After listening to Cassandra's request, Bors Burke nodded repeatedly, agreeing without hesitation. However, there was still a trace of unease in his eyes as he said:
"Well, Miss Cassandra, while the wizarding world does abide by the principle of payment upon delivery, could you possibly provide a deposit upfront? After all, I need to purchase the raw materials."
Cassandra instinctively touched the few Galleons in her pocket but showed no hesitation in her voice as she replied directly:
"No problem. I'll give you the deposit this afternoon! How long will it take to create this set of magical items?"
Seeing Cassandra agree so readily and inquire about the timeline, Bors finally confirmed that she genuinely intended to commission the magical items.
He could barely contain his joy and quickly answered:
"I'll spare no effort, Miss Cassandra! I only need a week—no, five days! Just five days!"
Cassandra nodded in satisfaction and said:
"Very well. I'll pay you 250 Galleons for each playing card. You'll have the deposit this afternoon."
Without another word, she turned and prepared to leave.
Bors hastily called after her:
"Thank you, Miss Cassandra! I'll start preparations immediately. This set of magical items will surely make waves in the wizarding world! I'm honored to create them for you. Thank you for giving me such an opportunity to make a name for myself!"
Hearing Bors' heartfelt gratitude, Cassandra paused, remaining silent for a moment before responding:
"Of course."
Then, she pushed open the door and left Bors Burke's shop.
When Cassandra arrived at the Broken Axe Inn after leaving Diagon Alley, she found her father, Thomas Vole, seated in a quiet corner, silently sipping sherry.
As she sat down in front of him, Thomas asked without looking up:
"Is everything settled?"
Cassandra nodded, then shook her head.
Thomas set down his glass, his brow furrowing.
"Did you encounter trouble?"
Cassandra nodded again.
"I need money—a lot of money. This afternoon."
Thomas blinked in surprise before asking casually:
"How much?"
Cassandra thought for a moment, sighing as she replied:
"At least fourteen hundred Galleons."
Thomas fell silent. It was no small sum.
After a moment, he said:
"Cassandra, raising that kind of money in such a short time... we'd have to sell the estate. But even if we wanted to sell it, it wouldn't happen overnight."
Cassandra nodded silently, fully aware of the reality.
After some thought, Thomas asked tentatively:
"Why not... ask him?"
...
By midday, when Wentworth, Cedric, and Kirk headed to the Great Hall at Hogwarts for lunch, they encountered Cassandra at the entrance.
"Cassandra, how's your father?" Wentworth asked as soon as he saw her.
Cassandra nodded lightly, then glanced at Cedric and Kirk. Cedric looked bewildered, but Kirk quickly caught on, dragging Cedric into the hall.
"We'll leave you two to chat. We're off to eat."
Once they were alone, Wentworth asked curiously:
"Is something wrong, Cassandra?"
She took a deep breath before saying:
"Wentworth, I want to borrow some money. Don't worry, I promise I'll—"
Before she could finish, Wentworth interrupted with a smile:
"How much?"
"Fourteen hundred Galleons. I know it's a lot, but I really—"
Wentworth cut her off again.
"It's not much. Do you need it now?"
Cassandra froze, then nodded dumbly.
Wentworth led her to the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room, asking her to wait. Moments later, he returned with a small pouch, handing it to her.
"Here—fifteen hundred Galleons. Take it."
Cassandra accepted the pouch but didn't leave. Instead, she asked quietly:
"Aren't you going to ask what I need it for?"
Wentworth shrugged, unconcerned.
"Does it matter? It's just a small sum."
Cassandra fell into silence.
When she returned to the Broken Axe Inn, her father was still seated in the same spot, his eyes glassy with drink.
"Did you get the money?" he asked.
Cassandra nodded.
After a pause, Thomas asked:
"Did he ask why? Or make any demands?"
Cassandra shook her head slowly.
"He didn't ask anything. He didn't say anything."
Thomas nodded approvingly.
"He's destined for greatness. To lend such a sum without question—that's not just trust. That's vision."
Cassandra smiled bitterly.
"He said it was just a small sum..."
Thomas Vole: ...
When Cassandra returned to Diagon Alley, she spotted Bors standing eagerly at his shop's entrance, watching for her.
Without hesitation, she handed him the pouch of Galleons.
"I'll pick up the items in a week."
Before Bors could respond, she turned and left.
A week later, when Cassandra returned to the shop, the deck of cards was displayed prominently in the shop.
Yet her face darkened at the sight.
Bors, beaming, came forward to greet her—unaware that Cassandra's hand was already gripping her wand inside her cloak.
-----------------------
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