Chapter 657
If the Renaissance is the golden age of the Mediterranean period, then the era of the industrial revolution driven by steam engines is the era that Britain is most proud of, and people even named that era the Steam Age.
However, with the rise of the second industrial revolution, the age of steam has declined, and it has become a symbol in people's memory. The steam train that used to run on the railway was replaced by an electric drive. King's Cross Station built in the Victorian era There is no sign of the steam train anymore.
Platform Nine and Three Quarters is dedicated to teachers and students going to Hogwarts to study. It is a kind of social welfare like the Knight Bus. Although there are tickets, passengers are not charged.
There is a fee for the European train on platform 7 and 1/2. In 1994, the subsea tunnel between Britain and France was opened to traffic. This tunnel is not open to cars, but to trains.
The idea of establishing a fixed passage through the strait dates back to the time of Napoleon I in the early 19th century. But at that time, the relationship between Britain and France had been put on hold because of technology. For a long time, the main reason why the British side opposed the construction of the Channel Tunnel was because of the military risks. barrier.
With the changes in the international situation, the United Kingdom has joined the European Community. In order to establish a more convenient and fast channel between the United Kingdom and the European continent, the British-French undersea tunnel project has been put on the agenda again.
But at this time, it was not the political situation that prevented the tunnel construction, but the money issue. From the signing of the Canterbury Treaty on the tunnel connection between France and Britain on February 12, 1986 to the official opening of the tunnel on May 7, 1994, it took 8 years. The tunnel was operated by Eurotunnel Technology Company, which cost about 10 billion pounds over the years. However, due to the extremely high cost of tunnel construction, the debt was heavy. In the end, the government relied on private capital investment to alleviate this problem.
Malfoy could be seen wherever it was profitable, and the European train and the Muggle electric train from platform seven and a half shared the undersea tunnel.
The Hogwarts Express was originally designed and manufactured by Muggle engineers in Cheshire, England, using a steam-driven engine, but the steam engine inside was removed when it was delivered, although it came with a coal water car, in fact It doesn't work at all, the Hogwarts Express is powered by magic.
The European special train and the Hogwarts Express also use the "steam locomotive". Pomona strongly suspects that it is caused by Malfoy's lack of understanding of Muggle technology. The Hogwarts Express is painted with red paint, and the European special train It is painted green, and looks like a huge forest.
This is a sleeper car, which is different from the Muggle train on platform 7 next door, which has densely arranged seats in order to carry as many passengers as possible. Its interior is very luxurious, with longer and wider beds, double beds and family suites, shiny tableware in the dining car, and crystal chandeliers in the corridor. The old hags on the Grwarz Express pushing the candies, and they're professionally trained, white-gloved "senior stewards."
This car is like a mobile luxury hotel, and it is completely designed for "upper class people". Ordinary civilians in the wizarding world generally use Muggle vehicles for travel, the purpose is to be convenient and fast, and to reduce the amount of time spent on the road. Time to reach the destination as quickly as possible.
This train is for travelers to enjoy the fun of travel. Before the subsea tunnel is built, the train will stop at the port on the British side. Passengers will take the ferry to France, and the second train waiting on the shore will send the passengers to Continental Europe, so the departure time from King's Cross Station in the UK is 3:00 pm.
After the opening of the tunnel, the departure time was changed to 6:25 in the afternoon. When the sky began to darken and there was no scenery to see outside the window, the train just entered the subsea tunnel. When the next day dawned, you could see the beautiful scenery of France. up.
People from the newly rich classes such as Umbridge and the Smith family have a "climbing psychology" that hopes to be recognized as an aristocrat. She bought Slytherin's locket and married Helga Hufflepuff all because of this kind of psychology.
Declining nobles are desperately trying to maintain the old glory, and marriage is often the best way. In the movie Titanic, Ross married the American steel tycoon Carl, and Greengrass married the notorious but rich Malfoy family to maintain "nobility's decency".
People sometimes have to marvel at the magic power brought by money. It can indeed buy many things, even love. Women like Ross who treat money like dung can’t be supported by ordinary men. How much is a painting by Monet worth now? ?
After the godfather and godmother took a nap in the study, Draco also got up. After drinking the tranquilizer, he calmed down a lot, and he could still eat meat normally, but Draco became very silent and his face was haggard. , not as "juicy" as he was when he was a child.
When Draco first entered school, his eyes were as transparent and shining as crystals, but now he looks like a goldfish with dull eyes, as if he has lost that kind of spirituality.
He came to King's Cross Station with Astonia on his arm to see off his godparents. The young handsome men and women were very eye-catching, and coupled with his status as a Death Eater, other passengers on this train couldn't help but feel sorry for Pomona and Seaver. Les took a second look at the middle-aged passengers.
On August 22, 1994, the Quidditch World Cup was held in a Muggle camp in England. In the semi-finals, Scotland lost to Transylvania, Scotland lost to Luxembourg, Wales lost to Uganda, and only Ireland Defeated Peru and entered the final. According to reason, the Quidditch World Cup should be held in Ireland, but Fudge managed to set the venue in England.
The contradictions among wizards in Britain are not as deep as among Muggles, and everyone is barely "one country".
The game was very successful, but the death eater riots and twist attacks after the game made the World Cup a shadow.
The selected Muggle family, Mr. Roberts had never seen wizards, let alone the money those wizards gave him. He thought that all the people who came to his camp were foreigners. Forgetting the curse several times.
Later, his family was tortured by Death Eaters and floated in the air. After the riot subsided, the amnestics used the oblivion spell on him again. It was summer in August, but he said Merry Christmas, as if people were already stupid.
The Muggles of the Ministry of Magic controlled by Kingsley at least don't have to worry about wizards playing tricks on them. There are many pro-Muggles in the Order of the Phoenix, and now it's the wizards' turn to guard against Muggles.
After all, the International Statute of Secrecy protects the interests of Muggles. If a wizard's daughter is bullied by a Muggle boy, the wizard's father cannot take revenge, otherwise he may be sent to Azkaban like Albus Dumbledore's father .
Almost all wizarding villages in Europe are in remote areas far from Muggle cities, and many Muggle-operated trains do not go to those places.
When the train whistle blew and the conductor blew his whistle to signal to the passengers that the train was about to leave, Pomona kissed Astonia and Draco close to each other, and then carried a picnic basket and followed in "Ofeu" Kex boarded the train behind him.
There are always not enough compartments in Hogwarts, and there is no seat number on the ticket, so everyone can only find a seat at will. No one knows who they will meet in the next compartment. In the future, they will become friends, enemies or even with that person. couple.
"What are you doing with your picnic basket? There's no food in the car?" Severus asked her once before setting off, as if there was nothing that money couldn't buy in his eyes.
The only answer Pomona gave him was a mysterious smile.
Food brings people together, and in that dream she was sharing with others in a picnic basket with so much food that there was enough for a feast.
It's a pity that there are so many people in the same class as Lily, and now only Severus can be invited to participate.
In the last scene played in The Godfather, all the people who attended the birthday party of Old Kryon went to the next door, only Mike was left in the restaurant facing the table full of sumptuous food, and only the voice of talking came from outside the door.
They may be Mike's memories, or ghosts wandering in the world.
When she gets back to the box later, she can close the door, so that if someone talks outside the door, she can pretend that they are all dead.
But only she knows this secret, she will not tell him.
