Chapter 56 Greasy Man
Lu Yunkai pulled Daphne and Astoria, followed Ron and the other two, squeezed in the crowd for a while, and finally rushed to the front of the line and sneaked into the bookstore.
The originally small Flourish and Blotts bookstore was now crowded, and the six boys and girls were a little confused in the crowd.
"Ron, where is your mother?" Hermione was a little irritable because of the squeezing.
"In front! She came to line up very early. She is a fan of that Girod." Ron pushed people in the crowd and stood on tiptoe to look forward.
"Ron!! Here!!"
Suddenly a very shrill female voice sounded.
Lu Yunkai and others looked over in the direction of the voice, and a little girl with the iconic red hair of the Weasley family was standing on tiptoe and waving in this direction.
"Ginny!!" Ron also waved, and then led everyone to get closer.
"Why did you come in? Didn't I say I would buy all the books for you?"
A fat, but kind-looking middle-aged woman complained to Ron next to him.
"Hermione and Lu Yunkai also need to buy books. The line outside is too long, so I'll bring them in." Ron nodded to the woman.
"Hello, Mrs. Weasley, and... hello! Ginny!" Lu Yunkai smiled and greeted Ron's mother and the little girl next to him.
He still remembered these two people. Last year at King's Cross Station, when he and Harry were pushing the cart and looking confused, it was this kind woman who taught them how to get to Platform 9 3/4.
And the little girl named Ginny was also with her at the time.
"Hello, Brother Lu Yunkai!" Ginny nodded to Lu Yunkai with a smile, "Ron talked about you a lot during the summer vacation."
"Hello, Lu Yunkai!" Mrs. Weasley responded with a smile, "This is..."
"This is my classmate, Daphne, and her sister Astoria." Lu Yunkai introduced the two girls he was holding to Mrs. Weasley.
"Hello, Mrs. Weasley." Daphne also hurriedly greeted her sister while holding her sister.
At this moment, there was a sudden commotion at the front of the queue.
"It's started! It's started!"
Hermione on the side was excited.
And Lu Yunkai also clearly felt that Daphne was holding his hand harder.
He followed the gaze of the crowd and looked at the signing table at the front of the line.
A blond middle-aged man appeared.
With a...greasy smile on his face.
Extremely greasy.
Lu Yunkai really couldn't make himself like him. He even had the urge to punch this man.
However, he noticed that the women around him, from Mrs. Weasley to Hermione, Ginny and Daphne, all looked at the man with a crazy expression...
Especially Daphne's look, which suddenly made Lu Yunkai feel uncomfortable.
This man's public enemy! What's so handsome about him? He's not gentle and beautiful enough, nor is he masculine and strong.
Lu Yunkai saw Ron, who was also speechless next to him.
The two looked at each other tacitly and shook their heads.
The signing event officially started, and the team moved forward. Today, the signing standard of this Gerald Lockhart is not high. As long as you buy his complete set of works, you can get his autograph.
And in the book list of Hogwarts this year, Lockhart's complete set of books are textbooks, and the category is Defense Against the Dark Arts...Naturally, including Daphne and Hermione, everyone has the opportunity to get a set of Lockhart's autograph.
Lu Yunkai didn't pay attention to this matter when he looked at the owl letter before. Now that he thought about it, the person who drew up this book list and replaced Quirrell as the teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts was probably a fan of Lockhart, just like Mrs. Weasley?
It was really funny.
Because Mrs. Weasley came very early, they didn't have to wait long before it was their turn.
Mrs. Weasley handed a large pile of gold Galleons to the staff of the bookstore. The staff counted and skillfully placed four piles of packaged books in front of Lockhart who was sitting at the autograph table. The man with a greasy fake smile on his face waved the feather pen in his hand, and a signature was done. The same action was repeated four times, which was indeed a bit cool.
Then he raised his head and smiled and handed the book to Mrs. Weasley who was looking at him with a crazy face.
"Thank you for your support." Lockhart said.
Even if Lu Yunkai next to him didn't like this greasy middle-aged man, he had to admit that his voice did have a very charming magnetism.
"I'm your fan." Mrs. Weasley said excitedly.
"I'm honored."
Then a signature smile.
Lu Yunkai felt a little nauseous. This smile must have been measured with a protractor and practiced thousands of times in front of the mirror? Too standard.
Maybe because Mrs. Weasley bought enough, she got the opportunity to chat with Lockhart for a few more words, and she acted like a star-chasing girl.
She didn't feel embarrassed, but Ron was embarrassed...
Finally, Mrs. Weasley's part was completed, but she still stood by, reluctant to leave for a long time with a look of nostalgia.
But the staff of the bookstore didn't want to drive her away, because the next Harry was also with her.
Similarly, a pile of gold Galleons and a pile of books were placed in front of Lockhart, and the signature was done in one stroke.
Only this time, Lockhart, who looked up to thank him, saw the black-haired boy in front of him...the lightning scar on his forehead.
This legendary scar was unique enough to make the fake-smiling man forget about his smile for a moment.
But he came back to his senses immediately, and then smiled even brighter.
"Oh! Isn't this the famous Harry Potter!" He stood up with a smile, "I didn't expect you to be a fan of my books too!"
"I'm not..." Harry looked embarrassed and wanted to explain that he was just here to buy textbooks, but Lockhart stood up and pulled him to his side.
Lockhart didn't speak, but just glanced to the side. The photographer who had been standing by rushed out with a wink, clicked, and took a photo.
Harry was kept in the dark the entire time, not knowing what was happening.
"Although I would like to communicate more with you about my experience in dealing with dark magic, there are still many fans of my books waiting." Lockhart smiled and said to Harry, "Looking back when we still get along a lot, I I will personally explain to you all your curiosity about my legendary story.”
This time, Harry was so confused that he didn't know how to refute or refuse. He walked down numbly holding a stack of books he had just signed.
Next to her, Hermione, who was already looking forward to it and excited, had already rushed forward...
It's just that Hermione obviously didn't get the same treatment as Mrs. Weasley and Harry. Because she didn’t buy enough, and she wasn’t famous enough. After a few simple routine conversations, it was Daphne's turn.
Daphne also received the same treatment as Hermione. Although she wanted to take a photo with Lockhart, she was refused.
Everyone who had finally bought all the books was about to leave when they saw two blond men, one tall and one short, walking into the bookstore.
Almost everyone was stunned.
Lu Yunkai looked at the two people, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Isn't this Weasley? There is also the famous Potter! The feeling of being valued and welcomed just now, don't you feel very happy?"
Apart from Malfoy, Lu Yunkai didn't know anyone else who was such an old hermaphrodite.
"What does it have to do with you? Are you jealous of Harry?" Hermione interrupted unhappily from the side.
"I'm jealous of him??" Malfoy jumped up as if his tail had been stepped on.
"Draco." Lucius, who was standing next to him, held down his angry son. "Keep your manners, especially in front of Muggles who don't know how to be polite."
"..." Malfoy glanced at Lu Yunkai.
Lu Yunkai nodded slightly towards him, then shook his head.
Malfoy fell silent.
Lucius, on the other hand, looked at Harry, who had been a little confused next to him.
"We finally meet, Harry Potter." Lucius gently brushed Harry's bangs with the cane in his hand, revealing the lightning scar on his forehead, "I hope your Scars bring you good luck."
"..." Harry didn't know how to answer this question.
"Harry doesn't rely on luck!" Ginny on the side said angrily to Lucius.
"...Second-hand robes, old books?" Lucius picked up an old magic textbook from Ginny's bag, glanced at it, and put it back, "Weasley?"
"Children, let's go." Mrs. Weasley's face had long lost the girlish Huaichun she had just looked at Lockhart, and she coldly reminded the group of people following her.
Then he walked out of the bookstore without talking to Lucius.
Harry and Ron followed immediately.
Lu Yunkai slowed down his pace a little, borrowed a position, and looked at Lucius from an angle that no one else could see.
Lu Yunkai nodded gently.
Lucius showed a smile that Lu Yunkai didn't quite understand.
After walking out of the crowded bookstore, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Have you bought anything else?" Hermione had just been disgusted by Lucius. She was obviously not in a good mood, so her tone was not particularly smooth when she spoke.
"Not yet. What about you?" Daphne answered proactively.
She felt that Lu Yunkai beside her suddenly seemed to be worried. However, the tone of her answer was not very good, because she also noticed that Lu Yunkai was staring at Ginny who was following Mrs. Weasley in a daze.
"We bought them all," Harry replied.
"I'll buy them all too." Hermione also replied, "Then..."
"We're going to buy other things." Daphne nodded and glanced at Lu Yunkai, who was stunned there. "Yunkai, do you want to continue shopping with me?"
"Ah?...Ah! Of course!"
"Let's go!" Daphne pulled Lu Yunkai and left directly outside the bookstore.
"……What's wrong?"
Lu Yunkai didn't come back to his senses, but found that Daphne who was pulling him seemed to be surprisingly strong.
He was still thinking about Lucius's smile just now. Why do you look like you are succeeding in your evil plot?
That feels weird.
He didn't notice that Daphne next to him had a dark face.
"Brother-in-law! Apologize to my sister quickly!!"
Astoria, who just didn't say a word in a crowded place, pulled the corner of Lu Yunkai's clothes and reminded her softly.
"Ah? Why?"
"Ah! You were so close to that Weasley named Ginny just now. My sister is jealous!"
"...Where can I have it!!"