Kern laid out the three situations in one long breath. Richie listened without interrupting, taking in every detail.
He had already considered all three possibilities—and a few more—but hearing a professional break them down gave him a clearer picture of how to handle them.
As for why he even wanted to open a cursed book in the first place… he didn't have to read it. He just liked having options ready.
Richie looked up at the goblin. "So what kind was that Origin of Pain book you showed me earlier?"
Kern's mouth twitched into a sly smile. "That's a second question. One Galleon."
Richie shook his head. "Never mind."
He turned to Hagrid. "We can go now."
The second the words left his mouth, Hagrid scooped him up like a sack of potatoes and spun toward the black-stone wall.
Hagrid did not want Richie spending one more second talking to that goblin.
"Whoa—!" Richie yelped as his feet left the floor. By the time he realized what was happening, he was tucked under Hagrid's arm like a briefcase.
"Hey, Hagrid! Put me down!"
"Once we're outside!"
Hagrid strode forward without slowing down.
Kern didn't try to stop them. He simply snapped his fingers one last time.
"Pleasure doing business, gentlemen. The key has been delivered."
"Feel free to come back anytime."
A moment later, Richie and Hagrid stepped straight through the wall and vanished.
---
Back in the empty alley, the black-stone wall looked exactly as it had before.
The second they were clear of the shop, Hagrid's shoulders relaxed. He set Richie down and planted both huge hands on the boy's shoulders, face dead serious.
"Richie, I need you to understand something. What you just did back there… that wasn't right."
"Knockturn Alley is no place for you. I only brought you so you could see how bad it really is."
"And Kern's Grocery…" Hagrid glanced back at the blank wall, eyes wary in a way Richie had never seen before. "I only go there because he's the only one who carries what I need. I know how dangerous he is. I keep my guard up."
"But you don't know, Richie. So I'm telling you straight: don't let that smooth talk fool you. He's still a goblin."
"Goblins are the sneakiest creatures you'll ever meet."
Richie nodded. He understood exactly what Hagrid was saying. Not one of us, so their hearts are different.
Anyone who could run a shop like that in Knockturn Alley had to be sharp—and dangerous. One careless moment and you'd end up paying twice while thanking them for the privilege.
Hagrid saw the nod and finally relaxed. He didn't treat Richie like a normal twelve-year-old; in his mind the boy was as sharp as a fifth- or sixth-year. He knew Richie got it.
"Come on," Hagrid said, holding out a massive hand. "Let's head back."
Richie took it.
"Oh, and Hagrid? I need to stop at Flourish and Blotts on the way."
"Flourish and Blotts?" Hagrid brightened. "Good. No cursed books there."
"Richie, I've got to say it again—don't you ever—"
---
By the time Hagrid's flying motorbike touched down outside the second-floor window at 9 Silver Maple Road, Richie was cradling a brand-new book in his arms: Legilimency and Countermeasures: Introduction to Mental Defense.
Jeremy—the same clerk who'd sold him Curses and Counter-Curses—had given him the full rundown.
Legilimency was an invasive mind magic used to read emotions and memories. Occlumency was its exact opposite: a defensive art that sealed the mind against mental intrusion.
Richie had been hooked instantly. Five Galleons later, the book was his.
Jeremy, to his credit, had been honest about its limits. Legilimency itself was a banned curse, so the book only gave surface-level explanations—no theory, no incantations. The author had basically used the name to skirt the rules.
As for Occlumency, there was no real "textbook" because the only way to practice was to have a skilled Legilimens attack your mind over and over. The book just shared real-case experiences from students who'd trained against it—so beginners would at least know what to expect.
Richie had almost walked away. The conditions for learning it were brutal.
But then he thought about it: if he ever ran into a Legilimens who decided to crack his head open, his secret—being a forty-something soul in a kid's body—would be exposed anyway. So even if it was hard, he had to learn it.
He bought the book.
The motorbike settled gently outside his bedroom window. Richie climbed out of the sidecar and slipped inside.
"Remember, Richie—six o'clock tomorrow morning, right here!" Hagrid called.
He twisted the throttle and the bike roared up into the night sky.
Richie watched him disappear, then let out a long breath.
That was when he noticed an itch on his chest.
Frowning, he reached inside his robe and pulled out a small, slippery green caterpillar wriggling in his palm.
"Two guests, the key has been delivered."
"Welcome back anytime."
Richie's eyes widened. He found an empty box, gently placed the caterpillar inside, and tucked it safely in a drawer where Wangcai couldn't get at it.
Then he headed downstairs.
Denton was in the living room, reading.
"Hey, when did you get back?" his dad asked, surprised to see him coming down the stairs instead of through the front door. "Did you just learn your aunt's Apparition trick or something?"
Richie gave a quick explanation and handed back Denton's wallet. He kept one Galleon as a souvenir for his dad and pocketed the rest without a second thought.