Felix’s Moving Castle

Watching the two troublemakers hastily flee, Felix Peregrine's face broke into an unapologetically wicked grin.

"Sir, what was that just now..." Harry queried in a hushed tone, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Felix shook his head, gesturing dismissively. "How should I know? Don't ask me about these things; I'm just an ordinary person."

Harry didn't buy it for a second. Ordinary people wouldn't react as Felix had just done. They'd likely feel fear and anger instead.

"The reason they're frightened is because such actions are beyond their comprehension," Felix explained, extending a hand.

"So, is this normal for you?" Harry interjected, recalling Felix's earlier inquiry about his magical abilities.

Felix regarded Harry. "It's nothing out of the ordinary to me. I'm well-versed in such matters."

"So, sir... what am I?!" Harry felt a sense of uncertainty wash over him as he looked at his hands in bewilderment.

"What lies within you is the power of magic, boy. You're a wizard, born with magical abilities," Felix stated matter-of-factly.

Suddenly, it felt as though time had frozen, the breeze stilled, and even Harry's movements became rigid in an instant.

"I, I, I... I... I'm sorry, sir, what did you say?" Harry stuttered.

"Wizard!" Felix reiterated, simultaneously igniting a ball of flame in his palm.

Harry found himself holding his breath as he watched, mesmerized by the runes adorning Felix's rolled-up sleeves and the flames dancing in his hand.

Snap—

The flames vanished as Felix clenched his fist.

"I'll show you a little, but I can't reveal too much. I don't want to attract the attention of the Ministry of Magic," Felix explained.

"What's the Ministry of Magic?" Harry inquired, gazing at Felix's clenched fist with curiosity.

"I don't know exactly. They seem like some sort of sinister organization. They tried to capture me before. If it weren't for Lucifer's protective spells, they might have succeeded," Felix lamented.

Despite knowing very little about this world, Felix couldn't comprehend how the Ministry of Magic had managed to locate him in the first place. He hadn't been wandering around in plain sight; he'd simply been flying over London. It seemed unjustified.

"So, can I do what you do? Can I produce flames from my hands?" Harry asked, his eyes filled with hope.

"I don't know," Felix replied, shaking his head.

Inquiring further, Harry received similar responses: "I don't know." "I don't know." "Who knows."

Despite the lack of definitive answers, Harry felt a sense of contentment. Felix hadn't shown any signs of impatience, and apart from addressing him as "boy" and maintaining an impassive demeanor, he found Felix to be quite amiable.

"Alright," Felix clapped his hands, signaling Harry to retrieve the Moon Spirit Flower cluster that had been completely unearthed. Harry carefully cradled the flowers, awaiting Felix's next instructions.

"Come inside," Felix beckoned, leading the way.

"Okay," Harry replied, feeling a mixture of nervousness and anticipation as he glanced back at No. 4 Privet Drive.

Sensing that the room within No. 13 held an entirely different world from the one outside, Harry summoned his courage and followed Felix inside, his heart brimming with both fear and excitement.

Inside the house, chaos reigned—a peaceful flame flickered in the fireplace, a broom leaned against the door, and assorted items were scattered haphazardly about. Harry gazed around in disbelief, particularly at Felix, who was impeccably dressed in a sleek formal suit.

It was a stark contrast that left Harry momentarily stunned...

Felix closed the door behind them, and Harry noticed a disk affixed to the upper right corner of the doorframe.

The disk divided into two halves, one brown and the other green, with a pointer resting in the center of the brown side.

As Felix Peregrine twisted the door handle, a clear, bell-like ding sounded, and the pointer swung over to the green side.

With the door now open again, Harry's eyes widened in astonishment. Instead of Privet Drive, he saw a swath of green grass, leading to a cliff's edge.

Raising an eyebrow, Felix stepped out. "What are you waiting for? Come along," he urged.

Stiffly descending the small stairs, Harry glanced back, realizing he stood within a sprawling castle, comprised of multiple interconnected structures, each adorned with abstract facial features—eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Lucifer had chosen an idyllic location, nestled amidst towering redwoods, overlooking a meadow that stretched to the cliff's edge—a perfect setting for the Moon Spirit Flower to bask in moonlight.

"Let's begin transplanting the flowers," Felix instructed without ceremony.

"Uh... okay," Harry responded, still reeling from the shock.

After selecting a suitable spot, Felix tossed the shovel to Harry, instructing him to proceed while he returned indoors.

Alone, Harry's mind wandered as he worked, stealing glances at the castle hidden among the redwoods.

With each shovel of dirt, Harry's thoughts swirled. Astonishing magic, grand castles, and...

Gazing over the cliff's edge, Harry felt the wind tousle his hair, revealing the scar on his forehead. Below lay an expanse of verdant wilderness, beyond which loomed distant mountains—a vista he'd never beheld.

Lost in thought, Harry pondered his newfound identity as a wizard. What about his parents? Were they powerful wizards too?

Meanwhile, within the castle, Lucifer queried lazily, "Who's the child? The one who damaged the Moon Spirit Flower?"

Felix nodded, retrieving sausages, bacon, and a lamb chop from the refrigerator, preparing lunch.

Pfft.

Once more, Lucifer emerged from the stove, wielding a pan. Utensils danced about as he expertly handled the ingredients.

"This child possesses magic," Felix explained. "I intend to investigate further, to unravel the mysteries of this world."

"Let me tell you," Lucifer interjected, "You could fly over London a couple of times, and someone will come to arrest you. Then, you can escape after gathering enough information."

"You..." Felix sighed. Since their days as Caribbean pirates, Lucifer's penchant for violence hadn't waned.

"I'm not as formidable as I once was," Felix admitted. "And don't underestimate this world; I'm still under a curse."

"Ah, yes. Remember the pilot who turned into a pig? And the wizard who became a cat? Hilarious..." Lucifer chuckled.

Suddenly, Felix's disguise faded, revealing a catlike visage with silver-white fur.

"A Maine Coon, nonetheless," Lucifer added.

"Could you please refrain from eating everything in sight and remain quiet?" Felix retorted, exasperated.