Chapter 39: Speculation

Jian Yu had no idea about the boys' tangled feelings.

She had arrived at Diagon Alley, and Dumbledore placed her in the Leaky Cauldron and asked Old Tom to take care of her.

He also reminded Jian Yu:

"On September 1st, you must arrive at Platform 9 3/4 on time. Don't miss the train."

Jian Yu agreed repeatedly, but Dumbledore still looked a little worried:

"Let's go buy some school supplies first... I'm sure you won't run around, right?"

She really had no intention of running around. To be precise, she would behave herself until she could stop taking the soul stabilizer.

For her good behavior, Dumbledore rewarded her and himself with a strawberry peanut butter ice cream.

Traveling with the principal meant that there were people everywhere saying hello to them.

It was two full hours later that she finally freed herself from the endless pleasantries. Dumbledore also breathed a sigh of relief. The 100-year-old man's robes and hair were messed up by the crowd. He let out a long breath and sighed:

“The enthusiasm of students and parents is always overwhelming.”

They finally arrived at Flourish and Blotts, but it was obviously even more chaotic and crowded.

A large banner was hung in the bookstore window:

【Gilderoy Lockhart autograph session, today afternoon 12:30-4:30】

In order to prevent herself from getting into an endless conversation again, Dumbledore had to leave first and told her for the second time to stay in the Leaky Cauldron and not run around before school started.

Jian Yu couldn't help but wonder how low his credit rating was with the principal.

According to the list, the books used for the second year Defense Against the Dark Arts class are seven books by Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Breaking Up with a Female Ghost", "Traveling with Ghouls", "A Year with the Tibetan Snowman" .....

She felt that this was not like a textbook, but more like a novel.

Taking advantage of her young age, she squeezed into the crowd, only to find Lockhart himself sitting behind a table in the bookstore. He was surrounded by large photos of himself, showing a standard 15-degree smile to those who came to ask for his autograph. His teeth were dazzlingly white, and his blue eyes and wavy blond hair complemented each other perfectly.

She observed the wizards in the bookstore and found that most of them were witches in their thirties or forties. Their faces were flushed with excitement, their breathing was rapid, and they were waving books and newspapers with Lockhart's photos in the air.

There were screams and compliments for Merlin from the crowd as Lockhart winked at them. Jian Yu noticed that several witches were almost fainting from happiness.

She immediately understood the reason, as she had seen many such scenes in her previous life.

——This is the star-chasing scene in the wizarding world!

And this kind of situation is a good opportunity to make money by being a scalper or a profiteer!

Thinking of this, Jian Yu's eyes when looking at Lockhart changed instantly, as if he was looking at a living gold Galleon.

"Excuse me - give me ten sets of books!" she said to the clerk.

When dealing with a big customer, the wizard, who had originally looked exhausted, suddenly perked up, diligently packed the things for her, cast a shrinking spell, and handed them to her with a smile.

She held the stack of books with exquisite covers and, using her body advantage, nimbly came to Lockhart.

"Mr. Lockhart! I'm your biggest fan!"

Lockhart blinked at her twice, his eyes were a little greasy - but Jian Yu could tolerate it for the sake of the gold galleons.

"It seems my fame has spread to the far east!"

Jian Yu tried her best to show her starry eyes and said in an eager tone:

"Can you sign it for me? Like 'To my little cutie' or 'To my little baby'."

Lockhart looked even happier. He seemed to have never met a witch so young and so obsessed with him. He agreed with a wave of his hand and began to sign her book.

After signing a set of books, he thought Jian Yu would leave with many thanks, but he didn't expect her to take out a second set.

"I know this may sound selfish, but your autograph is what my grandmother wanted most before she died!"

Lockhart let out a huff, opened the book and began to sign.

But he didn't expect that there was a third set waiting for him.

"And my bedridden mother, your books have brightened her life!"

This was followed by the fourth and fifth sets.

"My brother has lost his hearing, and only your books can help him see the wonders of the world!"

The witches, who were originally somewhat dissatisfied with Jian Yu's delay, couldn't help but sigh when they heard this.

An older witch wiped her tears and firmly stopped the people behind her who wanted to squeeze forward:

“This child is so miserable!”

"Don't worry, I will never let anyone interrupt your opportunity to communicate deeply with Mr. Lockhart."

Jian Yu knelt down and thanked her with a smile, then hurried away with the five sets of books that had successfully been signed by TO.

Back at the Leaky Cauldron, she took out a set of robes given to her by Perenelle and put them on. Then she began to dress herself up, putting on a large wizard hat and a black veil covering her face.

Only after her body shape and appearance had completely changed did she hurried out with the book in her arms.

"Mr. Lockhart, our family of three are all impressed by your heroic demeanor!"

Lockhart grinned, looked at her with some confusion, and found that he had never seen this woman before.

How strange, the voice seemed familiar.

He signed his name on the three sets of books with some hesitation.

Jian Yu returned to the Leaky Cauldron with the books and changed into another set of clothes, shoes and hat.

"Mr. Lockhart, my boyfriend's father said that he met you and the Yeti in Tibet!"

But Lockhart's quill suddenly tilted and fell on the table.

Why is he so nervous?

Jian Yu looked at him strangely.

Lockhart was sweating, and he realized that his reaction was too dramatic, so he laughed awkwardly:

“Nice encounter, haha!”

He went on to sign two sets of books.

Jian Yu quickly put this doubt behind him.

At 4:30 p.m., the signing session ended on time and Lockhart had already left.

But the entrance of Flourish and Blotts was still bustling with people, filled with desperate and heartbroken witches who failed to get autographs.

"Oh - my Lockhart - damn dirt bus - why is it late -"

Jian Yu squeezed in between them, tapped the magic wand lightly in the air, and a line of large words appeared:

[Lockhart limited edition autograph set for sale, quantity is limited, hurry up if you want to buy! 】

"Ah - Lockhart -"

All I heard was an excited shout from the witches.

The crowd rushed over and almost crushed Jian Yu to the ground.

She had to conjure a stone into a podium to stand on, cast a voice-boosting spell on her throat, and conjure up a small hammer before starting the live bidding.

"5 sets with to signatures, 5 sets with regular signatures, the highest bidder wins!"

"Number one, a set with a to-signature, starting price 9 Galleons!"

She took out the first set of signed Lockhart books, held the book up with both hands, and showed the signed page to the crowd around her.

"Merlin - it says 'To my little love'!"

"It was written in Mr. Lockhart's own handwriting—"

The witches looked like they were about to faint, and many of them had red eyes and were determined to win.

"I'll offer 10 Galleons!" An elegant witch wearing a French wizard hat with a feather on her head raised her hand.

"15 Galleons!" Another voice immediately overwhelmed her. It was a witch with flowers on her head.

"20 Galleons!" The elegant witch refused to give in.

"23 Galleons!" the witch with flowers on her head immediately responded.

The two glared at each other with hatred. If looks could kill, they would have died hundreds of times already.

Jian Yu put her five fingers together and pointed at the witch with flowers on her head:

"Okay, this lady is offering 23 Galleons. Anyone else want to raise the price?"

The elegant witch's face was long with anger, she gritted her teeth and said: "30 Galleons!"

"This lady is offering 30 Galleons. Is there anyone who wants to raise the price?"

The witch with flowers on her head glared at the elegant witch fiercely, thinking that 30 Galleons was already a month's salary, so she had to stop bidding in disappointment.

"30 Galleons for the first time, 30 Galleons for the second time, 30 Galleons for the third time—"

"Deal!" Jian Yu dropped the hammer, making a crisp and pleasant "dong" sound.

"Let us congratulate this lady for winning the first bid - Mr. Lockhart's love - with 30 Galleons!"

The witches all clapped their hands, and for a moment there was a burst of applause and whistles.

The elegant witch paid the money and took the book. Her face flushed with excitement. She waved the book in the air and shouted to the crowd:

"I won! I won Mr. Lockhart's love! I am his only little cutie!"

The witch with flowers on her head regretted it immediately.

Although she would lose a month's salary, she would gain Mr. Lockhart's love!

So when the bidding started for the second item, the signed "For My Baby" suit, she directly bid 30 Galleons and successfully closed the deal.

Listening to the crowd's congratulations and applause, she felt herself immersed in love and floating in the air.

The auction lasted for a full hour, and all ten sets of books were sold at high prices.

Jian Yu was very satisfied holding the 200 gold Galleons.

Thanks to Lockhart, he's a real cash cow!

If it were in her previous life, she would at least kowtow to him!

But what she didn't know was that she would soon see this cash cow again at school.