Diagon Alley, the Great Britain Magic World's most prosperous commercial street.
Many first-tier brand stores, renowned in the Wizarding World, have established their 'flagship stores' here, showcasing their unique and captivating charm.
It was as lively as ever, presenting a vibrant scene.
A group of young Wizards happily held ice cream from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, their faces beaming with innocent smiles, as they chased and played with each other on the wide street.
Wes exhaled deeply, sighing, "It really feels more comfortable here."
Compared to the Marvel Universe, Wes clearly felt a stronger sense of belonging to the Harry Potter World, so most of the time he chose to stay in this fantastical World.
"Still have to exchange gold for Galleons, and get exploited by those shrewd Goblins again."
Wes muttered softly as he weaved through the bustling crowd, heading towards Gringotts.
The first door of Gringotts was a gleaming bronze door, guarded by several Goblin guards standing tall in scarlet and gold uniforms.
Whenever a client arrived, they would respectfully bow, demonstrating their professionalism and rigor.
The second door was silver, and etched prominently on it was a warning inscription:
Diagon Alley
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Passing through this magnificent silver door, one entered a vast marble hall.
About a hundred Goblins were seated behind long counters, busily recording various accounts in thick ledgers.
Some Goblins were meticulously weighing coins with scales to ensure the precise weight of every currency;
Others held magnifying glasses, carefully inspecting the quality and authenticity of gemstones.
Within this grand white marble building, a busy yet orderly atmosphere permeated everywhere.
"Well, well, look who it is."
A shrewd-looking Goblin wearing gold-rimmed glasses quickly rubbed his hands, his face full of fawning smiles, as he bowed deeply to Wes.
"Mr. Erwin, your arrival always brings me joy."
"Augustine, you only welcome the gold I bring."
Wes ruthlessly exposed his thoughts.
"It's all the same, Mr. Erwin, please follow me."
Augustine did not mind Wes's directness and still invited him warmly.
Subsequently, Augustine led Wes into a luxuriously decorated VIP room.
The attendant skillfully poured the tea, then quietly and respectfully withdrew.
"Mr. Erwin, let's begin," Augustine said impatiently.
"So eager?" Wes raised an eyebrow, appearing unhurried.
"Muggles have a very true saying: Time is money, Mr. Erwin," Augustine said earnestly, pushing up his glasses.
Wes calmly opened his briefcase and gently waved his wand, and golden ingots instantly flew out, neatly stacking themselves.
"Oh! The scent of gold is truly captivating."
Augustine's eyes immediately lit up, and he said with a look of infatuation.
He then quickly put on white gloves, took out a needle-shaped magic tool, and carefully placed it on the gold ingots, at which point the magic tool emitted a dazzling light.
"Excellent! 99% pure gold, top-grade merchandise!" Augustine exclaimed excitedly.
"Still the same," Wes took a sip of black tea, then frowned and said with dissatisfaction, "Augustine, your tea leaves are really of poor quality. I am your VIP client."
"Tea is for quenching thirst. By the way, aren't you going to deposit your money at Gringotts? I can secure a higher interest rate for you," Augustine continued to entice him.
"No," Wes refused without hesitation, "I will spend this money very quickly. I don't have a habit of saving money."
"What a pity." Seeing that his persuasion was fruitless, Augustine said no more.
Just then, several Goblins laboriously carried in a huge scale.
"Be careful, you idiots! If you break this treasure, I'll sell you to a Dark Wizard!" Augustine shouted angrily.
Hearing this, the Goblins shivered, and their movements became even more cautious.
Wes was already accustomed to this situation.
Once the scale was steadily placed, those Goblins scurried away as if fleeing for their lives, without even lifting their heads.
Wes simply rotated his wrist, and the gold ingots, as if alive, swiftly flew into one of the scale's pans.
On the other pan, one weight after another appeared out of thin air, until both sides finally reached a state of balance.
Immediately, a surprising number appeared above the scale.
Augustine nimbly recorded this number on a carefully prepared contract: "Mr. Erwin, if you confirm there are no issues, please sign your name."
"A fair price."
Wes did not hesitate, picked up the pen readily, and signed his name with a flourish.
Seeing this, Augustine snapped his fingers elegantly, and the contract instantly vanished without a trace.
"Please follow me."
Augustine finished speaking and then unhesitatingly turned to lead the way.
The two walked together into an elevator that looked slightly old, and the elevator then continuously descended.
"Ding!"
The elevator doors slowly opened, revealing the deepest part of the underground, which was undoubtedly the location of the Gringotts vault.
Complex mechanisms were scattered everywhere, countless magic lights flickered in and out of view, and mysterious cursed power surged in the darkness.
There was even a massive Dragon guarding it.
Goblins always proclaimed this to be the safest place in the World.
Most Wizards in the Britain Wizarding World, including those noble Pure-blood Families, confidently stored their money here.
However, in comparison, Wes still believed more in relying on his own abilities to guard his wealth.
The two then boarded a somewhat old-looking mine cart, and after a thrilling journey like a crazy roller coaster, they finally arrived outside the vault.
Next, they went through a series of complex and tedious verification processes, including but not limited to strict identity verification, detailed contract verification, precise magic power verification, and so on.
Finally, Augustine carefully inserted the key into the lock.
"Click~"
"Click~"
The heavy sound of mechanical turning slowly echoed, and the complex and exquisite vault door automatically opened.
The experienced Wes quickly opened his briefcase.
Then, countless Galleons flew out of the vault like a tide, orderly entering Wes's briefcase.
When the last Galleon steadily fell into the briefcase, the vault door slowly closed.
After leaving Gringotts, Wes went into full-throttle shopping mode.
He first entered'Slug & Jiggers Apothecary,' weaving through the dazzling shelves, carefully purchasing a wide variety of herbs and various precious materials.
Next, he appeared at the Scribbulus Writing Implements, where he carefully sifted through and selected high-grade parchment, superior quality ink, and exquisitely crafted self-inking quills.
After thoroughly sweeping through Diagon Alley, Wes still had an unfulfilled expression on his face, clearly not satisfied.
Therefore, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Wes put on a mask and made some simple disguises, then came to the mysterious and dangerous Knockturn Alley.
It should be known that Diagon Alley represents the bright and orderly side of the Great Britain Magic World, while Knockturn Alley is its dark, chaotic, and lawless corner.
It was a murky, mixed place, gathering secretive thieves, ruthless poachers, evil Dark Wizards, and even terrifying Death Eaters.
Almost everything sold here violated the laws and moral codes of the Wizarding World, such as rare organs of protected magical creatures, Dark Arts tools filled with evil power, and gruesome human materials, among others.
Wes was very familiar with the environment here; he easily made his way to "Borgin and Burkes," searching expectantly inside the shop.
However, this time he was greatly disappointed.
There was nothing in the shop that caught his eye or pleased him.
Having money but not being able to spend it was also a painful and helpless thing.
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