The Leaky Cauldron, established in the early 16th century, is a favorite haunt of witches and wizards. It also serves as the entrance to Diagon Alley, the only magical street in the wizarding world.
As Diana led Kyle through the door, the previously bustling bar fell silent, as if someone had hit the pause button. The sudden quiet was as eerie as a late-night study session before a final exam.
The strange atmosphere lingered until Chris followed them inside. Even then, the room didn't return to its usual energy, with everyone seemingly keeping their voices intentionally low.
There was, however, one exception.
The bar owner, Tom, approached with a look of surprise. "Diana! Long time no see. Fancy a drink? It's on me."
"Maybe next time, Tom," Diana replied with a smile. She patted Kyle on the shoulder and pointed towards the Weasley family, who were approaching. "We need to head to Diagon Alley to buy a few things, so we're a bit pressed for time."
"Oh, of course," Tom said, realizing the situation. "Time flies, doesn't it? Kyle's already eleven, so you're here for his Hogwarts supplies?"
"Yes," Diana confirmed with a smile.
"You're cutting it close! Better get going, you know where to head." Tom stepped aside to let Kyle pass but then glanced down at him, adding with a playful sternness, "And Kyle, if you mess with that bin again, I'll be writing a letter of complaint to Hogwarts. By Merlin's beard! Do you know how frantic the new students get when they can't find their way into Diagon Alley? Don't make an old man with bad legs do unnecessary work!"
Kyle felt a little embarrassed being called out like this. Clearly, this wasn't his first time in Diagon Alley. But honestly, what kind of transmigrator would he be if he didn't mess with a few things now and then? Moving the trash cans was practically a rite of passage.
Still, with his parents around, he couldn't admit that, so he just grinned awkwardly. "Promise I won't do it again."
Tom waved it off, not too bothered, but Diana raised her eyebrows, casting a thoughtful look at her son. Her intuition told her something was off about that promise, but with the Weasley family now arriving, she let it go.
"Oh, Kyle, dear!" Mrs. Molly Weasley greeted him with a warm hug, then pulled Diana aside for a chat.
Meanwhile, Mr. Weasley made his way over to Chris, immediately striking up a conversation.
The two families were close. Diana and Molly were best friends, able to talk about anything, and Chris and Arthur had also developed a strong bond. After Kyle was born, they had even moved in with the Weasleys for a while, accepting their generous invitation. Kyle had heard the adults mention these things many times during meals.
Because of the friendship between their parents, Kyle naturally became friends with the Weasley children as well.
As soon as the adults wandered off, Kyle felt two arms drape across his shoulders—one on each side.
"Hey, Fred, look who it is," said George with a grin.
"Aren't you Hogwarts' newest student this year?" Fred chimed in, drawing out the word "new."
"Hogwarts can be pretty dangerous, especially for a newbie like you," George continued with mock concern.
"Of course, if you're nice to us, we might be able to help you out," Fred added with a wink.
Kyle rolled his eyes at their antics but ignored them, greeting the other Weasley children instead. "Long time no see, Percy, Ron, Ginny."
They each smiled warmly and nodded back.
"Long time no see, Kyle," the trio said in unison.
The Weasley family had seven children in total, but today only five were present. Bill was off in Egypt, and Charlie had left a month ago for parts unknown.
As the group chatted, they made their way to the back courtyard of the Leaky Cauldron, the entrance to Diagon Alley. Mr. Weasley, leading the way, quickly located the correct brick and tapped it with his wand.
Meanwhile, at the back of the group, Fred and George exchanged knowing glances. They'd been waiting for Kyle to respond to their teasing but, seeing that he hadn't, they silently decided to teach the impolite first-year a lesson.
In their pockets was the latest creation from their mischief-making minds: a special powder that, when sprinkled lightly in someone's hair, could produce an unbelievable level of grease. It was as if you hadn't washed your hair in ten days—truly a marvel of grossness.
The twins had tested it on themselves and the results had been spectacular. If things went well, they might even unlock a hidden bonus effect, giving Kyle a glimpse of what middle-aged wizards often had to deal with.
Grinning, they carefully took out the powder, ready to strike. But just as they were about to put their plan into action, Chris's voice came from ahead.
"Hagrid? What are you doing in Diagon Alley?"
Chris's voice, usually calm, now carried a sharp note of alarm that instantly caught the attention of the twins. They had heard that tone far too often not to react instinctively. Something was up.
"It's nothing, really," Hagrid stammered. The three-meter-tall, two-meter-wide half-Giant actually shivered slightly when he spotted Chris. His eyes darted nervously for a moment. But then, as if he'd suddenly remembered something, he visibly relaxed and pulled out a small package from his coat pocket. "I, uh, I'm just here buyin' some berry seeds. Harry Potter's goin' to Hogwarts next year, and I thought I'd bake 'im a birthday cake. Wanted it to be special."
"Really?" Chris's voice didn't soften, his eyes narrowing at the small package. "If I recall correctly, the Hogwarts kitchen has enough ingredients to make ten cakes. Why the extra seeds?"
Chris's tone was sharp, almost accusatory. To an outsider, he might have appeared hostile, the sort of man you'd mistake for a villain in the wrong setting. But Kyle, the twins, and even the Weasleys—all of whom were on good terms with Hagrid—watched silently, their expressions unchanged. This was just how things were.
And indeed, it was. As the deputy director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and head of the Beast Division, Chris had seen Hagrid's antics far too many times to count.
In fact, if Chris had to name the one person who caused him the most headaches, it would undoubtedly be Rubeus Hagrid, the beloved yet notorious Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.
The man was an endless source of work for him. Hagrid's obsession with magical creatures—especially cross-breeding them—drove Chris mad. Just last month, he'd had to deal with the aftermath of one of Hagrid's creations: a Runespoor hybrid, a two-tailed snake that Hagrid had somehow bred by crossing a Crup with a Runespoor.
Merlin knows where Hagrid even finds these creatures. Chris had been a student at Hogwarts, and he certainly didn't remember any Runespoors in the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't like you could just stumble upon one there.
As a traditional Magizoologist, Chris considered such hybrid creations unnatural, even heretical. In his eyes, these sorts of magical experiments were dangerous and should be banned. He had tried to pass legislation several times to regulate these kinds of activities, but the Ministry never took him seriously. After Cornelius Fudge became Minister of Magic, Chris had even visited his office to push for change, only to be met with delays and empty promises. Fudge clearly didn't see magical creatures as a priority, preferring to focus on maintaining good relations with the more powerful wizards at Hogwarts.
Because of this, Chris's hands were tied. He couldn't stop Hagrid from creating these magical hybrids, no matter how reckless they were. Instead, he was left to clean up the mess, recording, categorizing, and monitoring Hagrid's creations. Over time, Chris had built up a considerable amount of frustration and resentment toward Hagrid. The only reason he didn't confront him outright—perhaps even physically—was because children were present.
And make no mistake, Chris could handle himself. Despite his bureaucratic role, he spent much of his time in the field dealing with dangerous magical creatures. He wasn't worried about taking on a half-Giant, especially one like Hagrid, who didn't have his wand.
Hagrid, knowing he was on thin ice, hurriedly opened the package to reveal nothing but a handful of seeds. "By Dumbledore's name, I swear, I only came to Diagon Alley to buy these seeds."
Chris, hearing the name of the revered headmaster, visibly relaxed. He trusted Hagrid's respect for Dumbledore and knew the half-Giant wouldn't lie about something so trivial. After a moment, Chris offered a few quick instructions, then let him go without further questioning.
Kyle, meanwhile, watched Hagrid's retreating figure thoughtfully. "Not this time," he muttered to himself. "But what about all the other times?"
Kyle remembered well that in the first film, Hagrid had bought a Three-Headed Dog—Fluffy—from a mysterious Greek in a bar.
Was it the Pig's Head? Or perhaps the Leaky Cauldron? He wasn't sure. But what he did know was that the Leaky Cauldron, for all its respectability, wasn't exactly clean. A lot of grey-market deals happened here, especially since it was the only place that provided accommodations without checking IDs. Many smugglers with small, easily hidden items would choose to stay at the Cauldron, conducting their business in plain sight.
And it was no secret among the magical underworld that Hogwarts had a gamekeeper with a deep passion for magical creatures. It wouldn't be hard for someone like Hagrid to acquire rare and dangerous beasts.
"Tsk, who said Hagrid's simple-minded?" Kyle mused. "The guy's got more going on than people realize."
Kyle suspected his father, Chris, didn't know about all of Hagrid's dealings yet. But Kyle had no intention of ratting him out. After all, who wouldn't want to own a Three-Headed Dog?