The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 163 Miss Rabbit and Mr. Liar

August 21, 1993.

Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, Ino had been living in Newt's manor for more than half a month.

During this time, they also exchanged as much knowledge about magical creatures as possible.

Early morning, in the restaurant.

After finishing the last golden fried dumpling, Ino picked up the napkin next to her and wiped the corner of her mouth.

"Sir! I have to go back!"

"Isn't there still two weeks until school starts?" Newt asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, two weeks," Ino sighed.

"But I still need to buy books, and the room needs to be maintained since it's been unoccupied for a long time. All things considered, there's never enough time."

"There's never enough time!" Newt murmured, repeating himself, then stood up. "Wait here for me a moment; I'll give you a farewell gift."

As Newt left, Ino's gaze also turned to the window.

This summer vacation was truly colorful for him.

Two consecutive journeys to fantastical worlds, learning Apparition in a training course, meeting Newt Scamander, the Master of Fantastic Beasts, and even acquiring a half-finished phoenix of his own...

"Perhaps I should write a travelogue, like the Brothers Grimm, so that the stories can be passed down..."

While he was thinking, Newt had already returned to the restaurant, carrying a Polaroid camera in his hand.

"This is for you! Nostalgia aside, young people should use these new-era gadgets."

The camera was placed on the table, and then Newt took a letter out of his pocket.

"This is my address in Dorset. I expect to settle back in England after Christmas this year. You are welcome to visit anytime during the holidays."

Ino took the envelope, carefully placed it in her suitcase, and then turned to look at the camera on the table.

"Thank you for the gift. To be honest, I was already planning to buy one when I got back."

"Hahahaha! I knew it, your eyes can't fool me! They can't fool me, not even Dumbledore." Newt laughed happily.

Hearing Newt's laughter, Ino couldn't help but laugh along.

After a while, the laughter in the restaurant gradually subsided.

"Ino, our plan remains unchanged. We still need to go to LAA Publishing House. Only when the phoenix is ​​born under the watchful eyes of the public can it be recognized. Otherwise, without evidence, even if I write it into the book, people will think it's wishful thinking."

Upon hearing this, Ino nodded silently, then hesitated and said:

"Are you sure? I mean, this means I might end up with two phoenixes."

It's understandable that he was puzzled, after all, phoenixes are incredibly precious, and just selling their tail feathers alone would generate a steady stream of income. Besides, Newt wasn't alone; he had a wife, a son, and even a lovely grandson.

Seemingly sensing Ino's confusion, Newt waved his hand dismissively:

"I know perfectly well that they're not suitable. They're shy around strangers, how can I expect them to sing on a stage in front of 100,000 people? That would be worse than killing them!"

Newt explained with a wry smile, seemingly somewhat helpless about his son and grandson's lack of social skills.

"Besides, no one stipulates that a person cannot own two phoenixes, one belonging to the Svenburn family and the other to Ino. Isn't that interesting?"

Upon hearing this explanation, Ino readily agreed.

"Then it's settled. I'll contact the publisher before the start of the semester. Not only will I be recording a record, but I also happen to have a collection of fantasy essays to be published at the same time."

No one would complain about having too many phoenixes. The hesitation just now stemmed from his conscience. After all, Newt had given everything, and in the end, it seemed like he was at a great loss just to get people to agree with his point of view.

……

Time flies, let's look back again.

Those familiar people and things seem like a distant memory.

Foyle Bookstore, 84-119-125 Charing Cross Road, London.

On the sidewalk, a tall girl stood listlessly outside the bookstore, seemingly waiting for someone.

"Sorry I'm late."

A familiar voice came from behind her, and Hermione turned around in surprise. After not seeing him for a summer, Ino seemed to have grown a lot taller. He was wearing a light blue retro robe, which made him look very mature.

Similarly, Ino was also looking at Hermione. The girl seemed to have drunk a magic potion, instantly transforming from a little girl into a young woman.

Hermione in third grade seems to have undergone a transformation. Not only has she grown taller, but her facial features and lines have also become more defined. Even her aesthetic sense and fashion sense have changed dramatically.

A pair of blue slim-fit jeans paired with white sneakers not only perfectly accentuates the leg proportions but also highlights a youthful vibe.

Her choice of top was also very tasteful: a beige fitted short-sleeved top that not only concealed the flaws that come with age but also made Hermione look more upright.

Although they were sizing each other up, it was only for a fleeting moment.

Coming to her senses, Hermione smiled demurely and said, "I'm early! There are still fifteen minutes until the agreed time."

"Let's go inside first. I plan to buy a lot of books today to recharge myself."

As she spoke, Ino couldn't help but look at the Foyle Bookstore in front of her. Back then, because of financial difficulties, she would always come here to read books for free.

Now that we are wealthy and well-off, we must give back in some way.

……

The fifth floor of the bookstore is the lounge area.

Hermione looked at Ino with some confusion. In just half an hour, more than a dozen classic books had been laid out on the table, including familiar titles such as Jane Eyre, The Moon and Sixpence, The Three Musketeers, and Walden...

"Did you buy this much at once?"

Although she loves reading, Hermione always felt that buying too much at once was a bit unwise.

"It's not that much, is it? The main thing is that I want to write a novel, but I always have to draw inspiration from these classic works, otherwise what I write will probably be ignored."

Ino casually explained to Hermione that she was puzzled.

He knew very well that if he wanted to create a good work, he would have to read at least a dozen classic works on the subject before he could even begin writing. Context, wording, overall structure, and scene transitions were all very important.

Meanwhile, looking at the serious Ino, Hermione suddenly thought of their meeting two years ago, also in this bookstore, when he explained the value of "One Thousand and One Nights" with the same expression and tone.

As she thought about it, she couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Alright, Mr. Liar! You're going to make up stories to fool people again."

Things have changed. Faced with Hermione's teasing, Ino retorted as before: "Miss Bunny! Have I ever lied to you? My divinations are always very accurate."

As they spoke, the two exchanged a glance and then laughed to themselves.

A moment later, Hermione took a one-pound note from her pocket and gently placed it on the table. "Ino! Please do another divination for me!"

"Okay!" Without refusing, Ino picked up the banknotes on the table.

But for some reason, this old and slightly graffiti-covered one-pound banknote gave him a faint sense of familiarity.

"Tell me what you've divined," Ino said, holding the dice.

"No! I want to do my own divination," Hermione refused firmly.

Faced with this request, he didn't hesitate and handed the dice to Hermione, wanting to see if others could successfully use dice for divination.

A few minutes later.

Hermione seemed somewhat hesitant.

"Ino, please help me. I'm afraid I don't have the talent for divination."

Looking at the outstretched hand on the table, she knew Ino had misunderstood, and could only say again:

"I'm not asking you to hold the dice. You hold my hand, and we throw them together. That way, I'll participate in the divination process too."

"Fine, fine! There could be an easier way, but you insist on doing it this way..." Ino said helplessly.

Although he was complaining, he still reached out and covered Hermione's hand with his own, since she had paid for it!

On the other side, Hermione closed her eyes slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

After a few seconds, she suddenly loosened her grip on the dice.

"Ding ding!"

The wooden dice struck the table with a crisp sound, then spun and rolled gently.

Soon, the dice stopped rolling, and the number facing up was a large six.

Today, Xiao Di is sharing a magical animal: Murtlap (a type of mouse).

British Magic Classification Level: xxx

Origin and distribution: The motra rat is a magical rodent that lives in the coastal areas of Britain.

Physical characteristics: The motra rat looks similar to a mouse, and it has an anemone-shaped tumor on its back.

Abilities and effects: Pickling and eating the tumors on the back of a Motra rat will enhance a person's resistance to curses and misfortunes, but excessive consumption will cause unsightly purple hair to grow around the ears.

(End of this chapter)