09/02/1990
Friday, 9th February
Dear diary, we barely arrived in China before deciding to celebrate Dad's birthday, since it was impossible to do so in Romania. It was a bit late, but we still decided to make him a dark chocolate cake with red fruits. Just the way he likes it! And this time, it turned out much better than the last time! It was great working together in the kitchen with Draco, Julius, Blaise, and Luna.
Everyone had their task: Draco and I whisked the mixture, Blaise and Luna prepared the red fruits, and Julius helped us pour the mixture into the mould. We were so excited to do something special for Dad.
When the cake was ready, we took it out of the oven and decorated it with the red fruits. This time, even though I really wanted to do it myself, we let Blaise write the happy birthday message, as he has the steadiest hand. It turned out so beautiful and delicious! We were eager to show it to Dad and see his reaction.
The cake was a total success! Everyone loved it, and Dad was very happy. It was a very special and emotional birthday, despite being belated. I'm sure Dad appreciated our effort and dedication.
The rest of the trip was an incredible adventure! Our first stop was in Beijing, where we visited the Forbidden City, a place full of history and mystery. Dad told us about the ancient Chinese dragons, powerful and benevolent creatures that brought good luck. But now they are extinct, leaving only their descendants, the Chinese Fireball dragons, which retain their bright red and gold colours but have a different body shape. It saddened me to know that these wonderful creatures had been hunted to extinction for their "good luck" properties.
Afterwards, we went to the Great Wall of China, an architectural marvel stretching across mountains and valleys. Luna told us about the spiritual guardians of the wall, magical creatures similar to fairies but slightly larger, who protect this important site. We felt small in the face of the grandeur of the wall and the history it represents.
Another incredible place we visited was Xi'an, where we saw the Terracotta Army, an astonishing collection of ancient sculptures. Blaise told us about the earth spirits that guard these ancient warriors and give them life in another dimension. According to him, one of his stepfathers had managed to take one of the sculptures and was cursed by these spirits.
During our walks through the local markets, I found some special souvenirs for Anna. I bought a Chinese opera mask, representing the tradition and history of this ancient country. I also found a small figure of a Chinese dragon, symbolising strength and wisdom, which I know he'll love!
Oh, and since we arrived in China, we've been immersed in the culture and traditions of the New Year. After witnessing the dragon parade, we spent the following days exploring the New Year's market, where we found a variety of traditional foods and crafts. We tried different dishes like dumplings, noodles, and spring rolls, and also participated in games like dart throwing and duck fishing.
In the following days, we attended several cultural performances, including traditional Chinese dances and performances by local artists. Each performance was unique and allowed us to appreciate China's rich history and culture.
One of the most memorable moments was when we participated in the lantern ceremony. The brightly coloured lanterns illuminated the night sky, creating a magical and spectacular sight.
Of course, I can't forget to mention that we managed to visit the largest magical creature reserve in the world, located deep within a forest in China (no one would tell us the name of the forest). From the moment we entered the forest, we could feel the magic and energy emanating from this special place.
Our first stop was at the Demiguise habitat, a magical creature with silver fur and large, sad eyes. The Demiguise is known for its ability to become invisible when threatened and to see the future, making it difficult to detect. It was fascinating to see it move gracefully and stealthily among the trees. And we managed to pet one! although Blaise startled it even before he realised he was going to sneeze, which was quite funny.
Next, we headed to the area where the Occamy resides, a winged serpent with multicoloured feathers that expands and contracts to fit the space it has. The Occamy is known for its protective nature and extreme territoriality. It was impressive to see its beauty and elegance as it flew over our heads. We learned that a few weeks ago, baby Occamies had been born, but the mother wouldn't let us see them. However, we did manage to get some Occamy eggshell fragments, which are pure silver! The locals don't consider them very important because the silver can't be remoulded.
Afterwards, we reached the enclosure of the Re'em, enormous creatures with giant, golden horns. The Re'em are peaceful but powerful creatures, and their horns are said to have magical properties. We were captivated by their majesty and felt small in their imposing presence. I couldn't help but notice that they resembled Ro and Ra's Animagus forms quite a bit; well, they are bulls, but still, they were very similar, especially the golden horns. Dad managed to file down some of the horns to use in his potion experiments.
Finally, we visited the area of the horned serpents, snakes with horns on their heads and shiny scales. These creatures are agile and fast, slithering among the trees with ease. Although they are beautiful, they are also venomous, and Celty along with Apep ended up having a screaming (hissing?) match with them to see who was more venomous. Fortunately, we managed to distract them by talking to them, as it seems it's been a long time since any Parselmouth has passed through there.
In each encounter, we learned more about these magical creatures and their role in the magical ecosystem. It was a unique and unforgettable experience that left us in awe of the beauty and diversity of magical life in the world... And Dad got many potion ingredients!
See you,
Goodbye.