Over the past month, Anduin had performed similar spellcasting exercises nearly a thousand times, pushing himself to the point of magical and physical exhaustion each day.
In defense, Anduin could now accurately position a solidified invisible wall at any precise location. He had also mastered the low-density, speed-reducing Barrier Charm and developed a technique called the "Impedimenta Shield." This involved conjuring a transparent shield approximately one meter in diameter centered around his wand, providing mobile defense that could be summoned and dismissed at will, eliminating the need to wait for spells to expire.
"Phew, that's enough for today," Anduin said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "With a bit more practice, I might fully grasp the Barrier Charm. I have a feeling I'll be able to cast it wandlessly soon." He was reasonably satisfied with his progress.
After deciding to stop, Anduin began tidying up the training area. Halfway through, the wall of the courtyard suddenly cracked open. Someone had opened the passage from Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron. A burly man over three meters tall emerged, his dark shoulder-length hair cascading from beneath a drab fur coat. Each step he took exuded the imposing presence of a giant.
"Mr. Hagrid, long time no see. What brings you out of Diagon Alley?"
The Leaky Cauldron wasn't exactly bustling, but it still saw a few customers each day. Some Aurors on patrol would even stop by for a drink after their shifts. Anduin, who had been practicing magic in the courtyard frequently lately, had gotten to know some of them.
Hagrid was one of these regulars. Tom had introduced him as the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, responsible for the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid occasionally came to the pub for a drink or to Diagon Alley to purchase supplies for the school—at least, that's what he claimed.
"Ah, Mr. Wilson! What are you always doing out here in the courtyard? I was supposed to bring a Muggle-born wizard here to buy school supplies, but it turned out his family isn't entirely Muggle. The boy's father is a Squib who's quite familiar with the Wizarding World and has even been to Diagon Alley before, so there wasn't much for me to do."
Anduin stared at Hagrid in speechless exasperation. He had asked why Hagrid was coming out of Diagon Alley, not why he had gone there in the first place. Anduin had been practicing in the courtyard all afternoon and hadn't seen a single passerby. If Hagrid had nothing to do, why had he stayed inside so long?
Anduin didn't press further, simply replying, "Really? So, are you heading back to Hogwarts now?"
"Haha, I came to Diagon Alley early with the students' parents. When I realized they didn't need my help, I took a stroll through Knockturn Alley. Before I knew it, it was evening, and I hadn't even had lunch! I thought I'd grab a bite here and have a drink."
Anduin found Hagrid almost excessively good-natured. After just a few casual words, Hagrid was practically telling him everything he'd eaten for breakfast over the past few days.
Having finished his day's practice, Anduin chatted idly with Hagrid as they entered the Leaky Cauldron through the back door. "Hagrid, what treasures did you find on your wanderings? That's quite a large package."
Anduin noticed Hagrid still carrying a bulky parcel and asked curiously.
"This is Dragon Liver! I got an incredible deal today. Guess how much this whole pound cost me—you'll never believe it! You won't find a bargain like this anywhere else, haha!"
Hagrid proudly showed off his lucky find to Anduin, who grew even more curious upon hearing it was Dragon Liver.
"Dragon Liver? Is that actually a dragon's liver? I've never seen one before. Can I take a look?"
"Of course, my friend!" Hagrid generously agreed to Anduin's request and opened the package to show him.
"Wow, it looks incredibly fresh. What are you planning to do with it? Use it for potions?" Anduin examined the opened package. It contained only a portion of the dragon liver, but even after being cut, its color remained vibrant.
"Haha, I'm going to take it home and make some pâté to try," Hagrid chuckled.
"Is this thing even edible?" Anduin poked the dragon liver, surprised by how fresh it felt, as if it had just been removed from an animal.
Hagrid laughed. "Of course! I've even eaten dragon meat before. But things are a bit chaotic these days. There aren't many people selling these things anymore, and even if you find some, there's no guarantee anyone will buy it."
Anduin pondered for a moment, thinking it probably wasn't much different from lamb or pork liver.
"Making pâté seems like a waste. Why not try something else? I'll show you a trick—how about some scallion-stir-fried dragon liver?" Anduin suggested, figuring the recipe for scallion-stir-fried pork liver should work just as well. He was also curious about the taste of dragon liver himself.
"You're only eleven years old, and you can already cook?"
"Anduin's cooking is truly impressive," Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, chimed in. "I've been eating his food every day for the past two weeks. I'd love to learn a few tricks from him. If he ever writes a Magical Cookbook, it'll be a bestseller for sure."
Since Anduin had started staying at the Leaky Cauldron, Tom hadn't charged him for meals, on the condition that Anduin cooked for him.
When the topic of Magical Cookbooks came up, Anduin had discussed them with Tom. In his view, they were essentially like programming with spells. Readers would cast the spells listed in the recipe in sequence, and the resulting dish would closely resemble the one described. It was incredibly convenient.
Tom had several such cookbooks, which Anduin had examined. While they were indeed practical, they required mastering numerous household spells first, such as the Stirring Charm, the Kitchen Cutting Charm, and the Timing Charm. Moreover, many of the finished dishes in the recipes Anduin had seen had flavors that left much to be desired.
"Is that so? Then why don't you give it a try, Anduin?" Hagrid said casually, seemingly unconcerned. After all, he had acquired the ingredients at a bargain price.
Anduin carried the Dragon Liver into the kitchen. Only when he held it did he realize its peculiar nature. According to Hagrid, it was leftover stock from a Knockturn Alley vendor, sold at a discount after sitting for too long. Yet it still retained a faint warmth and emitted a unique, fishy aroma.
Anduin returned to his room and chopped a generous amount of his homegrown scallions. He combined them with onions, ginger, soy sauce, cooking wine, and the sliced Dragon Liver to marinate. After stir-frying it, he prepared several other small dishes, mindful of Hagrid's large appetite, and arranged them all on the table.
Hagrid and Tom, who had been following the enticing aroma, stared intently at the dishes in Anduin's hands, as if they were priceless treasures.
The moment Hagrid took his first bite, his eyes lit up. "Delicious!" he exclaimed. Anduin tasted it himself and found the flavor distinct from pork or lamb liver. It had a smooth, dense texture that surprisingly gave way to a crisp bite.
Hagrid and Tom were in high spirits. Tom even brought out a treasured bottle of redcurrant rum to share with Hagrid. Before long, both were tipsy, Hagrid repeatedly praising Anduin's culinary skills.