A spectral waiter glided smoothly to the side, striking the obsequious pose of a butler welcoming his master home.
"This is it?" Harry exchanged a surprised glance with Malfoy. "This room?"
Was Severus Snape trying to pull a fast one on them? Trying to fool them with a random number etched on a basement wall?
"Don't you worry, sir, we'll go and settle things with him right away," Harry said, ready to drag Malfoy off to confront Caelan Tepesh.
Nagini, however, merely flicked a glance at the two before slithering towards the stone wall. Gracefully, she grasped a candlestick lamp fixed to the wall and pulled it down like a lever.
Rumble…
Just like the concealed entrance in Diagon Alley, the wall slowly ground open, revealing a doorway just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.
The sight left Harry and Malfoy dumbfounded. Even Jim Johnson, who had been "petrified" and carried in by Hagrid, suddenly seemed to spring to life. With a whoosh, he leaped from Hagrid's arms, eager to follow Tom Riddle inside to see what awaited.
Lockhart, witnessing everyone's expressions, thought, Even though I've never actually seen it before, that won't stop me from playing the expert. Without hesitation, he began acting like they were all a bunch of country bumpkins.
Hearing Lockhart's words, Harry and the others simply rolled their eyes at the preening show-off, not bothering to argue.
Jim Johnson, however, looked on with starry-eyed admiration. "As expected of Mr. Lockhart, you're so familiar with places like this!"
"Well... of course," Gilderoy Lockhart grinned, flashing a dazzling row of teeth. "I, Gilderoy Lockhart, have traveled the world for years, moving in both legitimate and…less legitimate circles. Don't even mention places like this; I've visited the most chaotic and dangerous dark wizarding sanctuaries many times! Ones that rival even Hogwarts!"
Lockhart wasn't exactly lying, but he knew his words painted a very different picture than the reality Jim Johnson imagined.
Just as he anticipated, Jim Johnson was now practically swooning with admiration, eagerly begging Lockhart to take him along sometime.
"…"
Why would I take you? You're ancient and can't even do magic. Are you planning to compete with Filch for a job at Hogwarts?
Though inwardly he was groaning, Lockhart managed to verbally placate Jim Johnson.
Entering the luxurious suite, they found the décor echoed the classical style of the lobby. Its opulence was in no way inferior and even surpassed the lobby in some respects.
There were three separate bedrooms, a living room furnished with European-style sofas and chairs, a dining room that could easily accommodate a crowd, a private bathroom… and an assortment of dark-themed "artwork" adorning the walls.
"Honestly…it's just so-so." Tom Riddle didn't seem particularly impressed, but he didn't outwardly complain. For him, a place to rest while traveling was sufficient, like the pub and Jack's house before.
In fact, it was precisely because he had so few requirements for accommodation that he had half a mind to build a castle wherever he went.
As for the others, Draco Malfoy's expression subtly conveyed his disdain. "This place is far inferior to the rooms in my family's manor."
Cassandra Volle remained silent, her expression calm, echoing Tom Riddle's. She didn't find the place particularly appealing, but she wasn't demanding either. Besides, she sometimes preferred a simpler, smaller place; it gave her an excuse to be closer with Tom Riddle.
Nagini was even more indifferent than Cassandra, finding it even easier to get close to Tom Riddle. After all, Tom Riddle often sought her out when he wanted to rest, so she naturally didn't see the need to rely on proximity created by a confined space.
As for Harry Potter… what could he say? Between his godfather Sirius Black and his self-proclaimed one, Tom Riddle, he'd barely seen the world.
Even Lockhart didn't react much to the luxurious suite, being quite wealthy himself.
On the other hand, Jim Johnson, looking every bit the gawking tourist, was utterly speechless.
Wait, are all wizards this rich these days?! This environment, this level of luxury…I couldn't even afford a single night here! And they're "disdaining" it?!
Fortunately, someone else was even more bewildered than he was.
"Um... hey, I don't think I can get in."
Hagrid's massive frame blocked the doorway, and he struggled for a long moment without success.
"I'm so sorry, sir... we have advance preparations for guests of larger size."
The ghost waiter snapped his fingers as he spoke, and the doorway instantly widened, causing Hagrid, who was trying to squeeze through, to stumble forward.
"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" The ghost waiter seemed genuinely concerned.
"It's alright!" Hagrid dusted himself off, grinning at the ghost waiter. "I'm tough."
"Phew~ That's good."
The ghost waiter seemed relieved by Hagrid's words but then hastened to apologize again. "I'm sorry; this is the only deluxe suite available. We've been quite busy lately… If you find it inconvenient, I can arrange other rooms for you, though they won't be as luxurious as this one."
"It's fine, this is fine." Watching Nagini glide away to make coffee for Tom Riddle, Cassandra Volle waved a dismissive hand without turning around. "We're just resting anyway."
"Okay, please don't hesitate to call if you need anything. Please, make yourselves at home." He then turned and glided out of the suite.
Hagrid, constantly glancing upwards, worried he might bump into the ceiling, lumbered into the living room and cautiously lowered himself onto a two-seater sofa, barely squeezing in.
Harry Potter sat on another sofa with Malfoy settling in beside him.
Seeing Harry's furrowed brow, Malfoy asked, puzzled, "Scarface, what's wrong?"
"I was just thinking..." Harry stroked his chin, "Three rooms… How should we divide them?"
"That's easy!" Malfoy scoffed. I thought the savior was worried about something important. "The master gets his own room, obviously, right? Cassandra and Professor Nagini are girls, they should take another, and the rest..."
Malfoy froze. He stared blankly ahead, counting on his fingers: himself, Scarface, Lockhart, Jim Johnson, and Hagrid?!?
How the hell were they supposed to sleep?!
Even ignoring Hagrid's sheer size, it would be cramped for one person. Even if all five of them could somehow squeeze into one bed, they'd suffocate under Hagrid's weight by morning!
Like a rotting corpse!
Jim Johnson was still wandering around in a daze, entirely oblivious to the prospect of sharing a cramped sleeping space with a half-giant and too busy listening to Lockhart's exaggerated tales.
"Actually, I have another idea..." Harry's lips twitched into a sly smile. "If sir doesn't mind… I could sleep on the floor in his room."
"Hmm?"
Feeling a sudden chill crawl down his spine, Harry immediately shut his mouth.
...
---