Chapter 63: Sights in Hogsmeade
It was now autumn, and the streets of Hogsmeade were covered in red maple leaves. Lyra's boots crunched on them, making a rustle, rustle sound.
It's just like walking on a sandy beach... Lyra thought, trying her hardest not to notice the students walking by.
"Good morning, Hagrid!"
"Good morning, Professor Hamilton!"
These were greetings from the students, but to Lyra, they sounded like incantations for the Imperius Curse. She shrank into herself, trying not to faint from nervousness behind her silver mask.
Fortunately, most of the students had their own business and were just saying hello. The few who wanted to chat with Hagrid were shooed away by him.
"I reckon Miss Hamilton is in a hurry ter buy ingredients, innit?" Hagrid said, scratching his head. "Them kids always askin' questions."
"Ah... thank... thank you..." Lyra whispered her thanks to Hagrid, but her gaze was mostly focused on Fang.
"It's nothin'," Hagrid said with a smile. "Yeh're Professor Dumbledore's friend, after all, and a Hogwarts professor too."
Dumbledore and I are absolutely not friends!
Lyra quickly shook her head. "I... I and Dum—"
"We're here!" Hagrid's booming voice interrupted Lyra. They seemed to have reached their destination.
"Most students buy their ingredients here. Even Professor Snape sometimes buys from here." Hagrid stooped down and carefully pushed open the door.
It was an herbalist shop... It looked quite rustic... and smelled faintly of herbs.
This made Lyra relax slightly...
But the relaxation only lasted until she stepped inside. As she followed Hagrid in, a scrutinizing gaze swept over her immediately.
"Mornin', Mrs. Trott." Hagrid greeted the owner of the gaze, drawing away the stare that made Lyra's scalp tingle.
Lyra looked up slightly to glance at the shopkeeper.
She was a somewhat plump middle-aged woman wearing a slightly tattered robe, a scarf tied around her head. Her hair was messy, like a Bowtruckle's nest, with a few stray weeds stuck in it.
She looked... very rustic...
"Ah, Hagrid. Morning." She rolled her eyes, leaning listlessly against the counter.
"You shouldn't have come today," she said, glancing at Lyra. "And you shouldn't have brought such a strange student."
"Ah, yeh mean Miss Hamilton?" Hagrid laughed. "She ain't a student. She's the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts."
"Professor?" Mrs. Trott raised an eyebrow. "That's the most student-looking professor I've ever seen."
"Does Hogwarts hire child labor now?"
How rude! I'm an adult! I'm older than you!
Lyra wanted to tell the woman she should be addressed as Professor Hamilton or Mrs. Hamilton!
But after thinking about it... she decided against it.
Definitely not because of shyness, but because... this is the magnanimity a member of the Zauberpartei should have!
"So, what are you buying?" Mrs. Trott asked casually, shaking her head. "I don't have ingredients for making Fizzing Whizbees here."
I'm really not a child!
Lyra gritted her teeth and handed the note in her hand to Hagrid.
Hagrid paused, then handed the note to Mrs. Trott.
"Go left, then down the stairs..." Mrs. Trott stared at the note. "What is this?"
"I... I gave... gave you the wrong one!" Lyra flusteredly pulled another piece of paper from her robes and put it on the counter.
How can I be so stupid... giving Miss Granger's note to Hagrid! And Hagrid, you too! Didn't you even look at it?
It obviously has nothing to do with potions!
Lyra poked Hagrid in the back with her wand... but obviously, the giant didn't feel it. He was beaming at Lyra.
"That was a funny joke... I didn't know yeh had such a talent, Miss Hamilton."
Facing Hagrid's face, Lyra forced an awkward smile under her pale mask.
Haha, funny, right?
When I poked you with my wand just now, I should have used the Cruciatus Curse...
"Tsk..." Picking up the new note, Mrs. Trott clicked her tongue. "Wolfsbane Potion?"
"Are you the new Potions Master at Hogwarts?"
"Did Severus Snape actually quit?" She looked thoughtful. "I actually quite liked him."
"Professor Snape won't quit," Hagrid said, surprised.
"You actually like Professor Snape?" Lyra muttered in surprise.
Then she quickly covered her mouth... Why did I just blurt that out...
Fortunately, no one heard her mosquito-like murmur.
Besides, Professor Snape is actually quite nice... At least he told me where to find the book on Wolfsbane Potion and where to buy ingredients in Hogsmeade...
Mm, I should learn from you and strive to like Professor Snape too.
Maybe even become friends with him... That should be possible, right?
Lyra, you fool, getting cocky just because you have two friends... As long as someone is willing to be your friend, you should accept it, okay?
Of course, excluding Dumbledore!
Mm, and Newt Scamander! Don't think I've forgotten you! You magical creature playboy!
"Oh!"
Lyra suddenly felt a tickle on her palm. She instinctively pulled her hand back, then realized it was Fang.
He was licking her hand again...
If you're really hungry, eat Hagrid... He looks pretty filling... and he was really annoying just now.
While Lyra's thoughts wandered, the shop door was pushed open again.
"Good morning, Mrs. Trott!"
The two people who walked in spoke in unison. "We're here to buy some magical ingredients!"
They were two identical-looking people... Lyra recognized them.
George Weasley and Fred Weasley... They were on Lyra's blacklist.
They had already broken their circlets twice.
"Ah, Hagrid?" George raised an eyebrow at Hagrid. "You're here."
"Oh, and Professor Hamilton!" Fred spotted Lyra standing behind Hagrid.
"Good morning, Professor." He gave a slightly comical bow, tugging on George's sleeve.
"That's right, good morning!" George followed suit with a bow.
"..."
Lyra's mouth twitched slightly. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she just nodded lightly.
These two were the type she feared most... that enthusiastic familiarity...
Even more exaggerated than Hagrid's... familiarity.
"Miss Hamilton an' I are here to buy some things," Hagrid shrugged with a smile. He seemed very familiar with George and Fred.
He even reached out and patted their shoulders.
"Are yeh two buyin' weird stuff fer pranks again?"
"Of course not!" "Absolutely not!"
George and Fred said in unison, then looked at Lyra.
They smiled simultaneously.
"We just heard Lockhart..." George shrugged and looked at Fred.
"Is starting a Dueling Club," Fred picked up.
"So we decided to add a little fun for him," they said together. "It's going to be very interesting."
"One hundred percent!"
"You must come and watch, Professor Hamilton."
"Ah, she'll definitely come," George nudged Fred. "Did you forget?"
"Lockhart said Professor Hamilton is going to be his assistant."
Huh?
Lyra's blue eyes widened behind her mask.
Did Professor Hamilton know about this herself?