It wasn't until the full moon period had passed that Senna and Noah Black Apparated to the bookstore entrance. At the time, Lys Black was outside the shop, clearing out the "trash."
Catching a glimpse of her mother's red hair through the window corner, Lys quickly tidied her shirt and hair. She fumbled several times to ensure her perpetually unruly hair was securely tied back and not sticking out.
Her nervous demeanor amused several elderly men present. The young woman who had been so decisive and unhesitating in fights now appeared flustered and anxious.
As the shopkeeper was wheeled inside, two of the men politely took their leave, but a few others merely nodded and returned their attention to their books.
It wasn't that they were free of prejudice or concern; it was just that a man who couldn't even leave his wheelchair—a cripple, to be blunt—posed no threat to them.
After all, the shopkeeper's magical abilities were weak. His wife, though skilled in physical confrontations, was equally inept at spellcasting. How they had managed to raise such an outstanding child was beyond comprehension.
Noah's face was still a bit pale. He raised his hand and greeted, "Oh, my little star, I'm sorry we couldn't pick you up at the station. Have you been well these past few days?"
Lys knelt on one knee beside Noah's wheelchair, allowing him to pat her head. "I'm fine, Dad."
As Lys stood up, Noah's gaze followed her face upward. There was no helping it—Lys was simply too tall. Even her mother, standing beside her, barely reached her chest. And Noah, seated in a wheelchair, had to tilt his head back even more.
Senna surveyed the shop and gave a slight nod. "Go make dinner. No ginger root," she instructed Lys before pushing Noah toward the counter.
Carrying her shrunken cooking utensils, Lys headed to the transformed rooftop and prepared a delicious and visually appealing meal. The aroma of butter-seared steak wafted downstairs.
Someone teased Senna, "Wow, you two are really lucky, aren't you? Your child is not only outstanding but also obedient. My kid just causes trouble and blows up the house every day."
The speaker suddenly closed the rare cookbook in their hands. "Does your son have a girlfriend? I have a friend who's a German wizard. He wouldn't know about your situation. His daughter is 22, though she has a bit of a temper. Should I introduce them? Given your circumstances, it's important to plan for the future as your child grows up."
Senna burst into laughter, struggling to catch her breath. "Haha, Noah, I told you this child looks like you, but you wouldn't believe it. Haha, oh, this is killing me…"
Noah wore a wry smile as he politely declined. "Thank you for your kind offer, but Lys is a girl, and she's only 16." The other person gasped, covering their mouth in disbelief and shaking their head.
"Sixteen? Then she'll be in sixth year next year. Is it Hogwarts? Which house? Maybe she's classmates with my child," asked another woman accompanying her. Dressed in a practical short wizard's robe, wand always at hand, she seemed like a formidable character.
She had no interest in reading but had come along because her friend, hearing about the rare cookbooks here, was too scared by the werewolf rumors to visit alone. Since her Auror team was scheduled for patrol in Diagon Alley that afternoon, she agreed to accompany her.
At this moment, Lys descended with plates of steak, salad, and soup. She cast a localized weather charm to prevent the aromas from spreading. The wooden snake at the door dutifully reminded, "Starry Sea Reading Room: Please maintain silence." Lys glanced toward the shop entrance.
Oh, wasn't that the sleazy Gryffindor boy? Without altering her pace, Lys placed the food and drinks on the counter. "Dad, Mom, it's time to eat."
Noah nodded and responded to the earlier question, "My child is a Slytherin." Based on his experiences over the past year, mentioning Slytherin usually brought conversations to a halt.
After setting up her parents' tableware, Lys used a spell to quickly divide her steak into smaller pieces. She ate swiftly, combining broccoli and carrots with each bite.
The boy in the reading area hadn't noticed Lys's presence. He was dragging chairs noisily with his younger sister, ignoring his mother's exasperated glare and his sister's attempts to stop him. He loudly pleaded, "Mom, I really want the new Sweeper series broomstick. I promise I'll get four O's on my exams this time, Mom!" When his mother didn't respond, he reclined in his chair, propping his feet on the table.
Lys remained unbothered, eating at her own pace. However, one of the grumpy old men, who enjoyed watching drama, kept glancing between the counter and the reading area, even setting his book aside.
Lys finished her meal quickly, signaling to her parents that she was done. She then took Noah's wand. With so many eyes watching, it was wise to be discreet about unregistered wands. Though Noah's wand was also black, it wasn't as curved as Lys's. After all, both were made by Senna, so their designs were quite similar.
Senna suddenly tapped the table twice. Lys perked up, and Senna whispered, "Take it easy." Seeing this, Noah also set down his steak, which was still oozing blood.
They hadn't forgotten the complaint letter from the Slytherin Head of House.
In truth, Lys hadn't done much. She merely walked heavily with her wand in hand. Once the boy noticed her, she waved her wand and enlarged the reminder sign about the reading room's rules.
The boy, upon seeing her red hair and the wand in her hand, let out a yelp and darted behind his mother.
The Auror mother, already fuming with embarrassment, yanked her son out and punched him on the head. "Mom, she's the bully who hit me at school!" he whined, clutching his mother's robe and refusing to let go.
His mother's expression turned peculiar as she scrutinized Lys and then her son. Growing even angrier, she scolded, "You useless brat! Even the family owl would learn more at Hogwarts than you! Tini, stick with your aunt; I need to find a place to deal with your brother."
It seemed the younger sister was used to this. Hugging her book, she followed the woman browsing cookbooks.
Lys had intended to throw the boy out herself, but this outcome worked just as well. The reading room returned to its tranquil state.
Returning Noah's wand with both hands, Lys retreated to her corner, where she controlled a quick-quill feather to take notes while reading. However, her mind wasn't entirely focused on the book. She was still preoccupied with the fact that Snape hadn't replied about the potion recipe.
If he refused, should she beat him up to threaten him? Lys unconsciously began to ponder.
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