Hogwarts, Midnight Diner

Not long after Draco Malfoy left, someone knocked on the oak door of the lounge again.

Basilda Bablin walked ahead, with Paul Bernard following reluctantly behind.

As soon as she entered, Basilda, whose talent for being a chatterbox was off the charts, couldn't wait to start talking. She chattered on about Paul's many failed alchemy experiments as she went to the warm fireplace.

The greedy girl bent down, closed her eyes, and sniffed hard, trying to figure out which food was giving off the aroma that filled the room.

Paul, who wasn't very familiar with her yet, seemed a little awkward. The night outside the window was deep, yet he had appeared in the room of an unmarried woman. This was easy to explain, but the key issue was that it didn't sound good.

However, neither Belvina nor Bassheda minded this kind of thing.

In ancient times, Niwen Sweetheart was carefree and didn't care about these rumors at all. Besides, she was a scholarly homebody, so even if there were gossipy women spreading rumors, it would be difficult for them to reach her.

Belvina, on the other hand, didn't think that much about it. She didn't regard Professor Bernard as a man at all. Besides, her "reputation" wasn't much better to begin with. She was already a "damned bastard woman," so what difference would a little make?

"Sit down, what are you standing for? Do you think I'm going to lock you up in solitary confinement?"

Belvina looked up at the tense-looking alchemy professor. Paul seemed to have returned to his student days, his whole body tense up, like a taut spring.

"Ah—oh—okay, thank you."

Paul took small, quick steps and sat down against the sofa armrest, his legs together and his hands resting awkwardly on his lap. He looked nervous and moved hurriedly.

Bassheda, who also visited late at night, showed no discomfort whatsoever. She remained curled up with her eyes closed, looking completely relaxed.

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Bassheda asked expectantly. "And when can we have hot pot?"

Hot pot, a mysterious delicacy from the enigmatic Dongda University, captivated Bassheda ever since she was first introduced to it by Belvina.

Bassheda, who couldn't forget the taste, tried to make it independently, but no matter how hard she cooked or how she went to Muggle communities to find Chinese restaurants, she couldn't replicate that mouthwatering flavor.

So every time the two friends met, Bassheda would pester Belvina, using every trick in the book, to ask when they would eat hot pot.

"Next time, the new pot hasn't arrived yet," Belvina said, thoroughly tired of telling Bassheda how easy she was to take care of. Belvina couldn't help but wonder if a bowl of thin cornmeal would be enough to win Bassheda away.

Sometimes, Belvina is a very ritualistic person. For example, when it comes to eating hot pot, she would never be perfunctory.

In Belvina's opinion, hot pot must be cooked in a charcoal-fired copper pot; an induction cooker is heresy! Using a crucible as a makeshift solution is the ultimate heresy! She should be dragged out and given five minutes of Avada Kedavra!

"So what are we having for dinner tonight?" Bassheda asked, her questioning more earnest than when she was studying ancient runes.

Watching his two female colleagues discuss what to eat later, Paul's tense nerves gradually relaxed, and he even had the leisure to start regretting that he had come empty-handed. He should have at least gone to the kitchen first.

Belvina looked up at the clock on the wall and said, "It's almost time, we can eat now!"

Before the words had even finished, Bassheda nodded frantically like a chicken pecking at rice. She couldn't wait any longer; she hadn't eaten much in the auditorium that night in anticipation of this extra meal!

Seeing the impatient Bassheda, Belvina playfully ruffled her long blonde hair, for which she received a glare.

Belvina drew her wand and pointed it at the cabinet by the window. A heat-resistant mat immediately flew out, swirling as it landed on the coffee table in the middle of the sofa.

Then, a set of silver cutlery, two pairs of silver chopsticks, three silver goblets, three silver plates, and a large pitcher of butterbeer all landed smoothly on the coffee table.

These flying silver objects (except for the chopsticks) are exquisite silverware made by fairies in the 15th century, and are engraved with the Black family crest, highlighting a long history and great wealth.

Finally, Belvina pointed her wand at the large cauldron placed over the flames, and the steaming cauldron landed precisely on the heat-resistant mat.

Impatient, Bassheda ignored the rising steam and immediately reached out to lift the lid of the pot. Then, she stared at the unappetizing stew inside and fell into deep thought.

Curious Paul also peeked over. The stew smelled delicious, but it didn't look very appetizing. It was as if Belvina had just thrown all the ingredients into the pot and cooked them haphazardly.

"Look at you two! Our shop proudly presents pork and sauerkraut stew with glass noodles!" Belvina proudly introduced her creation, seemingly oblivious to the expressions on the other two people's faces.

The taste is still wrong; it should be pork stew with pickled cabbage and glass noodles.

Pork belly stew with sauerkraut and glass noodles—a stew that may not look appealing, but is absolutely delicious. Large slices of pork belly, tangy sauerkraut, and smooth glass noodles... If you add a sip of baijiu (Chinese liquor) to this, you wouldn't trade it for a ministerial position!

Despite her lingering apprehension about the stew's appetizing appearance, trusting Belvina, Bassheda didn't hesitate to grab her chopsticks and head straight for the sauerkraut in the large pot.

Having known Belvina for many years and always freeloading off her, Bassheda was quite skilled with chopsticks, even picking up soybeans with ease.

"Hiss—ha—hiss—hot!" Bassheda tilted her head back, opened her mouth, and kept fanning her mouth with her palms, stirring the stewed sauerkraut in her mouth again.

"Silly girl, why don't you blow it a little? I'm not going to take it from you." Belvina said as she prepared the other ingredients needed, especially minced garlic and soy sauce, which are essential for pork and sauerkraut stew with glass noodles.

Despite the stew being scalding hot, Basilda stubbornly refused to spit it out. Sticking out her tongue and mumbling, she said, "You know what, you really have to admit, although the taste is a bit strange, it's very comforting and warming! It's like a little stove suddenly appeared inside my body!"

Upon hearing this, Paul took the small strainer handed to him by Belvina, scooped some sauerkraut from the pot, and carefully placed it on a plate.

Clever Paul knew that the strainer and cutlery were prepared for him, because he was the only one in the room who didn't know how to use chopsticks; clever Paul also knew to let the sauerkraut cool on a plate instead of stuffing it directly into his mouth like a greedy boy.

Basilda's eagerness just now was truly impressive; Paul Bernard still had some regard for his image.

"Hmm—it tastes a bit like German sauerkraut, but not quite the same," Paul said after taking a bite. "This strange stew is amazing; I don't feel cold at all!"

Paul didn't know how to describe this strange feeling. It was a warmth that came from within, and what was strangest of all was that he felt a sense of joy, as if Christmas had come early.

You see, in Belvina's homeland, which she can never return to, pork and sauerkraut stew with glass noodles is an essential winter dish. In Belvina's snowy homeland, this stew can warm you from head to toe, let alone at Hogwarts.

"Eat quickly, eat quickly, it won't have that magical feeling when it gets cold!" Belvina said happily. "If the pork were freshly slaughtered, this stew would taste even better!"

Unfortunately, Rupert Hagrid doesn't have any stupid pigs to slaughter on the spot; he only has magical creatures that the Ministry of Magic forbids keeping.

Actually, there was no need for Belvina to urge her; Bassheda had already started wielding her chopsticks like a whirlwind, even actively searching for the main dish. She knew very well that Belvina would prepare delicious rice, and she couldn't even imagine how fragrant it would be if this stew were placed on top of rice!

It has to be said that Bassheda truly deserves her title as Hogwarts' biggest glutton; she has grasped the essence of it all.

On the other side, Paul's tension and unease had disappeared. His plate was piled high with sauerkraut and pork belly, and there was a clump of vermicelli on his fork. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was eating spaghetti.

Watching Bassheda and Paul wolf down their food, Belvina was as excited as a child showing off their favorite toy. It was worth it for her to use her connections at the International Magical Cooperation Department to have these raw materials brought back from afar.

"You eat too, you eat too! It's so good! If I could keep eating this, I definitely wouldn't catch a cold or fever this winter! It's so comfortable!" Even eating couldn't shut Bassheda up.

She opened her cherry-like mouth wide while rapidly wielding her chopsticks, practically ready to roll up her trousers and fish into the pot herself. In the midst of her busy schedule, she still managed to urge Belvina to eat quickly; Bassheda is definitely a true lover.

Unlike the two who pounced on their prey like hungry tigers, Belvina behaved with remarkable elegance, even wearing a napkin around her neck. Those who knew her would recognize she was eating Northeastern Chinese stew, but others might mistake her for enjoying a French meal!

On this cold Scottish night, Belvina spent a warm evening with friends, delicious food, and the taste of home.

All the outside disturbances and the unpredictable events at the school were far removed from Belvina at this moment.

Ah! It's so great to be able to lie down and relax like this!

Belvina thought to herself silently.