Old Blood at Hogwarts

Aaron quickly turned to the second page of the letter in his hand and saw that it read:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

uniform

First-year students need:

Three sets of plain robes (black)

One plain peaked hat for day wear (black)

A pair of protective gloves (dragonhide or similar)

One winter cloak (black with silver buckle)

Please note: All student clothing must have a name tag

textbook

All students are required to prepare the following books:

"Standard Spells (Elementary)" by Miranda Gorshak

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

The Theory of Magic by Adebe Wulfling

The Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Swich

A Thousand Miraculous Herbs and Mushrooms by Phyllida Spohr

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

Magic Potions and Potions by Arsene Giger

Breaking with the Ghost by Gilderoy Lockhart

"Walking with Ghouls" by Gilderoy Lockhart

"Holiday with a Dominatrix" by Gilderoy Lockhart

"Walking with Trolls" by Gilderoy Lockhart

"A Voyage with a Vampire" by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wandering with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

"A Year with the Tibetan Yeti" by Gilderoy Lockhart

Other items

a wand

One crucible (made of pewter, standard size No. 2)

A set of glass or crystal vials

a telescope

a brass balance

Students may bring an owl, a cat, or a toad.Parents are particularly reminded that first-year students are not allowed to bring their own broomsticks.

"How should I buy these things?" After reading the list of items, Aaron raised his head and said with some embarrassment, "I mean... I don't have money..."

"Don't worry." Professor McGonagall comforted, "Hogwarts has a fund specifically provided to those who need funding to purchase textbooks and school robes. However, the funds are not sufficient, and some of your books and items may only be Buy second hand.”

As she spoke, she took out a leather purse from her pocket and handed it to Aaron.

Aaron opened the money bag and saw some round coins inside.Aaron took out one of the coins and observed it, and found that the coin was actually made of gold.

"gold?"

Aaron was surprised.Even though Aaron stayed in the orphanage all day, he knew that no country in the world used gold coins anymore.

"This is gold galleons, a currency circulating in the magical world." Professor McGonagall explained, "In addition, there are silver Sickles and copper Knuts. One Galleung is equal to seventeen Sickles. One Sickle is equal to 29 Nats.”

At this time, Professor McGonagall took out a pocket watch and looked at it: "Okay, don't look at it. We have to hurry up and buy everything."

Aaron put the galleons in his hand back into his purse and asked, "Where are we going to buy these things?"

Even if he had no common sense, Aaron would not think that wands and magic books were things that could be bought casually.

"Diagon Alley," Professor McGonagall replied, "I will accompany you there and help you buy everything."

Then, Professor McGonagall said hello to Aunt Jasmine and left the orphanage with Aaron.They took the subway to the city center, passed bookstores, record stores, movie theaters... and finally came to an ordinary street.

"This is it." Professor McGonagall stopped and said, "This is the Leaky Cauldron, a very famous place."

Only then did Aaron notice that there was a dirty, small bar in front of him. If Professor McGonagall hadn't pointed it out, he probably wouldn't have noticed it.At the same time, Aaron noticed that the eyes of passers-by would only fall on the big bookstore on one side and a record store on the other side, without even looking at the Leaky Cauldron, as if they couldn't see it at all.

Aaron asked with some uncertainty: "People don't seem to be able to see it?"

"Yes." Professor McGonagall replied, "This place has been enchanted to drive away Muggles."

"Muggle?"

This was the second time Aaron heard Professor McGonagall say this word.

"It means people who don't know magic."

Professor McGonagall explained casually and led Aaron into the store.

The bar was dark and dirty inside.Several old women were sitting in the corner of the room drinking sherry.A bartender with almost all his hair missing and a face like a shriveled walnut stood behind the bar, wiping his glasses.

Seeing Professor McGonagall and Aaron coming in, the bar owner quickly stepped forward and said, "Welcome, welcome. Professor McGonagall, do you want a drink?"

"Don't talk nonsense, Tom. I'm going to Diagon Alley." Professor McGonagall said politely.

The bar owner looked at Aaron, who was following Professor McGonagall, and asked, "Is this this year's new student?"

"Yes." Professor McGonagall pulled Aaron forward, "This is Aaron Elf."

"Welcome to the magical world, Aaron." The bar owner extended his hand to Aaron, "I am the owner of this bar, Tom."

Aaron carefully stretched out his hand to shake it and said softly: "Thank you."

"Okay, it's time to go." Professor McGonagall said at this time, "There are still a lot of things to buy."

Afterwards, Professor McGonagall led Aaron past the bar and to a small patio surrounded by walls.There's nothing here except a trash can and some weeds.

Professor McGonagall came to the wall where the trash can was placed and said to Aaron: "You may come here by yourself in the future, so remember how to open the door. Count three blocks up from here, and two blocks vertically. block, and then tap the brick three times with the wand."

As she spoke, she tapped her wand three times on the wall.

The brick she had struck vibrated, and then the bricks along the entire wall began to move.First, a small hole appeared in the middle. The hole grew larger and larger, and soon it turned into a wide arch.On the other side of the arch is a winding, endless street paved with cobblestones.The streets were filled with people wearing pointed hats, cloaks and robes.

Aaron was so surprised that he couldn't speak.Professor McGonagall led him through the arch.Aaron quickly looked back and saw that the arch suddenly narrowed, and then turned into a solid wall again.

The bright sun shines on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop, and a sign hanging above it reads:

【Patchy Crucible Shop Crucible】

——All sizes

——Pure copper, brass, pewter, silver

——Automatic stirring

——Foldable

Aaron needs a pewter crucible among his school supplies.He originally thought that Professor McGonagall would take him in to buy a crucible, but Professor McGonagall did not do so and took him directly past the store door.

"Aren't we going to buy a crucible?" Aaron asked curiously.

"Remember? Our budget is limited." Professor McGonagall explained as she walked. "If we want to buy everything, we have to be careful with our budget. Therefore, your crucible can only be bought second-hand at a junk shop."

Aaron followed Professor McGonagall as he walked down the street, looking around and feeling that everything was so novel.

A low and soft "Woo-Woo" sound came from a dark store. The sign in front of the store read:

【Eela Owl Shop】

——Gray wood owl, screech owl, grass owl, brown owl, snowy owl

A fat woman stood outside a shop called "Slug Giggs' Pharmacy". When Aaron and Professor McGonagall passed by, she shook her head and said, "Dragon liver, or seventeen ounces an ounce." 1), this is so crazy…”

In front of a store called "Quidditch Boutique", several children about Aaron's age clung to the window, staring at the broomsticks displayed inside.

Aaron heard a boy say: "Although the 'Nimbus 2000' is good, it is an old broom from last year. I heard that the 'Nimbus Racing Broom Company' will launch the new 'Nimbus 2001' next month..." …”

In addition, Aaron also saw shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes, shops selling quills... as well as banks, newspapers, publishing houses and other facilities.

Finally, Professor McGonagall led Aaron to a store called "Second-hand Robe Shop" and said, "We will buy you a robe first, and then we will buy other things."

Professor McGonagall and Aaron walked into the robe shop, and a witch wearing a blue robe immediately came over with a smile and said: "Oh, Professor McGonagall, welcome. Do you want to buy robes, or do you have robes to sell?"

Professor McGonagall said: "Daisy, do you still have second-hand Hogwarts student robes here?"

"Of course." The witch in blue named Daisy said, "I have Hogwarts student robes in various sizes."

Then, she looked at Aaron and said, "My dear, do you want to buy a robe? Come with me. I will measure your size first, and then find you a suitable robe."

At Professor McGonagall's signal, Aaron followed the man named Daisy to the back of the store.Daisy had Aaron stand on a footstool and began taking his measurements.

After a while, Daisy took the measurements.She asked Aaron to stay where he was, while she went to the warehouse to find a robe for him.

After waiting for about 10 minutes, Daisy came out with three black robes and said, "You are a freshman at Hogwarts. I remember that freshmen need three sets of robes. Let's try them on to see if they fit."

While trying on clothes, Aaron asked strangely: "How do you know I'm a freshman?"

"If you weren't a new student, why would Professor McGonagall come with you?" Daisy said as she helped Aaron put his robe on.

"Are you familiar with Professor McGonagall?"

"Of course. When I was still in school, Professor McGonagall was already a professor at the school."

"You also graduated from Hogwarts?"

"Basically all wizards in the UK graduate from Hogwarts."

While talking, Aaron had already tried on three robes in sequence.

To be honest, these three robes are not very good.Although it was still neat and clean, it was obvious that it was old clothes that had been worn for a long time and had some wear and tear on the edges.While it fit reasonably well, it didn't exactly fit Aaron's figure, and the sizes of the three robes themselves were slightly different.But for second-hand goods, you can't ask for too much.

So, seeing that there were no holes in these three robes and that they generally fit well, Aaron paid for them.

Then he picked out a pointed hat and a winter cloak in the store.

After Daisy put name tags on Aaron's new clothes, he left the robe shop with Professor McGonagall.

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(Note 1: ounce, imperial unit of weight measurement. 1 ounce is equal to 28.350 grams)