Chapter 1133: The Ladies
Chapter 1133: The Ladies
At this moment, in a certain shop on the wizarding street in France, Valeria was sitting by the window, enjoying a strawberry ice cream and people-watching. Suddenly, she spoke up, "I thought you'd be feeling glum."
"Why should I be glum?" Catherine turned and asked.
"You like him, don't you?" Valeria scooped a mouthful of ice cream and comfortably narrowed her eyes. "And he's getting married today, but the bride isn't you."
"Are you sure you're not talking about yourself?" Catherine looked at her friend and shook her head. "I knew from the start that it was impossible between us, so I never expected anything. Besides, there aren't any feelings between us."
"Why?" Valeria asked, puzzled.
"He hates America, and I won't leave America." Catherine shrugged. "So, it's better to face reality."
"What else can you do? Can you snatch him away from Isabelle?" Catherine mocked. "Or do you plan to be his mistress? That guy isn't French, you know."
"No, I'm just feeling glum."
Valeria had met quite a few men over the years, and many had pursued her, but she hadn't come across one who was truly exceptional and worthy of her attention.
"You shouldn't compare them to Albert." Catherine shook her head.
"What about Louise?" Valeria looked up at the pretty girl who had just sat down across from them.
"I gave up a long time ago." Louise shrugged.
"Found yourself a boyfriend you like?" Valeria asked curiously.
"No, not really." Louise shook her head.
"Then why did you compromise?"
"What else could I do?" Louise glanced at the clock on the wall, intending to close the shop early.
"What gifts are you girls preparing? It's not some beauty potion, is it?"
"Yes, the latest beauty potion. We've updated it several generations already." Valeria blinked. "What about you, Louise?"
"The latest silk robe from the Wind and Grace Wizarding Apparel Store." Louise answered without hesitation. "I told them it was a wedding gift for Anderson, and they specially helped design a new style."
"Aren't you feeling a bit heartbroken?" Valeria muttered. "Catherine had originally prepared a grand gift."
"A grand gift?" Louise asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing." Catherine shrugged. "Valeria here is just obsessed with men."
"It's hard to find a good man these days."
"You're just too picky, so you can't find one." Catherine bluntly pointed out. "In recent years, quite a few boys have pursued you."
"What about you?" Louise asked.
"She doesn't care either, and she doesn't plan to look anymore." Valeria shrugged. "She intends to stay single forever."
"When do you plan to close this shop and join us in the beauty business?" Catherine suddenly asked.
"Well, I don't know." Louise rather enjoyed her current job.
"We plan to build it into an internationally renowned beauty brand." Catherine declared. "Even the McDougal sisters are researching beauty potions."
"Time's almost up," Louise reminded them.
Valeria finished her ice cream, tossed the container into a nearby bin, and stood up. The three of them walked out of the shop and strolled down the street until they stopped in front of a shabby shop bearing the number 117.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
"It should be." Louise took out a silver card with an arrow and the number 117 marked on it.
The three ladies exchanged glances, pushed open the door, and entered the shop, only to find it empty.
"Ladies, please follow me."
A house-elf appeared from somewhere, bowed slightly to the trio, and led them to a room. He pointed to a basin of water on the table and said, "Please wash your faces here."
"Wash our faces?" Valeria frowned slightly.
"Yes, wash your faces," the house-elf said respectfully. "If any of the invited guests are under the Imperius Curse, it will be apparent after washing."
"How do you know we're not under the Imperius Curse?" Catherine raised an eyebrow and asked.
"The map in my hand can show the names of the guests who come here." The house-elf politely explained to the three of them. To ensure that Dobby could handle his task with flexibility, Albert had already given him a Felix Felicis beforehand.
"That guy is really cautious," Catherine remarked, a little surprised.
"Mr. Anderson has attracted the attention of a certain Dark Wizard whose name shall not be mentioned." Dobby explained, "So, multiple layers of protective measures are necessary to ensure the safety of the guests attending the wedding."
"Can this basin of water free someone from the Imperius Curse?" Catherine was even more curious.
"I don't know. Mr. Anderson said that this basin of water can clearly determine if any of the guests are under the Imperius Curse." Dobby simply repeated.
After saying this, he also pointed to a Dark Magic Detector next to the basin and a mirror on the wall edge, which was obviously another Dark Magic Detector.
"It seems Albert has indeed made thorough preparations." Catherine took a paper towel and wiped the water traces from her face.
"What a pity, my makeup is ruined!" Valeria lamented.
"It doesn't matter. You look pretty even without makeup." Louise teased. "And it wouldn't do to upstage the bride with your looks."
Just then, an alarm suddenly sounded.
"What's going on?"
"More guests have arrived." Dobby glanced at the alarm and then at the map. "They should also be here for the wedding, but they'll need some time to get here. I'll take you there first."
"
Dobby apparated the three ladies to what appeared to be a bush-filled area with a large rock nearby. The house-elf led them forward, but there seemed to be nothing ahead.
"No problem, Mr. Weasley," the house-elf said.
A red-haired man appeared out of thin air, nodding slightly at the trio before collecting their silver cards and handing them a piece of parchment. He instructed, "Please silently read the content on the parchment to yourselves."
"A Fidelius Charm?"
The well-informed Catherine guessed the reason, and as expected, after she silently read the content on the parchment, an entrance to an old mansion appeared before them. Various objects that seemed to be Dark Magic defenses were placed at the entrance, along with something resembling a map that also had their names marked on it.
Next to the map was a pile of gifts from the guests, and another red-haired man was helping to record them.
"Please follow me."
Fred, dressed in a suit, greeted them enthusiastically.
Everyone loves beauties, and as they made their way towards the tent, they noticed quite a few guests had already arrived. These guests were seated separately, and Louise even spotted her cousin, Fleur, who was talking intimately with a fairly handsome young man.
"Over here," Fred said, pointing to Fleur's table. "This is where Albert's young foreign friends are seated. Perhaps you'll find some common topics to discuss."
Louise greeted her cousin with some surprise, "Fleur, is this your boyfriend?"
"This is my fiance, Bill. We got engaged recently," Fleur smiled and introduced him. "I believe it's due to the Triwizard Tournament. This is my cousin, Louise."
"Viktor Krum, also met during the Tournament. I believe you know each other," Fleur continued. "And this is..."
"Hermione, Albert's friend from Hogwarts," Hermione said, looking a bit embarrassed. She felt the pressure as there were too many beautiful girls at this table.
Viktor Krum was obviously stunned by their beauty as well, but he quickly found a topic to keep the conversation going, preventing Hermione from noticing his reaction.
"Is Harry Potter not coming?"
"Considering Harry's safety, Albert didn't invite him to the wedding," Hermione explained, while secretly shifting her attention to Valeria and Catherine. Although they didn't have Veela blood, their beauty was still not a notch below Louise's and Fleur's.
"These are Valeria and Catherine," Louise introduced them.
"I'm Isabelle's pen pal, and we met later at the Wizarding Potioneering Competition," Valeria smiled and said, "We're currently collaborating on developing beauty potions."
"I'm Albert's potion business partner in North America, and also their friend," Catherine added casually, "We're also collaborating on beauty potions."
"Beauty potions?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"It might be a bit different from what you're imagining," Valeria smiled and took out two exquisite boxes from her bag, handing one each to Hermione and Fleur. She introduced the product to them, "It can make your face cleaner, and your skin fair and radiant. One bottle is for cleansing, and the other is for skincare. If you like it, you can..."
"Ahem."
Catherine lightly coughed, interrupting Valeria's sales pitch.
Hermione stared at Valeria, dumbfounded, and eyed the beauty potions suspiciously.
"I'm using it too, and the effects are indeed amazing," Louise asked in confusion, "Catherine, where are you going?"
"I saw a few friends."
Catherine walked towards a few elderly individuals, greeted them briefly, chatted for a moment, and then returned.
"Friends?"
Krum looked at the elderly individuals, clearly unable to understand.
"They're probably academic friends," Hermione explained.
"Long time no see, Fleur. I heard you're engaged now and plan to stay in Britain," a voice attracted everyone's attention, and they looked up to see a very beautiful young woman approaching.
"Yes, this is Bill, my fiance," Fleur introduced him. "This is Yanira, the most famous singer of our time."
"Nice to meet you all," Yanira smiled and greeted everyone before sitting down next to Hermione. She asked, "What were you guys talking about?"
"Beauty potions..."
"Quite a few celebrities have arrived today," Catherine suddenly said.
"Yes, someone unaware might think this is some sort of international gathering," Yanira whispered. "By the way, have you heard? The wedding officiant is Mr. Nicolas Flamel."
"Sorry, what did you say?" Hermione thought she had misheard.
"The wedding officiant is Mr. Flamel," Yanira repeated.
"But isn't Mr. Flamel dead?" Hermione asked in confusion. She had always thought it would be Dumbledore officiating the wedding.
"Who said that?" Yanira asked in return.
"The Philosopher's Stone was destroyed years ago," Hermione said.
"So the Philosopher's Stone really existed?"
"Yes, I heard it was destroyed."
"Many people were interested in being the wedding officiant, but when they heard it was Mr. Flamel, no one contested it anymore," Yanira shared the news she had heard. "Apparently, Albert is Mr. Flamel's star pupil."
"That legendary Nicolas Flamel?" Valeria looked at Catherine, feeling that she must know something.
"I don't know," Catherine shook her head. "Actually, there's no need to be so surprised. If you observe carefully, you'll realize that many of the guests here are quite famous."
"It looks like the wedding is about to start. Should we head over there now?" Hermione noticed that many people were standing up and walking towards the inside of the tent, where rows of chairs were set up like in a church. The atmosphere within the large tent was filled with tense and excited anticipation.
(End of Chapter)
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