"The letter said a professor from the school would take us to Diagon Alley, right? We'll find out everything then."
"Let's finish breakfast first. It might just be a prank, after all, things like this happen all the time."
Cro's words made everyone sit back down at the table. Hermione clutched the acceptance letter, a little hopeful. If this was real, didn't that mean she was a witch? And Cro was a wizard? They could attend the same school together? Hermione pressed her lips together, absent-mindedly eating her breakfast. The Grangers were equally distracted. They, too, wanted to know if this was real. Could their precious daughter truly be a witch?
"Ding-dong, ding-dong~"
"I'll get the door!"
Just as Cro was about to stand up, Hermione abandoned her bread and rushed to the door. Cro shook his head helplessly. He understood what Hermione and her parents were thinking. If he hadn't already known that this world was from the Potterverse, he, too, would probably be doubtful like them. However, he didn't plan to explain it to them. Not only would they probably not believe him, but even if they did, how could he explain how he knew about the wizarding world? He couldn't exactly say he was a transmigrator, right?
...
"Who are you...?"
Hermione looked puzzled at the tall woman in front of her, dressed in deep green robes and a pointed black hat.
"Hermione Granger? I am Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts. You may call me Professor McGonagall."
"You should have received your acceptance letter by now, yes? I timed my arrival carefully."
Professor McGonagall looked Hermione up and down, nodding in approval. She had done her research. Hermione was a diligent student, and no teacher disliked hardworking students. She was no exception.
"A professor from Hogwarts? So, magic is real? Oh, sorry, it's just so hard to believe," Mr. Granger blurted out, only to be glared at by Mrs. Granger. She quickly turned back to Professor McGonagall with a welcoming smile.
"Please, Professor McGonagall, come in. We were just having breakfast. Would you like to join us? Today's breakfast was made by Cro, and it's quite delicious. I think you'll enjoy it."
Standing off to the side, Cro curiously observed Professor McGonagall. This was the first time, apart from Hermione's family, that he was seeing a character from the original story. And she'd even contributed a Silver Treasure Chest to him, which had yielded an Elementary Transfiguration Talent.
"Thank you for the offer, but I've already had breakfast," Professor McGonagall replied with a polite smile, turning to look at Cro and Hermione, who were both curiously observing her.
"Cro Wells? You're quite a lucky child. If your magic had flared up any later, you might not have been able to attend Hogwarts this year."
"My purpose here today is to take you both to Diagon Alley to purchase the items you'll need for school. Are you ready? We'll leave as soon as you're prepared."
Cro said nothing, merely holding Hermione's small hand in silence. At the moment, he looked like nothing more than a ten-year-old child. If he spoke too much, Professor McGonagall might sense something unusual. After all, she was Dumbledore's right-hand woman and a highly skilled witch. One Legilimency spell from her, and all his secrets could be laid bare.
Realizing this, Cro's heart sank. It seemed he would need to visit Snape to learn Occlumency. Otherwise, his secret of being a transmigrator might be exposed. Not everyone was like Dumbledore, refraining from using Legilimency lightly.
"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall, but we can't let you take the children!"
"Please understand our caution as parents. We cannot be sure that this magic you speak of is real, or that the school even exists."
The Grangers stepped in front of Hermione and Cro, their faces stern as they confronted Professor McGonagall. Hermione peeked out from behind them, eyes full of hope as she looked at the professor. She desperately wanted magic and Hogwarts to be real. That way, she wouldn't just become a witch from the legends—she could also attend school with her only friend, Cro.
"It's hard to explain whether magic is real. If I tried, you wouldn't believe me," Professor McGonagall said calmly as she sat on the sofa.
Her words darkened the Grangers' expressions. Just as they were about to throw her out, they saw Professor McGonagall stand up. Under the watchful eyes of all four, she transformed into a tabby cat, gracefully leaping onto the table.
"This is... magic? So magic is real! And that means Cro and I are wizards? This is... so cool!" Hermione excitedly pulled Cro to the table, eagerly inspecting the tabby cat.
The Grangers also approached the table, staring at the cat that Professor McGonagall had turned into. Cro's eyes gleamed. This was his first time witnessing magic firsthand—an Animagus transformation, no less.
Professor McGonagall jumped down from the table, transforming back into her human form.
"Nothing is more convincing than seeing it with your own eyes, is it? If you're still unsure, you can come with us to Diagon Alley. That way, you can see for yourselves what world your children will be a part of."
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T/N:
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