The days of hanging out at Hogwarts

"Mr. Crouch, do you know Albania?" Bertha Jorkins said in a brisk voice.

"certainly."

Barty Crouch nodded. He behaved like an ordinary and amiable boss. On his way home from get off work, he met his carefree subordinate in the elevator and chatted with her patiently.

"I'm going to take a long vacation!" Bertha Jorkins' voice was full of joy. "I'm going to Albania to visit my second cousin, and I'm going to the south to visit an aunt! I'm really looking forward to it. It's said that there are many new and exciting things in Albania. …”

"Albania..." Crouch repeated, "I heard that dark wizards are prevalent there and the underground trading market is developed."

He still had one sentence to finish. The most important thing was that it was the legendary place where Voldemort lingered.

As the Director of the Department of International Affairs and Cooperation, Crouch once attended the International Federation of Wizards as a representative of the British Ministry of Magic. He recalled Dumbledore's initiatives and warnings at the meeting.

Voldemort...

Barty Crouch stared straight ahead, watching his somewhat gray hair reflected on the glorious inner wall of the elevator. Many people, led by Fudge, thought that Dumbledore was confused, but he did not think that these people were smarter than Dumbledore.

"Oh, yes, there must be many interesting things there!" Bertha Jorkins said in a light voice, her eyes full of longing for Albania.

The chain of the elevator made a crisp clicking sound, the light at the top of the elevator swayed slightly, Crouch's eyes surrounded by wrinkles became deeper and deeper... The forgetting curse can be broken in front of a powerful wizard, no matter what secrets are hidden in Albania, Bertha Jorkins went on leave at this time, and there was a risk that the secrets he had hidden would be exposed.

If Voldemort really has something up his sleeve there, and happens to be able to discover his secrets from Jorkins's mind, his stupid son will definitely be found.

"Bertha, your vacation may have to be postponed temporarily." Crouch said in a deep tone.

"Huh?" Jorkins was stunned for a moment.

"The Quidditch World Cup finals are about to be held. We don't have enough manpower in the department and we need you to stay and help."

"But……"

Crouch advised with a gentle voice: "You also know that you have caused a lot of troubles over the years. If you can help the Department of Magical Sports successfully complete its mission this time, you may be able to gain the praise of your colleagues again."

Jorkins' eyes lit up: "You are right, Mr. Crouch!"

The golden fence door jingled open, and Jorkins staggered out, his long blond hair trembling like waves behind him.

Crouch watched her disappear from sight, and then looked back for a long time.

He came to an ordinary magic fireplace in the hall, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and stood in the magic flame: "Crouch's house!"

The bright green magical flames surged, and the bright fire light stimulated Barty Crouch to close his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in the fireplace of Crouch's house.

"Master! You're back!" The house elf Winky immediately came to greet him.

"Well..." Barty Crouch walked out of the fireplace, took off his coat and handed it to Winky, "How is he today?"

"Master Barty behaved very well. He is a well-behaved and good boy!"

Winky folded his coat and hung it up, then followed him nervously. After hesitating for a while, he mustered up the courage to persuade: "Master, please consider letting Master Barty watch the Quidditch final." Yet?"

"You started persuading me about this a few months ago, but this is not something that a house elf like you should care about, Winky." Crouch came to the chair in the kitchen and reached out to remove the cage in the air. Invisibility cloak, this is Barty Crouch Jr.’s rare breather of the day.

Twinkle seemed to be strangled by the neck, and her voice suddenly got stuck. However, compared to other families with strict rules, Master Crouch rarely disciplined her, so she could bravely say a few more words.

Twinkle sobbed twice and said with a trembling voice: "Sir, Master Barty likes Quidditch. Let Master Barty go. He can watch the game wearing an invisibility cloak and no one will find him... Please, let Master Barty, let’s get some fresh air.”

Listening to the house elf's chatter in his ears, Crouch stared at the dull eyes for a long time. He was probably too tired from the day's work, and Bertha Jorkins made him feel confused again. He was always thinking. The deep-set Director of the Department of International Cooperation and former Minister of Magical Enforcement had a rare expression of sadness on his face.

Crouch's eyes were filled with water as he looked at his son in the dormitory with dull eyes and dull expression. He didn't have the thorough thinking at the Ministry of Magic, nor the quick thinking at the International Federation of Wizards Conference. He could only talk in a trance and with a full stomach. Unexplained complex emotions.

Many years ago, before Mrs. Crouch, the mistress of this castle, died of illness, in order for him to have a smooth career in the Ministry of Magic, the Crouch family occasionally held dinners and dances. Although not as luxurious as the Malfoy family, they were still full of lights. Brilliant, full of guests.

At that time, little Barty had not yet graduated from Hogwarts. He was an immature kid. He would always hang out with a few stupid kids from pure-blood families. Using the authority of the little master of the family, he ordered Winky to open the storage room. At the door of the warehouse, the stupid children got up and each took a broomstick and scampered around the dance party.

After the dance, he wanted to teach this idiot a lesson, but his wife stopped him. At that time, little Barty was hiding behind his wife and making vulgar faces at him that were not typical of a pure-blood family.

Many years later, he learned that little Barty not only hung out with the stupid kids from pure-blood families, but also joined a group of Death Eaters dominated by mysterious people. But just like the kid riding a broomstick at the dance, by the time he found out, the mistake had already been made.

It was the period of liquidation when the mysterious man stepped down. In order to prevent his stupid son from dragging down the entire family, and in order to prevent the Crouch family, which had been inherited for thousands of years, from being divided up by other greedy pure-blood families, he had to use a tough stance to send his stupid son away with his own hands. Enter Azkaban.

That year, he sat on the trial bench of the Ministry of Magic, looked down at his son from above, and pronounced the sentence in a cold and stern voice: "The evidence is conclusive, life imprisonment!"

"Master, Mrs. Crouch will want Master Barty to go. Mrs. Crouch rescued Master Barty because she wanted him to be free instead of being placed under house arrest for life..."

Twinkle said softly, big tears streaming from her big eyes that were as protruding as tennis balls.

"Book a box on the top floor of the stadium..." Crouch finally relented, "You can take him away after everyone has left."

"Okay! Master!" Twinkle shouted in surprise.

…

On the morning of early August, the streets of Diagon Alley were very lively.

The air is filled with the sweet aroma of various snacks, candies and baked bread. The mixture of various fruits and whipped cream on the street counter of Florin Cold Drink Shop has just turned into dense ice cream under the exclusive improved freezing spell. As soon as the lid is opened, Qin The sweet air-conditioning spreads, reaching deep into the nose.

The Quidditch final is about to start, and many wizards who are rushing to watch the game are buying items for watching the game during this time, such as tents, Muggle-style clothes, binoculars... The team's souvenirs they plan to buy at the game site, and the prices are even higher. Expensive, but the atmosphere is better. There are also some clever wizards who come to Diagon Alley to buy in bulk, intending to make a fortune by selling them at high prices near the game.

Anyway, Florin's soda shop was packed with people, and there was even a long queue in front of the ice cream counter.

Hermione stood outside the long queue and warned Loren carefully: "You're waiting in line here to buy ice cream, and I'm going to Flourish and Blotts Bookstore to buy some books. Is that clear?"

"Clear." Loren bit a licorice magic wand, which tasted sweet.

"I want strawberry, not mint, is that clear?"

"You want mint flavor, not strawberry flavor, that's clear!" Loren nodded.

Hermione twisted his arm and glared at him with her pretty eyes: "If it tastes like mint, I'll stuff the ice cream ball into your collar!"

After saying that, he trotted away neatly.

Loren stared at her back. The girl's brown curly hair was tied into twin ponytails swaying, with a thin shimmer under the sun. The skin on the back of her neck was snow-white, and the classic light blue denim jacket clung to her body, showing Long arms and slender waist.

Oh my, it’s so beautiful...

"Little wizard, what flavor of ice cream do you want!" Florin, the owner of the cold drink shop, is a very kind wizard.

"Emmm..." Loren pondered for a few seconds, "Sir, can you make a double-layered ice cream ball? I mean, the inner layer is mint flavor and the outer layer is strawberry flavor."

"certainly!"

Florin neatly swung the long spoon used to dig out the ice cream balls with a light and skillful movement.

…

Not far from Florin's Soda Shop is the Eela Owl Store, and Flourish and Blotts Bookstore is right opposite.

Hermione kept walking as she passed Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, turned a corner, and walked into Slug \u0026 Giggs Pharmacy. This is a potion and material store that sells potions as well as many materials that can be used to make potions. Raw materials are sometimes not so strict, and the items sold can also be used to make alchemical items.

For example, the horns, leg bones and fur of magical animals can be used in both potions and alchemy.

The whole dispensary smelled very bad. There were barrels of goo at the entrance, various jars of powders and herbs against the walls, and bundles of feathers, fangs, and claws hanging from the ceiling.

"Hello, I need the horns of the bicorn, the silk thread of the maple leaf spider..." Hermione looked at the list she had confirmed with Flamel last night, read out the required materials one by one, and finished all the actions. After collecting the plant materials, she asked tentatively, "Do you have any silver coins made by fairies here? Copper coins can also be used..."

"Yes, how many do you need?"

"Two."

"Please wait."

"..."

Five minutes later, Hermione walked out of the material store with light steps, humming a cheerful tune with a smile on her lips, thinking about how to make Loren's birthday gift.

Loren's birthday is four days away!

Hermione thought about the extra material in the pendant and couldn't wait to try it.

Not long ago, she gave Harry a large box of sugar-free snacks for his birthday, but she couldn't give those things to Loren on her birthday. She has been studying ancient runes for a year, and she has also learned a lot about alchemy from Flamel, so she plans to make a special gift for Loren herself.

But all this still needs to be kept secret.

Hermione pursed her lips, hiding the smile on her lips and the eager gleam in her eyes.

After passing the Eela Owl store, there is Florin's cold drink shop in front, and Loren is guarding the side with two boxes of ice cream.

I walked behind him and stood on tiptoe to take a look. One portion was pink strawberry flavor, and the other portion was yellow mango flavor. Condensed white water vapor was constantly coming out of the box, with no sign of melting at all. Store Manager Florin The improved freezing spell keeps the ice cream tasting its best.

Hermione patted his shoulder: "Let's go buy things for watching the game..."

Loren turned around quickly, with a strange smile on his face that quickly subsided. He pursed his lips and handed the pink box of ice cream into her hand. He kept glancing at her but pretended not to care and said, "Why did it take so long?" , I want to go to Flourish and Blotts Bookstore to find you, but I’m worried that we might miss you..."

Hermione took the ice cream and noticed his expression. She looked at him strangely and focused on his eyes: "Why are you looking at me?"

Loren avoided her gaze, rolled his eyes in circles, and then asked confidently: "How do I know I'm looking at you if you don't look at me?"

There seems to be something wrong with this man.

Hermione thought for a few seconds, then her eyes fell on the ice cream in her hand. She looked at the ice cream suspiciously, then looked at Loren: "Is there something wrong with this ice cream?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Loren straightened his back and said loudly, "I think you think you look good today!"

"Yeah?"

Hermione looked into his eyes and met his gaze.

Loren felt guilty.

Recently, I always feel that Hermione's Legilimency has broken through his Occlumency, but how is that possible? Even Voldemort and Dumbledore can't do it. I have to look at her eyes less in the future to avoid unknowingly Got hit.

Hermione did not ask any further, but took a scoop of ice cream and put it into her mouth, sipping the sweet and soft smoothie and said in a clear voice:

"Do you think a high ponytail looks good? This hairstyle is quite easy to tie. How about leaving some bangs?"

"hiss……"

Loren saw Hermione suddenly start to glow in the sunlight. The clear and pure light made his dark little thoughts disappear. It seemed as if a troll was waving a heavy wooden stick to hammer his conscience.

I feel a little ashamed of myself.

Hermione sipped the sweet smoothie, her eyebrows narrowed into crescents with a smile.

"I thought of a way to make the ice cream taste richer!"

Loren quickly grabbed the ice cream from her hand and poured it into his own box. He quickly stirred it with the provided wooden spoon to mix the three colors of mango, mint and strawberry, turning it into a light red and slightly yellowish green color.

"It tastes better this way."

Hermione tried to taste it, and the cool taste was mixed with the freshness of mint: "Really!"

At the counter of the cold drink shop, watching the little wizard and the little witch with strange requests walk away together, the store manager Florin smiled. Maybe he should also try to introduce new flavors.