In the Harry Potter Without Harry Potter

Chapter 210: Sir Stoker

Neville and the others who followed behind Jon were invited to enter the tower under Rabier's sidelong invitation.

From the outside, the whole tower is very long and narrow, giving the impression that the interior is at most like the vast majority of lighthouses on the sea, with rooms in the centre with a spiral staircase built around the walls at best.

But in fact, Undetectable Extension Charm is a practical spell that almost every wizard tries to learn, a convenient magic that allows them to build a house without having a large space.

After entering the door, there is a not-so-small foyer, or rather this whole floor is a foyer.

The floor is covered with a cashmere carpet that looks warm, and the fireplace on the wall has a dancing flame emitting light and heat, allowing people like Neville, who was originally shrinking his neck in the cold outside, to relax his body as soon as he entered the door.

In the middle of the foyer is a spiral staircase that winds upward and leads to the ceiling.

Rabier led them straight to the stairs, after both of their feet stepped on the wooden stairs, the spiral staircase began to move up automatically like the stairs in Hogwarts Castle, without the need for Jon to take his own steps.

The steps went up quickly, and in addition to the foyer, they could only occasionally see the furnishings of other floors further up, most of which were enclosed around, with only one door on each floor and this nearly endless spiral staircase connected.

Jon estimated in his mind, they probably climbed upwards a distance of 40 or 50 meters beyond when the spiral staircase which was still not reached the top, stopped abruptly.

Here is also an open space, the floor is covered with more elaborate cashmere carpet than the foyer, with a mild warm light chandelier illuminated here, and on the coffee table in the centre, the kettle jumped up to pour water into the teacups, several silver plates containing a variety of pastries, floated and arranged on the table.

After Jon came to this floor, as if casually sweeping a glance he looked at the plain fireplace, and did not find any small box with green powder on the mantel.

Only one person is sitting in this lounge-like room.

An old man with glasses and silver hair is sitting on a single sofa chair, with a black cat in his arms, looking at Jon with a smile on his face as he walked forward with Neville and the group.

"Mr Johnson? Welcome to Starr, it's the first time in all these years that a professor from a magic school has come to visit me. Bring the children and sit down, I have not much to entertain you in my humble abode, I can only serve some tea and snacks."

The various furnishings in this tower are not something that can be afforded by those who live in a humble abode, and most of the things are considered antiques that are worth a lot of money even in the magical world.

"You are kind, Sir Stoker, we should be the ones to feel sorry for our presumptuous visit."

Jon sat on a single sofa diagonally opposite Sir Stoker, and Neville and the five of them sat together on the long sofa.

They did not touch the tea and snacks on the coffee table, Jon chose to bring five people from the ship, and they are all brainy, even if Luna has a "Loony" nickname in the book, she just has an eccentric personality, not stupid, Lee Jordan spent all day with the Weasley twins, so he's also quite clever.

There's no need to mention Neville or Hermione; even Ron has been more stable these past two years than he was at the beginning of the school year.

"My ancestor had given a knighthood during the Muggle's Capetian dynasty because of the long supply of curing potions to the royal family. Since then, Sir Stoker has been the title for every generation of my family, even in the magical community."

Sir Stoker spoke calmly about his origins as a wizard who still held a knighthood.

"My real name is Tobia Stoker, and this Starr High Tower is also an inheritance of my family, it's just that my previous family would rarely come here, and my father even forgot that there is such a tower in our family on this sea. It was only later when I inherited the family line I found it, because I have a huge interest in astronomy, I sold the family property in the magical world and then expanded and inhabited this tower. However, this place is far from land, and it is rare for wizards to go out to sea by ship, I have never gone back since I came to Starr, and there is basically little communication with the outside world, I don't know how you know this place of mine, Professor Johnson?"

His question is not abrupt or impolite, because Jon could reach here only because he knew about this place in advance, otherwise, there is no way to come to this place even if someone wandered around this area.

This sea is already close to the North Pole, there will rarely wizards travel using a ship, let alone travel to the North Pole through the ocean.

But Jon was obviously prepared for this.

"I have a friend named Richard Williams, I wonder if you still have any memory of him?"

Sir Stoker's face showed an expression of surprise.

"That's for sure, he's the only wizard who has visited me in the last ten years or so, was he the one who told you the location of Starr Tower?"

Jon noticed the "ten years" time period he said, and nodded quietly.

"He and I had a casual conversation, and he inadvertently mentioned to me that he had been entertained by you when he was travelling as a young man. Recently I came to this nearby sea with my students on a study trip, and thought I would bring them to visit you for a little while to gain some insight."

Richard Williams is naturally the identity Dumbledore assumed, he learned of Voldemort's voyage route several years ago, and he came to the tower in hidden identity to visit once, but that time he did not gain anything.

After learning the reason why he could find this place from Jon, Sir Stoker's attitude obviously changed a bit.

His attitude was a bit more eager, inviting Jon to have dinner with him.

In this regard, of course, Jon had no reason to refuse, from the situation in front of him, there is no problem in the behaviour of this Sir Stoker who lives in the high tower.

He initially remained wary of Jon and them, just because no one would normally notice this tower, and after Jon gave a reasonable answer, he regained his friendly enthusiasm.

Jon didn't notice anything wrong with his gaze or the expression on his face, nor did he notice that his mind, which had been operating under occlumency, was being spied on.

This certainly does not yet completely dissipate the wariness in Jon's mind, but some things can always be put on the table to ask out.

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