Chapter 112: The List
Bruce had given Shawn seven small pieces of parchment. On the back was written: Green's friends are our friends. We are happy to help.
Even after they reached the classroom, Justin and Neville were still clutching the letters, discussing what to buy, excitement undiminished.
"Oh, Hermione, guess what Shawn got at the greenhouse?" Justin said with a grin to Hermione, who was practising Levitation.
Hermione was flipping through The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6 at the time, trying to unlock the secrets of nonverbal spells.
She raised an eyebrow. "Dittany seeds?"
"A hundred times better than that!" Justin said.
Shawn placed the small piece of parchment on Hermione's desk.
The black‑and‑yellow edges had a soft glow. Hermione glanced at it once and could not look away.
"This is…"
And so Hermione naturally joined the eager discussion.
Shawn quietly sat down on the soft, sky‑blue cushion by the fireplace. Because the fireplace had appeared here, Justin had also placed a round table nearby. On it now sat three steaming cups of milk.
Shawn took a sip of milk and began reading Spellman's Syllabary earnestly. Not far away, Justin and the others were gathered around another wooden table, discussing excitedly.
"I need to go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop and buy some decorations. They say that during the holidays, the trees in Hogsmeade are hung with enchanted candles. I wonder if Madam Puddifoot's sells those candles. It would be perfect if we could use them to light the classroom.
"And Dervish and Banges. I am really interested in the Foe‑Glasses they sell. How are they different from magnifying glasses? Just thinking about it is exciting."
Justin scribbled down his requests, then asked Shawn for reassurance. "Shawn, can the older students carry all this?"
Shawn thought of Pester's neck, but Bruce had actually told him in the letter not to worry – they were wizards, the kind who could use spells.
"Yes."
So Shawn nodded.
"Brilliant! Hermione, what about you?" Justin gave a quiet cheer.
"There are so many things I want from Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop… black‑and‑gold pheasant‑feather quills, rainbow ink, extra‑large quills…"
Hermione looked carefully through the list, momentarily paralysed by choice.
"All right, Neville, what about you?" Justin asked, seeing Hermione furrow her brow in thought. He turned to Neville, who had been staring at the list the whole time.
"Gloves, flowerpots…"
Right. Justin felt silly for even asking.
The three people in this room were especially easy to read. Justin thought that if they really went to Hogsmeade, Hermione and Shawn would head straight for Scrivenshaft's, while Neville would be glued to the flowerpots at Dervish and Banges.
As for himself, though he had listed a bunch of things, what he really wanted most was Honeydukes – the enchanted sweets there must be fascinating.
The fire crackled for a while. Shawn emerged from his sea of books. Looking at the three remaining pieces of parchment in his hand, he was momentarily unsure who to give them to.
Hogsmeade village, or simply Hogsmeade, was the only all‑wizarding village in Britain. It was founded by Hengist of Woodcroft. Hogwarts students could visit on weekends because it was close enough – just a short walk down a path.
The path began at Hogsmeade station and ended at the Hogwarts gates. Along the way, there was a fork that led to Hogsmeade village.
Though it was only a village, it was full of interesting shops. Like Zonko's Joke Shop, which sold all kinds of prank items such as Belch Powder, Dungbombs, and Nose‑Biting Teacups.
Then there was the Owl Post Office, Gladrags Wizardwear, Dervish and Banges, and so on.
The discussion in the classroom continued until curfew that evening. Only then did they reluctantly say goodbye, handing Shawn parchment that was not overly full, but carefully selected.
Shawn gave it a quick glance. He could see all sorts of peculiar sweets: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Ice Mice, Butterbeer Fudge Flies, Pepper Imps that made you breathe fire, and so on.
"By the way, Shawn, please thank the older students for us," Justin said.
Shawn nodded.
On the way back, Shawn did not see Sir Cadogan. He guessed the knight was still in that painting, trying to pull his sword from the ground.
He looked at the three small pieces of parchment still in his bag. An idea was slowly forming in his mind.
The Ravenclaw common room.
Today was the last day before the weekend. The older students were excitedly discussing what to do in Hogsmeade, while the younger students could only watch with envy.
"Merlin's beard – I heard that a Hufflepuff seventh‑year is willing to buy things for younger students. Why does not Ravenclaw have that lovely tradition?" Michael groaned, burying his whole face in his book.
"It is a bother. No one wants to run errands while they are out having fun, unless you pay them enough Galleons," Anthony said, flipping through his book.
"Someone in Slytherin offered a Galleon and got someone right away."
A Galleon… that was way too much for some sweets and things.
Though he thought that, Michael could not help but sigh.
Until—
"What is this, Shawn? Your Quidditch technique guide? I have got to see this," Michael said, looking at Shawn expectantly. Ever since Shawn had passed his flying test, Michael had wanted to fly up to Ravenclaw Tower just like him.
Climbing stairs was painful. Watching your roommate fly up while you climbed was even worse.
Though from the start he had been happy for Shawn not having to climb, once it actually happened, he had underestimated his own envy.
"Hogsmeade shopping list…"
After a moment of stunned silence, Michael let out a yelp.
"Merlin's Fizzing Whizzbees!"
In any case, Shawn had handed out all the lists. The narrow, small, sturdy slips of parchment carried a great deal of anticipation.
Justin had always wanted to buy things to decorate the classroom – a desire everyone agreed with, since the classroom was always so bare. Though clean and tidy, it paled in comparison to the Great Hall or common rooms.
Under Justin's urging, Hermione had bought lots of sweets with all sorts of wonderful effects.
Neville had bought mostly flowerpots of every kind. He did not have much money, so he spent it all on plants.
As for Shawn, whenever he thought of their expectant faces, he could not help but smile faintly.