The lead-gray sky looked like a TV screen flickering with snowflakes.
The ice cream's texture started to become cloying; perhaps that had something to do with her having eaten two tubs in the span of two and a half hours?
The girl was sitting on the edge of the deck, her slender legs stretched out through the railing gaps, suspended in the air. She stared blankly at the pitch-black waves in front of her, absent-mindedly licking the spoon in her mouth.
"Still sulking?"
Daphne sat down next to the girl, holding a new tub of ice cream in her arms.
"Hmph."
Astoria's initially expressionless face suddenly became animated. She glared at her sister irritably and let out a cold snort—two and a half days had passed, and she still couldn't forgive her for "selling out their team" back then.
"Should I ask Dad to buy you another one?"
Daphne's face showed a hint of flattery; she'd already prepared to employ the "cry, fuss, and threaten" tactic in front of Mr. Greengrass that evening, just waiting for Astoria to nod.
"But that's Grandma's—"
Astoria's expression didn't change much. She knew her sister didn't understand the significance of that mirror to her, partly because Grandma didn't get along well with the sister. With a sigh, she leaned back on the railing and gazed upon the black sea beneath her—
"Don't worry, I won't bug your Precious White Knight, and I certainly won't challenge him with a child's magic wand..."
The words abruptly ceased.
"...What's wrong?"
Noticing Astoria suddenly fell silent, Daphne raised her head, puzzled.
"Down there, what is that?"
Astoria bowed her head, her pale yellow dress skirt swaying lightly in the wind.
"What?"
Daphne followed her gaze, lowering her head. The ink-black sea began to break into white waves, and an even darker shadow seemed to be moving leisurely beneath the surface.
"Gasp—"
The next moment, a shadow surged from the sea, speeding towards them. In a hurried glimpse, the girls clearly saw the "creature's" terrifying visage—
"Wha—"
Before they could scream, an invisible force swallowed their shouts.
"Don't spook my fish..."
Standing nearby, holding a long fishing rod, William swung it. Norbert, which had burst out of the sea, landed beside him. Its drenched, bony dark wings spread proudly, the Black Dragon looking smug, with bulging cheeks like a pelican stuffed with food.
"Good, good, I know you're amazing. Open up now—"
Having spent the entire morning fishing only to finally strike, William felt quite average. He comforted Norbert by patting its neck, then pushed an empty fish basket towards the dragon's mouth. Norbert, having enjoyed itself long enough, stopped its prideful display and opened its mouth, disgorging its catch—
William had originally been legitimately sea fishing, but the noise of the ship traveling was too great, which drove away nearby fish shoals.
After futilely swinging his rod for a morning, he decided to borrow the wisdom of ancient working folks, but to enhance engagement, he tied a line to Norbert's tail. Well, why wouldn't this count as fishing?
"...I wonder if they can be eaten?"
Staring at the basket filled with saliva-drenched dead fish, William fell silent... If his memory served, Norwegian Ridgeback dragons had venomous teeth—so he decided not to take that risk. After pondering briefly, he gave up on sending the fish basket to the kitchen.
A hand waved before William's eyes, drawing his attention. He looked down to find the shorter girl had approached him without him noticing—the girl gestured wildly, as if expressing something.
"Ah."
William remembered, tapping her throat, restoring the girl's voice, "...Can't hear... Eh? Can hear now."
Astoria felt her throat, murmuring in surprise.
"Your parents and sister are wizards, aren't they? Why so surprised..."
William blinked, puzzled.
"When did you..."
Astoria was momentarily dazed; she'd been sitting on the deck for over two hours without noticing when William started fishing there—or even realizing that Fire Dragon before her...
"Since your first bite of ice cream—"
"How is...that possible?"
The girl instinctively tried to refute, but as her memory kicked in, previously ignored details emerged—this man did seem to have been sitting there from the start, even scooping out half of her chocolate ice cream—
Of course... She always wondered how she could eat two tubs by herself...
Seeing the somewhat conflicted girl, William suddenly recalled something, reaching into his pocket as a shiny silver-gray stone appeared in his palm—he flicked his fingers, sending the gemstone into the girl's hand as she opened it reflexively.
"It's recovered?"
Astoria's gaze was filled with joy staring at the gemstone in her hand; she'd even forgotten she intended to ask if the dragon was last year's—it had been yesterday when she entered the room and recognized William as the one who shielded them from Dragon Flame onstage last Christmas Eve.
The infamous "Black Wizard."
Unlike Lupin, who fainted due to exhaustion and magically tapped out after William's arrival, Astoria had watched the whole ordeal with wide eyes, even witnessing him don a black robe and ride the dragon from the tent top—yet she told no one, not even the Ministry of Magic personnel who later inquired.
"I'll fix it for you—"
William nodded; searching for this took him two nights—for most, Disillusionment traveling quickly across the English Channel and Hogwarts Castle was an impossible feat, and William wasn't sure if he'd manage. However, things changed now—
He had a Phoenix.
To Fawkes, ferrying between those locations was nothing but leisure.
Taking the mirror and gemstone handed over by the girl, William gently waved his magic wand, "Reparo." (Repair to original state)
Blue light shimmered as the gemstone and mirror rose into the air, spinning twice, and perfectly restoring mid-air, "Thanks—" The girl gleamed with excitement, sincere in her tone, taking the mirror and cautiously packing it into her small bag beside her.
"Rest assured, Kabuda is grounded for two weeks—at least aboard the ship, you won't have to worry about it snatching it back."
William scratched his neck; Kabuda enjoyed stealing, and it fell under his indulgence. Since he was partly responsible for her losing the item, spending two nights finding a stone made sense—her overly sincere gratitude left him awkwardly unsure of how to respond.
Better to discuss the Niffler's punishment.
"I've assigned it three essays, like one on Li Hua..."
"?"
Hold on, you assigned essays to a Niffler?