Chapter 850: The Romanian Longhorn Dragon
Chapter 850: The Romanian Longhorn Dragon
After some time, Burman finally came to a realization.
Even if he wanted to do something, the Fire Dragon Sanctuary had to take the first step forward. Otherwise, everything would be in vain. The key to this first step was a substantial amount of Galleons.
They had offered him a whole three thousand Galleons. If he didn't provide something of value in return, even he himself would feel ashamed.
And the delayed Dragon Breeding License that would take effect in ninety-eight years... Well, to be honest, that request wasn't unreasonable at all. It was almost a century away.
As for the promised dragon-rearing expenses and dragon eggs... By that time, even if he were still alive, he would have retired long ago. What the next person in charge chose to do was none of his concern.
Dumbledore, who stood by, was astounded by Burman's sudden change in attitude.
He had listened to every word of their conversation, yet he couldn't understand how their attitudes had flipped so drastically.
How had Mr. Burman Strickland, who had just insisted on not issuing a legal dragon-breeding license, suddenly become the proactive one?
On the other hand, Kyle was now the one hesitating.
Could it be that he had been too weak just now and accidentally dozed off, missing a part of the conversation?
No, that didn't seem right...
Perplexed by the missing piece of memory, Dumbledore could only conclude that Kyle's current actions were beyond his comprehension.
However, neither of the two present knew what Dumbledore was thinking, and even if they did, they wouldn't have cared.
Kyle didn't mind.
As for Burman... Ha, he was just an old servant. Why would his thoughts matter?
Of course, they didn't matter.
The promise made by Burman also tempted Kyle.
So, the gold coins that had been taken away were returned to the box, and amidst the pleasant clinking of coins, Burman wrote out a legal dragon-breeding license for Kyle.
It was the same cumbersome incantation, and as Burman signed his name, the contract magic took effect.
However, he also added a long list of additional conditions designed to restrict the user from harming the fire dragon or using it for illegal activities.
Kyle didn't stop him, as he had never intended to do such things in the first place.
Dragon blood and dragon scales were cheap anyway.
When Burman handed over the second piece of parchment with the magical contract, Kyle finally revealed a triumphant... a delightful smile.
These two parchments were the biggest gains from this trip, aside from Ariana.
Fearing that the other party might regret their decision, both sides stood up after the matter was concluded.
"Why don't you stay for a meal?" Burman asked with a smile.
"No, I have some other matters to attend to, and I must return to London as soon as possible," Kyle said.
Kyle didn't think that he would be served any decent food here, considering that they could only offer wild vegetable lumps to their guests. It would be better to just leave.
However, Burman was just being polite as well... At the moment, the food in the Fire Dragon Sanctuary was barely enough for their own consumption, let alone having extra to entertain guests.
Of course, this situation would no longer exist an hour later.
Without bidding Burman farewell, Kyle and Dumbledore once again returned to the beech tree where they had first appeared.
Dumbledore looked at him, wanting to say something several times, but not knowing how to begin.
"It's alright, Professor," Kyle said with a smile as he took out the two parchments. "You'll understand why I did this soon enough, when you regain your memory."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Perhaps I can guess a little. While these seemingly harsh conditions are indeed a bad deal for others, they are just right for you."
"That's just an add-on, or a prerequisite," Kyle said with a smile. "The second magical contract is my real goal."
He let go of the parchments, letting them fall to the ground.
"Hide them well," Kyle said softly, tossing a gold coin.
To Dumbledore's puzzlement, a Niffler suddenly scurried out, pocketing the gold coin before grabbing the parchments and disappearing into a crack in the ground.
"What are you doing?" Dumbledore asked, not understanding.
"I'm hiding the items, of course," Kyle explained. "The contract says ninety-eight years, but what if I use a Time-Turner to bring it back and the contract doesn't recognize it?
"So, the best way is to let it truly experience ninety-eight years, to the second. Of course, I need to find a hidden place to keep it safe."
"Uh..." Dumbledore opened his mouth, surprised by Kyle's caution.
But Kyle had no choice. After returning this time, it was highly likely that he wouldn't be able to use the Time-Turner again, so he had to consider all possible problems.
What if, after returning, the magical contract only recognized one day had passed?
With the protection of the magical contract, the parchment wouldn't be eroded or decayed by time. At most, it would just be a little troublesome, but it was still better than having come all this way for nothing.
Soon enough, the Niffler reappeared from the crack.
Kyle raised an eyebrow, realizing that this must be a joke shop from a century ago. He recalled his previous visit to the shop, where he had purchased an Australian Dragon Egg shell, an essential ingredient for Potion-Making. On that occasion, he had also placed a high-priced order for an entire dragon egg.
However, the owner had needed to source it from elsewhere, and his return had taken several days, exceeding the agreed-upon timeframe. Kyle had initially assumed that the delay was due to the rarity of dragon eggs, making them a target for anti-witchcraft forces.
Subsequently, due to certain encounters with dark wizards and the need to evade Aurors, Kyle had been forced to leave Diagon Alley prematurely, and the matter of the dragon egg had gradually slipped his mind, only resurfacing during his recent encounter with Burman in the Romanian Fire Dragon Sanctuary.
Now, he was pleasantly surprised to find the owner back in business. Perhaps his expressive gaze gave him away, as the owner turned instinctively.
"But it's not even noon yet," someone complained.
"Well, it's my lunch break now," Willy Tom replied curtly.
Without giving them a chance to protest, he swiftly ushered everyone out and slammed the door shut.
"Have you lost your mind?" he turned and bellowed at Kyle, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, "The Aurors are searching for you high and low, and here you are, strolling down Diagon Alley and loitering in front of my shop! Don't you care about endangering me?"
"Not really," Kyle replied nonchalantly, "Even if you get hauled off to Azkaban, it has nothing to do with me. I couldn't care less."
Willy Tom was momentarily left speechless.
Admittedly, as harsh as those words sounded, there was a ring of truth to them!
At the same time, Kyle recalled that he was, indeed, being pursued by the Aurors. With everything that had happened lately, he had momentarily forgotten about that minor detail.
These days, were the Aurors always so diligent? It had been over a month, yet they still hadn't given up.
"So, you're the one who killed those people from Holken?" Willy Tom asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"You shouldn't spread baseless accusations. I don't know any Holken, and if you keep defaming me, I'll report you to the Aurors myself," Kyle denied the allegation, as he had no intention of taking the blame for something he hadn't done. As far as he was concerned, those people had simply fallen asleep after looking into his box.
Perhaps they were just sleepy people; he couldn't be held responsible for that.
Willy Tom remained silent. He wanted to tell Kyle that the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic had already identified him as the prime suspect in the murder of the five witches and wizards, and that they even had orders to apprehend or kill him if necessary. But what was the point of saying all that now?
After all, this wasn't some secret—Kyle could see the wanted notices plastered all over the walls if he just walked down the street.
If he mentioned it now, what if he scared Kyle away… Willy Tom was well aware of the reason for his visit.
At the same time, he was the last person who wanted to see Kyle fall into the hands of the Aurors.
Not out of kindness, but because of Gallons.
"Thank Merlin!" he exclaimed, his face transforming into a more congenial expression, "I thought that thing would be my undoing, but here you are, brave enough to return."
"I just wanted to see if some other wizard hadn't robbed you by now," Kyle said bluntly, "And it seems you've managed to get what I asked for."
"Of course," Willy Tom replied confidently, "It's not easy to snatch something from under my nose."
"Then bring it out," said Kyle, "I'm in a hurry, and I'm sure you don't want me lingering here any longer than necessary."
"Now, now, you're my esteemed guest," Willy Tom said, though he quickly walked over to a painting and whispered something to it.
The painting clicked open, revealing a space that looked like a vault behind it.
Willy Tom reached in and pulled out a round egg.
It was rather unremarkable, resembling an oval-shaped stone one might find by the roadside, with a dull grayish-green color and speckled with black spots.
Most people would probably walk past it without a second glance if they found it by a river, but Kyle's eyes lit up at the sight.
"A Romanian Longhorn Dragon egg!" he exclaimed.
If one were to discuss the rarest fire dragons in the wizarding world, the Romanian Longhorn Dragon would certainly be among them. They were known for their gentle temperament among fire dragons, their massive size, the abundant dragon blood they could produce, and most notably, the pair of golden horns adorning their heads, which held immense value.
In fact, a single pair of those horns could fetch a price comparable to half a standard Welsh Green Dragon.
As a result, this species of fire dragon was highly sought-after by professional dragon hunters, which only contributed to their dwindling numbers.
Kyle suspected that a significant reason for establishing the dragon sanctuary in Romania was to better protect this rare species native to the region.
And here he was, pleasantly surprised by Willy Tom, who had managed to procure a Romanian Longhorn Dragon egg for him. Indeed, it was worth two hundred Galleons.
"My, my, the young man has a keen eye," Willy Tom said proudly, "Let me tell you, it wasn't easy getting my hands on this little beauty. I had to part with quite a few Galleons, and I barely escaped the clutches of the Ministry's Aurors in the process."
Willy Tom went on and on about the perils he faced and the fierce battles he endured to bring the egg back safely.
However, Kyle could read between the lines—he wanted more money.
If it had been a day earlier, Kyle wouldn't have minded adding a few extra Galleons to the agreed-upon price, but things were different now.
"Smack!"
A heavy bag landed on the table.
"This is the remaining balance, along with the initial deposit, totaling exactly two hundred Galleons. If you think it's too little, feel free to report me to the Aurors. I'm sure they'll compensate you handsomely for the tip-off," Kyle said.
(End of Chapter)
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