"I know, sir." Thomas was noncommittal; whether they were good people or not didn't concern him much.
Then he curiously asked, "Those young people in uniform just now, are they students from nearby?"
"Oh, they are Hogwarts students. On weekends, Hogwarts students from third year and above can visit Hogsmeade Village for a day."
"Hogwarts! Mom said all young wizards in Britain go there to study!" Severus said excitedly.
"Yes, Severus, because it's the best magic school." Moody's tone held clear pride; no British wizard didn't love Hogwarts.
"Is Hogwarts nearby?" Thomas asked curiously.
"Look over there." Thomas followed Moody's pointing finger, and amidst a lush green forest, a colossal Castle stood atop a peak. Built into the mountain, it was majestic, with numerous towers, appearing like a dream Castle from an ancient legend. Sunlight spilled onto the Castle's stone walls, coating them in a golden glow, adding a touch of mystery and solemnity.
This was a truly breathtaking sight; the ancient Castle seemed to possess some magical power that deeply captivated both Thomas and Severus.
Moody didn't disturb them; he knew the shock every young wizard felt the first time they saw Hogwarts, and he had been the same.
After a while, Moody took out his pocket watch, checked the time, and reminded them, "Alright, let's go quickly, or we'll be late."
They quickened their pace.
The village was large, but it was distinctly different from the modernized, industrial Muggle towns. Wooden or stone cottages were scattered picturesquely amidst verdant fields, each exuding the charm of aged time.
Surrounding them were vast farmlands, where not only ordinary crops were grown, but also many exotic plants rarely seen in the Muggle World, many of which Thomas didn't recognize.
Thomas couldn't help but glance at them twice, somewhat surprised. Perhaps he could find mutated plants comparable to those of the apocalypse in the Wizarding World.
Finally, Moody led them to a small house that seemed to have leapt directly from a fairy tale book.
Outside was a meticulously maintained herb garden, and a path paved with colorful pebbles led from the fence to the cottage door.
On the roof, a small chimney leisurely puffed out wisps of smoke, and outside the fence, Thomas could smell the mouth-watering aroma wafting through the air.
They followed the pebble path to the door, and Moody knocked.
"Coming." An old man's voice rang out, and the door was quickly opened: "Alastor, I knew it was you."
This was a white-haired elder, who looked kindly at Thomas and Severus: "You must be Thomas and Severus. I'm Anthony Brown. You can call me Anthony."
"Hello, I'm Thomas."
"Hello, I'm Severus."
The two introduced themselves separately. Although they looked eight or nine parts alike, their personal temperaments were completely different, making them easy to distinguish in daily life.
"Good, good, come in quickly." The old man stepped aside, and as they entered, the aroma of food inside grew stronger.
A kind-faced woman, also with white hair and a slightly plump figure, came out carrying a steaming pie. This was the source of the aroma, and she gently said to them, "Children, come over, it's snack time now."
This was truly a very good family. Thomas's Wood Element Ability allowed him to easily distinguish people's kindness and malice. He could clearly feel the pureness and goodness emanating from this elderly couple, which gave him a comfortable feeling, as if he were in nature.
Moody didn't stay to eat pie; even though it was the weekend, he was still busy with work.
Recently, there had been multiple serious incidents of wizards using magic on Muggles, but the Ministry of Magic seemed unwilling to fully address them, and the number of Aurors was indeed stretched thin.
Each time they rushed to the scene, it was often too late, and they could only try their best to clean up the mess, unable to undo the damage and harm already caused.
This greatly angered Moody, who had a strong sense of responsibility by nature, and he swore to catch these Dark Wizards who were committing evil deeds.
After instructing Thomas and Severus to be good and obedient, he Apparated out of the house.
"Children must take a nap to grow tall." At Mr. and Mrs. Brown's insistence, they were taken to their room for a nap.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown had prepared a cozy little room for the two brothers, with two small beds for children. The bedding was clearly new, and two sets of brand-new pajamas were placed by the beds. They had put a lot of thought into it.
The pajamas smelled of sunshine, but they were a bit too big for them.
The old woman, Anne, had bought them based on the clothing store owner's recommendation for a 7-year-old's height, but the two brothers currently looked closer to 5 years old.
Anne waved her wand, and the clothes on them became a perfect fit: "Tomorrow, let's go buy a few more new outfits."
"No need, Madam!" Severus was always both cherishing and resistant to others' kindness. He spoke up, a rare occurrence, before Thomas: "I mean, this set is very good."
"My dear, don't be shy, this is your home now." Anne pulled Severus into her arms and lovingly stroked Severus's head, which made Severus's face flush red like a tomato.
"Little Sev is still so shy." Thomas chuckled, earning a glare from his brother.
Finally, only the two brothers lay on the bed, but neither was asleep. They had no habit of napping; no one had ever told Severus that children should nap.
The chirping of cicadas and the fresh scent of herbs drifted through the air, and it all seemed like a dream.
Severus's voice held a hint of confusion and bewilderment, "Thomas, why can strangers be so good to us, but Mom and Dad can't?"
Upon hearing this, Thomas felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
He turned to look at his brother, whose pure, obsidian-like eyes shimmered with heartbreaking sorrow.
There was no answer to this question.
He sighed softly, "The connection between people is a very magical thing." He tried to make his voice sound gentle and firm: "It's okay, Severus, we still have each other, don't we? Things will always get better."
Severus pulled the blanket over his face and hummed. Thomas heard the crying in his voice; he was secretly crying under the blanket.
Thomas didn't expose Severus's clumsy attempt to hide his tears. He thought that this time, Severus was truly disappointed in Eileen.
Life in Hogsmeade Village was like paradise for Thomas.
Anne was a gentle yet strong woman, much like a very traditional mother; they loved you, so they couldn't help but want to guide you.
Bedtime, mealtime, everything was clearly arranged for the three men in the house.
Anthony, on the other hand, was a very gentle old man. He was obedient to his wife, always silently and tenderly watching his wife and children, like a benevolent guardian.
When Thomas and Severus asked to plant herbs with him, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise.
Because few young wizards liked the tedious task of planting herbs; the young wizards who came to Hogsmeade Village from Hogwarts all lingered on the main street, where there were many shops with a fatal attraction for young wizards.
In the herb garden, Anthony also showed another side of himself.
His deep understanding of herbs was astonishing.
He patiently taught Thomas and his brother, explaining every step in meticulous detail, from identifying and harvesting herbs to processing and applying them.
At the same time, Anthony also discovered that Thomas and Severus had extraordinary talent for Herbology, and he taught even more enthusiastically. Each time, Anne had to remind them to eat and sleep, finding the behavior of the three both amusing and exasperating.
Late at night, when all was quiet, with only the occasional sound of the night wind outside the window and the faint chirping of insects in the distance, Anthony whispered to Anne, "My dear, they are just like our children."
He waited a long time for his beloved's soft reply: "Yes, my dear."
It was another Saturday. Anne took off the small straw hats that Anthony had specially woven for Thomas and Severus, which they were wearing: "Children, you're not allowed to stay home today. You can go out and play."
"But we want to be with Anthony," Severus argued. He was, after all, a real child, and in just one week, he had succumbed to the couple's gentle offensive. Without him noticing, he had grown accustomed to life in this home.
"No, you know, you have to listen to me. Children should go out and play more." Anne glared at Anthony, who was about to speak, sending him back: "The Hogwarts young wizards are coming again today. Don't you like Hogwarts very much? You can go talk to them."