NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: CH 8
Holly wood and phoenix tail feather, that should be the combination.
Kaysen couldn't quite remember, as he'd been distracted during their visit to Ollivanders. It wasn't until they met up with Hagrid, who was running late, and asked him about it that he finally recalled.
Hagrid, meanwhile, was talking non-stop about the chaos at the Leaky Cauldron patio.
"You won't believe it—some genius didn't know how to get into Diagon Alley and just knocked down the brick wall! Can you believe that? Didn't even think to ask Tom the bartender for help!"
Kaysen and Harry exchanged nervous glances but said nothing.
"Why are you looking at me like that? You weren't the ones who wrecked it, were you?"
"…"
"You didn't cause the damage, right?"
"…"
"Merlin's beard… Hurry up, hurry up. The Aurors are already out of their minds looking for you. Let's move!" Hagrid sighed, ushering the two of them into the crowd.
"By the way, did you go to Gringotts?" Hagrid asked as they walked.
"…What's Gringotts?" Harry asked, looking up at him curiously.
"It's that big white building over there. It's the wizarding bank. Dumbledore's been holding onto the key to your family vault, so today's the perfect time to give it back to you. I've got some business to take care of there as well."
The three of them arrived at Gringotts Wizarding Bank and boarded a mine cart headed toward the underground vaults.
"Is this thing safe?" Kaysen asked, his mouth twitching as the cart began to shake.
"Safety is Gringotts' first priority," the goblin sitting at the front of the cart said, turning to address him.
As the mine cart started moving, Kaysen stared at the scenery flashing by and shouted, "This is awesome!"
"…"
"Noisy, are we?"
"No, it's just… amazing!" Hagrid roared in agreement from the front.
Eventually, the two parted ways to visit their respective vaults, leaving Kaysen leaning against the stone wall, staring into space.
Kaysen didn't have much interest in opening a vault. After all, if he needed storage, he could conjure a Shulker Box, and if that wasn't enough, he could upgrade to an Ender Chest.
After some time, Hagrid emerged with his business taken care of, standing by the wall and waiting.
"Why is Harry taking so long?"
"I don't know…"
Just as they were beginning to grow curious, Harry finally emerged, lugging a large sack of gold Galleons. He walked straight toward Kaysen.
"…I have a feeling…"
As expected, Harry held out the sack of Galleons to Kaysen, but Kaysen didn't take it. Gold was as meaningless to him as pebbles on the side of the road. He would've preferred a simple wooden plank for crafting.
"What are you doing?"
"Paying you back," Harry said earnestly.
Kaysen turned to Hagrid for support, but the giant shrugged.
"Take it. It's a gesture of Harry's gratitude. You did pay back the Dursleys for him."
"Can't you help persuade him otherwise?" Kaysen groaned before kneeling down to Harry's level and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Listen, Harry, I'm not great at talking to kids, but you really don't need to do this. Maybe you don't know this, but I'm an alchemist—gold is completely useless to me. Don't dwell on that issue with the Dursleys, and put the coins back in your vault."
Harry looked between Kaysen and the sack of coins, then shook his head stubbornly.
"…Hagrid, some advice, please?"
"How can I? It's Harry's decision. Besides, the Potter family vault is loaded. He won't miss it."
"That doesn't mean I can accept money from a child! It's not right. Honestly, I don't need it."
Kaysen sighed and added, "As your future Alchemy professor, let me teach you your first lesson: while it's good to be generous with friends, sometimes throwing money around can hurt a friendship rather than help it."
Reluctantly, Harry nodded and carried the sack back to the vault. Kaysen let out a sigh of relief. By the same principle of balance, rejecting the gold brought a surge of favorability points from Harry.
As they leaned against the wall waiting, a goblin approached Kaysen cautiously.
"Excuse me, sir, are you an alchemist? And a professor at Hogwarts?"
Before Kaysen could respond, Hagrid stepped forward, glowering.
"Stay away from my friends."
The goblin scurried off, and Kaysen turned to Hagrid, bewildered.
"What was that about?"
"Goblins are a tricky lot. Best to keep your distance unless you've got no other choice," Hagrid replied firmly.
Soon, the three of them returned to the surface. Every time a goblin tried to approach Kaysen again, Hagrid scared them off with a fierce expression. It wasn't until they stepped out of Gringotts that Hagrid's usual cheerful demeanor returned.
"Right, let's see… books, robes… we'll divide up the tasks. Harry, take some money and go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Kaysen, you go buy Harry's books from Flourish and Blotts. I've got some personal business to handle in Knockturn Alley."
"Got it. Harry, wait for me at Madam Malkin's. I'll find you after I get the books. Don't wander off."
At Flourish and Blotts, Kaysen picked up the required first-year textbooks. While browsing, he also grabbed some basic alchemy books. The advanced ones in the Hogwarts library were far too complex for him to understand.
He summoned an Ender Chest, packed the books inside, and watched as the chest dissolved into green pixels and disappeared into the air. To others, it looked like an intricate alchemical creation.
For example, a boy with platinum blonde hair and his father, both of whom were watching him.
"That's a very fine piece of work. Is it from an alchemist?" the boy asked, wide-eyed.
Kaysen turned to the pair—Draco Malfoy and his father, Lucius Malfoy.
"I made it myself. It's nothing special."
"You're an alchemist?" Draco asked.
"Draco," Lucius interjected, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. His face showed no emotion as he removed his glove and extended his hand to Kaysen.
"Lucius Malfoy."
"Kaysen Heath." Kaysen shook his hand politely, unsure why the man was introducing himself so formally.
This version uses accurate Harry Potter terminology:
• Gringotts Wizarding Bank for the vault visit.
• Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and Flourish and Blotts as shops in Diagon Alley.
• Draco Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy for the platinum-haired pair.
• Knockturn Alley for Hagrid's mysterious errand.
This aligns the chapter seamlessly with the Wizarding World while maintaining its original humor and storytelling style.