THE ALCHEMIST OF HARRY POTTER

That night, Albert proudly displayed his new Hogwarts school uniform to his family: a set of plain black robes, a pointed wizard's hat for everyday wear, a winter cloak with silver fastenings, and a pair of dragon-hide gloves. The robes were made of thick material, neatly stitched, but nothing particularly remarkable.

If he had to be honest, he thought the pointed hat looked ridiculous. If he walked down the street wearing it, heads would surely turn—not in admiration, but confusion. Albert could already imagine the bemused stares of Muggles.

Niya, however, was thrilled with her gift. She eagerly threw the oversized black cloak around her shoulders and placed the peaked hat on her head, dramatically striking different poses in the living room. Herb chuckled and took out a camera, capturing the moment as Albert and Niya posed together.

Daisy, meanwhile, sat on the sofa with A History of Magic in her hands, flipping through the pages. She was determined to understand more about the place her son would be spending the next seven years.

"Mom, look! A real Chocolate Frog!" Niya squealed, tearing open the package and gasping as the enchanted chocolate leaped from the box.

Having learned his lesson from earlier, Herb was quick to react. He reached out and caught the jumping treat just as it nearly landed on the carpet. Handing it back to Niya, he smirked and said, "You need quicker hands."

Curious, Herb opened his own Chocolate Frog package, catching the enchanted candy before it could escape. He handed it to Daisy, who was still engrossed in her reading.

"Is this… actually edible?" Daisy examined the frog with a skeptical expression, unsure if she should take a bite. The way it twitched in her fingers made her stomach turn.

"Of course, it's just enchanted chocolate!" Niya giggled, already munching on her own Chocolate Frog. She had managed to take a big bite, leaving smudges of melted chocolate on her cheeks.

Albert laughed, handing her a handkerchief. "Wipe your face, you look like a little tabby cat."

Tom, their pet cat, was staring intently at the new snowy owl in its cage. Noticing this, Albert picked up the feline and placed him on the sofa, scratching him under the chin. "Tom, don't be a bully."

He then took a small pouch from his shopping bag and poured some owl treats onto a dish inside the cage. The snowy owl ruffled its feathers and eyed Albert curiously.

"What should I name you?" he mused.

"Jerry!" Albert decided after a moment of thought.

"Tom and Jerry?" Niya rolled her eyes. "That's a terrible name!"

Albert smirked. Though the famous cartoon didn't exist in the wizarding world, he found the name amusing. However, the owl, as if sensing his mischief, remained unimpressed.

Niya cradled the owl gently in her arms, stroking its soft feathers. "I think she looks more like a 'Shera.' That's a much better name."

"Why not 'Sherabi' then?" Albert teased.

Before Niya could argue further, Herb suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, where did the person in this picture go?" He was holding up the collectible wizard card that had come with the Chocolate Frog.

Albert glanced at the card. "Oh, the portraits in the wizarding world move. The Chocolate Frog itself was enchanted, so why wouldn't the pictures be?"

"That… actually makes sense," Herb admitted. He turned the card over and read the description aloud:

Albus Dumbledore—currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Widely regarded as the greatest wizard of the modern age. His notable achievements include the defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his partnership with Nicolas Flamel in the field of alchemy. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.

Daisy looked up from her book. "Albus Dumbledore… that's the old man who sent the letter, isn't it?"

She peered at the card in Herb's hand, but the portrait was now empty.

"Dragons?" Daisy's eyes widened as she reread the description. "Wait, there are actual dragons in this world?"

"And Nicolas Flamel…" she trailed off, as if recalling something from her childhood.

Albert nodded. "Nicolas Flamel was a famous alchemist from the 14th century. He's rumored to have created the Philosopher's Stone, which grants immortality. If he's still alive today, that probably means the Philosopher's Stone is real."

Daisy frowned, gripping the book in her lap. Herb, sensing her unease, placed a reassuring arm around her shoulders. "Daisy, don't overthink it. The world of magic might seem strange to us, but let's not jump to conclusions. We should trust Albert—he's intelligent. He'll be fine at Hogwarts."

"Albert, can you actually do magic?" Niya suddenly asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She grabbed his arm and bounced eagerly. "Show us something!"

Albert hesitated. "I haven't really learned anything yet. I should probably study first."

Niya pouted. "Just try!"

Chuckling, Albert retrieved his copy of The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk. He pulled his wand from its case, feeling its familiar warmth in his palm.

Herb paled. "Wait—Albert, maybe not here." He still remembered how Albert had nearly blown up Ollivander's counter while testing wands.

"Relax, Dad," Albert said, raising his wand and enunciating carefully, "Lumos."

A faint glow flickered at the tip before quickly dying out.

"Did it… just light up?" Daisy asked, uncertain.

"Yes, it did!" Herb beamed. "That's incredible, Albert! You're already using magic!"

Niya gasped. "Albert! Albert! Let me try! I want to do magic too!"

"Nope," Albert said quickly, tucking his wand away. "It's not a toy. Magic is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing."

"You're so stingy!" Niya huffed.

"This isn't about being stingy. Wands aren't meant for playing around. If you accidentally cast a spell, you might break something—or worse, hurt someone," Albert explained, adopting a serious tone. "Tell you what, once I know more, I'll teach you a few things."

Herb nodded in agreement. "Albert's right. Let's wait until he understands magic better."

Niya sighed dramatically but eventually relented. However, the eager gleam in her eyes made it clear she wouldn't forget the promise anytime soon.

"By the way," Herb added, setting down a few wrapped candies and small gifts. "Your grandfather is planning to visit soon. But I think we should go see him instead—it'll save us from making two trips."

Daisy glanced at the assortment of magical treats. She wasn't sure if her father-in-law would actually eat them, but she knew he'd appreciate the gesture.