Hermione Gets Pranked

"Luo Bin, it really is you! I thought I was seeing things!"

Hermione exclaimed in surprise, licking her strawberry ice cream topped with crushed peanuts and butter.

"Luo Bin, here, have an ice cream. Did you... come from Knockturn Alley?"

Harry craned his neck. Through the narrow alley entrance, he could just make out the chaotic layout of the street beyond.

The cool ice cream, sweet without being cloying, instantly dispelled Luo Bin's irritation. He guessed Harry had already been to Gringotts. After all, ice cream in Diagon Alley was hardly cheap.

"Oh, so that's called Knockturn Alley. It was utter chaos in there. I only took one extra look at something, and the stallholder insisted I buy it. It took ages to get away. Let's get out of here!"

"Blimey, how can a shopkeeper behave like that? Harry, did anyone in Knockturn Alley try to force you to buy something?"

Ron had always wanted to explore Knockturn Alley, but his parents were too strict, and he barely had any pocket money.

"I was in a hurry to find the exit, so I didn't look around much. But the shops in Knockturn Alley were strange, and so were the people. Come on, let's get away from the entrance. Weren't we going to buy ink and parchment?"

Harry was desperate to leave the alley entrance behind. Clearly, Knockturn Alley had left him with a bad impression.

"Right! Oh, I nearly forgot the ink. Luo Bin, I heard Professor Severus Snape gave you a special summer assignment. How's it coming along?"

Hermione squeezed past Ron and linked her arm through Luo Bin's, asking excitedly.

Just thinking about the ten-thousand-word research and observation report on the Ridge-Scaled Green Snake made Luo Bin's wrist ache. "Pretty well. I finally finished it a few days