Strictly speaking, the old wizard Fiennes was not a poor man. The trunk of the Traceless Stretching Charm is full of books and potion ingredients, which can't be bought with money.
Like Hagrid in front of them, they don't seem to have many financial needs. For them, the greatest value of these materials is the materials themselves.
But Anton can't.
Without money, he doesn't even have a place to live. With such a suitcase, he's sleeping on the street, afraid that he'll wake up without even a penny.
Moreover, he's been surviving on noodles and steamed buns for the past two months, which almost makes him sick.
He needs nutritious food; otherwise, he may not grow taller in the future.
The potion ingredients can't be eaten, and there's no way to exchange them for money. Diagon Alley won't accept these potion ingredients, and Knockturn Alley might accept them, but they probably won't pay.
Snape was probably the only buyer Anton could find.
"I need to know where you got it," Snape said expressionlessly.
There's a catch!
Anton quickly walked back, put down the suitcase, and placed the glass bottle on the table. "I killed it myself."
Snape looked incredulous, "Moonlight turtles are XXXX-level magical creatures, and you managed to kill it yourself?"
He looked up and down at Anton and shook his head.
It is said that people shouldn't judge based on appearances, but the growth of wizards' magical power also requires knowledge. As far as Anton is concerned, it is impossible for him to hunt and kill moonlight turtles.
"I have a way," Anton replied. Seeing Snape's disbelief, he hesitated and had to get closer to explain in a low voice, "Although the moonlight turtle lives in freshwater lakes, this creature needs to return to the ocean to lay eggs, and the hatchlings swim back to the lake along the river."
"As long as the saltwater concentration is adjusted to simulate the environment of seawater, they will feel like they're returning to their mother's arms and sleep very peacefully."
Anton didn't lie; he did cut out the turtle's brain with his own hands.
The price is that even though Fiennes casts a spell to suppress the Moonlight Turtle, he was still pierced in the chest by the spikes on the turtle's shell.
The thickest part is as thick as a mineral water bottle. It goes in from the chest and comes out from the back.
Even though the old wizard's healing potion was amazing, Anton still spent eight days in bed, being stimulated by the residual toxin every day. He almost bit his tongue and contemplated suicide.
Surprisingly, Snape raised his eyebrows. "That's a clever idea."
"500 Galleons!" Anton held his little hands high, fingers wide open in front of Snape. "Just 500 Galleons, and it's yours!"
The corner of Snape's mouth twitched. He was very tempted. The price was actually quite reasonable. Even with a stable supply of potions for a long time, this kind of turtle brain was hard to come by.
However...
He doesn't have that much money on him.
A normal person wouldn't carry so many gold Galleons on their person, let alone the weight and volume of 500 metal coins. Just considering daily expenses, he doesn't need that much at all.
A pot of ordinary dragon liver is only 3 Galleons, and an ordinary wand is only 7 Galleons. Even an expensive magic book, like an advanced potion-making textbook, is only 9 gold Galleons.
The expenditure of 500 gold Galleons is usually reserved for purchasing extremely high-end magic products and medicinal materials, such as a pair of fairy wings or 5 pints of Acromantula venom.
Speaking of Acromantula venom, Snape couldn't help but turn his head to look at Hagrid.
Some time ago, the Forbidden Forest's caretaker brought him a large bucket of Acromantula venom and was very excited to report that the offsprings of Aragog in the Forbidden Forest were thriving.
"I 'ave it, I 'ave it!" Hagrid's eyes lit up. He looked at Snape expectantly. "Professor, lend me a hand, would ya?"
Snape nodded, agreeing to what they were discussing just now.
"Ah~ha!" Hagrid expressed his happiness, reached into his pocket, and grabbed a bag. The gold coins inside rattled.
He shoved it into Anton's arms. "Are there 600 or 700 Galleons in there, mate?"
Anton shook his head and waved his hand, saying, "It's enough anyway!"
With that, Hagrid happily grabbed Snape and exclaimed, "Come on, let's get a move on!"
Excitedly, Anton opened the dirty bag and peered inside. The golden light almost blinded him.
He looked up, but in that moment, Snape was no longer in his sight. Hagrid was radiating a golden light in his eyes.
Seeing that the two were about to leave, Anton anxiously stopped them.
"Hagrid, I know where there are cute furry animals. Maybe I can write to you?"
Hagrid was clearly very happy and nodded vigorously. "Be sure to send me a letter, won't ya?"
With that, he impatiently dragged Snape away.
Anton happily grabbed a few Galleons and put them in his pockets, while the rest were neatly tied and stuffed into the suitcase.
With so much money, he could go anywhere in the world!
Ha ha!
But as he looked up, he noticed many people in the tavern staring at him closely.
"!!!"
"It's over, it's over," he muttered to himself.
He felt the weight of the gazes upon him.
Some even stood up directly.
Just then, a heavy knocking sound came from the bar counter, and the owner, Old Tom, appeared with his fierce, wrinkled face. "In me pub, no one can cause a ruckus!"
After a moment of contemplation, the man sat back down, but continued to stare closely at Anton.
Undeterred, Anton smiled and placed a gold Galleon on the counter. "Prepare a room for me and something to eat. I want meat."
He patted his stomach. "Make it a double portion, please!"
Old Tom smiled and raised a lantern. "Room 11, follow me, mate"
They walked through a narrow and dimly lit hallway, ascending a beautiful wooden staircase to reach a room on the second floor. The brass sign on the door read "11."
Old Tom opened the door, revealing a room that was unlike the dark corridor. Sunlight streamed in through the open windows, accompanied by a gentle breeze.
As Anton approached the window, he could see the bustling ordinary street of Charing Cross Road in London. Cars passed by, girls carried shopping bags, and children chased after each other.
A hotel located near a street where the sound of cars and the smell of exhaust could be experienced at any time was considered low-grade by Muggles.
However, Anton took a deep breath, his face filled with fascination.
It was a familiar scent.
For the past two months, he had followed Fiennes to the outskirts of the city, various chaotic meeting places, desolate forests, and caves, almost feeling like he had traveled back to ancient Europe.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he suddenly felt the urge to return to the Muggle world and live a life that didn't seem too bad.
In his previous life, he had been an ordinary computer programmer, but in this era, maybe he could become a renowned wizard with a good reputation.
"It's not a bad spot 'round 'ere. I'll go and sort some grub for ya." Old Tom interrupted his thoughts and walked out again, holding the lantern.
Anton nodded and looked around the room.
There was a cozy-looking bed, some shiny oak furniture, and a crackling fire in the fireplace.
The bathroom was decently sized. He walked in, and the mirror on the wall greeted him warmly, "You look dirty. Perhaps you need to freshen up."
Anton examined his reflection in the mirror. His red hair shone with a platinum gold hue, giving him an inexplicably peculiar appearance. His slender frame resembled that of a ten-year-old child, and he was wearing a wizard robe that was too wide and ill-fitting.
He smiled at the mirror, "You know, even a mirror can talk. If I don't explore this wonderful world and instead retreat back to sit in front of a computer typing code, would that be a waste of my life?"
The mirror on the wall twisted, "I, too, wish to venture out and see the world."