Borrowing Books Attracts the Boss

In his previous life, Wizet had lived in an orphanage, so he had always lacked a sense of security.

The simplest way to gain a sense of security was to make his wallet bulge.

Although he now had five hundred Galleons on him, thinking of the future, increasing income and cutting costs was something he had to consider.

He had yet to find a chance to increase his income, but cutting costs was something he could put into practice immediately.

In the magical world, books were expensive. Not a single one cost less than one Galleon.

If all he had on him was the student grant, then buying textbooks alone would have taken nearly half of it.

Wizet checked the list and found all the textbooks he would need for school.

He swam through the sea of books, gnawing on a couple of biscuits when he got hungry.

A bookstore clerk stood at a distance and watched for a long time. Looking at the boy who kept taking books back and forth, she curled her lip, impatience practically spilling across her face.

She had seen far too many customers who came to freeload on books, and had mastered a whole set of techniques for tailoring her approach to the person.

Old wizards in shabby clothes, weathered by life, generally had thicker skins and were hard to drive away with just a few words.

The Wizet before her was different. He carried a cauldron with him, and the books he was flipping through were all first-year Hogwarts textbooks. He was unmistakably a new student about to enroll.

New students about to enroll were bound to have thinner skins;

His clothes were not exactly fine, either, so he was not likely to be a child from some wealthy and powerful pure-blood family;

He kept flipping through the textbooks, probably because he wanted to touch the new books. If he were really going to buy them, he would definitely choose a secondhand bookstore...

With all these factors added together, the clerk walked up to Wizet.

"Dear customer, you've been here for most of the day. Would you like me to prepare you a cup of black tea?"

Wizet asked instinctively, "Black tea? How much is it?"

In his previous life, he had also freeloaded on books. Aside from selling books, bookstores would also open little cafés that sold drinks and desserts.

"Then you need to go next door!" the clerk said impatiently, pointing outside. "There's an ice cream shop there. You can go there!"

"Wait..." The clerk's eyes suddenly widened, and cold sweat broke out all at once. "You're that Obscurial?"

Wizet had already grown used to people's reactions. He put the book back on the shelf. "Sorry. I'll leave now."

He had already exceeded his goal, recording a huge stack of books in his mind.

Since the clerk had given him the order to leave, there was no need to stay here any longer.

Hagrid had not come back yet, so he planned to go to Ollivander's Wand Shop first and get the most important thing, his wand, in hand.

"Don't say that..." The clerk waved her hands again and again. "Carry on... I didn't say anything just now! Carry on..."

"What happened?" A middle-aged man in bright, well-kept clothes, with elegant bearing, walked over and stood between the two of them.

"Boss..." The clerk wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I only saw that this customer had been here for a long time, so I told him he could go sit in the ice cream shop next door."

"Is that so?" the bookstore owner murmured. "Dear customer, why don't we go upstairs and sit for a while?"

Although Wizet was full of confusion, he still followed the bookstore owner to the second floor.

The instant he stepped onto the second floor, the clamor from the first floor vanished, replaced by tranquility.

Clearly, magic had been cast here as well, creating an atmosphere entirely different from the one downstairs.

The layout of the second floor was very carefully arranged. All kinds of furnishings looked ancient, filled with classical beauty.

Wizet could not help sighing. "It really is a wonderful place to read!"

"Thank you." The bookstore owner gestured for Wizet to sit. "What would you like to drink? Would black tea do?"

Wizet felt a little constrained and nodded lightly. "Of course!"

The bookstore owner spoke again. "I am the owner of Flourish and Blotts, Clotilde Bagshot. May I ask how I should address you?"

"Hello, Mr. Bagshot. My name is Wizet."

"Their income is tied to the bookstore's sales, so sometimes they take inappropriate measures. I hope you can forgive them."

Wizet was full of doubt. Why was this bookstore owner's attitude toward him... so good?

"I can understand, of course." But he also knew how hard it was for working people, so he waved his hand and said, "That clerk wasn't actually wrong, either. She really did ask me whether I needed black tea."

Bagshot took a sip of black tea. "Oh? You really thought... that sentence meant exactly what it sounded like?"

"Yes. I thought there was a teahouse or café here for passing readers to use."

"A teahouse in a bookstore? I'm very interested in that idea. Could you tell me about it in detail?"

Seeing Bagshot's sincere attitude, Wizet nodded and told him his views on bookstores from his previous life.

Bagshot was indeed listening seriously. He even waved his wand and conjured a quill and parchment, recording what he said.

"Mr. Bagshot, I must say this sincerely—the environment on the second floor is truly wonderful, very suitable for holding all kinds of book clubs."

"Since you care more about the influence the bookstore brings, having the clerks take the initiative to provide service would undoubtedly improve the bookstore's overall reputation."

"Even if they don't buy books, they'll still order a cup of black tea and a dessert. With the clerks' service and the elegant surroundings, the bookstore's own style would rise as well."

"Marvelous!" Bagshot revealed a brilliant smile. "In truth, this bookstore is my family's business. I want to take it a step further and give the bookstore some personal characteristics of my own."

"Unfortunately, I never found a better way and could only helplessly stay where I was. Today, from your words, I found a brand-new path..."

"Having the shop assistants serve customers well, making customers realize that Flourish and Blotts is a special place—what a brilliant idea. I've benefited greatly from it!"

Wizet waved his hands again and again. "As long as it helped you. After all, I've been reading here all morning too."

In truth, he had merely transported the idea over. This model had been quite common in bookstores in his previous life.

Bagshot still thanked him, not only covering all his future textbook expenses, but also permanently reserving an elegant seat for him on the second floor.

As long as Wizet came to Flourish and Blotts to read, whether it was tea or desserts, everything would be provided free of charge.

Bagshot brought Wizet to the front of a small, shabby storefront. "Wizet, this is Ollivander's Wand Shop. Remember to come sit in the bookstore often."

"If I get the chance..." Wizet nodded repeatedly. "Thank you for bringing me here."

Watching Wizet walk into the shop, Bagshot did not return to Flourish and Blotts. Instead, he turned into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour beside it.

He walked briskly to the very back, where an elderly man with a head of silver hair was sitting.

Dumbledore was eating sweets, with a pile of Lemon Sherbets in front of him. "Clotair, you're here! What's your impression of Wizet?"

"A very clever child!" Bagshot sat down, his face glowing. "If it weren't for those reports, I wouldn't have been able to see even the slightest sense of an Obscurial in him."

"He has a maturity far beyond others his age, and his thinking is the same. Merlin's beard! You might not be able to imagine it, but I actually drew inspiration from him!"

"He gave me a marvelous idea, one that could let me leave my name in the family history... Perhaps Bathilda might even record this matter and write it into A History of Magic!"

"Oh? There's actually such a thing?" Dumbledore's tone carried a hint of surprise. "Could you tell me about it in detail?"