Bryan didn't know that Harry, whom he had not yet met, had already learned all about his "glorious feats" during his school days from Hagrid. However, even if Bryan did know, he would probably just laugh it off.
When the sky started to brighten slightly, Bryan, who had only fallen asleep after 2 am, was already up. This was probably one of the benefits of being a wizard - those with exceptional memory and powerful magic often had more vigorous energy compared to Muggles.
Over the past three years, Bryan had grown accustomed to a wandering life. Many times, in order to handle affairs for his employers, he had to stay in remote wilderness, primeval forests, or ancestral ruins buried deep underground for a full ten days or more. Sleeping in the open air had become commonplace for him. Being able to lie on a warm bed and rest peacefully for a few hours was already a rare luxury.
Although the weather had cleared, the climate was still cold in the early dawn hours. There were no signs of the snow on the lawn melting, and the frozen surface of the Black Lake was sturdy enough to rival snakewood.
Bryan, who was jogging along the lakeside, stood under a willow tree to rest for a moment. From a distance, he saw a dark figure quickly approaching him from the castle.
"Dumbledore asked me to give this to you."
The pale golden sunlight mixed with a hint of pink shone on Snape's face, slightly softening his cold, stiff expression. From a few steps away, he tossed a black money pouch to Bryan.
"How much in total?" Bryan asked with interest, weighing the heavy pouch in his hand.
"Two thousand Galleons. Dumbledore was very generous and added two hundred more on top of what you requested. Hmph, Minerva's expression wasn't too pleasant... By the way, Minerva only just found out about your return to Hogwarts. She wants to talk to you privately about your upcoming plans."
"Tsk tsk!" The prospect of meeting with the strict deputy headmistress didn't bother Bryan. He untied the pouch and peeked inside. The dazzling, golden glow instantly put him in high spirits. "What do you think would happen if I directly ran away with this money right now?"
"Unless you can escape to the moon, I wouldn't advise you to do something so foolish," Snape said flatly. He stared at Bryan, who had lowered his head and was fiddling with a gold coin between his fingers. Snape's gaze focused on Bryan's brightly shining eyes.
"Also, I want to remind you of something, Bryan. I'm not entirely sure, nor am I curious, about why the color of your eyes has changed so much since your school days. But Dumbledore seems to be quite interested in it. He asked me to inquire about it if I have the chance... Generally speaking, he always finds a way to figure out the things that interest him. So, I advise you to be mentally prepared."
Bryan's fingers suddenly stiffened. After a brief moment of silence, he regained his composure and let out a seemingly meaningful sigh. "Oh, what a remarkable wizard indeed."
Compared to the rapidly changing Muggle world, the mainstream wizarding society that valued tradition evolved at an alarmingly slow pace. Although there had been constant calls for transformation in private in recent years, those faint voices were still just seeds buried deep in the frozen soil, waiting to be nourished. Only when the right opportunity arose would they have a chance to take root and sprout.
Hogsmeade, the only remaining pure wizard settlement in magical Britain, was essentially the same as when Bryan attended Hogwarts. The few changes were probably limited to the new products advertised on the signs of Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeydukes.
Bryan even suspected that if a medieval wizard accidentally traveled through time to the present, they might not even get lost in Hogsmeade.
It was still the Christmas holiday period, and the streets of Hogsmeade were cold and deserted with few people to be seen. The occasional local residents who passed by were all in a hurry, busy with their own affairs.
Bryan walked all the way in, standing against the north wind in front of a shop with a hazy glass window.
Dervish and Banges Magical Equipment Shop - this was Bryan's destination.
Ding ding ding--
The brass bell hanging above the door made a crisp sound as Bryan pushed the door open and entered the shop.
Inside the dimly lit magical equipment shop, a dozen floor-to-ceiling shelves were arranged vertically and horizontally. The old shelves were stocked with Sneakoscopes, Remembralls, Anti-boggart devices, broomstick servicing kits, Quidditch ball crates, and many other magical items and alchemical tools.
The slightly balding Mr. Banges seemed surprised to have a customer visit so early. However, after coming back to his senses, he immediately emerged from behind the counter and ran over to Bryan with an eager smile.
"Esteemed customer, what do you need to purchase? Dervish and Banges Magical Equipment Shop has everything. I can guide you."
"Oh, thank you." Bryan, who had been looking up at the tall shelves, nodded in gratitude at these words. "Hmm, do you have Omnioculars here?"
"If you mean the Omnioculars commonly used for watching Quidditch matches..."
Mr. Banges jogged over to a shelf near the inner wall, jumped up to fish out a dust-covered pair of binoculars from a pile of miscellaneous items. While the customer's view was obscured, he hurriedly wiped the dust on his robe and returned to Bryan's side with a beaming smile.
"This is it. It's from our family's alchemy workshop. The quality is guaranteed. One pair sells for nine Galleons and seven Sickles!"
Bryan took it. He was very familiar with these Omnioculars, which could have multiple uses with a little modification. After skillfully adjusting the knobs on the Omnioculars, he placed them on the bridge of his nose, pressed them close to his eye sockets, and carefully observed the image.
"No, no~" After a while, Bryan put down the Omnioculars, his tone tinged with disappointment. "I need the Chasing Shadows 190 model. That one has clearer images and can rewind time further. This one is the 185 model, which doesn't quite meet my purchasing needs."
Mr. Banges' heart trembled, knowing he had encountered an expert.
"I'm very sorry, sir. The high-precision Chasing Shadows 190 is generally only produced during the World Cup season. On regular days, we sell this one. If you're willing to buy it, I can offer a discount on the price!"
"How much of a discount?" Bryan asked, his expression showing a hint of displeasure, as if he didn't want to settle.
He had transformed into a shrewd buyer and started to haggle. "No need to say more. Nine Galleons. That's the cost price. Considering you're the first customer today, I'll only ask for this price!" Mr. Banges looked pained.
"What if I want a large quantity?"
"I'm very sorry, sir. This is already the most discounted price. Even if you want more, I can only..."
"I need three hundred Omnioculars." Bryan said with a smile, straightforward and frank. "Mr. Banges, you have one more chance to quote a price. If your price can't satisfy me, I can go to Diagon Alley and have a look."
"Three hundred?!" Mr. Banges immediately widened his eyes and exclaimed. However, he quickly realized that his reaction was very unfavorable for the upcoming negotiation. He immediately suppressed his expression and coughed dryly a couple of times.
"Indeed... Ahem, I mean, the quantity is indeed not small... It does indeed deserve a further discount." Mr. Banges carefully observed the smiling Bryan. "Esteemed sir, if you really want to buy that many... I think eight Galleons plus ten silver Sickles is a good..."
Bryan furrowed his brows, seeming dissatisfied.
The shrewd Mr. Banges immediately stopped his original words and decisively said, "Seven Galleons and ten silver Sickles. You're a knowledgeable wizard and should know what this price means!"
Bryan was indeed knowledgeable. Therefore, without a second word, he turned around and walked out, pushing the door open and leaving without any hesitation.
Ding ding!
Before Bryan could even count to one, the hurried sound of the brass bell suddenly rang out behind him. Mr. Banges chased after him in a furious huff.
"How about seven Galleons, sir? That's already fair enough!"
Bryan didn't turn back. He took out his wand, ready to Apparate.
"Damn it!" Mr. Banges shouted. "Alright, alright, six. Just six. Come back, sir. You're the shrewdest customer I've met this year!"
Bryan put down his wand, turned around, and once again revealed a pleasant smile. "Alright, Mr. Banges. Let's talk in detail about the delivery time then!"