Slop Bar

Boom!

The orange-red flames of the burning firewood in the old fireplace suddenly burst forth, and the eerie green tongues licked the blackened bricks and stones outside.

Loren stepped out of the fireplace, and Hermione stood beside him, looking up at the Slop Bar.

Before me was a spacious square hall. Rough-textured rocks had been cut and smoothed to form the four walls. The wooden ceiling had no visible seams. The room was tidy, the wooden table was clean, and the small leather sofa was polished to Winky. It was completely different from the Leaky Cauldron.

A small door was open to the side, through which one could vaguely glimpse the inner room filled with seamless wooden barrels, exuding a rich aroma of wine.

The bar was directly opposite the fireplace, and a blonde girl who looked to be about their age was leaning against the counter, her head bowed, nodding slightly.

Loren and Hermione exchanged a glance, both sharing the same question.

Could this be Old Tom's cousin from the Leaky Cauldron? Sirius Black didn't mention that his cousin was so young, and he doesn't seem to have any Magic Power energy. He doesn't look like a wizard.

No, they're definitely not wizards. Wizards that age should be attending Hogwarts; they couldn't possibly not know them.

Loren walked to the bar, and the sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor did not wake her. Full of doubt, he reached out and gently tapped on the counter.

Knock knock.

The blonde girl was suddenly startled awake. She looked up angrily, but before she could utter any impolite words, the annoyance in her light green eyes turned into surprise and confusion.

"You're here for drinks and lodging?" The girl scrutinized the two men, her gaze lingering on the soot on their shoulders. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Are you wizards?"

The blonde girl was dressed in a denim jacket and jeans, a lively and energetic outfit.

"You are wizards!" the girl declared confidently, her freckled face growing increasingly excited. "You came riding on fire! That's wonderful! I've never seen real wizards before. Do you know magic? Do you have wands? Why aren't you wearing wizard hats..."

Hermione paused, somewhat taken aback. She didn't understand why there was a Muggle girl in the wizarding tavern who knew so much about the Wizarding World.

Loren looked up at the neatly cut stone walls around him, then at the seamless wooden planks above him, lost in thought.

After she had rattled off a long string of questions and then shut her mouth somewhat shyly, Loren spoke softly, "You guessed right, we are indeed wizards. I am Loren Morgan, and this is my friend. We are looking for the owner of this tavern and have some questions to ask him."

"I am Hermione Granger, how are you?"

"You know Old Dodd?" The girl slapped her forehead after speaking, muttering, "Look at my brain! You're wizards, and you came all this way, you must know Old Dodd, but you're unlucky, Old Dodd just went out..."

"You've misunderstood, we don't know each other."

"Then what did you ask him?"

"Ask about things up in the mountains."

Seeing that she wanted to ask more, Loren continued, "Where did your boss go, and when will he be back?"

"Old Dodd has gone shopping. He might be buying some food and smoked meat nearby, or he might be going to the next town to buy brewing materials." The girl glanced at the wall clock. "If he's quick, he'll be back before lunch; if he's slow, he'll be back before dinner."

Upon hearing this, Loren and Hermione frowned.

To avoid going up the mountain in complete darkness, they wanted to ask the local wizards about the situation there, or if there had been any unusual developments recently. If they could find some clues about Hagrid, that would be even better.

But now...

"Are you in a hurry? Do you need to go back right away today?" The girl seemed to understand their dilemma and actively encouraged them, "If you're not in a hurry, why don't you stay here for the night? We also provide accommodation and three meals a day. The rooms are upstairs and are very clean..."

Hermione turned and looked toward the door.

The continuous mountain ranges were shrouded in mist, making it seem like two people were searching aimlessly...

Should we stay here for a day, or head up the mountain immediately?

"Please get us a room."

Loren answered almost without hesitation, "How much will it cost, Galleons or Pound Sterling?"

"Galleons ..." The girl blinked, her expression blank.

"Then let's Pound Sterling. How much is a room?"

"..."

The two completed the transaction quickly. It wasn't until the girl led the way up the stairs, turned the handle of the first room on the second Second Floor, and pushed the door open, revealing a double bed inside, that Hermione belatedly realized something was amiss.

"Here's the key. Just call me if you need hot water—"

The girl led the two into the room, then slapped her forehead. "You forgot my name? My name is Alice. I'm Old Dodd's neighbor and friend. I came to look after the tavern for him while he was out. If you're bored in the room, you can come down and chat with me. I know some things about the mountains..."

Loren nodded politely. "We'll come down after we put our luggage away."

"Luggage..."

Alice looked at the two of them suspiciously. They were empty-handed, with no luggage at all... Her eyes lit up, and she suddenly understood something. She smiled and went downstairs with an expression that said, "I see, I understand."

Loren walked into the room and looked around the balcony and bathroom. Sure enough, there were no toiletries. So he took out a cup, toothpaste, and toothbrush and placed them in front of the mirror, arranging them neatly, with even the toothbrush heads pointing in the same direction.

Hermione watched him bustling around, seemingly enjoying himself, and though her cheeks flushed slightly, she asked in a cool voice:

"Was this also part of your plan, Mr. Morgan?"

"What plan?"

Loren looked bewildered and innocent. "I was just thinking that this is the first time we've traveled far alone together. You don't have much experience, so having a room together would make it easier for me to take care of you."

"I think I'm fine with having my own room."

"Hey, just in case something unexpected happens, it'll be easier for us to live together and look after each other."

"What unexpected situation could possibly occur?"

"You've already said it's an unexpected situation. How can I predict it for you? If it were predictable, would it still be an unexpected situation?"

"..."

Hermione glanced at his feigned serious face and smirked, "You'd better think that way; you're no match for me in close combat."

Why are we fighting?

"..." Hermione found it both amusing and exasperating, and pursed her lips. "Let's go downstairs."

"OK!"

After closing the door, the two walked down the wooden stairs side by side.

Through their conversation with Alice, the two gained a rough understanding of Ben Nevis Mountain and the town at its foot.

Ben Nevis Mountain is an extinct volcano, majestic and sprawling across nearly a hundred acres. Its highest peak is perpetually shrouded in thick, persistent clouds, resulting in unpredictable weather. Some parts of the mountain are covered in snow year-round, almost turning into permafrost.

The mountainside is shrouded in thick fog, with steep terrain and volcanic rocks interspersed with granite, making climbing difficult. This attracts many adventure enthusiasts who challenge their limits, but the vast majority of them fail and return empty-handed. A small number of people are left here forever, becoming part of the mountain. In the past five years alone, there have been 13 mountaineering deaths.

A weather station was set up on a mountain peak in the northeast direction, and there were staff members stationed there, but they rarely showed up.

The foothills are vast, with scattered settlements, including the village where the Slop Bar is located. The nearest town is Fort William City, about 50 miles away.