Sherlock Holmes had strong observational skills and an excellent memory.
He recognized at a glance that this was the same owl that had delivered a letter three days prior.
Just like last time, it circled the room a few times, then dropped the letter into Sherlock's hand with a thud.
Mr. and Mrs. Holmes were stunned.
"Damn it, Tanan, what did I see? An owl that can deliver mail?! This must be an illusion!"
"Oh, Holy Mary, Valita, I bet it must be a messenger from God!"
Watching his wife repeatedly making the sign of the cross over her chest, Mr. Holmes shook his head and said, "Hey, my sweetie, your reaction right now is like a crazy turkey—it's well known that God's messengers only come to the human world when the apocalypse arrives."
"Damn it, how could you think that? That's a terrible thought, just like the apple pie Aunt Susan next door makes—if you keep saying that, I swear I'll feed you a piece."
Mr. Holmes shrugged, no longer arguing with his wife.
He turned to his son, "Sherlock, do you also think it's a messenger from God?"
"No," Sherlock said indifferently, "it's nothing more than an owl that has learned to deliver mail."
He said this while opening the envelope.
The reply was extremely simple:
"I will visit before 9 o'clock—Minerva McGonagall."
"Heh."
Sherlock couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Interesting, it seems that guy is quite confident in the actor he hired!
He checked the time; it was 8:45.
In another fifteen minutes, this person who called herself Professor McGonagall would arrive.
"Sherlock, what exactly is going on?"
Facing his parents' questions, Sherlock gently shook his head: "Let our guest explain this."
After all, he also wanted to see this "Deputy Principal of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
At precisely 9 o'clock, a knock sounded at the door.
"Hello, I am Minerva McGonagall, here to reply to your letter."
A serious-looking woman appeared before the Holmes family.
Five minutes later, Professor Minerva McGonagall and the Holmes family were all seated neatly in the living room.
McGonagall had a good first impression of Sherlock.
Sherlock was taller than his peers, so he looked a bit thin.
While not the particularly cute type among little boys, his features were firm and his face had distinct angles.
Especially his pair of grey eyes, which appeared exceptionally long.
Besides his eyes, his slender aquiline nose was also quite striking.
All in all, Sherlock's appearance gave people a sense of alertness and decisiveness, which fit McGonagall's image of a good student.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the decisive McGonagall got straight to the point.
Every child with magic talent born in Britain is automatically listed on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's admissions roster.
When these children turn 11, they will receive an acceptance letter delivered by an owl.
If the recipient fails to receive the letter, the owl will continue to deliver it until it is received.
In addition to the acceptance letter, the mail also includes a list of essential supplies, including uniforms, textbooks, cauldrons, and wands.
For children from Wizarding families, this is as common as eating and drinking.
But for some, they neither know they possess magic nor are they aware of the existence of the Magical World.
In such cases, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will send faculty to visit their guardians to explain everything, thereby ensuring they receive the message.
However…
"Mr. Holmes is the first to proactively ask us to come."
When she said this, McGonagall's admiration for Sherlock grew stronger.
In McGonagall's view, it is a waste, even a crime, for anyone with magic talent not to receive systematic magic education.
People in the Middle Ages greatly feared magic.
Many Wizards, especially Witches, suffered varying degrees of persecution, with severe cases even leading to loss of life.
Wizards at that time also lacked a complete education system; all Wizard children learned magic at home under the guidance of their parents.
It was under these circumstances that Hogwarts came into being.
It now has a history of over a thousand years.
Therefore, it is very encouraging for someone like Sherlock Holmes, who was born into a non-Wizarding family, to have such an active interest in understanding the Magical World.
You see, every year during school recruitment, there are always some non-Wizarding families who turn pale at the mention of magic and try to avoid it.
Please, it's already 1991!
The content about magic in films and TV shows is adapted from reality, so why do these people still hold such an attitude towards magic?
However, McGonagall, nearing sixty years old, was also very clear.
Prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain that no matter how hard you try, you cannot move.
Even though the teachers at the magic school repeatedly emphasized that a Wizard's magic increases with age.
If a young Wizard reaches the age of enrollment and still does not learn how to control magic, then the magic power will riot, and in severe cases, it may even cost their life.
But even so, the notion of Wizard = evil still exists in some people's minds.
So after encountering multiple setbacks, Hogwarts set new rules.
If these families, after understanding the truth of the Magical World, still refuse to enroll, then these children can continue to stay at home and attend ordinary schools.
This is equivalent to leaving fate to chance.
Of course, Hogwarts does not encourage this practice.
This is the last resort in truly helpless situations.
However, judging from Sherlock's positive attitude, this situation should not occur.
While McGonagall was observing Sherlock, the latter was also observing her.
In fact, before McGonagall finished telling Sherlock and his parents about Hogwarts, Sherlock had already completed his analysis and judgment of McGonagall through observation.
The result greatly surprised him.
Because according to his judgment, the woman who called herself Professor Minerva McGonagall had not lied.
From a person's fleeting expressions, every twitch of their muscles, and every movement of their eyes, one can infer their deepest thoughts.
For someone well-trained in observation and analysis, achieving this is not difficult.
Sherlock himself was precisely such a person.
When the other party had just sat down and had not yet begun to get to the point, Sherlock had already judged her character from her wrinkle-free dark green robes, her neatly combed curly black hair tied into a high bun, and the light-reflecting lenses of her square glasses.
Serious, strict, and meticulous.
Such a person, if they wanted to lie, would be even easier to detect than an ordinary person.
It was precisely because of this that Sherlock began to doubt his previous judgment.
If McGonagall hadn't lied…
Doesn't that mean this wasn't that person's arrangement?
magic...really exists?
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
Sherlock couldn't help but murmur.
"Excuse me, Mr. Holmes, what did you just say?"
McGonagall looked at Sherlock; she hadn't clearly heard his murmuring.
Sherlock's parents also looked at him curiously.
"No, nothing."
Sherlock shook his head, then stared intently at McGonagall.
To prove whether magic truly exists, there was actually a very simple method.
"Professor, can you show us some magic?"
Hearing Sherlock's request, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes also looked at McGonagall with anticipation.
"Of course."
McGonagall was not at all surprised by such a request.
If the other party hadn't made such a request, she would have found it strange—mainly because she was so experienced in handling such matters.
"If you agree."
After receiving an affirmative answer, McGonagall drew out a black wand and waved it elegantly.
Under the astonished gaze of the family of three, the teacup in front of Sherlock transformed into an adorable little squirrel.
"Oh, my God! Damn it! Look, what do I see?!"
"This is so incredible—a teacup...turned into a squirrel!"
Compared to his parents' overly exaggerated reactions, Sherlock was much calmer.
"Magic? Hypnosis? Or an illusion..."
Even at this moment, Sherlock still tried to explain everything happening before him from a scientific perspective.
At this point, the little squirrel, transformed from the teacup, shook its head and jumped into his open palm.
…
Sherlock tried petting it.
Hmm, it felt very comfortable.
The little creature even actively rubbed against Sherlock's hand, and the furry sensation immediately returned.
The touch was very real.
So...this was real, this wasn't a dream.
Sherlock looked up at McGonagall, making a final attempt:
"Professor, can you change it back?"
"Of course."
McGonagall waved her wand again, and the squirrel that had just been in Sherlock's hand instantly changed back into a teacup.
The tea was even still warm.
…When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Sherlock said this sentence for the second time.
This time he was certain.
This world...really has magic!
This kind of fantasy, which should have belonged to humans, truly existed.
For Sherlock, this was undoubtedly a re-structuring of his worldview.
However, once he accepted this premise, Sherlock's mind immediately opened up.
The exquisite envelope, the letter-delivering owl, the strange admission method—all of these now had a reasonable explanation.
He had truly misunderstood that guy this time.
"Mr. Holmes, are you willing to enroll in our school?"
For McGonagall, the surprised reactions of young Wizards and their guardians upon seeing magic were something she was already accustomed to—the key was whether Sherlock could enroll on time.
Judging from the fact that he replied to her letter, Sherlock himself should not be a problem.
Now it depended on his parents' opinion.
Noticing McGonagall's gaze on him, Mr. Holmes thought for a moment and asked, "Professor, does enrollment require boarding?"
"Father, I don't think you'd want me to attend school 800 kilometers away in Scotland and still come home every day."
"Scotland? Oh, dear Sherlock, that's too far! Then your mother and I won't be able to take care of you."
"I can take care of myself."
"But..."
"Wait! Just a moment!"
The Holmes family looked at McGonagall in confusion.
She was looking at Sherlock with an incredulous gaze, "Mr. Holmes, did you just...mention Scotland?"
Sherlock calmly looked at McGonagall, "Yes, Professor."
"You, how did you know?"
McGonagall was startled.