https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-12-Percy-and-the-House-Elves-Remedy/12538104/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-14-It-s-a-Good-Habit-to-Close-the-Door/12538106/
Chapter 13: The Little Witch and the Rats
Chapter 13: The Little Witch and the Rats
"Wait, you also brew health potions for pets?" Cedric's eyes lit up at the mention of potions. "Can I ask you to brew some for my owl from now on?"
"Of course." Kyle glanced at the gray barn owl perched on the nearby shelf. "But owls are more complicated than rats. I'll need nine Sickles for each potion. That's the market price, and my formula is from Newt himself. The potions I brew are far better than what you'd find in stores; they're definitely worth the money."
"Hmm..." Cedric nodded.
That was true. In Diagon Alley, the cheapest owl health potions cost nine Sickles each, and better ones could go for a Galleon.
If Kyle's potion formula truly came from Newt Scamander, it would be a bargain.
However...
"Can you give me a discount?" Cedric asked, a little embarrassed. "We're friends, after all. Friends should get a discount, right?"
To be honest, Cedric really wanted to slam his fist on the table and buy seven or eight potions in one go. But as a second-year student, his allowance was limited, and he couldn't afford such extravagance.
While Hogwarts provided room and board, expenses like quills, ink, and parchment added up. With all the other miscellaneous costs, his allowance was just enough to get him through the term.
Sure, he could save up by being frugal and cutting out unnecessary expenses, but who wouldn't want extra Galleons?
A discount would be nice.
Facing Cedric's hopeful gaze, Kyle stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded. "You're right. We are friends, so I can't charge you the market price."
"Exactly!" Cedric's eyes sparkled.
"How about..." Kyle bit his lip and held up a finger. "You only need to pay this much."
"One Sickle?" Cedric asked, surprised.
Kyle shook his head. "No, one Galleon."
"..."
Cedric's face still held his previous smile, but his tone had changed.
"One... one Galleon!"
"Is that a discount?"
"Yes," Kyle said earnestly. "It's an 80% discount. Think about it, at Hogwarts, who besides the flashy Slytherins would spend a Galleon on owl health potions? It's tough to find customers. Now that I finally have a regular customer who won't back out, I need to make a decent profit."
"..." Cedric was stunned. As he looked at Kyle again, his eyes twitched.
This was too shameless! Could he really say such things to his face? And so blatantly, too! Did he have no sense of basic wizard morality?
Cedric was so angry that he was trembling. He took a deep breath and said, "Kyle, you're going to end up in Azkaban, mark my words."
"Thanks for the kind words," Kyle said, raising an eyebrow, clearly unbothered. He even asked, "So, do you still want the owl health potion?"
"Y-yes..." The word squeezed through Cedric's gritted teeth.
Just as he was about to take out his money, the compartment door opened once more.
A small figure stepped in cautiously.
She was a very pretty little girl with brown hair tied in pigtails, and her round face still carried a hint of baby fat. She seemed to be a first-year student as well.
Hmm?
Kyle and Cedric looked at each other, each wondering if the other knew her.
She's here to see you?
I don't know her!
Although neither of them spoke, they miraculously understood each other's thoughts, as they were exactly what they themselves wanted to say.
"Me?"
Kyle was even more perplexed, certain that he did not recognize the girl before him.
Ignoring Cedric's mocking gaze, Kyle continued, "What can I do for you?"
As he spoke, he glanced at the girl again.
He definitely didn't recognize her, and she bore no resemblance to Chris, ruling out certain cliched plotlines.
For example, suddenly having an additional sister before starting school.
"Um... I accidentally overheard your conversation in the corridor just now."
The girl's voice was soft and gentle, and fearing that the two might misunderstand her, she quickly explained, "Please don't get me wrong, I wasn't eavesdropping on purpose. The red-haired senior forgot to close the door, it really was an accident..."
However, Kyle didn't mind such trivial matters and waved his hand. "It's fine, go on."
That was just how the Hogwarts Express was—the soundproofing was terrible. Even if the door was shut tightly, he could still hear the loud shouts from the corridor, and it was probably the same outside.
Moreover, when Percy had come in, they hadn't deliberately lowered their voices, so it was normal for someone to overhear them. There was nothing strange about it.
Hearing Kyle's words, the girl also breathed a sigh of relief and then reached into her pocket, pulling out a large, gray rat.
???
Kyle looked at the scene before him, feeling a sense of deja vu, as if he had just experienced the exact same scenario.
Oh, right. Percy had taken out Smudge in the same manner earlier, and their actions were almost identical, even down to the same breed of rat.
Was this a classic reenactment?
As this thought crossed his mind, Kyle's heart suddenly tightened, and he subconsciously looked at the rat.
Its claws were intact, indicating it was a regular rat.
Kyle shook his head, feeling a bit ridiculous for being so tense.
After all, how many illegal Animagi could there be in the wizarding world? And even if there were, it was unlikely that they would all turn into rats and lurk around young witches and wizards.
Oddballs like Peter Pettigrew were one-of-a-kind.
Once he had calmed down, Kyle guessed the girl's purpose and asked tentatively, "So, do you want to buy some rat health potion?"
With a rat in hand and her mention of Percy, combined with their previous topic revolving around pet health potions... putting all these together, Kyle couldn't think of any other reason for her visit.
"Is that possible?"
Sure enough, upon hearing Kyle's words, the girl nodded, her big, watery eyes gazing at Kyle expectantly. "I've bought a lot of potions from Diagon Alley, but they haven't been very effective."
"Of course it's possible. It would be my pleasure."
Having realized that the girl before him was a potential customer, Kyle immediately offered a sincere smile. "Just a moment, I'll go get it.
By the way, I'm Kyle Joppa, a first-year student this year. You can call me Kyle."
"Con... Connor."
The girl's round face, still carrying a hint of baby fat, flushed slightly as she said softly, "Connor Prince."
(End of Chapter)
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