As the days passed, the excitement brought by the treasure hunt slowly receded, and the days returned to their usual rhythm. One morning at breakfast, Ryan was eating a hard-boiled egg when the announcer on the TV caught his attention.
"...The public must be aware that Blake is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hotline has been set up. Anyone with information on Blake's whereabouts should report it immediately." A thin face appeared on the screen, with tangled hair and a vicious expression.
"It's a bit strange," Mr. Lambert said as he spread jam on his bread. "Shouldn't this kind of escape from prison be reported by the prison? Why isn't this from a known location? Is this person a special prisoner from the military or intelligence services?"
"This man is a wizard," Ryan replied. "I saw this guy when I was reading through old newspapers at the school library about the history of the wizarding world. Legends say he killed over a dozen people in one go."
"Oh my God, that's so dangerous," Mother Sally exclaimed.
"But the odd part is that he didn't run after killing people. Instead, he waited to be arrested and was sent to a wizard's prison without trial."
"Untrial?" Mr. Lambert caught the word. "That means he doesn't necessarily deserve the punishment; maybe he just ended up at the scene of the murders by accident. It's a good reminder to be careful when you go to school. The wizarding world really makes people feel insecure."
"Okay, enough of that," Sally said, slightly irritated. "Let's not talk about murderers. I'm sure Ryan won't get involved with this criminal."
"Good wife, let's just finish breakfast," Ryan said, quickly changing the subject.
Ryan felt like he might be a fake protagonist since the rest of the holiday was uneventful. He didn't encounter any of the wild, dog-shaped Sirius that protagonists often meet in fanfics.
In the last week of the holiday, Ryan and Hermione took the subway to Diagon Alley for shopping. When they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron and opened the door to Diagon Alley, they heard someone calling to them.
"Ryan, Hermione, over here!" They turned to see Harry Potter sitting outside Florin's Cold Drink Shop, quills and parchment stacked on the table in front of him, along with a box of fruit ice cream.
"Oh, it's good to see you again! Brother Hai mentioned in his letter that you're going to Brazil for exchange studies in the first half of the year. Is that true?"
"Yes," Ryan said. "A total of 12 students were selected for the Brazil exchange program. The Ministry of Magic is resuming international exchanges that were suspended due to the war, and they're setting an example for similar programs in the future."
"Wow, that's amazing! I can't even go to Hogsmeade this year," Harry replied, sounding a bit frustrated.
"You're already lucky," Ryan replied. "Longbottom wrote me about summer homework problems and mentioned that you blew up your aunt during the holidays. I'm amazed you weren't punished. After all, according to Longbottom, even the slightest magic outside of school should result in a warning."
"I didn't mean for it to happen," Harry said. "It just got out of hand when she insulted my parents."
"I understand, but be careful next time. It's just luck you weren't punished this time, but we can't rely on luck forever."
"Alright, that's enough," Ryan said quickly, noticing Hermione was about to give another lecture. "We need to get some books for the year."
"I'll come with you," Harry said, grabbing his bag. "I've been in Diagon Alley for over a week now."
They started at the potions store to restock potion ingredients, then went to Madam Mokin's Robe Shop to buy new robes, including special dress robes needed for the Brazil study trip. They had grown so fast that their old uniforms were too short to wear. Even Ryan had to make a new assassin outfit from Deathclaw hide, updating the Hidden Blade and Hook Rope to fit his new body. He even embedded rune symbols into the Hidden Blade, making it capable of fighting magic.
Finally, they arrived at Lihen Bookstore to buy the textbooks. While textbooks for Brazil would be provided upon arrival, Ryan and Hermione still needed their Hogwarts books for self-study. As they approached the bookstore, Ryan noticed an iron cage in the window. Inside were more than a hundred thick books with golden titles and green covers.
Once inside, the manager came over. "Are you Hogwarts students here to buy textbooks?" he asked.
"Yes," Ryan replied. "We need two copies of the 'Monster Books of Monsters.'"
"I don't know which professor requested these books," the manager said as he donned thick gloves. "When they were delivered, they came in a basket. It's not easy to get them."
Ryan, sensing magic from the cage, said, "I know a spell that can calm them temporarily. Can I give it a try?"
"The Stunning Charm won't work. If it's too weak, it will only irritate them, and if it's too strong, it might set them on fire," the manager warned.
"I'll cover the cost if anything happens," Ryan said confidently. Seeing Ryan's confidence, the manager stepped aside.
Ryan stepped forward, drawing a golden rune in the air with his wand and chanting an incantation in ancient Viking: "Place." As he finished speaking, the books immediately stopped moving and fell to the bottom of the cage, lying quietly.
"That's amazing! Hurry and bundle these books," the manager instructed. "I'll give you 30% off your purchases today."
Ten minutes later, the trio left the bookstore, books in hand. Ryan and Hermione had bought several reference books in addition to their required textbooks. Harry had even purchased a book on Quidditch. Ryan, besides receiving a discount, also earned two more offset points after the reminder went off.
As they passed the window, the cage had been replaced with a display stand holding a solidly tied "Yokai Book of Yokai."
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