Discounts Between Colleagues

About twenty minutes later, the shop owner and Daphne finally came out.

"Let's change it as we just discussed, and send it to Hogwarts tomorrow, is that alright?" Daphne was walking at the front, said.

"No problem," the shopkeeper said with a smile. "I'll definitely deliver the dress to Hogwarts on time."

"Alright." Daphne nodded, and, accompanied by the shopkeeper, turned and walked towards the door. "We're going back, Astoria."

As Astoria politely greeted Kyle and Kanna when she passed by, but Daphne merely snorted and said nothing.

Kyle shook his head helplessly; this wasn't the first time this had happened.

Since the start of the school year, some Slytherin have completely changed their attitude towards him.

For example, Malfoy.

Kyle and he had a relationship that wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either, and given Kyle's financial resources, they had quite a lot in common.

But this year is different. The two haven't spoken a single word to each other since the start of the semester, and they haven't even seen each other more than a few times.

Kyle felt that he seemed to be deliberately avoiding him, probably because Lucius Malfoy had specifically instructed him to do so before the start of the school year.

In addition, major clients who had previously contributed Galleon to him, such as Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent, and Maldom, have also unusually distanced themselves from him.

Under their influence, the other Slytherin gradually became much colder towards him, Daphne being one of them.

As friends of Pansy and Millicent, this is only natural.

Faced with her attitude, Kyle, who had originally wanted to say something, didn't interfere and quietly watched them walk out of the clothing store.

After they left, the shop owner came over and asked, "What would you two like to buy?"

"I want to make a new school uniform for winter," Kyle said.

Just like Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions in Diagon Alley, this place also offers bespoke Hogwarts uniforms, and the prices are about the same.

"Just a school uniform?" the shopkeeper asked. "How about a cloak? Dragon Hide cloak, I guarantee it'll keep you warm."

"No need." Kyle glanced at the most expensive cloak on the display shelf, three hundred Galleon.

Although the price isn't particularly expensive for Dragon Hide cloak, it's a complete Dragon Hide cloak.

The cloak before them was pieced together with magic; the upper part had a hint of blue, likely from Swedish Short-Snout, while the lower part was the distinctive greyish-white of Ukrainian Ironbelly.

However, the person who made the cloak did a very good job of concealing it with a unique pattern, making it difficult for the average person to spot.

"And what about the Durmstrang- style cloak?" the shopkeeper persisted, "Only twenty Galleon."

Kyle shook his head again. "Just one school uniform will do."

Hearing Kyle say that, the shop owner slowly stopped smiling.

Hogwarts uniforms are items with fixed prices; unless you buy in large quantities, you won't make any money.

"Okay," the shopkeeper said.

Then a measuring tape flew over automatically and began measuring Kyle's height, while the shop owner went back behind the counter to tidy up the items, completely losing his previous enthusiasm.

However, Kyle didn't seem to care.

A few minutes later, the measuring tape snapped shut, and he walked to the counter, reaching into his pocket to pay.

Perhaps because he had too many things in his pockets, Kyle inadvertently took out several small, miscellaneous items while taking out his money.

A few short, silvery-white hairs, and an irregularly shaped ruby.

"There's too much stuff," Kyle said, quickly putting it back in his pocket and asking, "How much?"

The shop owner's eyes flickered, and after a moment's thought, he said, "One Galleon."

"So cheap?" Kanna blurted out, thinking she had misheard.

It's not like she's never bought anything before.

One Galleon! Forget Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, you won't find a school uniform robe this cheap even in the secondhand shops of Diagon Alley... let alone a thick winter robe like this.

"Yes, one Galleon," the shopkeeper said. "This is the 1,000th school uniform robe we've sold, a special discount."

Kyle smiled, took out a Galleon and placed it on the counter. "How long will it take?"

"It'll be quick, only half an hour."

"What great luck, isn't it?" Kanna said happily after the two left the shop. "It's exactly the thousandth item."

"It might not be just a coincidence," Kyle said meaningfully.

"Do you remember that Dress Robes we were just discussing?"

"The one that cost 300 Galleon?"

"Yes," Kyle said. "If I'm not mistaken, the Unicorn Tail Hair on that dress is the wrong color. It's most likely that the mane was magically pieced together to create the illusion of a tail. And the Fire Crab gem was also made from recarved fragments of gemstones..."

"I dare say all those materials combined are worth at most twenty Galleon, nowhere near as good as she claims."

"Mane and broken gemstones?" Kanna asked curiously, "How did you tell?"

"You'll naturally know once you've seen enough," Kyle shrugged, casually taking out the short hair and gem from his pocket.

"This couldn't be what you were just talking about...?"

"That's right." Kyle nodded. "The raw materials of the Dress Robes, the mane, and the broken gemstones—the shopkeeper obviously recognized them just now as well."

Strictly speaking, Kyle felt that he and this boss were practically colleagues.

He had made something similar before, the most expensive custom maps, which were also decorated with Unicorn Hair and Fire Crab gems.

They're all the same thing, how could he not tell?

However, this shop owner was much darker-skinned than him.

Kyle added in his mind... at least he didn't sell the map for two hundred Galleon.

After leaving the store, it was almost ten o'clock, but Kyle didn't rush to the Hog's Head Inn. Instead, he found a window seat at Three Broomsticks and leisurely sipped a Pumpkin Juice.

Looking out the window, I could see that the number of students outside was gradually increasing, but they were all heading in the same direction, clearly heading to Hog's Head Inn.

The once deserted path is now packed with people.

"There are way more than thirty people here," Kyle muttered to himself.

Kanna glanced out the window as well. "Aren't we going over there?"

"If you're curious, you can go take a look," Kyle said.

"Aren't you going?" Kanna asked.

"Hmm." Kyle nodded. "With so many people participating, someone is bound to leak it out. Umbridge will find out sooner or later."

"My current identity should be that of Professor Dumbledore's adversary, and I shouldn't be there."

"Can't we have them sign a confidentiality agreement?" Kanna thought for a moment. "Let them sign it before we start, promising not to tell Umbridge about this."

"It's not very useful," Kyle said. "Even if no one actively tells on you, friends still chat... who knows, someone might accidentally let it slip, so it's impossible to keep it a secret."

"I see," Kanna said. "Would a stricter agreement work? For example, one that prohibits discussing this matter in any form..."

"Yes, but not now." Kyle took a sip of Pumpkin Juice. "Most people are resistant to contracts. Nobody wants to sign a harsh contract without knowing anything about it."

"Therefore, even if we want to keep it a secret, we can only do so after the matter has been officially decided."

"That's true." Kanna glanced out the window again. "Then I won't go."