Although he couldn't appear openly with his friends, Harry Potter was already quite content. He happily pulled out handfuls of Galleons to buy many gifts for Hermione, Ron, and himself.
The three of them walked together, with Hermione and Ron carrying the shopping bags, allowing Harry to enjoy the various candies he'd just bought, hands-free.
Their first stop was Dervish and Banges, a magical equipment shop that also sold repair tools.
Inside, they offered a variety of magical items and devices, including Quidditch gear.
"They even sell x-ray specs for spying. Who on earth would need something like that?"
Ron was reluctant to leave the store, clearly tempted by the pair of x-ray spying glasses, though he was too embarrassed to ask Harry to buy them for him. Even though Ron could technically afford such magical items now—his assets were in pounds, not yet converted into Galleons.
"Obviously, it's gear meant for perverts! What, are you thinking of getting a pair to try out?"
Hermione immediately caught on to Ron's little scheme and bluntly exposed his sneaky thoughts.
Next, they went to Twilfitt and Tatting's, a large wizard clothing chain with stores in both London and Paris.
What caught their attention most inside was the collection of quirky, all kinds of strange socks.
Harry gleefully picked out three silly-looking pairs as gifts for the three of them and then made Ron pay for them.
They returned to Honeydukes, the candy shop where Harry had exited earlier. Now, he had the time to carefully browse the products, which included a dazzling variety of sweet treats, creamy homemade fudge, and gigantic blocks of chocolate.
This chocolate wasn't from the Black family's chocolate factory.
The shop was hugely popular among Hogwarts students.
"I came in through here. There's a trapdoor in the basement of this store that leads directly to a secret passage to Hogwarts."
Harry whispered this explanation to Hermione and Ron, telling them how he had managed to get here.
Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was a cramped, stuffy little place decorated entirely with tacky lace, even the tiny round tables. The shop sat at the corner of a main road, and the owner had used strange decorations for Valentine's Day—golden cherubs that occasionally tossed candy at customers.
But it wasn't yet tea time, so the three simply glanced inside and moved on to their next destination.
The post office, second only to the Owlery at Hogwarts in terms of communication, housed at least 200 owls—from large grey hawks to tiny scops owls used for local deliveries. The owls rested on color-coded perches, and which owl you picked depended on how fast you wanted your mail delivered.
"Oh! It's the Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. I've always wanted to get a proper quill. Let's go in!"
Hermione pulled the two boys into the shop. Inside, cabinets were neatly filled with quills of every kind. Though Regulus Black had never been stingy with Hermione and a quill meant little to him, today Harry was footing the bill. So apart from the candies Harry had already bought, it made sense to get something more meaningful as a gift.
Soon enough, Hermione picked out a striking black-and-gold pheasant feather quill—one she'd originally planned to buy two years later.
Harry was delighted that his friend had made a choice. After all, he had promised to get them each a gift, and the candies were just extras. A quill suited Hermione perfectly.
While Hermione, the book-lover, gravitated toward quills, Ron and Harry were more attracted to prank items.
Zonko's Joke Shop was a favorite among Hogwarts students.
They sold props that even Fred and George Weasley had only dreamed of inventing—Dungbombs, Belch Powder, Frogspawn Soap, Nose-Biting Teacups. The shop's anti-counterfeit charms were incredibly tight. Though the twins hadn't mastered making these items yet, they had studied the anti-copy spells thoroughly and would one day apply them to the hundred joke items they planned to sell.
In addition to these novelty items, Zonko's also sold a variety of materials. Though it appeared to be a toy store on the surface, at its core it was an alchemy shop—selling ready-made props and ingredients was their real business.
Besides these shops, there were some smaller stores and two well-known pubs in Hogsmeade.
The Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head—the former being the more student-friendly of the two.
It was warm, cozy, and a perfect place to enjoy Butterbeer. They also offered lemonade, hot mead, red wine, cherry syrup, and soda with ice and tiny umbrellas.
The owner, Madam Rosmerta, was a woman who treated love potions like water.
Though she wasn't particularly beautiful, even Ron was quite taken with her and would always stare when they visited.
Regulus Black only needed one glance to be sure—Madam Rosmerta was using love potions to attract customers.
It was no small feat for a woman her age, but her good business wasn't only due to her efforts—it was also helped by having unremarkable competitors.
The Hog's Head, on the other hand, was known for being narrow, filthy, and old. The windows, layered in centuries of grime, barely let in any light. The rough wooden tables were lit by a few candles. Everything, from the floor to the ceiling—even the Butterbeer bottles—was covered in a thick layer of dust. The pub was just one small, dirty room with an overpowering smell in the air—possibly mutton.
Compared to the Three Broomsticks, it was not only dirtier and cheaper but also attracted more eccentric and mysterious guests. At the Hog's Head, hiding one's face was trendy—you could wear a hood or a veil.
Just a year ago, Hagrid had gambled with a hooded stranger—Quirrell—and won a dragon egg.
"Technically, entering the Hog's Head isn't against Hogwarts rules, but we'd better bring our own cups. Professor Flitwick repeatedly reminded all Ravenclaws to bring their own. You wouldn't want to use the cups they provide."
Hermione looked at the Hog's Head with disgust. The wild boar's head above the entrance had long since been dried out, and the filthy exterior reflected the bar's overall vibe—other than the flowing booze, nothing inside was likely clean.
Harry finally confided in his friends the secret of how he was able to sneak out of Hogwarts—the Marauder's Map.
"Harry! You need to be careful. If they catch you, you'll have to hand over the map, maybe even the Invisibility Cloak too!"
Hermione immediately warned Harry to be careful not to expose himself from beneath the cloak and quickly tucked the Marauder's Map back under it.
"Hello, Madam Rosmerta. Business seems good."
Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge arrived at the Three Broomsticks in a warm coat, riding a sleigh.
"If the Minister hadn't sent Dementors, my business would be even better. They patrol the bar every night and scare off my customers."
Madam Rosmerta didn't bother to be polite to the Minister—after all, the Dementors had hurt her business.
"That's because a murderer escaped—Sirius Black is hiding somewhere in Hogsmeade."
Minister Fudge explained helplessly. After all, the bar owner in front of him was quite charming—letting a little detail slip didn't seem like a big deal.
"What could a criminal even do in Hogsmeade?"
Madam Rosmerta pressed on. The Dementors were hurting her profits, and since they were sent because of Sirius Black, he had become the root of her problems.
"We believe he's after Harry Potter."
Professor McGonagall appeared with Hagrid, clearly having arranged to meet Minister Fudge at the Three Broomsticks.
At that moment, Harry, cloaked in his Invisibility Cloak, stood nearby. The conversation deeply affected him.
While Hermione and Ron stood stunned, Harry had already started striding toward the Three Broomsticks.
"Hey! No minors allowed in the bar today—close the door! The cold wind's blowing in!"
A row of shrunken skulls hanging by the door yelled at Hermione and Ron, failing to notice that Harry had already slipped inside.
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