Hogwarts: I graduated before the system came

Douglas closed the book and said with a smile:

"There's no conflict between doing business and having fun. Life is like Bibi Every Flavour Beans. You never know if the next one will taste like booger or vomit. Since you can't avoid it, why not take the initiative and try it?"

As he said this, he took out some Bibi Multi-Flavor Beans from his pocket.

Lupin took one of them and put it in his mouth, looking Douglas up and down:

"Not bad, honey flavored, you didn't get it from the principal's office, did you?

But, speaking of which, it seems like you haven't updated any of your novels about the wizarding world or the Muggle world recently?"

Douglas looked at the ceiling and said sadly:

"Because...I'm lazy!"

The boarding process went surprisingly smoothly.

As the huge metal bird began to glide down the runway, then suddenly raised its head and rushed into the sky.

Lupin couldn't help but hold on to the handrail, his face turning pale.

Douglas handed him a small carton of orange juice with a smiling sun printed on the package.

"Special sedative, Muggle brand."

In-flight meal session.

He poked his fork at the chicken and rice dish that looked like a plastic model, and the small pile of mashed potatoes of a suspicious color next to it.

"Douglas, honestly, we spent quite a bit of Muggle currency, didn't we?"

Lupin's voice was filled with uncertainty.

"It looks like something a Muggle found in a roadside trash can."

Douglas gracefully cut off a small piece of chicken, put it in his mouth, and chewed it for a moment:

"Well, the texture is a bit like chewing water-soaked parchment, and the flavor... probably the aftertaste of a troll's socks that have been air-dried for three days.

The good news, though, is that at least it fills your stomach and won't give you a sudden third eye.

Also, your mouth has been spoiled by the food at Hogwarts this year."

After saying that, Douglas put down his fork and took out the exquisite airplane meal prepared in advance by Butler Dobby from his pocket.

There was a sudden turbulence in the air flow, and a small cry of surprise was heard in the cabin.

Lupin subconsciously tightened his grip on his wand and quickly muttered the words "Protection from Armor."

Then Douglas slapped them apart...

Lupin...

Douglas was as steady as an old dog, even having the leisure to clap along with the soothing music on the cabin broadcast:

"Don't be nervous, Remus. It's just a little Muggle flying incident, the equivalent of a headwind when we ride our brooms. It's a small scene."

Finally, before Lupin felt like his bones were about to fall apart, the plane landed smoothly at Rome Fiumicino Airport.

The moment he set foot on Italian soil, Lupin almost burst into tears.

"Thanks Merlin, it feels so good to be grounded!"

The process of collecting the luggage was smoother than expected, as I knew the operation of Douglas Muggle Airport very well.

He quickly found their two mismatched suitcases—handmade models—on the conveyor belt.

"See, my Muggle Repelling Charm is still somewhat useful."

Douglas picked up the box and winked at Lupin.

He was referring, of course, to the airline label he'd put on the box, not any actual curse word.

The two of them pushed the luggage cart out of the international arrival hall and were immediately surrounded by a hot wave mixed with the aroma of coffee, various perfumes and noisy Italian.

Lupin was a little dizzy and felt like he had fallen into a goblin market.

Douglas stretched in a good mood.

"Pizza, the Colosseum, and... Ministry officials who are more accustomed to using hand gestures than their British counterparts."

Then he looked around and led Lupin towards a corner of the square.

A heroic young woman, with her arms folded, is leaning against a duty-free billboard.

Her olive skin glowed with health in the sun, and her hazel eyes scanned the crowd leaving the station sharply.

Seeing Douglas approaching, a smile appeared on his face and he said jokingly:

"I say, Mr. Holmes, with all this attire, are you planning to go straight to some Muggle... oh, right, a business meeting?"

Douglas raised his eyebrows and replied:

“Isabella Rossi, or should I call you Rome’s unofficial fashion critic?”

Isabella Rossi burst out laughing, walked up and patted Douglas on the shoulder without any hesitation.

Lupin watched this scene with an aunt's smile on his face. Before coming here, Douglas didn't tell him that he had any acquaintances in Italy, and that she was such a powerful witch.

He could tell that the pat on the shoulder was definitely not light.

Isabella bluntly revealed:

"Come on, Douglas, the last time you came to Rome, that floral shirt you wore, supposedly to blend in with the local culture, made our entire Auror office laugh for a whole week.

I still have the photo. Would you like me to publish it in the British Daily Prophet, with the title "A British Gentleman's Italianate Portrait"? I heard you're quite famous now."

Douglas's expression froze for a moment.

That floral shirt was a reflection of his previous misunderstanding of romantic Italy and a major flaw in his life resume.

Isabella then turned her gaze to Lupin beside her, with a bit of curiosity and scrutiny:

"This must be the famous Mr. Remus Lupin, right?

I've heard a lot about you! I'm Isabella Rossi, from the Auror Office at the Italian Ministry of Magic."

She extended her hand, shaking it firmly.

Lupin smiled gently, his hand exerting a moderate force:

"Hello, Miss Rossi. Douglas often mentions your... uh, your efficiency and... energy."

Isabella glanced at Douglas and said disdainfully:

"Mr. Lupin, please don't flatter him. Will he ever mention me? Nine out of ten letters never reach him. If it weren't for the Daily Prophet two years ago, I would have thought this guy died in some unknown cave."

Douglas shrugged and asked doubtfully:

"But how did you find time to come here? I thought it was Lorenzo."

Lorenzo Dino, an employee of the Department of International Magical Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Magic whom Douglas met during his last visit to Italy, was a pragmatic and smooth person who suited Douglas's temperament very well.

Chapter 372 Douglas Doesn’t Hold a Grudge

The hustle and bustle of the airport gradually faded away.

Isabella demonstrated her excellence as an elite Auror.

She didn't use any overt magic, just a skilled technique that was barely noticeable.

Cleverly guiding Douglas and Lupin to avoid the crowd.

Her steps were light and precise, as if she could predict the direction of the crowd and always lead them into a relatively open area at the most appropriate time.

She shook her hair and said in a low but clear voice:

"This way, gentlemen," she said softly, but with an unmistakable guiding force.

Lupin noticed that as Isabella pushed the luggage trolley, her fingers inadvertently touched the handles of their two suitcases.

A faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation of magic flashed by.

Then the heavy box seemed to become light, and Douglas pushed it effortlessly. It was a very delicate levitation spell, light enough to reduce the weight but not enough to attract any attention from Muggles.

Lupin looked at Douglas in confusion about this method. Why did it seem like Douglas's magic method?

Isabella glanced at Douglas with an expression that said, "I'm about to praise you."

"Well, this technique is okay, right? But your finger snapping was too stupid, so I changed it a little bit."

Douglas smiled and said:

"It's very detailed and excellent. But how do I get through this time?"

When Lupin heard this, he looked as if he had expected it.

He noticed that Isabella's was very similar to Douglas's.

Isabella is not only capable of taking action, but also has superb disguise skills in the Muggle world.

She was wearing a pair of well-tailored Muggle trousers, a simple white shirt, and a light jacket, looking like an ordinary, capable business woman.

Her ponytail was neatly styled, and her hazel eyes were sharp and alert, yet they could quickly switch to a friendly and harmless expression when her eyes met.

This ability to switch seamlessly between the Muggle and wizarding worlds gave Lupin a deeper understanding of the Aurors of the Italian Ministry of Magic.

At least there are not many such people among the Aurors of the British Ministry of Magic.

He was also curious about the daily routine of the wizards here.

Isabella said nothing, but hailed a taxi—a real Muggle taxi.

In the car, she spoke to the driver in fluent Italian, her tone relaxed and natural, as if she was just chatting about the weather and traffic in Rome.

Lupin whispered to Douglas:

"Where are we going?"

Douglas looked at the scenery passing by outside the window and said casually:

"Capitoline Hill, Italy's magical headquarters."

The taxi weaved through the winding streets of Rome and finally stopped in an inconspicuous alley at the foot of Capitoline Hill.

This place is completely different from the modern atmosphere of the airport just now. The air is filled with a sense of history. The cobblestone road has been worn smooth by time. On both sides are closely connected ancient buildings, and the walls are covered with ivy.

Isabella paid the fare and took the two of them into an unremarkable antique shop.

The store is small and dimly lit, and the air is filled with the stale smell of dust and wood.

The shelves were filled with all kinds of antiques, from broken sculptures to faded paintings, from rusty armor to dusty porcelain. Everything looked disorganized, as if forgotten by time.

Douglas looked around with interest. His eyes lingered for a few seconds on the seemingly randomly placed antiques, as if he was looking for something.

He even picked up a small pottery jar that looked like it was from the Roman period, weighed it gently, and put it back.

While casually asking:

"How's my Apparition/Apparition pass going?"

Lupin's mind was full of question marks???

It wasn't Isabella who was walking in who answered his question.

The old man who was wiping a small gadget in the corner like a Muggle said casually:

"Hehe, the Vatican has been refusing to approve your application because of what happened last time... Although you are right, he is a cardinal after all..."

Douglas was speechless for a moment.

"So this time I..."

Isabella took over the conversation unhappily and said:

"So this time, you must follow our arrangements. We haven't informed them of the specific time of your arrival. Lorenzo has been arguing with them about your situation... Okay, let's go in and talk..."

Douglas shrugged helplessly and did not explain to the curious Lupin.

Lupin didn't care about being ignored at this time. He was very curious about what Douglas had done to offend the cardinal here.

You have to know that the situation in the Roman magic world is special. It is almost a symbiotic relationship between magic and religion. There is both hostility and cooperation between the two. In short, the situation is very complicated.

Even Dumbledore generally doesn't want to get involved in the events here, because if he is not careful, he might break the balance between the two.

Isabella came to a dusty tapestry of a map of Rome.