"The day after tomorrow." Harry said, "Tomorrow, let's go to Diagon Alley together and check out Fred and George's shop."
He also called Neville and Seamus and Draco, and they all expressed their intention to travel to Antarctica.
The last call, Harry made to the cheerful big boy Cedric.
Cedric regrettably said that he would really like to go too but didn't have the time—he had already started working at the Ministry of Magic.
Harry and his friends agreed on the time to meet at 12 Grimmauld Square on Sunday.
"We'll go to Diagon Alley when we wake up tomorrow." Harry suggested, "Let's buy some food to take with us, and also… hmm, let's check out Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, what do you think?"
"Of course." Pabi said a bit nostalgically, "Magic Tricks Workshop—I still remember the first time we went to Zoko's Joke Shop..."
The next day at noon, Harry got out of bed.
Having agreed to meet Ron at the Broken Cauldron Bar, after having brunch, Harry arrived at the Broken Cauldron Bar via Flue Network.
"Hey." Ron greeted with a raised hand when he saw Harry and the gang.
Sitting next to him was Hermione, lightly made up.
Once they met up, they left the bar and headed to Diagon Alley.
The first stop was Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
A grinning statue head stood on the door of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, with a rabbit doing a beckoning action on top; on the side of the door, an arm holding a top hat constantly putting the hat on its head and taking it off.
Many wizards came to the Magic Tricks Workshop, some with children, but the backbone was Hogwarts students.
Entering the bright orange door, they were welcomed by a little rubber goblin hanging on the lintel, which would let out a comical squeal with all its might, then "poof" turn into a small cloud, sprinkling a few chilly raindrops on your head.
"Lemon mint flavor." Ron smacked his lips.
Harry was really surprised that Ron tasted it.
The sight was an enchanting magical carnival.
Most of the shop was bathed in a warm, honey-colored glow, but the light did not come from fixed lamps: self-exploding and reassembling colorful balloon lights floated like mischievous bubbles under the ceiling, casting shifting shadows; walls covered with moving posters, a little wizard with a top hat kept throwing ribbons out of the poster, while another kept making faces at you.
On the steps in the center of the shop, the Weasley twins stood, selling, "Come and see, come and take a look—we have stupor candy! Nosebleed nougat! Buy it before school starts—and there's Instant Escape Candy, of course don't say you bought it here at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!"
They looked down to see a young wizard tasting Vomit Candy.
The two Apparated one on each side behind the young wizard, speaking one after the other: "Party it up, handsome—"
"Merlin's socks!" Ron pointed at the tightrope-walking magic puppet and said, "There are even Umbridge merchandise, now I have to buy it!"
The tightrope-walking Umbridge magic puppet was still grumbling, "You must listen to me! I hate kids the most!"
"Look at this," Ron tugged at Harry, "Love Potions—this magic tricks workshop actually sells this stuff?"
"Oh, who are you?" Fred rolled his eyes, "Ministry of Magic Minister? So controlling!"
And George noticed Hermione and Ginny watching by the Love Potions.
"Oh hey, two beauties." Fred and George approached one after the other, smiling, "Love potion, right? It's really effective!"
Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Does it really work?"
"That's for sure; each effect can last up to 24 hours, depending on the boy's weight—"
"—and the girl's charmingness." George suddenly appeared next to her, saying. "But we can't sell it to our little sister," he added, suddenly serious, "We've heard she's quite fierce, especially now she's got hot with five boys in quick succession, that's from—"
"That's nonsense you heard from Ron." Ginny calmly said, leaning to grab a pink jar from the shelf, "What's this?"
"Ten-second effect pustule remover," Fred said, "it works wonders on boils and blackhead pimples and such, but don't change the subject—isn't it true you're currently dating a boy named Dean Thomas?"
"Yes, that's right," Ginny said, "but last I checked, he was just one boy, not five... what are those?"
She pointed at a pile of pink and purple fluffy balls rolling at the bottom of a cage, making sharp shrieks.
"Dwarf Bulrush," George said, "mini Pu Rongrong, we can't make them breed quickly... So, what's happening with Michael Corner?"
"I dumped him. He's a disgraceful loser." Ginny said as she stretched a finger into the cage, watching the dwarf bulrush flock together, "They're so cute!"
"Yeah, they are quite endearing." Fred admitted reluctantly, "But you're changing boyfriends a bit too often, right?"
Ginny turned, staring at him, hands on her hips.
"Mind your own business. Also," at that moment Ron appeared beside George hugging two boxes, she shouted at Ron in frustration, "Stop spreading rumors about me in front of them!"
Ron stood bewildered as he watched his sister storm off, he asked, "What was that about?"
"He said you were spreading rumors about her having several boyfriends." Fred shrugged.
"But I didn't make it up?" Ron felt a little wronged, "She does change boyfriends quite often... I remember who she was dating before? Now it's Dean Thomas."
"Poor Dean Thomas is already history," Fred shrugged, George quickly followed, "before poor Michael Corner got dumped."
Ron opened his mouth wide, seemingly amazed his sister was so bold.
"How much is this?" He raised what he was holding and asked Fred.
"Five Galleons," Fred said.
"How much are you giving me?" Ron asked again.
"Five Galleons," George replied.
"Don't do this!" Ron said helplessly, "I'm your little brother!"
Fred and George exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Ten Galleons!"
Ron opened his mouth.
He suddenly felt like he was just a neighbor.
"Galloping Gorgon..." Pabi said, feeling her worldview shatter while eavesdropping; she murmured to Vivi, "Did you hear? The youngest girl in the Weasley family has changed several boyfriends—just this month."
Vivi's eyes widened instantly; she asked incredulously, "What did you say? Who? Ginny? Oh my, never judge a book by its cover..."
Needless to say, the openness of modern people really shocks an old relic from a hundred years ago ten thousand times over.
Theoretically speaking, Vivi's Aunt Sissi is also quite open—but she's still a little girl, and Aunt Sissi would never let her prematurely experience the adult world, so Vivi is indeed quite prim. Pursuing Harry actively was already her limit.
As for Pabi... well, Pabi couldn't understand Ginny's openness even more.
They both exchanged a glance, and a shared thought arose in their minds: Better keep Harry away from her.