Chris and Diana only stayed at home for a day. Early the next morning, they went back to the Ministry of Magic; they had a lot of work to do.
Especially Chris—his business trip lasted half a year, and the documents in the office were almost piled up into a mountain.
Home alone, Kael decided to visit Hagrid.
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries is located in London, in front of an old-fashioned department store.
Much like the Leaky Cauldron, there is a Muggle Repelling Spell here too, and they can only see a "Closed for Renovation" sign on the door, unable to enter.
Kael found an ugly mannequin in front of the window and said, "I'm here to visit a patient."
The mannequin nodded slightly, waving its interconnected fingers, signaling Kael to enter.
Similar to the barrier one has to pass through to enter Platform 9¾, entering St Mungo's Hospital requires passing through that glass window.
It was Kael's first time at St Mungo's. As the most famous hospital in the Magic Realm, it always has various peculiar patients.
Shortly after entering, Kael saw an old wizard with a leg on his head hopping to the reception in the waiting room, starting to queue.
His appearance was indeed a bit exaggerated; those lined up ahead of him were all stunned and offered to let him go first.
"No need, no need, you go ahead."
The old wizard was quite polite, saying, "I just feel my head is a bit heavy. Just need a kind-hearted person to hold my head."
But no one dared to help—not because they feared being swindled, but mainly because the leg on his head was unruly, kicking left and right, keeping everyone at bay.
Finally, a chubby blonde witch came out from the reception and led him away.
As he left, his leg swung side to side, seemingly wanting to kick the witch.
Kael was headed to the Creature-Induced Injuries Ward on the second floor, where he encountered a curled-haired healer and was informed of Hagrid's location.
"You mean that big guy, he's in Janus Tike's ward, right across from the sample room... Never mind, I'll take you there."
The healer led Kael to a reddish-brown door.
"Here it is." He then pushed the door open, "Rubeus Hagrid, someone's here to see you."
"Hmm..." A muffled mumbling came from behind the door.
Kael walked inside.
This was a fairly spacious room with six beds, but only three people occupied it.
Besides Hagrid, there were two other wizards here, one of whom was sleeping, and the other Kael actually recognized.
"Professor Kettleburn... why are you here?"
"Hmm?" A bald wizard with a white goatee looked at Kael and asked in confusion, "You are... a young wizard from Hogwarts?"
"Yes, Professor." Kael replied, "I suppose I'm in second year now."
"No wonder..." Professor Kettleburn realized.
Second-year students couldn't attend Care of Magical Creatures class, so he naturally hadn't seen Kael.
"Why are you here, though." Kael glanced at his remaining arm and half-leg.
Thankfully he's still mostly intact; if he were missing more, this professor might have to retire early.
"Oh, nothing, just bumped by a unicorn earlier." The old professor nonchalantly fiddled with his thick bandages, waving his hand, "Just some scratches, it's nothing major. Aren't you here to see Hagrid? Go on."
Kael smacked his lips; the horn on a unicorn's forehead isn't just for show—it can even pierce through a fire dragon's scales.
Getting hit by such a thing… perhaps only Professor Kettleburn could remain this composed.
But for him, it indeed was no big deal.
Hagrid was in the position to Professor Kettleburn's right, occupying three beds alone.
Upon seeing Kael, Hagrid's eyes seemed a bit dazed.
"You're... Kael, how did you come here, aren't you supposed to be in class?"
"It's summer holiday now, Hagrid." Kael placed a box of packaged sweets on the table beside him and asked, "How are you feeling?"
Of course, he didn't forget to give Professor Kettleburn one too.
"It's already summer holiday?"
Hagrid rubbed his head and said, "I feel terrible; I seem to have forgotten a lot of things."
"Mr. Scamander came by a couple of days ago; he said I need at least a month of treatment to recover these memories."
"I don't want to stay here; I want to fetch Harry for school."
Hagrid, feeling a bit agitated, tugged at the hospital gown he had pieced together, although it was still a size too small.
He had been preparing for a year to fetch Harry Potter for school this year; what if Dumbledore didn't let him go due to this incident?
Hagrid couldn't accept it.
"It's okay." Kael consoled him, "It's just the beginning of the summer holiday; the owls will deliver the acceptance letters in a month and a half, plenty of time."
"Hope so." Hagrid tugged at his clothes again.
"Be confident, Hagrid; the headmaster will surely let you fetch Potter." Kael handed him a Chocolate Frog, "Eat some chocolate; it might lift your spirits a bit."
"Thank you, Kael." Hagrid lightly sobbed, "I never thought besides Dumbledore, anyone would come to visit me."
"Wait... your name is Kael?"
Professor Kettleburn suddenly looked over, "That unicorn foal, wouldn't it be you who retrieved it?"
"Sort of." Kael remained composed, "But Oren only returned the foal when he saw the Ministry of Magic people arriving, merely tossing it on my hand."
"The Ministry of Magic… huh, who would've thought those fools could be reliable sometimes."
Professor Kettleburn made no effort to hide his opinions about the Ministry, watching Kael with interest, "You're in second year now, right? Interested in taking Care of Magical Creatures class next year?"
"It's the class I look forward to the most, Professor."
In the neighboring ward, people were arguing loudly, and the shouting was audible here, but the sleeping man's snores were too loud for Kael to hear the specifics of their argument.
After bidding Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn goodbye, Kael headed to the corridor.
Here, the argument was clearer, accompanied by sounds of things breaking; it seemed some patient inside refused to cooperate and was struggling fiercely.
Kael didn't pay much attention, intending to head toward the staircase after closing the door.
"Bang!"
But just as he turned around, an arm suddenly smashed through the door of the neighboring ward, extending horizontally in front of Kael.
The arm was covered in gray fur, with claw-like nails at the end that were both black and long.
Before Kael could react to what was happening, a tall figure broke through the door and rushed out of the adjacent room.
The figure landed on its hind legs, its long snout opening and closing.
…
That figure… a werewolf?
Kael could hardly believe his eyes; it's daylight now, how could there be a werewolf!