Kael wasn't someone who procrastinated. Once he had an idea, he let Conna return to the dormitory while he headed straight to the Gryffindor Tower.
Unfortunately, when he arrived, he found that Percy wasn't in the dorm, and no one he asked knew where he'd gone.
So, there was nothing he could do, and he had to shelve the matter for the time being.
Just say that Scabbers wasn't lucky enough.
When Kael returned to the Hufflepuff common room, Conna was curled up on a sofa in the most secluded corner, nervously watching the windowsill across from her.
There, a large owl was staring menacingly at her... at the rat in her hands, occasionally smacking its lips.
Ladon had never seen such a plump rat before; its fur was shiny and sleek, which to the owl, was the finest delicacy. It was a little tempted.
Of course, it also knew that the rat was the little witch's pet, so it definitely couldn't eat it. Looking was enough to satisfy its craving.
But the problem was Conna didn't know what it was thinking. By the time Kael came over, the little witch had gone pale, clutching her hem with obvious sweat on her forehead.
Honestly, she hadn't been this nervous even when she lost a Galleon.
It wasn't until Kael distracted Ladon with a piece of Murtlap jerky that some color returned to Conna's face.
Kael walked over, opened his hands, and said, "I couldn't find Percy; he wasn't in the Gryffindor Tower."
"Hmm."
Conna didn't think much of it. In her eyes, all the other field mice were ugly; Poke definitely wouldn't like them. Otherwise, it wouldn't always play with hamsters.
It was mainly because Kael ran too fast at that time, not giving her a chance to refuse.
Now, this result was just perfect.
Conna returned Poke to the dorm and came out feeling much more relaxed, even cheekily baring her teeth at Ladon.
Ladon fluttered its wings and flew out the window, deliberately glancing back at her like it was looking at an idiot.
This really annoyed the little witch quite a bit.
"Why get mad at it?" Kael shook his head with amusement, then placed ten Galleons on the table.
"I don't want it!"
Before Kael could speak, Conna firmly shook her head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I really don't need it."
"But there's still a long way to go until Christmas," Kael frowned. "Even if you don't have to worry about meals, there's the parchment and ink that require Galleons. Surely you can't not buy those either.
Or did you bring enough supplies before school started?"
At Hogwarts, the consumption of parchment and ink was quite rapid, and what was requested in the admission letter was far from sufficient, lasting at most a month.
So usually, young wizards would ask the prefects to bring some back when they went to Hogsmeade.
Although it's not expensive, just a few Sickles, it still costs money. No one gives you free coins.
"I..." Conna was silent, evidently reminded by Kael's words that even at Hogwarts, you need at least a knut.
But even so, she still shook her head and said, "I'll find a way."
Kael persuaded her a few more times, using all the arguments he could think of, but on this point, Conna was unexpectedly stubborn, refusing everything except for the rat tonic.
She even rejected the parchment Kael offered her.
"You really care for that rat, huh."
Kael rubbed his forehead, then suddenly asked, "By the way, do you know the new student from Slytherin?"
Conna thought for a moment and said, "I think I know them. A few years ago, I met Rowle and Yaxley at a banquet. They are both from Slytherin and in our year.
But I'm not sure if they remember me, since I haven't attended those kinds of banquets in a long time."
"No worries, just having a general impression is enough." Kael pondered for a moment before saying, "Conna, do you want to earn your own Galleons?"
"Earn... my own Galleons?" Conna seemed a bit confused.
"Yes, earn them yourself, just like adults do."
Kael tapped the table with his fingers and said, "I have a path at Hogwarts. It might be a bit challenging for you, but it's highly profitable. Once it's done, you won't have to worry about parchment and such, and you could even buy plenty of snacks.
What do you think? Want to give it a try?"
Conna remained silent, but it was clear she was tempted.
She had previously thought about writing homework for others in exchange for parchment and ink, but doing so always felt shameful, and she was afraid of being caught by the professors.
Now Kael mentioned another way, and she wanted to give it a shot.
Kael wasn't one to keep people in suspense, and he continued, "Remember the map Cedric gave you yesterday?"
Conna nodded and said, "Yes, I remember."
After Flying Class ended yesterday, the second-year Cedric gave each of them a map of Hogwarts, leaving quite an impression.
They'd also heard that Ravenclaw had such maps, but theirs cost money to buy.
"That's the one." Kael slapped the Golden Edge Map Cedric had given him onto the table. "This is the Slytherin version, but we're missing someone to sell them over there.
Want to try? Five Galleons each, and we'll split the profit fifty-fifty."
"Five Galleons?!" Conna looked at Kael in disbelief, her expression exactly like Ladon's earlier.
How could these maps be worth five Galleons? They were way too expensive. Who would buy them?
"The ones from Ravenclaw only cost a few Sickles," Conna said softly.
"But this is a limited edition with golden edges, totally different from those regular ones." Kael raised his eyebrows and said, "We used the best materials and craftsmanship, all handmade. It took three whole days to make just ten, not one more.
Think about it; out of hundreds of people at Hogwarts, only ten can have these limited edition maps. It's a symbol of status and identity. Isn't it worth five Galleons?"
"..."
Conna felt a bit dizzy, but hearing Kael's explanation, it really did seem like the five Galleons were worth it.
She thought for a moment and said, "But it's been three days since the school term started, and all the classes have begun. Can this map really be sold?"
"You don't need to worry about that." Kael replied calmly, "Hogwarts isn't just classrooms. There are places like the library, the Hospital Wing, and professors' offices that freshmen don't know about.
And don't forget that the staircases in the main building also change. Who knows where they'll be the next day, and if it's a route you haven't taken before, what then?
Waiting around is not an option; it's a waste of time, but walking over can easily get you lost, and no matter what you choose, you'll end up late.
That's when the map becomes essential, especially one that notes many of the staircases' patterns.
So rest assured, there will definitely be people who will buy it."