"Greta!"
Minister for Magic Fudge spread his arms, and the crowd automatically made way for Greta to greet him with cheek kisses.
How could the Minister for Magic be absent from an occasion like this?
Pomona rolled her eyes and searched the crowd for Flitwick. It was clearly no easy task; the crowd had completely blocked him from view.
At last, she spotted Bertie Bott, the inventor of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Flitwick was still beside him, but there was now someone else with them.
"Pomona!" Flitwick waved at her.
She approached with Cedric and Amos. The foreigner gave her a slight bow.
"Let me introduce you. This is Epimetheus Smith, manager of Black Carp Company. I heard you were worried about how to send your students to visit friends over the summer holidays," Flitwick said.
"Yes, Filius," Pomona said.
"He can help," Flitwick said, looking at Smith. "Am I right?"
"Our company is a flying-carpet taxi service. We provide sightseeing, long-distance travel, and courier services," Epimetheus Smith said.
"Flying carpets? I thought they were banned in Britain," Pomona said.
"No. Licensed companies are permitted to operate 'limited' services," Amos Diggory said. "Black Carp Company is one of them."
"We offer our passengers full insurance coverage, including property damage and personal injury in the event of an accident," Epimetheus Smith said.
Pomona, who had just thought it was a good idea, instantly decided it was not such a "good idea" after all.
"Perhaps you would prefer our fleet of pure black Persian carpet vehicles. They can deliver passengers safely and comfortably to their destinations," Epimetheus Smith quickly amended.
"I'll think about it," Pomona said.
Epimetheus Smith then bowed to them and headed toward the next "group of customers."
"Remember, boy," the inventor of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans told