Chapter 197: Hogwarts without Della - Halloween Eve
On October 31st, Hogwarts opened its doors to students to go to Hogsmeade. It was the first time this semester and the first time for third-year students, but Draco was not excited about it at all because the person he wanted was not around.
"I want to buy a big piece of Floating Cloud chocolate!" Gore shouted excitedly in the queue.
"And I'm going to Madam Puddifoot's Tea House for the latest dim sum." Crabbe smacked his lips.
Draco glanced at them coldly, not wanting to say anything more. He only made a sarcastic remark when he passed by Harry, who looked eager but could not join the team.
But Harry's sour face did not make him feel better. It had been half a month since the letter with invisible ink was sent. Angel even came once in the meantime, but Della still didn't give him any news.
Didn't you discover invisible ink?
Although Draco was anxious and complaining, he still made excuses for Della in his heart.
"Malfoy," Pansy Parkinson called out to him suddenly, "What are you going to do in Hogsmeade today?"
Draco looked back at her, but didn't speak immediately. He stared at Parkinson's eyes, which were a mixture of caution and panic, for a while, and said, "Just wandering around."
Parkinson pursed his lips, leaned over to Draco and whispered, "Did your family receive a reply from Miss Riddle?"
"Miss Riddle?" Draco frowned at the respectful address. "Why do you ask that?"
"I, I, I did something wrong in the first grade," Parkinson bit his lip, "My family has been trying to contact them, and I'm also scared..."
"We haven't received a response from our family either." Even though Parkinson lowered his voice, the keyword 'Riddle' was noticed by everyone who was paying attention, so Harry Alex, who was promoted to the fifth grade, interrupted the conversation. He seemed to be replying to Parkinson's words, but his eyes were looking at Draco.
"Our family too." Fakado Rochil also came over.
"..." Draco's face suddenly darkened. He rolled his eyes without disguising himself, said nothing, and pushed through the group of people who surrounded him and walked forward.
What could he say? That his family had received no response from the distinguished Miss Riddle?
Draco left angrily. Theodore looked at the Slytherins who were gathered there complaining, then looked at Draco's back and lowered his eyes.
Does Della have no plans to consolidate the power of Country Y?
Theodore's father secretly went to Country F a few days ago to prepare to attend the Holt family's banquet tonight. It was Della who sent their family an invitation. From his father's reply, only the Nott family from Country Y went.
Not even the Malfoys?
Theodore was surprised by this, but he also felt that it should be so. Judging from his previous interactions with Della Riddle, she was very clear in weighing the interests, and perhaps even feelings could not shake this fairness.
To be honest, this realization made Theodore feel fortunate, as fairness was the quality that made his subordinates feel most at ease.
But he was more grateful for his previous choice. Judging from the current situation, it would be difficult to hook up with Della Riddle after his identity was revealed.
I wonder what news will be announced at the banquet in Country F tonight. Will Della appear?
What will the Notts be asked to pay?
It would probably be a large sum, but regardless, it’s good to have the opportunity to pay.
Theodore took another look at the group of people gathered together to share their panic, and walked forward with his usual expressionless face.
Draco from the Malfoy family, who also had no chance to give, left Goyle and Crabbe behind and wandered to the fence outside the Shrieking Shack alone, missing Della.
He stared at the roof where he and Della had slept. His wrist moved unconsciously. He thought about the gesture of casting the protective spell that Della had taught him. He repeated "della, della" in his heart, and his throat began to feel sore again.
He had been waiting for Della for many days, and today was actually just one more day added to the countless days he had been waiting. However, today was their first day in Hogsmeade, and they should not have spent it apart.
They should have quietly discussed today's plans, plotted tour routes, and made shopping lists in class yesterday. They should have gone shopping hand in hand today, gone to a famous couple's sanctuary for tea, and finally come to the Screaming Shack to reminisce about the night of the Golden Dragon and the Black Snake in their first grade.
We should also dress up in matching costumes and sit together to enjoy Halloween dinner in the evening, instead of being thousands of miles apart and without any contact like now.
"Huh..." Draco's eyes became moist and tears gradually filled his eyes. He exhaled heavily through his nose a few times, and his aggrieved gray-blue eyes took one last look at the roof of the Shrieking Shack before he left in silence.
After leaving the Shrieking Shack, Draco went to many places with a wooden face, including Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop, Magic Equipment Store, and Davis-Bans. He went everywhere and took Della's portion with him, but he was not strong enough to eat a portion of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop snacks for Della.
He maintained an indifferent expression, which made the Malfoy family's pale faces, which were not friendly to begin with, even more harsh, and was particularly conspicuous among the crowd of joyful students.
This is probably a way of showing off, right?
Because Draco's cold face became the new topic of conversation among the students, the topic about Della Riddle was reignited. Everyone speculated whether there was something going on over there that they were not aware of, which caused Draco to be in such a bad mood.
Draco was still in a bad mood that evening, and the students were still discussing his bad mood and Della Riddle while eating delicious food at the Halloween dinner.
Could it be that Malfoy was dumped?
Should have been dumped long ago.
(The above dialogue comes from a pair of twins from Gryffindor)
None of the students, who were so focused on food and gossip, noticed that Snape, who was sitting in the teacher's seat, had quietly gone out. When he came back, a rare smile appeared on the face of the sinister professor.
"Pah-Pah."
After the Skeleton Band finished playing a song, Snape stood up and clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention. He said to the students below who were staring with their eyes wide open, "I have something to announce."
"Our Slytherin alumni who live overseas have given a grant to our Slytherin team," Snape smiled. Due to his expression habit, he only moved half of his face, which made the smile look sinister. "Six of the latest Nimbus series, and -"
Snape drew out his voice, and the door was knocked open at this moment, and a group of large black owls with shiny feathers flew in, each owl holding a brand new broom with smooth lines, and the last owl held, was -
"A rocket crossbow," Snape finished his words, and watched with satisfaction as the owls handed out new brooms that would bring victory to the Slytherin Quidditch players.
The rocket crossbow was placed in front of Draco. Draco, who had been in a daze since he heard the words "alumni far away overseas" from Snape, tilted his neck back slightly. He hadn't reacted yet, but subconsciously stretched out his hand and tentatively touched the good broom.
The broom handle was cool and smooth to the touch as one slid one's fingers down it. There were several circular logos in the shape of fleur-de-lis printed at intervals on the oiled wooden handle.
Faced with such a big surprise, Draco's face, which had been sour all day, showed a brief blank expression, revealing an unusual seriousness. When he stroked the rocket crossbow with this blank expression, it even looked like he was saying some devout prayer.
He looked at every inch of the rocket crossbow carefully, and when he stroked the front end of the broom handle, his hand stopped and his eyes fixed on it.
"There's even the logo of the F Country Quidditch Team on it!"
At this time, the boy sitting next to Draco came over curiously and saw the shining logo on the broom. "This is the star broom of the professional team!"
The rocket crossbow is amazing enough, and this is also a broom that has been used in professional competitions!
The auditorium was silent for a second, the students opened their eyes wide, and then someone couldn't help but exclaimed "Wow", and this "Wow" was like a pebble thrown into the water, and the exclamations spread throughout the auditorium like ripples.
The Slytherin students began to cheer, and after shouting "Slytherin" a few times, the name "Riddle" resounded throughout the hall, and the four long tables were shaking with their shouts.
Students from other houses looked at Slytherin's new broom with envy, and tried their best to show disdain or indifference amid the shouts of "Della Riddle". Among them, the Gryffindor Quidditch players had the ugliest expressions.
Draco's face slowly turned red, but it was not because of the glory of being the center of attention, but because of the two dark-colored "D"s on the front of the broomstick.
Draco recognized it; it was Della's handwriting.
Della, who couldn't write a letter, was trying hard to respond to him.
D&D.
Draco and Della.
Draco tells Della that they are still together.
Della told Draco that they would be together in the future.