The Magical Food God of Hogwarts

Chapter 33 Hannah Abbott

Lucas shook his head and gave an apologetic smile. "You'll see in a moment. Uh, I need to borrow your fireplace again; I still have some things to move."

Tom stared wide-eyed as the kid scattered a handful of Floo Powder, shouted out an address, and then disappeared into the demonic flames.

Next, Tom stared at the fireplace, listening to the crackling sounds inside, and watched Lucas move back and forth in the flames, carrying over various boards, pipes, and large bags of ingredients, seasonings, oil drums, and the like.

After Lucas moved the heavy beverage can that had hit him so hard that he almost vomited blood to the ground, he suddenly heard a girl's voice.

"What is this? I think I smell a cool, sweet scent."

Lucas looked up and saw a little girl standing in front of the beverage can. She was about his age, with bright blonde hair braided into two pigtails, and her rosy, chubby face full of curiosity.

"Looks like Lucas's planning to open a shop in Diagon Alley, isn't he?" Tom looked at the pile of odds and ends, then pointed to the little girl. "Lucas, this is my niece, Hannah Abbott. She's been staying with me these past few days. She's also eleven, just like you, a freshman at Hogwarts."

Upon hearing that they would soon be classmates, Lucas quickly dusted off his hands and extended his hand: "Hello, Miss Abbott, my name is Lucas, Lucas McGregor."

The round-faced girl smiled shyly and took his hand: "You can just call me Hannah."

Frankly, Hannah doesn't look like Tom's niece at all. Tom is so old, Hannah could easily be his granddaughter.

After greeting him, Hannah looked curiously at the large tin can: "Lucas, what's in here? Is it some kind of dessert?"

Lucas unwrapped the layers of cotton cloth wrapped around the large jar, revealing a dented part of the jar. Fortunately, it was made of metal and was not broken, otherwise all his hard work that night would have been wasted.

"This is a soup I made with mung beans, lotus seeds, and lily bulbs," Lucas said warmly. "Would you like a cup? And Mr. Abbott, I'm so sorry to have taken up your fireplace; consider it my apology."

Mung beans, lotus seeds, and lily bulbs?

"Huh? What kind of soup?" Hannah tilted her head back, still half asleep. "Mung bean, lotus seed, lily bulb... soup?"

"Sweet Mung Bean, Lotus Seed and Lily Bulb Soup," Lucas said confidently. "Yes, it's a sweet soup that came from the East, so you may not have heard of it. No problem, have a cup and you'll know."

With a soft click, the lid of the tin can, tightly wrapped in cotton cloth, was finally opened, and a cool, sweet, and delicate fragrance filled the store. Hannah immediately threw all her reserve to the winds.

"Really? Is it okay?" Hannah's face lit up with anticipation, her light green eyes sparkling. "Wow, whatever those words mean, this sweet soup smells amazing!"

Lucas smiled and poured two large glasses, stuck spoons in them, and handed one to Hannah and one to Tom: "Don't be shy, it's on me."

Hannah carefully took the paper cup, which was full, as if afraid of spilling it.

She looked down and saw dark green red bean paste floating in the cup, with plump lotus seeds buried inside and lilies bobbing up and down. A fresh, sweet fragrance was wafting out, one she had never smelled before, warm and refreshing, as if instantly soothing the summer heat.

A sweet soup from the East that I've never tasted before!

Hannah exclaimed and picked up her cup, wanting to take a big gulp, but seeing Lucas looking at her expectantly, she could only cough and scoop out a small spoonful to put in her mouth.

Well!

Hannah's eyes widened. Is this really the texture? It's amazing, so soft and fluffy, with a slightly grainy, chewy texture!

Take another bite, and the sweetness of mung beans, the glutinous aroma of lotus seeds, and the most wonderful, delicate fragrance of lilies all bloom in your mouth at the same time.

Take another bite, and the cool and sweet taste rolls from the tip of your tongue into your stomach, as if the summer heat is instantly expelled from every pore of your body.

One more bite...

By the time Hannah came to her senses, she had already tossed the spoon aside, picked up the cup, and slurped down the entire contents.

Hannah blushed, hiding the cup behind her back, when she heard Lucas ask earnestly, "Is it alright?"

"This is amazing!" Tom exclaimed, praising it loudly. "Refreshing and sweet, an exotic flavor I've never tasted before! Lucas, did you make this yourself?"

Lucas nodded, and Hannah gripped the cup tightly in disbelief.

Huh? Lucas made this? That's amazing! He's the same age as me!

Seeing Lucas looking at her, Hannah quickly said, "It's so delicious! I've only ever had mushroom soup, tomato soup, and beef soup before... this is the first time I've had this sweet soup. Lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and mung beans—it tastes amazing! Can I have another cup?"

Then she realized what she had said, let out a sob, took a step back, and blushed even more.

"Thank you so much for your kind words, my guest." Lucas smiled and quickly poured another glass and handed it to him.

Hannah hurriedly took it, glanced at Tom, then at Lucas, and simply closed her eyes, resigned herself to her fate, and began to eat it in large bites.

Seeing how happily she was eating, Lucas sighed inwardly. These British guys are so pitiful... When I first came here, I was almost driven crazy by fish and chips. It wasn't until the last two years, when I had enough of all kinds of ingredients, that I slowly got better.

It's a bit strange, though. Since Mr. Tom is the owner of the prestigious Leaky Cauldron, the Abbott family must be a wizarding family, right? Hannah must get to eat a lot of magical food, right? With such a gem preceding me, my Muggle sweet soup, though carefully prepared, isn't quite as amazing...

"Take your time, there's plenty more." Lucas smiled. "Actually, it tastes even better chilled, so I brought an ice bucket. You can come and try it when we officially open."

The handsome red-haired boy in front of her smiled broadly. Hannah held the emptied cup again, her face flushed, and she nodded her head like a chicken pecking at rice.

Tom laughed heartily. "Lucas, Hannah loves desserts. Now that you're classmates, don't forget to share anything delicious you make with her. But, are you planning to sell this kind of sweet soup?"

Lucas turned his head: "Yes, is there a problem?"

"The taste is absolutely perfect. This sweet soup will definitely be a hit in Diagon Alley this hot summer, and you'll make a lot of money," Tom said. "But you don't have a shop, right? If you want to set up a stall, you'll need to get a license from the Diagon Alley Business Authority."

Diagon Alley Business Management Office? Permit?

Lucas was stunned.