Chapter 38: The Phantom
When he arrived at Diagon Alley, Xie An's heart relaxed a little. www.biquge.info The weather is very hot this year, and the extreme weather has also affected the wizarding world, and many wizards have not stupidly worn black robes, but some short-sleeved wizard clothes with short hems have appeared. Although the three girls were dressed in Muggle looks, they were still acceptable.
After squeezing in the crowd for a long time, Xie An was a little impatient, Qiu and Hermione were sweating slightly, Xie An saw that there was a cold drink shop in front of him, and led the three of them into the store together.
A few people entered the store and cooled down. The four of them found a place near the window and sat down first. Xie An looked further at the waiter's costume and found that it was not a regular wizard's robe, but a kind of work clothes between a Muggle and a wizard. The maiden waiter asked the four of them what they needed, and the three girls studied for a long time before deciding what to eat, and finally Qiu asked Xie An what he wanted to order, Xie An, who had never been to this place since he was a child, had to give up his little power and ordered an ice cream casually.
"Hermione, will your dad come again this year?" Autumn, taking advantage of the waiting time, asked Hermione, who was sitting opposite. Originally, it was a four-person table, with Luna and Cho on one side, and Hermione could only sit with Shea.
"I'm afraid not, Dad couldn't open a clinic in Diagon Alley last time, and he was sad for a long time, and the last time I wrote to him with an owl, he was happy for a long time, saying that this was the most romantic way he had ever seen to deliver a message. Hermione smiled, her daughter would always be her father's little lover. During this period of getting along, the relationship between Hermione and Xie An has gradually repaired, but the occasional pungency still gives Xie An a headache.
"Neither will my dad, since I said I wanted to open a clothing store in the East End and work as a costume designer, my dad was stunned, as if he was even more surprised to find out that the Minister of Magic had actually been cast a Dementor curse. He first confirmed that I was not disguised by others, and then made sure that I was not **indulgent, and finally asked a few questions before he began to consider whether to agree to me moving out for the summer vacation. Dad said: I grew up, and I like to be independent just as much as my mother's personality. Luna said with a smile.
"I'm like you, and if it weren't for the Earl's personal letter, I'm afraid I wouldn't have had a very interesting summer vacation at all. Ann, thank you. Cho smiled sweetly at Shea, and Hermione turned her face away, not wanting to see the sweet moment between the two of them.
Xie An observed the wizards who came in to eat ice cream, and it seemed that at least there were still many enlightened wizards in the wizarding world. The wizarding robes they wear look varied in color, and many of them look edgy. Xie An looked curiously at a witch dressed like an ancient nobleman, and asked Qiu in a low voice: "She is wearing so much, isn't it hot?"
Qiu followed Xie An's gaze and saw a witch wearing a strange taxidermy hat on her head, a robe decorated with gold thread and lace, and a beautiful embroidered pattern on it, it seemed that she was a little old enough to be a grandmother for everyone.
"No, wizards can use spells to cool down. Cho replied softly.
"Yes, I know the spell that warms the body, what is the spell that cools down?" Xie An asked curiously.
"Freeze!" Hermione waved her wand slightly, and a layer of hoarfrost formed on Shea's eyebrows. Qiu and Luna laughed, and Xie An shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
The waiter brought over the things ordered by the four of them, Xie An found that the three of them ate a large amount of luxurious packages with various fruits and magic ice crystals, only he was a stupid snow-topped ice cream cup with only cream, Xie An, who was treated differently, smiled and was about to start, Qiu who was sitting opposite said to Xie An shyly: "You can eat a share with me." ”
Xie An looked at Luna and Hermione, and had no choice but to say, "Forget it, I'll just eat this." ”
The sound of jingling bells sounded, and another customer came to the door, Xie An buried his head in eating his snow-topped ice cream, and from time to time used a poplar staff to freeze the ice cream firmer, not noticing that someone came in.
Luna looked curiously at the door and found a family of three: the silver-haired Malfoy and Malfoy II, and a charming-looking woman, who was supposed to be Malfoy II's mother.
Just because Xie An didn't find Draco doesn't mean that Draco didn't find Xie An. The failure of Quidditch last semester made Draco even hate the genius wizard born into an ordinary wizarding family. Draco immediately wrote to his father, asking him to put pressure on the school to expel Andrew, but his father's reply greatly disappointed Draco.
Unfulfilled Dracon, trying not to be as stupid as Ron Weasley, is waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on the arrogant wizard. Draco had already made a thorough plan to give Andrew a taste of it when school started.
The chance encounter at the ice cream parlor made Draco slightly nervous, and Narcissa, who cared about her son, immediately noticed her son's abnormality and followed her eyes to find that the four children were eating dessert. Three of them appeared to be dressed as Muggles, and one was dressed in gray wizarding robes with his back to the doorway.
"What's the matter, Draco, do you know them?" Narcissa asked her son softly. Draco nodded heavily.
Lucius also looked over, frowned, and said softly, "There are other things to do today, don't make trouble." We ordered something and took it away. ”
Narcissa gave her husband a strange look, when did the Malfoy family become scared. Lucius shook his head slightly, walked to the counter, ordered three cold drinks, and packed them away.
After the three of them left, Luna said to Xie An, who bowed his head and ate violently, "The Malfoys only ordered three cold drinks. ”
Xie An glanced up at Luna, the Malfoy family was passing by outside the window, Xie An nodded indifferently, and said while eating, "Got it." ”
When the three of them checked out, they met Mrs. Weasley entering the magic ice shop with her youngest daughter, Ginny. Shea didn't know Mrs. Weasley or her daughter, but Luna met Mrs. Weasley instead. As one of the few pure-blood families willing to associate with Muggles, Mr. Weasley was the main source of Contrarian Voices in the Ministry of Magic.
The two simply greeted each other, Mrs. Weasley seemed amiable, and Ginny was a very shy girl. The dress of the three of them made Ginny's eyes light up, and she looked at the three of them with envy.
After leaving the Ice Shop and finding the Weasley brothers and Ron waiting outside boredly, Xie An smiled at the twins, who also greeted Andrew.
"George Fred, why don't you go in with you?" Xie An asked curiously.
"We are being collected by creditors every day, and we don't have any spare money to eat magic ice. It's Andrew, you're so enviable. The twins winked at the three of Hermione, their expressions ambiguous.
"Hehe, I don't seem to remember when I was in debt, oh, yes, why don't you try what it feels like? Street Bully. Xie An smiled and said, and the twins hurriedly said, "We don't want to be found out by our mother what we have done, Andrew, you better disappear quickly." ”
Xie An smiled and took the three of Qiu to go shopping.
"Fred, George, why are you talking to him!" Ron asked angrily.
"Oh, my wounded little brother, you don't care who we talk to. ”
In the afternoon, I had to go to buy some materials and books, Xie An saw that there were too many people in the bookstore at this time, and suggested that he should go to the potion shop to buy some materials first. Hermione didn't have much of an opinion, but Cho wanted to check out the bookstore first, and heard that the famous wizard Girold was signing books there today. Xie An thought about it for a while, used his veto power as a boyfriend, and rejected Qiu's proposal.
Autumn had to be frustrated and walk towards the less crowded potion shop.
"You see, I said he was a jerk, and you thought he was special. Hermione whispered to Cho, but Andrew in front of him could hear it.
"Don't say that, he told me that he's nothing special, he's an ordinary person. Autumn defended her boyfriend.
"I don't see that he is self-conscious, arrogant, selfish, and sometimes unreasonable, as if we were all children. I really don't know what you like about him. Hermione's voice raised a little to make sure Shea'an in front of her could hear her.
"Hermione, have you seen him sad?" said Cho suddenly.
Hermione shook her head, and Cho whispered, "I've seen him, and sometimes I think he's pitiful and lonely. I think he has a lot of things hidden in his heart, a lot of things that we don't know. Sometimes I'm scared, sometimes I'm sorry for him, I don't think he wants that. Maybe he just can't be like a child, I don't know...."Qiu's voice gradually lowered, and his eyes looked at Xie An, who was unconscious in front of him, with warm eyes.
Hermione looked at Autumn in surprise, and then looked at Andrew in front of her, with steady steps and a resolute background, she didn't seem to have any children's graceful and agile, but every step seemed to be burdened with the pressure of a thousand pounds. There are people who walk like this, with a straight waist, a steady step, and a head held high, like a warrior in array.
Luna chuckled softly, "Qiu, I have to admit that even though I've been with him the longest, you've known him best, and now you're in the first place. Autumn smiled proudly.
It seems that the three of them have a lot of fate with the Malfoy family today, and after Xie An arrived at the magic material store, he saw the Malfoys coming out of it. The store manager personally sent Lucius out, graciously handing him what Draco needed.
Neither Shean nor Lucius said anything, as if both were passers-by. The two sides passed by, there was no hostility, no greetings.
Entering the potion shop, the dazzling potion materials were an eye-opener for the four of them, and Hermione picked out a few more important materials and medicines from it, such as dung stones that can detoxify. Xie An looked at several finished drugs in glass test tubes curiously, and wanted to buy a few.
It is said that these finished drugs are all blended by potions masters, some for insomnia, some for forgetfulness, of course, there are other special drugs for weight loss and bodybuilding, and of course, there are also special drugs for asthma. I don't know if Snape's level can be compared to these so-called Potions Masters.
One of the obscene salesmen who looked like half-blood monsters recommended a special potion to Xie An, which looked pink and beautiful, and it was said to contain the special ingredients of some rare magical creatures in the Amazon, which was a precious elixir that helped men build strong confidence. The monster looked at the three beauties ambiguously while winking at Xie An, but Xie An decisively refused.
After all four of them had selected the materials they needed, a while had passed. When I left the material store, I couldn't help but feel that the air had become fresher. Xie An said to Luna: "I don't know if these medicines can be made into pills, they are solid pills." ”
Luna tilted her head and thought for a moment before replying, "I've only seen liquid medicine in a test tube, and I've never seen any solid pills. ”
Xie An smiled, and the four of them walked back. There are a lot fewer people in the bookstore, and the celebrity signing meeting seems to be over, leaving only a mess of the scene and a few customers.
These books are not only study books full of spells, but also other books such as interesting novels and stories, and Luna is very interested in the miscellaneous books, and many of the bizarre ideas that seem to be contradictory are probably the fantasies of these crazy wizards. Luna ran over to see if there were any new ones as soon as possible.
"Wow, the illustrated version of The Witcher One Thousand and One Nights, Merlin's Code, and this Game VII of the Ministry of Magic. Luna happily took out all the books and looked at them as if no one was around.
Xie An looked at the prices of those books, they were not cheap, and he didn't expect the storybooks of the wizarding world to sell well. Hermione and Autumn worked hard to find the textbook according to the book list, and Xie An was bored and casually turned.
"Sorry to excuse me. Boss, this doesn't seem to be mine. A little red-haired girl with freckles on her face entered the bookstore with a pile of books, first placing the heavy old books on the floor, then picking up the top black book and placing it on the counter.
The boss raised his head from the ledger, picked up the notebook with a smile and looked at it a few times, found that it was not something from the store, and said kindly: "Oh, little girl, this may be the stationery that your parents bought for you, this looks like a blank diary, we don't have such a book here." ”
The little girl took the notebook suspiciously, she was sure that her mother didn't buy her any diary, was this book a gift?
"Boss, do you have this kind of book here?" asked the red-haired girl.
"Of course not, I've never seen this book before. ”
"Maybe it's second-hand books, you see, I buy second-hand books. The little girl said a little shyly.
"Oh, you're such an honest little girl, if so, take it as if I gave it to you, this black book belongs to you now. The boss laughed.
The little girl thought for a moment, and finally said, "Thank you." When she went out, the little girl smiled at Luna in a friendly way.
Xie An watched the Weasley sister's younger sister out of the bookstore boredly, and found that Hermione and the three were still shopping for books, so she ran to the second-hand books to read them. The second-hand book section looks much richer than the new ones, some of which are full of words. If wizards also regard books as wealth, I don't know where they came from. Xie An curiously picked up a shabby-looking book, and the book cover clearly read "Advanced Mathematics", Xie An laughed secretly, there are many people of insight among wizards.
When Xie An bored finished reading a serialized comic book called "Shadow of the Fire Wizard: Volume 38" in the Muggle world where the characters couldn't move on their own, Qiu said that she had already chosen all the books that should be selected, and of course, her boyfriend's books were also selected. Xie An looked at the pile of books that the four of them combined were half a person high, thought for a while and asked, "I remember that my mother has a bag that can hold many things, what is that?"
Cho replied, "Do you mean the countess's mock bag? it's a lady's bag that has worked space magic, and every girl wishes she could have a mock bag so that she can carry all her clothes and shoes with her." ”
"Then why don't you buy one, it sounds convenient. Xie An asked.
"Fool, that kind of bag is not only rare in materials, but also has to be attached to permanent space magic, where will the price be low, the cheapest Mok bag requires a year's income of an ordinary wizard, and ordinary wizards can't afford it at all. Qiu smiled.
"Is that so? are there any sales on Diagon Alley?" Xie An asked.
"Of course, next to Diagon Lane and Gringotts, there's one of the UK's largest Mok bag stores. I wish I could have one in the future!" Qiu looked at her boyfriend expectantly.
"Oh, sir, do you offer delivery here? I want to deliver all of this to Hogwarts. Xie An said expressionlessly.
"Of course, but how many books you have, the shipping cost is not cheap, at least a few silver sico," the boss immediately said enthusiastically.
"What, boss, how many things do I buy, even if I don't discount it, I have to pay for shipping again, it's too dark. Xie An said exaggeratedly.
"Uh, it's always been like this, don't you know?" the boss looked at Xie An in surprise, as if he was an idiot.
Xie Ji looked very painful, sighed, and then said, "Okay, pay the bills separately, and I'll pay the freight." ”
Hermione and Luna both smiled and paid their bills, and Cho pouted and walked out of the bookstore with Xie An and the three of them unhappily.