A Bustling Gringotts

Luan had never imagined that one day he would see so many people with bars above their heads.

Three segments, four segments, three segments, blank, three segments.

Luan had always assumed that these differently colored bars represented a wizard's strength.

Back in Xilin, he had only seen them above the heads of one child and the Alliance Military Academy's admissions officer.

The child's bar had been blank, while the admissions officer's had contained two segments.

But a single example could not prove anything. It was like the Hazelnut Forest he guarded—you could not see that one or two trees bore little fruit and declare that this year's harvest was poor.

Now that he had seen so many wizards, the longest bar still belonged to Professor McGonagall, with a full five segments.

But after seeing so many wizards, Luan only became more confused.

That elderly-looking wizard from earlier had actually had a blank bar just like his.

"Does a wizard's strength have nothing to do with age?"

Whatever those wizards' strength might be, Luan found this street called Diagon Alley quite comfortable.

The overall surroundings were much like his hometown: shabby pubs, weathered brick walls, cobblestone streets, and old-fashioned shopfronts.

That ancient feeling was the face of Xilin.

The moment he emerged from the passageway, Luan spotted a shop selling all sorts of strange-looking kitchenware.

Curiously, he looked at its sign: Potage's Cauldron Shop.

Luan had now learned the meaning of every word in the shopping instructions. He knew that this kind of cauldron was also one of the mandatory items for school.

Looking at the stacks of cauldrons in different colors in the display window, along with the price of a solid gold cauldron beside them, Luan touched the money pouch hidden against his chest and hurried toward Gringotts.

There were gradually more people in Diagon Alley. Luan noticed that most wizards wore dark-colored clothes, and everyone wore robes.

"A pair of bat wings costs five Galleons? They might as well be robbing people."

"Hurry up and withdraw the money from Gringotts. It isn't safe there."

"The Daily Prophet reporters have gone there again. They don't believe Gringotts lost nothing."

Listening to the conversations of passersby, Luan found it increasingly wondrous. This place and the London beyond the wall were practically two different worlds.

Following two wizards talking about going to Gringotts, Luan soon arrived before a snow-white building.

Seeing the sign reading "Gringotts Wizarding Bank," Luan knew this was where he could exchange money for wizarding currency.

But Gringotts was especially bustling today. Quite a few people were gathered around a short figure dressed in black formalwear.

Luan froze. The figure surrounded by the crowd did not seem to be human.

Just as Luan was wondering about it, a short, strange-looking creature in a scarlet uniform trimmed with gold approached him.

"Welcome to Gringotts Wizarding Bank, sir. What service do you require?"

"I want to exchange for Galleons."

"Very well. Please follow me."

Gringotts was decorated grandly, far grander than the council hall in Xilin Town.

The counters on both sides were staffed by the same short, strange creatures, though the business they handled seemed quite valuable.

Gems, pearls, gold ingots.

Things Luan had never seen in Xilin were carefully weighed by the little creatures before being put away.

Luan merely glanced at them before being led to a counter at the very edge.

This spot happened to face the chaotic crowd outside.

"Mr. Wright, how can you be certain Gringotts lost nothing? After all, you cannot enter the vaults."

"Of course. Without authorization from the vault owners, we would not enter them. But the doors to these vaults are all intact."

Luan could hear the sharp questioning voice of a middle-aged woman outside, along with the constant clicking of cameras.

"Sir, sir, are you exchanging for Galleons?"

"Oh, yes."

Hearing the creature behind the counter call to him, Luan immediately pulled two cloth bags from inside his shirt and placed them on the counter.

Seeing the worn cloth bags and hearing the clink of coins within, the creature behind the counter's expression turned cold.

Clatter~

Both bags of coins were poured onto the counter, and the creature's expression worsened.

"Sir, we do not accept Muggle copper coins. We only accept pounds."

As it spoke, the creature picked up a twenty-pence coin and looked at Luan.

"Is there such a rule?"

"Uh... everyone thinks so."

"But I didn't know that, and you have no such rule, do you?"

It was already close to noon, and Luan had no time to return to the bank outside to exchange for pounds, then come back to exchange them for Galleons. By then, the shops here might well have closed.

"That has nothing to do with me. We truly do not accept copper coins."

Both Luan and the other party spoke rather loudly, because otherwise they could not hear each other. The reporters outside were simply too noisy.

As the creature spoke, it scooped up the coins and began stuffing them back into the bags. Luan looked at the many people withdrawing money around him, then at the chaotic crowd outside, and a bold idea flashed through his mind.

"Gringotts is bullying—"

A loud male voice had only shouted half the sentence when a creature in a black uniform immediately came over.

"Sir, sir, please do not shout. If you have any requests, you may tell me."

Seeing that everyone around them was looking over and that even the chaotic noise outside had fallen silent, Luan satisfactorily explained what had happened.

"Exchange it for him, quickly. Can't you see Mr. Wright is having a hard time dealing with things outside? Rita Skeeter is famously difficult to handle. If she comes in again—"

"But we have no precedent for this, sir, do we?"

"Don't worry. After today, the bank will introduce a new rule and no longer accept Muggle copper coins."

Luan did not know what the two little creatures said to each other, but in the end, he got his first pot of Galleons as he wished.

"Today's exchange rate for Galleons to pounds is 1.07 to 5, sir. Here are your Galleons."

While the other party waited anxiously, Luan counted the 107 glittering gold coins three times before finally leaving Gringotts with peace of mind.

"Thanks to that wizard who stole from Gringotts."

As he walked out through Gringotts's doors, Luan muttered to himself.

He knew that this thief, who was likely a Dark Wizard in other people's eyes, had helped him twice today.

First, he had been able to exchange for Galleons smoothly.

Second, there were now many Aurors lying in wait on the streets.

Young as he was, carrying over a hundred Galleons was extremely dangerous, and Luan knew it himself. Fortunately, no one followed him along the way.

After leaving Gringotts, Luan first followed the shopping instructions on the parchment to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Madam Malkin was a short, plump witch with a beaming smile, dressed in purple. The moment Luan saw her, he felt an immediate sense of warmth.

"Oh, I never expected a Young Wizard to come buy robes today!"

Hearing that, Luan smiled happily. It seemed he had made the right choice in coming today.

"Stop looking, dear. The school uniforms are all standard. You can try one on first."

"How is it, dear? If you need it, I'll recut it according to the measurements I just took. It'll be quick. You should be able to pick it up after buying the rest of your things."

Madam Malkin asked with the clothes Luan had just tried on draped over her arm.

"Can it be cheaper?"

"Dear, I'm sure you know the price. The total is twenty-two Galleons and five Silver Sickles. If you need it, I can waive the odd amount."

"Could it be a little cheaper? Say, fifteen—"

Before Luan could finish, Madam Malkin shook her head.

"Child, that is no way to haggle. You're the one starting school; I'm not closing down for a clearance sale."

"Uh, all right."

Luan understood. Nearly every wizard here wore robes, so Madam Malkin could not possibly sell at half price just because he was the last person this year to buy school robes.

Seeing Luan's embarrassed expression and the scars on his hands, Madam Malkin helplessly shook her head.

"Of course, dear. If you're having difficulties, you can try the secondhand robe shop next door."

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