The others were unfazed by this. They exchanged knowing looks, shrugged, and began pulling out snacks from their enchanted containers or suitcases, all enhanced with the Undetectable Extension Charm.
Hermione had only shared the charm with her closest friends, teaching them how to cast it. However, the charm alone wasn't permanent. Without additional magical processing, it would eventually wear off, causing the stored items to spill out in a chaotic mess.
To address this, Hermione offered a "processing service." Her friends would bring their enchanted bags or pouches to Glenn, who would use alchemy to stabilize the space and enhance the container's durability. This way, the charm would last much longer.
It wasn't a permanent solution, though. With their current skill level, they couldn't cast a fully stable Undetectable Extension Charm. When the container's stability began to wane, they'd have to repeat the process.
Hermione could have asked Glenn to directly craft permanent enchanted containers for her friends, but she decided against it.
Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish, after all. It was better for everyone in the long run. Besides, crafting such items consumed a lot of Glenn's energy and materials, and she didn't want to overburden her boyfriend.
So far, only Parvati and Luna had successfully cast the charm and received alchemized items from Hermione. Neville and Draco, on the other hand, had lucked out, receiving items directly from Glenn as gifts.
To be honest, Hermione felt a little jealous about that (though she didn't know about the grueling training Glenn had put Neville and Draco through).
Lavender and Ginny, however, hadn't managed to cast the charm yet. Lavender was too lazy and preoccupied with gossip and romance, relying on Parvati and Hermione's items. Ginny, meanwhile, had lost a lot of time last year and was busy catching up on her studies.
But that didn't matter. With practice, they'd eventually earn their alchemy-crafted items.
What? Glenn made them? Oh, that's fine. What's his is mine—no need to sweat the details~
After this little interlude, Hannah, though surprised, quickly accepted the situation. She felt a quiet joy in her heart.
If they weren't keeping this from her, it meant she was part of their group now.
With snacks and drinks at hand, books put away, and friends gathered together, the conversation grew lively as the sky outside gradually darkened.
"Honestly, though, the best thing this year is that we can spend weekends in Hogsmeade. I'm so looking forward to everything there!" Hermione said, nibbling on a small cake. Her face lit up with a dreamy expression, as if she were already strolling through the village, enjoying its sights.
Once Hermione got excited about a topic, there was no stopping her.
"I read in a book that Hogsmeade is the only village in all of England where every resident is a wizard. Its significance is undeniable."
"And it just sounds so fun!"
"Compared to Diagon Alley, which has a wider variety of shops, Hogsmeade's stores are more about the experience."
"But that's just the small stuff. The most important thing is its historical landmarks. The most famous one is the Goblin Rebellion. During that time, wizards used a pub in Hogsmeade as their headquarters."
"Also, there's the Shrieking Shack near the village. People say it's the most haunted house in all of England—"
Hermione's voice trailed off as her cheeks turned pink. She had snapped out of her enthusiastic lecture to find everyone looking at her with amused smiles.
"Oh, um, hehe, I got a little carried away."
The young witch sat up straight, tilting her head slightly to hide her flushed face.
"That's great and all, Hermione, but don't forget that only third-years and above are allowed to visit Hogsmeade on weekends. Luna and I still have to wait another year," Ginny teased, poking Hermione's side with each word.
"You~ are~ just~ trying~ to~ pick~ a~ fight~ aren't~ you~?"
Ginny's playful pokes made Hermione squirm closer to Glenn.
"I wasn't! I just got excited sharing with you guys," Hermione protested.
"Stop poking! It tickles!"
Hermione, like Glenn, was quite ticklish. She burst into giggles, quickly grabbing Ginny's mischievous hand and pushing it away.
"Alright, as an apology to you and Luna, I'll bring back some gifts from Hogsmeade."
Phew, that was close. Nearly laughed herself breathless there. Hermione raised her hands slightly in surrender, signaling her defeat.
"Oh, um, that's... not necessary," Ginny stammered, scratching her head.
"That's just Hermione's way of showing kindness. We should accept it," Luna said in her sing-song voice, smiling serenely as she stood beside Ginny.
"Come on, there's no way anyone's dumb enough to miss the point," Draco chimed in, his gray eyes glinting with mischief. The clever Slytherin had already seen through everything.
And since his cooldown for snarky comments was up, why not seize the perfect opportunity to taunt? Especially since the target was a Weasley.
"If you keep bullying Ginny, you won't get any gifts. I might even ask Glenn to double your training load," Hermione said, her expression shifting in an instant. One moment she was smiling sweetly at Ginny and Luna; the next, she was glaring at Draco.
Draco opened his mouth but swallowed his retort. He muttered under his breath and turned to stare out the window, opting for self-preservation.
"You really can't help yourself, can you..." Neville muttered, elbowing Draco, who scooted away in response.
"Don't touch me, you traitor," Draco said, shifting further away.
Neville froze, glancing nervously at Hannah, who was quietly nibbling her food. Seeing no reaction from her, he sighed in relief and turned back to Draco, glaring at him.
Seriously, this guy is so punchable.
The scenery outside blurred past as Draco stared at the sky in solitude.
"Huh?"
"Why is it getting dark?" he murmured to himself.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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