Chapter 392: Life Crisis
Chapter 392: Life Crisis
Are you two on a date?"
Albert was taken aback for a moment at Katrina's question, and just as he was about to answer "yes," he was stopped by Isabelle's glance.
"We're heading to the Three Broomsticks. Would you like to join us?" Isabelle smiled at Katrina and her friend. "It's a perfect opportunity to improve your Ancient Runes."
Katrina stood there, mouth agape, stunned. Her friend, a freckle-faced blonde, looked equally baffled, wondering what dating had to do with improving their Ancient Runes skills.
"Can we really come along?" The blonde girl with freckles on her face eagerly blinked at Albert.
"Of course."
Albert glanced at Isabelle, a bit puzzled as to why his girlfriend didn't want to publicly acknowledge their relationship.
Could it be that she didn't want to hurt Katrina's feelings?
Albert's mind raced with absurd thoughts.
While Isabelle's suggestion that Katrina might like him did stir up some inexplicable excitement, the idea of sisters was something he only entertained in his thoughts.
He wasn't foolish when it came to love. People didn't share their loved ones, as Isabelle had wisely pointed out—grasping tightly onto what you want is the smartest move. As for those who tried to have their cake and eat it too, well, he could only laugh at their delusions.
The group crossed the street, and within minutes, they arrived at the Three Broomsticks. Even though Katrina and her friends had just been there, their curiosity about the place remained unabated.
The small pub was bustling and noisy. As they stepped inside, a wave of heat washed over them.
Fortunately, a table by the fireplace became available just as they entered, as the previous patrons were leaving. The group quickly claimed the vacant seats.
To be honest, the place was lively, and if you didn't speak up, chances were no one would hear you over the din.
"I'll get the drinks. What would you ladies like? Butterbeer?" Albert asked the girls.
"Butterbeer," they chorused.
Albert made his way to the counter and ordered five hot butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta, the pub owner.
In addition to students from Hogwarts, there were a few wizards sitting at the counter, one of whom was chatting with Madam Rosmerta, possibly her secret admirer? Indeed, it seemed Ron's crush was none other than the lady before him.
Madam Rosmerta was quite attractive among the witches Albert had met, with a curvaceous figure and a delicate face. Well, he had to admit that his encounters with witches beyond Hogwarts students were rather limited.
So, was he truly inexperienced?
As Albert's mind wandered, five large cups of frothy hot butterbeer were placed on the counter in front of him. He began fishing out money from his pockets, paid ten Sickles, and then waved his wand, causing the butterbeers to float along with him back to the table.
The girls were engaged in conversation, and Albert set a cup of butterbeer in front of Katrina. "You seem a bit distracted," he remarked casually.
"Oh, it's nothing!" Katrina snapped out of her daze, nudged by her friend.
"I'm fine!"
After distributing the drinks, Albert took a small sip of the warm butterbeer, feeling the warmth spread through his body from the inside out.
Isabelle quickly steered the conversation back to Ancient Runes, not giving the trio a chance to inquire about the nature of their outing.
Albert caught on to Isabelle's intention and promptly joined in, sensing the many eyes discreetly observing their group. The people at the neighboring table were straining their ears to eavesdrop on their conversation.
At that moment, everyone was bewildered, struggling to understand why the topic kept revolving around Ancient Runes.
Isabelle even launched into an impromptu lesson on Ancient Runes, stunning the three girls into silence. They were so taken aback that they didn't even have a chance to interject.
Most of the discussion revolved around methods to quickly master Ancient Runes within a short period.
The thought process of a genius like Isabelle was a bit eccentric, but her methods were undeniably useful to many.
Even Albert had to concede this point.
While he couldn't utilize the same strategies due to his unique situation, he couldn't help but admire Isabelle's brilliant mind—now that was a true genius! He, on the other hand, was an imposter.
The students who came to Hogsmeade were all third year and above, and if they had chosen Ancient Runes, they would have already been studying the subject for some time.
However, most of them were still in the early stages of comprehension, and Isabelle's impromptu lesson was like a bombshell dropped into a lake.
Albert occasionally added fuel to the fire, bewildering those who were trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.
It was baffling enough that they were out having fun, but to listen to such gibberish was truly a torment.
Katrina, on the other hand, could understand a bit and grasp the practicality of what Isabelle and Albert were discussing. However, her level was still far from sufficient, and she felt a bit regretful that she hadn't brought a quill and notebook with her.
"Why are you both so proficient in Ancient Runes?" Katrina's braided, brown-haired companion finally couldn't bear the gibberish any longer and tried to steer the topic elsewhere.
"Well... you need to find someone skilled in Ancient Runes and interact with them often." Isabelle glanced at Albert and smiled.
"If you want to learn and master a language, you need to use it frequently to make faster progress. Ancient Runes is indeed a language, and if you don't use it often, you'll only be at the beginner level even after taking the exam," Albert continued, following Isabelle's lead. He noticed that his girlfriend's eyes were narrowing into a crescent shape, seemingly in a pleasant mood.
"Thanks to Albert's help, I can speak Ancient Runes so fluently." Isabelle propped her chin up with her hand, smiling at the dazed and drowsy girls in front of her.
"Ahem!" Albert cleared his throat gently. He realized that pretty girls were indeed good at lying. Isabelle was just as adept at fibbing as he was.
About half an hour later, the dizzy group dragged Katrina away.
There was no helping it; they couldn't withstand Isabelle's relentless teaching. Even those who had intended to eavesdrop on their conversation had given up entirely.
As he watched them leave, Albert retracted his gaze and looked at his smiling girlfriend across the table. "What do you think they'll say about us when they get back?"
"It'll definitely be interesting." Isabelle was in a good mood.
"Why didn't you tell Katrina about our relationship?" Albert asked gently. "Wouldn't it be better to be clear about some things and let them give up hope?"
"Actually, they're just overly curious and easy to deal with. If you tell them directly, things will only get more complicated," Isabelle offered an excuse, not having figured out how to handle this situation yet.
While Isabelle didn't mind what others thought, she did care about her sister's feelings. She had noticed Katrina's dazed expression earlier.
It was all that guy's fault for being too outstanding and attracting so much attention.
Albert only half-believed what she said, but he didn't press further. Instead, he changed the subject. "Where to next? Honeyduke's?"
"Eating too many sweets can make you gain weight." Isabelle frowned, the concern of a young girl for her appearance and figure evident.
"Then don't eat sweets from now on." Albert's comment earned him a glare from his girlfriend. He smiled and added, "If you're worried about gaining weight, you should exercise more. I can have Tom run with you; he needs to lose weight, too."
"I'm busy."
"Aging and weight gain are common problems for most Europeans, and it's related to our diet and lifestyle. Most people don't know how to take care of themselves, so they end up looking older than they are."
"Is it really related to diet and lifestyle?" Isabelle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Asian women, if they take good care of themselves, will look similar in their forties and fifties to how European women look in their thirties." Albert was quite persuasive.
Of course, what he said was not entirely untrue; Europeans did tend to show their age more.
"Yes, most European women are at their most beautiful between the ages of seventeen and eighteen. They start to show signs of aging by twenty-five, and by forty, they're basically old hags." As Albert spoke, his shin was kicked hard, causing him to wince in pain. Undeterred, he continued, "So, after I graduate, let's get married, lest you turn into an old hag in a couple of years."
"Stop kicking me; I'm just stating the truth." Albert laughed, holding the umbrella. "Stop fussing; you're getting soaked."
"Do Asians really age more slowly?" Isabelle raised an eyebrow, curious about the girls' preoccupation with their appearance. "When we get married, we can go to the East for our honeymoon, and then you'll know for sure."
"Hmm." Isabelle paused for a moment, then blushed as she realized what she had just agreed to. "Who wants to marry you? And what's going on in that head of yours, anyway?"
The two continued their playful bickering as they pushed open the door to Honeyduke's, a wave of warm, sweet-smelling air greeting them.
(End of Chapter)
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