A Goblin's Apparition! Professor McGonagall: I'm Such a Terrible Person!

Professor McGonagall then drew her Wand and tapped a brick in the wall.

The brick wall immediately rippled like waves. One brick after another shifted, and a few seconds later, a doorway appeared before Professor McGonagall and Charle.

Professor McGonagall smiled as she opened the door, revealing the bustling sight of Diagon Alley beyond it, and welcomed Charle.

"Come on, Charle. The Wizarding World lies ahead."

Charle was equally delighted. He even pressed himself against the bricks beside the open doorway and gave them a firm kiss before letting out a cheer.

"Wizarding World, here I come!"

Seeing how energetic Charle was, Professor McGonagall could not help but smile. The trace of worry in her heart gradually faded.

She had originally feared that Charle would be traumatized by Dak kidnapping him, but it now seemed that Charle had already forgotten about it.

He's such an enthusiastic child, and rather adorable too.

He feels like he'd fit Gryffindor perfectly.

Professor McGonagall thought silently, already looking forward to the moment when Charle would be assigned to Gryffindor at the Sorting Ceremony.

Yet she had no idea that, as Charle kissed the wall bricks, he too was silently thinking about something.

One lick of a wall brick got me one or two Deduction Points.

As expected, even magically enhanced bricks in the Wizarding World are nowhere near as good as the black reefs on R'lyeh's shore in the dream.

Dak, my dear friend, where are you? When can we meet again? When will you take me to R'lyeh for another feast?

A moment later, Charle reminded himself.

People should not be too greedy.

Though these bricks could not compare to R'lyeh's reefs, they were about as good as the magic-restoration meals at St. Mungo's Hospital.

The key was that St. Mungo's Hospital was only so big and could only provide so many Magic Meals each day. But this wall had at least several hundred bricks, and the Ministry of Magic was responsible for maintaining it.

If he took a few more licks from every brick, that would be several thousand Deduction Points a day. How could he possibly complain?

Coming here for a late-night snack would be pretty nice.

Charle then followed Professor McGonagall through the doorway and truly stepped into Diagon Alley.

Before him lay the bustling scene of the Wizarding World's premier shopping street, with all kinds of ancient shops lining both sides of the road.

The streets were packed with people. Wizard parents were everywhere, bringing their children to buy necessities for school.

Charle estimated there had to be over a thousand people on this street alone!

At that, Charle silently thought to himself.

J.K. Rowling, come out and apologize!

You said there were only three thousand wizards in all of Britain?

What does a novelist like you know about Original Harry Potter?

At this time, Professor McGonagall led Charle down the quaint street toward the magnificent Gringotts.

As they walked, she explained information about Gringotts to him.

The Wizarding World's bank, and the safest place besides Hogwarts.

Charle nodded politely as he listened, though he had deep doubts about it.

The two places Professor McGonagall mentioned did not seem all that safe.

Starting this year, when would Hogwarts not have some sort of incident every year?

Gringotts was even worse. This year, Quirrell would break into its underground vaults with Voldemort.

Honestly, that was understandable. Although Voldemort could only possess Quirrell, he had at least once been the Black Magic Lord. It was only natural that Gringotts' defenses could not stop him.

But a few years later, Harry Potter's golden trio—three students who had not even officially graduated from Hogwarts—would manage to enter Gringotts amid an extremely tense situation, steal Hufflepuff's Cup, and make off with a dragon while they were at it.

It could only be said that Gringotts' vaunted defenses were truly nothing special. It was merely fortunate that the Wizarding World did not have many master thieves.

Thoughts flashed through his mind, but Charle did not slow his pace as he followed Professor McGonagall toward Gringotts' entrance.

Just as they were about to enter, a sharp crack sounded from nearby.

Then, a Goblin appeared out of thin air.

If Professor McGonagall had not reacted quickly and pulled Charle aside, the two of them would likely have crashed into the Goblin who had Apparated there.

Charle paused and stared fixedly at the Goblin, an unusual gleam appearing in his eyes.

Professor McGonagall thought Charle had been frightened by the creature's appearance and hurriedly explained.

"That is a Goblin from Gringotts, an ancient race of the Wizarding World. They are naturally gifted with powerful magic, particularly in the crafting of alchemical weapons. Weapons made by Goblins are renowned."

"Gringotts was founded by Goblins..."

Of course, Charle was not frightened by the Goblin's appearance. He had simply remembered something.

In Original Harry Potter, there seemed to be a distinction between the Apparition used by wizards and the Apparition used by Goblins, House-elves, and the like.

The latter could reach places that wizards could not.

Even if an area was sealed by spells, Goblins and House-elves could still come and go freely.

Even the anti-Apparition spells set by Voldemort could not stop a House-elf that had spent its entire life doing chores.

So what exactly created this difference?

If he could have a Goblin take him along for a few Apparitions and witness the changes involved, it might provide valuable reference material for the Deep Blue System.

That might further reduce the points needed to deduce Apparition.

The first deduction of Apparition currently required twenty thousand points, while the Second Deduction would require at least one hundred thousand.

Charle could not gather that many Deduction Points anytime soon.

But if he could lower the cost of the first deduction to ten thousand, then by scraping together points from elsewhere, he might be able to conduct a Second Deduction of Apparition in the near future!

This space-related magic was simply too useful for escaping with his life.

So, a moment later, Charle called out to the Goblin who was about to enter Gringotts.

"Hello, Mr. Goblin. I just witnessed your Apparition. It truly was amazing magic."

"I just heard from my professor that Goblins are one of the oldest and noblest races in the Wizarding World, naturally blessed with magical talent far beyond that of wizards."

"Your alchemical weapons surpass every Alchemical Item made by wizards."

"That's just so cool!"

When he was first stopped, the Goblin's expression carried obvious impatience.

After all, it could tell at a glance that Charle had been brought to Gringotts by Professor McGonagall to exchange money for Galleons.

And those guided here by Hogwarts professors were generally from Muggle families, not aristocratic Wizarding World families.

By Gringotts' internal assessment, such customers were low-value clients. Naturally, Goblins did not treat them kindly.

But as Charle piled one lofty compliment after another onto it—amazing magic, Goblins being the noblest race, magical talent far exceeding that of wizards...

The Goblin's lips gradually curved upward despite itself, and its expression visibly softened.

"Young wizard, you certainly have good judgment."

"That's right. We Goblins are exactly as you've heard."

Charle struck while the iron was hot and continued to plead.

"Then could you please let me experience Apparition a few times, so I can personally witness the noble magic of Goblins?"

The Goblin hesitated.

"But I have things to do. My time is very valuable..."

Without another word, Charle took out a check from the Bank of London.

"I have two hundred pounds here. Aside from the portion exchanged for Galleons, could the rest be your payment?"

"I only want to experience the noble magic of Goblins. Please do not refuse me, Mr. Goblin."

The Goblin's eyes lit up at the sight of the check.

Two hundred pounds could be exchanged for forty Galleons at Gringotts, but Muggle-born wizards had an annual exchange limit. Even if they were worth hundreds of millions in the Muggle World, they could only exchange a limited number of Galleons each year.

Unless they were willing to pay Gringotts a little "money-laundering" fee.

But Gringotts employees naturally did not face such restrictions.

With the two hundred pounds Charle had produced, a young wizard could exchange at most ten Galleons in his first year. The remaining thirty Galleons would all be its payment.

And all it had to do was take Charle along for a few Apparitions?

The Goblin instantly agreed to Charle's request.

"Deal!"

"My name is Bash. Young wizard, serving our customers has always been Gringotts' principle."

"We can begin whenever you are ready."

As Charle skillfully flattered the Goblin and then even pulled out pounds to bribe it, Professor McGonagall's expression gradually changed. She stared at Charle with disbelief.

How was this child so practiced at bribery?

Professor McGonagall suddenly felt that her previous judgment of Charle might have been mistaken.

She pulled him aside, her expression stern.

"Charle, were you currying favor to achieve your own goals just now? You even offered a bribe?"

"That is not something a child should do."

Faced with Professor McGonagall's stern expression, Charle sighed.

"Professor, as you know, I am an orphan. I grew up in an orphanage and only moved out later."

"You do not think an orphanage is some paradise beyond the world, do you? Pleasing the staff and bribing them so you can eat your fill is a required lesson there."

"I know it is a bad habit, but it seems I can no longer change this habit of trying to please and flatter others..."

"Professor, do you think I'm a terrible person...?"

Professor McGonagall's expression changed instantly. Her stern look became flustered and helpless, her face flushing red. She opened her mouth, yet did not know what to say. Her eyes as she looked at Charle were filled with pity and affection.

"No, no, how could I?"

Professor McGonagall gently hugged Charle, then patted him on the shoulder.

"Good child, once you go to Hogwarts, you will not need to please anyone."

"If anyone dares to bully you, I will not let them off lightly."

"As for now..."

Professor McGonagall took out a Money Bag and stuffed it into Bash's hand, then retrieved Charle's check. She said to Charle, "Go on, have fun. Professor is treating you."

Charle's face was filled with gratitude. Only then did he take hold of Bash, and with a sharp crack, Bash took him away.

After Charle left, Professor McGonagall slowly clutched her head and crouched in a corner beside Gringotts' entrance, murmuring softly.

"How could I speak to poor Charle like that?"

"I must have frightened him terribly, hadn't I?"

"I'm such a terrible person!"