The wizard rubbed his eyes, as if only now fully awake.
He glanced between the two of them, uncertainty flickering in his gaze. "Just the two of you?"
"Our guardian's already in the queue," Wyzett replied, shaking his head. "Is there a problem?"
"He's certainly got faith in you!" The wizard's tone softened, a friendly shrug accompanying his words. "Wizard passports, is it? Planning to travel?"
"Just follow that corridor," he said, pointing the way. "Take one of those golden, grid-like lifts. Department of International Magical Cooperation's on the fifth floor."
"Thank you."
They threaded their way through the bustling crowd and caught a lift just as it arrived.
No sooner had they stepped inside than a flood of others surged in behind them. The once-roomy lift became packed in an instant, forcing Wyzett and Luna into the farthest corner, pressed close together.
Wyzett did his best to shield Luna, pushing outward to give her as much space as possible. Still, their arms brushed—an inevitable casualty of magical bureaucracy.
Fortunately, the crowd thinned after a few stops. As space opened up, Wyzett moved beside Luna, letting out a long breath and wiping sweat from his brow.
"Phew!" Luna exhaled softly, her pale cheeks now tinged with a delicate cherry blossom pink.
"It must've been a bit much. You're not feeling faint, are you?" Wyzett asked quietly, concern in his voice. "Next time, we should bring Mr. Lovegood along. With him up front, things might be easier."
("Achoo!" In the queue elsewhere, Xenophilius suddenly sneezed.)
(He glanced around suspiciously, muttering, "Did that old sweet-tooth poison the Ministry's air supply? Outrageous! I'd better make a note of this conspiracy!")
…
"I'm fine, it wasn't crowded at all," Luna replied, shaking her head gently.
A faint trace of lavender reached her nose—tranquil and subtle, like winter sunlight or a soft, warming breeze.
The warm flush on her face was nothing more than proof she'd basked in a little sunshine.
"Level Five. Department of International Magical Cooperation. Includes the International Magical Trading Standards Body, International Magical Law Office, British seats of the International Confederation of Wizards, International Magical Office of Tourism…" intoned the same cold female voice as the lift doors slid open.
Wyzett and Luna stepped out just as a flurry of paper airplanes whooshed overhead, darting through the air toward a wide-open doorway.
The wonder of magic was how the ordinary could hide the extraordinary.
Even a simple office door might open onto a whole new world—like the International Magical Office of Tourism, their destination.
Despite the name, the "office" was a bright, spacious hall. Paper airplanes looped and twirled near the ceiling while a dozen wizards waited their turn in plush chairs.
Luna waved ahead—she'd already spotted Xenophilius.
He grasped her hand, giving her a quick once-over. "No trouble, I hope?"
"Look at my wand!" Luna's voice sparkled with delight. "Isn't it beautiful? Just like a unicorn's horn."
Xenophilius beamed. "Of course! As lovely as my precious girl herself!"
"Wyzett helped me pick it."
"You're in touch with… Mr. Ollivander as well?"
Wyzett nodded. "He's always been generous with advice. Shared quite a lot, actually."
"Advice?" Xenophilius hesitated, lowering his voice. "What sort of advice? Is he… planning to mentor you?"
Wyzett replied quietly, "He said he might, but only after I graduate."
"Merlin's beard…" Xenophilius sucked in a sharp breath, eyeing Wyzett as if seeing him for the first time. "How many more surprises are you hiding from me?"
…
Normally, wizards didn't need a passport to travel abroad.
But without one, they were on their own if trouble struck—no help, no questions asked.
Take the wizards of Knockturn Alley, for example: many were dark wizards who'd fled to other countries without any paperwork. When the Aurors caught them, they'd be tossed straight into a cell—no trial, no questions.
So, a wizard passport was a layer of protection. That was why Xenophilius insisted on it.
While waiting in line, Wyzett pulled out his notebook to review his plans.
He'd laid out quite a few goals at the start of the year—now, with a whole term behind him, it was time to check off what he'd achieved.
"Transfiguration…" Wyzett murmured, running his finger down the list.
This year, he'd not only kept up with his coursework but also finished reading The Theory of Metamorphosis. He'd learned to transfigure a small deer—a feat that would impress even a seasoned witch or wizard.
But there was still so much more to uncover in those advanced theories—each reading revealed some new insight.
"Next year… If I start practicing Animagus transformation, I'll have to ask Professor McGonagall for book recommendations."
He checked off this year's Transfiguration goal and scribbled a new one for next year: understand the Animagus transformation as deeply as possible—maybe even master it.
He repeated the process for Potions, Charms, and other subjects, confirming his progress and jotting down his ambitions for the coming year.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts…" Wyzett allowed himself a small, secretive smile.
He'd gone far beyond the basics, even mastering a few advanced dark spells. But those were dangerous—far too risky for polite company.
"I should add the Memory Charm to next year's must-learn list," Wyzett whispered, flipping to the first page and writing the goal in bold.
Mastering the Memory Charm would save him no end of trouble.
He didn't want to simply erase memories—he needed to modify them precisely, or overlay new ones entirely.
With his Oculus Magicae and his secret role as a Guardian, discretion was everything. While his powers were still growing, secrecy meant survival.
A clumsy memory wipe would only attract more suspicion.
In short, there was far more to the Memory Charm than met the eye—it was a field worth endless exploration.
"With all this, next year's going to be just as packed!" Wyzett smiled, reviewing his plans once again.
Transfiguration: master Animagus transformation.
Charms: refine the Memory Charm until it could be used in any situation, without raising suspicion.
Potions: with Snape as his tutor, even the basics would lead to deeper knowledge in their private lessons…
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