"Shooting Star" is the main product launched by Cosmic Broomstick Co., Ltd. in 1955 and is known for its frighteningly low price.

The performance of this broom is extremely mediocre and the appearance is not very good-looking, but when you can buy a car with the money you buy roller skates, most people will selectively ignore the quality issues.

Relying on this "you get what you pay for" pricing strategy, the "Meteor" was once popular across the country, and it was the only affordable means of transportation for many families in an era when wizards and Muggles alike had to tighten their belts to get by, affected by the post-war economic recession. The image of scruffyly dressed and sluggish middle-aged witches and wizards straddled such a broken broom, slowly landed in the afterglow of the setting sun, and then dragged their tired bodies up the steps while searching for the key, was almost everywhere in the wizarding quarters of the time.

Unfortunately, the good times did not last long, and as time went on, the quality compromises made by Meteor in order to reduce costs gradually became apparent, the number of breakdowns and accidents began to surge, and the improvement of living standards made many people gradually lose interest in this cheap goods that were useless except cheap. Cosmic Broomstick suffered huge losses as a result, and finally had to declare bankruptcy in 1978.

The Hogwarts Meteors were purchased around the 60's in response to the extreme lack of broomsticks for students at the time. Tormented by unskilled and reckless students, the brooms age almost twice as fast as the average, but they can't die even if they hang on their last breath like tuberculosis ghosts. Only five brooms have been eliminated in 30 years, and four of them have been discarded because they have been physically damaged and judged to be of no repair value.

- That's all Neil could find about the broomstick.

At Hogwarts, Quidditch is the most popular sport, and as a result, broomstick-related books are very popular, and it might have been difficult to borrow books that interest you without Professor Snape's help.

It was only at the cost that he was knocked on by an angry Miss Granger while researching the material. It didn't seem like a good idea to swagger around with Professor Snape's bounty, and I knew I should have waited until I got back to the Ravenclaw common room to start looking, rather than just find a leafy tree in the courtyard and sit in the shade because I was greedy for the breeze.

To be sure, however, this was closer to an unwarranted catastrophe than negligence, and until the moment Miss Granger came up to him, Neil had no doubt that the target of this anger would be himself.

"I borrowed it."

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Neil, who was checking how the price of a second-hand broom had changed over the past twenty years, looked up from the newspaper clippings and gave her a surprised look. In the face of his friend who started to ask questions without warning, Neil reacted calmly, but at the same time, it could be seen that he was really confused at the moment.

"I said, I borrowed the book." The undisguised blankness on his face calmed Hermione a bit, and she slowed down slightly, then pointed to the old book with The Amazing Quidditch Ball written on the spine - it looked a bit tattered by the standards of the Hogwarts Library, apparently often circulating in different hands - and explained, "Harry still doesn't remember the rules of Quidditch...... Not to mention the complex technology, I want him to read this. ”

Neil nodded as if relieved: "Ah, not bad at all! I almost forgot that Mr. Potter also grew up in a Muggle family...... He'd never been exposed to Quidditch before, right? No, of course that's so, what nonsense am I talking about, there is no Opaz in this world at all......"

Becoming a full member of the Quidditch team in Year 1 is a rare feat in the entire history of the school – and even more commendable, it is a feat that is entirely due to Harry's own courage and talent...... Plus a little luck, and it has nothing to do with his identity as the boy who didn't die. It is conceivable that not only Harry himself, but also his friends will go to great lengths to find ways to make this matter go smoothly.

"It's nice, who else has shown such a genuine friendship since the story of Pease and Damon? As far as I know, the founders of Hogwarts are off to a bad start with relationships, and I'm glad to see you get rid of their bad influences. ”

After a brief compliment, he suddenly shifted his gear, carefully observing Hermione's reaction as he distilled his words.

"But if I'm not mistaken...... When I asked Mrs. Pince if the book had been borrowed, she replied that Professor Snape was keeping it. ”

"You're knowingly asking!" Hermione stamped her foot angrily, "As soon as Snape saw me take it out of the library, he improvised a rule that the book was forbidden to be borrowed, and forcibly took it back!" He's just trying to get Harry in trouble, just like he does with all the Gryffindor students! ”

Neil rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, I don't think the two are exactly the same in nature. Sopologically, they do have similar origins, but from what I've observed, the professor apparently paid more attention to Mr. Potter than average, and there seems to be some causal relationship between the two...... Ah, we digress, don't we? In any case, I am well aware of Professor Snape's tireless efforts to persecute Mr. Potter, but what does this have to do with your anger at me? ”

Hermione's face flushed.

"I saw you holding the book and thought you were in league with him...... But as soon as I saw your ignorant expression, I knew I was mistaken, really! ”

"Not really, Miss Granger." Even though the other party had already admitted his mistake, Neil denied it categorically, as if delaying for one more second would bring irreparable damage to his reputation, "I just sincerely made a request to the professor...... Of course, he didn't seem very happy at first, but my sincerity eventually impressed him. ”

"Impressed?" Hermione repeated hoarsely, "You? Moved? Snape? ”

"Yes, I offered to give in, and if I really couldn't borrow it, I could stay in his office and copy the book in its entirety before leaving. I think there may be some part of this process that poked at his memories of his youth, and he not only agreed very cheerfully, but even kindly helped to write a note agreeing to my request to the library for some materials classified in the forbidden book section. ”

Hermione, who was still skeptical that Snape could really be so kind, choked up. For those who hate loud noises and don't like to talk to people, sharing a room with Neil is a new form of torture designed to execute the victim with minimal carbon dioxide emissions. She was reluctant to put herself in Snape's shoes, but imagined Neil copying and talking about the history of broomsticks as a substitute for horses on the Muggle stage, and it dawned on her that maybe Snape wasn't guilty of that.

“…… Can you just lend it to me without returning it after reading it? Eventually, Hermione let out a long sigh and decided to prioritize her friend's needs, "I'm worried that if this book goes back to the library, Snape will find a way to hold it back - listen, I know it's not in order, but Harry really needs it, and I promise he'll take care of it when he reads it, and won't let you get in trouble when he returns it, okay?" ”

"I believe that Professor Snape's artistic conscience will not allow him to play the same trick twice, just as basically only a shameless dog thief would play chess in a hand talk...... Well, in any case, your worries are most likely unfounded. Neil shrugged his shoulders disappreciatively, "Still, if you insist, of course it's fine." ”

"Thanks, Neil - by the way, what are you borrowing so many books related to broomsticks?"

"Just an academic interest, Miss Granger." Neil replied with a flicker, "I bought a discarded broom from Madame Hooch and was going to send it back to the sect for display—and until then, I wanted to have as many fillable contents as possible for its labels." ”

"Then why are you looking at the price list of high-end brooms?"

"I'd like to figure out how much I can inflate its price, Miss Granger—oh, come on, don't look at me like that! When one day you have to run around to make a living, you will understand the hard work. ”

“……”

This is not out of the ordinary, and Neil's quirks in buying and selling are well known...... As for whether this is ethical, it is difficult to comment from the standpoint of others. Hermione didn't doubt his words, nodded her head, and left.

Snape's dastardly tricks had annoyed her so much today that as soon as she saw the book she was thinking about was being held by Neil, her body rushed uncontrollably to find trouble with the other party. Fortunately, the target she chose this time was Neil Wan, except for the three-pair winged bully in the owl hut, Hermione had never heard of him being really angry with anyone, and naturally she didn't pay attention to the vicious words she spit out in a moment of anger.

But this can only be said to be the result of luck, if she had an argument with someone else in that state, she asked herself that it would be difficult to end it without leaving a gap - just in case, until she made sure she was completely calm, Hermione decided to lock herself in her bedroom for the time being, and not say a word to anyone else.

Formal thanks and apologies to Neil, and wait until then.