Chapter 224
Chapter 224
A wind chime hung above the entrance to Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop and rang whenever a customer entered.
“Oh, hello.” Madam Puddifoot was a plump middle-aged woman with glossy black hair swept into a bun. She welcomed Hermione and Suer with a kindly smile.
“Hello, Madam. Do you have somewhere quiet?”
“Of course. Everyone who comes wants a little privacy. Follow me.” Madam Puddifoot looked knowingly at the flushed Hermione carrying bags of sweets.
Few tables remained empty. As she led them towards a corner, Suer saw Ravenclaw prefect Penelope Clearwater near the back left, idly playing with a silver spoon as though waiting for someone.
“What would you like?” Madam Puddifoot asked once they sat.
Suer slid the menu towards Hermione. Perhaps the tea shop possessed a special magic. Since entering, Hermione had sat perfectly straight, behaving like an elegant witch while twirling a lock of hair.
“You choose.” Even her voice had changed, becoming unnaturally soft and delicate, nothing like her laughter in Honeydukes.
Suer shuddered. Good heavens.
“What do you recommend, Madam? This is our first visit.” Unsure what to order, Suer asked the proprietress in her floral lace dress.
“On such a cold day, I recommend black tea from Mykonos. Add milk and honey, and nothing suits the weather better.”
“Pair it with chocolate biscuits. Their slight bitterness complements the sweet milk tea. Love itself is sweetness touched by bitterness, and every young couple tries it.”
“It is my favourite combination. It reminds me of my own youth. Heh heh…”
“I have other suggestions too. Little cakes with honey syrup are perfect for a newly joined couple, while rich cherry milk represents love’s sweetness.”
“Black tea and chocolate biscuits, please. Thank you, Madam.” Hermione interrupted hurriedly, face scarlet. She glanced at Suer and lowered her head.
“Certainly. One serving? I can provide two spoons. Many young witches and wizards enjoy sharing a cup.”
“Two teas, Madam. One plate of biscuits,” Suer said quickly, afraid Hermione’s head would begin smoking if the smiling woman continued.
“Coming at once.” Madam Puddifoot smiled and walked away.
A tall, thin red-haired boy then entered, panting, and looked around.
“Look, Hermione.” Suer nudged the girl opposite and indicated the door.
“Percy?” Hermione said in surprise.
Percy seemed to spot someone and hurried over, smoothing hair disturbed by the cold wind and steadying his breath.
He never noticed the two watching from the corner.
“He’s dating Ravenclaw’s female prefect?” Hermione stared as Percy sat opposite Penelope and began talking.
“It seems George and Fred guessed correctly.” Suer nodded. “Imagine if Creevey photographed this.”
“I nearly forgot.” As Hermione looked over, Suer grinned and produced a transparent crystal sphere.
“A recording orb?” Hermione guessed his intention at once, frowned and snatched it. “Absolutely not.”
“It’s immoral. I can imagine exactly what George or Fred would do with this. No one wants a date recorded without permission…”
The moving images inside the orb caught Hermione’s attention. “Eh?”
Suer panicked. An enormous crimson warning sign appeared in his mind. This… this…
“You’re right, Hermione. We shouldn’t do that.” Concealing his alarm, Suer tried to reclaim the orb.
Hermione swiftly drew back her hand, narrowed suspicious eyes and studied him. Knowing Suer, the orb probably contained something he did not want her to see.
The tea shop was comfortably warm, yet Suer began to sweat. As Hermione raised the orb close to her eyes, he wondered whether he should run. A dreadful impulse to draw his wand and use a Memory Charm even appeared, only to be killed immediately.
Before Suer invented an excuse capable of surviving her fury, Hermione finished watching.
“Heh. Recording this amused you, did it, darling?” Hermione’s fingertips whitened around the orb. She took several deep breaths, restraining the urge to throw it into the hateful man’s face, and stared.
“Or were you planning to make copies of that scene from the Room of Requirement? Who were you going to show?”
Suer could almost hear her grinding her teeth. Under the murderous force of her gaze, still more sweat appeared on his forehead.
“I swear, Hermione, I never intended that.” Suer raised both hands, eyes spinning as an excuse occurred to him. “I swear by Merlin.”
“I left the recording orb there accidentally. Truly. My satchel was full, and I didn’t even know what it had recorded. Small accidents happen, don’t they?”
“Is that so?” Hermione plainly did not believe him easily. “You truly didn’t do it deliberately?”
“Of course not. If I did, then… then may I be punished… punished…”
Before he finished, rescue arrived.
“My dears, enjoy these delicious treats.” Madam Puddifoot approached with a tray. “I added milk and honey. You may add more sugar if you wish.”
The milk tea looked excellent. White foam formed a heart upon its surface, immediately tempting Hermione to taste it.
As she lifted the cup and sipped, Suer secretly relaxed.
“Why did you stop? Hmm? What punishment?” Hermione’s voice floated over.
“Heh heh…” Suer’s hand paused around his cup. He gave a dry laugh. “May I receive P–Poor–in every subject this term?”
The penalty clearly failed to satisfy Hermione, though she did not pursue the matter. She snorted and picked up a chocolate biscuit.
After a while, Hermione suddenly looked up.
“You’re the only person who’s seen this, aren’t you?”
“Only me. No one else has ever touched it,” Suer answered instinctively.
The next instant, he realised.
Damn. He had exposed himself!
Fortunately, Hermione did not throw her tea in his face, perhaps because it tasted too good.
She did not speak again until the cup was empty.
Then the wind chime above the door rang, and two familiar people entered.
Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott.