Diagon Alley was crowded with people. Wizards and witches in robes and pointy hats, some with children, some alone, wandered the alley. The hum of human voices echoed everywhere.
"No, just look - dragon liver and unicorn horn have gone up in price!" an elderly witch nearby loudly protested.
"It's crowded here in the summer," Richard remarked calmly. "Scott, what about the wizard bodyguard? He could be a real help in this crowd."
"Boy," the detective sighed heavily, "finding such a mage wasn't easy. Everyone I've ever dealt with is either a shady character, a racist Muggle-hater, or a complete failure-the kind of armchair analyst who can only protect a person in theory."
- Is there really no one at all?
"There was one wizard, a decent spellcaster, but he turned out to be a werewolf," Scott replied. "Another wizard seemed okay, but he was a bit undersized-about the same size as you and Harry. If there was a power conflict, he'd fade away. And relying solely on magic... Pfft!"
"What's wrong with the werewolf?" Richard asked.
- He's a werewolf!
- This is all?
- Yes.
- He eats children for breakfast, robs, rapes, kills?
"No, kid," Scott shook his head. "I've dealt with plenty of wizards, and nothing out of the ordinary has ever been noticed about this guy. But they say he's not very good at responsibility. It's enough that werewolves are contagious!"
"Okay, sir, we've got the werewolf thing figured out, let's forget about him. What's wrong with the dwarf?"
"A goblin quarter," the detective explained. "That's why he has a low reputation among wizards. He's a bit of an oddball, but the wizards haven't said anything bad about him, and that's a good sign."
- If he's not fit to be a bodyguard, then at least he'll do as an escort?
"I don't think so," Scott shook his head. "He might be a quarter goblin, but he's still a racist."
"Sir, with such selection criteria, you could weed out every wizard in Britain. Every single one of them is at least a little bit of a racist and a Muggle-hater. Even that damn giant forester, who'd seem like a terrifying mutant monster himself, the product of a human-giant love affair, and yet he's still there!"
"Kid, calm down, people are looking at us," the detective said. "I'll keep looking for a suitable candidate, but I'm not promising anything."
"Hmm," Richard drawled. "Looks like I'll have to pick the staff myself. It'd probably be best to recruit people straight from Hogwarts."
"Look!" Harry exclaimed, pointing to the huge crowd in front of Gringotts Bank. "There are a lot of people here."
"That's strange," Richard remarked.
"It's truly strange," said the detective. He approached the wizard in the antique beige suit and asked, "Sir, can you tell me what's going on here?"
"Oh! You probably haven't heard?" the wizard was eager to share gossip. "Yesterday, the Daily Prophet ran an article about someone trying to rob Gringotts. The goblins told the reporter that nothing was missing, but of course they could be lying. Look, I want to withdraw some money. It'll be safer this way."
"I see," Richard drawled. "The usual panic. Harry, sir, it's best not to go to Gringotts today or for the next couple of days. I have some change. It should be enough for robes, potion ingredients, and wands."
"Then let's go to Ollivander's!" Harry said.
"I'm not going to that old goat!" Richard declared categorically. "Last time he threw me out of his shop without an explanation. No way! Whatever you want, I'll buy a wand from Jimmy Kiddell."
"Then me too," Harry said in solidarity.
Richard ignored the hum of the crowd until he heard an interesting conversation between a young witch in a green robe and an elderly lady in a shabby robe.
"That's suspicious," said the young witch.
- What is it, my dear?
"A Hogwarts gamekeeper came to us at St. Mungo's shortly before the bank robbery. He was shot by a Muggle with a fire pipe."
"Are you kidding?!" the old woman drawled, with the curiosity of an inveterate gossip. "A Muggle, really? If I remember correctly, there's a half-giant working as a gamekeeper at Hogwarts right now. His skin is almost like a dragon's."
"Yes, yes! My friend from the minor injuries ward told me this big guy drank half a pint of Rowanberry Brew. Incredible resistance to magical effects!"
- What's suspicious, my dear?
"And the fact that Hagrid kept saying he needed to go to Gringotts on some very important and secret matter! He kept trying to escape the hospital before he was fully recovered. And on the morning of the robbery, he just happened to be leaving St. Mungo's..."
"Oh, Merlin! What are the Aurors looking at? Inhumans rob banks and then walk free!"
Harry called out to his friend, who stood frozen in place: