Tom didn't ask further after hearing Cro's explanation. He simply pointed toward the narrow corridor leading to Diagon Alley.
"Diagon Alley is safe, but remember not to wander off. You're unfamiliar with the area and might accidentally end up in Knock turn Alley, a gathering place for dark wizards. It's a den of crime, and if you go in there, you'll be eaten to the bone."
Hearing this, Hermione shrank behind Cro in fear. After all, they were two ten-year-olds in an unfamiliar wizarding world, and they had no adults with them, so it was natural to feel unsettled after that warning.
Cro took Hermione's hand, calming her down.
"Eaten to the bone? Wouldn't they choke? You know, choking is very uncomfortable. In severe cases, you might need surgery."
"In our previous world, you'd definitely need surgery in that case," Cro said with a casual grin.
Hermione widened her eyes at Cro. She had never heard of needing surgery for choking. Last time when she got a fishbone stuck in her throat, the hospital just removed it—there was no surgery involved.
"For that kind of surgery, I read in a book that they first cut open the patient's throat, then cut into their oesophagus, and reach in to remove the blockage."
"It's just like this... oh, what a scene! You can clearly see the trachea and the oesophagus, and even what's inside them," Cro said, raising his hands to mimic the action.
"Urgh~"
"By Merlin's beard! They teach kids this in the Muggle world? That's... inhumane!"
"I can't... I can't take it anymore, urgh~"
The people watching in the bar started looking queasy, one by one rushing to the restroom. Even Tom, with a stiff expression, quickly put down what he was holding and sprinted to the restroom as fast as he could.
[Detected strong feelings of emotional breakdown!]
[Reward obtained: Bronze Chest!]
[Detected strong...]
...
The continuous system notifications made Cro's smile grow wider. Although most of the rewards were bronze chests, occasionally there were a few silver ones. But the sheer quantity was amazing.
In just a few moments, he had collected 15 bronze chests and 3 silver ones. Adding the two bronze chests from the Grangers, he now had 17 bronze chests in total.
"Is there really a book like that? Why have I never seen it? Where did you find it? I don't think we have such a book at home," Hermione asked, looking up at Cro with curiosity. There wasn't the slightest trace of fear on her face, either because she didn't quite understand Cro's graphic description or because holding Cro's hand made her feel safe.
Either way, she wasn't scared. Instead, she became increasingly curious about this book.
Cro rubbed his nose. "I saw it when I was at the orphanage. Probably slipped in by mistake from a donor. I didn't want to scare the other kids, so I took it and used it to prop up my bed."
Hermione looked disappointed. "Oh well, I wanted to see what that kind of book looked like."
The few people who had just come back from the restroom exchanged glances, their faces turning pale.
Muggle kids... are terrifying!
[Detected strong feelings of fear!]
[Reward obtained: Bronze Chest!]
[Detected...]
...
Four more bronze chests!
Cro beamed with satisfaction. The wizarding world truly was a gold mine for collecting chests! If just a few people could contribute this much, imagine Hogwarts, full of students—it would be a treasure trove!
"Professor Quirrell? Sorry, we didn't notice you were here too. Cro, Cro!" Hermione apologized to Quirrell, tugging at Cro's sleeve. While looking around the bar, she had spotted Quirrell sitting at the counter with his back to them. If it hadn't been for his wrapped-up turban, she might not have recognized him.
Cro's eyes lit up, and he immediately turned toward the somewhat embarrassed-looking Quirrell. This was his golden goose...
The nooseless one was his golden goose!
Whether it was the three Unforgivable Curses or the powerful Fiendfyre curse, the nooseless one knew them all!
With this in mind, Cro's gaze toward Quirrell's... turbaned head became much more intense.
"Professor Quirrell, I apologize for spacing out earlier. It's just that re-entering the wizarding world is always such an exciting experience."
"N-no... p-problem... I d-don't b-blame y-you," Professor Quirrell replied with a forced smile. If Merlin allowed it, he would prefer never to see Cro again in this lifetime. In Muggle terms, Cro was an absolute troublemaker!
By now, the bar had filled up with people again, though they were all looking at Cro and Hermione with somewhat strange expressions. Poor kids, having to endure such inhumane education!
Cro's smile widened slightly.
"Professor Quirrell, I've heard that you're the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. I happen to have some questions. Would you be able to help me?"
Cro looked at Quirrell with a puzzled yet eager expression, his words instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the bar.
Hermione frowned slightly. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she had the feeling that Cro wasn't being entirely... sincere. It was as if he was setting a trap for Quirrell.
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T/N:
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