Harry Potter and the Candy Factory

"You say you are Mr. White's... brother?"

A look of surprise appeared on the woman's face, even overshadowing her original wariness.

It made her adjust her glasses and carefully size up the man standing before her, with an appropriate smile, elegant demeanor, and impeccable attire, clearly out of place on this street.

She gazed at the face and eyebrows that bore a resemblance to Ryan, yet in that resemblance, there was less melancholy and more arrogance.

Instantly, a twisted saga of love and hatred between aristocratic, wealthy families began to churn uncontrollably in her mind... to the point that she was momentarily lost in thought.

Seeing the woman staring at him without moving, after a moment's hesitation, Charlie had no choice but to cough deliberately to remind her, which finally brought her attention back.

Noticing her recent gaffe, the woman quickly apologized and explained,

"I'm sorry, I'm just a little surprised... after all, we've been neighbors for almost ten years, and this is the first time I've learned that Mr. White actually has a brother..."

"Ten years of neighbors, you mean... he's lived here for ten years?"

Hearing the woman's explanation, it was Charlie's turn to be surprised.

He raised his eyebrows, sighing, and couldn't help but re-examine the dilapidated house from top to bottom in the dim light.

He carefully observed the details he had previously overlooked—the trimmed lawn, the low fence repaired with broken planks and rusty nails, and the firewood piled casually against the house, along with an axe with a handle worn smooth... everything was like a silent storybook.

Although nothing was explicitly stated, Charlie could imagine how the aristocratic young master originally named Regulus had gradually and completely abandoned his identity and merged with the name White Ryan.

After a moment of contemplation, Charlie quickly regained his composure, returning his expression to its previous state.

Turning his gaze back to the woman, he continued the previous topic and asked,

"So... can you tell me where Ryan has gone?"

"Oh, of course!"

This time, the woman didn't say anything else, readily nodding and pointing to one end of the street, indicating,

"At this time, Mr. White usually likes to take a walk in the square with the fountain over there. If you go now, you might run into him."

"Thank you."

Without saying much, after getting the answer he wanted, Charlie nodded in thanks, then took the well-behaved Peng Peng standing beside him and returned to the car.

The car started with the flashing of lights and the slight roar of the engine.

Just as the two were about to drive away, Charlie suddenly seemed to remember something.

He slowly lowered the car window, turned his head to look at the woman standing in the doorway next door watching him leave, and said softly,

"I'm sorry, I almost forgot... May I ask what I should call you?"

The woman was taken aback at first, but quickly recovered, then brushed her stray hair behind her ear and replied,

"Dorothy Graff, you can call me Graff."

"Thank you, Ms. Graff... Merry Christmas."

Charlie nodded, smiling as he offered Graff his blessing.

Graff returned the smile.

"You too, Mr. White, Merry Christmas."

Charlie's car drove away, heading towards the nearby intersection under Graff's gaze, following the direction she pointed to find Ryan's whereabouts...

............

At this moment, in the nearby square, the usual desertedness and silence of only two or three people strolling had been replaced.

A huge Christmas tree rose from the center, sparkling with colorful lights, adorning every corner of it, accompanied by familiar and catchy carols, dispelling the winter wind and the darkness of the night.

Countless people living nearby were all dressed in thick clothes, taking advantage of their free time to stroll here with their families, the endless conversations and occasional laughter combining to create a rare highlight moment for this unremarkable place...

Ryan leaned comfortably against the back of the bench, with a kind smile on his face.

In front of him, seven or eight young children surrounded him, their eyes sparkling with surprise, staring intently at the magical hands before them.

"Come on, take a good look at this..."

Ryan said, spreading his palm and presenting a shiny twenty-pence silver coin to everyone.

"Are you going to make it disappear?!"

A little girl with golden hair looked up, blinked her eyes, and asked excitedly.

"Make it disappear?"

Mr. Ryan revealed a deliberately profound smile.

Then, he suddenly leaned forward, bringing his head close to the children, then lowered his voice, as if telling a very important secret, seriously saying word by word,

"Only the most boring magicians make it disappear—and I, am going to do something even more incredible..."

For a moment, all the children who heard this couldn't help but exclaim, and the light in their eyes became even brighter.

"Now, just watch carefully..."

Having said that, without further ado, Ryan placed the silver coin on his thumb and gently flicked it upwards.

With a crisp "ding!" the coin spun into the air, drawing a beautiful arc at its highest point...

The little audience couldn't help but hold their breath, their already large eyes widened even further, seemingly afraid of missing any exciting process.

"Snap!"

A crisp snap of fingers came, and instantly, the silver coin that should have continued to fall disappeared, vanishing into thin air before everyone's eyes in the night illuminated by the Christmas tree lights and moonlight.

"Where did it go! ?"

"Oh my god, I was clearly watching it!"

"It just disappeared before my eyes..."

"Sir, where did you send it! ?"

............

Such a magical scene immediately caused an uproar among the children. They exclaimed in surprise, twisting their necks and looking around for the trace of the silver coin, while disbelievingly rubbing their eyes, suspecting that they were seeing things.

Ryan smiled as he watched this scene, seemingly able to derive a great sense of satisfaction from the children's exaggerated reactions.

After waiting a while, seeing that the children who had reacted no longer looked for it, but instead returned their eager gazes to him, Ryan finally gave this not-so-clever trick a perfect ending.

"Alright, now, feel your pockets."

Ryan said, and immediately the children lowered their heads in unison, instinctively reaching into their pockets.

"It's a coin! ! !"

"I have one here too!"

The children shouted, jumping high, each happily taking out a 20-pence silver coin from their pockets.

"It belongs to you, Merry Christmas!"

Taking a deep breath of the cold air, Ryan pulled the zipper of his down jacket up, and said as such.

............

After the children left contentedly, Charlie, with Peng Peng, walked unhurriedly to his side...

"So, do you have any more pennies? I want to buy a cup of mulled wine on the way."