Chapter 241: Galleons, Galleons
Chapter 241: Galleons, Galleons
As December drew on, snowfall became more frequent in the Scottish region.
Hogwarts Castle and the surrounding forest were blanketed in white, and a thick layer of ice reformed on the surface of the lake surrounding the castle. A new wave of ice skating fever swept the lake's edge, and Albert had ventured there once, encountering the skating killer, Katrina MacDougal, who still hadn't given up on learning to skate.
Whether due to a lack of talent or some other reason, the clever Katrina just couldn't seem to get the hang of it.
However, Albert wasn't too worried about running into the skating killer while skating. He rarely went back to the lake to skate, as most of his free time was spent with a few roommates in the woods around the school, searching for a winter delicacy—snow mushrooms.
Snow mushrooms, also known as pine snow mushrooms, were a type of fungus that only appeared during snowy winters. They were scarce, tasted delightful, and had high medicinal value.
Of course, they weren't easy to preserve. Once removed from the cold snow, they would quickly spoil and rot. Typically, snow mushrooms had to be processed soon after being picked.
Alternatively, they could be turned into a delicious meal—roasted snow mushrooms were a savory treat.
Last year, Albert had simply sliced and roasted the mushrooms he found, nearly breaking the hearts of his roommates.
In apothecaries, snow mushrooms were considered extremely precious medicinal ingredients. However, this didn't mean that they could sell the mushrooms they found for a high price.
As cruel as it sounded, apothecaries in Diagon Alley wouldn't buy raw snow mushrooms. Even if they were processed, merchants wouldn't be interested in acquiring them if they found out you weren't a potions expert.
Processing snow mushrooms required skill, and incorrect methods would directly affect the quality of the mushroom powder, severely impacting the effectiveness of the potions made from it.
The black market could be an outlet, and asking Mondungus to help sell them there would likely turn a small profit. However, in Albert's opinion, it was still a losing proposition.
In the circulation of goods, middlemen always took the biggest cut, especially in black market dealings.
Albert wasn't willing to be taken advantage of, and he knew that directly selling raw materials was a foolish move. If he could turn those raw materials into finished products, he could reap much greater profits.
"Let's store the snow mushroom powder for now," Albert said as he placed the freshly picked mushrooms in a wooden box filled with snow. He brought up the topic again with his roommates: "I don't agree with selling raw materials directly. That's the surest way to lose money. If you want to sell your share of the snow mushroom powder, I can help you contact Mundungus and ask him about the purchase price. But don't expect to get many Galleons from him."
The four of them had been busy in the woods for half an hour and had only found five snow mushrooms.
Of course, the main reason was that after their thorough search, the number of snow mushrooms to be found on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest was rapidly diminishing.
Albert didn't agree with venturing deeper into the dangerous forest, so they had stayed in the outer areas.
However, the four of them weren't just looking for snow mushrooms. Albert was also taking the opportunity to draw a map of the Forbidden Forest and mark the locations where they found the mushrooms. This would make it easier to collect them next year.
Upon hearing Albert's suggestion, Fred and George were conflicted. According to Albert, even if they sold the mushroom powder that he had processed, they might not get many Galleons. At least, the amount they received would shrink by fifty to eighty percent. Black market prices were indeed high, but those were the prices that merchants used to rip off their customers. Unless they were willing to go to the black market themselves and find clients who desperately needed snow mushroom powder, they would only be taken advantage of.
Albert had never liked being on the losing end of a deal. He preferred to be the one taking advantage of others, so he disagreed with selling at a low price.
Fred and George were hesitant. In their opinion, as long as they could make a few Galleons, their hard work in searching for the mushrooms would be worth it. But they also understood that Albert's mind worked differently from theirs, and he knew better than them when it came to making big money.
In the end, they agreed to let Albert handle these matters, partly because Lee Jordan also agreed with Albert's approach.
"Albert would rather roast and eat the mushrooms we find than let himself be cheated," Lee Jordan had privately told the twins.
In fact, Albert had considered selling the snow mushroom powder to Potions Master Dagworthy, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Dagworthy had many sources for snow mushroom powder, and Albert also felt a bit awkward about it, as he didn't have much experience processing the powder. The quality of the powder he had stored was only mediocre.
As friends, there was no need to ruin their relationship over a few Galleons.
Taking advantage of friends was something people in his previous life often did, but once you did that, the friendship was essentially over.
Of course, there were those who would be willing to pay a good price, but after careful consideration, Albert still felt it wasn't worth it, so he never brought it up.
"Let's head back, and we can roast these mushrooms for a snack," Albert suggested as they made their way back to the castle.
"You're so wasteful," Lee Jordan said, rolling his eyes at Albert. But he didn't object, adding with a quirky tone, "They do taste amazing, and we've found quite a few this winter."
"Feels like such a waste," Fred muttered, as he valued Galleons in his pocket more than delicious food.
George remained silent, but he probably shared the same sentiment. Nothing was more tangible than Galleons.
"Don't worry, we'll get our Galleons soon enough," Lee Jordan reassured them. At that moment, his mind was clearer than Fred's and George's.
Turning something into wealth required skill, and earning Galleons meant putting on your thinking cap.
And Albert was clearly better at this than they were, so it made sense to leave it to him.
After all, a single bottle of the Baffling Beverage they had brewed could fetch a price of ten Galleons, and several students had already discreetly inquired about getting their hands on a bottle.
If they turned the snow mushroom powder into potions, the price would naturally be even higher.
In fact, Albert knew how to use the snow mushroom powder to brew potions, thanks to his good relationship with Dagworthy. With a little probing, he had obtained the recipe for an Energy Restorative Potion.
Brewing the Energy Restorative Potion wasn't particularly difficult. The challenging part was acquiring the magical ingredients, which tended to be very expensive. Thus, a small bottle of the potion was priced almost as high as a Felix Felicis potion, and it was hard to come by.
As the name suggested, the Energy Restorative Potion replenished one's spent energy and quickly restored stamina.
Of course, it also had kidney-toning effects.
If only he could gain the knowledge about snow mushrooms like he had with Mandrake.
Alas, such things truly depended on luck.
Just then, a distant dog bark rang out, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
"What was that noise just now?" The three of them stopped in their tracks and turned to look in the direction the sound had come from.
"A dog bark?" George muttered.
"It's definitely nothing good. Let's get out of here," Albert said, already guessing what was happening and urging his three companions to leave.
(End of Chapter) Happy New Year, even if it's a bit late!
Chapter end
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