The Book-Bumming Incident That Brought the Owner

Vizet had grown up in a welfare institution in his previous life, and he inherently lacked a sense of security.

The simplest way to gain a sense of security was to make his wallet as fat as possible.

Although he now had five hundred Galleons on him, he had to consider the future, which meant finding ways to increase his income and reduce his expenses.

He had not yet found a way to increase his income, but he could immediately start cutting expenses.

In the Magical World, books were expensive. There were no books priced below one Galleon.

If he only had his scholarship, buying the textbooks alone would eat up nearly half of it.

Vizet consulted the list and found all the textbooks needed for school.

He swam through the sea of books, munching on two Biscuits whenever he got hungry.

The bookstore clerk had been watching him from a distance for quite some time. Seeing the boy repeatedly take books from the shelves, she curled her lip, her impatience practically spilling across her face.

She had seen too many customers who came to browse without buying, and had developed a knack for "judging a book by its cover."

Poorly dressed, weather-beaten old Wizards generally had thick skin and were difficult to drive away with a few words.

The Vizet before her was different. He carried a Cauldron with him, and all the books he was browsing were first-year Hogwarts textbooks. He was unmistakably a New Student about to enroll.

New Students about to enroll were definitely more thin-skinned;

His clothes were not particularly impressive either, so he could not be the child of a wealthy and powerful Pure-blood Family;

He kept flipping through the textbooks, probably wanting to feel the new books in his hands. If he truly intended to buy, he would certainly choose a secondhand bookstore...

All these factors combined prompted the clerk to walk over to Vizet.

"Excuse me, sir, you've been here for most of the day. Would you like me to prepare you a cup of tea?"

Vizet asked instinctively, "Tea? How much does it cost?"

In his previous life, he had also browsed books without buying them. Bookstores did more than sell books; they sometimes operated small cafés that sold drinks and desserts.

"Then you should go next door!" The clerk impatiently pointed outside. "There's an ice cream shop over there. You can go sit there!"

"Wait..." The clerk suddenly widened her eyes, and cold sweat instantly broke out across her forehead. "Are you that Obscurial?"

Vizet had grown accustomed to people reacting this way. He returned the book to the shelf. "Sorry. I'll leave right now."

He had already exceeded his goal, recording a large stack of books in his mind.

Since the clerk had ordered him to leave, there was no need to stay any longer.

Hagrid had not returned yet, so he planned to go to Ollivander's Wand Shop first and get the most important item, his Wand.

"Please don't say that..." The clerk waved her hands frantically. "Keep going... I didn't say anything just now! Keep going..."

"What happened?" A well-dressed, elegant middle-aged man approached and stood between the two of them.

"Boss..." The clerk wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I only saw that this customer had been here for a long time, so I told him he could go sit in the ice cream shop next door."

"Is that so?" The bookstore owner murmured. "Why don't we go upstairs and sit for a while, then?"

Although Vizet was filled with questions, he still followed the bookstore owner to the second floor.

The moment he stepped onto the second floor, the noise from below vanished, replaced by a sense of tranquility.

Clearly, magic had been cast here as well, creating an atmosphere entirely different from that of the first floor.

The second floor had been arranged with great care. Every decoration appeared ancient, filled with classical beauty.

Vizet could not help sighing. "What a wonderful place for reading!"

"Thank you." The bookstore owner waved his hand and invited Vizet to sit. "What would you like to drink? Tea?"

Vizet was somewhat ill at ease. He nodded lightly. "Of course!"

The bookstore owner spoke again. "I'm the owner of Flourish and Blotts, Klothar Bashat. May I ask your name?"

"Hello, Mr. Bashat. My name is Vizet."

"Their income is tied to the bookstore's sales. Sometimes they take inappropriate measures, so I hope you can forgive them."

Vizet was filled with confusion. Why was this bookstore owner treating him so well?

However, he also knew how hard it was for people who worked for a living. He waved his hand and said, "Of course I can understand."

"That clerk wasn't actually wrong. She really did ask me whether I wanted some tea."

Bashat took a sip of his tea. "Oh? Do you truly think... she meant exactly what she said?"

"Yes. I thought this place had a tearoom or café for visiting readers."

"A tearoom in a bookstore? I'm very interested in that idea. Could you tell me more about it?"

Seeing Bashat's sincere attitude, Vizet nodded and explained his thoughts on bookstores from his previous life.

Bashat truly listened attentively. He even waved his Wand, conjuring a quill and Parchment to record everything Vizet said.

"Mr. Bashat, I must say this sincerely—the second floor is absolutely wonderful. It would be perfect for hosting all kinds of book clubs."

"Since you place greater importance on the influence brought by the bookstore, having the clerks take the initiative to serve customers would undoubtedly improve the bookstore's overall reputation."

"Even if they do not buy a book, they will order a cup of tea and a dessert. Combined with the clerks' service and the elegant surroundings, the bookstore's own character will be elevated as well."

"Brilliant!" Bashat broke into a radiant smile. "Actually, this bookstore is a family business. I want to take it a step further and give it some personal characteristics of my own."

"Unfortunately, I've never found a better method and could only helplessly remain stuck in place. Today, through you, I've found an entirely new path..."

"Having the clerks serve customers well and making customers realize that Flourish and Blotts is a special place—what a brilliant idea! It has benefited me immensely!"

Vizet waved his hands repeatedly. "I'm glad I could help. After all, I've been reading books here all morning too."

In truth, he was merely transporting an idea. This model had been quite common in bookstores in his previous life.

Bashat still thanked him. Not only did he cover all of Vizet's future textbook expenses, he also permanently reserved an elegant seat for him on the second floor.

Whenever Vizet came to Flourish and Blotts to read, all his tea and desserts would be provided free of charge.

Bashat led Vizet to a small, shabby shop. "Vizet, this is Ollivander's Wand Shop. Remember to visit the bookstore often."

"If I have the chance..." Vizet nodded repeatedly. "Thank you for bringing me here."

After watching Vizet enter the shop, Bashat did not return to Flourish and Blotts. Instead, he turned into the nearby Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

He walked briskly to the very back, where a white-haired old man was sitting.

Dumbledore was eating candy, with a pile of Lemon Sherbets in front of him. "Klothar, you're here! What do you think of Vizet?"

"He's an exceptionally clever child!" Bashat sat down, his face glowing. "If not for those reports, I never would have been able to see even a hint of an Obscurial in him."

"He possesses a maturity far beyond his years, and his thoughts are the same. Merlin's beard! You can't imagine it—I actually gained inspiration from him!"

"He gave me a wonderful idea that could make me famous in the family's history... Perhaps Bathilda might even record this event and put it in History of Magic!"

"Oh? Something like that actually happened?" There was a trace of surprise in Dumbledore's voice. "Could you tell me about it in detail?"