RNP Chapter 1 The Red-Haired Boy
Chapter 1 The Red-Haired Boy
With a soft crackling sound, Professor Pomona Sprout appeared on a dirt road.
She adjusted her pointed hat, which had been blown askew by the wind, and looked ahead.
Under the bright blue sky of the Scottish Highlands, there is a typical Muggle farm—stone farmhouses, sheep pens, cattle pens, and chicken coops surrounded by wooden fences, with the livestock making lively noises.
"Cairnes County, McGregor's house..." Professor Sprout walked toward the farm.
Minerva usually handled home visits for new students at Hogwarts, but when she approached me, she looked very awkward: "Pomona, could you please make this request? I... I need to take care of something urgent."
Professor Sprout guessed that something must have happened to the boy who had miraculously survived; he had heard that there had been no response to any of the dozen or so letters he had sent to the university.
"Try mine first, Lucas!" Laughter from the girls suddenly echoed across the farm.
Professor Sprout unconsciously waved his wand, his body instantly disappearing into the shadows of the fence.
She took a few steps forward and saw three girls surrounding a leaping flame at a stone table beside the farmhouse.
No, it wasn't fire. It was a tall boy with a head of fiery red, tousled short hair that shone like flames in the dazzling sunlight.
Is that him? Lucas McGregor, the little wizard born into a Muggle family, who has just turned 11?
......
Lucas is feeling a bit helpless right now.
He had just finished his farm work and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when he was surrounded by three chattering girls. He had no choice but to quickly wash his hands and rinse his mouth before sitting down among them.
"Me first, me first!" A girl pushed a plate of Victoria sponge cake forward.
She gazed at Lucas with teary eyes, her cheeks flushed: "Luca, this was made especially for you. It's called 'Amy's Love'."
Lucas was half a head taller than his peers. His fair skin, exposed to the sun, was tanned red. Above his high, straight nose were a pair of clear, hazel eyes that shone even brighter against his fiery red hair, like warm, vibrant earth after melting snow.
My God, my Luca is so handsome.
Lucas picked up the knife, gently cut off a small piece of cake, and carefully observed the cross-section.
Then, under Amy's tense gaze, she put the cake into her mouth, chewed and savored it carefully, and all the advantages and disadvantages were clearly presented as if reflected in a mirror.
"Hmm, the raspberry jam has a great balance of sweet and sour... unfortunately, the texture is too coarse."
Then another girl said, "It must have been baked for too long."
Lucas shook his head: "The problem isn't with the baking, it's with the meringue. Amy, you whipped the egg whites to stiff peaks, right? But for sponge cake, the meringue only needs to be whipped to soft peaks. Over-whipping makes the meringue lose its elasticity, causing it to expand excessively during baking, resulting in moisture loss and a dry, hard texture."
"Ah, it seems your 'love' has gone too far." The third girl squeezed through and eagerly handed over the plate.
Lucas smiled gently: "Jenny, it's not good to cut in line. Sophia is ahead of you."
A warm embrace came from Sophia, who hugged her tenderly. Jenny pouted, unwilling to accept the situation, "Then let her go first. I'll definitely be the winner anyway."
"Luca, I'll feed you—" Sofia smiled sweetly and handed over a tomato and basil tart.
Lucas savored it carefully; no secret could escape his tongue.
"Hmm... a great idea. Using green tomatoes adds layers of flavor. However, the spiciness of the fresh basil is a bit too overpowering, overpowering the sweet and sour taste of the tomatoes. Of course, that's easy to adjust, and you'll definitely be able to do it perfectly next time, right?"
Sofia looked at him with adoration: "Of course... Luca, when I succeed, don't forget our marriage promise."
Jenny, furious, pushed her way in again: "Pah! A four-year age agreement? Don't be ridiculous! Luca is mine, and you can forget about him."
She proudly presented her dessert, a glass of panna cotta, its surface smooth as a mirror and garnished with a few fresh blueberries.
Lucas scooped up a spoonful, the panna cotta separating smoothly, and then gently sipped it in his mouth: "The shape and sweetness are impeccable, Jenny. It's a pity the texture is a little lacking."
Amy and Sophia breathed a sigh of relief, while Jenny exclaimed anxiously, "How could this be?"
"You can taste it carefully," Lucas smiled at her. "Doesn't it lack that melt-in-your-mouth smoothness, instead having a fleeting gritty texture? That's because the gelatin powder hasn't completely dissolved. You must—"
"First, soak the gelatin powder in ice water until it softens into a sponge-like consistency, then heat it in a double boiler until it's completely melted..." Jenny said reluctantly, "See, I understand the logic, I was just too impatient. Luca, I'll definitely succeed next time, I'm the one most suitable to be your bride!"
Amy and Sophia started yelling unhappily, and the three little girls surrounded Lucas, making a ruckus.
Lucas went to great lengths, setting a time for the next tasting, before finally managing to coax the three reluctant girls away.
Finally, I can take a break.
He had just picked up his toolbox and was about to go back into the house when suddenly a woman appeared before his eyes.
Good morning, Mr. McGregor.
Lucas was startled and nearly dropped his toolbox.
Where did she come from?
Upon closer inspection of the woman who had suddenly appeared, dressed in a strange robe, I noticed that she was short and plump with a sturdy build, and her rosy face wore a warm and kind smile.
A patched old pointed hat sat on his head, with a few strands of gray hair falling out. The brim of the hat was covered in mud, and there were many mud stains on his robe, which made Lucas feel very familiar.
"Hello, ma'am, your hat is very nice. And you are?"
Professor Sprout adjusted his pointed hat.
"Thank you. I am Pomona Sprout, Professor of Herbalism at Hogwarts and Head of Hufflepuff House. Hogwarts sent me on this home visit because we had not received a reply from you."
Lucas was stunned.
Hogwarts? What a strange name. Is it a middle school?
"Excuse me, Sprout... Professor, what is Hogwarts? I don't remember applying to that school."
Professor Sprout understood and pulled a thick parchment envelope from his pocket: "I see, you must not have received this letter."
The envelope was written in emerald green ink:
Cairnes County
McGregor Farm
Mr. Lucas McGregor received
Lucas took the envelope, his fingers touching the wax seal. It was a shield emblem with a large "H" in the center, surrounded by a lion, eagle, badger, and snake.
He tore open the envelope with a puzzled look, pulled out the letter inside, and a few lines of text came into view:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(President of the International Wizarding Federation, First-Class Archmage of the Order of Merlin, Chief Wizard of Wizengamo)
Dear Mr. McGregor:
We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.