Seeing the swarm of Dementor in front of the Hog's Head, Draco and Hermione exchanged a glance and raised their wands again.
" Expecto Patronum!" Two dazzling silver lights burst forth simultaneously, and the silver sea otter and Draco's lion Patronus, one in front and one behind, drove away the group of Dementor.
The bar's dilapidated wooden door creaked open, and several figures cautiously peeked out.
Besides the Hogsmeade shopkeepers who kept their shops closed, there were also some customers hiding in the pubs.
They were all pale-faced and looked terrified.
They thought that reinforcements sent by the Ministry of Magic had arrived, and that they would finally be able to get rid of the Dementor.
But upon closer inspection, they were stunned to see a group of Hogwarts students standing at the door.
The students were taken aback at first, then burst into a joyful cheer, their disappointment vanishing as they excitedly surrounded the group.
"So you're all here! We thought the store was empty, that everyone had run away!" Ron said with delight.
"That's right, all the shops were closed. We thought everyone had left!"
Harry laughed and chimed in.
Lavender and Parvati sidled up to the owner of Honeydukes, waving their arms and acting coquettishly:
"Auntie, we've been wanting to eat your candy for ages! We've come all this way, please open the door and let us choose some!"
The owner of Zonko's Joke Shop had just gained a foothold...
George and Fred crowded around, chattering away about the new prank gadget.
Other students also gathered around the familiar shop owner, chattering excitedly.
The once deserted street suddenly became lively. Everyone was overjoyed. They thought they had made a wasted trip, but they didn't expect the shop owners to be hiding in the Hog's Head.
This trip to Hogsmeade was definitely worthwhile; everyone was eagerly anticipating the shops opening so they could finally shop around.
The shop owners looked at the group of expectant students with expressions of helplessness and bitterness.
Madam Flume of the Honeydukes sighed wearily:
"It's not that we didn't want to open... Ever since the Dementor came, the number of customers has decreased day by day, until eventually, there weren't any customers at all."
The owner of the Zonko's Joke Shop rubbed his temples and added with a wry smile, "It's not just the customers; we ourselves are struggling too."
"They float around right by the door, constantly sucking away happiness and energy. Staying inside the shop makes you slowly lose the strength to even lift your hand. Who would dare to continue operating?"
"During the day we can only hide in the Hog's Head, seeking refuge with Aberforth, and then move to Madam Rosmerta's at night," Madam Puddifoot said, exasperated. "If this continues, our entire Hogsmeade will collapse."
Ollivander looked in the direction of Hogwarts and said:
"We're discussing it; once it's safer, we'll go to the school to seek Headmaster Dumbledore's help. If we're kept being harassed by the Dementor like this, the village is truly doomed."
As the students listened, the joy on their faces gradually faded, replaced by genuine sympathy.
"That's outrageous... You didn't do anything wrong."
"What are Fudge and the Ministry of Magic doing?! Just standing by and watching you suffer?"
" Dementor are monsters; they don't deserve to guard the school!"
Just moments ago, everyone was thinking about candy, Butterbeer, and prank props, but now they all genuinely felt sorry for the innocent shop owners in front of them.
Just as everyone was filled with gloom, Draco stepped forward and said, "Please calm down, everyone. This matter is not without a solution."
His voice drowned out all the noise, and all the shop owners who had been sighing earlier turned to look at him.
" Young Master Malfoy, do you have a way to deal with the Dementor?" Mr Dervish asked eagerly.
Draco nodded, his gaze sweeping over the still-lingering chill of the doorway. "It's not convenient to talk here. Please move inside the tavern, and I'll explain in detail."
"Keep an eye on the students," Draco said to Hermione, Hermione nodded, and then he went into the Hog's Head.
Upon entering,
A faint musty smell wafted over.
The ceiling was low, the wood was blackened by years of smoke, and a few oil lamps shone dimly.
The windows were tightly blocked by thick cloth, preventing the cold and dampness from entering and the oppressive atmosphere from escaping.
The wooden tables and chairs were worn smooth and shiny, yet crooked and uneven, clearly having witnessed countless guests and secret conversations. Aberforth wiped the cups, observing the scene with a cold, silent eye.
Draco ignored the oppressive atmosphere and walked straight to a large table at the back that could seat everyone.
He gestured with his hand, "Please have a seat, everyone."
The shopkeepers sat down nervously, and Mrs. Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop said, " Young Master Malfoy, please speak frankly if you have any brilliant ideas. We are truly at our wits' end."
"You should have seen the recent news—on the Hogwarts Express, Dementor attempted to attack the students, but were stopped and protected by people sent by the Malfoy family."
Draco sat upright, spreading out his cushions.
"The reason is simple: the Malfoy family possesses a Patronus Barrier. Once set up, it can isolate Dementor over a large area, preventing them from entering."
The entire room fell silent, followed by suppressed gasps.
" Young Master Malfoy, what do we need to do? We're willing to cooperate as long as we can drive away the Dementor!"
Mr Pippin, the Potions owner, asked excitedly, and Draco then offered his terms. "It's very simple."
"I hope you will invest in your shops. We will provide the protective barrier, and you can seek our family's help with any problems you encounter at the Ministry of Magic."
In return, we will only take 10% of the shares.
"But my family will not participate in the power grab, nor will we interfere in your operations, nor will we refrain from interfering in any of your daily operations."
The shop owners' faces lit up with joy, but their expressions quickly darkened as they hesitated.
Their interest was genuine, but so was their apprehension.
Everyone knows that the Malfoy family is suspected of having Death Eaters origins, and associating with such a family is too risky.
Draco, as if he had anticipated this, added:
"In recent news, Headmaster Dumbledore publicly denounced Fudge, while also subtly expressing support for our family's position. You all should have seen that, right?"
Draco made concessions to the end:
"If you're still not entirely comfortable with this, we can set up the barrier first, and you can experience its effects and gradually verify the credibility and feasibility of our Malfoy. All matters can be handled in my personal capacity from the outset."
These words sent a jolt through the shop owners.
This means they will be tied to Draco, not his family. If his family's misdeeds are exposed, as long as he is safe, it won't affect their shop.