Two months later, the Ministry of Magic.
Several neatly dressed wizards were gathered in the main hall, large bags and luggage stacked beside them.
"Mavis, why hasn't Alan arrived yet? Today is the day we leave for Egypt. He wouldn't have forgotten, would he?" Even though Vanessa had graduated several years ago, she still retained a hint of youthful naivety, staring at Mavis with an eager expression.
Mavis took out a beautiful decorative pillar that Alan had given her for Christmas, opened it, glanced at it, and then looked at Vanessa with a slightly speechless expression. "The time we agreed on hasn't arrived yet. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I'm not in a hurry, just a bit excited. After all, this is my first time going abroad, and I don't know what the difference is between Cairo and Britain." Vanessa finished speaking and then glanced at another lady beside her. "Aseria, you've traveled in Europe before. Are the living habits there very different from ours?"
"Not too bad." Aseria smiled slightly at Vanessa. "I only stayed in France for a period of time. The wizards there, apart from the language, aren't much different from us, but the food in France is wonderful. I haven't been to Cairo, so I can't really comment."
"Enough chatter. Alan is here; we're ready to depart at any moment," Director Bianca, who was beside Aseria, turned her head to remind them.
The group looked toward the main hall entrance. Alan, dressed in a dark, silver-trimmed formal suit and a soft felt hat, walked toward them. He had a monocle clipped in his eye, carrying a briefcase in one hand and a staff in the other. Beside him was a small husky wearing a black waistcoat—a shrunken Hog.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Alan put down his briefcase as he approached, slightly adjusting his hat before looking at Bianca. "I didn't expect you to be leading the team for this conference."
"The timing is just right; we simply arrived too early. Blame certain people for rushing us so much this morning." Bianca glanced at Vanessa, then turned back to Alan. "To be honest, for us, attending the International Alchemy Conference is just a publicly funded trip. The real protagonist is you. I heard your work won an award this year."
"Just good luck." Alan humbly shook his head. His Tracking Glasses had indeed won the conference's Pioneering Contribution Gold Award; Professor Bones had already informed him of this beforehand.
He scanned the other attendees. Director Bianca was the team leader. The International Alchemy Conference, being a global event, sent official invitations to every Ministry regardless of whether they had an award-winning alchemist. The British Ministry habitually dispatched a Director-level official to lead, and Aseria, as Bianca's secretary, naturally accompanied her. Alan only learned this a few days ago, suggesting the personnel choices were somewhat random.
Mavis and Vanessa, as Aurors, were serving as accompanying security personnel, though the two of them looked more like they were preparing for a vacation given the size of their luggage. Additionally, there were two other alchemists from the Ministry—the same two who had supervised Alan when he repaired the Alchemy Room. While their skill level was lacking, the Ministry felt they shouldn't miss such a rare opportunity for professional observation.
"Since everyone is here, let's get ready to depart," Bianca said, taking out a thick hemp rope about four meters long. "Everyone grab onto the Portkey. Cairo should have people waiting for us already."
Everyone reached out to grab the rope. Even Hog leaped into the air, opening his mouth to bite the hemp. Then came the dizzying sensation of being thrown into the sky and falling rapidly. When they regained the feeling of solid ground, the group of seven had arrived in a narrow alley.
The stone walls around them were a solid earthy yellow, and the air was notably dry compared to the dampness of Britain. Looking up, the view was filled with buildings matching the color of the walls. Their shapes were distinctly different from European architecture; most were flat-roofed, interspersed with spires and domed structures. They looked as if they were constructed directly from the mud. Even at the horizon, the blue sky was tinged slightly yellow, likely due to regional sandstorms.
"Ugh! Why was this Portkey trip even bumpier than before? I feel like my insides have been put through a wringer." As soon as Vanessa landed, she clutched a low wall and started retching.
Among the group, only Bianca, Mavis, and Alan looked relatively calm. The other three appeared unwell, but Vanessa clearly had the strongest reaction.
"This place is far from Britain, so the process isn't pleasant. Didn't I tell you to eat less this morning?" Mavis scolded with a hint of disdain, pinching her nose.
"It seems your journey was not very comfortable!"
As the group acclimated, a familiar voice reached them. They turned to see Edgar Bones, Director Amelia's brother and Alan's alchemy mentor. Professor Bones was wearing a white robe common in the Arab world, a large headscarf held by a circular band, and sandals. He looked like an Arab chieftain, smiling at the group.
"Professor Bones!" "Edgar." "Mr. Bones."
Seeing that the Professor himself had come to greet them, the group beamed with joy. Alan was especially pleased, as he hadn't seen his teacher in nearly five years.
"Welcome to Cairo." Professor Bones smiled. "I learned of your itinerary from the Egyptian Ministry of Magic and volunteered to come and meet you. Hello, everyone."
"Edgar, I didn't expect to see you as soon as we arrived. It's wonderful." Bianca and Professor Bones had been friends for years. She laughed and embraced him, then examined his attire curiously. "You haven't changed much, and that big beard is still as prickly as ever, but why are you dressed like this? If it weren't for your face, I almost wouldn't have recognized you."
"No choice. It's simply too hot here, so I had to learn how the locals dress," Professor Bones chuckled
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