Chapter 203 - Hogsmeade Ⅱ (1/2)
The two of them entered the empty shop as an already beginning to bald man says, ”Welcome to Honeydukes!” His eyes crinkle with mirth at seeing the two students' eyes bulge. ”Please take all the time you need!” He said, before returning to grab another stock from the back for when the hordes descended upon them.
There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was even a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Wizbees, the levitating sherbet balls. Rowan made a face at the Fizzing Wizbees as she knew for a fact a certain magical insect was used in their making. As she was going to eat something like that!
Besides the barrels, there were the other ”Special” sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum, (which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refuse to pop for days. And which were rather unsanitary in Rowan's personal opinion.) The strange, splintery Toothfloosing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps, that caused one to become a fire hazard by being able to breath fire. Ice Mice that made one's teeth chatter and squeak. Peppermint cream shaped toads that hopped realistically in the stomach, (as Rowan needed anything else to make her more squeamish.) Fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons; (sweets should never explode! A terrible faux pas on the creator's part.)
While James ran about with glee including collecting unusual tasting sweets such as a blood-flavored lollipop or a jar of Cockroach Clusters. Rowan picked out a nice supply of chocolate bars, Toothflossing Stringmints, and a few, honey-colored toffees. Neatly carrying over her purchases to the counter, the balding shopkeeper totals the amount on an old-fashioned metal cash register.
”That will be-,” Rowan doesn't even hear the rest as she drops an amount on the counter to gaze at James. Seeing Rowan's pointed look James slows down but runs around again the moment her back is turned. Turning back to pick up her change, Rowan nods her thanks at the shopkeeper before placing her purchases in her enchanted pouch.
Seeing Rowan's rather pointed glaring James finally zooms up to the counter with an armful of sweets and dumps it all on the counter. The storekeeper merely shakes his head and begins to tally up the sweets as the first batch of students rushes in. Seeing the hordes already advancing, the shopkeeper turns back to call out his wife, before finishing up ringing the first of the pesky buggers.
With a large sack full of sweets, James happily emerges as they run straight into the rest of the Marauders. ”James, where were you?!” Sirius exclaimed. ”We were looking all over for you!” Lupin flashes Rowan a warm smile as Pettigrew dubiously eyes her as Rowan returns the look.
”I thought I'd get here first,” James proudly said as he pointed at Rowan. ”Besides Rowan here is going to Zonko's with me.”
Lupin and Pettigrew blink as though the sky had fallen on them as Sirius beams, ”Most Excellent! We can always come back to Honeydukes, let's go!” With Sirius and James leading the pack, Lupin and Pettigrew both linger behind as Rowan reaches into her pouch and hands them each a honey toffee.
”It's a bit early for sweets,” Lupin muttered, but nevertheless graciously accepted the sweet as Pettigrew muttered a quick thanks before stuffing his slimmer face. ”Though I find it highly suspicious that'd you'd ever want to enter Zonko's.”
”You're right, but there's a first time for everything,” Rowan innocently shrugged, which did little to change the skeptical looks on Pettigrew and Lupins faces. On their way there, they passed by a Hairdressing salon, the Hogsmeade post office, and a few other shops, before arriving before the brightly colored door to Zonko's. The boys eagerly rushed in as with a resigned sigh she too followed them inside.
The door twinkled as they entered to revel a large shop full of countless jokes and tricks to try out on unsuspecting friends or enemies. The Dungbombs were high up on a shelf to deter the hands of clever students. However, on the lower shelves there were things like Hiccough Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, Sugar Quills, and Nose-Biting Teacups. The boys instantly surrounded the displays that looked most interesting to them as the door twinkled behind them as the hordes stormed into the shop.