The next day, at the same time, in the same Hufflepuff common room, Kyle, Cedric, and Kanna sat gathered around together once more.
Only this time, there was an extra pile of gleaming Galleons on the table before them.
"One, two, three..."
"No need to count..." Kyle glanced at Cedric, raising an eyebrow. "Not one more, not one less—exactly sixty Galleons."
"That much..." Cedric stood there with his mouth open, feeling lightheaded, as though he were dreaming.
In truth, it really had felt like a dream. Their plan had gone unbelievably smoothly that day.
Although Kanna had been so nervous that she completely forgot the proper process and pulled out the map the moment they met, like some sort of salesperson.
No, even salespeople would at least greet their customers and exchange a few pleasantries, instead of getting straight to the point like Kanna had.
Kyle and Cedric had been left staring blankly at the scene, wondering whether they should even keep acting.
But they got their answer soon enough.
Because Rowle and Yaxley's reactions had been just as unexpected.
Before Kanna could even say anything, the moment they saw the gold edging on the map, they eagerly began asking where it had come from.
When they learned that there were only ten of them, they immediately abandoned their earlier haughty manner and began chatting enthusiastically with Kanna.
Linking arms with Kanna, they laughed and reminisced about amusing things from a banquet several years ago, looking for all the world like close friends who had known each other for years.
Kanna muddled along with them all the way. By the time she returned to the Hufflepuff table, she had ten Galleons in her hand.
As for exactly when those Galleons had ended up in her possession, Kanna's memory was