What an extravagant gesture! Donating broomsticks directly to all four houses?
This... this... Everyone was startled by Zhang Xiao's words. They looked up at him in astonishment. It was a truly mad idea.
A Quidditch team fielded seven players. Add a spare broomstick, and each house would need eight.
That meant thirty-two for all four houses. The Nimbus 2000 was no longer the latest model; the manufacturer had already announced the Nimbus 2001.
According to estimates, the Nimbus 2001 would cost a staggering 2,000 Galleons each! (Note 1)
So thirty-two broomsticks would come to... 64,000 Galleons!
An astonishing figure! Using our Mr. Arthur Weasley's annual salary as the unit of measurement, that sum would require roughly thirty-two Mr. Arthur Weasleys.
Don't think that 64,000 Galleons were worth merely three hundred thousand pounds or so. For one thing, there was a limit on exchanging pounds for Galleons.
Only after arriving at Hogwarts had Zhang Xiao learned that exchanging pounds for Galleons was an arrangement between Hogwarts and Gringotts, intended to give Muggle-born young wizards a way to obtain Galleons.
In reality, Hogwarts subsidized the whole thing.
An older Slytherin student finally could not hold back.
"Zhang... 64,000 Galleons... that's no small sum."
Zhang Xiao shook his head helplessly. Why were these wizards so inflexible?
He was just about to speak when a slightly trembling voice beat him to it.
"No, that's not how you calculate it."
Malfoy stepped forward, swallowed, and drew a deep breath. His pale cheeks flushed with excitement.
"We can split the cost. There are about twelve families here. Once we divide it evenly, the figure won't look nearly so shocking.
"And my father knows a director at Nimbus. If we order thirty-two broomsticks at once, we can definitely get a good price.
"Everyone! It really isn't that