章節 106: Sweet Train
Anthony had initially planned to visit the nearest botanical garden first, but the park informed him that if the school's visit could be rescheduled, they could arrange suitable guides. The park manager also asked Anthony to convey his regards to Professor Sprout, hinting at a connection to the Herbology Society of the British Wizarding World. This put Anthony's mind at ease.
So, he settled for the next best option and decided to make London, the city he was most familiar with, the destination for the first group's field trip.
...
"Meet at Hogsmeade village square at nine in the morning?" Angelina read aloud, leaning over the notice. "Why Hogsmeade?"
Another student, his mouth full of treacle tart, mumbled, "Professor said we're going to Diagon Alley directly from Hogsmeade."
Angelina poured herself some pumpkin juice, pondering. "If Diagon Alley connects to Hogsmeade, why do we have to travel from King's Cross every year?"
"Maybe the Professor knows a secret passage," one of the Weasley twins said hopefully.
...
Except for two students who were seven or eight minutes late, everyone arrived at the meeting point on time. After checking the attendance list, Anthony led the students along the cobblestone path.
Even though these third and fourth-year students had permission to visit Hogsmeade, this was clearly their first time venturing there with a professor.
Everyone chattered excitedly behind him, taking in the sights as if they had never seen them before. Some discussed which shops they would visit later, while others proudly displayed the contents of their bags to their classmates: water bottles, sunglasses, umbrellas, notebooks, wallets, and even three pumpkin pasties wrapped in parchment, leftovers from breakfast.
"Professor Anthony!" Honeydukes' shopkeeper greeted them at the door. "Good morning, everyone. Have a day as sweet as candy!"
"Good morning," Anthony replied with a smile and a nod.
Due to his frequent visits to Honeydukes, the staff was familiar with him. When he inquired about borrowing the cargo passage to Diagon Alley, the owner readily agreed. He simply asked that the students promise not to eat any sweets during the journey.
"Or, if you can't resist, you'll have to pay," the owner added with a wink.
...
When the clerk opened the warehouse's back door, revealing a miniature train loaded with colorful candies, the students couldn't help but gasp in awe.
Anthony, beaming with pride, pulled the clerk aside. "Are you always this lucky?"
"Of course, of course," the clerk replied, looking around conspiratorially. "But the usual freight trains are much larger."
In other words, regular cargo trains wouldn't tempt students with easily accessible sweets.
"Please convey my admiration to the owner," Anthony said. He glanced at the students, already discussing the novelties in the first carriage, and sighed. "He really outdid himself."
As a Honeydukes regular, he could tell this wasn't a standard freight train. Unless Honeydukes had suddenly decided to open a tasting station at their Diagon Alley branch, it was hard to explain why each carriage was stocked with a small assortment of every candy imaginable.
"All aboard, everyone," Anthony announced. "I'll say it again, remember to pay for any sweets you take. Budget your pocket money wisely."
...
Anthony did a final headcount, then signaled to the clerk that they were ready to depart. The clerk waved to the Hogwarts group, now enveloped in a sugary aroma, pulled the lever by the door, and the train set off with a clang.
As Anthony had explained in class, wizards' trains were powered by magic. The Hogwarts Express emitted steam purely for aesthetic and traditional reasons.
He steadied himself against the swaying wall and smiled at the students sharing his carriage. "Since we're close, let's start with us."
Anthony opened his bag and pulled out a wad of cash.
Under the students' wide-eyed stares, he handed each of them three pounds. "Some spending money for the trip. Use it wisely. Do you all recognize these?"
"No problem, Professor," said the student who took the coins. They examined the Muggle currency with great interest, studying the Queen's portrait on the front, flipping them over to the back, and comparing the different designs assigned to each person.
"Good, because I won't be helping you with discounts or currency exchange all day," Anthony said, pulling out a stack of parchment from his bag and looking it over.
One student, tearing his attention away from the coins, asked curiously, "What's that?"
Anthony looked up and smiled. "Remember the last question on your recent test?"
"Design a set of Muggle clothes suitable for the season?" another student recalled. "Wait, Professor."
Anthony nodded approvingly. "That's right." He waved his wand, tapping the student's clothes – silently marveling once again at the convenience of Transfiguration – and the student was instantly clad in a pullover sweater, jeans, and black leather shoes.
"Professor Anthony." the student pleaded amidst the laughter of his classmates.
"Is it too warm?" Anthony inquired.
The student tugged at his sweater collar and mumbled, "A bit."
Anthony nodded. "Seasonally appropriate, then. Come see me with a new design when we get off the train."
"Yes, Professor."
Soon, the entire carriage was filled with students sporting T-shirts, cardigans, and dresses.
Anthony opened the carriage door. "Alright, everyone, enjoy the rest of the journey." He still had several carriages of students to attire.
...
When he opened the next door, the Weasley twins were calculating whether their remaining pocket money would be enough for each of them to buy a Fizzing Whizbee. They were fascinated by the candy that supposedly made one's feet lift off the ground, convinced it contained some intriguing magic ripe for slight modification.
Beside them, the students who had packed pumpkin pasties were shamelessly stuffing handfuls of sweets into their bags, smug about having brought all their pocket money.
"We don't usually buy this much, Professor?"
Anthony opened his bag and distributed the money, reiterating his previous instructions about spending wisely.
While he was looking over the test answers, the Weasley twins sidled up to the student with the notebook, eager to learn the exchange rate between pounds and Galleons.
Anthony showed them the afros they had designed for themselves, and the twins immediately confirmed that was exactly how they wanted to look. As if on cue, two red-haired clouds, even fluffier than the marshmallows in the nearby cabinet, sprouted atop their heads.
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