Amostra didn't know that Harry, whom he hadn't even met yet, had already gotten a clear picture of his "illustrious achievements" during his school days from Hagrid. However, even if he did know, he would probably just smile it off.
When the sky was barely bright, he, who had only fallen asleep after 2 AM, was already awake. This could probably be considered a benefit of being a wizard; wizards with superb memory and powerful magic had far more vigorous energy than Muggles.
Over the past three years, Amostra had grown accustomed to a life of constant movement.
Many times, to carry out tasks for his employers, he had to stay for ten or more days in desolate wilderness, primeval forests far from civilization, or ancient ruins buried deep underground. Roughing it was commonplace, and having a warm bed to comfortably lie in for a few hours was already a rare luxury for him.
Although the weather had cleared, the climate in the early morning was still cold. The snow on the lawn showed no signs of melting, and the ice covering the Black Lake was strong enough to rival ironwood.
Amostra, jogging along the lake, paused to rest under a willow tree. From a distance, he saw a dark figure rapidly approaching him from the castle.
"Dumbledore asked me to give this to you."
The pale golden sunlight, tinged with faint pink, fell on Snape's face, making his cold, rigid expression soften slightly. A few steps away, he tossed Amostra a black money bag.
"How much in total?"
Amostra weighed the heavy money bag in his hand and asked with interest,
"Two thousand Galleons. Dumbledore was very generous and added two hundred Galleons on top of your request. Hmph, Minerva's face wasn't too pleasant. Oh, Minerva just found out you're back at Hogwarts. She wants to talk to you alone about your upcoming plans."
"Tsk tsk!"
A meeting with the strict Deputy Headmistress didn't bother Amostra. He untied the bag and peeked inside; the dazzling, golden light immediately brightened his mood.
"Tell me, what would happen if I just ran away with this money right now?"
"Unless you can escape to the moon, I wouldn't advise you to do such a foolish thing."
Snape said faintly. He stared at Amostra, who had lowered his head and was twirling a Galleon between his fingers, his gaze fixed on his sparkling eyes.
"Furthermore, I must warn you, Amostra, I'm not quite sure, nor am I curious, why your eye color has changed so much since your school days. But Dumbledore seems very interested in it. He asked me to inquire about it when I have the chance. Generally, things he's interested in, he'll find every way to figure out. So, I advise you to be prepared."
Amostra's fingers suddenly stiffened. After a brief silence, he regained his composure and let out a meaningful sigh.
"Hmph, what an extraordinary wizard."
Compared to the rapid changes in the Muggle world, the wizarding society, whose mainstream will prefers tradition, has evolved at an infuriatingly slow pace.
Although, in recent years, there have been continuous calls for reform in private, those faint voices are still just seeds buried deep in frozen soil, waiting for nourishment. Only when the right time comes will they have a chance to take root and sprout.
Hogsmeade, the only existing pure-blood wizarding village in the British magical world, was basically identical to when he attended Hogwarts. The few changes were probably just some new products on the signs of Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeydukes Sweet Shop.
Amostra even suspected that if a medieval wizard accidentally traveled to the modern era, they might not even get lost in Hogsmeade.
It was still Christmas break, and the streets of Hogsmeade were quiet with few people visible. The occasional local resident passing by all looked hurried, busy with their own affairs.
Amostra walked inward, standing against the north wind in front of a shop with hazy glass windows.
Dervish & Banges Magical Equipment, this was Amostra's destination.
Ding ding ding—
The brass bell hanging above the door chimed crisply as Amostra pushed the door open and entered the shop.
The dimly lit magical equipment shop was crammed with over a dozen shelves reaching the ceiling, arranged vertically and horizontally. On the old shelves were Sneakoscopes, Remembralls, Fanged Fairies, broomstick servicing kits, Quidditch match equipment boxes, and many other magical items and alchemical tools.
The slightly bald Mr. Banges seemed not to have expected a customer so early, so his expression was a little startled. However, after regaining his composure, he immediately came out from behind the counter and rushed to Amostra with an eager smile.
"Esteemed customer, what do you need to purchase? Dervish & Banges Magical Equipment has everything. I can guide you."
"Oh, thank you."
Amostra, who was looking up and scanning the tall shelves, nodded in thanks. "Hmm, do you have Omnoculars here?"
"If you're referring to the Omnoculars typically used for watching Quidditch matches..."
Mr. Banges scurried to a shelf near the inner wall, jumped up, and fished out a dusty pair of binoculars from a pile of odds and ends. While the customer's gaze was obstructed, he hastily wiped off the dust on his robes, then returned to Amostra with a beaming smile.
"This is it, from our family's alchemy workshop. The quality is guaranteed. Only nine Galleons and seven Sickles for one!"
Amostra took it. He was familiar with these Omnoculars, which could be modified for multiple uses. Skillfully adjusting the knobs on the binoculars, he pressed them against his nose and eye sockets, carefully observing the image.
"No, no~"
After a moment, Amostra lowered the binoculars, his tone filled with disappointment,
"I need the Quick-Quotes Quill 190 model. The image on that is clearer, and it can rewind time for longer. This is the 185 model, which doesn't quite meet my purchasing needs."
Mr. Banges's heart sank; he knew he had met an expert.
"I'm afraid, sir, high-precision Quick-Quotes Quill 190s are usually only produced during the World Cup. On normal days, we only sell this one. If you're willing to buy it, I can offer a small discount on the price!"
"How much of a discount?"
Amostra's face showed reluctance, as if he didn't want to compromise. He transformed into an astute buyer and began to haggle.
"No question, nine Galleons. That's the cost price. Seeing as you're my first customer today, I'll only charge this price!"
Mr. Banges looked distressed.
"--, what if I want a lot?"
"I'm very sorry, sir, this is already the best discount. Even if you want more, I can only..."
"I need three hundred pairs of Omnoculars," Amostra said directly with a smile. "Mr. Banges, you have one more chance to quote a price. If your price isn't satisfactory, I can always go check Diagon Alley."
"Three hundred pairs?!"
Mr. Banges immediately widened his eyes and exclaimed. However, he quickly realized that his reaction would be detrimental to the upcoming negotiation, so he immediately composed himself and cleared his throat twice.
"Indeed... cough cough, I mean, that's certainly a large quantity... It certainly deserves a further discount."
Mr. Banges carefully observed the smiling Amostra.
"Esteemed sir, if you truly intend to buy so many... I believe eight Galleons plus ten Sickles would be a good..."
Amostra frowned, seemingly dissatisfied.
The astute Mr. Banges immediately stopped his original words and decisively said,
"Seven Galleons and ten Sickles. You're a wizard who knows his stuff, you should know what this price means!"
Amostra indeed knew his stuff. So, without another word, he turned and walked out, pushing the door open without a moment's hesitation.
Two.
Ding-ding!
Before Amostra could even count to one, the urgent jingle of the brass bell suddenly rang out behind him. Mr. Banges chased him out, exasperated.
"How about seven Galleons, sir? That's fair enough!"
Amostra didn't turn back. He pulled out his wand, ready to Apparate.
"Damn it!"
Mr. Banges shouted,
"Alright, alright, six! Just six! Come back, sir, you're the most astute customer I've met all year!"
Amostra lowered his wand, turned around, and smiled pleasantly again.
"Alright, Mr. Banges, let's discuss the delivery time in detail now!"
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