- Stand on the benches.
Madam Malkin led the boys to the back of the store, where there were tall benches. Harry stood on one, and another witch immediately circled him. She draped a black robe over the boy's shoulders and began to adjust it. Richard took the bench next to him, and the shopkeeper took charge of him.
"Ma'am, are there any other options in the UK besides Hogwarts?" Richard asked curiously.
"No," Madam Malkin replied. "We only have one school of magic in our country-Hogwarts. We don't need more. There aren't that many wizards."
"Excuse me, ma'am, my letter didn't specify what kind of robes, gloves, and hat are required. I take it they're standard?"
"Yes, dear. School robes are the same for everyone," Madam Malkin touched the sleeve of Richard's jacket and noticed the platinum and diamond cufflinks on the snow-white cuffs of his shirt. "A fine suit. Did you want anything special? Hogwarts doesn't prohibit wearing other clothes after classes and on weekends. I have a wide selection to suit every taste."
"Aunt Diana once appeared in public wearing the same coat four times," Richard said at length, "and the scandal was blown out of proportion, so much so that... Well, it doesn't matter, I'm still a man and can wear a suit as much as I want. Still, ma'am, I'd like to have a choice of clothes and a couple of sets of robes to grow into. I'm a young, fast-growing creature, after all."
"Richie, please don't do this," Harry groaned. "When you dragged me to the studio last time before my birthday last year, I thought I was going to die!"
"Harry, are you dissatisfied with something?" Richard asked, surprised. "We picked out a decent suit for you, one you wouldn't be ashamed to wear in front of the Queen."
- I know how this ends... First you ask about the selection, then the selection of fabric, style, size begins... Going to clothing stores with you is worse than with a girl!
"Um-m-m!" Richard drawled meaningfully and winked. "My dear friend, how long have you been going shopping with girls?! It turns out you've been hiding so many secrets..."
"N-no! That didn't happen!" Potter exclaimed in horror. "Ugh! How... How could you even think that?!"
Madame Malkin could hardly contain her grin, and her assistant was smiling from ear to ear.
"Darling, don't worry, we'll find you some robes to grow into," the shop owner said to Richard. "If you'd like to buy anything else, come by anytime-we'll definitely find something, and if we can't find something, we'll make it to order."
"Thank you, ma'am, I'll think about it," Richard replied. "Tell me, do you use any special magical fabrics?"
Harry Potter put his right palm to his face and groaned softly:
- Oh, no-o-o-o... It's started!
- Harry, suffer in silence!
Richard's snide remark elicited a loud laugh from Madam Malkin's assistant. Harry sighed, and his sigh was thick with pain, sadness, and suffering.
Richard was actually curious to know if wizards had any special materials for clothing.
"Yes, my dear, of course there are magical materials," Madame Malkin replied. "The most popular is dragon skin. It's used to make gloves, jackets, belts, shoes, and inserts into a variety of clothing."
- And the fabrics, ma'am?
Potter's muffled groan came from the nearby bench.
Despite Harry Potter's torment, Madam Malkin was happy to share information with a potential buyer:
- The most famous magical fabrics are silk from the web of the acromantula, a giant spider; demi-mask wool, used to make invisibility cloaks; and unicorn wool. The last one is the best!
- What's so good about this fabric, madam?
Unicorn wool has a mild healing effect and removes dirt wherever it touches. It always remains clean and improves the wizard's health.
"And what about the common man?" Richie asked.
To this Madame Malkin replied:
- It would also be useful for the common man to wear clothes made of such fabric, but who would allow him to do so in violation of the Statute of Secrecy?
- If this material is so useful, then where is the catch?
Richie was sure there was a reason for unicorn hair. If it was so useful, all wizards would wear clothes made from it.
"It's expensive, my dear," Madame Malkin said sadly. "Insanely expensive! Only the wealthiest wizards, at best, can afford underwear made of such fabric. And even then, only if they have any health problems."
- If there are no health problems, can I wear clothes made from such fabric?
- Of course! But...
"I understand, ma'am, it's expensive," Richard said. "But I'd still like to know the specific numbers."
- Ten galleons for an ounce of wool, and cloth is twice as expensive.