Antique wall lamps hung along the walls, soft leather carpets covered the floor, and a faint scent of polished wood filled the air, giving the boat an atmosphere of comfort and dignity.
"Wow, it's really beautiful in here," Ron said, running his hand over the solid wood grain of the wall.
He stared in awe at the intricate decorations on the walls and the wooden table in the aisle, letting out a genuine sigh of admiration.
"Isn't that the latest magical gramophone from Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Trading Co.? I think it's called 'Spring Castle.' When the music"
"When it plays, it projects an image of a castle, and you can even see tiny figures and animals moving around inside it," Malfoy chimed in, pointing out the decorations on the shelf along the corridor.
He knew the product well. He'd been fascinated by it since it came out but hadn't been able to get one because of the high price and his father's refusal to buy it.
"This is Uncle Wilson's boat, so it makes sense he'd have a few of his own products on display," Ron said with a sneer. "Our family already has a Spring Castle, so honestly, it's not that impressive. It's no match for the Snow Country Returner they released at Christmas."
"Typical nouveau riche, thinking they know anything about art," Malfoy shot back, glaring at Ron with clear disdain.
He muttered under his breath about how the Fu family liked to act noble but never really got what they wanted.
While a few people were chatting, bickering, and catching up, Leona had already led everyone to the door of the captain's cabin, which was actually located right under the stern of the ship.
The wizards were in high spirits, so she wasn't in any particular rush.
After opening the door and stepping inside with the group, everyone felt like they had just entered a whole new world.
The space in front of them was wide, much like a normal room, with a desk and a reception area.
Its style matched the corridor outside, classic and simple.
But what really caught everyone's attention was the wall directly behind the office, made entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows.
The view through those windows was so striking that it almost felt unreal.
Instead of the black lake they had expected to see behind the ship, there stood a massive factory-like building filled with all kinds of alchemy equipment.
Calling it a factory seemed like an understatement. This was clearly a huge treasure trove, more like a museum or an exhibition hall.
Through the windows, several people noticed that the ceiling above this building was designed to simulate night weather, while below it remained bright and shining.
Rows and rows of neat display stands stretched out, arranged perfectly in both directions. There had to be hundreds, maybe even thousands.
And on each stand rested a legendary artifact.
Harry was sure of it. He could tell just by looking that these were legendary items, much like his own Shining.
He wasn't the only one who realized this at once.
Malfoy and Ron, standing beside him, were equally captivated by the view behind the glass, their eyes wide and mouths slightly open in awe.
Even though Hermione couldn't identify the legendary items, the sheer sight of the collection moved her deeply.
Neville, however, remained calm, perhaps because he had seen enough legendary artifacts back at Alex.
After a moment, he shifted his attention away from the display and focused on Alex, who was sitting comfortably nearby.
"Uncle Wilson!"
Neville greeted him with a smile and a wave as soon as he spotted him.
His voice broke the spell that had held everyone else, and they all turned their heads.
Malfoy and Ron even wiped their mouths in embarrassment. They couldn't help themselves earlier.
And Alex chuckled, "It's better to call me Professor, now that I'm back from Hogwarts."
Alex glanced at the small group and smiled casually, then gestured toward the sofa beside him.
"Come on, have a seat. Don't just stand there looking lost."
"Thank you, Professor!"
Neville was used to being around Alex and knew that outside of training, the man's temper was actually quite gentle.
So, he settled comfortably onto the sofa in the reception room without any hesitation.
Ron, sitting next to him, also relaxed more easily.
To Ron, Alex was like a friendly uncle who often brought gifts to their family, well, except for the fact that he seemed to favor Ginny a bit.
But Harry, Hermione, and Malfoy were a bit more cautious.
This was the first time Harry had been so close to such a legendary figure, especially in such a private setting.
Hermione felt a little flustered, remembering how they had broken school rules by sneaking out on a night adventure.
Now, here they were, stuck in the professor's office, someone who usually wore a strict expression, and she could already imagine the points they would lose soon.
Malfoy was even more nervous, wrestling with conflicted feelings.
On one hand, he was a huge fan of the Wilson's Arcane Alchemica and practically worshiped legendary magic items, which was clear from how much he treasured his own fairy wand.
Getting this close to the creators of those legendary props was like a fan meeting their idol, and he couldn't help feeling anxious.
This was totally different from their usual classroom interactions.
Noticing everyone's different reactions, Alex nodded in understanding.
Then he turned to Leona.
"You should go get some rest. It's no fun being woken up in the middle of the night."
Leona gave him a mock glare.
"Wow, you're finally starting to care about others."
She smirked.
"I was having a great time chatting with those kids, but you interrupted me."
Then, with a playful wink at Neville, she added, "Handsome guy, don't forget to bring candy for my sister."
Without another word, she sank right through the floor beneath her feet.
Watching Leona tease his junior so openly, Alex shook his head with a helpless smile.
Then, turning back to the group, he said warmly, "Sorry if Leona scared you. She's got a bit of a wild streak, but she's a good person."
"Am I really going to bring her candy tomorrow?"
Neville scratched his head, clearly embarrassed and flustered by Leona's presence.
Alex smiled casually and said, "This is really between the two of you, and you already promised her, didn't you?"
Hermione couldn't hold back any longer.
She stood up quickly and bowed, apologizing sincerely.
"Sorry, Professor. We didn't mean to break any school rules. Please forgive us, it was our fault, and Lady Leona's, too."
What worried her most was that Alex might deduct points from them, especially since the Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Talisman now records every violation.
Alex found Hermione's earnestness a bit amusing.
'Was he really that intimidating?'
Then, switching to a serious expression, he looked at her and said, "I can see you're a well-behaved student. Here's what I'll do: I'll give you a chance to find out who's really behind this night tour, and if you succeed, I'll let you off the hook."
Chapter 131 (source: Chapter_656.txt)
When Alex spoke, Hermione felt a surge of relief, but then shot a sharp glance at Harry and Ron, her expression darkening, before shifting her eyes toward Malfoy.
The sudden change in Alex's demeanor made the other young wizards tense up.
Ron, in particular, seemed ready to argue, but Alex's cold stare quickly silenced him.
Faced with this, the four of them exchanged nervous looks, silently hoping Hermione wouldn't reveal their identities, especially since Ron and Malfoy were from the same school and could easily embarrass them.
Hermione hesitated, her heart torn.
She wanted to stick to her original plan and confess immediately, but after everything they'd been through together, she just couldn't bring herself to betray them.
"Sorry, Professor," she finally said, "we all agreed on the night tour together."
Hearing this, the others breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Hermione with gratitude, especially Ron and Malfoy, who hadn't expected her loyalty at such a critical moment.
Alex wasn't fully convinced by Hermione's answer and turned to Harry.
"What about you? I'm giving you a chance too."
Harry met Alex's gaze steadily.
"Me? We decided on it together. There's no mastermind here."
With two of them standing firm, Alex then zeroed in on Malfoy.
"Your turn. I'm giving you one last chance."
The tension spiked again.
Gryffindors and Malfoy's kind weren't exactly allies, so everyone braced themselves for a conflict.
Malfoy glanced at the others, then gritted his teeth.
"This night excursion... I actually suggested it first. If you're looking for a mastermind, it's me."
"Oh?" Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Malfoy, I didn't expect you to be so straightforward."
His words echoed the shock felt by everyone else in the room.
Why did this guy suddenly start acting so righteous?
Not only did he avoid dumping dirty water on them, but he even took the blame willingly.
And Malfoy ended up looking like a total fool.
When Alex questioned him, Malfoy was ready to throw everyone else under the bus.
After all, he's a Slytherin, it's only natural for him to protect himself first.
But when he saw that Muggle-born Hermione and Harry didn't stab him in the back, Malfoy's pride got the better of him, and he blurted out the truth in excitement.
Now, though, he was starting to regret it.