The Booming Robe Shop

Chapter 5 The Booming Robe Shop

"Hey, why think about all that? Right now, all I need to do is eat, sleep, earn money, buy supplies, learn magic, and then go home."

As for why Ian listed learning magic last, it's not because he doesn't like it; no Harry Potter fan would reject magic.

It's just that the post-apocalyptic world he lived in wasn't the one depicted in traditional movies and TV shows. In that relatively peaceful post-apocalyptic world, survival resources were more important than strength.

The most direct evidence is that this half-grown child was able to survive alone in an office building for several months, which is enough to prove the gentleness of this apocalypse.

Of course, this only applies to staying indoors where it's relatively peaceful. When you go outside, the various birds, small mammals, and parasitic plants can really make you feel like you're surrounded by enemies.

Moreover, the key to learning magic lies in "learning". First of all, he doesn't have any cheat codes or systems, so it's not like in games where you can learn it with a click or use it by drawing a card.

His only advantage might be his familiarity with the plot and his maturity and spirit beyond his years. Therefore, without books or money, establishing a foothold here is the key; he should proceed step by step and make his move gradually.

After clearing his mind, Ian got up and went to the kitchen at the back of the hallway. After working so hard for so long, he wanted to treat his hungry stomach.

……

On August 23, 1991, less than 10 days before the start of Hogwarts, the streets of Diagon Alley were already bustling with activity, even though it was only around 8 a.m.

The children about to start school embarked on various shopping trips accompanied by their parents. There were also groups of older students like Ian, who walked together and chatted happily. They would only stop briefly when passing by shops such as Quidditch boutiques and joke shops.

After a thorough morning wash and grooming, Ian headed to the agreed-upon location, as his appearance was crucial on his first day of work. At 8:30 a.m., he promptly pushed open the doors of the Madam Malkin's Robes boutique.

Good morning, Mrs. Malkin!

"Good morning, child. The second house on the left in the back, the black dress hanging in the middle wardrobe, go to the dressing room and change into it. It took me all night to make it, and I can't wait to see how it looks."

"Damn it, today is incredibly busy. There are obviously too many new students at Hogwarts this year. Don't think I don't know what they're thinking. They all hope their children can gain the Savior's friendship, even if it means becoming that boy who survived the disaster. They used to run away faster than anyone else. A bunch of opportunists. It's still morning, and we already have four orders..."

Mrs. Malkin was getting impatient and kept muttering to herself.

Ian maintained only the basic politeness and quietness expected of an employee. After a few seconds, he nodded to Mrs. Malkin to indicate that he understood, and then turned and walked towards the back room.

This is just a normal reaction for middle-aged women after staying up late, and Ian understands it very well.

After walking through a narrow corridor of 7-8 meters, you arrive at the second room on the left. Various clothes fill the room in the wardrobe, but the one that catches your eye at first glance is the middle set that Mrs. Malkin just mentioned.

A long dress that combines intricacy and simplicity, with a dark black main color.

The collar, cuffs, front, waist, and hem of the dress are inlaid and embroidered with various embellishments and patterns. Judging from the appearance, it seems to have used gold printing, embroidery, and painting techniques. The corners are decorated with light purple jasmine flower patterns.

The dark black exudes solemnity, the silver embroidery adds a touch of mystery, and the pale purple painting adds a touch of allure.

Even Ian, who has experienced the information explosion and watched all kinds of fashion videos, had to admit the unique splendor and elegance of this dress. A pair of white silk stockings and black leather boots were also thoughtfully placed next to the dress.

However, remembering Madam Malkin's impatience earlier, he couldn't appreciate it too much and could only quickly change his clothes.

"Madam, shall I wait by the door from now on?"

Mrs. Malkin turned around upon hearing the sound. Although she had absolute confidence in her dress and had considered the effect from behind, she had to admit that she had underestimated Ian’s charm and the dress’s enhancement.

His angular features were exquisitely sculpted, with a high nose, thin lips, and dark, deep, lonely, and somewhat melancholic eyes. A brief glance at them could easily make one fall in love.

With a gentle smile, straight black hair, sharply angled eyebrows, and a tall, upright figure, he stood there alone, like an eagle soaring in the sky, exuding an elegant, noble, and ethereal aura at all times.

"Merlin, this is simply...perfect. The entrance? Oh no, that's not where you should be. Stay in the hall, yes, right here. Trust me, in less than half a day, this place will become a tea party for the girls. Don't underestimate their ability to pass on information behind the scenes."

At this moment, Mrs. Morkin had an expression of someone who had been through it all, and she spoke with some excitement.

As expected, women understand women best; everything was just as she said.

A few hours later, the fairly spacious shop was already quite crowded. All sorts of young women, plump and slender, clearly regarded this place as their second home and seemed to intend to stay here permanently.

Ian, who caused all of this, remained indifferent, acting like a mere tool, quietly doing his job.

Although he was at the center of the storm, he had a clear understanding of it: this kind of rootless hype would quickly dissipate if there was no follow-up hype.

Of course, if it were someone like Gilderoy Lockhart, it would probably be a different story.

In fact, it is human nature to join in the fun and want to experience something new. There is also the tendency to follow trends and parrot others. He understands that once the hype dies down in the next couple of days, it won't be as exaggerated as it seems.

As Ian had predicted, starting from the third day, the robe shop was no longer as crowded and noisy as it had been the previous two days.

After all, even school children have their own troubles. Even the most die-hard fans need to return to the mundane life of daily necessities after the initial fervor. Moreover, he was just a clothing model.

Although things have returned to normal, the robe specialty store has become a hot topic after some time, and Madam Malkin has successfully made her store more popular than the Tuofan ready-to-wear store.

It's not hard to understand why it's so popular. After all, in the magical world where there's no television or movies, and all we have are newspapers and radio, gossip still has a lot of vitality and spread.

After gaining such popularity, the store's sales naturally soared. The girls would often only make eye contact with him for a second before quickly lowering their heads shyly or glancing to the side.

Looking at those youthful faces, Ian was speechless. The reason was simple: they were all too young.

Of course, there are also some self-proclaimed free-spirited women in their twenties, or young married women, who boldly and flamboyantly strike up conversations and use physical and verbal provocations.

In this situation, Ian only needs to smile and gaze at the other person for a few more seconds to make them look away and give in, thus making them willingly spend money.

Given all these experiences, it would be impossible for Ian, as a normal man, not to be tempted.

Ian was also tempted, but he forcibly restrained himself with his own will, knowing that he would not choose to touch these things before he had a guarantee of survival and before he had a certain level of ability.

In this world, he maintains a respectful but distant attitude towards matters of romantic relationships between men and women.

Because he can't make any promises right now, if he can't make promises to girls, then he shouldn't try to win their hearts in the first place. This is his principle and bottom line as a human being, and it is also his lowest moral standard.

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(End of this chapter)