Hey guys, I finished writing the chapters of second month of my The Legendary Mechanic fanfic and decided to focus on this one for a while, so I'll be back to updating for the next few days.
I also had great ideas for this fanfic, for horror fans, interesting characters await us in the next chapters.
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You know when your life becomes a joke? When a chapter begins with: - An old man, a child and a raven walk into a bar.
Of course, the Leaky Cauldron can barely be considered a bar, an inn that looks like the floor will crack if you step a little too hard? A restaurant that should be closed by the health department? A starting point for young wizards that serves as a warning of what awaits them? Pick one, none of them are wrong.
Neville sneered from the Floo powder as he emerged from the chimney with the raven on his shoulder, quickly shaking its feathers as he scoffed. - Even my old perch was cleaner, and look, that caterpillar eyebrow didn't even bother to clean it. Seriously, she's a witch, just wave your wand, that's really disrespectful...
Algie, frustrated with the bird, waved his wand, silencing it again. He wanted to leave the bird at home, but Augusta vehemently refused, so it ended up coming along.
Neville looked at the bird with its mouth closed again and couldn't help but sigh. - I really don't know how you're still alive today.
Inside his mind, he was thinking he knew exactly what spell it would learn first.
The bird paused for a moment, as if it wanted to speak but couldn't, so it could only stare at him steadily.
Neville rolled his eyes and quickly followed Algie, ignoring the bird.
-Algie, so? Did your nephew like the gift? - Tom asked, trying not to laugh.
Algie's eyes narrowed and he grumbled through gritted teeth. - Thanks for the recommendation, Tom, much appreciated.
Tom pretended not to see the irritation, still smiling - kindly.
Neville glanced at Tom. Is he related to his "future wife"? Neville didn't know if the old man was his father or uncle or who else, just that his last name was the same as hers.
Of course, Hannah Abbott was the original Neville's future wife; however, Neville isn't sure about that future.
It's still too early to think about something like a "wife."
The old pair argued for a while, Neville quickly realized they were friends, probably from school, so tricking Algie into buying the chatty raven was Tom's prank.
Neville wondered if the fact he won Trevor in the original was because of him too.
Maybe a comment like -"Frogs are back in fashion."
But what really intrigues Neville is how his great-uncle keeps falling for his nonsense.
Is Algie that gullible?
After some conversation between the pair, in which Tom offered a mug of butterbeer to appease Algie, who seemed very pleased, as if he'd won a few galleons, but the mug was barely worth a few Sickles...
Sighing, Neville followed Algie, leaving, still holding the mug as he walked faster.
His beard was still wet with beer, but it didn't hide his smug smile.
-Hey, don't take my mug! You old bastard! - Tom shouted from behind the counter, which only made Algie pull Neville along faster.
Neville was both amused and embarrassed by the two old men's childish behavior.
Even Klaus hid his head under his wing, pretending he didn't know them.
Neville, unfortunately, couldn't do the same.
Algie walked over to the wall with the trash can and showed Neville how to open it, pulling out the wand with one hand while still sipping his beer with the other.
Algie exhaled contentedly, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth a few times, too loudly for his liking, clearly a provocation, hoping Tom would hear him.
Neville had an embarrassed look on his face, as did Klaus, which Algie seemed to notice as he straightened, pretending not to notice.
-Look, Neville, count from the trash can, three up and two to the side. - He pointed, without touching his wand, then turned to Neville with a look somewhere between doubt and exasperation. - Do you remember?
Neville's lips trembled. What was he implying?
-Yes, I remember. - Neville nodded.
-Really? Then tell me which one? - Algie asked, unconvinced.
Neville rolled his eyes, understanding what he was getting at.
Actually, he couldn't blame Algie, the old Neville was... a "little" forgetful.
Of course, that doesn't mean he wasn't offended, after all, he wasn't Neville.
-Three up and two to the side. - He sighed and made a point of reaching out and touching the right brick.
Algie paused for a moment, his eyes wide as he looked him up and down.
-Boy, I think a knock on the head was just what your brain needed to get going. - He finally nodded, pleased with himself.
Neville rolled his eyes. Great, now he thought he was responsible for "fixing" Neville's head, but Neville couldn't deny it, that was actually a good reason for the improvement.
As for thinking someone will find out he's not the same person? That's pure fantasy.
If your friend starts acting strangely, which option do you think is really the reason?
1) He's decided to change himself or he's joking with you.
2) He's discovered he's gay?(Finaly)
3) Did a wandering soul take over his body?
Anyone who thinks the third statement is true should probably be in a mental institution, that's the moral consensus, it's enough.
The wizarding world is strange, but even here there's no known magic like that, so why on earth would anyone think of it?
People tend to find plausible explanations for their everyday lives.
If lightning strikes three times in the same place, it's coincidence, not witchcraft, until proven otherwise or that you are, in fact, a wizard.
In this case, the most impressive thing would be the spell to summon natural lightning.
In fact, even if Neville tells the truth now, there's a very high chance they'll laugh at Neville, mock him, and if he insists too much, he might even be sent for mental treatment, keeping company with the parents of this body.
But believing he's possessed? Hehe...
So Neville never bothered to try to pretend, the beat in his head was his best excuse.
Was he different? Was he worse? Send him to the hospital. Was he better? Great, now shut up and watch the Quidditch.
Reality sometimes doesn't need any thesis, theory alone is enough.
So Algie didn't stop speculating, Neville could already imagine the news in the Daily Prophet: "Boy's head fixed after being thrown from second floor by his uncle."
The irony is that with the size of this society, it's not even a joke that the newspaper actually reports this.
So Neville decided to shift his uncle's attention.
Picking up his list, Neville decided to save the best for last.
-Let's save the bookstore and the wand for last. You get the rest of the supplies while I go order the clothes. - Neville said.
Algie looked at Neville unhappily, clearly at being interrupted, but also at having to go get things like a crucible and a scale.
-Why should I go get those things? - he asked, unconvinced.
Neville looked at the old man, who was almost pouting, and for a moment he actually understood the original Neville a little.
Sighing, he asked sarcastically. - Would you rather go get measured?
Algie paused for a moment, but rolled his eyes and spoke, this time more quietly. - I mean, why should I go alone?
-Would you rather go alone and spend the rest of the morning shopping, or speed up the trip and split up to speed? If you want to spend an hour watching me get measured by an old hag, be my guest. - Neville looked at him blankly.
Algie paused thoughtfully, sighed, and picked up the list.
Neville shouted from behind. -You didn't give me the money!
Algie stopped, came back a little embarrassed, handed him a small pouch of money, then quickly left, muttering in embarrassment.
Neville shook his head and looked at Klaus. The pair exchanged glances while Klaus shrugged.
Neville was a little surprised by the movement, finding it interesting that a raven would do that, but quickly dismissed it as he began to navigate the alleys.
Neville was a wizard, so he'd been to Diagon Alley dozens of times. He clearly knew where Madame Malkin's all-occasion clothing store was.
His grandmother was friends with the woman, so Neville saw her often. She'd even visited them three or four times before, typical English things like tea and cake.
Neville doesn't like tea, neither the old nor the new.
But the biggest reason he doesn't like it is Neville's grandmother, she won't let him add sugar!
Saying it ruins the taste of the tea.
Just milk, at most!
Who puts milk in tea?! Apparently, the English.
I mean, coffee is kind of tea, at least he thinks so.
So, herbal soup is also tea?
Curious.
Neville soon arrived at the store and entered, announced by the bells above the door, filled with the smell of fabric, talcum powder and some kind of herbal essence.
He looked around as a woman approached, clearly hearing the bells.
-Oh, Neville, where's your grandmother? - the woman asked.