Dung's News

"Long time no see, Severus." Madam Rosmerta set the tray on the table, then briskly pulled over a chair and sat down.

Her long chestnut hair cascaded all the way to her waist, and her wine-red lips curled into a charming smile.

She said to Pandora, "Little sister, your usual Butterbeer."

Madam Rosmerta carried a very distinctive floral fragrance. In the warm, stuffy pub, it was like a cool breeze slipping into Snape's nose.

"Have a taste." Madam Rosmerta elegantly pinched the bottle stopper between her fingers, gave her wrist a twist, and popped it free. She poured some amber-like flowing Mead into two glasses. "After one drink, I'll have to get back to the bar."

"Thank you, Madam." Snape nodded slightly, lifted his glass, and gently clinked it against hers.

The fragrance of oak and the sweetness of honey lingered and blended on Snape's tongue. He had never tasted Mead this good before, but he liked it very much.

"That's not fair," a muffled voice suddenly piped up. "I want to have a drink with you too!"

Mundungus had a filthy black pipe clenched between his teeth and was smacking the tabletop hard.

"Shut up, Mundungus!" Madam Rosmerta snapped without turning around. "If you want to be banned from the Three Broomsticks too, then keep slapping the table with your filthy hands!"

"Cough, cough." Mundungus took a sharp pull from his pipe, and a mouthful of ash went straight down his throat. His face immediately turned red from coughing, and he hastily pulled his hand back.

He had already been banned from The Hog's Head Inn last year. With Aberforth's memory, he would probably have to dress up as a witch to sneak in. If he got banned from the Three Broomsticks as well, he would have nowhere left to go.

After he stopped coughing, Mundungus stuffed the pipe back into his pocket. The smoke had dispersed, but the pungent stench of burning socks lingered stubbornly in the air.

Madam Rosmerta poured Snape another half glass of Mead, left the bottle on the table, then rose and returned to the bar to continue her work.

"Is it good?" Pandora curiously stared at the Mead in Snape's hand.

"Not bad," Snape said. "Want to try some? I'll get you a fresh glass."

With that, Snape stood and went to the bar for a clean glass.

As he passed Mundungus, he heard him whispering with a hooded Wizard beside him.

"Have you heard? Bork's been admitted to St Mungo's." Mundungus's voice seemed to squeeze out through his teeth.

"Oh, I knew when I went to Borgin and Bork's at the start of the month. Borgin said he'd already been sent to that special ward on the fifth floor of St Mungo's, the one that takes people whose brains have been ruined by magic..." the hooded Wizard replied in an equally hushed voice.

"Yeah, yeah, the Spell Damage Department. Bork was always fooling around with obscure Dark Magic. I figured it was only a matter of time before he ended up there." Mundungus grinned, his face full of glee at another's misfortune.

"This is good news for us, isn't it?" The hooded Wizard chuckled.

"I agree. Borgin isn't much better, but he's still far better than Bork. Bork always haggled down my prices. Back in July, I took him a bottle of Acromantula venom, and he insisted the quality wasn't high enough. He only gave me twenty Galleons." The more Mundungus spoke, the angrier he became, until even his chin trembled.

"Oh, please. Do you think I don't know your tricks? You dare say you didn't mix anything else into that bottle of venom..."

"Excuse me," Snape finally cut in, unable to bear it any longer as the two drifted further and further off topic. "Were you talking about Caractacus Bork?"

"Who else would it be? Oh, it's you, kid." Noticing Snape, Mundungus grumbled in annoyance, a hint of irritation on his face. "What do you want, Rosmerta's little man?"

"Mr. Mundungus," Snape asked patiently, forcing himself to endure the pungent smell coming from Mundungus, "do you know when Caractacus Bork was admitted to St Mungo's?"

"Hahaha, did you hear that?" Mundungus laughed exaggeratedly and called loudly to the Wizard beside him. "He called me mister!"

"So you don't know?"

"Mind your manners, kid." Mundungus drawled. "Since you called me mister, I'll be merciful and tell you.

"In September, Bork's brain was already fried. I heard Borgin waited in the shop for several days and never saw him come in to take his shift. Unable to stand it any longer, he went to Bork's home.

"Guess what? Borgin found him sitting alone on the floor, clutching a Wand and babbling nonsense, going 'ah-ba ah-ba' over and over like an idiot.

"If Borgin hadn't gone to check on him, Bork probably would have starved to death."

"What happened to Bork?" Snape pressed.

"Dark Magic!" Mundungus slammed his hand down on the table. But he immediately shrank his neck and carefully glanced toward the bar, afraid Madam Rosmerta might notice.

After steadying himself, he continued, "Borgin said he used Priori Incantatem to recreate the recent spells cast by that Wand. Supposedly, it was an extremely evil ancient Dark Magic, and very risky..."

"It wasn't that simple," the hooded Wizard leaned in mysteriously and whispered. "Borgin tried to look into Bork's memories, but there was nothing there. It was all a complete mess, like paste."

"What did the Ministry of Magic say?" Snape asked again.

"Tch—" The hooded Wizard let out a mocking laugh. "Are you joking? How could Borgin possibly let the Aurors examine Bork's brain? For all you know, he helped shake Bork's brains smooth first."

"Hey, kid." Mundungus beckoned Snape over, a lecherous grin spreading across his face as he lowered his voice. "I answered so many questions for you." He slyly pointed at the empty glass in front of Pandora. "How about giving me that glass?"

It was the glass Madam Rosmerta had used earlier, and her wine-red lip print still remained on it.

Pandora was looking over, seemingly puzzled as to why Snape had lingered there for so long.

"Goodbye." Snape's mouth twitched. He picked up the empty glass and quickly headed back to Pandora.

"This is so good." Pandora cradled the Mead Snape had poured for her, took a sip, and her eyes immediately lit up. "Mm... it's sweeter than Butterbeer."

"But Butterbeer's fresh malty aroma has its own charm too, doesn't it?"

"That's right. Let's go. We can look around somewhere else."

"Oh, wait a moment." Snape drew his Wand and murmured, "Evanesco!"

The glass and the Butterbeer cup instantly vanished into nothingness, returning to all things.

Thanks to Guifanxin for the monthly vote.