Chapter 8: First Meeting with Harry Potter
As Douglas just left the main entrance of Gringotts, he caught sight of a familiar figure not far from the entrance to Knockturn Alley.
Oh, no.
There were two.
Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was hard to mistake with his towering stature.
Douglas’s good companion during his school days.
And Harry Potter.
Douglas stopped, preparing to greet them once they came closer.
He wasn't surprised, however, as to why the two were in Knockturn Alley.
He remembered Harry had mispronounced the Floo Powder destination.
Hagrid, hehe.
Although he wasn't a Dark Wizard, the “little darlings” he raised were not safe magical creatures.
Many times, only in the hands of some eccentric people would there be suitable things.
As the two walked, Hagrid was saying something with an unhappy expression.
Harry Potter’s face was covered in dirt...
Just as they reached the exit, and Douglas was about to greet them.
A young Witch rushed down the white steps of Gringotts and ran directly towards them.
Douglas sized her up.
“Is that Hermione Granger?”
At this moment, amidst the noisy crowd, Douglas clearly heard Hagrid’s rough voice.
“You won’t have to look for long... Wait, are you... Douglas?”
Douglas saw Hagrid’s gaze, which had been drifting into the distance, suddenly fix on him.
He smiled and stepped forward to greet him:
“Hagrid, long time no see.
I saw you just now, and was going to wait until you got closer to say hello...
Haha, I thought the quality of your meals had declined after I left, but it seems not.
And these two?”
As he spoke, he pointed to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, who were curiously looking at him.
Hagrid quickly pushed the two forward and happily introduced them:
“This is Harry... Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, they are both second-year Gryffindor students.
And I have a good relationship with both of them!”
Douglas nodded and said with a smile:
“Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, it’s a pleasure to meet you both, I am Douglas Holmes.”
Hermione politely said, “Hello, Mr. Holmes!”
It was the first time Harry had met an adult Wizard who showed no surprise after hearing his name.
So he curiously observed Douglas, forgetting to greet him for a moment.
But he always felt he had heard that name somewhere.
At this moment, a delighted Hagrid introduced Douglas to the two:
“Harry, Hermione, don’t underestimate Douglas.
You know, he was one of the few students at Hogwarts who had a private kitchen in the Hogwarts kitchens.
The braised pork, sweet and sour Black Lake fish, and white-cut chicken you often eat all originated from him.
And Harry, the orchard you were punished to work in last year was also cultivated and planted by Douglas.
Most importantly, he is also...”
Before Hagrid could finish, Douglas heard a gasping voice from behind him.
“Harry! We just hope you only missed one fireplace... Molly is frantic, she’s coming right away.”
Hagrid and the others’ gazes also shifted from Douglas.
Especially Harry, whose face was full of shame.
Douglas turned around and greeted with a smile:
“Mr. Weasley, long time no see!”
Mr. Weasley was startled, then quickly smoothed his heaving chest.
“Oh, merlin's beard, it’s Douglas, what are you doing here?
I mean, I haven’t heard from you in a long time, when did you return to Britain?
Bill and Charlie mentioned in their letters that you had visited them...
Last Christmas, Bill came back and said you went to South America, how was it there?
I mean, it’s too far.
Molly was always regretful that she couldn’t send your Christmas gift last year.
She thought you would still be away this year, Molly prepared a birthday gift for you, but in the end, it wasn’t sent!”
Mr. Weasley’s words were like a machine gun, giving Douglas no chance to answer, and the two shared a big hug.
Before Douglas could reply, two strange voices suddenly sounded.
“Oh, so it’s Doug~”
“Las~”
Mr. Weasley angrily said:
“Shut up, you two, I told you, Douglas didn’t con you out of your money...”
Douglas suddenly remembered why these two were being so sarcastic.
He stepped forward without ceremony and ruffled their hair.
“Haha, so you two still remember, Mr. Weasley, it’s alright, after all, they really learned their lesson that time.
By the way, although I can’t tell whether it was George or Fred driving that day, the driving skills were good!”
When George and Fred heard Douglas’s words, they uncharacteristically blushed first.
Then they exchanged glances, and suddenly thought of something.
“How did you know?”
“I’m talking about the driving skills!”
Douglas genuinely couldn’t tell the two apart, but that didn’t stop him from having considerable skill in name magic.
As long as he silently recited their names, he would get a corresponding feeling.
He explained with a smile:
“That was one night in early August, I accidentally saw a car flying through the moon...”
At this point, Douglas turned his head and said to Mr. Weasley, who was beside him:
“Mr. Weasley, your craftsmanship is indeed good, but I still have a few small suggestions...”
Hearing that Douglas was about to give his suggestions, Mr. Weasley immediately perked up:
“Oh, yes, yes, I’ve wanted to consult you for a long time, after all, this was done at your suggestion.”
The children exchanged glances, they didn't expect that even though it was so late that night, they were still discovered.
Ron leaned close to Percy and whispered:
“Percy, do you know this Mr. Holmes? What’s going on between him and Fred and George?”
George and Fred rushed between Percy and Ron, laughing and separating them.
“Oh... Harry... My goodness, dear, where have you been, how come...”
A plump woman, pulling a little girl, ran over, panting.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Douglas instinctively stepped back; he still remembered the enthusiasm of Mrs. Weasley.
Especially when she heard his parents had passed away.
Mrs. Weasley noticed the dirty soot on Harry.
She took out a coat brush from her bag and began to brush the soot off Harry.
Mr. Weasley then noticed Harry’s broken glasses.
He quickly took the glasses off his face and pointed his wand at them.
“Reparo!”
The glasses instantly looked as good as new.
Mrs. Weasley asked while brushing:
“Oh, child, where have you just been?”
Hagrid said with a stern face: “Knockturn Alley!”
“Brilliant!” George and Fred exclaimed simultaneously.
Ron also said enviously from the side:
“Adults never let us go there!”
They didn’t notice that Mrs. Weasley had stopped her movements.
Her face was frighteningly pale.
Douglas first seriously told the children:
“I very much hope you never go there.”
Then he smiled and said to Mrs. Weasley:
“Madam, don’t be nervous, Hagrid has already brought Harry out in time...”
Mrs. Weasley first turned her head blankly, and upon seeing Douglas, her eyes shifted from confusion to shock.
“Yes, you’re right... You are?... Douglas?
When did you return to Britain?
Why didn’t you come to The Burrow?”
Douglas smiled and nodded:
“I’ve been back for half a year, busy in the Muggle World!”
While the adults were exchanging pleasantries, Ron slapped his forehead.
“My goodness, I remember who he is! Douglas Lamb Stew!”
Harry and Hermione leaned over and whispered:
“Do you all know this gentleman? And about him saying he discovered the flying car that night, will he report it to the Ministry of Magic?”
Percy shook his head and said:
“No, Mr. Holmes is not only good friends with Bill, but also has a good relationship with our family.
Besides, that car itself was modified by Dad at his suggestion.”
At this moment, Hagrid suddenly said:
“I have to go, I still have a lot of work to do today...
By the way, Douglas, after you return to Hogwarts, remember to find me by the Forbidden Forest.
I haven’t sown some of the seeds you sent me yet.”
Douglas saw Hagrid’s expression and immediately realized that he was afraid Douglas would ask him too much about what he was doing in Knockturn Alley.
In front of so many people, he couldn't give the real reason.
At the same time, Douglas also glanced at Percy, who had been standing behind everyone.
Tsk, tsk, the little boy has grown up, this is getting distant.
Hermione instinctively raised her hand and asked:
“Under normal circumstances, isn’t Hogwarts not allowing Wizards from outside the school to enter freely?”