"Long time no see, Miss Granger. It seems you don't need to be at Hogwarts. We met on the train."
Seeing Hermione, who looked confused and unsure of the situation, Alan greeted her first.
The person arriving was none other than Hermione Granger. She was currently helping Neville Longbottom search for his missing toad, just like in the original plot.
The dazed Hermione finally noticed Alan's presence. She saw the lunch box in his hand and suddenly realized the source of the delicious aroma wafting in the air.
"Cecile?" Hermione looked a little surprised. "I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
"Just call me Alan. Since we've run into each other, why not enjoy some food together?" Alan said with a warm smile. "It seems Miss Granger hasn't officially tasted any of my cooking yet."
"Thank you. You're too kind." Hermione smiled, her eyebrows arched slightly. Then she suddenly remembered that she and Alan weren't alone. She quickly sat upright and introduced herself politely, "Hello, my name is Hermione Granger."
"Hello, Hermione," Harry and Ronald said in unison.
"Before we get to know each other," Hermione added quickly, glancing at the others, "I think it's more appropriate for you to call me Granger. After all, we don't know each other very well yet, and I'm not sure if we'll become friends in the future."
After she said that, she turned back to Alan and smiled sweetly.
"This is the second time we've met, so you can just call me by my name."
The corners of Alan's mouth twitched slightly, a trace of amusement barely suppressed.
Sure enough, a good-looking face made it easier to get along with people.
"As for this boy," Hermione continued, sitting upright and gesturing to her companion, "I met him on the train. His name is Neville Longbottom."
"Hello… you guys." Neville Longbottom, the round-faced boy, replied shyly.
"And this," Hermione introduced Alan to Neville with a small nod, "is Alan Cecile. His cooking skills are superb!"
"Hello," Neville responded distractedly. His gaze kept drifting toward the lunch box in Alan's hand. He couldn't stop himself from swallowing.
The scent was absolutely irresistible.
After the introductions, Ronald, who could hardly hold back any longer, blurted out, "I'm Ronald Weasley, and this is the famous Harry Potter!"
As expected, the name had an immediate effect. Both Hermione and Neville looked visibly shocked.
"You're the famous Harry Potter?" Hermione's tone suddenly grew more enthusiastic.
But Alan wasn't in the mood to listen to a bunch of kids praising Harry nonstop, so he picked up a spoon and tapped the lid of the lunch box lightly to catch everyone's attention.
"Now that introductions are out of the way," Alan said, "how about we enjoy some delicious food?" He lifted the lunch box in front of him. "Although it's not a huge portion, it should be just enough for five people."
"This… how can we? It feels too embarrassing," Neville said quickly, his usual shyness returning.
But in truth, he was already overwhelmed with desire. The tantalizing aroma had shattered his reserve and made him speak before thinking.
"It's no trouble at all. Sharing food brings more joy than enjoying it alone," Alan replied, pulling out several disposable forks and passing them around.
"What dish is this?" Ronald asked as he forked a small piece from the lunch box. He looked at the unfamiliar food and asked with uncertainty, "Is it some kind of meat?"
"This is pan-fried dragon liver," Harry explained, expertly stuffing a piece into his mouth. The warmth of the dish, combined with the richness of the meat, sent a wave of pleasure through him. The fat melted delicately, creating an experience bordering on euphoric. Chewing with evident satisfaction, he mumbled, "This little piece costs about five Galleons."
The market price for dragon liver was about 16 Sickles per ounce. A proper serving needed at least 50 grams, roughly two ounces, costing just over one Galleon.
But what Alan sold was never just about ingredients. His craftsmanship far outweighed the cost of the dragon liver itself.
Upon hearing that shocking price, Ronald—who had always been acutely sensitive about money due to his family's financial situation—immediately widened his eyes.
"How much?! Five Galleons? For just that tiny bit?"
"You'll understand once you try it," Harry assured him seriously, swallowing the piece in his mouth with contentment. "It's absolutely worth it."
Ronald thought Harry had gone mad. How could such a small bite of meat be worth five Galleons? That was more than most families would spend on a whole day's worth of meals.
But the way Harry spoke, combined with Alan's calm and confident demeanor, left an odd sense of credibility. Despite his skepticism, Ronald hesitated for only a moment before taking a bite.
Hermione and Neville did the same, though with a little more caution.
Then it hit them.
Magic surged through their bodies. Their taste buds seemed to awaken, singing with pleasure. The intense dual stimulation—from both flavor and magic—overwhelmed their minds in an instant.
Their eyes went blank, jaws working slowly, mechanically. None of them spoke. They simply chewed, lost in a sea of delicious sensation.
It took nearly a full minute for them to snap out of it. When they finally did, all three wore looks of stunned amazement—and a touch of regret that the experience had ended.
"That taste… it was incredible." Hermione couldn't help sticking out her tongue to lick the sauce at the corner of her mouth, her usual poise momentarily forgotten. "And I felt something strange—almost as if my magic changed in some way."
Ronald and Neville nodded vigorously. Neither could articulate what they'd felt as clearly as Hermione, but they understood her perfectly.
If they had to describe it, they'd probably just say, "Me too."
At that point, five Galleons didn't seem expensive at all.
"This is Alan's special ability," Harry explained proudly. "As long as he prepares a special dish, it carries magical properties. I've told you—he's the greatest chef in the world!"
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