Whether Horace Slughorn was a saint or not, Rove did not know, and it was difficult to know.

The old slippery man was so tight-mouthed that even Dumbledore couldn't get the information he wanted, let alone Rove.

Wouldn't he have the time to enjoy the trip?

So, after Horace and Nellis left, Rove and Shirley leave the room together and head to the exclusive deck of the first class.

There were few passengers here, and there were no reporters, so the two did not change their appearances, so they walked side by side, and Rove also introduced the origin of the "Mayflower" to the ponytail girl.

Shirlian listened quietly, asking a few words occasionally, and when she was almost on deck, she suddenly remembered something, and grinned:

"Rove, I seem to know...... You were in the port before, why was you recognized by that group of reporters? ”

Rove looked at the ponytail girl, and when he saw her pointing to the black leather box in his hand, he instantly suddenly smiled dumbly:

"It turned out that the box revealed the identity."

Yes, wherever he went all these years, he carried this black box with the Scamander family ornament on it...... Even if he changes his appearance, he will be recognized by reporters at a glance.

That's the price of fame!

Rove was a little helpless, he thought about it and said softly:

"It seems that in the future, I will have to ask Tony to make an alchemical item similar to the chameleon system and put it on the chest, so that it will not be recognized."

"Chameleon system...... What is that? Shirley asked.

"The technology used by Tadis in Doctor Who." Rove explains:

"It automatically changes shape and blends in with its surroundings without disobedience, so that others can't notice the abnormality."

"Doctor Who" is the longest-running sci-fi television series in the Muggle world and a well-known "national drama" in the United Kingdom, telling the story of a guy who claims to be a doctor, rides a time machine called 'Taddish', and adventures with his female companion in different time and space.

Although Shirley grew up in a nuns' house, she lived in Rove's house last summer and watched a lot with him, so she got to know him.

She blinked her eyes and wondered, "Isn't the Tadis that the Doctor is riding in always a blue phone booth?" ”

"That's because the Chameleon system in Tardis is broken and hasn't been repaired." Rove smiled, picked up his box, tapped it lightly with his fingers, and said:

"Speaking of which, our box is really similar to Tardis, both of which are larger on the inside than on the outside, but unfortunately they don't have the ability to travel through time and space."

"It's easy." Shirley smiled and said softly, "Just install a time converter in the box." ”

Rove's eyes lit up, and he felt that this operation was really feasible.

The two of them walked and talked, and soon reached the deck, and then to the railing, where they looked down and could see Captain Carlos giving orders loudly.

Sailors climbed up and down three tall masts, busily fiddling with rigging and heavy sails.

Shirley saw a row of stony dripping beasts in the form of birds on the railing, very small and cute, she observed for a while, and did not distinguish what kind of magical creature it was, so she asked in a low voice:

"Rove, what kind of animal is this?"

"Kingfisher." "A legendary magical animal, rumored to calm down storms and waves when it flies across the ocean," Rove said. ”

"Therefore, there are usually statues of kingfishers on ships that sail away, and sailors will also pray to the kingfishers before going out to sea, blessing them to return safely and not encounter storms."

Shirley brushed her sideburns and hair, looked at Rove, and said softly, "Is there really such a magical creature?" ”

"Say yes," Rove mused...... "but no wizard has ever actually caught a kingfisher, not even a single photo."

Rare as the unicorn, there are a large number of bones and specimens that have survived, and even appeared in front of wizards all over the world at the International Wizards' Congress held in Bhutan more than 60 years ago. ”

"But let's say no......" Rove paused, narrowed his eyes, and continued:

"Sightings of kingfishers are not uncommon, from the Sumerian epic Gilgamesh, do you remember the great flood?"

In the first year of the History of Magic class, Professor Binns gave a lecture on Sumer's Epic of Gilgamesh.

Shirley still remembers it vividly, and she nodded:

"A tsunami from the Mediterranean inundated Mesopotamia, the valley of the two rivers, and the first kingdom of wizards, Eridu, was destroyed."

"But the wizard Utnabisidin escaped." Rove continued: "He was in the Persian Gulf, met a ghost ship, and hid in it, thus escaping the great flood. ”

The young man tapped the statue of the kingfisher with his fingers, and said thoughtfully:

"Later, Utnabysidin found a bird on the boat, and he released the bird, and it landed on the sea, and the flood waters soon fell...... That bird is the kingfisher. ”

"In Homer's epic poem, the ancient Greek wizard Odysseus was caught in a storm as he left Avalon.

It was also the kingfisher who appeared and calmed the storm and allowed him to leave the island without any problems. ”

"In later generations, there are many wizards who claim to have seen the kingfisher." Rove raised his eyes and looked into the distance, and said slowly: "Including...... Grandfather. ”

Shirley was a little stunned and said, "Grandpa Newt has also seen a kingfisher?" ”

"Yes." Rove nodded, "I heard from my grandfather that when he was younger, he once rode a Muggle fishing boat and chased a Cromer's sea serpent. ”

"Then there was a storm in the North Sea, and just as the fishing boat was about to be overturned, he saw a bird appear on the surface of the sea, fly around the boat, and the wind and waves disappeared inexplicably."

"So......" Shirley muttered, "the Kingfisher is not just a legend. ”

At this time, the sailors on the deck turned the cable, and the ferry began to anchor, and after a jolt, the hull separated from the harbor.

The heavy leash tightened, and the crew pulled down a huge sail against the wind, dangling it from the cross-mast beam.

Rove watched the Mayflower sail away from the port of Dover with its white sails in the wind, and suddenly laughed.

Shirley turned her head, looked at the side of the young man's face, and asked softly, "Rove, what are you laughing at?" ”

Rove leaned on the railing, shook his feet slightly, and whispered:

"I suddenly remembered the divination class, and Professor Trelawney told me...... In the last event of the Triwizard Tournament, the boat I was on would sink and then fall into the water and drown. ”

"I told her at the time that the last event of the Triwizard Tournament was not in the Black Lake, there was no water...... She changed her story and said that she encountered a storm on a boat during the summer vacation and fell into the sea. ”

"Look, isn't it right on the Mayflower?"

“……”

Shirley thought for a moment, frowned and asked, "Did Professor Trelawney enter that realm of true prophecy at that time?" ”

"Nope." Rove smiled, "So, Professor Trelawney's prophecy doesn't have to be taken seriously. ”

Shirley breathed a sigh of relief, but she still stood up straight, prayed to the statue of the god kingfisher:

"Kingfisher...... I hope you can keep Rove safe and safe all the way. ”

Rove put away his carelessness and said earnestly to the statue as well: "Divine kingfisher...... I also hope that you will protect Shirley all the way safely and smoothly. ”

The ponytailed girl turned her head and smiled at Rov, she leaned slightly to the right, her body pressed against the boy, her head resting on his shoulder.

The two of them snuggled up together on the deck, quietly looking out to sea.

……

……

(Happy New Year 2024, everyone has a happy new year, and I hope that the book friends are safe and sound.) ）

(End of chapter)