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Chapter 3 Shopping trip.
We gathered as usual for breakfast in the kitchen. Today we are going to Diagon Alley with the whole company. But our sister stays with Grandma Lucrezia. She agreed to play with her while we were busy.
My father was reading a newspaper called the Daily Prophet. And he grumbled at Fudge, saying that he had again passed a law infringing on the rights of Muggleborns. As much as possible, and so they usually leave our world to live in an ordinary one. Especially when they've been living for a year or two on the frontier of the Magical World. Those who were preparing to become farmers still remain in school, but how many of those farmers are there?
My father grumbled that someone from the pureblood families had bribed the Minister of Magic again and he had passed a law infringing on the rights of Muggleborns who did not marry purebloods. They say they don't want to take them anywhere except to the ministry as clerks and aurors, and as nurses at St. Mungo's.
But farmers in the wizarding world don't care about their origins, they happily take Muggle-borns into their hands, as well as students from simpler schools. The same Leah Abbott jumped out at one time to marry a Muggle-born and went almost to the border to the Ranevsky Hills. Farmers take squibs in, even though it's customary for us to place them in foster homes in the ordinary world. Mom's younger brother Squib has studied to be an accountant and is quietly working. Mom really doesn't want to talk about him. Like a beloved little brother, and here it is. And he himself is a little offended by his family, although he understands that he has no place in the magical world without magical abilities.
I took out the letter and opened it again. I was so excited that even buckwheat and meat couldn't get into my mouth. And that didn't happen often. I've always wanted to eat. They even examined me at Mungo. They said that I have a fast metabolism. They say all poisons will come out faster. But healing potions also have a worse effect on me. That's why I need a healer in my team who can heal with magic. That's the letter. What's left in it on the Second sheet, I didn't even look at it yesterday for joy. Percy said there should be a list of textbooks.
I unfolded the second piece of paper, with the accessories, and began to read. The envelope also contained a ticket for the train departing from platform nine and three quarters.
""Hogwarts SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY" Form
First-year students are required to:
Three simple working robes (black). — and under it, wear whatever you want, even in a kilt or even in underpants.
One simple pointed hat (black) for every day.
One pair of protective gloves (made of dragon skin or a similar material). — So Charlie sent this to me as a gift a year ago. I put special charms on them so that they would stretch along with the growth of my arms. A very convenient thing for potions or herbology.
One winter coat (black, silver clasps). — Grandma Lucrezia gave me the cloak for my last birthday. All that remains is to adjust it to my figure. She still gave it to grow. He's about 5 centimeters too big for me. Mom said it would come up and it wouldn't be visible.
Please do not forget that all clothes must have tags with the student's first and last name sewn on them.
So Mom will sew the tags on herself. Although she teaches us how to fix clothes, sometimes it can't be repaired with spells. The magical background of the item may be disrupted.
Books
Each student is supposed to have the following books:
"Coursework book of spells" (first year). Miranda Gussockle
"The History of Magic." Bathilda Bagshot
"Theory of Magic". Adalbert Waffling
Transfiguration Handbook for Beginners. Emerick Switch
"A thousand magical plants and mushrooms". Phyllida Spore
"Magical decoctions and potions". Zhig Myshyakoff
"Fantastic Beasts: Habitats". Newt Scamander — Attention The course is introductory and self-taught.
"Dark forces: a self-defense manual."Quentin Trimble
And almost everything will have to be bought from antiques. Most of the books are designed for 5 years before the advanced course of the subject. But then you have to buy books for NEWT, but they change every five to six years.
But the rest of the program is set by the Ministry of Magic and books are changed only when a new teacher is not satisfied with something. Bill told me that Professor Snape, who came to school after Slughorn left, changed all the educational literature on potions to a more serious one. If Slughorn started learning potions from the humorous and the easiest, then Snape gives potion recipes for honey wing in the first year.
You are also supposed to have: 1 magic wand — Well, I already have a Ash Tree and a unicorn Tail. I came up and it's okay. Even though I want a new one.
1 boiler (tin, standard size No. 2) — Mom constantly grumbles that it would be better to continue cooking potions in normal cauldrons. But almost all student potions are discarded. But upperclassmen change cauldrons, because tin ones interact with potions.
1 set of glass or crystal vials, 1 telescope, 1 copper scale. — Well, you can take the vials at home. Mom always has a supply.
We remind you that if you do not take a rat with you, then students can take an owl, a cat or a toad with them.
WE REMIND PARENTS THAT FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR OWN BROOMS!!!" — Oh, I'll have to leave my old comet at home. And the broom brothers at school won't let them practice Quidditch almost every day. And to be allowed to have your own broom, you need to take tests from Madam Hooch. Fred says he and George started batting practice back in their freshman year. After Christmas.
"Mom, are we going to buy all this stuff?"
"No dear. You'll have to borrow books from a junk dealer. You already have a wand. Bill said it suited you. We'll take the clothes from the brothers. I've sewn you a raincoat. All that remains is to buy a telescope, a normal cauldron, don't you want to brew your own potions?" I nodded, stuffing my mouth with pork and buckwheat. "scales and ingredients. I think the standard set will be enough for you for the first year. Percy, Fred, George do you need an expanded set of ingredients?"
"Yes, Mom, I'll make potions for the hospital wing."
As usual, the twins began to take turns proving to their mother that they were well-off people and would buy an extended set themselves. They say they made good money on joke potions last year.
"And Mom, we're running out of volatile powder." Percy said. He put the pot of gunpowder back on the mantelpiece.
"We'll buy it at the same time. Fred, George, we'll also buy additional literature on runes and arithmancy from a junk dealer."
Dad sat with us for a while longer and went to work in his department at the ministry. Mom grumbled that he even worked overtime on weekends. Everything is trying to nail the purebloods. They say they mock Muggles and don't make sure their enchanted items don't end up at Muggle auctions. Their mutual dislike began in the civil war of magic, and continues, as with the same Lucius Malfoy, who turned away from time in Azkaban.
* * *
After lunch, we moved the fireplace into a Leaky cauldron.
It was a tiny, nondescript bar, enchanted by Muggle attention. All sorts of drunks were sitting in the hall closer to the front door. And the smoke was hanging from the ceiling. So that the squibs, who are quite a few in the Muggle part of the city, would be horrified and immediately leave. And the real patrons of the inn had lunch and dinner in a separate room. There was also a fireplace connected to the ministry's fireplace network. I looked out the window at the street. People passing by didn't look at the bar. Their gazes drifted from the large bookstore to the CD store, and they didn't seem to notice the bar between the two stores at all.
Yes, CDs, they've become popular with Muggleborns and half-bloods lately. Dad has already received several orders to enchant the record player. We even had an enchanted record player ourselves that played music without speakers or headphones. Dad brought some Muggle song CDs once, but Mom didn't like it. She prefers to listen to the magic radio with songs by Celistina Warlock. But a Muggle-born farmer neighbor named Dylan tore off this Scorpions and Beatles CD player from his father for almost fifteen galleons. He also told his friends, so Dad occasionally enchants the equipment of the neighboring farmers.
For me, the bar was very dark and shabby. Although the inner hall looks better than the hall with drunks. We were just passing by the bartender at the counter. Several elderly women were sitting in a corner and drinking wine from small glasses, one of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to an old bald bartender who looked like a frowning walnut. Yeah, Tom "handsome" is something else. They say he's about three hundred years old. And he still remembers a world without a statute of secrecy. We went to the backyard of the leaky cauldron.
As far as I know, the bar is located in ordinary London. And behind it is one of the passageways to the magical part of London. It's a different world, of course, but since the passage is next to London, it's used to being considered a magical part of the city. Muggleborns generally don't think about it at all. They think we live in a Muggle world and have just built a relationship for ourselves. And they are very surprised when they get to the frontier of the magical world and realize how huge our world is. And then, as they encounter magical predators and the remnants of the golems of a magical civilization that collapsed in the last millennium, they flee back to the Muggle world to live. And what? They will magically create documents for themselves and go to college to get an education. Although their parents grumble that they've wasted so much time on magical nonsense. But children from Muggle families have nowhere to go. For them, magical education, at least in simpler schools, is mandatory, so as not to unmask us.
We stopped in front of the trash cans in the backyard of the bar. Meanwhile, Mom started counting the bricks in the wall above the trash can, starting from the worn brick. Apparently especially for me. I've never been to Diagon Alley before. I was left to play chess with Aunt Muriel. Oh, she should have talked less about the traditions and etiquette of the magical world. They say I'm an eighth-generation pureblood magician and I should know this even though I won't become an heir. I was often left with her. Grandma Lucretia is taking Ginny, and Aunt Muriel is taking me.
"Three up... Two to the side," Mom muttered. "Remember that, Ron?"
She touched the wall three times with her wand. The brick she touched trembled, then twitched, and a small hole appeared in the middle of it, which quickly began to grow. A second later, there was an archway in front of us, large enough. Beyond the archway was a winding cobblestone street. The trash cans were missing.
"Mom, can I try to do it myself?"
"Sure, try Ron," Mom tapped the tank with her wand. "if there is no one near the passage for more than fifteen minutes, it will close itself, but when you leave, it is better to close it behind you."
I waited until the passage was closed and there was a wall behind the tanks again. Mom stepped aside and I pulled out Bill's wand. Then he tapped on an inconspicuous brick. Inconspicuous to Muggles. I could feel a faint current of magic. When I touched the desired brick with my wand, a warm wave went through the wand from my hand. Of course, I don't forget which brick counts. So three up and two to the left. Okay, if I forget, I'll ask my mom later. She often goes to Diagon Alley. He carries the same potions and berries for sale, and the farmers have their own shops in one of the branches of the alley. It's called meat alley.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Mom said. We stepped through the archway and found ourselves in a magical world. The air here is even different from that of Muggles. I was followed by the twins, who were chatting happily, and the important Percy brought up the rear.
"Baby Ronnie is going shopping today." I looked at the badge on my brother's shirt. "We dressed up for a trip to Diagon Alley. That's how Fred usually wears a T-shirt. I also wore a dark red shirt and my favorite necklace with fangs. Bill made it himself, and gave it to me for my birthday the day before last.
"Fred, shut up." I hissed.
We all trooped through the archway, and I looked back and saw how it immediately turned back into a blank wall.
The sun was shining brightly, reflecting in the boilers set up in front of the store closest to us. "Boilers. All sizes. Copper, bronze, tin, silver, gold, inert metals. Self-stirring and collapsible" There was a sign hanging above us. She tells him to set a stirring program before loading the ingredients into the base. It's very difficult, but it's usually used when the potion is complex and there's no helper. Grandpa Pruitt gave it to my mom for my dad's wedding anniversary.
"So, we'll buy a boiler on the way back, after all, ours is already leaking. And not made of tin or copper, but normal," said Mom. "But first we'll go to the bank for the money. Bill recently transferred part of his salary. What would we do without him and Charlie?..."
A soft hooting could be heard from the gloomy-looking store. ""The Sova Shopping Center." Common owls, barn owls, long-eared and polar owls." A few boys about my age pressed their noses against another display case, looking at the brooms displayed in it.
I wish I had my own owl, I'm so jealous of Percy.... No, I understand that this is an artfully made golem. She even eats like a real one, but it's more like a reified spirit. We even made special cookies for them. Dried pieces of meat and berries, although it is better not to feed them for a long time. Owls must fly to hunt. Otherwise, the spirit will wither and may even leave the master, to whom they are attached as familiars. Hermes got attached to Percy, and now the owl flies to hunt mice and rats in the fields.
"Look," I heard the boys talking at the window, "the new Nimbus-2000 model, the fastest."
The broom is really cool. But unfortunately, we definitely can't afford it. Maybe Grandpa will fork out for Percy, but he hardly flies on broomsticks. Why does he need a racing version of a broom? I wish I had at least two hundredths of a comet.... I like flying, but you can't fly on brooms for long. The ass gets tired.
There were shops here that sold robes, telescopes, and strange silver instruments like I'd never seen before. Even though I helped my mom make potions with Ginny. I cut the ingredients more and sometimes stirred them. If the potion wasn't complicated.
The windows all over the street were filled with all sorts of junk. Good things were sold inside the shops of wizards who produced them or as a shop of writing supplies that had a contract with farmers to supply the same parchment.
"Gringotts," my mom announced when we finally stopped. "Ron, remember where everything is."
We were in front of a snow-white building towering over small shops. The building seemed to overwhelm with its majestic beauty. And there was a goblin in a scarlet and gold uniform standing by the highly polished bronze doors. I've seen enough of them, and there's a whole clan of them living in the foothills.
He was two heads shorter than me. Short like all his people. But that doesn't make it any less combative. The lovingly polished halberd sparkles. Goblin runes are carved on the butt of the blade and on the shaft of the halberd, as well as on his steel armor. He had a dark green, intelligent face, a pointed beard, and, as I noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as we walked inside. Now we were standing in front of a second set of doors, this time silver. They were engraved with lines about greedy thieves.
Two goblins greeted us with bows as we passed through the silver doors and found ourselves in a huge marble hall. A hundred more goblins sat on high chairs behind a long counter, making notes in large ledgers, weighing coins on copper scales, and examining precious stones with magnifying glasses. There were more doors leading out of the hall than I could count. other goblins let people in and out through them. Well, yes, the only bank in the whole of magical Britain. Although it has branches in other countries, goblins mostly live in the mountainous area of our continent, which is accessed by passageways in magical Britain.
Mom came up to the counter, my brothers and I crowded behind her.
"Good morning," Mom said to the free goblin. "We're here to get some money from the Weasley safe."
"Do you have a key to it, ma'am?"
Mom took out a small bronze key and put it on the counter.
The goblin studied him through a special glass with runes.
"Everything seems to be in order."
"Mom, what's he doing?" I was curious about everything, and I stared at the goblin curiously.
"He's checking for a fake key, Ron."
"The scoffer!" goblin called his colleague at the counter to escort us to our safe.
We followed him to one of the doors. Mom took out a thermos and took a couple of sips of mint tea.
"Children, take a few sips of tea for motion sickness."
The goblin just snorted.
"Oh, those people with their weak bodies."
The scoffer opened the door for us. We were standing in a narrow stone corridor lit by burning torches. The road sloped steeply down, and there were thin cast-iron rails on the floor. The scoffer whistled, and a large cart clanked up to us. We climbed inside — we managed it with difficulty, although there were expansion charms on the cart, there were still a lot of us, and let's go. Percy, like his mother, turned green almost immediately from the speed and somersaults of the cart.
At first, we raced through a maze of winding corridors. I tried to remember the way, but soon gave up this useless task. I was starting to feel a little queasy, after all, my broom would never accelerate to that speed. I tried to take my mind off the local attractions. Luna said that goblins at Gringots keep dragons in top-secret safes. The cart has already passed the stalactites by the underground lake twice. Are we going in circles? The rattling cart seemed to know the way by itself, because the Scoffer wasn't driving it, even though he had his hand on the lever.
Maybe he has mental control like Dad's car? Although there is only mental height control, and turns are controlled by the steering wheel. Turn the steering wheel from left to right. I rode our Ford with my brothers while my mom wasn't looking. I even tried to control it. I'm taking off well, but I'm having a little trouble landing.
Icy air blew over me, and my eyes stung, but I kept them wide open. At some point, it seemed to me that I noticed a flash of fire at the end of the corridor, and I quickly turned around to see if it was a dragon, but I was too late — the cart went down sharply. Now she was passing by an underground lake, with stalactites and stalagmites growing on the ceiling and walls, just like in the Alshan Mountains. Finally, we arrived at the place.
Goblin unlocked the door. A cloud of green smoke erupted from inside, and when it cleared, I sighed in frustration. There was a small pile of silver coins inside. A few gold pieces. A few more knuts.
The mother began to collect the coins in her bag. Oh, I hope we have enough for second-hand stuff. Even though Bill and Charlie are sending a portion of our salaries to help us, there's still not enough money for such a horde of schoolchildren. Unfortunately, some things need to be bought new. And they're expensive. I'll need to get a new wand in two or three years.
* * *
Another frantic cart race, and we were already standing outside the bank, squinting in the sunlight.
Mom took out bottles of pumpkin juice from her purse and handed one to Percy. Then she took a sip herself. The greenery gradually began to fade from their faces.
"Kids, let's go sit in the park in a couple of blocks. I have your favorite berry juice with me. Percy and I need to get some rest."
"Yes, Mom, let's go. I'm not feeling well either." I muttered.
"Mom, we're going to visit Dr. Fireworks for some miracle firecrackers." Fred grumbled, taking out a bottle of apple juice from his hip bag. He squeezed the apples himself this morning. And his brother was cutting sandwiches with smoked mountain salmon.
"Fred, save me half the juice. I'll share a sandwich with you." George said.
"All right, go ahead, but behave yourself. Ron, Percy, here's Morse for you." Mom took out a cool bottle of raspberry-currant juice from her purse. I poured myself a cup of warm chamomile tea.
After getting drunk, we went to the local magic park, with benches between the spreading trees and a small magical spring that restores strength. It shone softly with a blue-violet light in the semi-darkness of the park. Rainbow hedgehogs rustled in the bushes, their needles shining softly. Moon moths fluttered around, which can only be found in the twilight of a forest grove.
I was feeding my little rat with wheat seeds and apple slices when the twins found us half an hour later. Mom was just feeding the magic chipmunks. She took out a bag of moonbeams. As soon as she scattered them on the grass, sparkling chipmunks appeared from behind the bushes — they carefully picked up the berries, leaving behind a scattering of blue sparks. They say they bring luck to the one who feeds them for the whole day. Percy carefully held out the berries in the palm of his hand to one of the chipmunks, who quickly devoured them from his palm.
"It feels like I can move mountains. But let's get back to shopping, otherwise we won't have time for everything, Mom."
There were also magical frogs croaking around the spring. They shimmered with a green light with silver streaks. Their choir played musical roulades and they caught and swallowed mosquitoes flying into the park.
Finally, we rested and went back to Diagon Alley to get the things we needed.
* * *
"Come on, kids, let's go to Malkin's first to get Percy's robes."
"Mom, why does Percy have new robes?" I was surprised. After all, everyone always bought used things. Only Bill and Charlie were wearing new clothes. And that was only because they didn't have to pay tuition. They passed the quota, and now the twins had to pay fifty galleons each for a year of schooling. Grandpa paid well for Ginny and me. Otherwise, I would have gone to study at the Welsh School of Magic. Most of the Weasley clan was graduating.
"Because he's the prefect, Roni."
I grimaced as I took a bite of a sandwich with smoked pork and boiled egg with tomato slices. I was hungry again. It's not enough for me to learn from this nerd at home, but he will also build us at school. Percy, if you let him go, he won't shut up. He's always grumbling about future OWLs. They say he has so many subjects and everything needs to be passed perfectly. That's why Roland needs to shut up and sit quietly in his room. Take an example from your sister.
We entered a ready-to-wear studio. There were even Muggle clothes for sale, as well as frock coats and classic trousers for magicians. Madame Malkin turned out to be a squat, smiling sorceress dressed in mauve robes.
"Are we going to study at Hogwarts? It's been a long time, Molly, since I've had anyone from your family." She said it before we could explain the purpose of our visit to her. "You've come to the right place."
"We only need robes for the older boy." Mom intervened in the saleswoman's monologue.
"Well, as you wish. Will you wait here or outside?" The smiling woman pointed to the rows of chairs against the wall of the studio.
"Here."
"Look at the selection of ready-to-wear goods over there. Pray, I've known you for a long time, аs a mother with many children, you will get a discount. There are second-hand items in that rack over there if you don't want to take new ones. Nels recently brought almost new things. It's time for your youngest to change his trousers to longer ones. You can see for yourself. And I'll give you fifteen sickles for a pair of trousers. You'll only pay me three galleons."
"Well okay. Ron, go get yourself a pair of oversized trousers."
I went to inspect the clothes that fit me. These dark blue jeans will do, bend the legs a little so that they grow and that's it.
"Mom, I chose these jeans."
"So this is for the winter, but for the fall and the end of spring we need something easier. These gray ones with a dark green check will do. Ron, try it on. Isolde, will you give us another five sickles for our shirts? We'll take two."
"Well, pray, but only because you're my school friend."
Madame Malkin placed Percy next to the mirror. Centimeter-long ribbons immediately began to spin around him. After that, she began to adjust his robes. At the same time, I was trying on blue and gray shirts. I opted for a lighter grey and a flannel dark blue for winter. After waiting for her to finish and paying for the purchases, we went outside.
* * *
We went to the Pen and Ink shop to buy parchment and quills. The feathers are supplied by the Nile Goose Farm in our region, and they have many suppliers all over the world's magic frontier. And the parchments are bought from western farms, where there are pastures for cattle.
A silver bell tinkled above the door, and we entered the shop. The air smelled of wax, dried herbs, and a hint of magic. There were racks of pencil cases along the walls, and bundles of goose feathers glittered in the windows: snow-white, with a silver sheen, and even a few shimmering ones, as if sprinkled with stardust. Master Einar, the white-haired shopkeeper with lace-up glasses, looked up from the ledger and smiled affably:
"Welcome, Mrs. Weasley! It's been a while since you've been in, it's been three months now. How can I help you?"
Mom looked around the shop windows and sighed:
"How expensive everything is, but what can you do? We need feathers. Ordinary, but of good quality. For school. Jars of black and blue ink."
I immediately rushed to the display case with enchanted feathers:
"Wow, look, Percy! These people write themselves! And these ones change the ink color on command! Imagine how convenient it is to take notes on the history of magic."
Percy, more restrained, went to the counter and took out a list:
"Three simple pens, please. And one more thing with a basic durability enchantment — for the control ones. Six jars of black ink, a jar of blue ink, and two jars of green ink."
Master Einar deftly collected the order, putting the feathers on the counter:
"Excellent specimens. Length 17 cm, manual sharpening, basic protective charms. The ink was recently imported from our Longbottom factory in Cumbria. Only 12 silvers for everything. Percy reached for the money and asked for a few more ordinary notebooks made of stitched parchment.
Mam raised her eyebrows:
"Twelve?! Yes, in the spring we took the same set for eight! Why have prices jumped again?"
Einar sighed and put down the pen he was about to pack:
"Spring is molting, dear. Then the farmers hand over the feathers in bags, we buy them in bulk, and we lower prices. And now it's summer, there are no fresh supplies, we are working with stocks. Besides, all kinds of travelers take them in the summer, and demand is growing.... Plus, you know, protection from insects, protection from rodents, enchantment for safety — all this is included in the price."
Mom pursed her lips, but didn't argue:
"Okay, okay. Give my youngest three regular pens and one enchanted one for the tests. But then give me more wax for polishing — and a discount for a bulk order, like last time! And four jars of black ink and one blue one. Oh, and parchment for notes and homework.
Einar chuckled:
"For wholesale— of course. And I'll add the wax for free, as regular customers. Here, take the scrolls for homework. And six stitched notebooks."
He carefully packed the feathers in a leather pencil case, handed it to Mom, and winked at Percy and me:
"And for the young students— a lollipop! Today we have an action: "To the pen — a sweetness for inspiration.""
I happily grabbed a mint ball, and Percy nodded politely:
"Thank you, Master Einar."
Mom, already relenting, put the coins on the counter:
"Well, at least that way. Next time I come in the spring, I'll stock up for the future!"
"A wise decision," Einar nodded. "And if you tell me in advance, I'll reserve the best feathers from the new batch for you."
Mom was about to head for the exit with a pen case, when I, without looking up from looking at the windows, exclaimed:
"Mom, look! The enchanted parchment!"
Percy was also interested and moved closer to the shelf, where sheets of parchment lay in neat piles — thick, slightly golden, with smooth holes along one edge.
"Stitched like notebooks," he remarked. "Convenient for notes."
Master Einar, noticing the boys' interest, came over and took one of the stacks:
"Great choice! This is an enchanted parchment from the western farms of the magical world. It is made from the skin of special magical sheep — it is stronger than usual, the ink on it does not fade for a hundred years, and the edges do not crumble. In addition, the firmware is made with an enchanted thread — notebooks do not fall apart even after hundreds of flips.
I ran my finger along the edge of the notebook:
"Why is it so golden?"
"This is a feature of the sheep breed," the master smiled. "Their wool has a natural golden pigment, which is transferred to the parchment. They say it even slightly enhances magical records — formulas and spells are better preserved."
Percy opened his notebook, flipped through the pages:
"Smooth... And they don't show through. How much per piece?"
"silver for a 50-sheet notebook. If you take two or more — 20% discount."
Mom sighed:
"Prices again..."
"Alas, my dear," Einar spread his hands. "Western farms are far away, shipping is expensive. But this parchment will last you for years! In the fall, prices will be even lower, as farmers will slaughter sheep for meat and magic caravans will go. You can make a pre-order."
Percy looked at me, and I nodded vigorously.
"Let's take two," Percy decided. "One for me for potions, one for Ron for transfiguration."
"And one more," Mom added, relenting, "for the draft calculations on potions. But only at a discount, Master Einar!"
"Of course, of course!" The shopkeeper hastily agreed. "For a total of three notebooks — two silver and ten copper ones instead of three sickles. And here you have a little gift: a bag of wax magic crayons. You can mark pages with them, and the labels will not be erased."
He carefully wrapped the notebooks in a linen cloth, tied them with a ribbon, and handed the package to Percy.
"Keep the parchment away from water and fire — even though it is enchanted, but the elements are stronger. And do not bend the sheets too sharply — creases may remain."
I accepted the package with delight:
"Thank you, Master Einar! Now I will definitely write the best work on golem transfiguration!"
"The main thing is not only the parchment, but also knowledge," the master winked at him. "Good luck with your studies!"
Our family said goodbye and went outside. I held the bag of quills and parchment carefully to myself, and Percy was already mentally making a plan for the semester's notes.
Mom, looking at the enthusiastic faces of her sons, smiled:
"Okay, maybe the prices bite, but at least you'll have everything for real, magically."
"Yes, Mom!" The boys answered in unison, and all three of them went to the playground between the alleys where the twins had gone. Percy and I were discussing which ink would be best suited for the new parchment. The twins had already bought everything while we were walking in the park.
Mom shook her head, listening to our conversations, but a smile flashed in her eyes.
* * *
They did not enter the bookstore. They bought me a titanium student boiler. It's a bit expensive, of course, normal potions are not brewed in tin and copper cauldrons. But it's the most important thing for children to go to school. I need a cauldron to make my own potions. As a future golem-controlling magician, I must be able to assemble and use a first-aid kit. It's still pretty dangerous in the magical world. About the cathedral on our continent, where Hyperborea used to be located.
Then we bought a worn scale with a set of weights at a junk shop, and also bought a folding copper telescope with good lenses. The following enchantments were cast on him:
Image stabilization — to keep the stars from flickering;
Smooth change of the multiplicity — for the convenience of the student focusing on the object;
Lens protection — for durability — protects against scratches and dust from raindrops;
Object illumination is used to quickly search for unknown objects.
And a stack of old textbooks. Yes, they looked ugly and were old, but what can you do.
* * *
Then we visited a pharmacy, where everything was so magical that I didn't even notice the terrible smell — it smelled of rotten eggs and rotten zucchini.
Barrels of some kind of bubontuber slime stood on the floor, glass jars with dried plants, crushed roots and colorful powders lined the walls, and bundles of feathers, fangs and curved claws hung from the ceiling. While Mom was talking to the apothecary-we needed to buy all the ingredients for making magic potions and sell the potions mom had made-I was studying silver unicorn horns worth twenty-one galleons each and beetle shells, shiny and red (six knuts per ladle).
The pharmacist will send the ingredients for classes to the school. Plus, I was given a standard set of ingredients for personal purposes. The brothers Fred and George used their pocket money to buy themselves an extended potion kit. They said they sold some of their jokes at the Fireworks store. Percy also bought himself an extended set with an addition for the honey wing. He boasted that Professor Snape had allowed him to help with brewing medicinal potions for a small fee.
I'm going to study at the guild and continue to mine ingredients and explore the magical world. It looks like you'll have to assemble a small team to do this. Or use golems? No, we need people anyway. I need a healer, and I should invite a couple more rangers. I think it will be possible to assemble a small group while still studying at the guild. After all, there are quite often tasks to extract ingredients in a magical forest or search for artifacts in destroyed cities.
"Well, that's it, you can walk down the alley and go home."
It was already afternoon, and the sun was sinking lower, when we walked back through Diagon Alley, then through the wall and entered the Leaky Cauldron, which no longer had a single customer. After moving home, we went to our rooms. I packed my purchases in a suitcase with an expansion of the space. I also leafed through my textbooks. I should at least read them before the school year. Especially transfiguration — I'm interested in it.
"Ron, Percy, go to dinner." Mom called us downstairs. The twins were already downstairs, and Ginny was helping her mom prepare a festive dinner. "Yes, Mom," I shouted and rushed downstairs.
There is a linen tablecloth on the kitchen table, candles and magic lamps flicker, and the smell of fresh pastries and stewed meat. The family got together after a busy day of shopping — everyone is sharing their impressions, laughing and enjoying the food. Even Dad came home from work early, and not as usual in the middle of the night.
I helped myself to fried potatoes with herbs and a piece of lamb with bay sauce. A portion of caul was already steaming in a plate nearby. Then, after thinking about it, I helped myself to some more fish baked with fennel. I caught a fish myself yesterday in Rattlesnake. The sandwiches eaten at lunch have long been digested. The twins were bustling happily nearby. They were constantly hungry too.
In the middle of the table was a platter of pancakes and next to the Welsh cakes. We talked casually about the day, and Ginny boasted about how well she had spent half the day at Grandma Lucrezia's. I ate heavily, listening to the conversations.
Mom brought a steamed jug of berry juice and another with homemade cider from the pantry. Fred and George cheered. Well, they can already have cider. Ginny and I will drink mors. Like Dad, by the way, he is generally opposed to alcohol.
We stayed up late at the table. We went to our rooms after midnight.
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