Chapter Three

"So... You need my blood."

I asked the goblin in front of me, Hookfang, as I stared at the ornate dagger in my hand. It was Goblin steel, and the best of all, it was magic resistant.

Pursing my lips, I looked at the dagger... I wanted it, I wanted it badly.

"Indeed. We need your blood so we can perform the necessary rituals to determine your heritage."

Hookfang explained, looking at me unblinkingly. I had a slight suspicion that this little shit was enjoying making wizards squirm.

So, without hesitation, I slashed my palm and held out the sliced hand in front of me. The goblin rose his eyebrows, pupils widening slightly as he grinned.

Almost gingerly, he held out a goblet, collecting three drops before the cut closed. Hookfang blinked and stared at my hand before staring at me.

"I need two more drops..."

I deadpanned and slashed my hand slightly lighter this time. Two drops later, the goblin walked off and I diligently ignored the stare McGonagall was sending me.

The goblin walked off, where a small circle was drawn, was this... A magic circle? These things could possibly be interesting.

The five drops of blood were spilled in the middle, where a piece of metal, which was most likely gold, was resting. The circle lit up and I could feel the magic gathering inside the circle from the surrounding.

The realization struck me like a fucking island.

Gathering mana from the surrounding. I felt like I wanted to hit my forehead like a jackhammer for hours on end. Six years... Six fucking years! And I figure it out because of Goblins! Taking a deep breath and letting it out through my nose, I wondered if I should take a paper out of Japanese traditions and commit seppuku.

But that wouldn't work, I wasn't a samurai.

Blinking as the sudden drain of magic from my surrounding stopped, I arched an eyebrow as the supposed "Drained" mana replenished almost immediately.

Hookfang leaned over and grabbed something from the ground where my blood was dripped and the gold was laying.

Picking up a key, the small creature walked over to me and handed over the piece of metal. Okay, I gotta ask, what the fuck just happened?

"Out of curiosity, what would happen if I wasn't a potter?"

The goblin looked at me and grinned even more widely than before if that was possible.

"Nothing would happen, and I would have to behead you for daring and trying to fool a goblin. We don't take things lightly, Mr. Potter."

I hummed and nodded, throwing the key up and catching it in my palm absently.

"Follow me, Mr. Potter, I shall send you off with another worker to your vault."

I nodded and followed the little gremlin, followed by McGonagall and Harry.

We exited what I suspected was the ceremonial room, and entered the hall again. We didn't stay there for long, as we entered another large door, and went down the stairs... down... down and down... You get the point.

I pursed my lips as we walked down the flight of stairs and finally, after fifteen minutes of walking, reached our destination.

A cart. Many lines of carts, actually. It was quite disappointing.

Hookfang led us to a specific cart, dodging the other goblins that passed by us. Finally reaching one of the carts where a goblin was already waiting, I stopped a little distance away as we watched the two goblins converse.

"This is amazing..."

I heard my brother mutter as he looked around and I snorted in amusement, reaching over and ruffling his hair, revealing the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

I always suspected it, but now that letter confirmed it. That scar was leaking a small amount of magic, but I always suspected it was because of what that man did when we were little.

I should have known.

My attention was drawn from my brother that was scowling at me, to Hookfang and another Goblin that was standing next to him.

[Gripclaw.]

"This is Gripclaw, he will lead you to your vault, please, keep the key in a tight grip. The travel is... quite extreme."

I looked at him for a moment and then at the key, before shoving it in my pocket, and into my inventory.

I hummed as we sat in the cart and a pull of a trigger later, we were off.

___

Jezus...

That was indeed, extreme.

I ran a hand through my hair, straightening it out. Beside me, Harry looked ruffled, wide eyes staring at nothing in particular and McGonagall was just there like we didn't just go to a goblin equivalent of a rollercoaster.

"Lamp please."

I complied absently, grabbing the lamp from the side of the cart and handing it to the goblin who took it gingerly and started walking to the giant intricate door.

The walk was just a few steps before Gripclaw turned to me and held out the lamp... What was the point of that?!

Grabbing it from his little hands, I rose an eyebrow at his extended hand.

"Key please."

Digging into my pocket, I took the key out of my inventory and handed it to him.

Turning around, he tilted the lock cover to the side and inserted the key into the keyhole.

A turn later, the giant doors opened slowly, revealing a pile of gold... actually two piles of gold, one smaller than the other.

Huh, neat.

"Am I right to assume that this is the trust vault?"

I asked Gripclaw, who simply nodded his head. So, this wasn't the entire savings of the Potter family.

"Our parents left all of this for us?"

Harry whispered from behind me and I let out a thoughtful hum.

"No, Harry, this is just a trust fund, there is more to the vault, but I suspect that it will be available when we come of age."

I heard a gulp and restrained a snicker. I could probably earn more than this if I could actually get any quests... or if I had easy-to-access bullshit dungeons.

"Do you have any way to carry a substantial amount of gold? I suspect... We will need it."

I remarked absently, looking at the pile of gold blankly. The goblin chuckled and walked over to one of the two pouches that were present in front of the piles of gold that I hadn't noticed before.

[Pouch.]

[Enchantments: Extra storage. Featherweight.]

Oh... That was pretty neat for normal people.

"Both of these pouches are enchanted to have more space on the inside than it appears, and the weight is like that of a feather."

nodding, I took the pouch and handed it to Harry, walking over to the other one and grabbing it myself.

A few minutes later, we filled the bags with about two hundred gold, which I found out were called Gallions, each.

McGonagall informed us that it would be enough for everything we needed for Hogwarts.

I wanted to test this bag out, so I hoped that I could keep it, but if not, then let's hope I could make one in the future.

I checked over my mana with a glance, and after a thoughtful hum, I reached out with my own Mana, "Grabbing" the surrounding source of power with my own.

A second later, I drew it inside me, watching as the Mana bar filled to the brim.

[Skill created: Mana regeneration (+10/10).]

...Did I just accidentally skip all the levels ups? Whoops?

Mentally shrugging, I held the pouch by my side as we sat in the cart again, heading back to the surface.

After that, we were ushered out of the bank by the old lady who looked like she was contemplating something important.

"Alright, children, let's get you your Hogwarts robes first, then we can get to the other required items."

...Robes? I had to wear robes? What was this, the middle ages?

Repressing a sigh, I followed the older woman to a shop, withstood the bizarre antics of a magical measure tape that operated on its own, and watched with amusement as Harry struggles to stay still to get correct measurements.

After being instructed to come back for the robes later today, the search started. The first thing we bought was a trunk.

Books about magic which I would be reading as soon as I got back to the house, a cauldron a set of glass vials, basic potions ingredient kit, Parchment... which was basically paper, why couldn't we just have notebooks was beyond me quills... Ink... What the fuck? Ever heard of a ball-point pen?

With a sigh, I looked at the letter in my hand after buying everything that was listed on the paper.

"We need a wand..."

I said conversationally, which was my bland tone. I looked over at McGonagall, who nodded thoughtfully.

"Right this way, this is the best wand crafter, where most of the Hogwarts students go to, actually."

She remarked, leading us to one of the shops called Ollivanders, judging from how long they were producing sticks of magic, they very thoughtfully put on the stop's entrance.

I looked around, spotting the same owl that Harry was looking at, and turned to McGonagall who was about to enter the shop after letting Harry inside.

"Professor McGonagall, would you mind if I made a last-minute purchase? I will join you in a minute."

She looked back at me, looking uncertain, before looking resigned and nodding in agreement.

"All right, MR. Potter, but do not wander off too far."

I nodded. She must have felt inadequate, here she was, an ancient witch, and here was an eleven-year-old, not handling all the talking with shopkeepers... She was basically a GPS.

Keeping a smirk off my face, I walked towards the... Pet shop. Because I was not calling that thing "Wizards and Witches companions".

___

I was looking at a blue-eyed, black cat... it wasn't a cat at all

[Black Puma.]

"... Mr. Kubo, I would like this one, how much is it?"

I asked, using all my willpower to restrain my excitement. I was getting a puma. Like I gave a shit! Rats? Frogs? Pffft, what a joke.

And if you want to look at it technically... it was a cat.

"Ah, that would be four Gallion, it is a new species of cat, the first of its kind, unfortunately, there is no way to determine a way to care for it yet."

Hah, fucking idiot. Looking for a profit yet you are giving me a discount.

Nodding, I crouched down and picked up the cage the puma was in. It looked at me for a moment tilting its head slightly.

I turned and walked to the counter, putting it on the table.

"Will that be all, Mr. Ares?"

I shook my head in the negative. Turning around, I point outside where the White owl that Harry was looking at earlier.

"I would also like that white owl."

The man looked at the said bird, before smiling and nodding in approvement.

"Ah, yes. A majestic bird indeed, quiet most of the time but will make a fuss if you forget to feed her, she will be fifteen silver sickles."

I nodded and took out the required Gallions. Placing them on the table, I waited as the shopkeep walked outside and brought the snow white owl inside.

Grabbing both of the cages gingerly, I walked out of the shop after getting my change.

Money well spent if you ask me. Just imagine all the terror that I can bring those poor, innocent children in school in a few months.

Chuckling slightly, I walked down the street with two cages in hand as I reached Ollivanders and looked inside the window to see Harry holding a wand in hand, his hair being ruffled by the wind... What kind of cliche anime shit was this?