Braun sat in the car, calmly observing the scenery outside. It was his first time in London, and, to be honest, it didn't live up to his expectations. He had only read about the beautiful city of London and expected to see a magnificent city, but it was oddly normal. He attributed it to his tour of the magical world and realized that nothing could awe him anymore.
Perhaps due to the snow, the air wasn't too bad, but it still carried a dusty scent that irritated his throat, causing some discomfort.
The car soon reached a rather luxurious and wealthy area, where every house was a single-family villa. Given the early hour, people were either having breakfast or still in bed. Even those who usually walked their dogs for morning jogs had halted their routine due to the heavy snowfall. Despite the quietude, a festive atmosphere lingered in the air.
The car slowly pulled up in front of a villa. While not particularly lavish, the facade bore signs of rainwater erosion. Nonetheless, owning a villa in this part of London indicated the wealth of Braun's uncle.
"Come inside, Braun! It's too cold out here. Let's go and warm up inside the house," Joanna called out, inviting Braun to join them.
"Yes, Aunt Joanna." Braun replied in a very aristocratic manner.
"Mom, there's something peculiar about Cousin Braun. He seems to be acting strangely" Pauline whispered in her mom's ear.
"Your cousin hasn't seen a house like this before, so he's a bit curious," Joanna explained, gently patting her daughter's head. She believed Braun was simply amazed by Muggle architecture.
Pauline, with a hint of pride, added, "Our house is the biggest! It's even larger than the houses of the students in our class!"
"Abel, you still have your compulsiveness in maintaining everything in the same orderly manner," Albert Foley said, sighing as he surveyed the room that remained unchanged since his last visit. The room contained only a desk and a bed, with a slightly worn appearance. However, the items didn't seem outdated; they looked well-maintained, suggesting regular cleaning.
"I didn't want the house to get too dirty, so I arranged for someone to clean it," Abel remarked nonchalantly, a glint of happiness in his eyes.
Almost an hour passed before everyone sat down at the table, engaging in casual conversation.
"Abel, you wrote to me saying there was something important you wanted to discuss. Can we talk about it now?" Mr. Foley inquired after taking a sip of tea.
Instead of responding immediately, Abel motioned for his daughter to join him. "I want you to check my daughter's magical abilities," he finally revealed.
Albert raised an eyebrow. "Why not wait for the letter from Hogwarts? Considering Pauline's age, she should receive one next year. Also, has Pauline experienced a magical outburst?"
"I don't know," Abel admitted, showing a hint of distress.
Observing his somewhat lost brother, Mr. Foley sighed. "Let me help you determine if her magic is sufficient for enrollment."
Mr. Foley then called his niece to come over to him, so that he can check the level of her magic. He was also hoping that she could have the minimum amount of magic that could make the artifacts at Hogwarts detect and mark her for the admission next year.
Confused by the conversation, Pauline approached Albert at her father's nod of approval. Albert chanted an incantation and placed his palm on Pauline's head, the process taking only a brief moment.
Pauline's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Mr. Foley. Even after rubbing her eyes, she continued to gaze at him, questioning the reality of what she had witnessed.
Abel nervously asked, "How is it? Will she be able to make it?"
Mr. Foley sighed, apparently disappointing Abel. However, before his wife could console him, Mr. Foley grinned. "Congratulations, Abel! Although Pauline's magical power isn't exceptionally high, there's no doubt she experienced an unconscious magical outburst and can be accepted into Hogwarts!"
"Really? Really?" Abel's tone quivered with a mix of excitement and relief. Failing to become a wizard had been a lifelong regret, and he hoped that his daughter wouldn't have to face the same fate.
"Of course! My detection never... Oh!" Mr. Foley exclaimed before being punched in the nose.
"Sh*t! Abel, you actually hit me!" Mr. Foley covered his nose, seemingly reminiscing about an unpleasant childhood memory.
"Oh yeah? How dare you pull that stunt and try to play me! I thought you'd have become a bit more mature after having a child, but I didn't expect you to be as stupid and annoying as before," Abel scolded.
"Ah! That? I was just teasing you! But you dare to hit your own brother? Let me teach you a lesson!" Mr. Foley retaliated, throwing a punch at Abel.
With a swift change in tone, Abel's triumphant expression turned into one of pain, accompanied by a dark mark around his eye.
"Albert! You can only win with sneak attacks and cannot fight fair! Let's stop, I won't retaliate!" Abel exclaimed and raised his hands. And in the next second he threw another punch towards his brother, who was also doing the same.
It then turned into a weird kid's fight between two old men, that shocked the actual kids in the room. The wives seemed accustomed to the antics and remained calm drinking their tea.
Braun, sitting at the table, felt uneasy. "Mom, should we intervene between Dad and Uncle Abel? Should i stop their fight?"
Millie Foley, without concern, said, "It's okay, son. Your father and Uncle Abel will stop when they've had their fun or when they run out of steam. This is their unique way of emotionally communicating."