All morning, Roy had been constantly weaving through the many shops of Diagon Alley. After lazing around all summer, there was far too much waiting for him to do.
He had no choice. As an orphan himself, he had managed to shield Mia from the wind and rain, but no one could provide him with a stable life. Besides, Mia still needed the Horned Serpent's gem for her illness. He couldn't let Newt pay for it.
So once the new term began, he couldn't stop making money. That morning, Roy had visited every shop in Diagon Alley that sold Potions ingredients and seeds, buying enough in one go to grow crops and brew Potions for an entire year. With Ancient Magic, brewing and farming were both easy for him. Just like the Special Operations Office making bullets, they were guaranteed profitable ventures.
Cedric and the others, meanwhile, had far less to do. After buying their books, he and Connor picked up their resized robes, then brought Mia to the Leaky Cauldron to chat idly while businessman Roy handled his shopping plans.
The three waiting for Roy found an inconspicuous corner in the Leaky Cauldron. Cedric and Connor, who had not seen each other for a long time, chatted about their summer lives and things at school.
Mia listened to their conversation with great interest. Everything about Hogwarts was still fresh to her. When Cedric and Connor started discussing the Quidditch tryouts for next term, curious Mia finally couldn't help herself and asked them about life at Hogwarts.
"So what's life at Hogwarts actually like? All I hear you two talking about is stuff you do for fun. Don't you study?"
Faced with Mia's question, Connor and Cedric exchanged a glance and shrugged helplessly, unsure how to explain it to her.