to do first – buy a wand or enjoy the views. But first, ask about the price! That's crucial! Don't get in if it's more than 25 sickles; it's expensive. Negotiate and lower the price. They like to take advantage of tourists. If you still choose to buy a wand first, which I recommend, head to the center of the trading street. There will be a little shop that is called 'Oliwanders - Omnis branch,'
Run by the daughter of the world's most famous wand maker, Ollivander. By the way, they have another store, but it's in 'Diagon Alley,' with the same name; it just says they've been making wands since 382 BCE. Honestly, I don't believe it, but who knows? I've only been in the magical world for 1.5 years and don't know its history that well.
After you buy a wand – it will cost at least 30 galleons, if you were a child entering the wizarding school, it would cost 7, but you're older, and you were given the money for that – you can go for a stroll and look at books on magic.
By the way, since you're a former Squib, you can enroll in magic courses starting next spring. I don't know where they will be held
I only know that Asmodeus Morningstar is building something like a magic school for Muggles and their children. Just no one knows where it is. After buying a wand and books, you can go buy yourself a wizard's robe, but honestly, they've started going out of fashion. Most wizards saw how former Muggles dress and started to refuse this style. Oh, if you're interested in potion-making, you can buy yourself a cauldron. It's better to buy a used one; in any case, if you're learning potion-making, it will explode more than once."
With the rest of your purchases, you'll figure it out on your own. Check how much you spend on books, etc.
Then, you should head to the village for a walk. "Adastra," though a small village compared to Muggle cities, is very beautiful.
In the evening, you can stroll down the street of magical lanterns, which are actually magical creatures flying near the magical plants store. They beautifully illuminate the street, and in the evenings, couples love to spend time there.
Then you can return to "The Hog's Head Inn," and... Ah, is today Saturday?"
Otto and Anna nodded; they didn't even speak, just confirmed. What did you expect from them? They saw a person who could talk without stopping for the first time; it seemed to them that she didn't even breathe, just spoke non-stop.
"Oh, since it's already Saturday, you're in luck. At the registration desk, you can buy tickets for a tour around the Hogwarts area. You know, it's the first wizarding school in the world, and it's rich in history. Although they won't let you inside the castle because there are many students, they'll let you walk in the inner courtyard, and you can row on the Black Lake in a boat. If you're lucky, you'll see a beautiful sunset. Oh, don't be afraid of the guide who will show you around Hogwarts. Although it's an open secret, he's a half-giant. Don't fear him; he's just a very large and tall wizard. By the way, for an additional fee, at night, you can go with him into the Forbidden Forest and watch the moon dance of the Mooncalfs living there. It's on the outskirts of the forest, so don't worry; it's safe there. Besides, you'll be accompanied by a group of five adult wizards.
By the way, so you know, until recently, besides students, no one could enter Hogwarts and its territory without special permission. But Headmaster Dumbledore decided that to support tourism and better acquaint former Squibs with the magical world, he would open the entrance to Hogwarts every second Saturday of the month. Although I think he just wants to earn extra money before his retirement. Oh, there are only 15 minutes left. Come on, guys, quickly, two tickets there and back or just one way?"
Anna and Otto, still somewhat stunned by Miranda's continuous speech, didn't initially understand why she abruptly stopped. But then they realized.
"Two one-way tickets to 'The Hog's Head Inn,' we're still not sure how long we'll stay," Otto said, handing over two galleons.
"Alright, here you go, take them, go. You have 12 minutes. Just don't jump into the portal at the last minute!"
With the tickets in hand, Anna and Otto headed toward the portal. Approaching it, they held hands and took a step forward. When the green flames touched them, they felt a strange sensation, as if riding a water slide while standing still. And someone was preventing them from falling off this slide.
After some time, they felt like they were standing on solid ground again and opened their eyes. The surroundings were unusual. They stood in the center of a strange circle of green flames that periodically flared up, and people appeared from it.
"Hey, come out, why are you standing like statues? Do you want someone to appear under your feet or land on your head?!" they heard and turned around.
They saw a man around 50 sitting at a black wooden table, on which stood signs reading "registration desk," and, as they understood, his name was Robert Williams."
Realizing they were blocking the entrance, they stepped aside and went to the registration desk.
"Uh, sorry, it's our first time."
"Oh, no problem. I thought you might be among those who just want to see what happens if they keep standing at the arrival point. Merlin, if they only knew how many times I had to explain to those idiots that this is only for arrivals, and the gates are separate. Until a 200-kilogram fat guy landed on someone's head, they didn't believe it."
"Uh, okay... probably."
"Are you foreigners? How long do you want to stay in England, and what will you be doing?"
"Yes, we're from Germany. I'm a wizard, and I want to buy a wand. As for how long we'll stay here, I'm not sure yet. It's my second time in the magical world, and we want to explore."
"Ah, so you're a former Squib! Congratulations, buddy. You're lucky. You know, in my youth, Squibs were scorned in every possible way... forget it. Since you don't know how long you'll stay here, I'll grant you permission to stay for 7 days. That's the maximum I can give you without documents and a lengthy registration at the Ministry of Magic."
Otto nodded.
"Alright, sign here and here. And give me some form of identification, Muggle IDs work too."
"Sure, here," Otto said, handing over his driver's license and Anna's passport.
"Otto and Anna Nelsons, okay, I've noted your details. You can go through. Straight through the arch, and you'll come out directly into the main hall of 'The Hog's Head Inn.' I wish you a great time in England!"
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