Chapter 4: The Exploration of the Hidden Realm**

"Are you even human?!" Hofa grabbed Indor by the collar, roaring, "Why did you gamble away my financial aid?!"

Indor, startled, quickly patted Hofa's tense hand and said, "Isn't this an indirect investment? It's just a small amount of money, no big deal. Don't worry, we goblins never lack money. Look at how worked up you are."

Hofa, gasping for breath, let go of Indor. He was almost driven mad by this goblin. "Are you serious?"

"Trust me," Indor said, pounding his chest. "I promise you'll have your books and wand before sunset, as long as you follow my lead."

Hofa gave the goblin a cold look, finding him utterly untrustworthy. He wondered how Dumbledore could have thought this guy was a decent goblin. "What do I need to do?" Hofa asked.

"First, we need to go to Diagon Alley," Indor said with a smile. He extended his slender fingers and tapped the wall three times. The wall immediately began to tremble like a living thing, and amidst the falling dust, a wide archway opened, revealing a winding cobblestone path that seemed to stretch endlessly.

At that moment, a strange voice echoed in Hofa's mind.

**Ding!**

**Hidden Wizard Realm discovered. System activated.**

**This is the Compulsory Education System.**

**The system has two purposes:**

1. **The host must complete the seven-year magical education at Hogwarts. (If unable to complete, compulsory measures will be taken if necessary.)**

2. **To help the host better explore and record this world. Each time the host completes an exploration of a hidden realm, the system will reward them.**

**[Current Hidden Wizard Realm: London Wizard Market]**

**Complete 50% of the exploration—You will receive [One-Third Spell Fragment] (A fragment containing peculiar energy. Collect three to upgrade one of your spell abilities.)**

**Complete 100% of the exploration—You will receive [The Sage's Knowledge] (A mysterious and profound knowledge. Its potential power is unknown until acquired.)**

Hofa was momentarily stunned, but his heart had grown resilient after the series of events. He carefully reviewed the information in his mind several times. It wasn't surprising that he had a system attached to him. The system's functions were straightforward: complete tasks and receive rewards. However, the system's name was a bit odd—**Compulsory Education System**, mandating the completion of seven years of magical education. Hofa felt something was off. Who would refuse to study at Hogwarts for seven years? Even someone as formidable as Voldemort had obediently stayed at the school for seven years before leaving, a testament to the school's allure. The system even mentioned that if he failed to complete his education, compulsory measures would be taken. Hofa found this amusing—he had never skipped class in his previous life.

He tried to ask the system a question, but it didn't respond. The only change was that after activating the system, a green progress bar appeared in his mind, showing **[Current Exploration Progress: 0%]**. Looking at the empty bar, Hofa understood that he needed to continuously explore to earn rewards. There were two types of rewards: **[Spell Fragments]** and **[The Sage's Knowledge]**, though he didn't yet know their uses. After confirming he hadn't misread anything, Hofa exited his mental space.

Indor, seeing Hofa standing still for a while, thought he was overwhelmed by his first visit to Diagon Alley. After waiting a moment, he nudged Hofa, "Stop staring, let's go. We have a lot to do."

After studying the system, Hofa nodded to Indor, and the two stepped into Diagon Alley.

Compared to the decaying and tense Muggle world outside, the wizarding world seemed leisurely and vibrant. Every shop window displayed a variety of materials—baskets of red feathers, glowing blue bat eyes, and strange silver instruments. Various wind chimes hung at the entrances, each with tiny mouths that sang melodious ancient tunes whenever someone passed by. Hofa couldn't understand the lyrics, but they sounded pleasant.

Some shops were well-hidden, and Hofa had to enter them for the exploration progress bar to increase. For instance, there was a corner shop with only a small broom cabinet at the entrance. At first glance, it looked like a storage room, but upon entering, Hofa discovered it was a luxurious wizarding restaurant bustling with house-elves.

The shop that left the deepest impression on Hofa was one called **"Perseus's Weather Blankets."** Below the gilded sign was a line of smaller text: *"Still troubled by discomfort in new environments? Struggling with jet lag? For just 50 Galleons, you can choose your favorite weather. Perfect for home or travel. Don't wait, grab yours now!"*

Weather blankets? Hofa had never seen such a shop in the original story, so he naturally walked in. Once inside, he was stunned—the shop literally sold weather. On the left, a blanket depicted a thunderstorm, with dark clouds raining heavily. On the right, a blanket showed a desert, with miniature camels walking through the sand. Ahead was a rainforest climate, filled with lush trees and parrots hopping around. As Hofa approached, he felt the humidity on his face. He even saw a wizard wearing sunglasses lounging on a chair in the rainforest area, basking in the sun. A shopkeeper stood nearby, enthusiastically promoting his product.

"How about it? Real enough? I guarantee you won't experience tropical rainforest sunshine anywhere else in Britain."

The sunbathing wizard climbed out of the chair. "Yes, it's close to what I expected, but I think the humidity could be increased a bit. And add more parrots in the middle of the forest."

"Got it!" The shopkeeper waved his wand, and amidst the parrots' singing, the entire rainforest rolled up into a neatly folded blanket. The wizard paid and left, satisfied.

Hofa, amazed, walked around the shop, observing the various weather conditions—vast grasslands, ice-covered glaciers, picturesque islands, and even a rumbling volcano ready to erupt.

The shopkeeper approached Hofa, "Hello, are you looking to purchase a weather or customize one?"

Hofa blushed. "I'm just browsing..."

Indor, standing beside him, shook his head in exasperation.

Ten minutes later, Hofa and Indor left Perseus's Weather Blankets. The magical abilities of wizards continued to astonish Hofa. As he walked, the exploration progress bar in his mind steadily increased—13%, 22%, 29%, 37%.

Indor was clearly annoyed by Hofa's slow and aimless wandering. He repeatedly reminded Hofa that time was money.

Finally, an hour later, when Hofa stopped in front of a fabric shop, the progress bar reached 40%.

**Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.**

Hofa looked up at the sign. He was quite familiar with this shop, as many years later, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter would have their first encounter here. As for now, it would be over a decade before Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, was even born.

Sighing inwardly, Hofa was pushed inside by Indor.

The shop was run by a hunched man with a hooked nose, dressed in an elegant purple robe. His eyes, narrowed and sharp, lingered on Hofa's tattered shoes and socks.

Indor, unfazed, jumped up to the counter and tossed a gold watch to the hunchbacked man. "The usual, Malkin. Rent a set of clothes."

Malkin took the watch, his eyes fixed on Hofa. "Your guest this time doesn't seem very promising."

Indor replied, "That's none of your concern, Malkin. As per the rules, if I don't return within an hour, my grandfather's watch is yours."

"Hmph," Malkin grunted, stuffing the watch under the counter. He turned his head and shouted, "Polly, come out and work!"

Hofa wasn't sure what they were discussing, but it seemed this shop was a family business. He wondered what relation this hunchbacked man had to the future Madam Malkin.

The answer came quickly. At Malkin's shout, a young girl, no older than eight or nine, popped out from behind the counter. "Coming, Dad! No need to shout so loud!" She was shorter than Hofa by half a head, but her movements were swift. As soon as she saw Hofa, she pushed him onto a wooden stool. "Stretch out your arms."

Hofa obediently extended his arms, thinking to himself that this girl, Polly, might be the future Madam Malkin. She certainly seemed born for this line of work. Though she hadn't yet taken her husband's surname, Hofa wondered if she would ever marry.

Polly, unaware of Hofa's thoughts, measured his body and asked, "Are you a new student here to get school robes?"

Before Hofa could answer, Indor quickly interjected, "Hey, little girl, we're not here for school robes. You need to make my client look handsome, like an ancient Persian prince."

Old Malkin snorted disdainfully.

Polly stuck out her tongue at Indor, then whispered to Hofa, "Why are you hanging out with him? Goblins are no good."

Hofa sighed, "It's a long story..."

Despite his snobbish appearance, Old Malkin's tailoring skills were undeniable. Ten minutes later, Hofa was completely transformed. He wore a luxurious red robe with dark gold patterns, knee-high leather boots, and his black hair neatly combed. Indor even snatched a ring from Malkin and placed it on Hofa's finger. Now, Hofa looked every bit the descendant of a pure-blood family.

Standing in front of the mirror, Hofa suddenly wondered how handsome Voldemort would look in such attire.

Indor, rubbing his pointed chin with his long fingers, suddenly turned to Polly and asked, "Do you like him now?"

The future Madam Malkin blushed furiously, kicked Indor, and ran away, covering her face.

"Seems like we've achieved the desired effect," Indor said with a snap of his fingers. "Let's go, Prince. We have a busy day ahead."

After admiring himself in the mirror, Hofa suddenly crossed his arms and looked at Indor with a smile. "You're trying to dress me up so you can take me to Gringotts for a loan, aren't you?"

Indor stumbled back, almost falling on his rear. Old Malkin, after a moment of stunned silence, burst into laughter. "Ah, goblin, even you have your day! How does it feel to have your tricks seen through by a kid?"

Hofa sneered, "If you ask me, since you lost my financial aid, why not give me that gold watch as compensation?"

Indor jumped up as if he had springs under his feet. "Absolutely not! There are many ways to make money, but I only have one watch. No, no, no!"

"Is that so? Then tell me, what's the interest rate at Gringotts? How much are you planning to loan by dressing me up like this? And how much will I have to repay later?" Hofa stood calmly in front of the goblin, looking down at him. "I trusted you because of Dumbledore, but your actions make it hard for me to continue trusting you."

Old Malkin muttered under his breath, "Merlin's beard..."

Indor was sweating profusely. He looked at Hofa and murmured, "Galloping Gorgons, are you really only eleven?"

Hofa loosened his tight collar and sat down on the stool. "You have two choices. One, give me the gold watch as compensation. Two, explain your plan clearly."

Indor forced a bitter smile and rubbed his hair.

Ten minutes later, Hofa and Indor, dressed in their finery, left Madam Malkin's shop, heading to Gringotts for the loan. No matter how much Hofa argued, Indor refused to give him the gold watch. However, he did explain his plan in detail.

With the tense situation in Europe, Gringotts was expanding into other countries and needed many foreign partners. Hofa's mixed-race appearance could be advantageous. If handled properly, Indor could package Hofa as a foreign noble and secure a risk investment fund from Gringotts.

Indeed, to Hofa, who had lived through the information explosion of his previous life, Indor's tricks weren't particularly sophisticated. However, the goblin did have a clever streak, daring to exploit such loopholes in a major bank. Moreover, it seemed this wasn't his first time doing something like this. It was only after Indor repeatedly assured Hofa of his past successes and promised to bear all risks that Hofa agreed to take this gamble. After all, he desperately needed the funds to attend Hogwarts.

---

**Chapter 5: The Deceptive Indor**

Gringotts was located in the center of a row of commercial buildings, a tall white structure that stood out prominently. No matter the world, banks always exuded grandeur. In front of the gleaming bronze doors stood two solemn goblins dressed in scarlet and gold uniforms. Upon seeing Hofa approach, they both bowed slightly.

Legend had it that Gringotts was the first shop in Diagon Alley.

Hofa and Indor entered the bank. Once inside, Indor, dressed in his suit, walked with his head held high, completely shedding his previous sleazy demeanor. They passed through a second set of silver doors, inscribed with warnings:

*"Enter, stranger, but take heed of what awaits the sin of greed, for those who take, but do not earn, must pay most dearly in their turn. So if you seek beneath our floors a treasure that was never yours, thief, you have been warned, beware of finding more than treasure there."*

The warnings were written in archaic English, giving them a timeless feel. Though Hofa had been calm before, seeing these inscriptions made his heart race like a bucket being tossed about. Starting his new life by defrauding Gringotts to fund his education—he must be insane. But seeing Indor's confident demeanor, Hofa had no choice but to steady his nerves. Complaining was pointless now; he had to play his role perfectly to gain trust. In a bank, trust was money.

Indor said, "Your name now is Silby Spencer, a descendant of a French noble family. Understand?"

Hofa mocked, "You've prepared quite thoroughly."

Passing a group of goblins endlessly weighing gemstones, Hofa and Indor reached the counter. Indor whispered, "Silby doesn't speak English. From now on, leave everything to me, got it?"

Hofa nodded silently.

Indor looked up at a bespectacled, balding old goblin at the counter. "This guest has come from France, representing his family to discuss investment matters. Here is the proof of the Spencer family's overseas assets."

With that, Indor produced a piece of paper from nowhere and handed it over.

The old goblin, looking solemn, interlaced his fingers and first gave Hofa a once-over, nodding slightly. Hofa returned the nod with equal grace.

The old goblin then took out a magnifying glass and carefully examined the document. Hofa, seeing the paper, gritted his teeth. Indor had clearly prepared this in advance, likely planning to defraud Gringotts with Hofa from the start, hence deliberately losing Hofa's tuition money.

After studying the document, the old goblin waved his hand, and a goblin secretary approached. "Take them to Room 103."

The secretary nodded and led Hofa to the elevator. After pressing a few buttons, the old-fashioned elevator rose automatically.

Hofa thought of Harry Potter and Hagrid, who had descended into Gringotts during their first visit, while he was ascending with Indor. The unknown made him uneasy.

Upon reaching the tenth floor, the elevator doors opened. Indor immediately bowed at the entrance, playing the part of a servant to emphasize Hofa's noble status.

Hofa inwardly sneered—this guy was a professional con artist, acting out every detail. He didn't refuse, mimicking the noble demeanor he'd seen in movies and stepped out gracefully.

The corridor was fragrant with the scent of high-end roses, the floor covered in red carpet, and the walls adorned with gilded magical lighting, exuding luxury.

The goblin secretary led Hofa and Indor to Room 103 and then left.

Though it was daytime outside, the room's fireplace was lit, casting a dim yet opulent glow. The walls were covered in silverware and oil paintings.

"Mr. Ralfor, look who I've brought," Indor said cheerfully, clearing his throat.

A wheelchair turned by the fireplace. Sitting in it was a goblin—an old, decrepit goblin on the verge of death. He was wrapped in a red blanket, his head trembling slightly, and his nose as long as Hofa's forearm.

Hofa swore he had never seen a goblin so old and frail—this was the goblin equivalent of Stephen Hawking.

Indor walked over and loudly kissed the few remaining hairs on the old goblin's forehead. *Mwah!*

Hofa shuddered in disgust.

The old goblin cracked a smile and pointed to a red sofa. Hofa quietly sat down.

Indor went to a cabinet, helped himself to a glass of red wine, and began pouring. "Ralfor, the wizarding world in France is facing trouble. Germany's ambitions are unstoppable. Mr. Spencer here is willing to mortgage some of his family's assets in France in exchange for the British Ministry of Magic's protection."

Ralfor mumbled, "Scaremongering, Indor. You're always like this..." His voice was hoarse and grating.

Indor handed over the parchment. "Believe it or not, here's the deed. Take a look."

Ralfor examined it and muttered, "Delphine Spencer... Indeed, unclaimed land." The old goblin glanced at Hofa. "I wonder what relation this gentleman has to Miss Delphine..."

Indor patted his chest. "Her brother, her blood brother, the sole heir of the Spencer family. Rest assured, there's no issue."

The old goblin nodded. "But the price..."

Indor raised a finger. "Ten thousand Galleons, plus a security agreement. That's the cost. If agreed, you'll gain access to vast lands, including the port of Bordeaux, to be handed over within two years."

The old goblin's cloudy eyes lit up, staring at Hofa without speaking.

Indor added, "Don't worry, he doesn't speak English."

The old goblin immediately began haggling with Indor.

Watching the two bicker in front of him, Hofa maintained a polite smile while cursing