Caution

Since the bearded shop owner refused to give him a fifty-percent discount, Gemini ultimately left Devish and Banges.

Of course, the main reason was that there was nothing else he wanted to buy.

Making his way to Elegant Wizarding Apparel, Gemini bought a dark green women's robe there—a gift for Professor McGonagall.

Although Gryffindor's representative color was red, people in places like Britain and Ireland actually preferred green, especially in clothing. Every professor had a few robes with green on them.

The robe cost Gemini thirty Galleons.

Compared with Madam Malkin's shop, Elegant Wizarding Apparel's prices were anything but affordable.

But that could not be helped. They catered to the high-end market, with chain stores in both London and Paris. It was only natural for branded goods to cost more.

Gemini had heard that the shop was recently planning to hire Gilderoy Lockhart as its spokesperson. He was quite pleased about that; after the end of their second year, the prices would probably be cut in half...

Gemini had already finished buying Professor Sprout's gift. A few days ago, he had ordered a batch of books from Flourish and Blotts.

Originally, Gemini had planned to give Professor Sprout some herb-care supplies, but after having the good fortune to eat a meal she had cooked, he changed his mind.

If she had not been teaching at Hogwarts, Professor Sprout would surely have become one of the wizarding world's finest chefs.

Gemini had once been fortunate enough to attend one of Professor Sprout's tea parties. Rather than a tea party, though, it had been more like a buffet food gathering, full of older girls who enjoyed cooking.

Noticing that Gemini seemed a little out of place, Professor Sprout glanced at what he had been eating, then made him a fiery beef pasta on the spot using tomatoes, peppers, beef, and other ingredients.

It tasted a little like spicy chicken stew.

It was so delicious Gemini's brain practically trembled...

And the most crucial part was that there was no such recipe for pasta at all. In other words, Professor Sprout had simply sampled several snacks Gemini was eating and unlocked part of his taste-code.

Gemini remembered a scene from a TV drama in his previous life, where a girl had created an irresistible witch's soup based on the flavors a guest ordered. He had once thought it was exaggerated, but now it seemed that drama had not exaggerated at all.

"Professor, is it too late for me to transfer to Hufflepuff?"

"I'm sorry, child, it is too late."

Gemini still remembered Professor Sprout's mischievous smile at the time...

All the good Heads of House belonged to someone else...

So the gift Gemini gave her was a collection of cookbooks from around the world.

Afterward, Gemini bought several large boxes of candy and chocolate at Honeydukes. He mailed them separately to Dumbledore and Holy Cross Orphanage, keeping two boxes to give to the House-elves in the kitchen.

"How much is this quill?"

Scribbulus Quills was the wizarding world's stationery shop.

Gemini pointed at a quill in the display window and asked.

The quill was about fifteen inches long. The metal shaft at the front was around two inches long, while the rear was a huge feather like a flame, brilliantly colored.

"Forty Galleons."

"Fourteen Galleons?"

"Forty, not fourteen!" the clerk stressed at the top of his voice.

Gemini shook his head. "Too expensive."

He did not mind spending a little extra, but forty Galleons for a quill was ridiculous. Quills had short lifespans to begin with, and ordinary ones cost less than five Knuts. Though this one had a metal shaft and was as durable as a fountain pen, it still was not worth forty Galleons.

"Actually, this quill was never meant for students," the clerk said with a shrug. "It's made from Phoenix Feather. The market price for one starts at over twenty Galleons. Most people would not buy it; it's just a display piece here too. The price is too high."

"Phoenix Feather..." Gemini stroked his chin as he examined the fiery red quill.

This thing really was expensive. As a top-tier wand-core material, it would never have been sold so cheaply if first-years did not get a discount when buying wands. It was even more expensive when used for other purposes. He had heard that in places like the Soviet Union and Iceland, a single Phoenix Feather could even sell for fifty Galleons—because those damned places were too cold for phoenixes to exist at all.

So the quill in the display case was extravagantly luxurious. Ordinary people would never use one to make a quill.

Phoenix Feather could be used to make wands, brew potions, or lift evil curses. If there was a most wasteful and meaningless use for it, it was definitely turning it into a quill...

"If you think it's too expensive, you can look at these others. Gryphon, hippogriff, and thunderbird feathers—they're all quite exquisite, and even the most expensive is only five Galleons." The clerk pointed to the shelf beside him. "They also make excellent gifts."

Gemini shook his head. It was not that those quills were unattractive, but everything suffered in comparison. The Phoenix Feather Quill, as dazzling as flame, was simply too beautiful.

"Forget it. Forty, then." Gemini ultimately bought the quill.

Though it was the thought that counted when choosing a gift, bargaining or trying to save money while buying one made the thought itself seem discounted somehow. It felt strange, a little off.

After all, Gemini was only thirty years old combined across both lives, and most of that time had been childhood. Men were not naturally good at shopping, much less boys.

Girls entered a shopping mall like they were navigating an intricate battle formation. Boys entered a mall, headed straight for the first shop they saw, and then—I'll take that black one.

Expecting a creature that could wash the same pair of underwear over and over and wear it for years to understand the meaning of shopping was unrealistic...

Afterward, Gemini bought a pile of interesting little items from Zonko's Joke Shop as Christmas gifts for Draco, the twins, and the others. With that, his trip to Hogsmeade had come to an end.

At last, Christmas quietly arrived.

Early in the morning, Gemini stared at the mountain of gifts beside his bed and fell into deep thought...

He had moved back from the Room of Requirement to his dormitory after Halloween, so naturally, the gifts had been delivered there.

What Gemini had not expected was to receive so many gifts.

Picking up one gift box, Gemini glanced at the postcard attached to it.

"Marcus Flint? Why would he give me a Christmas present?" Gemini could not make sense of it. "Did he put an evil curse on it?"

With a trace of caution, Gemini placed the gift box on the table, then moved far away and drew his wand, pointing it at the box. "Liberacorpus."

Whoosh—

The ribbon around the gift box was tugged open by an unseen force. Then the box opened, revealing what was inside.

It was a Quidditch maintenance box.

"Are there any House-elves nearby cleaning rooms? If so, please come over!" Gemini shouted as he opened the door.

That bastard was far too cautious...