While Richard was practicing his charms under Madame Marchbanks' tutelage on Sunday, a collector van from Mr. Finch-Fletchley's bank arrived at Eaton Hall. An appraiser arrived with the collectors.
As a result, the bank employees removed the platinum, and a small pyramid of ninety-three gold bars appeared in Richard's office, each weighing on average about four hundred troy ounces (twelve kilograms, four hundred grams). This roughly corresponded in value to the agreed-upon sum, or the price of the platinum minus ten percent.
The next day, Richard, accompanied by Scott Potter, went to Gringotts Bank, where he negotiated with a goblin he already knew to exchange gold for Galleons. The exchange rate proved favorable for both parties.
Yes, there was a limit on the exchange of currency at Gringotts, but not on precious metals, which the goblins considered gold and silver.
The Goblin Bank earned only one percent on this deal, which suited Richard just fine. For one gold bar, the boy received eighteen thousand seventy-seven Galleons. He took the "chunks" with him, but left the larger sum in the safe.
Richard and the detective walked almost to the end of Diagon Alley, looking at the various shops. A clean, cozy street appeared on the right. The sign on the nearest house declared it to be Flower Alley. Walking to the end, the young wizard and Squib found themselves in a bustling market.
In the center of the square were stalls, surrounded by vendors and customers. Witches and wizards scurried among the stalls. Most were dressed in old-fashioned clothes, many wearing robes, but occasionally a wizard in costume could be seen. Overall, Richie and Scott didn't particularly stand out from the crowd.
Richard noticed that the merchants were selling mostly food, herbs, minerals, and used items, like at a flea market.
On both sides of the market square, on the ground floors, there were numerous shops.
Walking along one of the walls, Richard stopped in front of a transparent shop window, behind which bags and suitcases were visible.
- Mr. Potter, this way we go.
"Uh-huh," the detective nodded, not looking up from his task: carefully examining the surroundings with the aim of protecting the client from thieves.
At the bag shop, Richard acquired a nice leather satchel with an Undetectable Extention charm for just fifty-six galleons.
For wizards with their incomes, such a price for an enchanted bag might seem high. But Richard considered his purchase an extremely profitable one.
Mr. Potter put his hand on Richard's shoulder and said:
- Boy, isn't this what you're looking for?
Turning in the direction the detective was pointing, Richie found a sign:
Spencer and Phillips
We build everything from a barn to a castle.
- Thank you, Mr. Potter. This is exactly what I needed.
The interior of the construction office turned out to be small. A room measuring four by four meters. A single, dingy window hung on the wall next to the door. An antique sofa with tattered fabric upholstery sat along the wall. A lacquered desk stood in front, and behind it, facing the entrance, sat a portly, bald wizard in a black robe.
As soon as the visitors entered the room, the wizard rolled out from behind the table like a kolobok. He was about Richard's height, and a wide smile never left his face.
"Good afternoon! Nice to see you, sir!" the magician chattered, addressing the detective. "I'm Mr. Oliver Spencer. Would you like to place an order?"
Mr. Potter stood slightly behind his employer, on the right. He answered the wizard, gesturing with his palm at the boy:
- Count Richard Rich has come to see you. I am your bodyguard.
- Oh, Lord!
The wizard's eyes widened in amazement and his mouth opened wide.
"Good afternoon, sir," Richie nodded slightly with his chin and held himself with the dignity of an aristocrat. "Are you in the construction business?"
- Yes, yes, of course. Honestly, Count, why are you standing there? Sit down.
Mr. Spencer gestured toward the sofa. Richard accepted the invitation and settled comfortably on the right edge of the sofa.
Scott remained standing, moving away from the front door to the side that didn't have a window.
Mr. Spencer pulled his wand from his belt pouch, waved it, and levitated the chair from the table to the sofa. He then sat down opposite Richard.
"Sir, it's an honor to welcome the lord to our firm. Do you have anything you'd like to build?"
"You're very perceptive, Mr. Spencer. But first, I'd like to know what types of construction your company does?"
"Lord, I can honestly say that even the Ministry of Magic has approached us. Recently, we were building an entire village for magical farms: houses, greenhouses, outbuildings. Highly respected wizards have approached us to build their homes."
- Can you build an office building?
"Of course!" the wizard's green eyes sparkled with joy. "Of course, sir! We can handle anything. We do it quickly and efficiently."
- Mr. Spencer, my family has been involved in construction for a long time, and I know from experience that fast and high-quality automatically means expensive.
"Count Rich, I have never heard of wizard-builders with that last name," the magician said skeptically.
"Wizards?!" Richard smirked. "What are you talking about? My family runs an international corporation in the Muggle world that does construction all over the world."
"Muggles..." Mr. Spencer drawled contemptuously.
"Do you have something against ordinary people?" Richard asked coldly, raising his right eyebrow demonstratively.
Mr. Spencer's bald head beaded with sweat. It suddenly dawned on him that he'd said too much. You can hate Muggles all you want, but not when money is involved. He suddenly realized he was about to lose a client.
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