Chapter 119: Flourish and Blotts

Since Rolf was a new student and had quite a few things to buy, the group set off early. When they arrived at Diagon Alley, they split up as planned: Rolf's mother took him to get a suitable wand, while his father went to buy cauldrons and similar supplies. Steven and Wade first went to the apothecary. Wade needed to order some potion ingredients, which he would have the shopkeeper mail to him at school. Diagon Alley shops had been doing business with Hogwarts students for years, and their reputation was well-established, so there was no concern about them breaking their promises. Steven, on the other hand, needed to buy some flea powder for his Kneazle and sell a few things he had collected from the farm, such as Murtlap essence. After they made their rounds, the group planned to meet up at the ice cream shop. Wade and Steven sat at a table outside to rest for a while and have something to drink. Soon, Rolf arrived, having just picked up his new school robes. "Mom, buy me a Filibuster Firework, please," Rolf begged, tugging on Mrs. Scamander's sleeve. "Even just one will do!" "No," Mrs. Scamander gently refused, "You're not allowed to bring that to school." "I won't take it to school, I'll just set it off at home," Rolf said. "I want to see what 'Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks' look like when they explode in water." "Go on, get him one," Rolf's father joined in, pleading on his son's behalf. "What kid doesn't need a toy or two?" On the way to Flourish and Blotts, they stopped by the joke shop. Rolf was dazzled by the selection of magical fireworks, and Wade bought a variety of items. Steven also recommended a can of colorful candy. "This one's fun," Steven explained. "After you eat it, a plant will sprout from the top of your head. It disappears in a few minutes, and there's no harm to your health." While he talked, Steven grabbed two cans for himself. Other items in the shop included self-shuffling playing cards, quills that could transform into giant spiders, and realistic-looking toads that sprayed foul odors. Wade wasn't particularly interested in the prank toys and put them down after a quick glance. There were more people gathered around Flourish and Blotts than expected, though most of the crowd was outside, made up largely of middle-aged witches. They were standing in a long, winding line at the entrance, clutching one or two books in their arms, occasionally fixing their hair or straightening their skirts. The adults hesitated at the sight of the crowd, but Wade, pulling Rolf along, skillfully squeezed through the gaps between people. Most were there for the book signing, so the inside of the store was less crowded. After telling the staff their year, a young clerk quickly handed them two pre-packed parcels. "Are you sure you want new books?" The clerk, noticing they were kids, kindly offered, "Second-hand books would be cheaper." "We'll take the new ones, thanks." Both Wade and Rolf pulled out their Galleons to pay. Gilderoy Lockhart's books weren't cheap, and the two heavy bags of Galleons clinked as they were placed on the counter. Carrying their books, they squeezed back out of the store, just in time to see Gilderoy Lockhart shaking Harry's hand as photographers snapped pictures. The crowd buzzed with excitement, while Harry looked like he wanted to escape. "Harry Potter? Is he really here?" Hearing Harry's name, Rolf eagerly stood on tiptoe, craning his neck to see. Unfortunately, he was too short, and all he could see was a sea of backs, with no sign of the black-haired boy. Seeing that Rolf was nearly knocked over by the jostling crowd, Wade pulled him back and asked, "Curious?" "Of course!" Rolf replied excitedly. "I grew up hearing his story! I heard he recently thwarted another of You-Know-Who's plots. Is that true?" "It is, but there's no need to push through the crowd now. Once you're at school, you'll see him every day." "Do you think I can get a photo with him?" Rolf asked eagerly. "I want to hang his picture on my wall." Wade said, "I have a camera, but whether you can get a picture depends on him." As Wade led Rolf away, they could still hear Lockhart's voice booming behind them— "I am absolutely delighted and proud to announce that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" -Good thing I've already found myself a real Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Wade muttered in his heart. If not for his plan, he would've had to find a way to get rid of this Lockhart. After safely returning Rolf to his parents, Wade overheard the excited boy telling them, "Mom, Dad, guess who I saw over there?" "Lockhart?" Mr. Scamander said, playing along. "No, it's Harry Potter! He was taking pictures with Mr. Lockhart, and reporters were snapping away!" Rolf was practically jumping with excitement. "I'm going to be a classmate of Harry Potter!" "Calm down," Mrs. Scamander said as she wiped the sweat off his forehead, reminding him, "And don't ask him about his scar, or about the time he first defeated You-Know-Who. Do you hear me?" "Why not, Mom? I'm so curious!" Rolf exclaimed. "Oh, silly boy, he lost his parents back then," Mrs. Scamander said gently. Suddenly, the crowd grew chaotic. There were screams and people hurriedly moving away. Wade heard one of the Weasley twins shout, "Give it to him, Dad!" And Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out, "Arthur, stop it, don't do this!" Then came the unmistakable voice of Draco Malfoy: "Try this, Ron Weasley!" "I think I just heard some familiar names," Wade said as he handed his things to Steven. "Hold these for me. I'm going to check it out." He pushed through the crowd and arrived just in time to see Hagrid, effortlessly separating Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy, one in each hand. Harry had just pulled Ron and Draco apart, and not without bias—Ron had landed a solid punch on Draco's eye, which was now turning black and blue. Lucius Malfoy, with his pale blond hair now covered in dust, furiously shook off Hagrid's grasp and shoved a worn Transfiguration book into Ginny Weasley's hands. "Take your book!" he sneered arrogantly. "It's the best your father can afford for you." Wade, with his wand hidden in his sleeve, gave it a subtle flick. Ginny suddenly stumbled, as if pushed, and fell to the ground. "Lucius Malfoy, how dare you lay a hand on a child!" Arthur Weasley roared in fury, trying to launch himself at Lucius again, only to be held back by Hagrid once more. "That's too much!" Hagrid growled, glaring disdainfully at Malfoy. "If that's all you can do, you'd best stay out of my sight!" -------------------------------- ????????Please consider supporting this translation project by becoming a P@treon member!!! Your support is greatly appreciated! Available on my P@treon page for just $4!! Early access to the following translations:- ⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +104 Chapters & 2 Chapters/Day ⭐MCU: Druid's Adventures (MCUDA)(⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 460 ⭐Famous Police Detective in Detective World (FPDDW)- +165 advance chapters ⭐Marvel: Little Genius (MLG) (⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 450 [email protected]/Lightreaper457 --------------------------------