The Truly Wealthy

Around three in the afternoon, Harley returned the books she had borrowed to her dormitory.

She politely declined Hermione's invitation to stay and read in the library, and turned down Lavender and Parvati's invitation to watch the boys play Wizard's Chess.

Then Harley went alone to Hagrid's home, a small wooden hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

It was called a small hut, but considering Hagrid stood three and a half meters tall, it really wasn't small at all.

When Harley knocked on the hut's door, a burst of barking came from inside.

Then Hagrid's booming voice rang out. "Back, Fang!"

A moment later, the hut's front door opened, and Hagrid's rugged face appeared behind it.

"Welcome, Harley!" Hagrid said loudly. "The last time I saw you, you were just a little girl.

"Now you've grown into a young woman. You look so much like your mother! Except for your hair color—you're more like your father."

Harley nodded quietly. "Hello, Hagrid. What did you want to see me about?"

"Nothing in particular. I just thought we could have a chat." Hagrid laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Your parents and I were good friends, so I wanted to check in on their child."

As he spoke, Hagrid seemed to realize something and took two steps back.

"Come in and sit down, Harley! Try some of my freshly baked Rock Cakes."

Then the two of them went inside and sat down.

It was worth noting that Hagrid's chair was rather tall. After all, it had been specially made for his three-and-a-half-meter height.

Harley was only 1.4 meters tall, not even reaching Hagrid's waist.

Fortunately, Harley had an Assassin's nimble movement skills. Otherwise, she might not have been able to get onto the chair at all.

Hagrid turned to prepare a drink and "dessert" for Harley, then asked, "Harley, would you like some tea? Or maybe some milk?"

"A glass of sweet iced tea would be great," Harley replied instinctively, then caught herself. "No, I mean, some sweet black tea would be fine."

While Hagrid went to prepare it, Harley activated Spirit Vision and surveyed the hut.

As soon as she had entered, Harley had sensed an exceptionally strong Spirituality in the area.

So she had instinctively opened her Spirit Vision, and what she saw left her stunned.

Hagrid was truly extravagant!

Everywhere Harley looked, she saw materials shimmering with Spirituality.

The dirty-looking tufts of hair hanging from the ceiling were especially rich in Spirituality. They would be perfect for crafting binding-type Mystical Items.

The herbs in the bottles on Hagrid's windowsill and the assorted feathers in the basket were clearly no ordinary things, either.

So far, Harley had already recognized Face Rose, hornbeam, Yarn Grass, and a host of other valuable materials.

What did it mean to be rich? This was what being rich looked like! Hagrid was the real wealthy one!

To her surprise, if she wasn't mistaken, those red feathers were Firestone Bird tail feathers, and the bottles beside them held Crystalline Sun Flower and Singing Sunflower.

If she could find Midsummer Grass and Elf Dark Leaf, then brew the July Wine herself, Harley could even make a Sequence 9 Bard Potion from the Sun Pathway right here!

"No," Harley quietly shook her head, refuting her own thought.

"In the world of the Sequence Pathway, those plants contain Beyonder Characteristics, which is why they can be used to brew the corresponding Sequence Potions.

"But these plants in this world might only look similar. They probably don't contain the corresponding Beyonder Characteristics, or perhaps the Characteristics they contain are different.

"So if I brew them together, I'll probably just end up with a failed concoction...

"But... what if I really can brew it?

"If Firestone Birds truly exist in this world, does that mean Calamity Birds exist, too?

"Is my path really not cut off? Do I still have a chance to advance to Demoness of Catastrophe?"

A strange light flashed in Harley's eyes, but in the end, it all gave way to calm.

Whatever the case, she had no opportunity to consider all that yet. She could only take things one step at a time.

She also needed to hurry and finish reading the books Professor Snape had assigned.

She had only stumbled across this by chance, yet Harley had truly found hope!

Hagrid soon brought out the Rock Cakes and some black tea with an enormous amount of sugar in it.

But after trying one Rock Cake, Harley sensibly put down the brick-like thing.

Hagrid began loudly chatting with Harley about her parents, repeatedly emphasizing how much Harley resembled her mother.

Harley smiled and kept responding, subtly steering the conversation toward the various professors at school so Hagrid would tell her about their talents.

With Harley responding so enthusiastically, Hagrid became more and more animated.

And Harley found herself enjoying conversations with the big man more and more. He simply couldn't keep a secret; important information kept slipping out in his words.

At last, the sky outside began to darken, and Hagrid realized he had been talking for far too long.

"It's getting late, Harley. I should take you back," Hagrid said, reluctant to part. "You're welcome to come chat with me anytime!"

"Of course, I'd love to." Harley stood up, then pretended to glance casually at the windowsill. "Hagrid, what are those things on your windowsill?"

"Oh, just a few worthless odds and ends." Hagrid waved his hand dismissively. "I found them all in the Forbidden Forest. They're not worth anything."

Harley blinked, unsure whether Hagrid was showing off his wealth or genuinely had no idea what those things were worth.

"Then, Hagrid, could you give me some?

"I really like Potions, and Professor Snape has agreed to teach me a little more.

"But I'm worried my parents didn't leave me enough money to practice." Harley looked at him pitifully.

Hagrid nodded repeatedly at once. "Of course, Harley!

"You really are like your mother! She liked Potions, too!

"If you're short of any herbs, come ask me. You can find almost every kind of herb in the Forbidden Forest."

After thinking for a moment, Hagrid waved his hand generously.

"Harley, I'd planned to come get you on July 31, your birthday, but Professor Dumbledore took over that job in the end.

"So I haven't given you a birthday present yet.

"Here, then—pick whatever Potion ingredients you like from my hut and consider them your birthday present."

Harley suppressed her excitement, thanked Hagrid obediently, and began picking out the herbs that would be most useful to her.

"Red-haired Fir bark, and Psychedelic Grass! Now I can make the Psychedelic Grass essential oil for the ritual.

"Wow, there's Poison Hemlock, too! I can make at least two more Magic Mirrors now.

"I only have my wand. My means of protecting myself are still far too limited."

Harley gathered up a batch of ingredients, then left Hagrid's Hut, satisfied.

Hagrid didn't mind at all. There were plenty of those materials in the Forbidden Forest, and they were no use to him just sitting around in his hut.

If they could help Harley, Hagrid would be delighted.