Haggling, Cat and Mouse

Magical Creatures Shop.

The walls of the shop were lined with densely packed cages, each holding a different kind of animal.

There were rats, owls, cats, two-tailed newts, turtles, toads, venomous snails, rabbits, and ravens—everything imaginable.

But there were no powerful magical creatures like dragons, Runespoors, Phoenixes, or Thunderbirds. Even if they had any, they would not dare sell them. The Ministry of Magic would be at their door to shut the place down in minutes.

The moment the four of them entered, the witch behind the counter fixed her gaze on Abei and unconsciously swallowed.

She had seen hundreds, if not thousands, of cats, but she had never seen one like this.

"Are you here to have an animal checked?"

"Yes," Ron said at once, placing Scabbers on the counter.

A flicker of disappointment crossed the witch’s eyes, but professionalism made her put on a pair of black glasses and examine him carefully.

"How old is your rat?"

"I don’t know. My brother gave him to me."

The witch picked up Scabbers and looked at his damaged left ear and the missing toe on his front paw. She clicked her tongue. "I recommend getting another rat. We have healthy ones here, with all their limbs intact."

Ron looked at the lively black rats packed in a cage, then turned away in disgust. He did not believe these inferior specimens, who only knew how to show off, could compare with his Scabbers.

"All right." The witch took out a small red bottle from beneath the counter. "You may find this rat-strengthening potion useful."

"How much?"

Just as the witch was about to answer, an orange shadow leaped onto Ron’s head and bared its teeth fiercely at Scabbers in her hand.

"No, Crookshanks!" the witch hurriedly cried, but the orange figure paid her no heed.

Scabbers sensed mortal danger and immediately sprang from her hand, bolting madly for the door.

Ron and Harry rushed after him.

"Is that a cat?" Aaron looked at Crookshanks, perched on the counter. "You ought to keep it under control. There are so many rats here, but it had to target a customer’s pet."

"Sir, Crookshanks is usually very well-behaved," the witch said awkwardly.

"So beautiful." Hermione stared at Crookshanks, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Beautiful?" A string of question marks floated through Aaron’s mind. "Hermione, are you sure you’re seeing right? I wouldn’t believe that face hadn’t been smacked by a brick."

"But I think it’s beautiful." Hermione did not care. She turned to the witch. "I’ll take it. How much?"

"Five Galleons."

Hermione had just reached for her purse when Aaron stopped her.

"Five Galleons is too expensive. Lower the price."

"That’s already very cheap," the witch said unhappily. "If you don’t believe me, ask at other shops. That’s what cats cost."

"It just frightened my friend. Clearly, this cat isn’t very obedient."

The witch hesitated for a moment. "How about four Gold Galleons?"

"To be frank, this cat’s appearance is rather distinctive. It probably doesn’t sell very well when you keep it in the shop, does it?"

The witch’s eye twitched, and she forced a smile. "Three Galleons and nine Sickles."

"Though I don’t want to say it, this cat seems a little old. Don’t you think?"

"Three Gold Galleons. I can’t go any lower."

Aaron was about to speak when the witch cut him off. "I’m only running a business. Making money isn’t easy."

"Fine, then. What about that rat-strengthening potion?"

"Two Sickles. Final price."

"Actually, this cat’s fur…"

"It’s yours, sir." The witch immediately stuffed the little red bottle into Aaron’s hand, then looked at the dazed Hermione beside him. "Miss, could you please pay?"

"Oh." Hermione came back to her senses, readily placing three Gold Galleons on the counter before happily gathering Crookshanks into her arms.

"Just a reminder, you came here to buy an owl," Aaron said speechlessly.

"I won’t buy an owl, then. This cat is enough," Hermione said. She could not manage two pets.

"Suit yourself." Aaron shrugged and prepared to leave the Magical Creatures Shop.

"Wait, sir." The witch chased after him. "May I ask if I could have a photograph of your pet? I can pay you ten Galleons as an advertising fee."

"Heh." Aaron refused without hesitation. He did not want everyone knowing he kept a dragon.

Not long after the two of them left the Magical Creatures Shop, they ran into Harry and Ron.

The trembling Scabbers immediately hid in Ron’s pocket when he saw the cat.

"You bought that monster?" Ron said, his eyes wide. "It nearly tore my scalp off just now! And what about Scabbers?

He’s a rat! You could have bought anything, but you had to buy a cat?"

"Don’t worry. Crookshanks will be in my dormitory, and Scabbers will be in yours. As long as they don’t meet, there won’t be a problem."

"Is that really the issue?" Ron said irritably. "Look at Abei. Why doesn’t it…"

Halfway through, Ron’s voice abruptly stopped.

He had nearly forgotten. Abei was a dragon. Catching rats would be beneath it.

"Um… don’t misunderstand.

My Abei doesn’t like your rat either. It disliked him from the first time it saw him, but I kept it under control," Aaron said calmly. Abei cooperated with a low growl.

Ron instinctively covered his pocket, realizing that his rat was trembling violently.

"Stop scaring him. Scabbers isn’t well to begin with."

Aaron shrugged, then patted Abei’s dragon head. Only then did it quiet down.

"Oh, right. You forgot this." Aaron handed the rat-strengthening potion to Ron. "It might be of some use to your rat."

"How much was it?"

"The witch gave it to us," Hermione said excitedly. "You weren’t there just now. Aaron haggled Crookshanks’s price down by forty percent and even got the witch to throw in a bottle of rat-strengthening potion."

"It could have gone lower." Aaron sounded somewhat regretful. He was confident he could have haggled five Gold Galleons down to under two Galleons, but the witch had been too tactful, so he could not keep bargaining.

When they arrived at The Leaky Cauldron, Arthur Weasley was sitting at the bar reading a copy of the Daily Prophet.

A smile appeared on his face when he saw Harry. "Harry, you’re back?"

"Mr. Weasley." Aaron held out his right hand. "It’s a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise."

Harry looked at the newspaper in Arthur’s hands. "Sirius Black still hasn’t been caught?"

"No. The Ministry has mobilized most of its forces, but there has been no progress so far."

"How much is the reward for catching him?" Ron asked with great interest. "Would it be enough for us to travel again?"

"Not just once. It would be enough for ten trips." Arthur recalled the joy of their trip to Egypt, but his face darkened as soon as he finished speaking. "Ron Weasley, I warn you, put those unrealistic thoughts away. Black cannot possibly be caught by thirteen-year-old wizards."

"We have Aaron," Ron said immediately.

Aaron silently took a step back. He had no intention of getting involved in something like that.

Sirius Black was no ordinary fugitive. He had killed thirteen people and still stood there laughing loudly afterward—he was mentally deranged. He had spent twelve years in a place like Azkaban and still managed to escape—that showed unwavering will.

Put those two together, and you got a complete lunatic. Aaron had always kept his distance from people like that.

Seeing Aaron step back, Ron said nothing more and instead placed a newspaper on the table.

"Here’s something for you to see."

The three gathered around and looked at a black-and-white photograph in the paper. The Weasley family stood before several Pyramids, dressed in local clothing and chatting cheerfully.

"Egypt is a magical place. There are lots of ancient things there.

Mummies, ancient tombs."

"I’m so jealous," Hermione said. "The history of ancient Egyptian wizards is well worth studying."

"Aaron, where did you go during the Summer Holiday?" Ron asked. "Did you go traveling too?"

"Uh… that’s a secret." Aaron chuckled.

Was that traveling? It had been an adventure—one that put his life at risk.

At that moment, Mrs. Weasley entered carrying bags and bundles, accompanied by Fred, George, Percy, and Ginny.

When they saw Aaron and the others, they all greeted them warmly. Mrs. Weasley asked Harry several questions, afraid he might forget something when he boarded the train tomorrow.

However, Percy’s way of greeting them made them feel rather flattered. He shook their hands solemnly and spoke with exceptional politeness, as though he had rehearsed it deliberately.

But his twin brothers, George and Fred, copied the way he greeted them, adding seven parts wit and three parts humor. His expression did not look very pleasant.

Percy had been chosen as Head Boy, and the silver badge pinned to his chest had been polished spotless.

"The second Head Boy in the family." Mrs. Weasley looked proudly at Percy, then turned an unhappy gaze on George and Fred. "Why weren’t you two chosen as prefects?"

"Why would we want to be prefects?" Fred said speechlessly.

"It would take too much fun out of life," George added.

"You should set a good example for your sister."

"Ginny has other brothers to set an example for her," Percy said proudly. "I’ll go upstairs to change. I’ll come down for dinner in a while."

Once he had left, George and Fred both looked more relaxed.

"Aaron, what do you think of prefects?" George asked.

"Uh… Niall is a responsible prefect. At least the Slytherins respect him."

"That’s not what we mean." Fred smiled. "Do you want to be a prefect?"

"No." Aaron shook his head decisively. "Being a prefect is too tiring, and you do not even get paid. Compared to my own affairs, a prefect’s duties are simply a burden."

The two looked at each other and gave Aaron approving looks in unison.

"Well said."

"Next time Mum starts nagging, we’ll use that reason."

Aaron: …