Chapter 390: Tony the Barber
Chapter 390: Tony the Barber
Buddlebury.
This small village in Wiltshire has always had little contact with the outside world.
In the center of the village stands an abandoned courtyard, with an ancient war memorial and a few benches where villagers can rest during their leisure time.
Tony is a long-term resident of Buddlebury.
His ancestors have been barbers in this small village for generations, and he is no exception. He runs the only barbershop in town, and with his skillful hands and eloquent tongue, he has always been known as Tony the Barber.
Tony the Barber is considered to be quite well-off in this small village. He not only runs a barbershop but also owns two ancestral properties.
With such a substantial inheritance, his standards have naturally become much higher, and he looks down on the young women in the village.
He often thinks that he should find a time to go to a big city to fish for a wife. He believes that the beautiful and fashionable city ladies would be more suited to someone of his status.
Today is the weekend, and Tony the Barber always takes a day off on these days. Since he has a monopoly on haircuts in the village, he has the luxury of resting whenever he wants.
But just as he was about to leave his house to stroll around the war memorial and daydream about his future in the big city, he suddenly stopped in his tracks by the roadside.
His gaze was fixed on a direction, like a small boat being pulled into a whirlpool in the sea.
A young couple was walking towards him.
Tony the Barber is not gay, although he admits that the man is exceptionally handsome, even a bit more so than himself. However, the real attraction lies with the silver-haired girl walking by the man's side.
Her stunning beauty was like a masterpiece of perfection, and just looking at her from a distance was enough to make him captivated.
Tony the Barber felt that he had found his true love.
Feeling his heart captured, he completely ignored the man beside the silver-haired girl. He decided to be bold and declare his love.
In fact, it wasn't just him. Every man who saw Silke on the way was just as affected.
She has half-Veela heritage, and while she can suppress her innate charm around Wizards, it has no effect on Muggles.
Just as Tony the Barber was about to lower his pride, his mind racing to find the right words to confess, he was surprised to see Silke walking towards him.
Actually, both Silke and Sherlock were walking towards him, but in his eyes, Sherlock was completely invisible.
"Mr. Tony Babberton?"
Sherlock squinted his eyes and looked at the blushing, excited Muggle, calling out his name.
The moment Sherlock spoke, Tony the Barber seemed to transform. The excitement that had gripped him dissipated like water poured on hot coals, his flushed face returning to calm. He then replied in a serious tone.
"I'm Tony."
"Is number 31 your residence?"
"It's my house, but I don't live there anymore. An old man has rented it."
The usually proud Tony the Barber was uncharacteristically obedient, answering Sherlock's questions with complete honesty.
Sherlock's tone remained as calm as ever.
"Ah, that's great. Could you lend me the key to room 31? I'll return it to you soon."
"Feel free to take it."
Without hesitation, Tony pulled a key from his pocket and handed it to him, as if he had known Sherlock for years.
"Thank you for your generosity. Goodbye for now."
With the key in hand, Sherlock turned and left with Silke, heading toward the center of the village.
Only after they had left did Tony the Barber seem to wake from a dream, scratching his flamingo-pink hair in confusion.
"What did I come out to do again?"
Meanwhile, Sherlock and Silke had already found room 31.
"Did you use the Imperius Curse on that Muggle?" Silke asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
Sherlock shrugged.
"Why do you always think the worst of me? It was just a variant application of Legilimency. I've been using this spell a lot lately and have developed some insights. The Muggle just had the good fortune to experience it. It doesn't violate any magic laws."
Silke wasn't concerned about whether Sherlock had broken any magic laws. She had been worried that if he had used an Unforgivable Curse, it might have had negative consequences for him.
They arrived at the door of room 31, which looked no different from the other houses in the village.
It was just an ordinary Muggle home. Without prior information, no one would have guessed that a Wizard was living there.
Sherlock didn't hesitate. He walked up to the door, inserted the Portkey into the lock, and opened it.
The room was quiet, as if no one was there.
But on the dining table in the living room, there was a steaming cup of tea, clearly indicating that someone had been sitting there recently.
Sherlock didn't speak. He immediately expanded his Domain of Control, and his gaze quickly fell on an unremarkable chair beside the table.
"Professor Slughorn, are you going to hide even from me?"
He looked at the chair and asked with a smile.
Even after he spoke, the chair remained still. It wasn't until a few seconds later, when Sherlock's gaze didn't waver, that the chair began to twist. Then, a portly old man with a walrus-like mustache appeared before Sherlock and Silke.
"Ah, Sherlock, how did you know I was staying here? Come, come, sit down. And this lovely lady, please, have a seat."
Slughorn acted as if he hadn't been deliberately hiding from Sherlock, warmly inviting them to sit down and personally pouring them tea.
"Your reputation in the Wizarding World is quite impressive. For the past few months, I've seen news about you almost every day. Sherlock, it's truly gratifying to see that you haven't let your mother down."
He seemed to deliberately steer the conversation, not giving Sherlock a chance to speak first, and continued.
"Who is this beautiful lady with you?"
(End of Chapter)
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