Anton felt relieved after coming out of Gringotts.
Around his neck hung a bronze pendant with the word "Fairy Wallet" and a key to the vault.
On his chest hung a shoulder bag, which contained the diary of the old wizard when he was an apprentice.
Although he was still carrying a suitcase, he felt relieved. Carrying all his belongings into the dangerous wizarding world always made him feel a strong psychological burden.
Anton carried the suitcase and went back to the Vizeacre Magical Supplies Store to buy a dragon skin backpack.
These were all necessary expenses.
With this backpack, which was about the size of an elementary school student's schoolbag, he decided to buy some regular magic books. If he couldn't study on his own, he would have a reference to teach Lupin when he recovered.
Arriving at Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, he asked the owner about the first-year Hogwarts textbooks. After picking and choosing, Anton finally chose three books: "Standard Spells, Elementary", "Magic Theory", and "Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Defense".
He was also interested in "A Thousand Magical Herbs" and "Magical Potions and Spells" on the list, but unfortunately, they were too thick and bulky.
Just these three volumes cost a whopping four gold Galleons.
And these were beginner's science books. Learning in the wizarding world always comes at a high price.
Only schools like Hogwarts have the most comprehensive collection of magical books, and they offer free access.
Anton imagined that if he ever had the chance to study there, he would definitely take his blanket and live there. He bought a handy wand at Ollivander's, and it cast spells far better than a second-hand one.
What else?
A wizard robe from Madam Malkin's Robe Shop?
The price tag on that thing was ridiculous. Anton already had a wizard robe, though it didn't fit him.
He had to be frugal!
An orphan in a previous life, Anton knew better than anyone how to control his spending urges.
If he didn't want to trade the precious potion ingredients left by the old wizard for money, the only assets he had left as a young wizard with no source of income were the hundreds of Galleons Hagrid had given him.
Besides Lupin's tuition, attending a magic academy would also be a significant expense.
But he eventually made his way to the Quidditch boutique.
Private cars in the wizarding world were too expensive, so it would be better to get a motorcycle for transportation.
Especially since these motorcycles were fuel-efficient.
Quidditch brooms were clearly a favorite among young wizards. As Anton approached the door, he saw countless children gathered around, exclaiming in amazement at an exquisite broom in a cupboard.
Next to the broom hung a small wooden sign, inscribed with the model's name: Nimbus 2000.
Seeing the children's drooling expressions, the parents standing behind him exchanged wry smiles, clearly believing such a pricey luxury item was beyond the reach of ordinary families.
Anton had no intention of buying the expensive-looking gadget; just the fact that it could fly was enough.
But he still asked after pushing the door open.
"New arrival, only 400 gold Galleons." The shop owner smiled happily.
"!!!"
Anton was shocked. He thought he was a wealthy man, but he never expected a broom to be so expensive!
Ferrari!
Never mind, he'd just ride a motorcycle.
The flying brooms on the shelves were divided into series.
The Nimbus series, the Comet series, and the Sweep series.
The shop owner obviously saw that the young wizard was planning to buy one, and enthusiastically introduced the performance of the Nimbus 1000.
Anton glanced at the price of the old model, and his mouth twitched. "Boss, these series don't look cool. What's that hanging over there?"
In addition to the three major series, the store also has many individual items.
"It's got a 79mm oak handle, excellent durability and strong wind resistance, and it doesn't fly very fast, making it perfect for a young wizard like you."
Anton interrupted him. "So this broom flies very slowly?"
The boss shrugged. "It's safer." "
Haha, if I were to ride a broom, it would either be for a cross-country trip or to escape. You're telling me that slow flying is safer?
" Anton refused. "I want the fastest!"
The boss's beard twitched. The greasy, middle-aged man gave a lewd smile and raised an eyebrow. "You're still young, you don't understand. Men shouldn't fly too fast."
Oh my!
Is it okay for you to make dirty jokes to a child like me?
Seeing Anton's face darken, the boss sullenly moved to another broom. "It's a fire starter, very fast, but the downside is that it lacks the power to climb, and there's a noticeable stagnation."
Each product has its own problems and shortcomings. Considering that he might need to rely on it to escape in the future, Anton ultimately chose the Sweep Series's Eight-Star Sweep.
It's a sporty flying broom, suitable for travel, and most importantly, it's a common broom used in Quidditch, with guaranteed performance.
P.S. The impoverished Weasley family relies on the Sideswipe series for travel. While the book doesn't specify the price, since each family member has one, it can't be that expensive.
The Sideswipe series has evolved from one star to nine stars, with each upgrade offering significant performance improvements.
The eight-star version suffers from a serious problem: it's too short.
Standing upright, it's almost as tall as Anton.
"Oh, it can't be too short, you know? For just a little extra, you can get the latest Sideswipe nine-star..." The owner continued to nag, but Anton flatly refused.
"Grab a broom, hop on, and take off!" The owner, clutching a broom and shaking his hips, explained how to use it in his characteristically greasy voice. "It's simple, no skill required, unless you're planning on playing Quidditch."
By the time they returned to the Leaky Cauldron, darkness had quietly fallen.
After enjoying a delicious meal, Anton glanced at the pitch-black night and gathered his luggage to leave.
"Little wizard, it's best not to go out at night. The darkness is full of dangers. You might encounter evil black wizards, ferocious werewolves, or terrifying ghosts," the boss, Old Tom, advised in a childish way.
Anton smiled and shook his head.
It was still the dead ghost teacher's experience. Humans move during the day and sleep at night. So if you plan to do something sneaky, choose night.
At this time, as long as you overcome the inherent human fear of the dark, you can minimize the complex and unexpected situations caused by the comings and goings of people during the day.
As it happened, he was planning to do something evil.
Destroy the body of his dead teacher.
After leaving the bar, he boarded his broomstick. Although he wasn't very skilled, he could still slowly fly into the sky, searching for a suitable place.
After flying for more than half an hour, Anton finally saw a place that looked very familiar.
A lumberjack's hut in the forest outside the city.
It had been destroyed by a spell cast by an old wizard, and judging by the traces on the ground, no one had been there since.
He opened the suitcase, dragged the old wizard out, and laid him on the ground. Anton took out the potion given by the fairy Pedro from his pocket and slowly poured it into his mouth.
Instantly, a feeling of being freed from the shackles of the "unbreakable oath" spell spread from the depths of his heart.
Anton focused his attention on the corpse, slowly backing away with his flying broomstick.
It was obvious that the fairy Pedro was not as kind as he said, and was just using a hallucinogen to make the old wizard sleep for a while.
Sure enough, a cloud of strange gray smoke emerged from his mouth.
Bang!
The old wizard's head, like gunpowder meeting a lighter, instantly erupted in a vast expanse of pale blue flames.
It even splattered everywhere, corroding and burning the surrounding grass.
Soon, the headless corpse, caught in the flames, also caught fire.
This flame was eerie. Though apparently cold, it continuously ignited both the body and the weeds. In a short moment, only fine black-gray sand remained.
"Xiu'er!" Anton stared in amazement at the small glass bottle in his hand. It still contained a third of the potion.
He tightened the cap firmly and carefully placed it in his pocket.
It was a wizard's version of corpse-dissolving water.
Amazing!
Suddenly, the fine sand from the old wizard's charred body emitted dark green threads of light.
They intertwined in mid-air, forming a strange pattern of squares, curves, and runes.
"Holy crap!" Anton reacted instantly. He'd guessed right. The old wizard hadn't died completely after his head was severed.
Bang!
The 'White Hand', placed on top of the suitcase and intended for disposal later, suddenly emitted a strong, dark green spider-like light.
It then exploded with a bang.
The blast reached a full two meters, piercing through the suitcase and creating a deep crater in the ground.
The dark green, luminous magic pattern in the air intertwined and distorted the air, and a faint, crooked building could be seen forming in mid-air.