https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-13-The-Little-Witch-and-the-Rats/12538105/
Chapter 14: It's a Good Habit to Close the Door
Chapter 14: It's a Good Habit to Close the Door
In the magical world, rats are the most affordable of the approved Hogwarts pets, so it's no surprise that they are popular among young witches as well. However, most of these girls tend to favor hamsters with beautiful fur and docile, adorable temperaments, or even black or white mice that live longer and appear cleaner.
Kyle had never met a young witch who favored ordinary field mice like this girl, and from her attire, she didn't seem to be from a financially strained background.
Having spent eleven years in the magical world, Kyle had gained some insights. Though the girl's clothes weren't extravagant, the fabric was exquisite and the craftsmanship impeccable. The distinctive pattern on the cuffs also suggested that they were from Twilfitt and Tatting's, a high-end wizarding apparel shop that was far more expensive than Madam Malkin's, with starting prices of twenty galleons.
Anyone who could shop there wouldn't have a problem affording a better pet.
It seemed that the girl truly liked this particular rat. No wonder she had sought him out.
Rat tonic from Diagon Alley? To be honest, that stuff was basically sugar water, similar to energy drinks. It might give you a quick pick-me-up, but don't expect any miracles.
Though the girl's aesthetic sense was unique, Kyle didn't find it overly shocking, and he maintained a neutral expression. After all, the magical world was home to people with all sorts of tastes, even those who fancied monstrous creatures like the eight-eyed spider he had once seen in Newt's case. That creature had challenged his very perception of the world, and it had taken him a full year to get over the trauma of seeing it.
Compared to that, a young witch liking field mice was completely normal.
...
Soon, Kyle retrieved a thumb-sized bottle from his trunk and handed it over. "Here, this one's on me. If you find it effective, come back, but I'll have to charge you next time. It might be a bit pricey, a sickle, but I assure you it's worth every knut."
"Th-thank you," stammered the little girl, whose name was Connor. She hastily reached out to take the bottle, but instead of leaving, she lingered, her eyes shifting between the bottle and Kyle, her face filled with hesitation.
"What's wrong? Do you think it's not enough?" Kyle asked, thinking that she wanted more. "It's not that I'm stingy, but I want you to try it first. Rat tonic isn't something you use a lot of; a couple of drops at a time is enough. This bottle may not look like much, but it'll last you a month."
"No, that's not it," Connor shook her head vigorously. "I don't mean that I want more. I want the red kind."
Red? Cedric, standing by, now noticed that the rat tonic in Connor's hand was a murky orange-yellow, resembling crushed orange pudding. In contrast, the tonic Kyle had given Percy was a clear, vibrant red, free of any impurities.
They were supposedly the same thing, yet they looked so different, and anyone could tell that the clear, red tonic was far superior to this murky orange concoction. Even if it were free, one shouldn't be given an inferior product like this.
Cedric's opinion of Kyle took a turn for the worse.
Sure enough, Kyle, with his profiteering ways, would surely end up in Azkaban one day.
At that moment, Connor seemed to remember something and frantically pulled out a delicate little handbag. "Umm... I can buy it."
She gently shook her handbag, and a pile of gold galleons clinked and clattered onto the table—thirty-three galleons and a few sickles.
Cedric's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight.
But Connor's next move broke through his defenses.
"Is that all you have left?" Connor looked a little disappointed, biting her lip as she said softly, "It's okay, if it's not enough, I can get more from Gringotts. As long as it can make Poch live longer, I'm willing to pay any amount."
More? Cedric's jaw twitched involuntarily, and at that moment, he was truly startled by her outrageous spending.
Just listen to her, any amount...
If it had been an adult wizard, it wouldn't have been surprising, but for a first-year student who had just started school to say such a thing was a bit too much.
Or was this just a typical Slytherin?
Well, it was a learning experience for him.
On the other hand, Kyle wasn't in the mood to care about Cedric's thoughts. He hesitated, looking at Connor, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Family matters are known best by the family themselves, and the rat tonic was supposed to be this orange-yellow color.
As for Percy's bottle, it had been enhanced, and an ordinary rat would probably keel over if they drank it.
The problem was that he couldn't very well explain that, and from Connor's attitude, it seemed she had believed Percy's every word and thought he had a tonic that could extend a rat's lifespan.
In this situation, the only option was to be honest.
"Um... Connor, it's like this."
Kyle thought for a moment before explaining, "That special rat tonic is too strong, and it can't be consumed directly. Before using it, you must first strengthen the rat's physique with ordinary tonic."
He was stalling for time.
This was the only idea Kyle could come up with.
If he said he didn't have it or couldn't make it, what if she went straight to Newt? That would be a disaster.
While Newt might be hard to find, Dumbledore was right here at Hogwarts, and even a three-year-old child in the wizarding world knew how close the two were.
Since Connor was wearing Twilfitt and Tatting's clothing, she definitely wasn't of Muggle descent. If she went to Dumbledore, she might very well end up meeting Newt.
"I should have just closed the door when Percy came by," Kyle muttered to himself, rubbing his forehead with a wry smile.
Fortunately, the issue wasn't too difficult to resolve. He just needed to make a trip to Dorset during the Hogwarts holidays.
He recalled that Newt had once brewed a tonic for Murtlap, a magical creature with a very similar physical structure to rats. Most of the pet shop rats had some Murtlap blood in them.
It was like the relationship between cats and lynxes.
So, he just needed to dilute it a bit, and it would be ready to use. It would definitely be able to extend the life of an ordinary rat by three to five years.
"I'll make sure to give Poch the tonic on time."
Connor didn't doubt him at all and nodded earnestly.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Kyle smiled and handed her a Chocolate Frog, "Have some chocolate, it'll help you relax."
"No, thank you, I can buy my own."
Connor glanced at the Chocolate Frog and quickly averted her gaze, her hands fiddling with the hem of her robe. She looked like a child during the holidays, wanting the gift but too shy to accept it.
"It's fine, take it," Kyle said with a smile, "Consider it a gift for us becoming classmates."
"......Thank you."
Hearing Kyle's words, Connor took the Chocolate Frog with a flushed face, but instead of eating it, she carefully put it away.
(End of Chapter)
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