Fruit Milk Cup
"I really hope she can stay, this teacher!" Parvati Patil said - the class was over and everyone was returning to the castle for lunch. "This is the best Care of Magical Creatures class in all my school years...a decent animal like a unicorn, not a monster…”
"What about Hagrid?" Harry asked angrily as they climbed the steps.
"What about him?" Parvati said coldly, "He can still be his gamekeeper, can't he?"
Parvati had been cold towards Harry ever since the ball. She now told everyone she met that she had arranged to meet the boys from Durmstrang in Hogsmeade next weekend.
"This class was actually pretty good," Hermione said as they walked into the auditorium. "I don't know half of what Professor Graplan told us about unicorns -"
"Look at this!" Harry shouted angrily, thrusting the article from the Daily Prophet into Hermione's hands.
Hermione read the article, her mouth wide open in surprise.
"How did that annoying woman Skeeter find out? Hagrid didn't tell her, right?"
"No." Harry said, leading the way to the Gryffindor table, sat down on the chair, furious. "He's been hiding this from us, hasn't he? I think, last time Hagrid refused to say anything bad about me to her, which made her crazy, so she went around to find out about him and take revenge on him. "
"Actually, I have long thought that he must be a giant." Hermione said, "I know that he cannot be a pure-blood giant, because they are all about twenty feet tall. But to be honest, people really can't be so nervous of giants...They can't all be that scary... That's a prejudice, like people's attitudes towards werewolves... Just a preconception, isn't it?"
Ron seemed to want to retaliate to Hermione with a few harsh words, but maybe because he didn't want to quarrel anymore, he just shook his head disapprovingly when Hermione wasn't paying attention.
"Let's go see him." Harry ladleed the chicken soup into his tray - he was so angry that he spilled the soup everywhere. "This evening, after Divination class. Tell him we want him return……"
So, after dinner that day, the three of them left the castle again and walked across the ice-covered grounds toward Hagrid's hut. They knocked on the door and heard Fang's deep barking.
"Hagrid, it's us!" They banged on the door hard, "Open the door!"
Hagrid didn't answer.
They could hear Fang scratching at the door and whining, but the door didn't open. They hammered hard for more than ten minutes. Ron even went over and knocked on a window, but still no answer.
"Why is he avoiding us?" Hermione asked - when they finally gave up and walked towards the castle, "He doesn't think we care that he's a half-blood giant, does he?"
However, it seems Hagrid does care. They didn't see him for a whole week. He did not appear at the staff table at mealtime, nor did they see him performing his gamekeeper duties in the grounds. Professor Grubbly-Plan continues to serve as substitute teacher for Care of Magical Creatures.
In mid-January, students all went to Hogsmeade. Hermione was very surprised to hear that Harry was going too.
"I thought you would study the golden egg while the common room was quiet and empty."
"Oh, I - I think I've figured out what it means." Harry lied.
"Really?" Hermione looked very happy, "Great!"
Harry felt guilty and uneasy, but he shook off the feeling. After all, he still had five weeks to research the clues of the golden egg, which was still a long time...and if he went to Hogsmeade, he might meet Hagrid and have a chance to persuade him to come back.
On Saturday afternoon, Hermione left the castle with Harry and Ron and walked through the cold, damp grounds toward the school gates.
As they passed Durmstrang's ship moored on the lake, they saw Viktor Krum walking from the cabin onto the deck, wearing only a pair of swimming trunks. They saw him nimbly climbing to the side of the ship, stretching out his arms, and plopped into the water.
"He's crazy!" Harry said, looking at Krum's black head floating in the middle of the lake, "It's January now, it must be freezing!"
Harry noticed that Hermione wasn't paying much attention to Krum.
As they wandered on the streets, they kept an eye out for Hagrid. When they were finally convinced that there was no sign of Hagrid in any of the shops, Harry proposed to sit in the Three Broomsticks Tavern.
The tavern was as crowded as usual, and their eyes quickly scanned all the tables, but Hagrid was not found. The three of them walked to the bar together with a heavy heart and bought three cups of warm butterbeer from Ms. Rosmerta.
"Does he never go to the office?" Hermione whispered suddenly, "Look!"
She pointed to the mirror behind the bar, which reflected Ludo Bagman, sitting in a dim corner with a gang of goblins. Bagman was lowering his voice and speaking quickly to the goblins. The goblins all crossed their arms and looked menacing.
This is indeed a bit strange. Today is the weekend. There is no Triwizard Tournament and there is no need for a referee. How could Bagman appear in the Three Broomsticks?
They looked at Bagman in the mirror and saw that his expression was very nervous again. At this moment, Bagman glanced towards the bar, saw Harry, and stood up.
"Wait a moment, wait a moment!" Bagman said stiffly to the goblins, and then hurriedly walked towards Harry, with a smile on his baby face again.
"Harry! my boy!" he said, "how are you? I just wish I could meet you! Is everything okay?"
"Fine, thanks."
"I wonder if I can have a few words with you alone, Harry?" Bagman looked at him eagerly.
Hermione and Ron watched as Bagman led Harry to the end of the bar away from the crowd.
"What does this guy want to do with Harry again? Hermione, would you like a drink-"
"—a cup of none of your business hot chocolate ?"“
Or go somewhere cooler caramel macchiato?”
Ron pulled a face and turned to look at Fred and George who were sitting down.
"Why are you two here? If you want to find Harry, go over there and wait." Ron looked fierce.
"Who said I was looking for Harry?" Fred rolled up the sleeves of his buttoned cardigan, exposing his arms. "Oh, you're really in the way here."
George grabbed one of Ron's arms and said with a wicked smile, "Come, my dear brother, let me take you to see something fun."
Hermione was speechless as she watched George dragging Ron, who was still struggling. Sensing the burning gaze around her, she pretended to be calm and opened the book she was studying with.
Fred, who was two seats away, lowered his head and smiled.
He calmly put his arms on the bar and slid next to her silently.
So close.
Hermione's eyelashes fluttered unexpectedly.
"I didn't know reading books backwards is the popular trend this year."
"..." Hermione had a strong urge to rush out of the tavern.
"That's right, I-I like doing that time to time. Isn't that alright?"
"Of course, Miss Granger." Fred leaned down slightly, his narrow peach eyes slightly curved, "Ms. Rosmerta, please, a cup of fruit milk cap."
Then he turned around and said, "Butterbeer and fruit milk cap, the perfect afternoon tea combination."
Ms. Rosmerta quickly brought the fruit milk cap and took five siko from Fred. The three-layer flavor design from top to bottom are mango, strawberry and grapefruit.
"Why don't you drink?" Hermione said happily, hugging the milk cover.
"I just had a drink with George. Try it now."
Hermione stretched out the tip of her pink tongue and licked the creamy foam on the edge of the glass.
Fred's eyes flashed.
"It's so sweet!" Hermione liked the sweet but not greasy taste and quickly took a sip, "It's a little hot too."
Hermione didn't notice at all that there was a large cream ring on her upper lip. She looked over with bright eyes and smiled happily.
Fred's hand on his knee went up, and the pad of his thumb slid across her lips very lightly.
Hermione's back stiffened.
What just happened.
There was a noise in her heart like fireworks exploding, as if the texture of his fingerprints still remained on her lips.
Just when she was hesitant to say something, Fred coughed in time, and a deep laugh came from his throat, "I returned the favor."
"……What?"
"Little Hermione, you can't just take advantage of me and then forget about it, just when you checked the injuries here last time."After he finished speaking, he pointed to the corner of his mouth, with a look of aggrieved complaint.
"You..." Hermione said vaguely.
"Happy time is always short. It seems that Ron has come back in rebellion. Go back slowly, alright? The road is slippery." George came back and winked at Fred.
The two of them walked to the end of the bar together and said hello to Harry who was walking back.
Only then did Hermione realize that she hadn't given him the money for the fruit milk cap.
Bagman at the end of the bar looked a little annoyed. Fred and George happened to be on either side, both talking seriously.
"What does he want?" Ron asked as soon as Harry sat down.
"He offered to help me unlock the secret of the golden egg."
"He shouldn't have done this!" Hermione looked very shocked and said, "He is one of the referees! Besides, you have figured it out yourself - haven't you?"
"Uh... almost."
"Those goblins don't look very friendly," Hermione said as she sipped her yellow milk cap. "What are they doing here?"
"According to Bagman, they are looking for Crouch." Harry said, "He has not recovered from his illness and has not gone to work."
"Perhaps Percy poisoned him," Ron said. "He probably thought that if Crouch died, he would become the director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
Hermione glared at Ron, meaning not to joke about such a thing, "How funny, the goblins are actually looking for Mr. Crouch... Generally speaking, they deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"But Crouch speaks many languages," Harry said. "They'll probably need a translator."
"What, are you worrying about those annoying goblins again?" Ron asked Hermione. "You want to set up a S.P.U.G. or something again? The Ugly Goblin Protection Association?"
"Haha, that's funny," said Hermione sarcastically, "goblins don't need protection. Didn't you hear what Professor Binns said about the goblin rebellion?"
"No." Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"They are very good at dealing with wizards," Hermione said, taking another sip of milk cap. "They are very smart. They are not like house elves who don't know how to stand up for their own rights."
"Hey, what kind of drink is this--oh!" Ron shouted suddenly, staring at the door.
Rita Skeeter walked in. Today she was wearing a banana yellow robe, her long nails painted a dazzling pink, and her photographer was following her. She bought a drink and walked through the crowd with the photographer toward a nearby table. Hermione and Harry and Ron stared at her. She was talking quickly and seemed very satisfied with something.
"... He doesn't seem to be willing to talk to us, does he, Bozo? What do you think he is doing? Followed by two handsome guys and a group of goblins? He also said he was taking them sightseeing... It's complete nonsense... ...He's a experienced liar. Is there something going on? Shall we dig deeper? The disgraced former Director of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman... That's a great start, Bozo - we just Need to find a suitable story for it——"
"Trying to ruin someone's life again?" Harry said loudly.
Several people turned their faces.
Rita Skeeter saw clearly who was speaking, and her eyes widened behind her jeweled glasses.
"Harry!" She suddenly smiled, "Great! Why don't you come over and join us -"
"I wouldn't even come close to you on a ten-foot broomstick!" Harry said angrily. "Why do you do that to Hagrid, huh?"
Rita Skeeter raised her thickly drawn eyebrows.
"Our readers have right to know the truth, Harry. I'm just fulfilling my—"
"Who cares if he's a half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
The whole tavern suddenly became silent. Madame Rosmerta looked over from behind the bar - she was pouring mead into a large flagon, and the jug was overflowing without her noticing.
Rita Skeeter's smile flickered slightly, but she quickly fixed it back on. She opened her crocodile handbag, took out her shorthand pen.
"Would you like to tell me about what you know about Hagrid, Harry? The humanity behind the tendon? Your puzzling friendship, do you regard him as your father?"
Hermione stood up suddenly, clutching the cup of milk cap tightly.
"You disgusting woman," she said through gritted teeth, "you don't care about anything, as long as you can get a story, no matter who they are, don't you? Even Ludo Bagman-"
"Sit down, you silly little girl, don't talk nonsense about things you don't understand." Rita Skeeter said coldly, and when her eyes fell on Hermione, she became cold and fierce, "I Know some things about Ludo Bagman that will make the hairs on your back stand up... even if you don't tell them—"
"Let's go," Hermione said. "Hurry up, Harry - Ron..."
They left, and many people looked at them. When they reached the door, Harry glanced back. Rita Skeeter's shorthand pen was already out, swishing back and forth across a piece of parchment on the table.
"She's going to deal with you next, Hermione," Harry said worriedly as they hurried down the street.
"Let her try!" Hermione said nonchalantly, but she was trembling with anger. "I'll give her a taste! Am I a silly little girl? Well, I'll make her pay the price."
"Don't mess with Rita Skeeter," Ron said nervously. "Seriously, she'll dig up some information about you -"
"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She won't scare me into hiding!" said Hermione. "And Hagrid won't be hiding anymore! He shouldn't be upset by this. ! Come on!" She was now taking long steps and walking very fast, and Harry and Ron had to work hard to catch up with her.
She broke into a run, leading them all the way through the gate guarded by winged boars on both sides, across the field, and arrived at Hagrid's hut.