The last week of the holiday flew by. Wade felt like he'd barely read a few books before the time had already slipped away.
Professor Murray had left him a tiny matchbox. Inside was a small, curled, blue-black sliver, like a dried-up caterpillar or a piece of membrane torn from a bat's wing.
Since he couldn't use his Wand, Wade only examined its appearance with a magnifying glass, not resorting to more destructive methods of inspection. He'd have to wait until he was back at school before he could study it thoroughly.
Marchioni, true to his word, had indeed launched the Book of Friends on schedule. Wade also received an invitation from Aslan's Magic Workshop for the launch day, and an owl even delivered samples to him – two sets of each design, with a note saying he could keep one set for his collection and give the other away.
Wade preferred reading at home to joining the excitement of a "first-day launch." However, Fiona saw an advertisement for the Book of Friends in the Daily Prophet and was eager to go, so father and son accompanied her.
The family drove to Charing Cross Road in Westminster, parked nearby, and then walked to The Leaky Cauldron. It had recently snowed, making the ground wet and slippery. Fiona clung tightly to Ferdinand's arm, her feet still slipping as she walked.
"I really wish I could just fly to The Leaky Cauldron – and have some Butterbeer – no, Firewhisky –" Fiona mumbled, walking precariously.
"We're almost there," Ferdinand comforted her. In fact, they could already see The Leaky Cauldron's sign.
As Squibs, Mr. and Mrs. Gray weren't accepted into magical schools, but the Wizarding World hadn't completely shut its doors on them. Ferdinand and Fiona both had magic within them, and though they couldn't use it, it still differentiated them from Muggles.
For example, they could see The Leaky Cauldron, which was invisible to Muggle eyes, and potions had a normal effect on them.
If a pure Muggle drank some potions that were commonplace for wizards, they would become deadly poisons, like Skele-Gro. Some injuries insignificant to wizards would lead to irreversible, severe harm for Muggles.
When Wade was studying at Hogwarts, Mr. and Mrs. Gray would sometimes stroll around Diagon Alley. Although they didn't have Wands, they could enter Diagon Alley by following another wizard when they opened the entrance, and usually no one would say anything.
At this moment, Wade felt as if his parents were coming home once they entered Diagon Alley. They naturally went to The Leaky Cauldron for a beer first (Fiona had stopped complaining about the hygiene there at some point), then followed the winding path to the entrance, both looking at Wade expectantly.
Wade tapped a brick on the wall with his Wand, and the familiar archway immediately appeared. Facing them was a colossal poster –
The Book of Friends, a landmark of a new era!
Haven't you bought your child a Book of Friends yet? Merlin, what will he do at school?
Peak quality, excellent yet affordable, an irreplaceable enjoyment for the new age!
With me by your side, the world is different – instant communication, the Book of Friends changes your world and mine!
"Oh my goodness –" Fiona couldn't help but exclaim.
Colorful posters were visible in almost every corner of their vision, with various slogans scrolling continuously, urging people to buy immediately. Diagon Alley was teeming with people, parents of children everywhere, and even many foreign wizards.
They no longer needed to go to Marchioni's shop, because along the streets of Diagon Alley, there was a selling point every ten meters. Shop assistants shouted loudly: "Limit one per person! Limit one! Hey, sir, you took too many!"
"Don't rush! We'll soon produce more! Don't rush, if you're willing to wait two days, you can sit in the shop and choose slowly! All kinds of styles!"
But no one listened to him. People kept pushing forward, clutching their Galleons and shouting –
"Three for me! I have three children!"
"Don't push from behind! Who stepped on my shoe?!"
"I want the red one, give me the red one!"
Suddenly, a gasp erupted from the crowd. The packed throng scattered with a whoosh, as two wizards actually rolled on the ground, fighting. Screams and shouts mingled in a chaotic mess, but they were quickly pulled apart by others nearby.
Fiona swallowed hard: "Should we – should we just look around here instead –"
"—A wise choice."
Ferdinand bought ice cream, and the three of them sat at a small table outside the shop, watching the daunting scene of frantic buying.
Fresco, the owner, wearing a waistcoat, brought the ice cream to their table and said with a smile, "Are you also here to buy a Book of Friends for your child?"
"Uh – yes –" Ferdinand said vaguely.
"Then you should go buy it early," Fresco adjusted his tie and said, "I have inside information. Aslan's Magic Workshop only produced this current batch of Book of Friends by working overtime. Once they're sold out, their staff will take a few days off before resuming production. So if you miss this chance, you'll have to wait at least a week to get one."
Wade looked up at him—no wonder the shop assistants' shouts to maintain order were useless. With these Diagon Alley owners spreading "inside information" to create anxiety, everyone would naturally worry they couldn't get one.
"What's your 'inside information'?" Ferdinand asked cautiously.
"Oh, my distant aunt's neighbor's daughter works at Aslan's Magic Workshop and is in charge of Book of Friends production, so my information is absolutely true and reliable!" Fresco said proudly.
"Oh –" Ferdinand nodded, half-believing.
Wade: …
Could this "inside information" have been Marchioni's idea, released by his employees? To stimulate consumption, deliberately spreading rumors—on one hand, officially promoting "we have plenty of stock," and on the other, having someone leak "stock is tight." People would naturally choose to believe the latter.
"Waiting a week – is that really a problem? Wasn't it perfectly fine when we only had owls before?" Fiona asked, puzzled.
"How is that the same?" Fresco looked at Wade and said, "Think about your son – madam – when he goes to school, all his classmates will be talking about and exchanging Book of Friends, but he'll have nothing. Won't he be isolated? At least he'll feel inferior, right? Imagine that scene – as parents, wouldn't you feel bad?"
Fiona imagined it as he spoke—students at school playing in groups, chatting on their Book of Friends, laughing and joking together implicitly, while her Wade stood alone in a corner, looking pitifully on—Fiona immediately felt sad and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes! He definitely would! That's too pitiful, we can't let that happen!"
"See, everyone thinks that way – at least let your child take a Book of Friends to school so they don't feel out of place with the other kids – so who can still resist buying one?"
"Can't resist, definitely buying one!" Fiona said, very supportive.
Fresco sighed and left, muttering about parents' devotion to their children. Fiona restlessly watched the crowds scrambling to buy, then suddenly stood up, only to be pulled back by Ferdinand's arm. Wade looked at her in surprise.
"Ferdie—"
"Wade already has a Book of Friends, remember?" Ferdinand said helplessly. "He has plenty, he can exchange with everyone he meets. He's not some poor little thing."
—He's even the inventor of the Book of Friends himself. What kind wouldn't he have?
Fiona blinked, then realization dawned: "Oh – that's right!"
Wade: …
So, you were really swayed, and not secretly promoting for me, right?
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