It wasn't until the afternoon that Eda returned to the Leaky Cauldron, which was packed with people chatting and drinking. Travelers from all over who came to London would often stop by this place.
A few old witches huddled together in a corner, whispering about something, while their mugs of mead remained untouched. Wizards holding Firewhisky were drinking heartily, their joy stemming from some unknown reason.
A short wizard dressed in a peculiar fashion and a scruffy bearded wizard were fiercely debating the contents of Transfiguration Today. If it weren't for someone holding them back, they might have ended up fighting.
Wizards of all kinds came and went in the small bar, making it a lively place.
The bar's waitstaff were rushing around, trying to attend to the customers. They carried trays as they weaved through the crowd, while some impatient customers occasionally shouted loud complaints.
Even the bar owner, Tom, couldn't just stand behind the counter polishing glasses like usual. He was busy too, his toothless mouth grinning in a way meant to please the patrons.
Despite the noise and chaos, Eda didn't find the bar unpleasant. Instead, she found these noisy wizards amusing, so she didn't head straight to her room upstairs.
Although she had been to the Leaky Cauldron last August, she had only passed through and hadn't stayed, so she hadn't seen this lively, down-to-earth scene.
With her job situation settled, Eda felt relaxed enough to observe the bar's patrons. Some were dressed in fine clothes, while others wore simple attire; some were full of energy, while others seemed hurried. These people might reflect what Eda's future could look like.
Eda leaned against the bar, holding a small cup of tea. Although Tom allowed her to stay, he didn't offer her any alcohol, so Eda had to make do with tea and plain water.
From time to time, a few customers would push open the door and walk in. Some were heading to Diagon Alley for shopping, while others just came to the bar for a drink or to meet up with old friends and chat.
After entering, many of them would glance at Eda.
Naturally, a pretty face tends to attract attention, and Eda, leaning against the bar, was indeed hard to miss.
With her striking long blonde hair and dark wizard robes, Eda stood out even more. If it weren't for her young age, someone would likely have approached her for a chat.
Though, whether a wizard's pick-up lines would be cliché or original was still a mystery.
If Eda were dressed in a more elegant robe and stood outside Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions or Twilfitt and Tatting's, she would undoubtedly serve as a living advertisement—a perfect hostess to attract customers.
However, neither of these shop owners had that idea.
After a busy day, Tom finally returned to his beloved bar counter. His hands trembled slightly as he polished a glass. It had been a long day, and the skinny old man was thoroughly exhausted.
"This place is a mess. Why don't you go back to your room?" Tom asked.
To Tom, Eda, leaning against the bar, seemed to be in the way. She wasn't drinking, so there wasn't any profit to be made from her presence. The Leaky Cauldron didn't need a young and inexperienced hostess like Eda, who couldn't compare to the charming Madam Rosmerta.
"I'd like to try some sherry. Someone once compared it to 'Spanish sunshine in a bottle.' Could you sell me a glass?" Eda asked, swirling the teacup in her hand as if it contained sherry instead of tea.
Old Tom shook his head; he couldn't serve alcoholic beverages to someone underage like Eda.
"How about some Gamp's Old Gregarious? I've heard that after drinking a pint, you can earn a reward of 100 Galleons," Eda continued.
After the *International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy* was enacted, the then-Minister for Magic, Ulick Gamp, allowed the Leaky Cauldron to continue operating. To commemorate this, the pub's owner at the time created a brand of beer, but it was said to taste awful—extremely, extremely, extremely awful.
This kind of notoriously terrible beer obviously didn't survive, and old Tom certainly didn't have any of it. Instead, he pulled out a bottle of butterbeer from beneath the bar and said, "Sigh* This one's on me."
Eda took a sip of the butterbeer, and to her surprise, it was quite good. It was sweet, with a low alcohol content, and Eda thought it tasted more like a soft drink than an actual beer.
This drink was popular among underage witches and wizards because it was one of the few alcoholic beverages they were allowed to consume. Firewhisky, on the other hand, was something they'd have to wait until they were of age to try.
As Eda watched the continuous flow of customers in the pub, she understood old Tom's point. However, she wasn't in the mood to go upstairs; she found it more interesting to stay downstairs rather than head up to her room and read.
"Ok! I've decided! Since you treated me to the butterbeer, I'll give you a hand!" Eda, abandoning her bookworm persona, stepped behind the bar under Tom's astonished gaze. "No need to count this as work."
Eda stood behind the bar. Although she was a bit clumsy at first, her mischievous system kicked in again, presenting her with a Bartender progress bar, which, surprisingly, was upgradeable. The next level was titled Pub Owner.
"Five pints of mead!" one of the waiters called out.
"Five pints of mead, ready!" Eda filled the glasses and placed them on a tray, handing it over to the waiter.
The waiter was taken aback by the unfamiliar female voice instead of Tom's usual one. He stood there, dumbfounded, not even noticing when Eda reached out for payment.
Eda lightly tapped the counter with her knuckles, finally snapping the waiter out of his daze. He handed over the coins to Eda and asked, "Who are you? Why are you here? Where's Tom?"
These almost philosophical questions received no response from Eda.
After placing the coins in the cash box, she quickly returned to work. A slightly disheveled-looking wizard had just ordered a brandy.
The waitstaff quickly got used to the "newly appointed" bartender, Eda. They found it much easier dealing with her than with old Tom, especially since Eda was swift and efficient in her work.
When customers ordered directly at the bar, Eda would hand them their drinks immediately. They assumed she was a relative of old Tom. However, they were a bit curious—how could someone as plain-looking as Tom have such a good-looking relative?
If an order was placed through a waiter, they would either shout it over to Eda or use magic to send the order slip flying to her.
Old Tom moved around the pub, ensuring no customer felt neglected, but he would glance at Eda behind the bar every now and then. Watching how skillfully she handled everything, Tom couldn't help but wonder if Eda had worked in this field before going to Hogwarts.
In just one afternoon, not only did the waitstaff become familiar with Eda, but even the regular patrons of the pub got to know her. Eda got along well with the customers; she didn't dislike interacting with people—she just wasn't a fan of too much conversation.
Standing behind the bar as a bartender might seem like a waste of Eda's time, but in truth, she gained a lot from the experience.
The Leaky Cauldron was a hub for all sorts of people, and amidst their casual chatter, Eda picked up on many things that intrigued her.
Vampires, ghouls, various dark creatures—these topics expanded Eda's knowledge base, she wasn't an HP reader after all. These rumors introduced her to the big wizarding world even her friend could never have found in books. Naturally, this was the case since this was not just a fictional book; it was a whole real world.
These rumors, though sometimes bizarre, captivated Eda's imagination. After she graduates, she dreams of traveling the magical world, embarking on adventures in different countries.
With Eda's help, the waiters were no longer in a rush, and they were able to take better care of the bar's business. Although it was a bit exaggerated to say this, Eda's bright smile illuminated the dim bar like a little sun.
__________
Read 12 Chapters ahead of WN:
Patreon.com/Dragonel