"Moving all the Dementor away to protect the school and village... that's incredibly fast." Hermione was astonished.
"The sooner things stabilize, the better it will be for the shopkeepers of Hogsmeade and for the school itself," Draco said.
"That's the truth. Fudge is keeping to himself and not getting involved. The Wizarding World has been hoping for someone to take charge for a long time." Madam Rosmerta couldn't help but agree.
Hermione sighed in relief, "That's true..."
Draco's gaze fell on the newspaper, then he paused, nudged Hermione lightly with his elbow, and said very naturally:
"Wife, look at this one."
Hermione's cheeks immediately flushed red. She quickly glanced at Madam Rosmerta beside her and said, embarrassed and annoyed:
" Draco Malfoy! Don't shout!"
Draco cleared his throat and handed him the newspaper. "Alright, Granger. Look, there's news about Ranrok in there."
Only then did Hermione lean closer for a closer look, and her face darkened upon seeing it. Madam Rosmerta commented:
"That Ranrok is no peaceful creature. Goblin antics have made even us shopkeepers uneasy! He's too ambitious; we can't afford to mess with him."
Bang! The wooden door was violently pushed open, and a gust of cold wind mixed with snowflakes rushed in.
The bar instantly fell silent.
Tourists and villagers who had been drinking and chatting turned around, their faces showing wariness, disgust, and even fear.
Because the two people who came didn't look like good people at all.
"What are you doing!" Madam Rosmerta's face turned cold as she stepped out from behind the bar to block their path. " The Three Broomsticks don't welcome people like you."
The man in the top hat dusted off the corner of his shirt, deliberately picking a fight. "What, are you picking and choosing your customers?"
"I won't serve either of you here, much less those who come looking for trouble," Madam Rosmerta said firmly.
"How dare you, an old woman, talk to us like that?" The burly thug beside him turned fierce, his hand already reaching behind him to draw his wand.
"Go ahead and try," Madam Rosmerta said sharply, her eyes fixed on him. "This is Hogsmeade, not a place for your filth!"
The man in the top hat raised his hand to stop the impulsive, burly thug, and said with a forced smile, "Don't be nervous, we're not here to cause trouble, we're here to find someone."
After he finished speaking, his gaze fell directly on Draco and Hermione.
Draco was certain he had never seen this person before.
"I don't know you. What do you want with me?"
"It doesn't matter if you don't recognize me, Young Master Malfoy," said the man in the top hat. "It's enough that I recognize you. Come with us."
Draco scoffed and replied dismissively:
"Sorry, I don't have that habit. If I were to follow every cat or dog that beckons, I'd be too idle."
"You little brat--"
The burly thug's face darkened, and he was about to lash out.
He had only drawn his wand halfway out.
Draco ten times faster than him.
" Expelliarmus!"
A flash of red light.
"Clatter."
The thug's wand flew out of his hand.
Draco flicked his wrist again. " Summoning Charm!" The wand landed steadily in his left hand, which he gripped tightly.
The patrons in the entire bar gasped: This student's moves were incredibly fast and steady.
The burly thug stood frozen in place, looking bewildered and frustrated, but dared not move.
The man in the top hat narrowed his eyes slightly, maintaining a calm demeanor, but the corners of his mouth were already twitching.
Madam Rosmerta immediately signaled, and the hidden security wizards in the shop all stood up, their wands pointed directly at the two uninvited guests, instantly reversing the situation.
Draco toyed with the stolen wand and said jokingly, "I hate it when people insult me."
"Interesting, kid," the man in the top hat said, suppressing his anger and feigning ease.
"Give the wand back to him, and we'll leave right away."
Draco laughed, a very unceremonious laugh, "This isn't your home, you can't just come and go as you please."
"You can have the wand, but make him slap himself first, then I'll give it back to you. Otherwise, turn left outside, there's a wand shop in the village, go buy one yourself."
The arrogant man in the top hat turned pale and then red in an instant. He knew the situation was against him, and continuing to be arrogant would only lead to trouble.
The burly thug next to him was so angry that his face turned a deep purplish-red, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
With the wand in Draco's hand, he couldn't vent his anger and could only glare at Draco resentfully, daring not to do anything.
"You're quite something, young master of the Malfoy family," the man in the top hat said through gritted teeth. "I hope you stay inside forever."
He turned and glared fiercely at the burly thug beside him, who was trembling with rage, and shouted sharply, "Go!"
The thug was filled with resentment, but when he met the man in the top hat's gaze, he swallowed his words.
He glared venomously at Draco, but could only clench his fists and reluctantly follow behind the man in the top hat.
"Wait," Draco suddenly spoke up.
The two of them stopped in their tracks.
The man in the top hat slowly turned around, his sinister gaze falling on him. " Young Master Malfoy, is there anything else you wish to instruct me on?"
Draco weighed the wand in his hand, a mocking smile playing on his lips, and flicked his wrist slightly.
The wand wasn't thrown; instead, it landed precisely in the snow behind the two of them.
With a "thud," it was half-submerged in the cold snow.
"Pick up your things yourself," Draco said calmly.
The burly thug stared at the wand in the snow, then turned to look at Draco, his forehead veins bulging with rage.
"Enough!" the man in the top hat shouted again, knowing that continuing the argument would only make him more embarrassed.
He gritted his teeth and winked at his companion, signaling him to pick up the wand, while he stared intently at Draco and said:
"Drink your last drop of blood and finish your head..."
" His Locomotor Mortis," Draco interrupted him.
The silver-blue beam of incantation moved with lightning speed, heading straight for the tall, polite man's legs, startling him.
Just as he was about to reach for his wand, his movement was already a beat too slow, and he didn't have time to raise the wand to defend himself.
He could only awkwardly leap to the side to dodge, staggering and falling to one side.
She nearly knocked over the wooden table beside her, the Butterbeer mug on it rattling loudly. Although she narrowly avoided the Jelly-Legs Jinx," she looked utterly disheveled.
The burly thug had just bent down to pick up the magic wand from the snow when he turned around and saw his master in such an embarrassing state.
He froze on the spot.
"I'll only take his wand if he insults me, but threatening me is a different story," Draco said expressionlessly.
The bar fell silent for a moment after those words were spoken.
The man in the top hat dared not linger for even a moment, practically tumbling and crawling out of the bar.
As soon as he stepped out into the snow, a cold wind carrying snowflakes lashed at his face. The man in the top hat awkwardly adjusted his crooked hat, and a surge of ruthlessness welled up inside him.