Strictly speaking, the old wizard wasn't a pauper. The suitcase he'd cast the Untraceable Extension Charm was filled with all sorts of books and potion ingredients, none of which could be bought with money.
Like Hagrid before him, they didn't seem to have much need for money. To them, the greatest value of these materials lay in the materials themselves.
But Anton couldn't.
Without money, he didn't even have a place to live. Sleeping on the street with a suitcase like that, he'd probably wake up with nothing left.
He'd been eating noodles and steamed buns for the past two months, and he was almost vomiting.
He needed nutritious food, or he might not grow taller.
The potion ingredients couldn't be eaten, and there was no way to even exchange them for money. Diagon Alley wouldn't accept them, and while Knockturn Alley might accept them, they were afraid they wouldn't pay for them.
Snape might be the only buyer Anton could find.
"I need to know where you got them." Snape's face was expressionless.
There was hope!
Anton hurried back, put down his suitcase, and placed the glass bottle on the table. "I killed it myself."
Snape looked incredulous. "The Moon Turtle is a Level XXXX magical creature. How dare you?"
P.S.: According to the Ministry of Magic's regulations on dangerous creatures, a Level 4X designation means that a capable wizard can deal with it. Examples include Dumbledore's Phoenix, Newt's Winged Demon, and the Thestrals pulling the Hogwarts carriage.
He looked up and down and shook his head. They say appearances don't always tell the whole story, but the growth of a wizard's magical power is also scientific. For a child like Anton, there was no way he could possibly kill the Moon Turtle.
"I have a way," Anton replied. Seeing Snape's disbelief, he hesitated for a moment before moving closer and explaining quietly, "Although moon turtles inhabit freshwater lakes, they need to return to the ocean to lay their eggs. The young swim back up the rivers to the lakes." "
As long as we adjust the salt water concentration to simulate the seawater environment, it will feel like it's back in its mother's arms and sleep peacefully."
Anton hadn't lied; he had indeed cut the turtle's brain off with his own hands.
The price was that even though the old wizard had cast a spell to suppress the moon turtle, the sharp thorns on its shell still pierced his chest.
The thickest part was as thick as a mineral water bottle, entering his chest and exiting his back.
Despite the old wizard's miraculous healing potion, he still lay in bed for eight days, the residual toxins irritating him so much that he almost bit off his tongue and committed suicide.
Snape raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise. "That's a good idea."
"500 Galleons!" Anton raised his small hand, fingers spread wide, and held it in front of Snape's face. "For only 500 Galleons, you can take it home!"
Snape's mouth twitched. He was tempted. The price was actually quite reasonable. Even if he had a stable supply of potions, such a piece of jellyfish was hard to come by.
But he didn't have that much money.
No one would carry that many Galleons on their person. Not to mention the weight and volume of 500 metal coins, just for daily expenses, they wouldn't be necessary.
A can of ordinary dragon liver is only 3 Galleons, and an ordinary wand is only 7 Galleons. Even expensive magic books, such as advanced potion-making textbooks, are only 9 Galleons.
500 Galleons is usually spent on extremely high-end magical products and medicinal herbs, such as a suit of goblin armor or 5 pints of Acromantula venom.
P.S.: 5 pints is equivalent to 2.8 liters, a large Coke can.
Speaking of the Acromantula's venom, Snape couldn't help but glance over at Hagrid.
A while ago, the Forbidden Forest warden had brought him a large bucket of venom, excitedly proclaiming that the Acromantula's offspring were alive and well.
"I have it, I have it!" Hagrid's eyes lit up, and he looked at Snape expectantly. "Professor, please help me."
Snape nodded, agreeing to their earlier argument.
"Ah-ha!" Hagrid exclaimed happily, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a bag of gold coins.
He stuffed it into Anton's arms. "Is there six hundred or seven hundred Galleons in there?"
He shook his head and waved his hand. "That's enough!"
He happily grabbed Snape and said, "Let's go."
Xiu'er!
Anton opened the grimy bag and peered inside. The golden light nearly blinded him.
He looked up, and at that moment, he saw no more Snape. Hagrid, in his eyes, was ablaze with gold.
Seeing the two men about to leave, he hurriedly called out to them anxiously.
"Hagrid, I know where there are some cute furry animals. Perhaps I could write to you?"
Hagrid was clearly delighted and nodded vigorously. "Do send me a letter!"
With that, he eagerly dragged Snape away.
Anton happily grabbed a few gold galleons and put them in his pocket, then tied the rest of the money back into the bag and stuffed it into the suitcase.
With that much money, he could go anywhere!
Haha!
He just looked up and saw that many people in the tavern were staring at him intently.
"!!!"
It's over, it's over, Barbie Q.
He was being watched!
Some people even stood up.
Just then, there was a loud knock on the bar counter. The owner, Old Tom, had a wrinkled face that looked quite fierce. "No one can make a move in my bar!"
The man thought for a moment and sat down again, but he still stared at Anton intently.
Anton chuckled, unfazed, and gently placed a gold Galleon on the bar. "Get me a room, and some food. I want meat."
He patted his stomach. "Please give me a double portion!"
Old Tom smiled and held up a lamp. "Room 11, follow me."
Down a narrow, dark hallway, a beautiful wooden staircase led from the bar to the second floor. They arrived at a room marked by a brass plaque, number 11.
Old Tom, the owner, opened the door. Unlike the gloomy hallway, the windows were open, letting in sunlight and a gentle breeze.
Anton walked to the window and could even see the bustling streets of London's Charing Cross.
There were cars passing by, girls carrying shopping bags, and children running around.
A hotel so close to the street, with the constant sound of cars and the smell of exhaust fumes, would be considered quite low-class for a Muggle.
Yet, Anton took a deep breath, his expression fascinated.
This is a familiar smell.
In the two months since he traveled through time, he followed the old wizard to the edge of the city, various messy gathering places, uninhabited forests and caves, and almost thought he had traveled through time to ancient Europe.
He squinted his eyes slightly, and suddenly had an urge to return to the Muggle world to live. It seemed not bad.
He was an ordinary programmer in his previous life, but maybe in this era, he could also become a famous god.
"It's nice here, I'll prepare food for you." Old Tom interrupted his fantasy and walked out again with the lamp.
Anton nodded and looked at the room.
A very comfortable-looking bed, several pieces of very shiny oak furniture, and a fire crackling in the fireplace.
There was a decent-sized bathroom. Walking in, the mirror on the wall greeted him warmly, "You look grimy. Perhaps you need to wash up."
Anton looked at himself in the mirror. His bright red hair shone with a platinum-blonde sheen, giving him an inexplicably odd look. His thin frame resembled a ten-year-old child, clad in a wizard's robe that was too large and ill-fitting.
He smiled at the mirror and said, "You said, even mirrors can talk. If I don't go see such a wonderful world, I'm going to go back to my computer and code. Isn't that a waste of life?"
The mirror twisted against the wall and said, "I want to go out and see the world, too."