Dervish and Banges

Classes settled into a routine. Over the next few days, Tver followed the same pattern and taught the remaining third-years and the second-years.

Before long, the young wizards in both years seemed as though they had been pumped full of stimulants, developing a fanatical interest in using magic for combat.

That feverish atmosphere spread to the other years. They could not attend Professor Fawley's classes, but they could learn from the second- and third-year students!

As a result, the entire castle was filled with the air of battle. After class, students waved their wands about, trying to practise every spell they knew, and from time to time someone was knocked down by a curse flying in from nowhere.

As a result, the counterspells for the Binding Charm and Stunning Spell became the most popular spells in the castle, as well as the ones the students had mastered best.

Even with the prefects repeatedly ordering them to stop, the situation could not be contained—until the Weasley Twins hit Professor Quirrell in the back of the head.

It was the first time the young wizards had ever seen Professor Quirrell get so angry. Usually timid and trembling, he viciously docked Gryffindor fifty points and gave the two boys detention.

After a tactful reminder from Professor McGonagall, Tver had no choice but to reiterate, before all the students in the Great Hall, the school rule forbidding the use of magic in the corridors. Violators would be punished with ten difficult exam papers.

Of course, the professors all knew that banning it was pointless. It was only natural for wizards to practise magic, so after giving it some thought, Dumbledore allowed students to use the empty classrooms on every floor to practise magic.

He had even thoughtfully furnished them with plenty of cushions and dummies.

Only then did the feverish atmosphere slowly cool down.

The only ones who had remained coldly detached throughout were the first-year students.

Never mind fighting—they had not even properly learned magic yet.

Even the Transfiguration technique from their first lesson, turning a matchstick into a needle, had not been fully mastered.

They had not learned a single spell, either.

In Charms over the past few days, they had only learned the basics, such as casting gestures and the use of magical power. Being able to produce a little light was already quite good.

But that was not something Tver needed to concern himself with. He had something important to take care of.

In the evening, after dinner, Tver bade farewell to the curious young wizards and headed down the path toward Hogsmeade.

Only third-years and above could visit Hogsmeade on designated weekends.

Now that he was a professor, though, he did not need to worry about such rules.

September days did not grow dark so quickly. It was dusk now, his favourite time of day.

At this time, darkness was about to descend while the sun cast its final radiance, lending everything a bleak, beautiful quality.

So rather than Apparating directly there, Tver strolled along the path, taking the rare chance to relax.

Hogwarts and Hogsmeade were close together, however, and before dusk had even passed, he had arrived at the village.

This was the only settlement in all of Britain inhabited entirely by wizards, filled with cottages and shops whose roofs were specially thatched.

The houses, all with triangular roofs, could easily make one lose one's bearings, but the shops inside were captivating enough to make visitors linger.

Even on a weekday, quite a few visitors were wandering around, and the cheerful laughter of children could be heard, lifting one's spirits.

If he had not had business to attend to, Tver would not have minded taking a look around.

Walking all the way to the end of the road, he arrived at a shop called "Dervish and Banges."

The door stood open, and Tver walked straight in. Several customers were still selecting merchandise inside while the owner attended to them.

Business here seemed fairly good.

Seeing that the owner was still busy, Tver browsed around at random.

It was a magical equipment shop that also sold tools for repairs. It offered all kinds of magical items and equipment, from large magical doors to small Anti-Glare Glasses.

On one shelf sat several transparent spheres slightly larger than a fist. They seemed to be filled with some sort of gas that drifted faintly within them.

Tver read the description beneath them aloud.

"Remembrall. Squeeze it tightly. If it remains unchanged, it proves that you have not forgotten anything. If it suddenly turns bright red, it proves that you have forgotten something."

"But take note: if you have forgotten what it was that you forgot, then this Remembrall cannot help you either."

A bespectacled man with an honest-looking face appeared beside him, wearing a standard polite smile.

"My name is Banges, and I am the manager of this shop," he said, pointing toward the other owner. "That is my brother, Dervish. We run this shop together."

Tver glanced back. They did indeed resemble each other in both build and appearance, though Banges wore glasses and seemed more refined.

"Is this your first time here, sir?" Banges asked curiously.

There were not many wizards to begin with, and Banges had a good memory. If he had ever met someone like Tver before, he would not have forgotten.

"That's right. It's my first time in Hogsmeade as well." Tver nodded faintly.

"Then are you looking for something in particular, or just browsing? If you're browsing, I can show you around." Banges's smile grew warmer.

A new customer was never a bad thing for a shop.

"I would like to commission you to make a batch of magical items." Tver took out a badge with only a simple pattern on it. "Make items similar to this in bulk."

Banges eagerly took the badge and examined it carefully for a while, continuously voicing his admiration.

"A badge made from non-magical materials, yet it can carry such a complete Shield Charm—and such a powerful Shield Charm at that. Your attainments in this field seem extraordinarily profound."

Tver's face reddened slightly.

He was not skilled in alchemy at all. He had only managed to make this badge through a lucky coincidence after consulting the Weasley Twins.

He cleared his throat, keeping himself from getting lost in unrealistic praise.

"Ahem, can you make badges like this? I need the effect to be stable and continuous. It would be even better if it could be recharged with magic."

Magical recharging meant that after a magical item had used up its stored magic, it could continue functioning after being infused with more magic.

In other words, it was the difference between disposable batteries and rechargeable ones.

Bans immediately looked troubled. Frowning, he continued examining the badge and tested its effect.

The magic inside immediately dropped by a large amount.

That was partly because Tver had stored little magic in it, and partly because it had released an enhanced Shield Charm, which consumed even more magic.

Just then, the other shop owner, Devis, enthusiastically saw off the remaining customers and came over to his brother, who was studying the badge.

However, he first gave Tver a subtle once-over before speaking.

This time, Tver did not need to say anything. Bans told Devis about his requirements.

Devis did not answer immediately. Instead, he and his brother began discussing it among themselves as though no one else were present.