Alex hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. A ge of sery might do him some good, and Hogsmeade was a safe option now that Yaxley was dealt with. Despite his tendency to isote himself for research, he realized he hadn’t truly explored the vilge yet.The three of them set out together, leaving Hogwarts behind. The weather was brisk, with snow g underfoot and a sharp wind biting at their faces. The chill was invigorating, clearing Alex’s mind as they made their way toward the vilge.

  Along the way, Vivian introduced Hogsmeade to Alex with endless enthusiasm, her bubbly energy starting to grate on him. Every shop they passed seemed to be a treasure trove in her eyes, and her stant chatter made Alex long for the quieter, more posed Vivian she preteo be around Amelia. When they finally arrived in Hogsmeade, she unched into another round of introdus like a broken record.

  “Look, that’s Zonko’s Joke Shop! Last time, I bought Charles a dozen Burp dies. You should’ve seen the mess he made of himself! And over there is Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. The décor is a bit tacky, but the drinks are amazing,” Vivian excimed, almost word-for-word repeating what she’d said on the way there.

  Alex, who had beeantly following her lead, suddenly stopped. Something had caught his attention. Without a word, he walked straight down one of the less-traveled paths. Vivian and Higgs exged fused gnces before hurrying after him. At the end of the road, Alex came to a stop in front of a dipidated building that looked like it had been abandoned for years. The creaking sign above the door read The Hog’s Head Inn.

  “What’s the deal, Alex? Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of going in there,” Vivian said, sg her nose in distaste. “This pce is disgusting. The owner’s a weirdo, and it smells awful inside. Everyohere hides their faces like they’re up to no good. I’m telling you, I’m not stepping foot in that dump.”

  Alex barely heard her. The run-down pub tugged at the edges of his memory. The weathered exterior, the crooked windows—it all seemed familiar. Then it hit him. He recalled a secret meeting with Sirius and the Order of the Phoenix in a dim, cramped ste room during his first year. The setting matched this pce perfectly.

  ‘Is this where the Order of the Phoenix met back then?’ The thought sparked his curiosity, but he quickly masked it. Turning to Vivian, he said casually, “Nothing, I was just w hoce this rundown mao stay in business.”

  Vivian crossed her arms, sensing he was brushing her off. “Well, for your information,” she said in a huff, “this bar’s been here for turies. It’s eveioned in A History of Magic. Did you know it was ohe headquarters for the Goblin Rebellion?” But before she could finish her historical spiel, she realized Alex wasn’t even paying attention. He had already walked off, leaving her fuming and stamping her feet.

  Alex let the curiosity fade and turned his focus to a nearby shop with a faded sign that read Dervish and Bahe store specialized in magical equipment, and Alex’s eyes lit up as he stepped ihe shelves were lined with various tools and tris, some covered in a thick yer of dust, like an old alchemy carving khat seemed to have been fotten.Most of the crowd in the shop was gathered around the Quidditch se, drooling over the Nimbus 1500 and a et Six. Even Vivian and Higgs were drawn to the brooms, their faces pressed against the dispy case as they argued over which was better.

  Alex, however, had little i in brooms. After a quice at the price tags, he scoffed inwardly. ‘Why waste that much money on a broom when I could buy anic book, or ruerial?’ he thought.

  He moved through the aisles, pig up one magical object after another, iing them carefully before putting them back. Some of the items featured runes carved directly into their surfaces, giving him plenty of inspiration. However, many of the runes were cealed using advanced magic, making it impossible to study them without a specialized tool—or a hammer. Alex smirked at the thought but quickly dismissed it. The store owner already seemed annoyed by him; taking a hammer to the merdise would likely get him banned for life.

  “I really o develop an alchemy tool that pee materials and analyze spells,” Alex muttered to himself. “Otherwise, how am I supposed to study these things properly?”After iing nearly everything iore, Alex decided to buy a looking gss. It artly to avoid the store owner’s suspicious gre and partly because he was genuinely intrigued by the object’s early-warning entments. He figured it could be a useful addition to his arsenal—and worth studying further.

  As Alex walked back to where Vivian and Higgs were still debating, he caught the tail end of their versation.

  “My dad promised me that if I make the Quidditch team year, he’ll buy me a Nimbus 1500!” Vivian said excitedly, her eyes shining.

  Higgs shook his head. “Why the Nimbus series? The et brooms are way better for trol. The et Six is a solid choice for both speed and stability.”

  Vivian scoffed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. The Nimbus is so much mile—it do a 360-degree turn in mid-air! Plus, it’s faster than the et.”

  “You don’t hat much agility,” Higgs tered. “If you’re not careful, it could throw you off. Besides, in a Quidditch match, you’re surrounded by oppos. You don’t need a broom that sensitive unless you’re pying Seeker. And st I checked, you’re a Beater, not a Seeker.”

  “I don’t care!” Vivian said, flipping her hair defiantly. “Look at how sleek and stylish it is! The et looks b in parison. Who cares about practicality when you look this cool?”

  Alex watched their exge with a faint smirk, amused by their passionate argument. He leaned against a nearby shelf, letting the warmth of their friendly banter momentarily wash away the lingering chill from outside. Sometimes, even the most mundane moments had their charm. His moments were interrupted as the looking gss suddenly reacted. The spinning top-shaped artifact began to whirl rapidly, glowing with an intense light. Alex tensed immediately, lifting his gaze to s the shop.

  Through the window, he spotted a figure staring at him with obvious malice. Their eyes met for a split sed before the figure ducked out of sight. “Travers,” Alex muttered under his breath. “Does he hate me that much? Even the looking gss picked up on it.”

  Though it was only a brief glimpse, Alex had no trouble identifying the familiar face. He frowned, p the situation for a moment before turning to Higgs and Vivian. “I o step out for a bit. Let’s meet at the Three Broomsticks ter.”

  The pair barely aowledged his words, too engrossed in their heated debate about brooms to notiything amiss. Alex tucked the looking gss away, stepped outside, and quickly spotted Travers in the distance. His lips curled into a calg smile. Finding a secluded er, he cast a Disillusio Charm on himself, blending into the surroundings. To avoid leaving tracks in the snow, he employed a levitation teique, h silently as he followed Travers.