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Chapter 421: Valentine's Day in Hogsmeade
Chapter 421: Valentine's Day in Hogsmeade
January flew by under the weight of an overwhelming workload and Umbridge's constant meddling. Before anyone knew it, February had arrived, bringing warmer, wetter weather and the second Hogsmeade visit of the school year.
This Hogsmeade day happened to fall on Valentine's Day. Honestly, even if Liam were the most clueless guy, he knew he couldn't just phone it in for his first Valentine's Day with his girlfriend. Not to mention, under Umbridge's oppressive control, everyone needed a good reason to relax and unwind.
So, Liam took advantage of his evening breaks to seek advice from various worlds on how to celebrate Valentine's Day.
"First Valentine's Day date? We went to the amusement park, then visited Fortress Hill and took a photo together", Knight and Nora recalled, their hands intertwined and smiles on their faces. After the brutal Third World War and two centuries of separation, this couple was deeply content just to be together.
A day out sounded nice, but there weren't many good spots around Hogsmeade. And the places with good attractions were off-limits. This idea wouldn't work. Next, Liam consulted his assistant Princeton, who was currently in a relationship.
"A gourmet fruit basket, plus some grass-fed beef and lamb you can import from elsewhere. My girlfriend said it was the best gift she's ever received, and that day was amazing", Princeton said with a knowing smile. After the war, the concept of Valentine's Day had vanished, so when Liam asked Xiaohei about surprising a lover, the advice he received was of little value.
The response was too heavily influenced by the Wasteland's post-apocalyptic world, where values differed significantly from those in normal worlds. Liam decided to seek advice from another world, so he went to Rosary Maiden's world.
"As your teacher, the only thing I can tell you is never to be like me", Teacher Luo Zhen sighed. "Sometimes, being there for someone is the most important thing. I owe my wife and daughter so much. Eternal life alone might not be a blessing but a curse. It might not be the right time to say this, but many things are more important than immortality and power. Don't let power blind you."
Seeing Luo Zhen sit there, his head bowed and a tear rolling down his cheek, Liam felt a lump in his throat. He began to understand why Luo Zhen had ended up the way he did in the original story.
After bidding farewell to Teacher Luo Zhen, Liam took a deep breath and headed to the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. Unfortunately, the answers there were even worse. Many former slaves' marriages were arranged by their masters, much like breeding livestock. Noble marriages were no better, often dictated by family interests.
The only good news was that the wizards and priests under Liam's command had found the source of the curses in the land of Mantarys: a chaotic magic radiation. New plant species were slowly purifying the land, and in a few years, it would be habitable again.
Finally, Liam arrived in Zhongtu, the world of The Lord of the Rings, just as Legolas and Tauriel returned from their travels.
"How to make a lover happy? Just being together is enough, isn't it?" Legolas and Tauriel gazed at each other with loving eyes. "As for gifts, a simple leaf or a blade of grass can be enough if you put your heart into it."
Liam found the Elven style of romance difficult to emulate, but it gave him some inspiration. He felt he knew what to do. In the days leading up to Valentine's Day, Liam borrowed the Two-way Mirror from Harry to use its technology for something special.
On the morning of Valentine's Day, Liam, for the first time, took a shower in the morning before heading to the entrance hall. Hermione was already waiting for him, dressed as usual but with a hint of perfume that Liam noticed only when he got closer.
"Good morning, Liam." Hermione greeted Liam when she saw him. From her greeting, Liam realized that not only was he nervous about the date, but Hermione was also feeling a bit anxious. <|assistant
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"Good morning, Liam." Hermione greeted Liam when she saw him. From her greeting, Liam realized that not only was he nervous about the date, but Hermione was also feeling a bit anxious.
"Good morning, let's get going then." After that, Liam and Hermione passed Filch's inspection and left the school. As they walked past the Quidditch pitch, they saw Ron and Ginny flying overhead.
"I hope Ron performs better. Yesterday, I overheard Angelina crying in the bathroom. The new players are putting a lot of pressure on her." Just as Hermione was speaking, Liam saw Ron miss a very simple shot.
"By the way, what's been going on with you lately?" Hermione asked seriously, her gaze shifting from the disappointed Gryffindor team. "I've noticed you've been making some strange mistakes in Transfiguration, which you never used to do."
"That's because I've been researching something recently, something that great wizards like Dumbledore once studied." Seeing the concern on Hermione's face, Liam gave a brief explanation.
"Alright, as long as everything is fine." Hermione nodded gently. She wasn't the type to pry, and her earlier question was purely out of concern. With an explanation, she quickly steered the conversation toward academic topics and the Study Group.
Their discussion about the O.W.L. Exams continued as they walked out of the school gates. Liam thought it was a bit odd to discuss these things on a date, but seeing Hermione getting more and more excited, he didn't want to change the topic. After all, a date should be about enjoying each other's company.
When they entered Hogsmeade, they found the streets filled with students, strolling around, looking at shop windows, and playing together. It seemed they were all trying to release the pent-up energy from the past few months.
"Let's go to the Owl Post Office first. Hermes has been running long distances for us lately, and I think it's getting a bit thin. I want to buy it some good owl food as a reward." Since their parents had gone to China, every letter had to be delivered by owl over long distances. Fortunately, Hermione's owl was a Great Horned Owl, well-suited for long flights, so it managed to complete these tasks.
"I think it's because it's been running short distances since we got back from Brazil, which has made it a bit lazy and fat." Liam had used Nature Magic to check and found that the owl was much healthier after resuming long-distance flights.
"Of course, a bit of extra nutrition for long flights can't hurt." Seeing Hermione's look, Liam quickly changed the subject, "Let's go to the Post Office and buy some owl food now."
"It's strange. When Sirius Black escaped, Dementors were everywhere. But this time, with ten Death Eaters on the loose—now seven—there are no Dementors around here at all." Hermione mused, looking at a faded Wanted poster outside a shop.
"One reason is that Fudge wants to pretend everything is fine and downplay the situation. Another is that I suspect the Ministry of Magic has lost control over the Dementors at Azkaban." Liam shrugged.
"In that case, I think we should teach everyone some spells to deal with Dementors at the next Study Group." Hermione said thoughtfully.
As they emerged from Honeydukes, it started raining. The cold raindrops on their skin and faces were not very pleasant.
"Would you like to have a cup of coffee?" Liam asked tentatively.
"Sure, let's go to The Three Broomsticks. I've heard from a few upperclassmen that it's really nice." Hermione hesitated for a moment before making her suggestion.
They soon turned down a side street and entered a small teashop they had never noticed before.
(End of Chapter)
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