Alina, Get Out Right Now
After the experiences this morning, Dumbledore was now forced to admit that taking Alina to Diagon Alley himself to buy her school supplies was one of the best decisions he had made this month.
In Dumbledore's long life, he had met many witches and wizards who were obsessed with herbology or potions, and there was a professor at Hogwarts at this time who could be said to be the most accomplished Potions Master of his age group. When they ran into various kinds of herbs or potions, they would display an extraordinary enthusiasm.
Dumbledore had no doubt that once this silver-haired girl entered Hogwarts, she would get excellent grades in her Potions and Herbology classes. Of course, this was dependent on her not enraging the professors so much that they drove her out of the classroom.
This was because the enthusiasm Alina showed was somewhat different from others.
"Hello, please cut half of a Chomping Cabbage for me."
"Please get me one kilo of this two-headed cow liver."
"Ehhh? Could you add some salt to this Mani Turkey's blood, congeal it into pieces, and then give it to me?"
"Peppermint? It looks rather good. You can just sprinkle a little on some roast fish. Please get a handful for me."
"And these white beans. I think we can get 500 grams..."
"...Aaaaah?! Professor Dumbledore, don't pull me! I'm not done yet..."
Dumbledore warmly nodded at the worker from the Herbs store and took the school supplies and the standard set of potions ingredients from the counter and into a bag. He then reached out and dragged the drooling silver-haired girl out of the herb store.
"Let me look! I've already bought the books, cauldron, scales, and the ingredients for Potions class..."
Ignoring Alina's tantrum, Dumbledore took out the list of supplies necessary for a new student and looked at it again.
"All that's left is your wand..."
"I'm not listening! I want to go grocery shopping!"
Alina wrinkled her nose, making a face, and then broke free of Dumbledore's grip while he was distracted and rushed back into the herb store, where she looked at the wizard behind the counter.
"Soooo, please hurry and prepare the things I asked for just now."
As the silver-haired girl spoke, she opened the money pouch at her waist and prepared to carry out her 'grocery shopping.'
"My apologies. Professor Dumbledore specifically told me that I am not to sell you any supplies outside of those on the list. So..."
The young wizard behind the counter politely and callously refused Alina's request. As a graduate of Hogwarts, he naturally had no reason to disobey Dumbledore.
Thus, no matter what eloquent arguments Alina made or how she attempted to bribe with Galleons, her efforts resulted in failure.
Grrr!
Alina's cheeks angrily swelled in rage as she stormed out.
Outside, the slender Dumbledore watched with amusement as Alina came back to his side.
Shaking his head, he sternly explained, "Miss Alina, Herbology and Potions are both very profound subjects. Until you experience a systematic education, I do not wish for you to buy too many dangerous or strange items.
"For example, the white beans you wanted to buy are actually the fruit of the Sopophorous plant. The silver juice within, when directly consumed, can temporarily remove a person's memories. This plant is only learned about in one's sixth year."
Alina looked up in dissatisfaction at Dumbledore.
"Then...what's wrong with taking half of a Chomping Cabbage and sauteing it back at the orphanage? It's just a moving cabbage! Once it's cooked, it will be the same as any other cabbage. Or are you saying that vegetables that can move are no longer vegetables?"
"For this, please seek instruction from the Potions Professor, Professor Snape. Magical plants can only be handled after one has learned about them."
Dumbledore blinked his eyes, somewhat at a loss for words, and then he somewhat awkwardly changed the subject.
"I'm sure you're very excited to get your wand. This something that all young witches and wizards long for."
As Dumbledore spoke, he extended a hand, planning to pull Alina toward the Ollivanders store at the end of Diagon Alley.
"No, I don't want to! You're just using your power to bully me!"
Alina pushed away Dumbledore's hand and angrily said.
For a foodie like her, a wand was far less important than food. What made her angriest of all was that she could clearly tell that Dumbledore was targeting her.
"You don't let me buy a pet, or a broom, or even potions. You won't even give the class material until after school starts. Am I going to study at Hogwarts, or am I going to jail?"
The displeasure that had built up over the morning in the silver-haired girl finally erupted. Dumbledore had been like a tape recorder, constantly repeating only two phrases: "You can't buy that"; "You can't go there."
Although Alina had already made up her mind to find some time to secretly explore Diagon Alley on her own, that was no counter to Dumbledore's strategy of entering each store and telling its workers to prevent Alina from buying anything, not on the list.
"Hm..."
Dumbledore could only awkwardly stroke his beard in the face of Alina's question.
He suddenly felt that he might have let his nerves get to his head, but for some reason, ever since they had stepped out of Gringotts, he had felt uneasy.
Glancing at the girl who was now kicking the cobblestone, he felt that Alina was still cute, even when angry, and he had to resist the urge to pinch her cute cheeks.
After some thought, Dumbledore sent out a cautious probe.
"Then...why don't we go to the pet store and take a look? I remember you saying that you liked magical creatures."
Whether it was allowing Alina to buy magical materials or letting her buy strange magical tools, these all felt to Dumbledore like they would have extremely dangerous consequences.
In comparison, it wouldn't be a bad thing if Alina became somewhat more restrained by raising a pet.
The pet store? That was fine!
Alina's eyes brightened, her mood rapidly improving.
"Since Professor Dumbledore proposed it, I don't see a reason to refuse...hehehe, the pet store you're talking about is that Magical Menagerie, right?!"
The silver-haired girl started off with a few polite words, but then she changed the subject, a burst of melodious laughter coming from her lips as she rushed through the crowd and into that store that she had been eying for some time.
"Oh, slow down! Try not to run into anybody."
Dumbledore helplessly shook his head and followed her into the store called 'Magical Menagerie.'
The store wasn't very large, and the walls were covered in cages. There was a fouls cent in the air, and the place was extremely noisy, the occupants of the cages, squeaking, hissing, and shrieking.
Two massive purple toads were in a cage by the door, gulping down dead flies. A frightening large turtle was by the window, apparently in a rather foul mood, the shell on its back flashing like a jewel.
There were also cats of various colors, a cage of quarreling ravens, a basket of comical fur balls, the color of custard that was loudly humming, and two double-tailed salamanders struggling over food in a glass jar.
A fat white rabbit turned into a tall silk hat with a pop, and with another pop, it changed back. It seemed to be constantly transforming in an attempt to attract the attention of the people in the store.
Alina softly licked her lips.
Truly...wonderful!
Just as Mister Newt Scamander had said, every magical beast was bursting with its own charm, making one want to get closer and research them.
As Alina's eyes swept over the store, the noisy and cramped space fell quiet. Even the quarreling ravens stopped, their bodies trembling, and their wings uneasily flapping as they paced back and forth in their cage.
The entire Magical Menagerie resounded with the girl's crisp voice.
"Hello, I'd like to buy this plump white rabbit.
"I also want those two double-tailed salamanders that are fighting. Right, right, also three or four of those pretty fur balls.
"And also that rather depressed-looking tortoise. You might as well sell that to me..."
"Alina Kaslana! Get out right now!"
"Aaaaaah?! ...Professor Dumbledore, let me go! You promised that I could buy a pet! How could you back on your word like this!"
Dumbledore, who had just walked into the store, immediately dragged the silver-haired girl out by the collar, a scowl on his face.
He must have been possessed just now. He should have never hoped that this girl who would even bite down on a Phoenix could ever obediently buy a pet.