Chương 162: Chapter 162: Miss Bunny and Mr. Deceiver
August 21, 1993.
Time passed slowly, and before he knew it, Ino had been staying at Newt's manor for more than half a month.
During this time, they exchanged as much knowledge about magical creatures as possible.
In the morning, in the dining room.
After finishing the last golden dumpling, Ino picked up the napkin beside him and wiped the corner of his mouth.
"Sir! I need to go back!"
"Isn't there still two weeks until school starts?" Newt was somewhat surprised.
"Yes, two weeks," Ino sighed lightly.
"But I need to buy books, and the room needs to be tidied up after being unoccupied for a long time. All in all, there's never enough time."
"There's never enough time!" Newt repeated softly, then stood up: "Wait here for a moment; I have a parting gift for you."
As Newt left, Ino's gaze turned to the window.
This summer vacation had indeed been vibrant and colorful for him.
Two consecutive journeys into fantasy worlds, learning Apparition in a training course, meeting the magical creatures master Newt, and even obtaining his own half-grown Phoenix...
"Maybe I should write a travel journal, like the Brothers Grimm, to pass down the stories..."
While he was contemplating, Newt returned to the dining room, holding a Polaroid camera in his hands.
"This is for you! Nostalgia aside, young people should use these new things."
The camera was placed on the table, and Newt took a letter out of his pocket.
"Here's my address in Dorset. I expect to return to England to settle down after Christmas this year. You're welcome to visit anytime during the holidays."
Ino took the envelope and carefully put it into his suitcase, then turned to look at the camera on the table.
"Thank you for the gift. To be honest, I was planning to buy one when I got back."
"Hahaha! I knew it, your eyes can't fool me! They can't fool me, not even Dumbledore." Newt laughed heartily.
Listening to Newt's laughter, Ino couldn't help but laugh along.
After a while, the laughter in the dining room gradually subsided.
"Ino, our plan remains unchanged. We still need to go to L.A.A. Publishing. A Phoenix must be born under the watchful eyes of many to be recognized. Otherwise, without evidence, even if I write it in my book, it will be considered fanciful."
Hearing this, Ino nodded silently and then hesitated:
"Are you sure? I mean, this way I might end up with two Phoenixes."
It wasn't his fault for being puzzled; after all, Phoenixes were too precious. Simply selling their tail feathers could be a continuous source of income. Besides, Newt wasn't alone; he had a wife, a son, and even a lovely grandson.
Sensing Ino's doubt, Newt waved his hand dismissively:
"They're not suitable; I know this well. They're shy around strangers, and expecting them to perform on a stage with ten thousand people? That's more painful for them than being killed!"
Newt explained with a bitter smile, clearly feeling helpless about his son and grandson's lack of social skills.
"Besides, no one said a person can't have two Phoenixes. One for the Swinburne family and one for Ino. Isn't that interesting?"
With this explanation, Ino agreed.
"Alright, it's settled then. I'll contact the publisher before school starts. Not only for the record, but I also have a fantasy prose story to publish."
No one would complain about having too many Phoenixes. His earlier hesitation was simply due to his innate sense of fairness. After all, Newt had given everything, just to gain recognition for his views, which seemed like a poor deal.
...
Time flies, looking back.
Those familiar people and things seem like a distant memory.
London, 84-119-125 Charing Cross Road, Foyles Bookstore.
On the sidewalk, a tall girl was standing outside the bookstore, looking bored, as if waiting for someone.
"Sorry! I'm late."
A familiar voice came from behind, and Hermione turned around with some surprise. Ino seemed to have grown a lot taller over the summer. His light blue vintage robe made him look quite mature.
Likewise, Ino was also observing Hermione. The girl seemed to have transformed, going from a little girl to a young woman.
In her third year, Hermione appeared to have undergone some kind of metamorphosis. Not only had she grown significantly taller, but her facial features and contours had also become more defined. Even her sense of fashion had drastically improved.
A pair of blue skinny jeans paired with white sneakers perfectly highlighted her legs and youthful vibe.
Her top was also stylish—a cream-colored, fitted short-sleeve that concealed the flaws typical of her age, making her look more poised.
Although they were observing each other, it was just a moment.
Coming to her senses, Hermione smiled demurely: "I was early! There are still fifteen minutes until the appointed time."
"Let's go in first. I plan to buy quite a few books today to enrich myself."
While speaking, Ino glanced at the Foyles bookstore. He used to come here often to read for free because of financial difficulties.
Now that he was well-off, he felt he should give back.
...
On the fifth floor of the bookstore, in the leisure area.
Hermione looked at Ino with some confusion. In just half an hour, there were already more than a dozen classic books on the table, including those she knew well: Jane Eyre, The Moon and Sixpence, The Three Musketeers, Walden...
"Are you buying all of these at once?"
Although she loved reading too, Hermione felt that buying so many at once was somewhat imprudent.
"It's not that many, is it? Mainly because I want to write a novel, but I need to draw inspiration from these classics. Otherwise, what I write will probably be ignored."
Faced with Hermione's confusion, Ino explained indifferently.
He knew well that to craft a good piece, one had to read at least a dozen related classics. The context, diction, overall structure, and scene transitions were all crucial.
Meanwhile, seeing Ino so serious, Hermione suddenly thought of their first meeting two years ago, also in this bookstore. He had explained the value of One Thousand and One Nights with the same expression and tone.
Thinking about it, she couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, Mr. Deceiver! Are you planning to spin stories and deceive people again?"
Things had changed. Facing Hermione's teasing, Ino retorted as he did back then: "Miss Bunny! Have I ever deceived you? My divinations have always been accurate."
They glanced at each other and laughed again.
After a moment, Hermione took out a one-pound note from her pocket and gently placed it on the table: "Ino! Please divine for me again!"
"Alright!" Without refusal, Ino pocketed the note.
But for some reason, the old, slightly doodled one-pound note gave him a faint sense of familiarity.
"Tell me what you want to divine," Ino said, holding the dice.
"No! I want to divine myself." Hermione firmly refused.
Faced with such a request, he didn't hesitate and handed the dice to Hermione, also curious if someone else could successfully divine with them.
A few minutes later.
Hermione seemed a bit hesitant.
"Ino, help me out. I'm afraid I don't have the talent for divination."
Seeing the open palm on the table, she knew Ino had misunderstood and could only clarify again:
"Not to take the dice, but to hold my hand. We'll throw them together, so I can also participate in the divination process."
"Alright, alright! It could be simpler, but you insist..." Ino complained.
Though he was grumbling, he covered Hermione's hand with his palm. After all, she had paid!
On the other side, Hermione closed her eyes slightly, as if thinking of something.
After a few seconds, she suddenly released the tightly gripped dice.
"Ding ding!"
The wooden dice hit the table, making a crisp sound as they rolled.
Soon, the dice stopped, showing a big six.
___
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