"These cabinets significantly enhance the use of the available space."
Stein walked over to a row of standing cabinets and inspected them. Adam's books had been compressed and neatly packed into just one shelf, while the cabinets in front of him featured two columns with six rows of space each.
Stein then turned toward Adam:
"Maybe I could use some of that space?"
"Everyone has a column, and there's also one for public items. I can't give an example right now, but it's always useful to have."
"When I saw the mirror, I remembered I needed it. It'd be inconvenient for makeup without it."
That was Uther. After he mentioned it, Adam realized Uther had been using makeup all along. The dark circles under his eyes weren't from exhaustion—they were smoky eyeshadow...
"It feels very cozy."
Robert sat down on the sofa, his eyes settling on the soft cushions beneath his feet, blinking:
"It feels like someone's lived here for a while... like home."
After some discussion, the five people sitting on the small sofa unanimously agreed to keep Adam's changes to the dormitory.
Compared to the public space, Adam's four-poster bed and the area around it had undergone the most modifications. However, that was his private space, and while the others were curious, they didn't ask.
Everyone was a bit worn out after all the events of the day. After lounging on the sofa for a while, sleepiness crept in, so they all turned in. And just like that, the first night at Hogwarts passed...
"Mmm... uh... uh!!! Ah~"
Stretching with a yawn, Stein chirped a few sounds, sat up in bed, and sniffed the air.
It smells so good...
"You're awake."
Stein turned his head, rubbing his eyes, to see Adam and Robert seated on the small sofa. On the round table in front of them was a stove and... a cauldron?
"Breakfast at Hogwarts is served in the Great Hall. Uther and the others have already gone. Or, would you like to try the preserved egg chicken porridge and tea eggs I made, like Robert?"
As Adam spoke, he cracked a tea egg on the table, peeled off the shell smoothly, and popped it into his mouth.
"...What is that?"
Stein, his hair looking like a bird's nest, rolled out of bed and walked over to the cauldron. He found a pot of bubbling soup, filled with rice, shredded pork, and some dark chunks.
"Hogwarts serves jam, bread, kippers, eggs, bacon, corn flakes... but it's all a bit too greasy for me."
Bacon and omelets are fine occasionally, but Adam found it difficult to eat such heavy food daily. His grandparents had visited recently and cooked breakfast for several days... The old man was quite enthusiastic, and it was hard to refuse.
Adam swallowed the rest of his tea egg and continued:
"So, I asked the house-elves for some ingredients and brought a few of my own. The casserole's for soup, but this is my first time making porridge and tea eggs in a cauldron... Unfortunately, Hogwarts doesn't have the right kind of tea. I'll use my own next time."
Seeing the porridge was almost done, Adam used his wand to extinguish the flame, filled a small bowl, and handed it to Robert:
"Be careful, it's hot. Try it and see if you like it."
"Thanks."
Robert took the bowl and nodded appreciatively at Adam.
"...And soup?"
Stein rubbed his face. His usual breakfasts back home consisted of bacon toast and baked potatoes. Nothing as elaborate as this.
But Adam hadn't even started on the more complicated dishes yet.
"Yeah, it'll probably be ready by the afternoon. Since we don't have classes then, I want you to try the pigeon soup passed down from my mother."
Stein blinked, his face a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Curious about the unfamiliar breakfast, Stein washed up, then sat down and sampled a bowl of the porridge. It tasted great—very different from what he was used to.
"Having hot porridge in the morning really warms you up."
Adam polished off two bowls, but there wasn't enough left for both Robert and Stein. Thankfully, there were still plenty of tea eggs, and Stein happily ate three in one sitting.
If Adam hadn't stopped him, Stein might've polished off the last two, which Adam had saved for Mark and Sibi.
"Adam really lives up to the reputation of having a family restaurant!"
On the way to class, Stein realized he might've overdone it and felt a bit stuffed.
"As long as you enjoy it, I can cook more often, especially for breakfast."
As a chef, there's no greater satisfaction than receiving praise for your food.
"Can you make fish?"
Robert turned around, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Hmm... Fish is a bit tricky to prepare, but I'll think about it—provided there's fresh fish available at Hogwarts."
Adam wasn't convinced the British knew how to properly handle fresh fish. When it came to dishes like starry-gazing fish or poached fish, he'd seen them stuff the fish with the internal organs intact. The flavor left much to be desired...
He wondered if Hogwarts stocked fresh fish.
He'd have to ask the house-elves. Adam already had all the spices needed to remove the fishy smell. If they had some, he'd make it work.
Oh, and...
"Just a heads-up, the fish I prepare might be different from what you're used to. It'll have a lot of tiny bones."
He hoped Robert could handle picking out fish bones, or he might have a rough time with Adam's cooking.
Their first class, Herbology, was with Professor Sprout. She was a gray-haired witch with a warm, caring gaze toward her students. As well as teaching Herbology, she was also the Head of Hufflepuff House.
After a brief introduction, Professor Sprout welcomed everyone to the class and began teaching. The first lesson was about a harmless but powerful herb—Dictamnus.
This herb was highly practical, aiding in wound healing without even needing to be brewed into a potion. Dictamnus essence was the most common remedy for wizarding injuries.
After covering the theoretical aspects, Professor Sprout had the students harvest Dictamnus that had matured over the holidays.
Adam slipped on gardening gloves and quickly harvested his share. Then, he looked over at Robert and asked:
"What... are you doing?"
Robert, engrossed in his task, delicately pinched a Dictamnus leaf:
"Harvesting Dictamnus."
Adam thought back to the lesson. Professor Sprout hadn't mentioned that the process required this level of delicacy. If anyone didn't know better, they'd think Robert was handling something rare and fragile.
"Why so... careful? It'd be faster to pick them by hand."
Robert lowered his gaze and pulled a few fresh leaves from the plant. They were torn and damaged, with a piece of the main branch's skin still attached. It looked like they'd been through a rough ordeal.
"My strength... I can't control it well."
After explaining, Robert gently picked another leaf, but Adam saw a distinct fingerprint and some crushed juice on it—Robert wasn't even trying to use force.
Looking at Robert's disappointed expression, Adam sighed and patted his shoulder:
"It's fine. I'm sure there'll be magical plants more suited to your... talents."
Perhaps Devil's Snare, the Whomping Willow, or squeezing thick juice from Bubotuber pods would be better suited for him.
( End of the chapter )
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