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  "As a er, I definitely don't want to get the short end of the stick."

  His words made Aurora nod in agreement.

  However, "But I don't want to be at a disadvaher." Aurora's delicate face was serious.

  "Of course." Ian's expression remained unged, his smile still intact.

  "I don't want to be at a disadvantage, and you don't want to be at a disadvaher. So, let's talk about renting the books. How about we let yuardian, Mr. Kraft, take a slight loss?"

  "May I ask, is he yrandfather or uncle?" Ian inquired.

  "Of course not." Aurora shook her head. "He's one of my guardians."

  The young girl seemed unwilling to reveal more. But it didn't matter.

  "Hmm, a guardian is fioo. Trust me, he won't notice which books are missing from the shop. I even offer three golden galleons, and you secretly keep them as pocket money."

  Ian revealed his true iions, employing the most devious trick against a child.

  "!!!!!" Aurora's expression became animated. She gasped, her gaze at Ian filled with astonishment.

  "You're trying to bribe me?" Aurora's voice carried a hint of disbelief, and perhaps a little excitement?

  "This isn't bribery, Miss Grindelwald. This is a transa between you and me," Ian corrected her with a straight face, then tinued in an even lower voice.

  "I'll secretly return the books ter. It'll be a win-win situation. I'll gain the knowledge I want, and you'll get golden galleons to buy lots of Chocote Frogs."

  "Or maybe you prefer Sherbet Lemons and Every Fvor Beans?" Ian thought no child could resist the temptation of snacks.

  The facts proved it. Aurora's expression showed clear hesitation. The aloof aura her appearance had given off seemed to dissipate somewhat.

  "I don't know if this is right, but I've never done anything this rebellious before. Maybe this is what my grandfather meant when he said I o learn something at Hogwarts?"

  Aurora seemed to be talking to herself.

  "Learn what?" Ian asked curiously.

  The stunningly beautiful girl looked up at Ian and uttered two words: "ing."

  She made a clusive judgment.

  "..." Iated asking. But fortunately, things didn't deviate from his expectations.

  "I agree to this transa with you."

  Aurora was ultimately persuaded by Ian. Or perhaps it wasn't the golden galleons that vinced her, but the idea that this act would help her gain something she desired.

  Hmm. It's hard to imagine someone wanting to bee ing.

  "A wise choice!" Ian was excited.

  "Here." Aurora took out a piece of paper, wrote down the names of each book, then took a golden galleon from the ter and ha to Ian— the earnings from selling the three books earlier, minus the three galleons for renting, leaving one remaining.

  "Thank you! This helps me a lot!" Ian sincerely expressed his gratitude. If his wallet hadn't been so tight, he wouldn't have tricked the little girl. But a oney stump even a hero.

  "You're wele." Aurora responded crisply.

  Suddenly, she asked out of the blue, "Does this make us aplices?"

  For some reason, her voice carried a hint of excitement.

  "We're friends," Ian smiled in response.

  "Friends?" Aurora's eyes grew a bit more bnk, but she quickly refocused on the books.

  "Holy, I don't reend you dive too deeply into potions. It won't bring you much power," Aurora early advised.

  "I'm just ied." Ian began stag the books one by one, making it easier to carry them back. Meanwhile, Aurora walked to a er and pulled out a book from a white school bag.

  "My grandfather reminded me that when you make like-minded friends, you o win them over. I think this will suit you." Aurora walked over to Ian with a book that looked expensive just from its cover.

  "What's this?" Ian had already picked up a stack of books. He saw Aurora pce the book on top of the pile of potions books, whiow towered over his head.

  "I have a talent. I sehat this book is perfect for you... far more suitable for you than for me." Aurora's heteroatic eyes once again fixed on his face.

  "Thank you." Whatever it was, it was a gift from someone else. Ia a peculiar pressure from her heteroatic eyes.

  "I'll head baow. See you in a couple of days." Ian prepared to make his escape.

  "You're the most persuasive person my age I've ever met. You shouldn't be living here. You should be in Azkaban. You might end up there for fraud someday." Aurora waved goodbye but also sincerely reflected, her words as straightforward as ever, sayily what was on her mind.

  "I'll take that as a pliment. Azkaban isn't so bad, but if I had to choose, Azkaban would just be advaraining. Nurmengard is the real graduation." Ian joked.

  He struggled to carry the t stack of books toward the door. If it weren't for the stamina boost from his [Free bat] skill, his small frame might not have been able to handle so many books.

  "You know about Nurmengard?" Aurora, sitting behind the ter, looked up in surprise.

  "That's where the first Dark Lord was imprisoned. I know that, yes. It's probably recorded iextbooks. I'll check the onight when I get back." Iahis information was in the History of Magic textbook.

  But he had been too busy studying ruo flip through any of the first-year Hogwarts textbooks except Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1.

  The information he mentioned now came from the few movies and Hermione fanfis he had read before crossing over. Memories that hadn't yet faded with time. In the eions of those fanfis, some You-Know-Who enthusiasts occasionally mentioned Nurmengard iain texts.

  Like during the S, or when the protagonist killed someohere would always be someone shouting to send the protagonist tard.

  "Gellert." Aurora spoke in a low voice.

  "Uh, is that it?" Ian tinued walking.

  "I don't think I'm wrong about this. His name was Gellert... Grindelwald." Aurora's words slowly fell.

  Ian stopped in his tracks.

  The fog of memory caused by drifting for too long after crossing over was suddenly wiped clear.

  'Damn it! No wonder! No wohe name Grindelwald had sounded familiar earlier!'

  Wasn't there a spin-off movie reted to this name in the works before he crossed over? Hiss! He had been foolish enough to call someone a Dark Lord in front of their family!

  "Miss Grindelwald..." Ian turned his head with difficulty to look behind him.

  He found the Germanic girl staring at him with deep eyes.

  "If I said 'Dark Lord' is a plimentary term, would you believe me?" Ian forced a very strained smile.

  "You should be gd Kraft isn't here." Aurora suddenly seemed amused.

  She waved at Ian in a see-you-ter gesture.

  "But he'll be back soon." It sounded like a warning.

  Ian quickly grabbed the books and bolted— running all the way back to the Snape had arranged for him. After catg his breath, he dumped the dozens of books onto the table.

  "Ctter~" A rge pile of books spread out across the table.

  Among them, the book from Aurora stood out the most. Its peculiar design, with a bck cover adorned with streaks of purple, looked pletely different from the other old textbooks.

  'Secrets of the Darkest Art'

  The book's title seemed to carry a special magical power. As if it was squirming and twisting.

  (End of Chapter)