The members of the "A Maverick Pig" group were not in a hurry to complete this year's project—the Quidditch Rule Reform. The difficulty of this project was not great; the key was to balance the functions of each player on the Quidditch Pitch, ensuring that the Seeker's role wasn't too significant, nor allowing the Chaser to become a role that disrupted the balance.
After losing Snape and Lupin, Alfrina desperately wanted to prove herself through this project. She spent every day in the Library, researching Quidditch materials, and sometimes even consulted Madam Hooch, the Flying Class Professor and Hogwarts Quidditch referee.
Coupled with heavy coursework, her time was packed, leaving almost no free time.
Time flew by, and in the second Alchemy class, Dumbledore brought a small item, an umbrella modified by Alchemy, which could predict the weather. If it was going to rain today, the umbrella handle would turn a gloomy gray; otherwise, it would turn a dazzling white.
Kona was very curious about this little gadget. After class, she specifically asked Dumbledore to borrow the umbrella, trying to make an identical one herself.
Ghostly wails still came from the Shrieking Shack, but Alfrina and Gary knew that a wolf was hiding inside. This semester, Dumbledore specifically sought them out and informed them that he had blocked all ground passages leading to the Shrieking Shack, ensuring that this wolf would not run out and endanger everyone's safety.
The Hogsmeade visit day was scheduled before Halloween. It was Gary and his friends' "first time" visiting Hogsmeade. For the past two years, they could only listen enviously to the descriptions of Hogsmeade by older students, imagining it in their minds. Now, they could finally enter this village, known as the only pure Wizard village in all of Britain.
They woke up early, had breakfast in the Great Hall downstairs, and then lined up outside the Castle.
The sun was bright today, and a gentle breeze blew, making it a rare good day in British autumn. Many students were going to Hogsmeade. Gary and his three friends stood at the end of the line, looking back at the Castle, where they could still see many younger students peeking out from the windows upstairs, looking at them with curiosity and envy.
They slowly moved forward with the crowd, and before leaving the Castle, their guardian's signatures had to be checked.
Next to the Hogwarts caretaker, Pringle, stood a short, thin middle-aged man whose receding hairline indicated his power. Beside him was a cat; the emaciated appearance of the man and the cat made one think they had escaped from a slum.
The signatures on everyone's forms were fine, and they passed the check smoothly, following the main group out of the Castle.
There were two paths from outside Hogwarts Castle to Hogsmeade. One was through the large lake they crossed upon entering, with Hogsmeade directly opposite the lake; the other passed by the Hogwarts station, where a fork in the road led to Hogsmeade.
Most people chose the second path. No one had the leisure to enjoy a boat ride and sightseeing now.
Hogsmeade, in Gary's eyes, was indeed prosperous, comparable to Diagon Alley, Britain's largest shopping street.
The four of them, experiencing it for the first time, were full of novelty. They spent the morning exploring Hogsmeade together. Alfrina found a pair of white socks with Unicorn decorations on the cuff at the Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and happily bought five pairs. Kona and Howard packed two butterbeer, the specialty product of The Three Broomsticks. Gary bought several bags of **soft candies at Honeydukes Sweetshop, planning to hand them out during group activities.
After lunch.
Howard and Kona had run off to have fun somewhere.
Alfrina and Gary waited for a long time at The Three Broomsticks. A cup of butterbeer was almost empty, but the two still hadn't returned. There weren't many customers left in the shop, and Miss Jane Rosmerta, the owner's daughter, was boredly wiping glasses behind the bar.
"Hmm… Should we go shopping again?" Gary felt a bit bored sitting there with just the two of them.
"…Alright." Alfrina suddenly lifted her eyelids to glance at him, then quickly shifted her gaze back to the butterbeer in front of her.
They pushed open the door of The Three Broomsticks, and the cold wind suddenly rushed into their bodies, making them shiver.
Alfrina hugged the bag of socks to her chest, curling up into a ball from the cold.
Gary hadn't expected the weather to change so quickly; it was a warm, sunny morning, but by afternoon, it had turned bitterly cold.
He quickly pulled out his wand and cast a warming charm on them both. Only then did Alfrina recover, looking at him gratefully.
The warming charm couldn't completely block the cold wind, Gary
The two of them walked hand in hand against the cold wind towards Zonko's Joke Shop.
Many students were in this shop; they particularly liked these prank toys. Gary saw that the boxing gloves they used to trick Snape in their first year were also on display.
The two exchanged a knowing smile. Alfrina bought two more boxing glove toys, not knowing whom she would prank.
Gary took out all his remaining three Galleon and two Sickle pocket money and bought a single-use Nose-Biting Teacup.
A group of people huddled in Zonko's Joke Shop, waiting for the wind to die down before returning to Hogwarts.
After Alfrina and Gary paid, they stood by the door, watching the howling cold wind outside, and fell into an awkward silence again.
At this moment, four more students entered from outside—James and his friends. The already small shop suddenly became even more crowded. Gary could hear the curses of several students behind him.
Alfrina was bumped by Peter, falling into Gary's arms, clutching his robes tightly.
Peter quickly turned around and apologized. Alfrina indicated she was fine, struggled out of Gary's arms, and greeted James as if nothing had happened.
Gary clearly saw a blush spread from her earlobes down to her slender neck.
Gary didn't speak. He checked the mechanism of the Nose-Biting Teacup, relieved it hadn't been triggered. When Alfrina had fallen, he had been terrified, fearing his three Galleon and two Sickle would be wasted.
He and Alfrina were so close that he could smell the fragrance on her robes and hair, probably from Muggle shampoo.
Gary took a deep breath. The scents seemed to clog his nose, making him feel hot and a bit breathless.
This exhale was no small matter; it blew directly onto the back of Alfrina's neck, a puff of hot air that made goosebumps appear on her skin.
"What are you doing?" She turned and glared at Gary, her fair face flushing red.
"Sorry, sorry," Gary waved his hand in apology.
Outside the window, the cold wind was biting, and the wind made the shop's doors and windows creak. Everyone fell silent, and the shop assistant, after finishing the accounts, also rested on the counter.
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