On Saturday morning, Harry learned through the Two-Sided Mirror about Gringotts obtaining the Angel's Feather from Professor Dumbledore.
When he heard that Gringotts exchanged it for forty percent of Duke Honey's shares, Harry was utterly taken aback.
It seems Gringotts really went all out, he thought to himself.
With that settled, only the Snake Monster Poison Fang remained.
Harry counted the pressing matters on his hands: finding Cassandra's location, rescuing Vivi, and buying a computer for Nicolas Flamel.
He really hadn't expected Mr. Leme to get addicted to computers.
But it's a good thing; it means the old man has found a new purpose in life.
What's left... is to train the little buddies at the Dueling House.
Life went by uneventfully, and before they knew it, September was over, and October arrived.
The October frost in the Scottish Highlands was heavy with moisture, chilling the grounds and seeping into the castle.
A sudden flu hit the staff and students, leaving Nurse Madam Pomfrey overwhelmed.
Her Stimulant had an immediate effect, but anyone who drank it would have smoke coming out of their ears for several hours.
Ron unfortunately fell victim as well. He had intended to lie down for a while in the dormitory, but Hermione burst into the boys' dormitory with potions in hand, and under Ron's terrified gaze, pinched his mouth open and poured in an entire bottle.
That did the trick; Ron's fiery red hair started steaming, as if his whole head had caught fire.
"How can you come into the boys' dormitory!" Ron squealed, covering himself with a blanket, alarmed and belatedly aware.
"Oh, drop it, Ronald!" Hermione sneered. "If I didn't come, who else would get you to drink some medicine?"
With that, she pulled several packs of Muggle World pills out of her pocket and slapped them onto Ron's blanket.
"If Madam Pomfrey's potion doesn't work, try these—Harry should know how to take them, let him teach you."
Saying this, Hermione left the boys' dormitory without looking back.
Harry and the others watched Ron gleefully, listening to him mutter things like "crazy woman," "can't find a boyfriend," and "no sane person would want her," filling the dormitory with joyful air.
That night, Ron still hadn't recovered from his cold, so he remembered the medicine Hermione mentioned.
"How should I take this?" Ron looked down at the instructions, "Oh, three times a day, two at a time."
After saying this, he pulled out the pills, tossed them into his mouth, and bit down with a crunch.
Harry tried to stop him, but it was too late, watching as Ron put on a mask of pain.
"This is so bitter! Blood Mother Hell, is Hermione trying to poison me?" he said, scrunching his face.
Harry couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Oh Ron, you're supposed to swallow it with water, not chew it!"
With that, he pulled out... half a chocolate bar from his pocket.
Thinking about it, it was probably the leftover chocolate from the last time at the Dursley's, meant for Pabi.
Remember Pabi said it was quite sweet.
"How about trying this?" Harry said, "Chocolate, it'll take the bitterness away."
Without hesitating, Ron took the half bar, not thinking twice, broke off half, and shoved it into his mouth.
"Even more bitter!" he said, his face falling.
Harry looked at Ron.
"How could that be?" he said, "Last time I gave it to Pabi, she said it was sweet."
"Don't believe me? Try some?" Ron handed the half chocolate bar to Harry.
Harry took the chocolate and put it in his mouth...
It was indeed very bitter, extremely bitter.
He couldn't help but recall the last time he saw Pabi eating chocolate, Pabi clearly said it was sweet...
Could the taste preferences of a Unicorn be different from humans?
He muttered to himself, planning to ask Hagrid about it later, since he's the expert on Magical Creatures.
That evening, Harry also received a letter from Mr. Leme.
Dear Sir:
I am pleased to inform you that Miss Swedding's health has been mostly restored.
By the Christmas holidays, you can come to Paris and bring her back to Hogwarts.
Additionally, please bring several more computers when you come to Paris for research purposes.
Letter from Nicolas Flamel to Harry Potter, October 14, 1992
Harry received the letter, happy for Pabi's recovery.
But he also replied to Mr. Leme, anxiously inquiring about Pabi's taste issue.
Of course, he wasn't idle either, and paid a visit to Hagrid's hut.
As soon as he opened the door, he heard an earth-shattering sneeze from inside.
It was Hagrid, who seemed to have caught a cold, huddled in a thick blanket by the fire.
"Hagrid? Are you alright?" Harry asked with concern.
"Fell in the water today," Hagrid replied concisely. "My goodness, that Plumpet is so slippery; if I hadn't jumped into the water, it might have drowned... Achoo!"
Harry sat beside Hagrid, extending his hands to the fire as well.
The night was damp and cold, and walking that distance in the wind made goosebumps stand proudly on his skin.
"You feel cold too, don't you?"
Hagrid grabbed a handkerchief—or more of a rag—and blew his nose forcefully.
"It's indeed quite chilly," Harry said, snuggling up to Hagrid for warmth, "By the way, Hagrid, I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh, go ahead and ask," Hagrid said, rubbing his nose.
"It's just that—" Harry arranged his words: "Is a Unicorn's sense of taste the same as us humans? I mean, for instance, something we find bitter, would a Unicorn find it sweet?"