Chapter 230: Eavesdropping
The next day, Harry woke up.
Dylan, as usual, went to Hogsmeade with Ron and the others. This time, Ron and Harry no longer looked so sullen. Instead, they were both beaming. Before they left school, Harry even waved goodbye to them with a smile. It was clear that Harry had already told Ron about the Marauder's Map.
On the road, Ron muttered quietly next to Dylan.
"I can't believe Fred and George had something so great. Why didn't they bring it out sooner? Last time they left Harry all alone at school; that's so disloyal!"
Hermione frowned. "This is against school rules. If Harry gets caught, he might even be expelled!"
Dylan glanced at Hermione. As if the little bookworm didn't break a lot of school rules herself.
Since it was best that as few people knew about the Marauder's Map as possible, even Neville wasn't with them. In fact, Neville wanted to walk with Dylan, but Dylan had found an excuse to send him off to join Dean and Seamus.
This time, Fred and George didn't come along. After all, they were in the same year as Cedric, and as students in the same grade, unless they were like Cedric and using the time to go on a date in Hogsmeade, they didn't always leave school every time they had a chance to go out.
"Dylan, do you think Harry will get caught?"
Ron looked at Dylan. He and Hermione had agreed with Harry to meet in Hogsmeade after they arrived and Harry had snuck out of school using the secret passage and his Invisibility Cloak. Now that they hadn't reached their destination, Ron couldn't help but feel a little worried.
Dylan waved his hand. "Don't worry, you'll definitely see him in Hogsmeade."
"Really?" Ron's eyes lit up, and his worry instantly turned into joy. "With you saying that, it's a sure thing!"
Dylan: "…"
The group followed the crowd and arrived at Hogsmeade.
Dylan didn't wander around with Ron and the others. Cedric had already taken his girl to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Dylan didn't like the tea there and had no intention of being a useless third wheel. He could have just stayed at school, but he did feel like having a butterbeer.
So after thinking about it, he decided to come for a quick visit before heading back. Besides, he might even stumble upon something interesting.
Ron and the others went to meet Harry first. They probably took Harry for a quick tour. By the time Dylan had finished his first butterbeer, Ron and Harry had come in. Dylan was sitting in a secluded corner, so there weren't many people around him. After Harry and the others came in, Ron looked around and quickly spotted Dylan.
Seeing Dylan, a look of joy appeared on Harry's face. "Dylan, you've already started eating?"
Ron walked over. "Dylan, you wouldn't believe what Harry just did outside, it was so funny! He pulled down Malfoy's pants!" Ron laughed. "Malfoy's legs are so skinny, like two broomsticks!"
They walked over to Dylan's table and looked at the spread of food, their eyes wide.
There were several mugs of butterbeer on the table, as well as a roasted chicken and rib platter, a platter of hickory-smoked ribs, and more.
"How much does all this cost?" Ron swallowed. Looking at the grilled corn and potato chips on the platter, he, who hadn't eaten much that morning, felt his mouth watering.
"I'm just hanging out, so I might as well have something to eat with my drink," Dylan said with a shrug. "The food here isn't expensive, so it doesn't cost much."
"But can you drink so many beers, Dylan?" Hermione asked, looking at the seven or eight steaming mugs of butterbeer on the table.
"Actually, these are for you guys." Dylan pointed to the mugs of butterbeer, which were still steaming. "I just ordered them, drink up."
"Did you know we were coming?" Harry's eyes widened.
"I just had a hunch," Dylan said with a chuckle. "Anyway, I could have drunk all this myself even if you hadn't come."
Ron's eyebrows rose with delight, looking like two jumping rubber bands. His eyes curved into two crescent moons as he laughed, and even his eyelashes fluttered. Perhaps it was the free food that made him laugh so hard. The dimple on his left cheek was like a small divot, and his cheeks were puffed out. He looked like he had two candies in his mouth.
"You guys know Dylan can see the future! This isn't new! Dylan must have known we were coming and ordered all this for us!"
Ron plopped down in a chair, grabbed a beer with no alcohol, and sniffed it. "Wow, the smell of malt is so rich!" Ron lifted the mug, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp. The foam stuck to his lips, but Ron didn't bother to wipe it off. With his other hand, he grabbed a grilled chicken wing from the platter and bit into it, making a loud sizzling sound.
"Ah! This butterbeer is ten times better than the sugar water my mum makes!"
"Do you dare say that in front of Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione said as she sat next to him. After thanking Dylan, she gently picked up a mug and took a small sip.
"Hmph! I just said it on a whim!" Ron grumbled.
The two of them seemed to be on good terms again now. At least they weren't at each other's throats anymore.
"Hmm, it's sweet and quite good." Hermione felt the warm sweetness of the butterbeer and the rich malt aroma in her mouth. A warm feeling spread from her throat to her heart. Hermione leaned back in her chair, relaxed. She glanced at Ron's ravenous eating and pursed her lips.
"You're always so crude when you eat. When will you learn to be as elegant as Dylan?"
Ron, who was sucking on a rib, paused. He looked at Hermione and snorted. "I'm not as strong as Dylan. Why should I be elegant? To be pretentious?"
Hermione: "...I guess you have a point."
Harry watched the two bicker, a wide grin stretching from ear to ear. He picked up the mug in front of him with both hands. Thinking about how nervous he had been as he snuck into Hogsmeade, the warm sensation on his palms was comforting.
He raised the mug, and the soft foam touched his lips as he took a small sip. The sweet and warm effervescence made his stomach feel warm all over. He looked up at Dylan, then at Ron, who was still gnawing on a bone, and mumbled, "This beer is great."
Even though Hermione bickered with Ron, she still handed him a napkin when she saw his mouth was covered in grease.
The four of them sat at the wooden table and chairs. All around them, there were the sounds of laughter and the crackling of the fireplace. The aroma of butterbeer mixed with the smell of food. He felt completely at peace.
"Do you have enough to eat? If not, let me order some more for everyone!" Harry had plenty of money, he just never had a place to spend it.
"Let's eat what we have for now," Hermione said. "Dylan ordered a lot of stuff."
Dylan nodded. "This is on me. If you're still hungry, then Harry can pay for the next round."
Harry grinned. "Please, eat as much as you like."
Then, Dylan raised his mug, his gaze sweeping over the others gathered around the table. The morning light wasn't very bright. The pub was lit by a few candles, and the light created a warm yellow halo around the rim of his mug.
"Merry Christmas?"
Harry quickly grabbed the handle of his mug. But before he could lift it, the rib Ron was gnawing on fell back onto his plate with a clatter. He frantically wiped his greasy fingers on a napkin. When he grabbed his mug, his elbow hit it, causing the mug to wobble. A bit of foam slid down the side.
"Oh! Right! How can we drink without toasting?"
Hermione laughed and raised her mug. The four of them clinked their mugs together.
"Ding!"
The crisp sound made the foam at the top of their mugs splatter out a few drops, which fell onto the wooden table. It looked like a handful of scattered stars.
"Merry Christmas!"
They all tilted their heads back and drank most of their beer.
"Ding-a-ling."
Suddenly, a bell at the entrance rang. Just as Harry and the others set their mugs down, they felt a chill drift in from the doorway. The wooden door of the pub was pushed open, and a cold gust of wind and a few snowflakes rushed in.
Harry looked up and saw Professor McGonagall, wrapped in a silver-grey tartan scarf, her back straight, striding into the room. She was followed by the sprightly Professor Flitwick. And—Hagrid. Hagrid was talking to a plump man in a dark green suit. Harry knew this man well: the Minister of Magic.
—Fudge!
Hagrid and Fudge were blocking the doorway, their figures almost completely filling the entrance. Ron and the others had clearly seen them too. The bone in Ron's mouth nearly fell out, and his eyes grew panicked. He secretly kicked Harry's knee under the table. Harry finally came to his senses, his face turning pale. Why were Professor McGonagall, the Minister of Magic, and other professors here?
Oh, great! Now the Minister of Magic, the Head of the School, and even the Deputy Headmistress were all gathered here. If he got caught, Professor McGonagall could punish him according to the school rules, and the Minister of Magic could have him arrested! Caught between a rock and a hard place. How was he supposed to get out of this?
"Put on your Invisibility Cloak," Dylan's voice whispered lightly in Harry's ear.
"Huh? Oh, right! The Invisibility Cloak!" Harry finally snapped back to reality. His heart pounded wildly as he frantically pulled out his cloak. While Professor McGonagall was greeting Madam Rosmerta at the bar, Harry quickly threw the Invisibility Cloak over his head.
At the same time, Professor McGonagall's voice rang out nearby.
"Minister Fudge, would you like to try the hot butterbeer here? The version with cinnamon is very popular, and I quite like it."
"Oh, of course."
There were a few scattered students in the pub at this time. Rosmerta smiled and said, "Don't worry, the butterbeer sold to minors here is alcohol-free."
Fudge laughed heartily and said to the students, who also hadn't expected the professors to show up, "Children, don't drink too much here, even if it's alcohol-free butterbeer." He then turned and lowered his voice. "I think it's about time to prevent minors from entering."
Rosmerta glanced at Fudge. "As you wish, Minister." She pointed her wand at the door, and a flash of light appeared. The row of skeletons at the door shuddered, receiving their new instruction: to stop any minors from entering.
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and nodded. "I'll have a small glass of violet water, please."
Hagrid's deep voice boomed, "This reminds me of when I was a kid and I used to sneak—"
"Cough!" Professor Flitwick coughed lightly.
Hagrid immediately came to his senses. He gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched the back of his head with a big hand. "I mean—please get me four pints of mead, Rosmerta."
Professor Flitwick quickly followed up. "Sherry soda with ice and a slug."
"Oh, those are all very good choices. What would you like, Minister? Your usual redcurrant rum?"
"Yes, my dear. I'm surprised you still remember what I like to drink. I'll have one, please. Would you like to drink with me? We can have one together."
Fudge's voice sounded very cordial. It just felt a bit forced. To be specific… it felt like buttered toast covered in sugar. And he had a habit of dragging out his last syllables.
Dylan glanced at them. Hmm… It seemed the interesting part had finally arrived. He quietly raised his wand and cast a Muffling Charm around them. This was a charm Dylan had been inspired to create from a Muggle-Repelling Charm. Its purpose was to make witches and wizards as unobservant as possible to things within the spell's protected area. Since they were already sitting in the corner with a chair back blocking them, the professors didn't notice them.
Dylan moved the butterbeer in front of Harry to the side. Harry, now wearing the Invisibility Cloak, looked on with sadness as his beer, which he had barely taken two sips of, was moved away.
At the same time, Hagrid and Professor McGonagall sat down. They weren't far from Dylan's group. Faintly, the professors' conversation could be heard.
"Well, I'll take this drink as a treat from you, Minister."
After preparing the drinks for everyone, Madam Rosmerta came over with her own mug and sat down.
"Of course, it's on me."
"What brings you here, all of a sudden?"
"Oh, I have some business, of course. How's business been lately?"
Madam Rosmerta chuckled. "With Dementors coming to my pub to search every day, my business has been quite good, good enough that I've had to rely on a few students to keep it going." She narrowed her eyes, and her expression didn't seem as good as her words suggested.
Fudge didn't seem embarrassed at all. He just raised the corner of his mouth. "There's nothing to be done, my dear. You know, there's an escaped murderer who might be in Hogwarts—or somewhere nearby."
Rosmerta pursed her lips. "Are you telling me that Sirius Black is in Hogsmeade?"
"Oh, I didn't say that."
"Then tell me, what is it about?" Rosmerta took a sip of her butterbeer. "These Dementors have been a real headache for me lately."
.....
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