Tom continued studying Raven with narrowed eyes, his fingers tapping once on the edge of the bar. "You're here to see a friend?" he asked cautiously. Raven met his gaze calmly. "Yes." He gave a short nod, gesturing toward himself.
"My name is Tom. I run the Leaky Cauldron." Raven bowed her head politely. "My name is Raven. Raven Cross." Tom's lips twitched into a small smile. "So you're here to meet a friend?" he asked again. "Who are you looking for?" Raven scratched the back of her head, feigning thought.
"I don't know," she said truthfully. "I didn't catch their name. I was just told to meet them here." Tom rubbed his bald head, then tilted it slightly. "Are you here to pick up your school supplies?" A pause. "Is it your first year at Hogwarts?" Raven's eyes shifted at the mention of a school, her mind already racing. "Oh—yes. Exactly." She nodded quickly. "I'm here to pick up school supplies." Tom sighed, muttering something under his breath.
"Honestly, Hogwarts staff are getting lazier every year. They didn't even bother escorting you." He gave her another, more relaxed smile. "So you're heading to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, then?" Raven nodded with practiced enthusiasm. "Exactly." Tom seemed satisfied.
"All right then." He motioned towards the bar. "Why don't you come sit down? I'll get you a butterbeer." Raven crossed the room and sat at the stool he offered. Tom pulled a chilled mug from beneath the counter, poured out an amber liquid from a tap, and slid it toward's her. "On the house. After that, I'll take you through to Diagon Alley. I'm sure you know what to do from there." Raven took the mug, her fingers curling around it. "Thank you, sir."
These people are astonishingly careless with children, she thought, sipping the warm, fizzy drink. But that works in my favor. I didn't even have to ask. He's about to walk me straight into a magically protected area. She took another sip and let the sweetness linger. I also learned something important. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
That name might be linked to Harry Potter. And it's definitely a place where I can learn more about this world's magic. She looked up at Tom again and said. "Something's confusing me, sir." He tilted his head. "What is it, my dear?" Raven scratched her head, her eyes widening slightly as she adopted a puzzled expression. "I received notification that I was going to Hogwarts…" she trailed off, then continued. "But I don't understand how they decide who gets admitted."
Tom chuckled and leaned an elbow on the counter. "You received your letter, right?" Raven nodded smoothly. "Of course." Tom nodded back, settling into what was clearly a familiar explanation. "Hogwarts has a magical book. It records the name of every child in Britain who shows magical potential. Once your name appears, owls deliver acceptance letters." He paused only to let her absorb it. "The headmaster Albus Dumbledore he handles admissions. Once you're accepted, tuition and supplies are covered by the Ministry of Magic."
Raven blinked slowly. "They have a book that detects every magical child?" Tom nodded again. "Its an artifact from the founders themselves. The first and last names of all magical children are, all recorded." Raven's eyes gleamed with genuine interest. "That's amazing." Tom gave a warm chuckle. "You kids have no idea how wonderful magic can be."
This man is unbelievably easy to extract information from, Raven thought, sipping her butterbeer again. I'll remember him. "This is really good," she said aloud. Tom grinned. "Butterbeer. It's a magical beverage—sweet, lightly fizzy. Safe for kids. Kind of like a butter-flavored root beer."
Raven nodded slowly, appreciating the unusual taste. "You've created some fascinating things with magic." Tom reached beneath the counter and brought out a small, ornate box. "Here." He placed it in front of her. "A Chocolate Frog." Raven opened it, blinking when the frog leapt out from inside the box as though it were alive. She reached in, grabbed it mid-jump, and bit into it. "Oh," she said with a hint of surprise, "It's hollow." Tom laughed. "Enchanted candy. Mostly for entertainment." Raven chewed slowly, examining the idea. "The business potential for this kind of magic must be incredible." Tom shrugged. "No idea about that. Just thought you'd enjoy it."
He glanced towards the back of the pub and straightened. "Finished your butterbeer?" Raven nodded. "Of course." Tom stepped out from behind the bar and gestured for her to follow. "Let's get you to Diagon Alley." Raven stood, her expression polite and unreadable. "Thank you again."
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