Study Days at Hogwarts

  Chapter 503 starts from platform seven and a half

  Albert couldn’t believe it. He followed Serra to platform seven and a half inexplicably, preparing to take the steam train that was about to go to an unknown area.

  The dark red steam train is parked next to the platform. There are very few passengers on this train, and two staff members are cutting tickets at the entrance.

  There is a signboard on the platform, on which is the route map of the train traveling around Europe. The signboard details each wizarding village that stops at the station.

  The nearest stop is Hogsmeade Village, and the whole journey actually takes five days.

  Serra didn't know what she had said to the ticket cutter, so she enthusiastically introduced the destination of the trip to the two of them: Nicolas Village in France.

   It is said that this is the hometown of Nicole Flamel.

  After Nicole Flamel became famous, French wizards changed the name of the village to commemorate the birth of the great alchemist.

  The staff pulled a small suitcase and took the two of them to their private box. After opening the door of the car, there was a spacious room with two single beds. The layout in the room was simple and comfortable.

   "Why not Floo, Apparate, or Portkey?"

   Albert asked his first doubt after the staff member put the suitcases away for them, closed the compartment door for them and left.

"Using the Portkey is illegal entry." Sera reminded kindly, "It is very difficult to apparate directly to another country, it is not worth our risk, and the last time I went to Nikolai Village was already ten years ago Already, the memory of it has long been blurred."

   "What about the Floo network?"

"Of course we can arrive in France directly, but Mr. Nicholas has already pre-purchased the train tickets for us, how can we let him spend money for nothing?" Sierra sat on the sofa and said with a smile, "And, for you Say, wouldn't it be a great experience?"

   Albert was speechless for a moment, what he said was too reasonable.

  It is similar to the first-class cabin of an airplane, and the price is definitely not cheap.

"How much?"

   "Fifty Galleons per person, and the food is provided for free." Sera pointed to the menu on the table and said, "As long as you order, things will appear."

   "I thought wizards wouldn't enjoy life." Albert laughed at himself, and ordered an Italian lobster and seafood pasta set meal for himself.

   No wonder Sierra reminded him not to eat more at breakfast.

"Actually, most wizards don't take luxury cars." Sierra probably guessed what Albert was thinking, and explained casually, "This is a car for some special customers, so I said it's the best." Don't waste this opportunity."

   "What are you going to do in Nicholas Village?" Albert put down the menu and looked at the old man in front of him. He felt that this matter was obviously not that simple.

  Selah walked to the door, made sure the door was locked, and cast some kind of magic in the room, then sat back on the sofa again, and said slowly, "We are going to visit someone."

   "I thought Nicole was in Devonshire." Albert guessed who Sera was talking about.

   "They are dying, and they don't know how Dumbledore persuaded the Flamels to give up the Philosopher's Stone."

  Speaking of this matter, Serra's tone was very complicated, "We need to stay in France for three days, and you can spare time to participate in this year's International Wizard Chess Tournament in France."

   "Doesn't that kind of competition require advance registration?"

   When Albert said this, his tone suddenly paused, "Who signed up for me."

   New tasks appeared on the task panel, most likely related to the International Wizard Chess Competition.

   "Bud signed up for you in advance, and he thought you would be interested." Serra said, "That guy was once a wizard chess champion, and he has a recommendation quota."

  In fact, the number of wizards participating in the International Wizard Chess Tournament every year is not too many.

   "Of course, that's not the point."

  Albert was about to say something when he heard Serra continue to say, "Nicole also left something for you. We think it's better for you to meet him in person."

   Albert was silent.

  He felt that many messy things were crowded together, and going to the United States to meet Nicholas became less important.

   While speaking, the train suddenly shook and began to slowly drive out of King's Cross Station.

   Albert looked sideways at the rapidly receding scenery outside the car window, and asked coldly, "Who is Nicholas? Should you explain it to me?"

   So far, neither Sera nor Bud has given him a clear explanation.

   No one likes to be concealed or lied to.

   "John Nicholas is an American alchemist." Sierra put down her teacup and took out a bag containing Floo powder from her pocket.

"It's not that I'm going to visit him, but that you need to visit him. Remember what I said?" Sera said in a low voice, "Besides me, there are three others. Nicholas is in charge of America. Sooner or later you need to talk to him." To deal with it, while I still have energy, I will take you there personally."

   "The United States, they don't want to go."

"Why?"

   "It's not free there, you'll know when you go."

  Serra took out another photo from his pocket and pushed it in front of Albert. In the photo was an old man over sixty years old and a blond girl.

  The two of them were smiling at him, and the blond girl looked like a delicate china doll.

"That's Nicholas' heir and her granddaughter. She seems to be called Catherine. She should have just graduated from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year." Sera said, "Catherine is also a genius. Of course, she's not as talented as you are." .”

  In Sera's eyes, Albert was the most talented wizard in hundreds of years.

   "Why doesn't everyone else want to go to America?"

   Albert took a bite of the Italian lobster pasta that appeared out of thin air, and asked curiously why.

   "There have been some unpleasant things." Sera pouted and said, "That country is not as beautiful as you imagined. The Ministry of Magic in the United States has strict management of wizards. You need to pay attention to many things."

   "Because of Muggles?"

   Albert naturally guessed the reason.

   “American wizards have to hide carefully lest Muggles discover their existence?”

"Yes, it seems that you know more than you think." Sierra nodded and said, "Although muggles can't use magic, they are not as weak as they imagined. Once they realize the existence of wizards, they will Get us into big trouble."

"The connection between Muggles is closer than you imagined, and the speed of information dissemination is very fast. Once someone discovers the existence of the wizarding world, it will take a few hours for most people in the entire United States to know about it." Albert is very happy Know what those people do when they find out about the existence of wizards.

  No one likes to have uncontrollable forces threatening their own safety, especially for the controller of that country, this kind of thing will never be tolerated.

   "Those Muggles." Sierra said suddenly, "Near Las Vegas, Nevada, a terrible weapon called a nuclear bomb was tested, and the wizards living in that area suffered an indiscriminate disaster."

   "Nuclear bomb experiment?" Albert's mouth twitched slightly.

"They are very strict against Muggles, just like most wizards treat dementors." Serra said, "Not only does the US Ministry of Magic prohibit intermarriage between wizards and Muggles, wizards are also strictly required to take care of their children. They are not allowed to have magical riots in front of Muggles and cause riots."

   "The US Ministry of Magic's prison must have locked up a lot of people!" Albert couldn't help laughing.

   "It is said that it is overcrowded." Sera curled her lips and said, "Violation of the secrecy law is a felony."

   "Is there anything that needs attention."

"Seldom deal with the Ministry of Magic in the United States. We went to that country in the name of visiting friends, and we will spend most of our time in Nicholas' small farm. There won't be too many opportunities to deal with those guys." Sierra Said: "By the way, you shouldn't have brought anything strange!"

   "Strange thing?" Albert repeated.

   "Magic items other than wands." Serra added, "It's best not to use even wands."

   "No, I only brought some Galleons and double-sided mirrors. However, I don't know if Galleons are also applicable in other countries."

  Before Albert came, he locked all the contents of the deformed lizard skin bag into the cabinet.

   "Of course Gallon can also use it, but it will be more troublesome. They usually use Zhuoguo."

  Serra took out a money bag from his pocket and put it in front of Albert. Inside were some gold coins similar to Galleons. The magic currency system over there was similar to that in England.

   Among them, Albert also found several Franklin.

   "American wizards have strict management of magic currency, and they don't leave it to goblins." Sera thought for a while and added, "There is a depressive atmosphere in the entire magic world over there."

  In fact, wizarding banks in countries other than the UK are managed by the Ministry of Magic.

  Garon is very popular in the magic world, and is basically recognized.

   This has to do with the fact that goblin coins cannot be counterfeited.

   "This row of numbers represents the goblin who minted this coin." Sera took out a Galleon, pointed to the row of numbers on the edge, and said, "That's why they cannot be counterfeited."

  The food on the train was very good. After finishing eating the food on the plate, Albert lazily leaned on the sofa, looking sideways at the passing scenery outside the window.

  The train was still running fast, and the next journey was very boring. Serra suggested that he lie on the bed and rest, and also gave him a piece of parchment, which was said to record some precautions after going to the United States.

   "I'm curious, how exactly does this train send passengers to the wizarding village on the European continent." Albert covered a yawn and asked, "Are we going to fly over the North Sea, or pass through the bottom of the sea?"

"Passing through the bottom of the sea, this train will go into the sea from the Mali Firth, pass through the North Sea and directly arrive at Denmark on the other side of the sea." Selah pulled up the curtain, obviously ready to lie on the bed and rest. For an elderly person, going out for a trip Still too exhausting.

  (end of this chapter)