A House-elf, holding a rag and wiping a table, saw Chen Yu walk in, immediately apparated in front of Chen Yu, smiling and bowing, curtsying, "Hello, esteemed Gryffindor wizard, do you need any help?"
Hogwarts recruited a large number of House-elves.
They are Hogwarts' handymen, chefs, and also Hogwarts' valuable assets.
House-elves live much longer than humans; some of these House-elves were left at Hogwarts by professors who worked there, some were recruited by Hogwarts to work, and others came specifically because they heard from companions that Hogwarts treated House-elves well.
Hogwarts' House-elves accumulated over time, little by little.
These House-elves also consider Hogwarts their home and work diligently.
Besides providing food for the entire school, they also handle chores like cleaning and carrying.
The luggage of first-year Little Wizards was delivered to their dorms by these House-elves.
Chen Yu observed the House-elf that apparated in front of him.
This was his first time observing a House-elf up close.
The House-elf he saw in Diagon Alley was just a fleeting glimpse; he didn't get a good look.
The House-elf in front of him had bat-like ears, eyes as big as tennis balls, a long, flat nose, and grayish-yellow skin.
Chen Yu knew it was rude to stare at someone, so he looked at the House-elf, who was respectfully bowing in front of him, and said, "Hello, my name is Chen Yu, I'm a first-year student. When can we have breakfast?"
"Hello, Wizard Chen Yu, my name is Dora. I recognize you; your performance at the dinner table last night was very impressive. Thank you for appreciating the food we made. Although there are still more than twenty minutes until Hogwarts' breakfast time, we can prepare food for you in advance. What would you like to eat?"
"Can I order Eastern cuisine here? Like Buddha's Temptation, Shredded Pork with Beijing Sauce, or Peking Duck?"
Hearing the food Chen Yu ordered, Dora the pixie's normally sparkling big eyes visibly dimmed. She bowed deeply to Chen Yu, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Wizard Chen Yu, we haven't heard of Buddha's Temptation or Shredded Pork with Beijing Sauce. We do have roast duck, but it's not Peking Duck. I'm truly very sorry!"
"It's alright, Dora, no need to apologize. I was just asking to see if it was possible. Can you prepare a bowl of soy milk, two fried eggs, and a few pieces of steak for my breakfast?"
"Of course, no problem!"
Dora snapped her fingers, and Chen Yu's ordered breakfast immediately appeared on the table.
"Thank you, Dora!"
Chen Yu sat in the chair and eagerly began to devour his breakfast.
While eating, he asked Dora, "If... I mean if. If I prepare Eastern recipes, can you make them?"
In the real world, limited by his financial resources, Chen Yu hadn't eaten many good things. Since Hogwarts provided free meals for the school, why shouldn't he teach them to make some Eastern specialty dishes that he had only heard of but never tasted?
It wouldn't be much trouble anyway; he could just download a recipe on his phone in the real world, then tell Hogwarts' House-elves the required ingredients and cooking methods according to the recipe.
Although it might not be a perfect replication, getting about seventy to eighty percent similar should be fine.
He could both eat delicious food he normally couldn't, and the House-elves would learn new recipes.
Perhaps other Little Wizards could also try mysterious Eastern cuisine.
This was simply a win-win-win situation.
I provide the ideas, you provide the effort, and we grow bigger and stronger, creating new glories.
Now it just depended on whether the House-elf in front of him would agree.
Upon hearing this, Dora's body suddenly jolted, and she excitedly asked Chen Yu, "Wizard Chen Yu, are you planning to teach us how to make mysterious Eastern dishes? Thank you so much!"
"Hogwarts' kitchen is directly below the Great Hall, and you can reach it by following the stairs that lead to the Hufflepuff common room. The kitchen door is in the stone-walled underground corridor, next to a painting of a bowl of fruit. You just need to gently tickle one of the pears in the painting, and it will turn into a green doorknob, allowing you to enter the Hogwarts kitchen!"
"Thank you so much, Wizard Chen Yu! To actually be willing to teach us Eastern cuisine, from now on, the school kitchen welcomes your presence anytime! I must tell the other pixies this good news!"
With that, Dora snapped her fingers and disappeared from in front of Chen Yu.
Chen Yu looked at the vanished House-elf, then at the three more breakfasts that had appeared in front of him.
"Before leaving, she wasn't afraid I wouldn't eat enough, and sent three more breakfasts. How thoughtful of her."
Chen Yu pondered whether to teach the House-elves hot pot first, or boiled cabbage in supreme broth. Actually, Yangzhou Fried Rice was also good, with its fresh flavor and distinct grains... Chen Yu continued to enjoy his breakfast, relaxing his mind and letting his thoughts wander.
Whenever Chen Yu finished eating and stacked the plates aside, a new pixie would appear, clear away the dishes, and then bring three more breakfasts.
After a while, Little Wizards gradually started to arrive in the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Hi, Chen Yu... are you eating breakfast alone? Have you seen Harry?"
A confident female voice sounded in his ear.
Chen Yu looked up and saw it was none other than the messy-haired Hermione Granger.
Although Chen Yu's first use of Lumos last night and his eating habits at dinner had left a deep impression on Hermione, she was still more interested in Harry.
It was like a historical celebrity who saved the world had joined the class; most people were interested in the big star they remembered from books.
Harry Potter, the "Savior" who defeated the Dark Lord, was even written into textbooks.
With such a classmate, who wouldn't be interested?
Chen Yu also expressed understanding.
"Harry and Ron were still sleeping when I came. I guess they still are now."
Hermione walked over and sat down in front of Chen Yu. A nearby House-elf conjured the breakfast Hermione wanted.
"You and Harry are in the same dorm? And he's still sleeping at this hour?"
Hermione was a little surprised. She thought Harry, who had once defeated You-Know-Who, should be a diligent, studious, and talented student. She didn't expect Harry to still be sleeping.
Chen Yu shrugged, indicating he didn't care.
"After such a long journey last night, everyone was exhausted. If they want to sleep, let them sleep."
"That's not what I meant," Hermione explained. "Didn't you notice? Something strange happened today; the positions of many staircases have changed. I almost got lost!"
"What I meant was, today's first class is Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Class. I asked an older student, and she told me Professor McGonagall is a very, very, very strict professor. The older student said that she tolerates no misbehavior in her class, and many students are afraid of her. If Harry and the others are late for the first class, they will surely be expelled by Professor McGonagall!"
Hermione used three "very"s to emphasize Professor McGonagall's strictness and the seriousness of the situation.
Chen Yu secretly rolled his eyes at Hermione.
Professor McGonagall expelling Harry?
That was truly an incredible thought.
Events like Professor McGonagall making an exception for Harry to join the Quidditch team as a Seeker and even giving him a Nimbus 2000 were enough to show Professor McGonagall's fondness for Harry.
Oh... these things hadn't happened yet, and Hermione didn't know Professor McGonagall's personality yet.
Chen Yu comforted Hermione, "Don't worry, Professor McGonagall is a good professor with a stern exterior but a warm heart. She wouldn't casually expel a student for being late. Especially Harry, you've read books about Harry, so you should know how famous Harry is in the wizarding world. Hogwarts wouldn't expel him just for being late. If they did, Hogwarts would probably be flooded with owls delivering letters the next day."
Hermione relaxed after hearing Chen Yu's words.
She began to tell Chen Yu about Hogwarts' history and events.
Some of these things she had read in books, and some she had learned from older students last night.
She already showed some signs of being a "know-it-all" miss.
The two talked and ate, and when Hermione was almost finished.
Chen Yu wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Let's go, Transfiguration Class is about to start."
