Chapter 82: Mutual Understanding
Before Lucius could react, he was slammed into a bookshelf. Thick magical books tumbled down one after another, crashing onto their heads.
Fred waved his arms excitedly and shouted, "Go, Dad! Beat him! You're amazing!"
Mrs. Weasley screamed, "Arthur, stop it! Stop right now!"
Ron also seized the chance to charge at Malfoy, but Mrs. Weasley, sharp-eyed as ever, grabbed him. "You want to cause trouble too?"
The screams and chaos in the corner quickly spread throughout the bookstore. People panicked, running in all directions, knocking over more shelves and causing even more commotion.
"Gentlemen, please stop! Please calm down!" the shop assistant pleaded weakly, but it was useless.
Then a loud voice suddenly drowned out everything:
"Gentlemen, give us a hand here—help out!"
A giant of a man pushed his way in—it was Hagrid. Using his barrel-like body, he forced through the crowd and stepped forward, pulling Mr. Weasley and Lucius apart. Mr. Weasley's forehead was already red and swollen, and even as he stood aside, he continued glaring furiously at Lucius.
Lucius, with a bruise forming around his eye, was still holding Ginny's Standard Book of Spells. With a cold expression, he shoved the book back into Ginny's hands.
"Take it, little girl… your father can't afford to buy you new things every time."
He shook off Hagrid's grip, grabbed Draco, and hurried out of the shop.
"You shouldn't bother with him, Arthur," Hagrid said, trying to straighten Mr. Weasley's robes—though he accidentally shoved him and made him stumble a bit. "They're rotten, the whole lot of them—everyone knows it. The Malfoy family can't be trusted. They stink of blood. Ignore whatever they say. Let's get out of here."
The shop assistant looked at the troublemakers, wanting to stop them and demand compensation. But seeing Hagrid's massive size—and the fact that the others weren't exactly small either—he quietly backed down.
Outside, the Granger family was still shaken, trembling slightly. They had heard too many frightening stories about the magical world. Even though this was "just a fight," it still left them deeply uneasy.
Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath. "What a fine example you set—fighting in public in front of children. What will Mr. Lockhart think…?"
"He's probably thrilled," Fred said dismissively. "I heard he even asked The Daily Prophet to report on the fight for publicity."
It wasn't until they returned to the Leaky Cauldron that everyone gradually calmed down. After resting for a while, they prepared to part ways. Harry and the Weasleys would soon meet again at the Burrow, while the Grangers had to return home.
They said their goodbyes reluctantly. Harry and Ron even made sure to get Hermione's home telephone number.
Hermione quietly followed her parents home. Back in the safety of her house, everything seemed normal again—warm, peaceful, unchanged.
But the events in Diagon Alley kept replaying in her mind.
That night, Hermione couldn't immerse herself in her books, nor could she meditate as she usually did. She felt lost, more confused than ever before.
"Mom… maybe I shouldn't go to Hogwarts anymore."
Hugging a large teddy bear, Hermione knocked on her mother's study door. Mrs. Granger was sitting under a bright desk lamp, reading a medical research report.
She looked up in surprise. She knew how much Hermione loved Hogwarts.
"What's wrong, sweetheart? Are you unhappy? Tell me."
"I don't want to go to Hogwarts anymore…" Hermione said softly, her head lowered, clutching the teddy bear.
Mrs. Granger stood up, led her to the sofa, and brought her a cup of warm milk.
"Is this because of what happened at the bookstore today?"
"…Yes."
Hermione sat there, still looking down, holding the bear tightly.
Mrs. Granger gently stroked her hair. "But it's over now. Everything's fine. Mr. Weasley is a trustworthy friend. Don't worry so much."
"No… it's not over, Mom…" Hermione's voice trembled. "I was too careless. I didn't notice anything. I shouldn't have been like that."
"I love how magical and fascinating that world is, and I'm good at it. I can easily learn spells that others struggle with. But you and Dad don't need magic. You have your own lives, your own respectable jobs. You shouldn't be called 'Muggles,' and you shouldn't have to feel afraid because of my magic."
Her eyes were already brimming with tears as she looked at her mother helplessly.
"You're such a thoughtful girl," Mrs. Granger said softly.
"What your father and I want most is for you to be happy. That's what matters most to us."
She sat beside Hermione and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"When we first received your Hogwarts letter, I could hardly believe it. After the teacher came to confirm it, we were even more uneasy. Your father and I are dentists—we have stable, peaceful lives. Maybe not exciting, but we're happy with it."
"…Mm." Hermione nodded quietly.
"I even thought about not letting you go," Mrs. Granger continued. "I didn't understand the magical world. I didn't know what kind of future you would have, or what your classmates would be like."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh a little at that.
"I worried about your future relationships too," her mother added, looking at her seriously. "After all, you might only be able to marry a wizard—otherwise, ordinary boys might be frightened by your identity."
"Mom…" Hermione's ears turned red. "You're thinking way too far ahead—I'm only twelve."
"Your father convinced me," Mrs. Granger said, her eyes shining. "He told me that children aren't extensions of their parents… they're not copies of us."
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