Hermione's disgusted yet gritted-teeth expression was far too amusing. Loren's mischievous streak was thoroughly satisfied.
Not long after, once Hermione had gotten used to the Chocolate Frogs and her expression had calmed, Loren lowered his head and sorted through the cards one by one.
Cliodna picking her nose, a medieval Witch—put away.
Paracelsus from the Renaissance. There was also a portrait of this wizard skilled in healing magic in the corridor—put away.
Dumbledore—take it out and set it aside.
Though the table looked piled with candy, the wrappers took up a large portion of it. The Chocolate Frogs were quickly finished, leaving a small stack of cards, several of them Dumbledore's.
Hermione had never eaten so much candy so recklessly in her life. The chocolate made her brain release Dopamine, bringing heartfelt pleasure. She was happy, yet felt that she should not be this happy. It was a strange feeling.
Hermione felt that, even without much of a reason, she could treat Chocolate Frogs as ordinary snacks from now on. She even planned to bring some home for her parents to try. Her father would definitely be interested in them.
But Cockroach Clusters were different. Her inability to accept cockroaches was etched into her genes, into her very physiology.
Hermione stared at the cockroaches crawling and rustling around inside the box, her scalp tingling. In a timid voice, she asked, "Is there really no other way?"
"You have to finish them all." Loren was a complete little devil.
Hermione struggled inwardly for a long while before finally gathering her courage. With the grim resolve of someone marching to her death, she shrank her head back and reached out, pinching a Cockroach Cluster between her thumb and forefinger.
The candy wriggled restlessly in her hand. The tiny bristles on its arthropod