27: The Ultimate Bluff, Unleashing the Ultimate Right Before Their Eyes!

The girl was beautiful.

Even through the lens of Ian’s eyes—a "raw camera" in the truest sense—there was not a single flaw to be found, far surpassing any of the "beauty-filter warriors" Ian had seen on social media platforms like Kuaishou.

Her skin was as fair as fine porcelain beneath a layer of fresh snow, glowing with a faint, translucent luster. Her refined features carried an air of icy detachment, and against the backdrop of her platinum-blonde hair, she possessed an otherworldly aesthetic.

Golden light danced between the strands of her hair.

"I have seen you before."

The girl's voice was youthful and crisp.

"Uh, I believe that must have been in Diagon Alley. I bought my wand just before you did." Ian recognized the girl almost instantly.

Ollivander’s Wand Shop.

He had nearly collided with the girl’s cold, aloof guardian.

"Is that so?"

The girl was noncommittal. She kept her gaze fixed on Ian’s face, her heterochromatic eyes shimmering with a jewel-like brilliance.

"Yes, that’s right."

Ian felt a bit embarrassed under her scrutiny. He felt as though her gaze had never left his face. Other girls had stared at him like this before, but none of them possessed beauty that could compare to the one standing before him. Ian felt that she was truly dazzling. Even with a face that was arguably more handsome than a young Leonardo DiCaprio, he felt slightly inferior by comparison.

"Is there anything I can help you with? Kraft is out for the moment, and I am looking after the place in his stead." The girl finally shifted her gaze.

The "Kraft" she mentioned was likely the owner of the bookstore.

"I’d like to sell these three books back to him, and then choose some textbooks related to Potions." Ian tried to make his smile appear as warm and sunny as possible. It wasn't because of any budding adolescent infatuation—he possessed the soul and mind of an adult, after all, and certainly had no designs on a ten-year-old girl.

Leaving a good impression was simply about securing a better price.

Yes. Minor-aged members of the opposite sex and such—how could they possibly compare to the charm of golden Galleons!

"Selling books and buying books, of course, no problem."

The girl’s eyes fell on the three books Ian held against his chest—wizarding world books were thick and wide, obscuring most of his torso.

"So, you are the small wizard Kraft was talking about, the one who overestimated his own abilities."

The girl saw the titles on the books and looked at Ian again, her expression one of surprise. From her rather impolite remark, it was clear that Ian had become a source of amusement for the bookstore owner.

"..."

Ian’s smile stiffened significantly.

"I’m sorry."

The girl realized that what she had blurted out was inappropriate. She scrambled to her feet to apologize, as if she had committed a grave error.

*Clatter.*

The book she had been resting on her lap fell to the floor. She immediately hurried to crouch down and retrieve it. Even in this flustered state, she didn't forget to offer a sincere explanation.

"I didn't mean to mock you. Those were Kraft's exact words; I just repeated his expression... though, I suppose he was indeed mocking you."

Good grief! Your explanation was worse than not saying anything at all!

"Runes are indeed a bit difficult for me," Ian said, forcing his smile to remain. He hadn't expected this girl, who looked so cold and arrogant on the outside, to be so bizarrely blunt in conversation.

"Yes, they are for me as well."

The girl placed the retrieved book on the table and took the three books Ian handed her. Only then did Ian notice that the book she had been reading was also related to Runes.

*Analysis and Study of Runes.*

A title he hadn't heard of before. Or rather, it didn't seem to be a published book at all. Most book covers had titles in gold-stamped print, but the title on the cover of the text the girl was reading was handwritten in ink.

Perhaps it was a notebook?

"It’s part of the third-year elective curriculum; I was just curious," Ian lied with a sigh, not wanting to show off that he had already mastered the basics. While Hogwarts students rarely faced the "tall poppy" syndrome, Hogsmeade was a melting pot of all sorts. Acting like a pig to eat the tiger wasn't Ian's style, but being an attention-seeker in the wrong setting wasn't his habit either.

"Are you a first-year student at Hogwarts?" The girl’s eyes sparkled.

"Yes, Ian Prince. Unless something unexpected happens, we should be classmates?" Ian remembered that this girl had also purchased her wand just recently.

"Perhaps. The Headmaster has not yet approved my admission application... My name is Aurora Grindelwald."

The girl seemed noticeably nervous while introducing herself. She stared at Ian with her heterochromatic eyes, leaving him feeling somewhat bewildered. Was she waiting for him to shake her hand?

Thinking this, Ian reached out. The girl was clearly taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly reached out to shake his hand.

"A very nice name."

Ian offered the customary politeness. He felt the surname sounded familiar but couldn't place where he had heard it—perhaps one of the so-called pure-blood noble families.

"Thank you. You have quite some nerve, too."

The girl named Aurora seemed to breathe a secret sigh of relief. Her comment left Ian confused. Seeing his puzzled expression, Aurora’s eyes darted away, and she quickly turned to the three books Ian had placed on the table.

"Kraft said that if you came to sell your books, he would buy them back for three golden Galleons."

This was clearly a change of subject, though Ian didn't notice. He only felt a wave of disappointment.

"The old man even left specific instructions." Ian had originally wanted to tell a little white lie to get a higher price, but he hadn't expected the bookstore owner to be so airtight.

"I’ve kept them in great condition, and I’ve only read them for a few days. Surely they are worth four Galleons!" Ian probed, still unwilling to give up.

Unexpectedly—

"You have a point. Four Galleons it is."

Aurora agreed so readily that Ian was left stunned.

"Uh... then could you get me some second-hand textbooks on Potions?" Ian swallowed back the long list of arguments he had prepared.

"Right, I remember Potions is in..." Aurora looked around at the piles of scattered books, her expression turning blank.

"I’ll find them myself."

Ian saw her distress. Fortunately, he was already familiar with the shop and quickly dug out Potion textbooks from first to seventh year from the various piles.

"How much?"

Ian looked at the stack of books that reached half his height, feeling anxious. He didn't know if the money left in his purse, combined with the resale of the Rune books, would be enough.

Damn knowledge monopolies! Why hasn't a "Mr. Lei" of the wizarding world stepped up to drive down the prices of magic books?

"Let me see..."

Aurora tried to check the prices on the back of the books, but since these were old textbooks, most of the price tags had long been worn away or torn off. The cold, aloof girl looked like she was struggling.

"How much do you think they are worth?" After a long silence, Aurora asked, feigning calmness.

"I think... one golden Galleon?" Ian responded, holding onto the belief that shamelessness leads to invincibility.

"Hiss, if Kraft knew you offered that price, he’d be so angry he’d jump up and... slap his own face!" Aurora gasped. Her strange description left Ian feeling baffled again. But clearly, now was not the time to ponder why Kraft wouldn't just slap Aurora instead.

"I’m not buying them; I’m renting them. I’ll return them eventually." Ian certainly didn't dare to spend a whole Galleon to take home books worth far more. He figured if he bought a quill, he could copy all the content anyway. Wizarding quills had automatic transcription features.

"Will he notice?" Aurora’s tone was hesitant. Renting books? The shop didn't seem to have such a service.

"There are countless books here, and he only took over a few months ago. He clearly hasn't organized the inventory at all, so how would he know you rented a few out for cheap?" Ian lowered his voice, starting his most skilled work—rational analysis and planning.

"Think about it. He’s too lazy to even cast a simple cleaning charm, which proves this guardian of yours doesn't care about these books. I, however, am a book lover who treasures knowledge."

"Miss Grindelwald! You must understand this principle! Knowledge exists to be learned, not to rot in a corner until it turns to dust!"

Ian had honed his flowery language while running his fortune-telling stall. His "brainwashing" caused the young girl named Aurora to widen her eyes in astonishment.

"I admire your eloquence, but Kraft definitely won't agree. He cares very much about his Galleons." Aurora shook her head after a moment of hesitation.

"You and I don't even know the proper selling prices for these books, do we?" Ian snuck a glance at the front door, then adopted an expression of utter sincerity. "As a customer, I certainly don't want to be cheated."

This made Aurora nod in agreement.

However, "I don't want to be cheated either." Aurora’s refined face was full of seriousness.

"Of course." Ian’s expression remained unchanged, all smiles. "I don't want to be cheated, you don't want to be cheated, so let’s talk about renting the books and slightly wronging your guardian, Mr. Kraft."

"May I ask, is he your grandfather?" Ian whispered.

"Of course not." Aurora shook her head. "He is one of my guardians."

The girl seemed unwilling to reveal more. That was fine.

"Well, a guardian works too. Trust me, he won't know which books are missing from the shop. I can even offer three gold coins for you to keep as pocket money." Ian pulled out his trump card—the most wicked lure for a child.

"!!!!!"

Aurora’s expression became incredibly dynamic. She gasped, looking at Ian with an indescribable sense of disbelief. "You actually want to bribe me?"

"This isn't a bribe, Miss Grindelwald. This is a transaction between you and me," Ian corrected her with a straight face, dropping his voice even lower. "I will return the books secretly. It will be a win-win situation where nothing ever happened. I gain the knowledge I want, and you gain Galleons to buy plenty of Chocolate Frogs."

Ian figured a child couldn't resist the temptation of snacks. As it turned out, Aurora’s expression was indeed wavering. The cold temperament brought on by her appearance seemed to dissipate.

"I don't know if this is right, but I don't think I’ve ever engaged in such rebellious behavior. Perhaps this is what my grandfather meant when he said I needed to learn things at Hogwarts?" Aurora seemed to be talking to herself.

"Learn what?" Ian asked curiously.

The beautiful girl looked up at Ian and uttered two words: "Cunning."

She had delivered a judgmental verdict.

"..."

Ian regretted his curiosity. However, things were going according to his plan.

"I can agree to this transaction."

Aurora had finally been persuaded. Or perhaps it wasn't the Galleons that persuaded her, but the idea that such behavior would allow her to gain something she desired.

"A wise choice!" Ian was excited.

"Here." Aurora took out a piece of paper and recorded the name of every book. Then, she took one Galleon from the register and handed it to Ian—the remainder from the three-book sale after deducting the rental fee.

"Thank you! This is a huge help!" Ian thanked her sincerely. If his wallet hadn't been so light, he wouldn't have tried to con a little girl, but a man is often defeated by a single penny. He hadn't expected seven years of textbooks to number in the dozens.

"You're welcome," Aurora responded in a crisp voice.

Suddenly, she asked out of the blue, "Are we accomplices now?"

For some reason, Ian felt a hint of excitement in the young girl's voice.

"We're friends." Ian smiled.

"Friends?" Aurora’s eyes went blank for a moment, but they quickly refocused on the books.

"To be honest, I don't recommend you spend too much time on Potions; it won't bring you much power." Aurora offered her advice earnestly.

"I’m just interested."

Ian began stacking the books to carry them out. At this moment, Aurora walked to a corner and took a book from a white satchel.

"My grandfather warned me that to make like-minded friends, one must know how to win them over. I think this will suit you." Aurora walked toward Ian with a book that looked quite expensive.

"What is this?" Ian, already carrying a stack of books, saw Aurora place the book on top of his pile, towering over his head.

"I have a talent; I can feel that it is very suitable for you... far more suitable than it would be staying here." Aurora’s heterochromatic eyes stared at Ian’s face again.

"Thank you." Whatever it was, it was a gift. Ian felt a peculiar pressure from her gaze.

"I'm heading back. See you in a couple of days." Ian prepared to slip away.

"You are the most manipulative peer I have ever met. You shouldn't be living here; you should be in Azkaban. You might end up there for fraud sooner or later." Aurora waved goodbye, but she was also genuinely sighing. Her remarks were as blunt as ever—she simply said exactly what was on her mind.

"I’ll take that as a compliment. Azkaban isn't all that bad, though if I had to choose, Azkaban would be advanced study, and Nurmengard would be true graduation." Ian joked. He struggled to carry the towering stack of books toward the door. If not for his [Freestyle Fighting] skill giving him good physical fitness, his small body might not have been able to handle it.

"You know about Nurmengard?" Aurora, back behind the counter, looked up in surprise.

"I've only heard of it. It's the place where the first Dark Lord is imprisoned. I don't remember the Dark Lord's name, though." Ian knew this was in *A History of Magic*, but he had been too busy with Runes to read any textbooks other than *The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)*. Everything he knew came from memories of movies and fanfiction from before he crossed over.

"Gellert," Aurora said in a low voice.

"Uh, is that it?" Ian continued walking.

"I don't think I could be wrong about this. His name is Gellert... Grindelwald."

As Aurora’s voice faded, a flash of memory struck Ian’s mind like lightning.

*Damn it!*

No wonder! No wonder the name Grindelwald sounded familiar! The first Dark Lord was named Grindelwald! He had actually been stupid enough to call the Dark Lord a name to his own relative's face!

"Miss Grindelwald..." Ian turned his head with difficulty. He found the German girl watching him with a ghostly gaze.

"If I said 'Dark Lord' was a term of endearment, would you believe me?" Ian offered a very strained smile.

"You should be thankful Kraft isn't here." Aurora suddenly seemed amused. She waved goodbye. "But he'll be back soon."

This was a warning.

Ian hurried out with his books, gasping for breath as he ran back to the room Snape had arranged for him. He dumped the dozens of books onto the table with a groan of relief.

*Clatter!*

A large pile of books spread across the table. Among them, the book from Aurora—with its strange, dark, purple-tinged cover and a texture completely different from the old textbooks—was the most conspicuous.

*Secrets of the Darkest Arts.*

The title of the book seemed to hold a special magic. It appeared to be writhing and twisting.

***

*(Note: In the films, Grindelwald only appears in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1" during Voldemort's interrogation regarding the Elder Wand, and in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" on Albus Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog card. He is rarely mentioned in early fanfiction.)*