Ancient Wizards Return to Hogwarts.

Chapter 5 Diagon Alley

After gazing at the night view outside the window for a while, Rice found a bed near the stairs and lay down, while Lupert chose the bed opposite him.

Lupert lay down on the bed and drew the curtains. A rustling sound came, then the curtains were lifted slightly, revealing boots that had been taken off and placed under the bed, while the robe was hung on a hook at the head of the bed.

After a short while, Lupert's voice rang out: "Sir, haven't you had any contact or communication with the outside world for a long time?"

"Yes," Rice replied to her question with her eyes closed, lying flat on the bed.

"And who are you?" Lupet couldn't contain her curiosity; she really wanted to know who this person she was following was.

"Just a remnant of the old era. How did you become a werewolf?" To prevent Lupert from continuing to ask questions, Rice changed the subject.

Lupert paused for two seconds, then told Rice that he had been attacked by werewolves when he was a child. Although he survived by sheer luck, he was still infected and turned into a werewolf.

Ok? !

Rice opened his eyes instantly. He had thought that Lupert had been bitten and infected by a werewolf after she grew up, but it turned out that she had become a werewolf since childhood? Then how was she able to obtain a wand and become a wizard? This was too puzzling.

"I received my Hogwarts acceptance letter when I was eleven years old, which surprised me, but Hogwarts, or rather Professor Dumbledore, will always give people like us a chance."

"Ah, is that so?" Rice sighed. "I guess this Professor Dumbledore must not be from Slytherin House."

"Yes, he is a Gryffindor."

Silence fell over the carriage, and nothing was said that night.

As the sun rose again, the Knight bus braked suddenly in front of a run-down little bar, and Rice and Lupert woke up together after their heads made intimate contact with the metal bed frame.

The unassuming bar in front of you is called the Leaky Cauldron, and it's the entrance to Diagon Alley, the magical world.

Rupert rubbed his head and jumped down from the car steps, leading Rice into the Leaky Cauldron.

Dirty and worn out.

This was Rice's first impression of the Leaky Cauldron. The bar was dimly lit, with suspicious, dark marks on the floor. There weren't many customers; only a few old women sat in a corner, drinking sherry and chatting with the bar owner.

As soon as they entered, their chatter abruptly stopped. After glancing back at the two of them, they resumed their casual conversation.

"It might be a little dirty, but the safety here is beyond question, making it perfect for a short break." Lupert quickly introduced the Leaky Cauldron to Rice in a very low voice, completely changing his impression of the place.

As a wizard who had lived through the most turbulent and chaotic era in the magical world, Rice was acutely aware of the importance of "safety".

Rupert led Rice through the bar to a small courtyard surrounded by walls, containing only a trash can and some weeds. Just as she was about to tell Rice the trick to getting into Diagon Alley, Rice stepped forward, took out his wand, and tapped it on the correct brick.

"What's wrong with you—?"

"Found the 'core' of this magical mechanism? The flow of magic leaves traces on the medium, and all the magic converges on this brick. It's something you can tell at a glance." Rice glanced at Lupert curiously. "Since you went to Hogwarts, how come you don't even know this? It's a very basic course."

"The professors didn't teach that," Lupert said rather guiltily.

Rice frowned immediately: It seems that the curriculum at Hogwarts has changed a lot? I don't know if it's good or bad.

Based on the simple idea that "things move forward," Rice chose to believe in the wisdom of future generations and that they would find better teaching materials.

As the two chatted, the brick Rice had knocked on began to move, and an opening appeared in front of them. The opening grew larger and larger, and soon a wide archway appeared in front of them, leading to a winding street paved with cobblestones.

This is Diagon Alley.

Once he stepped onto the grounds of Diagon Alley, Rice surveyed the bustling alleyway and became certain that it was the most prosperous wizarding community he had ever seen.

Shops piled high with a dazzling array of goods stretched as far as the eye could see, and the alley was packed with people, with vendors and customers haggling endlessly.

Right next to the alley entrance is a shop selling crucibles. The sign at the shop entrance reads: [Automatic stirring - copper - brass - tin-plated - silver large pots, complete models, foldable]

Rice was instantly tempted; he really needed a crucible that could stir automatically.

However, considering their dire financial situation, Rice felt he should exchange some money first. He also knew that the currency from a thousand years ago was no longer valid and he would have to exchange it for Galon, which was used by wizards today.

After sharing his thoughts with Lupert, Lupert suggested he go to Gringotts.

"Gringotts, wizards, banks?" Rice could understand the individual words, but when put together, they were a bit confusing.

Fairies, wizards, benches, or riverbanks? What the hell are these things?

"Gringotts is the only wizarding bank here. It's run by the goblins. You can deposit money, store valuables, and exchange Muggle money for wizarding currency. You can also sell any valuables you have to them—but once you sell them, you basically can't get them back."

"If that's the kind of item you're selling, I suggest you go to Knockturn Alley. Gringotts is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Magic, so they can't openly buy magical items that are related to dark magic," Lupert added, taking into account his master's background.

"Oh, like a bench vendor!" With Lupert's explanation, Rice immediately understood what a bank was.

The bench merchants mentioned by Rice were institutions that specialized in currency transactions and emerged in Italy in the early 11th century. At that time, Italian commerce was booming, with Venice and Genoa becoming major trading centers in Europe. Stimulated by trade, many merchants emerged who specialized in currency exchange and small-scale lending. These merchants would conduct their transactions sitting on benches in the center of markets, hence the name "bench merchants." The word "bench merchant" also became the etymological source of the word "bank."

As for what Lupert added later, Rice could understand it. Back in his time, black magic was a symbol of evil, and even his three friends held deep prejudices against it. He was used to it.

He does have some items that are related to dark magic, and he'll go to Knockturn Alley to sell them later. He'll be going to both Gringotts and Knockturn Alley.

The two headed straight for Gringotts.

(End of this chapter)