Chapter - 5.1

"Please, we will be getting off here," Professor McGonagall asked the driver.

Maybe because the Professor wanted to keep a low profile or she just wanted to enjoy the muggle ride, but instead of apparating to their destination, Professor McGonagall chose the taxi. Otherwise, it would have been a heck of a way to leave a long-lasting impression on Alex and Nicole. After all, presumably, both of them know nothing about magic.

When the three of them got off the taxi, they found themselves standing in front of a run-down bar. Nicole looked around and noticed something peculiar. No one walking by the bar paid any attention to it. It was as if the bar did not exist. Even if it was in the middle of the day, not the ideal time to enjoy a glass of drink, but to not even turn their head and look at the bar, was puzzling. And when Professor McGonagall saw the confusion on Nicole's face, she explained.

"We wizards live in the same world as muggles," the Professor began to explain, "And I am sure you don't know what muggles are," The Professor paused and pointed at the lady walking by them pushing a stroller.

"She is the same as us, physically. She has two eyes, a nose, two hands and etc. etc," Professor tried to explain, "She has everything that you have except for one thing, that she can't use magic. Because her parents couldn't either. And that makes her a muggle."

"So basically, those who can't use magic are called muggles?" Nicole asked.

"That's not always the case, but yeah, in a broader way, yes," the Professor agreed.

"So why are you conducting a lecture in the middle of the road?" Nicole scoffed, "Let's keep it short, please."

"Huh..." Unknowingly, a contest has started between Nicole and Professor McGonagall. And though it has only been a day, Nicole seems to be leading the table.

"Anyway," the Professor very much wanted to retort, but she chose to act mature and continue, "We wizards, from the very beginning, have tried to keep our world hidden from the muggles. But there is only one earth. It's not like we can just pick up our bags and move to Mars." Professor McGonagall tried to be funny.

"So to meet all our requirements, we created barriers. Those who can inherently use magic are the only ones who can enter these places. Muggles can't enter the barrier. For muggles, this place doesn't even exist. What they see is just the shops beside this bar." Professor McGonagall patiently explained it to the siblings. Although she was not happy with the sister, Alex was something else. So the Professor did not want him to get obstructed from learning about the wizards. Also, though Nicole was a brat, she was able to pay attention to such minor detail. Overall, Professor McGonagall was satisfied with the siblings.

"The leaky Cauldron, huh... Looks kind of shady if you ask me," Nicole said and looked at Professor McGonagall with the sweetest smile she could put on her face, "You sure we are in the right place, Professor?"

Although they had not been together for long, Alex had this feeling in his gut, a premonition maybe that Nicole might turn into some kind of bane for Professor McGonagall.

And fair enough, 'Smash!' the impression Professor McGonagall had for a second of Nicole was smashed as soon as she opened her mouth.

"I have been escorting students for a few decades now, Miss Nicole. I think I know my way around here by now. This bar is a very famous place for the wizards and witches to gather, "Professor McGonagall said, trying not to lose her composure, "You should keep this in mind."

And with that, Professor McGonagall did not wait for Nicole to respond and made her way toward the bar. Following Professor McGonagall, the trio entered the bar. For a famous place, the place was hardly lit and shabby.

But even though it was shabby, the bar was bustling. A few old ladies with hardly a tooth in their mouth were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. And one of them was even smoking a long pipe. On the other side, a little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut.

As soon as the Professor and the siblings walked in, the low buzz of chatter stopped.

"Professor McGonagall, what brings you here? The usual?" The bartender leaving the little man turned his attention toward the trio.

"Not today Tom. I am escorting the new students to buy their supplies," Professor McGonagall politely refused and continued walking.

Greeting the bartender, they hadn't even walked much when suddenly, Professor McGonagall was surrounded by a group of wizards. She was like a flower surrounded by bees. And in the process, the siblings were pushed aside by the crowd without consideration.

Every one of the wizards and witches surrounding the Professor either wanted to discuss their magical breakthroughs with her or build a connection with her. And some of them had so little expectations that they just wanted to show her their face, hoping she would remember them.

And how could Nicole let this god-sent opportunity slip through her fingers? She had to jab when the Professor least expected it.

"Looks like someone's got a lot of admirers," Nicole said loud enough for Professor McGonagall to hear, "Well, some flowers bloom late."

Professor McGonagall already had her hands full, dealing with all the people around her, and the comments from Nicole almost made her lose balance.

It took them no less than ten minutes to break free from the crowd. By the time they had the space to breathe, Professor McGonagall had a flushed face. Walking ahead of the siblings, Professor did not dare look at Nicole. The gap between her and Nicole was increasing faster.

With her mind thinking about ways to counter the increasing bombardments from Nicole, Professor McGonagall led the siblings through the bar into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds growing here and there.

Adjusting her glasses, Professor McGonagall took out her wand and tapped it rhythmically on the wall. Soon the bricks came out alive and began to adjust themselves. Soon a hole appeared, which started to grow wider and wider with every brick that rolled. As the wall disappeared and an arc formed, a bustling street filled with people wearing pointy hats was in front of them.

"Wooh..." Nicole sucked in a breath, looking at the scene in front of them. Even Alex was impressed. He had never been here even after knowing about it for several years, "This... is... sick..." Nicole commented.

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