Chapter 15

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***

Richard moved into Saturday's class with his mentor in high spirits. He thought there would be another training session for levitation charms.

Madame Marchbanks was traditionally waiting for the young man in an armchair near the fireplace. On the table lay the magic wand that Richard used.

- Good morning, tutor.

Richard picked up the training wand first thing in the morning. He was about to start performing the levitation spell when the old woman came out of her reverie.

- Good morning, Richard. I've noticed you're bored with our lessons.

- Not boring, but too monotonous.

- Well, I suggest we diversify. Look, my boy.

On the table in front of Madame Marchbanks stood a large crystal dish of fruit. The sorceress waved her wand and levitated one apple from the dish onto the table.

The old woman pointed her wand at the apple, twirled it and said clearly:

- Geminio.

After that a miracle happened before Richard's eyes - the apples became two. They didn't look any different from each other.

- Is it an illusion? - The boy asked incredulously.

- No, Richard, it's a copy. With the help of Geminio's spell you can create a duplicate of any object, food or drink. But copies of magical items will be unstable and have no magical properties.

- No way!

- Here's an apple," Madame Marchbanks pointed to the table. - You can eat it. It's perfectly safe. It will never disappear, unless it rots.

- No! Richard took a step back. - It can't be! - he said with incredible shock. - How can it be?!

- Heh-heh-heh! - A cackling laugh erupted from the elderly sorceress's chest. - Oh, Richard, you should have seen your eyes. Such an astonished gaze I've never seen before. Of course, it's not the easiest spell to learn in a sixth-year spellcasting class, but it's not as complicated as you might think. But the benefits to the wizard are enormous.

- I don't believe it," Richard muttered quietly. - Am I really witnessing the Banach-Tarski paradox with my own eyes?! Thousands of students all over the world have boiled their brains trying to understand how, in theory, something can be created from nothing, and then, with a simple wave of a wand, a copy of the object is created. An apple from nothing!

- Heh-heh! Richard, I've never seen such a reaction to a doubling spell. What was that paradox you mentioned?

- Ma'am... - an astonished Richard couldn't take his eyes off the apples. - Mathematicians from the common people have theoretically proved that it is possible to get a copy of an object from nothing. If you take a ball, divide it into five parts from non-overlapping points, the ball can be doubled. Any two bounded subsets of a three-dimensional Euclidean space with a non-empty interior are equipartite. One plus one equals one. Infinity plus one equals infinity. Infinity minus one equals infinity. From zero to one is an infinite number of numbers....

- Oh, Richard, I see that you have not wasted time and got interested in numerology! - said Madame Marchbanks with delight. - That's very commendable. And Muggle mathematicians are very funny, since they could prove the existence of doubling. Funny, but you guessed right. To use this spell, you need to concentrate on an object and choose one point on it, then twirl your wand to the left side and mentally mark five more points anywhere on the object. Then the object should be mentally divided into five parts and then reassemble them into two complete things.

- I'm calm... I'm calm... I'm completely calm..." Richard murmured under his breath. - So, magicians can easily use the Hausdorff-Banach-Tarski paradox! Magic can do anything... we should finally not just remember it, but accept it.....

- So, Richard, would you like to learn this spell?

- Yes, of course, ma'am.

Richard remembered that he was a Lord and must always keep a straight face. Though he was forgiven, since the trainee had only been a Lord for a little over a year.

- But, mentor, if you can copy objects with this spell, how did the wizards not collapse their economy? After all, the most trivial thing that comes to mind is to make copies of money and spend it. This would inevitably lead first to runaway inflation, then collapse the whole economy and the wizards would have to go back to bartering and then, just in part.

- Richard, firstly, all magic coins are enchanted," Madame Marchbanks explained. - They are soaked in an inexpensive potion that turns the money into weak magical objects. So a copy of the knight will inevitably be destroyed. There is a simple way to detect such counterfeits - the spell of cancellation Finite. The use of counterfeit money will be punished.

- Mm-hmm. I see.

- Also, young man, you will be given five exceptions to Gump's Law of Transfiguration in your first year transfiguration class at Hogwarts, one of which states that food cannot be created from nothing, but it can be copied or summoned by beckoning spells. But water or other liquids can be created in the process.

- That fits into the mathematical models of paradoxes," Richard agreed.

- There are still exceptions, but they will tell you about them at school," the old woman continued.

- And now there is no way?

- The second exception is that you can't transform magic objects. The third is that you can't transform an intangible object like a thought or a ghost. Fourth, you can't create life with transfiguration. Fifth - you cannot create money, gems, and precious metals.

- Can't or can't?! Ma'am, while magical money is more or less self-explanatory, ordinary people use coloured paper. I bet they're easier to copy than an apple. And people have learnt to create jewellery, so a wizard can do it too.

Madame Marchbanks smiled slyly and said:

- You can't. Richard, you are too clever, that's your advantage, but it's also a disadvantage. Kids in first year take everything their teachers tell them as truth. They're given exceptions to Gump's Law of Transfiguration, the first four points are proven, and they take the fifth point on faith. If a wizard believes something is impossible, it won't work.

- Intelligence... I see. The Ministry of Magic won't benefit if wizards start counterfeiting ordinary people's currency and precious stones in droves. What about base metals? What's stopping them from copying gold, platinum, silver? Have there not been those who have done it?

- Richard, gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds and rubies are actually impossible to create with magic within the planet. And that's the second reason why galleons and shekels can't be forged. These coins contain gold and therefore silver. When copied, they become brittle and crumble into dust. The reason for this was a ritual that ancient wizards performed in order not to undermine the economy of their countries. Only with the Philosopher's Stone can these restrictions be circumvented. But only three magicians managed to create philosopher's stones in the history of magic. Only one of them - Nicholas Flamel - has survived to our days, but he is in no hurry to share the secret of the Great Work and is hiding from the whole world together with his wife.

- What if we copy not gold and silver, but platinum or rhodium?

- I don't know what rhodium is, but most wizards don't usually think of such things," replied Madame Marchbanks. - Everyone wants gold, or at least silver. After trying their hand at these metals, magicians stop trying to create any metal. And those rare wizards who came up with the idea of copying platinum, do not hurry to trumpet it on every corner. After all, for such a thing you can go to Azkaban - a prison for wizards. So don't tell anyone.

- If you say so, Mistress. So, counterfeiting pounds and dollars can get you sent to prison, and there's also the restriction on monthly currency exchange at Gringotts. But surely there are wizards who live in the regular world and quietly use these charms. And, more than sure, as long as they don't violate the statute of secrecy, the Ministry of Magic turns a blind eye to such shenanigans.

- You're very clever, Richard. But no more reasoning! Remember the gesture.

***

Richard was not to rest on Monday. At breakfast, Gerald surprised his son:

- "Richie, we have to visit the University of Sheffield today. The new building sponsored by the Grosvenor Group is being opened there. The press will be there, so it'll be good for you to shine as the son of a university trustee.

- One of the few weekends..." Richard sighed sadly. - Dad, do all rich people have such a hard time?

- Only those who are trying to increase their wealth, not living on rent or burning through their parents' money. You have to, Richie. We have to.

- I have two questions: When do we have to be there and how far is it?

- The building opens at noon. It's about 70 miles to Sheffield. I reckon we should be there in two hours at the most.

- At least we're not going to London.

- Richie, we're leaving in an hour so we can get there early.

- Then I'll go pick out a suit..." Richard started to leave the dining room, but stopped and turned back. - Speaking of clothes. Dad, I need to update my wardrobe, and my jackets are getting a little tight in the shoulders.

- Tell John about it.

- I will.

There's nothing exciting about a long journey unless you're travelling as a tourist to new places. For Richard, the journey time passed quickly as he prepared himself by bringing a couple of books with him.

The boy's presence was needed only at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the new building, and then Gerald, in the company of the Rector, was the one who had to answer to the journalists.

The building was intended for the research laboratories of the new technical faculties. Only part of the equipment had been brought there so far. The rector showed the journalists and the Duke of Westminster a huge apparatus.

- This is the pride of our university - an electron microscope, which will allow us to conduct research on the smallest particles.

By the edge of the ear, bored Richard caught the words of the head of the university and listened more closely.

- For a hundred and forty years scientists all over the world have been struggling with the problem of studying carbon microparticles. This microscope will help us in our research.

"Hmmm... Carbon microparticles? - Richard thought. - 'Isn't it graphene the rector is referring to? God forbid memory, had a way to produce graphene been invented at this time? Hmm... Judging by the rector's words, no."

Richard remembered how in a past life physics class in sixth or seventh grade, they had been given an assignment to produce graphene particles using the simplest method that had been invented... at the beginning of the twenty-first century!

"Definitely not! - Richard thought. - Why don't I get to be the discoverer?"

The boy squeezed past the reporters to the desk. He took a scotch tape and a pencil from there.

Sitting down in his chair, Richie unwound some duct tape, made a dot on it with the pencil, and then began to glue the adhesive parts of the tape together in different places each time.

Gerald looked at his son indignantly and raised his eyebrows warningly. In his language it meant: "Son, don't embarrass us! We're aristocrats, and you're acting like a common child."

Richie smirked in response and made a sign with his fingers, saying, I know what I'm doing.

In response, the boy received a stern look from his father, which did not promise anything good after the official events were over.

From the outside, Richard's occupation looked like pampering. He had already spent quite some time gluing the halves of the scotch tape, which had taken on a slightly cloudy grey hue. Such an action did not go unnoticed by journalists. The sharks of the pen perfectly realised who the boy was.

A lady with bright red hair in a screaming scarlet dress nodded to the cameraman, pointing with a microphone towards Richie. At the same moment the cameraman switched the camera to the boy, and the journalist separated from the crowd of colleagues and approached young Grosvenor.

- Excuse me, young Lord," she said in a husky voice, "may I ask what you are doing?

Richard smiled at the camera, trying not to show his teeth, as one of them was missing. He stopped what he was doing and explained:

- Of course, ma'am. I just heard that scientists are having trouble getting graphene. So I thought I'd help them out. Here," he pointed to a piece of tape, "I create graphene flakes in the simplest way.

Next to the journalist suddenly appeared a heavy elderly man in a brown woollen suit. His grey hair was messily dishevelled. Piercing blue eyes fixed on Richard with lively curiosity. He pushed the journalist away, took her place, and said:

- Young man, did I mishear you? Did you just say you were trying to get graphene?

- I already have, sir," Richard shook the duct tape.

- With duct tape?

- Scotch tape and a pencil.

- Scotch tape and a pencil?!

- Yes, sir, Scotch tape and a pencil!

- No way. Show me, young man, how you do it!

- I applied a little graphite to the duct tape, and then I taped the tape together. Each time, the layer of graphite got thinner and thinner. Eventually, in some places, it should become one atom thick and form graphene flakes.

The grey-haired man's eyes filled with delight and rounded.

Richard took a piece of paper and a pencil from the table. He immediately drew the atomic structure of graphene* and showed it to the man, whose eyes went even more out of their orbits.

- Here. This is what you want, isn't it? A flat plate of carbon one atom thick, which is as strong as a diamond and highly conductive....

- Really..." whispered the man in astonishment. - My God, it's really the formula for graphene. I must investigate this scotch!

- Please, sir," Richard held out to the man the repeated results of his school experience.With incredible reverence, the grey-haired man took the piece of scotch from the boy's hands and loaded it into the receiving chamber of the electron microscope. Completely oblivious to the crowd of people, he sat down at his computer and went completely into his work. The microscope hummed with a transformer-like buzz. TV news cameramen were excitedly filming what was happening.

While everyone's attention was focused on the grey-haired man, his father approached the boy and asked in a harsh whisper:

- Richie, what are you doing?

- I'm inventing a way to create a nanomaterial that will turn the world upside down. Graphene is a cutting-edge material. I heard the rector discussing the complexity of its production, and thought: it's simple, you just need to use tape and a pencil. So I put it to the test.

- I was told that geniuses were difficult, and I didn't believe it," Gerald muttered quietly, then turned back to the reporters.

- EVRICA!

The cry of the grey-haired man took everyone by surprise. The rector of the university was addressing him:

- Professor Roberts, what's happened?

- Graphene! - exclaimed the professor. - I actually found a flake of graphene! My God, this boy is a genius! Who is he? Whose child is this?! - he pointed in Richard's direction. - I'll have him in my pulpit right now.

- Richard, are you sure you're not mistaken? - the rector asked the professor.

- It's definitely graphene! I assure you. As many as ten scales!

Richard Roberts burst from his seat and burst through the crowd of journalists to his young namesake. He grabbed Richie by the brush, began shaking it and thanking him profusely:

- Thank you, young man! Thank you very much on behalf of world science. This method of producing graphene is worthy of a Nobel Prize. What's your name, young man? I'll be sure to mention him in my paper as a co-inventor.

- Lord Richard Grosvenor, at your service, sir, - the boy bowed politely with a nonchalant look. - I'm glad that such a simple trick has proved useful to the world's science. I hope you personally and the University of Sheffield will make a significant contribution to the development of nanotechnology.

- Oh! Lord? - Mr Roberts looked at Grosvenor Senior. - Ah! So that's whose son he is!

A great fuss was made. A red-haired journalist made her way closer to young Grosvenor.

- Tell me, Lord Grosvenor, how did you come up with the idea of graphene?

- An epiphany," the boy answered calmly. - It happens to me sometimes. Similarly, I got the idea to market scrapes.

The shark of the pen bared her teeth in a predatory smile. From the look of the journalist it was obvious that she grabbed the sensation by the tail.

- Staples? So you invented them?

- It's hard to call a piece of plastic an invention. It just occurred to me that such a product would be of interest to consumers. Practice has shown that this is indeed the case. Such giants as Walmart, Asda, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and many other well-known foreign companies co-operate with my company Grosvenor Junior.

- Amazing! - admired the red-haired journalist. - May I ask how old you are?

- I don't hide my age. This summer I will be ten years old.

- Tell our viewers what else do you do? - The correspondent continued to ask questions.

- I am concerned about the problem of orphans. So I decided to take an active part in charity. I must be honest, it is not an easy task. On my first charity trip I managed to help an orphan from a disadvantaged family, which I am proud of. But this is just the beginning. This year, Grosvenor Junior is launching a campaign to help young professionals who are going to develop innovative technologies. We plan to invest solid capital in promising venture start-ups. This will include help for young scientists, research into artificial intelligence, nanomaterials and nanotechnology.

- Lord Grosvenor, our viewers will be interested to know about your personal life. Do you go to school? Any hobbies? - the reporter continued.

- Running a large company takes a lot of mental energy. Due to time constraints, I had to be home-schooled and take exams as an external student. Since I'm young, I have to comply with labour laws and work no more than twenty-four hours a week. The rest of the time I have a pretty busy schedule. I do aerobics and fencing, I study and I'm into magic tricks.

Richard unashamedly demonstrated a trick with a coin, which he took out from behind the ear of the journalist. After spinning the coin in his hands, the boy tossed it in the air, caught it, rubbed it in his palms, blew into them and showed his empty hands to the camera.

Dealing with reporters exhausted Richard. The boy sat in the back seat of the Bentley with inexpressible pleasure. But relaxation was not to be.

- Richie, how many times have I told you not to disgrace the Grosvenor name? What kind of clownish behaviour is this?!

- Dad, where's the disgrace? I played it perfectly. I acted like a good little boy. I promoted my firm, for free. I helped a promising new substance to be born.

- Why did you demonstrate magic? - Gerald asked sternly.

- What magic? - Richard made honest eyes. - It was a trick! The only trick I've ever learnt. It was sleight of hand and no magic.

- Do you realise you've turned an ordinary event into a circus show?! - Grosvenor Senior continued to resent me. - You could have demonstrated your graphene afterwards in a quiet atmosphere without journalists.

- No, Dad, you can't do that. The whole world should know about graphene, otherwise the news about it would have reached journalists in four years at best. The whole world will know about this stuff. Corporations and governments of many countries will invest a lot of money into its research. The sooner they do it, the further science will go and the sooner I can make a lot of money from it. The right action at the right time can do wonders.

- And what's good about this stuff?

- It can be used to make unbreakable displays for technology, unbreakable condoms, ultra-strong composite materials that can be used in all industries, including the space industry. Graphene research will give impetus to the creation of nanorobots that will fundamentally change the world. A cure for cancer, genetic surgeries, life extension... All of this is just around the corner. Who knows, maybe we will live to see the time when scientists will learn to prolong human life with the help of nanorobots. And then we'll be able to live a few centuries longer than the natural years.

- Richie, you speak sweetly, like a beautiful bird singing. There's a reason your tutors were paid good money. But you'll still get the belt for aristocratic behaviour!

- A belt is uneducational! Papa, I suggest we do away with the sweet tooth.

- Well done for haggling, but that's not going to work on me. I've been in business a lot longer than you have. So it's definitely a belt up the arse!

- That's how to make world discoveries! - Richard sighed sadly. - You give everything to the world, and in return you get a belt....

- The world isn't fair," Gerald laughed, outwardly serious. - But next time you'll remember the spanking and think about your behaviour.

***

There's one downside to being a child: parents feel they have the right to punish their children. Richard couldn't sit down properly all the next day after the trip. More than his soft spot, Richie's pride was hurt. He thought of himself as a serious businessman, but it's hard to keep thinking that way when you get a belt.

The improved regeneration made Richard's life a lot easier. Otherwise he would have been wary of chairs and sleeping on his stomach for days.

There had been a coldness in the relationship between Grosvenor Jr. and Gerald since the exorcism. Richard thought himself right, because he did everything to spur the business industry, earning on it, and the world's science a little push, plus everything else and the reputation of a young genius to get himself. But the elder Grosvenor had his own idea of how a young aristocrat should behave.

Slowly the tension died down and it was Friday.

Richard could not come empty-handed to the dinner party, so he set off immediately after fencing practice and lunch. He was joined by Scott Potter by prior arrangement.

Richie had a reasonable suspicion that Steve might not be able to see the wizarding houses. Mr Potter was devoid of such a disadvantage, making his value multiplied. Besides, he was the only one who knew the exact address of his destination.

The only problem Richard saw was how to explain to Stephen that he would have to park in the middle of nowhere and the young gentleman would disappear after crossing the Weasley's yard. Richard could not refuse the services of a bodyguard driver, putting Mr Potter in his place, as the boy's father had insisted on it.

After some thought, Richie came to the conclusion that it wasn't his problem. Since his father had decided so, let him deal with his subordinate and explain the oddities to him as he wished.

It was a short drive to Devon, a little longer than to London. Since the task was to buy presents, it was decided to get there via Birmingham, the centre of the West Midlands region and the second most populous city in the UK after London.

In general, you can find anything you like in Birmingham. Apart from being an industrial city with developed food, metallurgical and engineering industries, it is also famous for its jewellery. Products made of precious metals and stones with the anchor branding are widely known and spread all over the world. There are many restaurants, cafes, art galleries and shopping centres. To one of the latter, naturally the most prestigious, Steve brought young Lorde.

Visiting in England is somewhat like a Japanese tea ceremony. There are rules to everything, written nowhere and by no one, but if you break them, at best you will be considered a barbarian and you will never see these people again. But every rule has an infinite number of exceptions.

It is better not to come empty-handed. Forget about flowers or chocolates. You should bring a bottle. A bottle of wine or champagne. But no-one will refuse a gift.

Although Richard was too young to drink alcohol, he had learnt to know wine quite well. The status of a Lord demands it. Scott bought expensive French wine, as it would not be sold to a child.

In case the Weasley family turned out to be non-drinkers, Richard had bought a pack of elite exotic tea, a universal gift for those who didn't drink alcohol. Besides, it's insurance in case it turns out that wizards don't drink tea. It will be possible to consume the familiar drink yourself, as any British hostess will have no problem getting the guest drunk with what he brought with him.

As presents, the boy bought not particularly expensive things according to the estimated number of family members who will be at home at that moment. A chronometer for Arthur. Board games for the children. And what to buy Mrs Weasley had to be puzzled over. But the solution was found - a bottle of pleasant-smelling perfume, not cheap, but not insanely expensive. Such a gift, though peculiar, should appeal to most women.

Steven could have easily missed the right house, but Scott told him when to stop. The driver didn't show the slightest bit of surprise.

For a while longer, Richard sat in the car to make sure he got to the house on time.

- Kid, how are you going to go? - Detective Potter asked.

- 'Mr Potter, I've been invited alone,' Richard replied. - It wouldn't be nice if I came with someone else.

- That's what I thought! - smirked the detective. - But, boy, we're responsible for your safety. So you're going to have to wear this thing.

The detective extracted a small microphone and a battery-operated radio transmitter from a leather briefcase.

- A listening device? - Richard suggested.

- Yeah. You're gonna have to walk around with that thing. Don't worry, I'll be listening to the conversations. Any information won't get past me. But if anything happens, we can help you.

- I understand, sir. Safety first.

The detective grinned happily.

- Well done, lad! It's a very good thing you're not causing us any trouble. You're a pleasure to work with.

The detective moved to the back seat and helped to discreetly place the microphone under Richard's clothes.

The house was indeed as surreal as it appeared in the photograph. Five fireplace chimneys protruded from the red tiled roof. At the entrance, the sign "Nora" hung on a pole, slightly askew. On the side of the porch, next to a huge rusty pot, was a pile of rubber boots of various colours and sizes. There was a pile of rubber boots of various colours and sizes.

As soon as young Grosvenor reached the threshold of the house, the door opened. Arthur Weasley stood on the threshold in a new black suit, inexpensive but good.

- Good evening, Mr Weasley," Richard bowed politely.

Arthur looked more confident this time. His native walls gave him courage.

- "It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Nora, Lord Grosvenor. Please make yourself at home. May I introduce my wife Molly and my children, Ron and Ginny. Darling, children, I'd like you to meet Lord Richard Grosvenor.

Molly Weasley was a full, low, red-haired woman with brown eyes and the kindest face, which was adorned with a lovely smile. She was wearing a green smart dress, cinched with a lettuce sash.

Ginny was a short, slim, beautiful girl with bright light brown eyes and straight red hair. She was dressed in a blue dress and was hiding behind her brother in embarrassment, while peering at her guest with intense curiosity.

Ron Weasley looked like a very ordinary boy with fiery red hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in an old-fashioned brown woollen suit, an early twentieth century suit that looked like it had been worn by more than one generation of children. The boy eyed his guest curiously. His gaze ran enviously over the suit, lingering on the bags in Richard's hands.

Despite their poverty, neither of the Weasley's seemed to be ashamed of their home. It was a wonderful place, with a cosy and relaxed atmosphere.