"Are you even human!?"
Hofa grabbed Indor by his leather collar, shaking him so hard the goblin's monocle nearly flew off. Veins bulged on Hofa's small hands.
"You gambled my scholarship fund? All of it?"
Indor flinched, patting Hofa's knuckles frantically. "Hey, hey! Watch the suit! It wasn't gambling, it was... aggressive investment. Besides, what's a few galleons between friends? We goblins are never truly broke. Look at you, so stressed."
Hofa released him, panting. He wanted to strangle the little creature.
"Are you serious right now?"
"Trust me," Indor said, thumping his chest with a confidence that felt entirely unearned. "I guarantee you'll have your books and wand before sunset. Just follow my lead."
Hofa glared at him. Decent goblin, my ass. Thanks, Dumbledore.
"What do I have to do?"
"First," Indor grinned, adjusting his collar, "we go to Diagon Alley."
He extended a long, spindly finger and tapped a specific brick in the wall three times.
Rumble.
The bricks shivered and twisted, folding back like origami to reveal a wide archway. Beyond it lay a winding, cobbled street packed with colorful robes, strange smells, and the hum of magic.
And then, a sound echoed in Hofa's skull.
DING!
[Wizarding Realm Discovered. System Activated.]
[System: Compulsory Education System]
[Primary Objectives:]1. Complete 7 Years of Hogwarts Education.(Failure to complete will result in mandatory enforcement measures.)
2. Explore and Record the World.(Rewards granted for exploration milestones.)
[Current Realm: London Wizarding Market]
[Progress: 0%]
50% Exploration: Reward - [1/3 Spell Fragment](Collect 3 to upgrade a spell.)
100% Exploration: Reward - [Knowledge of the Great God](Effect: Unknown.)
Hiss.
Hofa stood frozen.
A system.
He wasn't surprised—he was a transmigrator, after all. It came with the territory. But the name... Compulsory Education System?
And the threat? "Mandatory enforcement measures"? What was it going to do, give him detention in the afterlife?
Even Voldemort finished his seven years. Who was skipping school in this universe?
Hofa tried to mentally query the system. Silence. Just a green progress bar hovering in his mind's eye: 0%.
He stepped out of his mental interface.
Indor was staring at him. "Kid? You good? First time jitters?"
He nudged Hofa. "Let's move. Time is money."
Hofa nodded. "Let's go."
They stepped through the archway.
Unlike the gray, depressed Muggle London, Diagon Alley was vibrant. It was a sensory overload.
Shop windows displayed baskets of red feathers, jars of glowing blue bat eyes, and silver instruments that spun without wind. Wind chimes hung above doors—literal mouths that sang ancient, melodic songs as customers passed.
Hofa walked, and the green bar in his mind ticked up.
He poked his head into a shop that looked like a broom closet. Inside, it was a sprawling restaurant staffed by house-elves.
[Progress: +2%]
He stopped in front of a shop called Perseus's Weather Blankets.
Are you tired of the gloom? Do you miss the sun? For only 50 Galleons, pick your favorite weather! Perfect for travel or home ambiance!
Weather blankets? That wasn't in the books.
Hofa walked in.
Inside, rugs were displayed like art pieces.
On the left, a rug crackled with a miniature thunderstorm, rain pouring onto the fabric but never wetting the floor. On the right, a desert rug featured tiny camels trekking across dunes. Further back, a rainforest rug steamed with humidity, miniature parrots squawking in the tiny trees.
A wizard in sunglasses was lounging on a deck chair inside the rainforest rug.
"How is it?" the shopkeeper asked. "Authentic enough?"
The customer sat up. "Not bad. Crank up the humidity. More parrots."
"You got it!"
The shopkeeper waved his wand. Squawk! The jungle grew louder. He then rolled the entire rainforest—trees, birds, rain and all—into a neat bundle.
The customer paid and left.
Hofa stared.
[Progress: 13%... 22%... 29%...]
Indor was getting impatient. "Kid, stop gawking! We have an appointment!"
Finally, an hour later, they stopped in front of a familiar sign.
Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
[Progress: 40%]
Hofa looked up. This was where Harry met Draco. But Draco's dad wasn't even born yet.
Indor shoved him inside.
The shop was run by a hunchbacked man with a beak of a nose—Old Man Malkin. He wore purple robes and eyed Hofa's dirty boots with disdain.
Indor hopped onto the counter and tossed a gold pocket watch at him.
"The usual, Malkin. A rental."
Malkin caught the watch. He squinted at Hofa. "This one doesn't look like he has two knuts to rub together."
"None of your business," Indor snapped. "One hour. If we're not back, keep the watch."
"Hmph." Malkin shoved the watch under the counter. "Paulina! Get out here!"
A little girl popped up from behind a rack of robes. She looked about eight or nine, with pink cheeks and bright eyes.
"Coming, Pa! Stop yelling!"
She scurried over, grabbed Hofa, and shoved him onto a stool.
"Arms out."
Hofa obeyed. Future Madam Malkin? She certainly had the attitude for it.
"First year?" she asked, measuring his inseam.
"Not exactly," Indor interrupted. "Make him look like a prince. A Persian prince. Rich. Old money."
Malkin snorted.
Paulina stuck her tongue out at Indor. "Don't listen to the goblin," she whispered to Hofa. "They're trouble."
"Tell me about it," Hofa sighed.
Ten minutes later, Hofa was transformed.
He wore deep red robes embroidered with subtle gold thread. Knee-high calfskin boots. His hair was slicked back. Indor even slipped a heavy gold ring onto his finger (stolen momentarily from Malkin's display).
He looked like a pureblood heir. Maybe even better than Tom Riddle.
Indor rubbed his chin. "Hey, Paulina. Do you like him now?"
Paulina blushed furiously, kicked Indor in the shin, and ran into the back room.
"Perfect," Indor snapped his fingers. "Let's go, Your Highness. We have a bank to rob."
Hofa stepped off the stool. He crossed his arms and looked Indor in the eye.
"You're going to use me to get a loan from Gringotts, aren't you?"
Indor froze. He took a step back, nearly tripping.
Old Man Malkin burst out laughing. "Hah! The boy's got you figured out, goblin!"
Hofa's voice was cold. "You gambled my money. You pawned your watch. Now you want to use me as a prop for a scam."
He stepped closer.
"Give me the watch ticket. I'll pawn it myself. That's my compensation."
Indor jumped like he'd been electrocuted. "No! Absolutely not! That watch is an heirloom! There are other ways to get money!"
"Oh? Then tell me the interest rates at Gringotts. Tell me the loan amount. Tell me the repayment plan."
Hofa loomed over the goblin.
"I trusted you because of Dumbledore. You're making it very hard to keep doing that."
Malkin muttered, "Merlin's beard... the kid's sharp."
Indor was sweating. "Galloping Gorgons... are you really eleven?"
Hofa sat back down on the stool, loosening his collar.
"Two choices. One: Give me the watch. Two: Explain the plan. In detail."
Indor slumped. He ran a hand through his tuft of blonde hair.
Ten minutes later, they were walking toward the snowy white building of Gringotts.
Indor kept the watch, but he spilled the beans.
Europe was on the brink of war. Gringotts was expanding aggressively into foreign markets to secure assets. They needed foreign partners.
Hofa's mixed-race face was the key. Indor planned to pass him off as a minor foreign noble—maybe from the East—looking for investment capital.
It was fraud. Pure and simple.
But Indor swore he'd done it before. He promised all the risk was on him.
Hofa sighed. He needed tuition. He needed a wand.
He straightened his red robes and lifted his chin.
"Lead the way, Indor. Let's go get that money."