Chapter 457: Our Shop

“This is our shop, Grandpa Marcus.”

Wizard Sean whispered to Marcus.

But the chatter from the Fairy Tale booth was too loud; Marcus strained to hear and was instead drawn in by the clerk.

“Which version would you like, sir? If you’re gifting it to this young gentleman beside you, I recommend the Pegasus model.”

“No effort needed—it floats automatically in the air, perfect for calls and photos.”

The clerk introduced it earnestly.

He pulled out a pair of magical hand mirrors and placed them in midair; they floated unnaturally, stable and still.

A sharp “click” echoed, and a photograph drifted out from the mirror’s back.

The clerk handed the photo to Marcus: the old wizard gazed longingly at the lens, while the black-haired young wizard beside him seemed to be speaking.

But his voice was too quiet; Marcus was utterly captivated by the magical hand mirror, and in the moving photo, the young wizard sighed.

“Truly marvelous—the Pegasus model—”

Marcus marveled and began chatting with the clerk.

“Yes, sir, the Pegasus model had only fifty units produced, and they’re nearly sold out.”

“Mr. Hermes’s workshop will only produce one batch this season; the next won’t come for who knows how long.”

The clerk smiled.

He wasn’t lying.

“Of course, you may also consider our other versions—the Dragon model…”

The clerk pulled out a mirror engraved with a dragon relief; the moment he touched it, the mirror turned red as if seared by a branding iron.

“You see, apart from dear Mr. Hermes and the buyer, no one else may approach it.”

The clerk said proudly.

“Excellent, excellent…”

Marcus nodded repeatedly.

“And our Golden Snitch model—it follows the wizard like a pet…”

From the dazzling display window, the clerk retrieved a mirror with transparent wings; it hummed softly and hovered steadily behind his shoulder.

“Ah, wonderful…”

Marcus was utterly dazzled.

“Imagine—if your young gentleman had a magical hand mirror, you could communicate with him anytime, and our privacy features are top-tier.”

“Only you and your young gentleman can eavesdrop on your conversations with this young sir.”

The clerk raised the stakes.

“This is truly—”

Marcus was completely astonished.

No distance barrier, instant communication, eavesdrop-proof, even face-to-face…

“The Ministry…”

He suddenly asked.

He knew all too well how irresistible such an object would be to the Ministry.

“The Ministry ordered a small batch, but Mr. Hermes refused their further requests.”

“Not to boast, but in all of Britain’s magical commerce, only Fairy Tale Workshop has the nerve to do this.”

The clerk said, head held high.

“Oh—”

Marcus nodded eagerly.

He was now intensely curious about this unknown alchemist.

“Times keep changing; for old relics like us, it’s hard to truly grasp such magnificent creations.”

Marcus finally sighed.

“Perhaps only Mr. Hermes has achieved greatness.”

The clerk smiled warmly.

“Perhaps so. Then, sir, what is the price for such a magical item?”

Marcus had already decided to buy, but he knew the value of two-way mirrors; he assumed such a marvel would be astronomically expensive…

He thought of his savings, then of the sweet child of the McGonagall family—and made his choice without hesitation.

“Thirty-seven Galleons, sir!”

The clerk spoke with full confidence.

“Thirty-seven Galleons?”

Marcus lifted his head slightly, wondering if he’d misheard.

True, for most wizarding families, this was no small sum.

But compared to the hundred-Galleon two-way mirrors, this price was absurdly low.

“Yes, sir, as I said, this is the revolution Mr. Hermes has brought to the magical world—”

The clerk said reverently.

“Give me one!”

Marcus nodded decisively.

Beside him, Wizard Sean tugged gently at his robe hem.

“My dear child, whatever you want to say, we’ll talk later—you can see, they’re almost sold out—”

Marcus looked down, smiling cheerfully.

“This is our shop, Grandpa Marcus.”

Seizing the moment, Wizard Sean spoke quickly.

“Oh, now you’re joking?”

Marcus chuckled; he clearly hadn’t heard, and didn’t care.

“Sir, then…”

At that moment, the clerk pulled Marcus’s attention back.

“Here is your purchase contract. I must remind you: the magical hand mirror’s craftsmanship isn’t yet perfected. By the latest, you’ll need to replace it within two years.”

The clerk held the Pegasus model, explaining seriously.

“I agree.”

Marcus smiled warmly.

He hadn’t fully processed it yet.

“Good, sir. The Pegasus model comes in lightweight and multi-panel versions—would you like either?”

“Manager Suya has set up a membership system: when your two-way mirror breaks, we offer repairs, but after two years, we hope to reclaim the materials from the damaged mirrors.”

“In exchange, you’ll receive a discount on your next purchase.”

The clerk offered many scattered suggestions.

This made it even harder for Marcus to recall Wizard Sean’s words.

What joke had his dear child just played on him?

“Ah, and there’s such a benefit?”

Marcus agreed without a second thought.

Wizard Sean stood beside him, slightly exasperated.

But upon hearing the clerk’s words, he was momentarily surprised.

He knew the main cost of magical hand mirrors lay in materials; the wages for Fairy Tale Workshop’s wizards were negligible compared to output.

If they could reclaim the hard-to-damage materials from returned mirrors—the magical world’s materials were extremely expensive, as Hagrid could attest—then the mirror’s cost could be further reduced.

“London University economics…”

He murmured thoughtfully.

“Congratulations, Mr. McGonagall.”

“I believe, as your child, this young gentleman is undoubtedly lucky—a tool for instant communication, the most fashionable magical creation, is surely the finest gift—”

The clerk placed the magical hand mirror in Marcus’s hands, smiling.

“Sign and pay here?”

Marcus was very pleased with the clerk’s words.

He disliked flattery, but the thought of the distance between him and young Green dissolving made his smile radiant.

“Yes, sir. May I ask your name?”

The clerk said.

“Marcus McGonagall.”

Marcus said cheerfully.

“You mean?!”

The clerk’s expression changed dramatically for the first time.