Immediately after, Professor McGonagall drew her wand and tapped a brick on the wall.
The brick wall immediately began to undulate like waves, and the bricks started to shift. A few seconds later, a doorway appeared before Professor McGonagall and Charle.
Professor McGonagall smiled and opened the door, revealing the bustling scene of Diagon Alley on the other side. She welcomed Charle, saying,
"Come, Charle, the wizarding world is ahead."
Charle was also full of joy. He even pressed himself against the wall next to the open doorway, kissed a brick hard, and then cheered.
"Wizarding world, I'm here!"
Seeing Charle so energetic, Professor McGonagall couldn't help but smile, and a hint of worry in her heart gradually faded.
She had been afraid that Charle would be traumatized by being kidnapped by Dak earlier, but now it seemed that Charle had already forgotten about it.
This is an enthusiastic child, and very cute.
I feel like he'd be very suitable for our Gryffindor.
Professor McGonagall thought silently to herself, already looking forward to the moment Charle would be announced to be in Gryffindor during the Sorting Ceremony.
However, she didn't know that as Charle kissed the brick, he was also thinking about something silently in his heart.
Kissed a brick, gained one or two points of deduction.
As expected, even the bricks in the wizarding world that have been enchanted are far inferior to the black reefs on the coast of R'lyeh in my dreams.
Dak, my good friend, where are you? When can we meet again and you take me to R'lyeh for a big meal?
A moment later, Charle admonished himself.
One shouldn't be too greedy.
Although this brick can't compare to the reefs of R'lyeh, it's about the same as the magical recovery meals at St. Mungo's Hospital.
The key is that St. Mungo's Hospital is only so big and can only supply so much magical food every day, but this wall has at least several hundred bricks, and the Ministry of Magic is responsible for maintaining it.
If I kiss each brick a few more times, that's thousands of points of deduction coming in every day. How can I complain!
Coming here for a late-night snack is still pretty good.
Then, Charle followed Professor McGonagall through the doorway and truly stepped into Diagon Alley.
What greeted him was the lively scene of the wizarding world's first commercial street, with various ancient shops lining both sides of the street.
The street was bustling with people, and everywhere there were wizard parents bringing their children to buy necessary school supplies.
Just on this street, Charle felt there must be over a thousand people!
Regarding this, Charle thought silently in his heart.
J.K. Rowling, come out and apologize!
What do you mean there are only three thousand wizards in all of Britain?
You're just a novelist, what do you know about Harry Potter?
At this time, Professor McGonagall first led Charle through the ancient street towards the magnificent Gringotts.
As they walked, she also explained information about Gringotts to Charle.
Things like it being the bank of the wizarding world, the safest place besides Hogwarts.
Charle nodded politely while expressing deep skepticism about this.
The two places Professor McGonagall mentioned didn't seem very safe.
Starting this year, wouldn't Hogwarts have some kind of accident every year?
Gringotts was even worse. This year, Quirrell would break into the underground vault with Voldemort.
To be honest, this was understandable. After all, although Voldemort could only possess Quirrell, he was still the former Dark Lord, so it was excusable that Gringotts' methods couldn't stop him.
But a few years later, the Harry Potter trio, three students who hadn't even officially graduated from Hogwarts, were able to enter Gringotts under quite tense circumstances, steal Hufflepuff's Cup, and even steal a dragon along the way.
One could only say that Gringotts' boasted defenses were really not that great, it was just fortunate that there weren't many notorious criminals in the wizarding world.
Thoughts flickered in his mind, but Charle's steps didn't stop. He followed Professor McGonagall towards the entrance of Gringotts.
Just as they were about to enter the door, a loud bang suddenly came from the side.
Then, the figure of a Goblin appeared out of thin air.
If Professor McGonagall hadn't quickly pulled Charle aside, they would have probably collided with the Goblin who had Apparated.
Charle's steps paused, and he stared intently at the Goblin, a strange look in his eyes.
Professor McGonagall thought Charle was scared by this creature and quickly explained.
"This is a Gringotts Goblin, an ancient race in the wizarding world. They are born with strong magical abilities, especially in the creation of alchemical weapons. Weapons made by Goblins are renowned."
"Gringotts was established by the Goblins..."
Charle was certainly not scared by the Goblin's appearance. He just suddenly remembered something.
In the original Harry Potter books, there seemed to be a difference between wizard Apparition and the Apparition of Goblins, House-elves, and the like.
The latter's Apparition could go to places wizards couldn't.
Even if it was sealed by magic, Goblins and House-elves could still pass through unimpeded.
Even the anti-Apparition spell set by Voldemort couldn't stop a House-elf who had spent their entire life doing housework.
So what caused this difference?
If he could be taken by a Goblin to Apparate a few times and witness the changes, it might be good reference material for the Deep Blue system.
This way, the points needed to deduce Apparition might decrease further.
Currently, the first deduction of Apparition required 20,000 points, and the second deduction would require at least 100,000 points.
Charle couldn't gather so many deduction points in a short time.
But if the points required for the first deduction could be reduced to 10,000, Charle might be able to perform a second deduction of Apparition in a short time by gathering a little from other places!
This magic related to space was too useful for escaping.
So after a moment, Charle stopped the Goblin who was about to enter Gringotts.
"Hello, Mr. Goblin, I just witnessed your Apparition, it's truly amazing magic."
"I just heard from my professor that Goblins are one of the oldest and noblest races in the magical world, naturally possessing magical talent far exceeding that of wizards."
"Your alchemical weapons surpass all alchemical items made by wizards."
"That's really cool!"
When it was first stopped, the Goblin's expression still showed obvious impatience.
After all, it could tell at a glance that Charle was brought to Gringotts by Professor McGonagall to exchange Galleons.
And those guided by Hogwarts professors were basically from Muggle families, not from noble families in the magical world.
In Gringotts' internal assessment, these customers belonged to the low-value category, so the Goblin naturally didn't have a good attitude.
But when Charle started piling on the compliments, talking about amazing magic, Goblins being the noblest race, having magical talent far exceeding wizards...
The corners of the Goblin's mouth also inevitably curved up little by little, and its expression visibly softened a lot.
"Little wizard, you truly have good taste."
"That's right, we Goblins are just as you've heard."
Charle struck while the iron was hot and continued to plead.
"Then may I please experience Apparition a few times with you, so I can witness the noble magic of Goblins with my own eyes?"
The Goblin hesitated for a moment.
"But I still have things to do, and my time is very precious..."
Without a word, Charle took out a check from a London bank.
"I have two hundred pounds here, can all of it be your reward, except for the part exchanged for Galleons?"
"I just want to experience the noble magic of Goblins, please don't refuse me, Mr. Goblin."
Seeing the check, the Goblin's eyes lit up.
Two hundred pounds could be exchanged for forty Galleons at Gringotts, but Muggle wizards had an annual exchange limit. Even if they were worth billions in the Muggle world, they could only exchange a certain amount of Galleons each year.
Unless they were willing to pay Gringotts a little "money laundering" fee.
But Gringotts internal staff were naturally not subject to such restrictions.
Charle took out these two hundred pounds. A first-year little wizard could exchange at most ten Galleons, so the remaining thirty Galleons would all be its reward.
It just needed to take Charle to Apparate a few times?
Instantly, the Goblin agreed to Charle's request.
"Deal!"
"My name is Bashy, little wizard guest. Serving customers has always been the principle of our Gringotts."
"We can start anytime."
As Charle skillfully flattered the Goblin, and even took out pounds to bribe it later, Professor McGonagall's expression changed little by little, looking at Charle with an incredulous look.
How could this child be so skilled at bribery?
Professor McGonagall suddenly felt that her previous judgment of Charle seemed to have been mistaken.
She pulled Charle aside and said with a serious expression.
"Charle, were you just flattering to achieve your goal, and you even bribed someone?"
"This is not something a child should do."
Facing Professor McGonagall's serious expression, Charle sighed.
"Professor, as you know, I'm an orphan, I grew up in an orphanage since I was little, and only moved out later."
"You don't think an orphanage is some kind of paradise, do you? Flattering and bribing the staff to get a little more to eat, that's a required course."
"I know this is a bad habit, but I seem to be unable to get rid of this habit of flattering and fawning over others..."
"Professor, do you think I'm very bad..."
Professor McGonagall's face instantly changed. Her originally stern expression became flustered and helpless, turning bright red. She opened her mouth but didn't know what to say, looking at Charle with eyes full of pity and affection.
"No, no, how could that be?"
Professor McGonagall gently hugged Charle, then patted his shoulder.
"Good boy, once you're at Hogwarts, you won't need to please anyone."
"If anyone dares to bully you, I will not let them off lightly."
"As for now..."
Professor McGonagall took out a money bag, stuffed it into Bashy's hand, then took back Charle's check and said to Charle.
"Go quickly, have fun. Consider this a treat from your professor."
Charle's face was full of emotion. Only then did he pull Bashy, and with a loud bang, he was taken away by Bashy.
After Charle left, Professor McGonagall slowly hugged her head, shrinking into a corner beside the Gringotts entrance, and whispered.
"How could I talk to that poor child Charle like that?"
"I must have scared him, right?"
"I deserve to die!"
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