Chapter 833: The Generous Mysterious Wizard
Chapter 833: The Generous Mysterious Wizard
"Since you believe you're up for it..."
Perhaps due to Dumbledore's unique situation, Professor McGonagall pondered for a moment and nodded, "Alright then."
She turned to Kyle and instructed, "Remember, once you're inside, you must not make any noise or do anything unnecessary. Otherwise, you won't be taking the exam next year."
"Of course, I understand," Kyle smiled and nodded.
Professor McGonagall then turned and quickly walked into the classroom, muttering under her breath, "Letting an unrelated student into the N.E.W.T. exam hall, I must be crazy to agree to such a request."
She seemed to regret her decision, thinking it was too hasty and against the rules.
After all, the N.E.W.T. exam was arguably the most important test for a wizard during their student years. If the results were skewed because of this unrelated person, it would be a serious dereliction of duty for the invigilators.
So, typically, they would never allow other students into the exam hall.
But why did she agree just now? Professor McGonagall couldn't quite understand, but they had already entered the classroom, and she glanced at Dumbledore.
"Oh well, if it's this student, he won't be affected."
She shook her head, not dwelling on it further. Instead, she followed the procedure and said to Dumbledore, "Next is the N.E.W.T. Transfiguration exam. The content is Human Transfiguration, and you need to change your appearance."
"Such a simple task," Dumbledore smiled confidently and then placed his wand against his forehead.
Without chanting any incantation, it seemed as if a bucket of water was poured over his head, and Dumbledore's entire body became blurry.
The next moment, two Professor McGonagalls appeared in the classroom, identical in appearance, height, and clothing.
"Oh, brilliant!" The real Professor McGonagall clapped her hands and picked up a piece of parchment nearby, drawing a big 'O' on it.
"Undoubtedly, full marks."
"I must say, Mr. Dumbledore, you are the most outstanding student I've ever seen."
"It's my honor," Dumbledore transformed back to his original form.
"Then, your exam is over," Professor McGonagall nodded with satisfaction. "Your transcript will be delivered to you in mid-July. Now, go and enjoy your vacation."
"Looking forward to seeing you again, Professor," Dumbledore placed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly before leaving the classroom.
Kyle, who had been quiet all along, quickly followed.
However, it seemed that Dumbledore had already forgotten about him, as he didn't turn back after leaving and headed straight upstairs, probably returning to the common room.
Kyle hurried and caught up with him, saying, "Thank you."
"What?" Dumbledore turned to look at him and politely replied, "Oh, it's fine. I hope this experience will make your N.E.W.T. exam a little easier."
"You've already helped me a lot," Kyle smiled, knowing that Dumbledore was probably in a hurry to return to his friends and didn't want to talk too much with a stranger.
But it was such an interesting experience to meet the young headmaster, and Kyle decided to stick around.
"I just didn't expect Professor McGonagall to agree to let me observe," he said. "Normally, this wouldn't be possible."
"You said it yourself, it's a normal situation," Dumbledore said meaningfully. "This outcome is the exam result I'm most satisfied with."
"So you used the Confusion Charm just now?" Kyle realized.
Only this reason could explain why Professor McGonagall had uncharacteristically agreed to his request to observe the exam.
Using the Confusion Charm on an invigilating professor, and during the N.E.W.T. exam, no less. The young Dumbledore was indeed a daring and playful one.
Dumbledore didn't speak but merely curved his lips slightly and winked. His handsome face, coupled with this gesture, made the hearts of the female witches nearby flutter.
"By the way, I remember you said you're a sixth-year student, right?" Dumbledore suddenly recalled something and asked, "Which house are you from? I've never seen you before."
"Ah..." Kyle became nervous, "I'm from Hufflepuff. Maybe... you didn't notice me."
"Oh, that's why. No wonder you Hufflepuffs rarely appear in other places outside of class time."
Dumbledore nodded, believing Kyle's impromptu excuse.
"Although it's a bit presumptuous to say this, some of the headmaster's decisions are indeed a bit absurd. I've always believed that the four houses of Hogwarts should be equal and not divided into different tiers.
"Of course, we Gryffindors aren't much better than you."
He glanced at Kyle and shook his head, "Sorry, I've been talking too much today. And you don't need to thank me; I have my own motives, and I just helped you with a small favor."
"If you have no other business, I'd like to return to the common room first.
"Of course," Kyle said, shifting to the side.
While chatting with the young Dumbledore was fascinating, Kyle felt it was enough for now. He didn't want to risk Dumbledore sensing anything unusual.
After bidding Dumbledore farewell, Kyle prepared to leave. Under the current circumstances, exiting through the main entrance was out of the question. If he were caught, it would be problematic if they discovered he wasn't a Hogwarts student. He needed an alternative plan.
But Kyle wasn't fazed. He went to the third floor and found the hunchbacked witch statue he remembered.
As expected, the secret passage was still there.
Kyle took out his wand.
"Separation Charm."
The hunchback of the witch slowly separated, revealing a pitch-black passage.
On the other side of this passage was Honeydukes Candystore. Since Hogwarts was in the midst of final exams, there were few people around. Only a middle-aged wizard sat behind the counter, carefully checking the quantities of various candies.
Kyle, already invisible, tiptoed past the wizard and exited the candy store. But then, in broad daylight, he turned back.
"Oh, welcome, customer," the owner stood up and said with confusion. "Aren't you a Hogwarts student? Shouldn't you be taking exams?"
"I've already graduated," Kyle said with a smile.
"Oh, sorry, I thought you were still a student," the owner said. "What would you like? I can offer you a nice discount."
"Then I'll take some classic candies," Kyle said. "The best-sellers."
"The best-sellers would definitely be Exploding Chocolate and Raspberry Bee Candy," the owner replied.
"Can I try them?" Kyle asked. "Of course, I'll pay for them."
The owner found it a bit strange. These were their most popular items, and the prices were very reasonable. They sold buckets of them every week. If Kyle were a Hogwarts student, he shouldn't have missed out on these treats.
But the owner didn't think too much of it, assuming Kyle was a student who couldn't afford candies.
Immediately, he took a box from the shelf, selected some candies, and handed them to Kyle.
"Go ahead and eat. I'm treating you, no need to pay," the owner said.
Kyle picked up a chocolate ball and popped it into his mouth. As soon as he bit down, it exploded, filling his mouth with a rich steak flavor.
The steak-flavored chocolate was a bit odd, but the taste was acceptable. It was like a different form of Bibiduo.
As for the Raspberry Bee Candy, not only did it look like a bee, but it could also fly. Once the box was opened, they would fly for six hours. When you wanted to eat, all you had to do was open your mouth, and the bee candies would fly right in. It was not only interesting but also delicious.
"I'll take them all," Kyle said.
He placed twenty gold coins on the table.
"Twenty Galleons?" The owner was startled. "Isn't that a bit too much?"
He thought Kyle was a poor kid who had suddenly come into money and was indulging in a spending spree.
"No need to worry, I'm sending them to a friend," Kyle explained. "Help me with the packaging, and add some other classic candies as well."
Despite Kyle's insistence, the owner eventually nodded and got to work.
Twenty minutes later, he carried a massive package to the counter.
Kyle was a little dazed by the sight of the package, which could fill an entire cart...
Twenty Galleons for so many candies? Kyle was stunned until he saw the price tag on a large block of chocolate on the shelf. It was priced at two Sickles, while a similarly-sized chocolate block would have cost at least twelve Sickles during his school days.
Kyle patted his forehead. He had forgotten that it was a hundred years ago. Although the Galleon was the same, the prices were generally more affordable.
No wonder the owner had looked at him strangely earlier.
But since he had already bought them, Kyle didn't want to return them. Instead, he took out his wand and made the huge package float beside him as he headed out of the store.
However, just as he reached the door, he stopped.
"What's this?" He pointed to a branch on the shelf, with several beetles crawling on it. It was hard to imagine such a thing in a candy store.
"Oh, that's our new product, Beetle String," the owner said with a smile. "The branch is chocolate, and the beetles are made of brown sugar. Bite into them, and you'll get Bouncing Fruit Bits surprise. It's my little daughter's idea, and she's only three this year."
"It's great," Kyle said. "Then give me a box of these as well."
The owner's eyes lit up. "Does the customer really like it? Although it tastes good, many people can't accept its appearance. They find it too realistic."
"Of course," Kyle said. "Give me a box, and how much is it?"
"It's on the house, as a gift for a valued customer," the owner quickly grabbed a heavy box. "If you like it, please come again."
"Thank you," Kyle accepted without hesitation.
After leaving Honeydukes Candystore, he went to a secluded spot and stuffed the large amount of candy into his box.
Instead of rushing to Godric's Hollow, Kyle leisurely wandered through Hogsmeade.
The current Hogsmeade didn't differ much from his memory, and the exteriors of the shops remained almost unchanged.
In the shops, the differences were more noticeable.
Take the Three Broomsticks, for instance. The charming Rosmerta was no longer the owner; instead, a middle-aged wizard with a perpetually grim expression stood behind the counter. He seemed perpetually unhappy, and even with Kyle as the only customer, he didn't offer a friendly face.
Despite the owner's demeanor, the drinks were still excellent. The Butterbeer had a rich flavor, and a sip warmed Kyle's entire body. He bought a hundred cups in one go.
Later, he would place them in a box and use the Bubblehead Charm to seal the bottles, ensuring they wouldn't spoil.
A hundred cups of Butterbeer, along with various other drinks and beverages, cost less than fifty Galleons in total, an incredibly reasonable price.
The owner, however, looked even more unhappy with the amount of work.
Next, Kyle visited Quill and Scroll, where he bought out their entire stock of Phoenix Feather Quills and Mobiquill Ink.
In thirty years, these two magical creatures would be added to the list of prohibited trade, and these items would become unavailable.
Mobiquill Ink, in particular, was classified as an A-level prohibited trade product, just like dragon eggs. Its ink, known for retaining its color for a thousand years, was even more expensive than dragon blood on the market.
Kyle found an entire shelf full of it.
He didn't hesitate and bought two large boxes of the ink, emptying the store's inventory.
From that moment on, Kyle's spending spree began. He carefully inspected each shop in Hogsmeade, buying whatever caught his eye without considering the price. A wave of his hand was all it took to purchase everything in sight.
After this, Hogsmeade gained a new reputation as a mysterious wealthy individual who spent money like water.
Some shops, planning to sell their inventory for two months, were emptied in just two minutes by this individual, who still wanted more.
Soon, this mysterious wealthy person became the talk of the town.5
Initially, people thought he was using counterfeit Galleons; no one would spend money so lavishly, buying out entire inventories instead of just a few items.
Fearing the worst, some went to Gringotts Wizarding Bank and consulted the goblins, who confirmed that the coins were genuine Galleons, authentic products of goblin craftsmanship.
While goblins were known for their greed, they took great pride in their craftsmanship, ensuring their products were never subpar. Whether a Galleon was a hundred years old or a hundred years in the future, it would always be of the same quality.
Or, in Kyle's case, a hundred years... or even older.
This revelation only piqued the curiosity of Hogsmeade's residents further, sparking discussions about the young man's background.
Some speculated he was an heir to an ancient pure-blood family, while others believed he was a self-made wizard of exceptional talent. There were also those who thought he was an opportunist engaging in illegal business ventures.
Regardless of the theory, the conversation always circled back to his extravagant spending habits. Some shops even increased their inventory tenfold overnight, hoping the big spender would return.
However, Kyle was unaware of the various rumors circulating about him. By this time, he had already left Hogsmeade and was on his way to Diagon Alley, not Godric's Hollow.
Yes, Diagon Alley, not Godric's Hollow.
After exploring Hogsmeade, Kyle realized he loved this era, but the village was too small and quickly explored.
Diagon Alley, on the other hand, was a true treasure trove, brimming with an endless variety of fascinating items, even openly displaying dragon eggs for sale.
Unfortunately, the egg was empty.
Kyle offered ten Galleons to purchase it.
"Don't you can buy it for ten Galleons.
"Don't you have a complete one?" he asked the shopkeeper. "I'm willing to pay ten times the price."
Ten times? That would be one hundred Galleons!
The shopkeeper was tempted. He didn't doubt Kyle's offer, as the young man had been a regular customer for several days, spending around two hundred Galleons in various shops.
Moreover, Kyle had purchased items that seemed utterly useless to the shopkeeper, like the horns of an Erim cow. These items were expensive but served no practical purpose and could only be used as decorations.
In the shopkeeper's eyes, Kyle was a foolishly wealthy customer who could easily afford one hundred Galleons.168.0.1
Of course, Kyle wouldn't reveal that in sixty-seven years, a company called "Firebolt" would revolutionize the flying broomstick industry with their innovative designs. He also wouldn't mention that the first Firebolt broomstick incorporated Erim cow horn powder, a material that significantly improved the broom's stability during flight.
The price of this material skyrocketed, increasing tenfold within a year.
While it eventually stabilized at a lower price, it was still significantly higher than its initial cost... These were trade secrets and golden Galleons.
"I can try to find a complete dragon egg for you," the shopkeeper said in a hushed tone. "But it's just a try, you understand. Fire dragons are on the prohibited trade list, and the Ministry of Magic enforces strict regulations. An empty shell is one thing, but obtaining a complete dragon egg is too risky."
"Risky?" Kyle raised an eyebrow and held up a bag. "What if I offer two hundred Galleons?"
(End of Chapter)
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