Chapter Fifteen: The Enchanted Zoo

“All right, I’ll give you a discount!” He gritted his teeth, deciding to offload the books at a low price; otherwise, they would just gather dust in the shop.

“Three sickles per book, ten books bundled together, no less!”

“Twenty sickles...”

Back and forth they haggled, and in the end, the ten books sold for twenty-five sickles and sixteen knuts.

Roger also halved the price on the remaining items directly, while Elvin watched the boy trembling across the counter.

“You brat, that’s impossible! I won’t sell these this year, and I can wait until next!” Elvin shook his head firmly. “At most, an 80% discount! I won’t sell for less than that!”

“All right, all right. Forget the textbooks and crucibles. Look at these potion bottles—they haven’t even been cleaned out properly. The scales haven’t been calibrated; I don’t even know if they work. As for this telescope, it’s completely rusted shut, can’t even turn it,” Roger tested Elvin’s bottom line, refraining from pushing the price further.

“Restore them to their original state, as good as new!” Elvin glared at Roger, waving his wand, and the minor issues Roger mentioned vanished instantly.

“And now, brat?” Elvin glared fiercely.

Roger replied calmly, “Eighty percent it is.”

Elvin quickly calculated in his mind: “Eighty percent of these items is sixty-nine sickles and seventeen and a half knuts, plus twenty-five sickles and sixteen knuts, totaling five galleons, ten sickles, and four and a half knuts.”

Though older, Elvin remained exceptionally sharp with numbers, sparing no detail. He reluctantly accepted Roger’s 80% offer while mentally calculating the profit margin of the deal.

“Here’s your change!” Roger laid six gold galleons on the table, placing the items into a nearby undetectable expansion bag.

“You brat, that’s not included in the price we agreed on,” Elvin said, sweeping the gold galleons into the drawer with one hand while pressing down on the bag with the other.

“This undetectable expansion bag is worth fifteen sickles; you didn’t pay for it earlier. If you want to take it, add seven sickles more!” Elvin narrowed his eyes, refusing to be taken advantage of.

Roger frowned, pulling out a gold galleon and slapping it on the table, then casually grabbed an old wand from the pen holder, sneering, “So stingy!”

“No need to give change.” He tossed the old wand from the pen holder into the bag and walked out of Elvin’s shabby secondhand shop without looking back.

Elvin curled his mustache with satisfaction, thinking, “You brat thinks you can cheat me? Not a chance!” He flicked a gold galleon happily and stowed it away in the drawer.

At that moment, Elvin realized the old wand Roger had taken was a fine piece worth at least one and a half gold galleons. Not only had he not made Roger pay extra, he had also lost the value of the undetectable expansion bag!

Regret washed over Elvin, but Roger had already gone far away. “Brat, just wait—next time I’ll give you a 120% discount!” he called back mockingly.

Despite the minor setback, Elvin still made a small profit, but stumbling over one brat left him feeling uneasy.

“Wand and textbooks all set, now I just need a pet,” Roger looked toward the direction of Gringotts.

Diagon Alley was shaped like a zigzag, with Gringotts situated right at the crossroads. The trouble caused by Kilo was escalating, and even Aurors from the Ministry of Magic had arrived.

Roger glanced at the crowded street ahead, gave up on the owl shop across the crowd, and turned toward the Fantastic Beasts Emporium nearby.

Stepping into the Fantastic Beasts Emporium, Roger was dazzled by the wonders inside. Phoenix feathers and curved eagle beaks hung on the walls; a magical eye floated inside a slender-necked bottle on the counter.

Compared to the owl shop, this place was filled with all manner of strange magical creatures.

In a glass case, a teal fire-stealing lizard breathed flames, while nearby a tank held silverfish and a green water monster called Grindylow.

A purple eight-eyed giant spider lazily crawled across webs on the wooden ceiling, and a pile of twisted horns in the corner, silver-white and tawny, gave no clue as to which magical beasts they came from.

“These are flying deer antlers, very rare,” the shop assistant approached, noticing Roger’s curiosity. “Flying deer can soar through the sky; their antlers can be used for wands and potion ingredients.”

“I’ve never seen you around Diagon Alley. Are you a new Hogwarts student?” The assistant smiled at Roger, gesturing toward the magical creatures.

“First-year students must bring a pet. Would you like to take a look?” The assistant was warm and polite, far more welcoming than Elvin next door.

“Thank you.” Roger nodded at the friendly assistant, looking at the owl perched on its roost and then at the cats in the shop.

“Why are only three kinds of animals allowed?” Roger asked curiously.

“It’s mainly for the safety of the students and because these animals are easier to train and care for,” the assistant explained patiently after a moment’s thought. “Hogwarts is in the Scottish Highlands, and students are far from home. Owls help deliver letters—very useful magical companions.”

“Cats and toads are smaller and quieter, so they won’t disturb other students. Compared to owls, cats bring warmth and companionship, easing homesickness. Toad slime is also a valuable potion ingredient.”

“Besides, these three types are easier to care for and don’t require complicated environments. The school expects students to focus most of their time and energy on learning magic,” the assistant added with a smile, then looked to Roger, waiting for the young customer to decide which animal companion to choose.

“I want to buy an owl and a cat,” Roger decided after some thought. The thought of a toad, all slimy and gross, gave him goosebumps—what kind of weirdo would bring such a pet?

“Ah?” The assistant was surprised. “First-year Hogwarts students are only allowed one pet when they enroll.”

“Of course,” Roger nodded. He wasn’t choosing two pets for himself, but for Jessica.

For eleven years, Roger had always been by Jessica’s side. Come September, he would attend Hogwarts, leaving Jessica to wait alone until he returned for breaks.

Though they could communicate through owls, Roger still wanted to buy a cat to keep Jessica company.

“I understand your feelings,” the assistant said softly upon hearing Roger’s intention to buy an extra pet for his mother. “Come, I’ll show you the owls and cats in the shop.”

The assistant opened a small door inside the shop, revealing a world filled with nature.

“This... what is this?” Though he had lived two lives, Roger was stunned by the sight before him.

Behind the small wooden door was a vast, zoo-like space with bright sunshine, fresh air, a gently flowing stream, lush trees, colorful flowers—and various magical creatures wandering about.

“No wonder this shop is called the Fantastic Beasts Emporium,” Roger marveled.

“This space was created using the undetectable expansion charm so we can better care for these wondrous animals,” the assistant explained. “Follow me; let’s start with the owl section.”

Excited, Roger followed the assistant through the verdant foliage to the owl habitat, where dozens of owls of various species perched on branches, curiously eyeing the new visitor.

“This is a long-eared owl from Eastern Europe, strong and sturdy, capable of flying through snow and wind. It costs twelve gold galleons,” the assistant said, pointing to a pale gray owl with long ears.

The owl turned its head, looking at Roger with wide, round eyes full of curiosity.