Chapter 686: Reunion with Hagrid
Chapter 686: Reunion with Hagrid
"Where are we going next?" Hermione turned to Liam as they walked out of Weasley's Joke Shop. "Are we going to get the materials needed for wand-making?"
"Yes, I think we should head to the Ministry of Magic first to apply for the materials. Once we have them, the two Wandmasters can get to work." Liam said, and they started walking toward the small hill where the Ministry of Magic was located.
After the establishment of the Hogsmeade Ministry of Magic, most of the raw materials needed for war supplies were placed under strict control on Dumbledore's recommendation. Small-scale purchases weren't an issue, but for large-scale procurement like theirs, they needed to register with the Ministry of Magic in advance.
Fortunately, the process went smoothly. Thanks to Liam's status as an Alchemical Master, the Ministry of Magic staff didn't even ask what he intended to use the wand-making materials for. Additionally, they obtained their passes.
"Let's head to Hogwarts Castle now and visit Hagrid. He might have some useful items for us." After obtaining the passes and the materials, Ryan and the others left the Ministry of Magic and headed toward Hogwarts Castle.
When they arrived outside Hagrid's cottage, they found Fang chasing Goblins in the vegetable garden. Unfortunately, the Goblins were very agile and would quickly hide in their burrows whenever Fang approached, laughing at him from inside.
It seems there are guests inside. Liam thought as he knocked on the door. Soon, he heard the sound of a chair moving, followed by Hagrid's voice: "Alright, let me open the door. What brings so many guests today?"
Hagrid opened the door a crack, revealing his bearded face. Upon recognizing Liam, he opened the door wide and welcomed Ryan and the others inside. "I guess you two can squeeze onto my sofa. I have quite a few guests today."
Upon entering, Liam noticed that Hagrid's room hadn't changed much. The ceiling still hung with various foods like dried cheese, ham, and sausages. In the center of the room, a fireplace crackled, and a large copper kettle was steaming on top of it.
"Good morning, Harry, Ron, and Ginny", Liam greeted the three people sitting on the large sofa. "It's great to see you again. We've been quite busy these past few weeks and couldn't manage to write to you."
"We understand", Harry nodded, looking somewhat excited. "We've been following your activities in the news. I'm disappointed I didn't pass the exam; otherwise, I would be fighting alongside you."
"Speaking of the exam", Hermione suddenly remembered. "Harry, Ron, you still have to take the N.E.W.T.s this year. You know how difficult that exam is. How can you afford to leave the school today?"
"Hermione, you sound just like you did when you were still at school", Ron said with a look of exasperation. "We're going crazy being cooped up all the time. Hogsmeade Day and Quidditch matches have all been canceled for safety reasons. The only entertainment we have is wandering around the grounds. You should see how many people are out there now."
Liam looked out the window and indeed saw more people on the grounds than usual. Many were playing games that didn't require much space, such as cricket, tennis, and football.
"Ah, these kids are indeed very lively", Hagrid said as he poured the boiling water into a large teapot. "I had to cast a protective spell on my windows, though. Before that, my window glass was broken twice by footballs."
"This is quite common outside." Hermione took a sip of her tea and then held the cup in front of her, examining it curiously. "Hagrid, how are things with Madame Maxime?"
"Every week, I get a letter—" Hagrid replied absentmindedly as he passed a dish of sugar cubes to Ginny, then he suddenly jumped up, nearly bumping his head on the ham hanging from the ceiling. "How did you know? I've never told anyone about this."
Harry and the others immediately looked at Hermione with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. Hermione cleared her throat slightly, then placed her teacup on the saucer and pointed to it. "This tea set looks very delicate and somewhat feminine. Upon closer inspection, I can confirm that it's made by Bertaux Porcelain from France, one of the top porcelain brands in the Muggle world. So, I guessed that Hagrid didn't buy it himself, but rather received it as a gift from a woman in France."
"The only woman Hagrid knows in France is Madame Maxime, so the rest is easy to deduce." Hermione finished with a slightly proud expression.
"You guessed right." Hagrid admitted after a moment's hesitation. "Olympe and I have been talking a lot, especially under these circumstances. She's under a lot of pressure and needs to confide in someone reliable."
"Exactly, as Professor Dumbledore said, we need to stick together during these times. Only then can we truly overcome the darkness." Hermione patted Hagrid's arm, who was sitting on a small stool beside her. "So, I sincerely wish you both the best."
"Yeah, I hope everything goes well for you." "This is fantastic." Harry and the others chimed in with their own blessings. Hearing these words, Hagrid was so moved that he covered his face with his hands and sobbed loudly.
Hagrid had always felt inferior because of the significant difference in status between him and Madame Maxime, which was why he had kept their relationship a secret. Now, with everyone's blessings, he felt a weight lifted from his chest, and that was why he suddenly broke down in tears.
It took Hagrid a while to compose himself. Then he looked at Ryan and the others and asked, "Right, you've already graduated. I heard from Professor Dumbledore that you've been quite busy lately. So, what brings you here today?"
"Yes, there is something." Liam briefly explained how he had rescued the two Wandmasters and continued, "For safety reasons, these two Wandmasters hope to stay at our Manor during the war. In return, they are willing to help make wands, so I'm here to buy some wand-making materials."
"Wand-making materials—aha!" Hagrid thought for a moment, then slapped his head with a sound that made Liam worry he might have a concussion. Fortunately, that didn't happen, and Hagrid quickly stood up, retrieving from a box behind him a dozen silver-white Unicorn tail hairs, two Phoenix feathers, several dozen Thestral tail feathers, and a bundle of small twigs.
"I think these are the most common wand materials." Hagrid pointed to the items. "I found these in the Forbidden Forest. I hope the two Wandmasters can put them to good use. Many of the first-years in recent years couldn't get their own wands and had to use old or second-hand ones. So, I hope new wands can be made soon."
"Thank you for your help. By the way, how much do these things cost?" Liam asked as he took the items.
"100 Galleons will do. This money needs to be given to the school, as the Forbidden Forest is part of Hogwarts in a broader sense." Hagrid explained, "Otherwise, I wouldn't charge you a Knut. I know you need these things for everyone."
(End of Chapter)
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