After coming out of Sherwood Forest, Severus and the others left directly without using Apparition.
Neither Severus himself nor Lyall had ever been to Eastbourne, and if they wanted to use Floo powder, they couldn't find a suitable Floo Network in Nottingham.
So, taking Granger with them, they chose to take public transportation.
Severus raised his wand by the roadside, and before long, there was a deafening 'bang' sound.
A triple-decker, violently purple bus suddenly appeared before the three of them!
Staring at the golden letters on the windshield that read [The Knight Bus], even though Granger had already witnessed the wonders of Severus and Lyall's magic along the way, the sudden appearance of this bus still left him utterly stunned.
"What's your mindset like when you're filling a patient's tooth?" Severus suddenly asked Granger in a low voice.
Granger swallowed hard and replied, "It's just... a very normal mindset. Most of the ti, it even feels a bit dull and boring."
"Then treat this as if you're on your way to fill a patient's tooth. Keep your composure, act like everything here is completely ordinary, and don't let anyone on the bus realize you're not a wizard."
After hearing Severus's words, Granger nodded in agreent.
Lyall was the first to board the bus, where an elderly female conductor greeted them at the door.
"Welco to The Knight Bus, ergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My na is Nora Polk, and I'll be your conductor tonight."
The witch was warm and full of energy, welcoming Severus and the others enthusiastically.
"Where will you be heading tonight, gentlen?"
"Eastbourne." Lyall said.
"Nottingham to Eastbourne… that's quite a distance. One Galleon and seven Sickles per person." Polk eyed the three of them, "There are three of you, so that'll be four Galleons and four Sickles total."
Lyall, who had boarded first, fumbled in his pockets and pulled out a few coins, picking out four Galleons and four Sickles to hand to Polk.
"That's all. Are there any beds left on the second level? We'd like to get so proper rest."
"Of course there are, gentlen!" Polk bead after taking the money.
Lyall then led the way, followed by Granger, who was doing his best not to gawk around, as they climbed the stairs to the second level of the bus.
But Severus didn't follow imdiately. Instead, he pulled a golden Galleon from his pocket and handed it to Polk.
"Also, prepare a cup of hot chocolate, a toothbrush, and a towel for each of us."
He could tell Lyall was strapped for cash.
In his younger days, this forr Ministry-employed expert had indeed enjoyed a period of prosperity. But after Lupin beca a werewolf, the family had been constantly on the move, changing residences, and Lyall had never settled into a stable job.
Now that Lupin was self-sufficient and his mother had passed away years ago from illness, Lyall had been living alone, with little inco to speak of.
As Polk took the money from Severus, she finally got a clear look at the man's face.
She was stunned for a mont, and then her expression lit up with excitent.
"Ernie! Ernie!! Look! Look who it is! Who is this?!"
She shouted excitedly, attracting the attention of the driver sitting at the steering wheel.
When the driver saw Severus' face, he imdiately let out a cry.
"rlin's beard! Who is this?! It's Severus Snape!"
Seeing their overwhelming reaction, Severus could only sigh and raise a finger to his lips, signaling that there were still passengers resting on the lower level.
Fortunately, the two of them still had so professional courtesy and didn't make an even bigger scene. Still, Polk insisted on shoving the Galleon Severus had given her back into his hand.
"I'm a big fan of Blood Love: The Vampire and The Muggle! I even listened to the entire Wizengamot trial… your speech was absolutely brilliant! The hot chocolates, toothbrushes, and towels are on tonight!"
Finally, at this mont, Severus experienced the perks of being a celebrity.
Compared to the past, where most people regarded him with disdain wherever he went, things had taken a complete turn after that trial.
He coughed twice in his heart, just to show off to Ghost Snape.
Instead of refusing, Severus simply thanked her, "Thank you for your kindness, madam."
"Enjoy your journey!"
Severus then made his way to the second level of the bus, where there was no one else except Lyall and Granger.
Lyall was cleaning his glasses with his wand, while Granger, now that there were no strangers around, was finally able to show his curiosity about everything around him. He was examining a moving poster of The Weird Sisters plastered beside the window.
"We should arrive in Eastbourne by 7 a.m.." Lyall estimated the ti after seeing Severus coming up, "But the information we have from that wooden board is too limited. Once we reach Eastbourne, we'll still need ti to track down more clues."
Severus lay down on the soft bed and asked Lyall, "Does Lupin rarely co ho?"
"Aside from his mother's funeral these past few years, he's hardly returned at all. He just writes a letter every week, telling about his travels." Lyall spoke calmly.
"He's always been like this… sensitive about his werewolf identity. He blas himself for the life of constant upheaval his mother and I had to endure, shouldering all the pressure in silence."
"But... none of it was ever his fault."
Granger, having lost interest in the poster, offered so comfort.
"Children are all the sa. Hermione always thinks she has her little secrets, but Jane and I both know she's actually very self-conscious about her front teeth. We just pretend we don't notice, avoiding her sore spots."
Lyall shook his head, his voice low.
"He avoids because he's afraid his condition will disrupt my life. But as a father, I've been running away too. I... I've failed Remus in many ways."
The atmosphere in the compartnt grew somber. Severus, who is lying quietly nearby, could faintly guess what Lyall might be feeling guilty about.
Before the bus started moving again, he lightened the mood with a joke to Granger.
"Robert, don't forget to wish Donaghan Tremlett in the poster goodnight before bed. He might just play you a lullaby."
Granger's eyes widened in surprise.
"Can I request a song?"
"Of course. Radio host Severus Snape is at your service." Lyall chid in with rare playfulness.
The compartnt filled with the laughter of n, all of them savoring this fleeting mont of peace.
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