You Can Tell They're an Old Otaku Just by Their Speech

[You have obtained your own wand. Limited-time quest complete. Magic Power Index +1.]

After Linley paid Ollivander nine Galleons, the system immediately chimed with the quest completion notification.

Compared to other stat increases for magical talent, the change after his Magic Power Index increased was much more noticeable to Linley.

Something within him, which had been like a slender sapling, now felt as if it had eaten Jinkela and suddenly grown into a small tree.

Though still young, it was far more substantial than before.

He assumed that "something" was his magic power.

After completing a limited-time quest, Linley skillfully twirled his new wand between his fingers, then gently caressed its smooth, straight shaft. The slightly cool touch greatly improved his mood.

Leaving Ollivander's Wand Shop, Linley also went to Flourish and Blotts to buy his Hogwarts textbooks, along with some books recommended by the staff that were suitable for beginner magic users.

He had quite a few books, but they offered free delivery. Linley left his home address, and the bookstore manager promised to have an owl deliver them within a week.

There were still some other supplies to get, like cauldrons, and the shops also offered owl delivery for those. It was convenient for wizards, but it was practically treating owls like delivery drivers.

Well... perhaps there wasn't really a need to treat them like people.

Finally, all he had left to buy was his Hogwarts school robe.

However, such items required custom tailoring. After Linley cooperated with the measurements, he had to wait for the robe to be made. With nothing else to do, he went and crouched outside the nearby Magical Creatures Pet Shop, trying to amuse a rather glum-looking owl.

"Are you a new student at Hogwarts this year? Interested in buying an owl as a pet?" a shop assistant was chattering enthusiastically, trying to sell Linley their magical creatures.

"Although this owl appears a bit introverted, its parents are both common owls at Hogwarts, with excellent bloodlines. After its birth, it received meticulous training from our shop's handlers, making it an absolutely outstanding wizarding companion."

Linley lightly touched the beak of the owl, which was touted as having excellent bloodlines, with his finger. The owl flinched, tucking its neck in, and stared at him with displeased eyes.

"It doesn't seem to like me very much," Linley said, shrugging. "And I wasn't planning on getting a pet anyway."

Just as he was about to get up and check on the progress of his school robe, he suddenly heard a small, soft, cute voice.

"Nyah! Nyah nyah!"

Linley turned his head to see the source of the sound.

It was a pure white hamster, about the size of his fist, round and plump. It was perched between the cage bars, looking at him with its small, shiny black eyes, appearing very cute.

Linley was amused by its voice. He crouched down again in front of the hamster's cage, smiling broadly.

"As soon as it speaks, I know it's a fellow otaku."

"Nyah?"

The hamster tilted its head, as if curious about what he had said.

"What kind of magical creature is this?" Linley asked the shop assistant, pointing at the hamster.

The pet shop assistant seemed unsure of the creature's origin, stammering for a long time and obviously making things up, saying it was a mouse with a very significant background.

It had relatives who had collaborated with Merlin on magical experiments, making it a proper noble bloodline.

Linley immediately stood up, indicating he wouldn't buy it unless they lowered the price, offering only one Galleon at most.

And then... the hamster became his.

Carrying the hamster cage, Linley dangled it in front of him. The hamster wasn't scared, watching its new owner with its small, blinking eyes.

He truly hadn't planned on getting a pet, but the hamster's voice unexpectedly brought back memories from his previous life.

He decided it was fate, and that's why Linley bought it.

"Since I've decided to keep you, I should give you a name..." Linley tilted his head in thought.

"Since you're an otaku, how about Umr?"

"Nyah! Nyah nyah!"

Umr's response didn't indicate whether it agreed or refused, but its name was thus decided by its master.

Linley returned to the robe shop with Umr. Madam Malkin had already finished the school robe and was waiting for him.

"Child, come try it on quickly and see if there are any adjustments needed."

He put on the robe and preened in front of the mirror.

He was still handsome, whether in normal clothes or wizarding robes; his good looks made everything look high-class.

"Thank you, Madam. I'm very satisfied," Linley said to Madam Malkin. "May I wait here for a while? Professor Flitwick arranged to meet me here."

Madam Malkin wrapped up his robe for him. "Of course, child."

He didn't just sit there idly. He casually picked up one of the Hogwarts textbooks and began to flip through it.

From Linley's professional perspective from his past life, the Charms textbook he held was not well-written.

However, considering how wizards used magic, such a situation was understandable.

After all, learning magic wasn't something that could be accomplished by simply memorizing and writing. It was highly practical, and it was difficult to fully explain the casting process through textual descriptions alone.

It was like art students in high school; whether in fine arts or music, they needed professional guidance rather than trying to learn everything through self-study in isolation.

However, there were some simple spells that could be learned just by reading the book. At least, they didn't seem difficult to Linley.

"What's going on today? Why are there so many goblins coming out of Gringotts?"

Madam Malkin's soft muttering caught Linley's attention.

He looked out the window at the long street of Diagon Alley, where many ugly, short, humanoid creatures were patrolling.

They wore Gringotts' special uniforms, their expressions stern and their steps hurried, as if they were chasing someone.

Kurt was the department head of Gringotts' British Diagon Alley branch.

His mood was currently terrible.

Because not long before, Gringotts had been robbed.

Yes, Gringotts could be robbed. Although rare, it wasn't strange.

The stolen item this time wasn't important, but the nature of the incident was extremely bad. If not handled properly, it would greatly affect Gringotts' reputation, and even the goblins' reputation.

"We lost him, sir." A subordinate goblin returned to report to him.

Kurt's already unpleasant expression became even uglier, like a spoiled orange.

"You'd better give me some good news right now, or I'll immediately give you some bad news you won't want to hear." Kurt looked coldly at his subordinate, showing no mercy.

The goblin appeared very nervous, stammering, "We saw his face while chasing him, and some goblins recognized who he is."

"Who?" Kurt's spirits lifted; at least there was some progress.

"Hans Johnson."

Kurt had no impression of this person: "Who is he?"

The goblin swallowed.

"He is the owner of the stolen vault."

Kurt looked at his subordinate as if he were looking at a brainless troll: "He'd steal his own things?"

"Not only that, but according to our records, this Hans Johnson died of old age nine years ago."

"Are you telling me a ghost committed the crime?" Kurt found the matter absurd.

"Could it be... Polyjuice Potion?"

"You said he died nine years ago. What kind of Potions Master could make a potion with such long-lasting effects? And what's the point?"

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

After a while, he looked back at his subordinate.

"Is there any chance of getting the item back?"

The goblin shook his head.

"That item has almost no value, and we didn't leave any tracking methods on it."

Kurt tapped the wooden table with his long, slender fingers.

"The matter probably can't be kept secret. Although the stolen item is worthless, our reputation is priceless.

Prepare to control public opinion. Don't be afraid to spend Galleons. Try to get the Daily Prophet to focus the report on a ghost committing the crime, downplaying Gringotts' involvement. You shouldn't need me to tell you these things; you know what to do."

"I understand."

Recommendation tickets fly!