The students' faces contorted with disgust at the mention of Dementor, and that disgust quickly transferred to Fudge, the Minister for Magic.
"What is Fudge thinking? Sending Dementor around the school like this! He doesn't care about our lives at all!"
"Exactly! Professor Dumbledore clearly opposed doing this, but he insisted on doing it his own way, causing Hogsmeade to suffer. He's so irresponsible!"
" Dementor are monsters. Fudge released them without any regard for the safety of wizards; he only cares about his own power!"
Everyone chimed in with their own words, their tone filled with indignation, casting a shadow over what had been a relaxed mood.
His pace quickened unconsciously, as he both wanted to check on Hogsmeade and worried about the villagers.
Along the way, at intersections, beside stone bridges, and behind bushes, you could see a few Dementor wandering around.
As soon as the air got cold, Hermione waved her wand to drive it away:
" Expecto Patronum!"
The silver sea otter darted out nimbly, instantly dispelling the chill and restoring the original color to the vegetation.
She walked along gently, as if clearing away the gloom from the path.
Upon reaching the Hogsmeade, the group paused.
Seven or eight Dementor were lurking near the stone tablet, their black robes trailing on the ground, exuding a deathly aura, blocking the entrance and making it a cold and gloomy place.
Hermione stepped forward and raised her wand:
" Expecto Patronum!"
A burst of silver light erupted, and the sea otter Patronus pounced joyfully, while the Dementor hissed and retreated in disarray into the shadows of the forest.
As the fog dissipated, the stone monument at the entrance of Hogsmeade was finally revealed in its entirety, appearing clean and clear under the sunlight, as if it had come back to life.
Percy's girlfriend, Penelope, sighed and said, "That basically eliminates any thought of anyone coming."
Ron kicked a pebble at his feet, looking frustrated. "Damn it! I finally made it to my third year and could finally have some fun at Hogsmeade, and then this crap happens."
"I really don't know what Fudge, the Minister for Magic, is doing, throwing Dementor around the school and the village."
Dean also cursed.
Harry looked at Hermione and said seriously, " Hermione, I think you and Draco are both right. You should become Minister for Magic; at least you won't do such a stupid thing."
Being asked this in front of so many people, Hermione hurriedly waved her hands. " Harry, don't talk nonsense... I didn't think that far ahead."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding classmates perked up.
" Hermione as minister? I'm all for it!"
"It's definitely a hundred times more reliable Fudge!"
"The smartest witch in all of Hogwarts, absolutely!"
"From now on, we'll have our own minister!"
George and Fred exchanged a glance, then turned to Percy with mischievous grins. "Hey, Percy, why don't you try running for president too? We'll have a minister relative someday."
"Do you think the Minister for Magic is like a cabbage on the roadside? You can't just become it like that!" Percy corrected.
The group burst into laughter and entered Hogsmeade.
The third-grade students, who were visiting for the first time, stared wide-eyed.
Honeydukes was right at the front, and the aroma of candy wafted over from afar. The shop window was filled with Chocolate Frog, Fizzing Whizbees, Acid Pops, and Pepper Imps, the glass cases Winky and so sweet that it was hard to move on.
Next door is Zonko's Joke Shop, with a flashy signboard, covered in prank props, and with screaming monsters, fart cushions, and Fake Wand displayed at the entrance.
It's obviously Fred and George's paradise.
A few steps further, Three Broomsticks were burning, yellow light shone through the wooden windows, and the faint aroma of Butterbeer wafted from the doorway.
In the angled shadows, Hog's Head appeared old and dark, with a worn-out wooden door and curtains drawn tightly.
The place exudes a mysterious and suspicious atmosphere, clearly unsuitable for younger students to enter casually.
Along the roadside are shops such as: Gladrags Wizardwear, Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, Dervish and Banges, etc.
The shops stood side by side, their magical aura so strong it was almost palpable.
In stark contrast to the abundance and exquisite shops, the streets were deserted; there were no customers to be seen, not even the shop owners.
On the empty stone path, only a few Dementor patrolled back and forth like persistent shadows.
Especially in front of the dimly lit, dilapidated Hog's Head, Dementor gathered in large numbers, their decaying and chilling aura even stronger than elsewhere, almost completely enveloping the small bar.
Ron swallowed hard, rubbed his slightly chilled hands, and exclaimed expectantly, "Never mind... let's go to Three Broomsticks and have Butterbeer to warm ourselves up!"
"Everyone, hurry up and come back quickly."
Hermione gripped her wand tightly and turned to give the others instructions.
He then exchanged a glance with Draco, and the two of them stood side by side in front of him, raising their wands in unison.
A burst of silver light erupted simultaneously, Hermione's otter Patronus and Draco's fiery lion Patronus echoing each other as they charged towards the Dementor patrolling the streets.
" Dementor are immortal; we can only drive them away temporarily. They'll be back soon, so don't linger!"
Where the silver light passed,
The Dementor let out unwilling howls and retreated in disarray into the shadows on both sides of the street, disappearing from sight for the time being.
Upon seeing this, the students cheered instantly.
Unable to contain their excitement, they swarmed towards their favorite shops, some picking out candy, others buying prank props, and still others choosing exquisite stationery...
George and Fred headed straight to Zonko's Joke Shop, hoping to stock up on some fun prank props.
The girls flocked to Honeydukes, their mouths watering for the sweet candies, while others ran toward the Gladrags Wizardwear and the Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop.
They all planned to explore the area thoroughly.
But when they excitedly ran to the shop door, they all froze in place, only to find the wooden door tightly closed and bolted shut.
Forget about entering the store to shop; there wasn't even a crack in the door. Every single shop was closed without exception.
Their high expectations were instantly dashed, and the smiles on the students' faces gradually disappeared, replaced by disappointment and frustration.
George clung to the door of the Zonko's Joke Shop, kicking it in frustration. "Why is it closed? I wanted to buy Skiving Snackboxes and Hiccough Candy!"
Lavender looked at the tightly closed Honeydukes's lips, pouted, and said aggrievedly:
"I also want to eat Fizzing Whizbees and Chocolate Frog. I've come all this way, and I can't even buy any candy."
Several Quidditch players who had hoped to see the new Quidditch equipment were now staring at Dervish and Banges with regret.
Neville looked at the door of J. Pippin's Potions and sighed softly. He wanted to pick out some Herbology seeds.
Even the usually composed Percy couldn't help but frown when he saw the closure notice at the Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop.
The bustling crowd fell silent instantly, and everyone gathered dejectedly in the middle of the street.
I had been looking forward to the opportunity to come to Hogsmeade, thinking I could have a great time eating, drinking, and having fun, but because of the Dementor ' interference, I couldn't even find a single shop that was open.