Hermione's Day

At eleven that night, Hermione finally returned after a busy day.

The moment she came through the door, she threw herself at the table where the supper had been laid out. Without the slightest concern for manners or appearances, she grabbed a roast potato and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Slow down, there's plenty more here." Mrs. Weasley hurriedly pushed an entire basket of roast potatoes toward Hermione, then placed the pie she had prepared for Mr. Weasley in front of her as well.

"Arthur, what is going on? Does the Ministry of Magic not let people eat?" Mrs. Weasley asked angrily.

Hermione looked as though she had not eaten for three days.

"Of course the Ministry lets people eat. She just isn't used to it yet." Mr. Weasley calmly took another pie and cut it into small pieces with his knife before putting them into his mouth.

He was not eating slowly either, but compared with Hermione, he seemed far more elegant.

"So what exactly was she doing?"

"The Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee, one of the most tedious jobs in the Ministry of Magic," Mr. Weasley explained. "She was out all day and only came back ten minutes ago."

"So? Don't Muggles have shops that sell food?" Mrs. Weasley still did not understand.

"They do."

At last, Hermione managed to tear her attention away from the roast potatoes and pies. She took a huge gulp of pumpkin juice. "Mr. Pelode bought me fish and chips, but I was so busy registering information and arranging for a plumber for Mrs. Figg that I forgot where I put them.

"By the time I had sorted everything out, it was already half past ten."

Strangely enough, Hermione had not felt hungry at all while she was working. It was only after all her