The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 165 The Book of Invisibility

Flourish Blotts.

After Ino left, the bookstore descended into chaos.

It all started with Hermione and Harry's request to buy books.

This should have been a pleasant occasion, but the bookstore manager looked rather bitter.

He first walked towards the cage with an expression of heroic sacrifice, then quickly opened the cage door and used a long wooden stick to swat back the swarming "Monster Book of Monsters".

"Ah!" In the chaos, a book jumped onto the stick, slid quickly onto his arm, and bit his shoulder hard.

One wrong step leads to another! Once the rhythm was disrupted, the stick in the manager's hand fell to the ground, and the monster books shoved and pushed each other, trying to squeeze out of the cage.

"Immediately imprison them!"

Hermione, wand in hand, decisively used magic to imprison the raging book.

She no longer cared about the rule that magic couldn't be used outside of school; several books were already open, ready to bite the fallen bookstore manager.

To be fair, this middle-aged manager was also responsible; he acted quickly when he saw that the books had been confiscated.

He grabbed the escaped monster book, threw it into the cage like a baseball, and then slammed the cage door shut.

"This isn't 'The Book of Monsters,' it's a monster! Fine! Pay up, I'll give you a 50% discount."

The bookstore manager spoke with a pained expression, while bending down to pick up two imprisoned monster books from the ground.

Time always slips away in the midst of busyness.

Fifteen minutes later, Ino returned to the bookstore, carrying an old bronze oil lamp.

His strange behavior not only piqued the interest of Hermione and Harry, but also caught the attention of the bookstore manager.

Upon learning that Ino was carrying a lantern to find the Invisible Book, the bookstore manager generously promised that if he found it, he could give it away for free, as many as he wanted.

……

People often say that cats are very curious, but lion cubs are just as curious.

Gryffindor seemed to have a natural love for treasure hunts, and Ino didn't seem to care about the two people who had come over.

Perhaps the oil lamp that Aunt Julia gave us also recognizes its owner. Just like in the Arad continent, only he can see the hidden information and stories revealed by its light.

Therefore, it doesn't matter if there are a couple more people just passing by.

Soon, people at Flourish and Blotts noticed this strange phenomenon.

Three teenagers were wandering around the bookstore with a lamp in their hands. When the manager told them they were looking for "The Invisibility Book of Invisibility," anyone who knew them would smile knowingly.

This book is the work of a reclusive fairy and was published and sold through Gringotts Publishing.

From printing to sales, it was widely considered an elaborate scam. Because no one ever saw anything, it was like the Emperor's New Clothes, with everyone deceiving each other.

Gringotts knew they were selling air, and the wholesalers knew they had bought the air after receiving the goods, but they still kept it on the shelves for sale...

Honestly, the ones suffering the most are these bookstores.

Perhaps these actions were truly absurd, and the Ministry of Magic quickly ordered them to stop, after all, they were embarrassing themselves internationally.

However, because there were only a few hundred books in total, and both the quantity and the amount of money involved were too small, the whole matter eventually came to nothing.

After all, those capable of challenging Gringotts wouldn't bother with such a trivial matter. And those without the ability, like the bookstore manager, can only accept their bad luck.

at the same time.

Inside the bookstore, Ino, carrying a lamp, carefully searched for clues in the corners.

The two people behind him were simply enjoying the fun of the treasure hunt.

Perhaps it was because Harry had just found a bronze knuckle in the corner that this discovery greatly enhanced the fun of the game.

Even though the bookstore is less than 200 square meters and has many bookshelves, it doesn't take too long to walk through it.

A search that lasted for more than ten minutes.

A nearly broken bookshelf caught Ino's eye; more accurately, it was the floor beneath the bookshelf, with a few silver, shimmering books scattered on its top panel.

Bending down to touch it, the book felt exceptionally soft and smooth in my hands, as if it were coated with a layer of egg white.

"Finally found it!" Ino sighed with relief.

As Harry and Hermione exclaimed in surprise, they looked up, only to find that Ino was merely talking to thin air while holding a book.

Seemingly sensing that Ino wasn't one to joke around, Harry stubbornly reached out to touch it, but his hand easily passed right through the so-called book, leaving him somewhat helpless, with an expression that said, "You've successfully pulled off a prank."

Unlike Harry, Hermione first glanced at the oil lamp in Ino's hand, then thoughtfully pursed her lips and remained silent.

The checkout counter at Flourish Bookstore.

"Sir! I've found 'The Book of Invisibility,' and as agreed, I'll take two copies. Is that alright?"

Ino raised her hand and waved it in front of the middle-aged manager.

"Ha! Halloween is still three months away... Oh well, whatever makes you happy. I'll keep my promise and you can take them with you."

The middle-aged manager looked at Ino's empty palm, chuckled, and nodded, seemingly used to such pranks.

……

After spending half a day shopping and browsing, and having bought all the necessities on their reading list, Ino suggested that they take a break at the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry readily agreed to the suggestion, as it was getting dark and he didn't have much free time left.

Break the Cauldron Bar.

Seeing Hermione's somewhat absent-minded expression, Ino smiled and explained, "Actually, you don't need to worry about the Ministry of Magic's warning letter. Although theoretically you violated the rules about casting spells outside of school, you were just at Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley..."

He spent a few minutes explaining the loopholes in the trail to the two of them. Not only did Hermione's expression brighten, but Harry also seemed to have a sudden realization.

"That's not fair..." Hermione said.

"There's nothing unfair about it, because the essence of the Threads is to uphold the Secret Law, not to protect the interests of junior wizards."

Ino interrupted Hermione's preconceived notions, saying that some things are just like that; they may seem unfair, but in reality, they are a kind of helplessness.

"Is the Law of Secrecy really that important? Even if Muggles find out about wizards, what's the big deal? Aunt Petunia's family knows!" Harry said, somewhat puzzled.

Faced with this question, Ino didn't hide anything. Considering that both of them had experience in Muggle elementary school, he answered directly in the Muggle way:

"What do you think biologists would do if they discovered a mouse that lived to be 665 years old? Would they keep it in a zoo as a mascot, or send it to a lab to dissect and uncover the secrets of its longevity?"

Seeing the two dumbfounded people, Ino remained silent. Sometimes, all it takes is a change in perspective, and many answers will naturally emerge.

(End of this chapter)