chsdbacks Chapter 25 Subsidy
Chapter 25 Subsidy
Without saying a word, he led the two to a counter, then turned and left.
After the fairy behind the counter confirmed the two's needs, even her formulaic smile disappeared.
"Name."
"Lucas McGregor."
The goblin produced a list, and Lucas saw that it bore the Hogwarts stamp. He searched carefully through the list, found Lucas's name, and then squinted at him.
"Hmm... I'm not sure... How can you prove you're Lucas McGregor?"
Lucas was stunned for a moment. How can I prove that I am me?
The fairy drawled, "I believe that, according to the regulations, you should first provide the relevant supporting documentation..."
"I am Professor Pomona Sprout, the Herbalist at Hogwarts," Professor Sprout began, her voice unusually tinged with anger. "I was commissioned by Professor Dumbledore to guide this child through his pre-enrollment preparations. I suppose my credentials are sufficient, aren't they?"
The fairy stared at her, startled, and quickly put away the list in her hand: "Alright, I think so. Please forgive me, I didn't notice you just now..."
He then turned to Lucas, but his attitude was not at all enthusiastic.
"Five pounds can be exchanged for one Galleon."
Lucas placed the money bag he had been clutching for so long on the counter, ready to empty all the pounds.
But the fairy merely glanced at it disdainfully and said in an infuriating tone, "You can only exchange for fifty Galleons at most, don't keep taking money."
"Fifty Galleons?" Lucas was stunned. That was two hundred and fifty pounds. "Why? I brought enough money to exchange for more..."
The goblin let out a short laugh: "Why? Sir, you don't think these Muggle scraps of paper are of any use to us, do you? Allowing you to exchange them is a special policy given to students like you by Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. To put it bluntly, it's a pitiful subsidy."
Lucas glanced instinctively at Professor Sprout, who gave him a reassuring look and nodded gently.
"Lucas, that's true. Don't worry, this subsidy is calculated, and if you use it sparingly, it'll be enough to buy everything on the list."
"How many times can I change it? It can't be just this once, can it?" Lucas asked again.
"That depends on what year you get at Hogwarts," the goblin said impatiently, banging on the counter. "Anyway, starting from your first year, you can only exchange a maximum of fifty Galleons per year. Ha, you won't get this kind of good deal after you leave Hogwarts."
Lucas counted out two hundred and fifty pounds. The goblin grabbed the banknotes, didn't even count them, and casually tossed them into a basket nearby. Then, with a sigh, and with great reluctance, counted out fifty thick gold coins from a drawer, put them in a leather bag, and reluctantly handed them to Lucas.
He sighed to Professor Sprout, "Look, they got a huge sum of Galleons with just a few pieces of useless paper. Tsk tsk... So please understand that we have to verify identities, otherwise, some desperate pure-bloods or half-bloods might impersonate Muggle students to scam this grant."
"Lucas, don't worry about it." After leaving Gringotts, Professor Sprout comforted him, "There are many Muggle-born students at Hogwarts, and more than a quarter of them receive this stipend each year."
"There are countless wizards who were Muggle-born but later made outstanding contributions and had a huge impact. Lucas, everyone believes that you will become a very good wizard."
However, Lucas didn't need anyone's comfort, and Professor Sprout saw a bright smile on his face.
Fifty Galleons, two hundred and fifty pounds, is that enough?
That's fantastic! This way, Grandpa's hard-earned money can be saved a lot.
He nodded. "Yes, Professor, I will try my best. Now, please take me to buy the items on the list."
Professor Sprout chuckled, "If we buy everything on the list new, we'll run out of fifty gallons. If you don't mind buying secondhand items, I can help you figure out how to buy them, which will save you some money."
"Of course I don't mind, Professor, I'll listen to you," Lucas said.
Professor Sprout took the list: "First are these textbooks: Standard Spells (Beginner)," "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "A Thousand Magical Herbs and Mushrooms"... New books cost one or two Galleons each, while used books are only a few Sickles. Buy these at a used bookstore; the books are secondhand, but the knowledge is brand new."
"Then there are the uniforms you'll need: work robes, pointed hats, protective gloves, capes... I think a good fit and comfort are more important. Let's go to Madam Malkin's shop to have them tailored."
"Oh, a wand! You definitely need a new wand that's completely your own. Secondhand wands are of dubious origin and can significantly hinder your spellcasting, which isn't a good thing for a newly enrolled wizard."
"Telescopes and brass balances can be secondhand, as long as they're accurate. But the crucible and a set of small potion vials are better bought new. Who knows what was in secondhand ones before? Some potions can't be cleaned properly..."
"Alright, now you'll have a few Galleons left," Professor Sprout said with a smile, handing the list back. "Perhaps you can buy yourself a pet."
Pets? Lucas was also looking forward to it. The list said that an owl, a cat, or a toad could be brought, but Professor Sprout said that this was just a reference example, and any pet that was not dangerous could be brought.
Lucas followed Professor Sprout on his shopping spree, starting with the nearest shop and moving further afield. He first ordered the necessary uniforms from Madam Malkin's Robe Shop, then skipped Flourish and Blotts, which was piled high with magical books, and went into a nearby secondhand bookstore.
"Hi John, how's business lately?"
A tall, thin young wizard peeked out from behind a pile of rickety books, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Oh, Professor Sprout, hello! What brings you here—"
Professor Sprout patted Lucas on the shoulder: "This is Lucas, a freshman at Hogwarts. I brought him here to buy first-year textbooks."
John immediately looked knowing: "Leave it to me, Professor!"
He warmly shook hands with Lucas: "Hello Lucas, have you decided which house you want to go to? Since Professor Sprout is your mentor, you'll naturally go to Hufflepuff, right? I graduated from Hufflepuff, by the way, that was three years ago..."
Professor Sprout smiled helplessly: "John, we're in a hurry."
"Of course, of course." John led Lucas into the shop, where there were towering stacks of old books, layer upon layer of bookshelves, leather-bound books, silk-bound books, old parchment, papyrus, and even a few clay tablets that were shaking incessantly.