The days of hanging out at Hogwarts

Loren swallowed the food in his mouth and asked in surprise: "Grandpa Bates, did you go to college before joining the army? You studied economics and finance? Can you adapt to the current economic market so quickly?"

The grandpa I thought was a reckless man turned out to be an intelligent soldier.

Bates raised his eyes and glanced at him, as if he knew what he was thinking: "Our family used to make a living by running a farm, and no one in the family went to college."

"Then why did you...you-" Loren hesitated.

"The son of one of my comrades in arms went to college with my support and now works at HSBC. He signed the long-term lease agreement and exchanged the proceeds from the long-term lease for cash, all with his help."

"He suggested that I keep enough money to live on and buy some long-term income funds with the rest. He mainly recommended real estate funds."

"I don't think he would lie to me." Bates told Loren everything completely without hiding anything.

Because all the money is for Loren. He is almost 80 years old. How much can an old man spend?

The house will be left to Loren, and the long-term income fund will not only ensure income, but also reduce part of the inheritance tax. This is all for Loren.

Loren nodded blankly, thinking that this was a good reward for Grandpa Bates' good deeds.

You have indeed not been deceived. The global economy will enter a stage of rapid development in the future, and British real estate will continue to appreciate. Especially since the country has just emerged from the economic trough and is now at a low point, with high room for appreciation.

His mind began to search through those distant memories, looking for financial details, especially details that could make a lot of money.

In last year's Christmas letter, he mentioned to Hermione that the pound would depreciate sharply this year. If he had enough principal and bank leverage, he could earn enough money to make him rich and free regardless of risks.

He needed to recall the specific details carefully.

Bates saw that it was almost time, and he made an appointment with his comrade's son to interview before the bank opened.

"You can just go to school and do what you want to do. Don't worry about money." After Bates finished speaking, he got up and went into the cloakroom to do today's look.

Loren absently put the omelette into his mouth, chewed it and swallowed it.

It should be around September this year that capital tycoon Soros stepped down and sold a large amount of pounds for short selling.

Wearing a satin suit and slicked-back hair, Bates walked out of the cloakroom and wandered around the living room, doing the final work before going out.

Despite his extraordinary temperament, Loren always felt that Grandpa Bates was awkward like this.

"Do you have to dress like this?" Loren couldn't help but ask.

Bates didn't answer the question and went straight out.

"I think Hermione will come today, entertain her!" Bates closed the door and the voice came from outside.

While eating breakfast, Loren recalled what he knew about currency depreciation, thinking about how to follow the capitalists and make a sum of money that would provide him with food and clothing for the rest of his life.

Ding!

Ding ding!

The doorbell rings.

"Who is it?" Loren asked subconsciously as he stood up to open the door, but he immediately realized that it must be Hermione.

"It's me, Hermione." The girl's voice was clear not long after she got up early in the morning.

Hermione takes the initiative to come over every day, and I feel like I should take the initiative once too. Loren stood up from the table and walked toward the door.

He opens the door.

Hermione was wearing a white knee-length dress, white socks and canvas shoes, looking full of energy.

"Good morning, Hermione!" Loren turned around and let Hermione into the room, "How about I go to your house to find you tomorrow?"

"Sure," Hermione replied, "As long as you don't sleep in a little longer."

Loren felt that this was an offense to his character and retorted loudly: "I got up very early today! I was just thinking about something after breakfast and forgot to clean up."

"By the way, have you had breakfast? Do you want me to make you another one?" Loren asked as he cleared away the tableware on the table.

Hermione quickly shook her head: "I've eaten, I've eaten."

Her heart is actually a bit complicated. She doesn't need to eat an extra breakfast today, which is in line with her thoughts yesterday.

But inexplicably, Hermione felt a little disappointed.

Loren turned on the faucet and started rinsing the dishes under the flowing water. The cold tap water passed over his skin, feeling cool and comfortable.

Hermione stood at the door and looked around, but saw no one else: "Where is Grandpa Bates? Is he going out again?"

"He went to the bank to do business again." Loren put a plate on the counter. "Speaking of which, how was your investment in the building society last year?"

"Following the advice in your letter, I exchanged some foreign currency, half and half of US dollars and half of Marks, and then deposited it in the bank." Hermione looked at Loren who was washing the dishes, and felt that such Loren had a unique appeal. , a different attraction from the red mole on his forehead before.

"What do your parents think of this matter?" Loren started cleaning for the second time.

Hermione blinked and watched Loren repeat the previous round of actions: "My mother agrees with your point of view and believes that the pound will depreciate, but the government will maintain social stability and the depreciation should not be significant."

"It's not wrong to think so. Under normal circumstances, significant depreciation will not occur." Loren agreed. He couldn't force others to believe him when it came to adult matters, not to mention that the Granger family was not short of money.

Normal conditions will not depreciate, but in the near future, things will not be normal. There is a guy named Soros who is eyeing the pound, has absorbed a batch of funds, and is preparing to short the pound, ambitiously trying to bite a piece of Britain's flesh.

This short-selling behavior will exacerbate the depreciation of the pound and make the British government lie down directly.

Loren put the dishes back in the cupboard, closed the cupboard door, and waved at Hermione as he walked out of the kitchen.

"ah!"

Water droplets splashed on Hermione's face, and the cold stimulation made Hermione scream.

"Bad!" Hermione wiped her face, then slapped Loren on the back hard, making a "bang" sound.

Loren grinned. Although he knew he would be beaten, he couldn't help but want to die.

Seeing that the little witch was still angry, Loren quickly changed the subject: "After sending you home last night, Principal Dumbledore came to my house."

Hermione stopped raising her hand in the air and her eyes widened.

"Cure Grandpa Bates's werewolf disease. In the next few years, he won't have to worry about full moon nights anymore." Loren took Hermione to the courtyard. According to the habit of the past few days, they should start practicing the Patronus Charm. .

"Why didn't Principal Dumbledore stop by my house to see me?"

Hermione couldn't stop mumbling, "Have you reminded Principal Dumbledore that my house is next door to yours."

"I said, but the Ministry of Magic has an urgent matter to deal with. Principal Dumbledore left immediately after treatment." Loren said.

"Obviously they are both young wizards of Muggle origin, but Principal Dumbledore has always taken a fancy to you." Hermione looked at Loren resentfully. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall was fair and impartial, otherwise she would really be sore.

The little witch didn't know that Professor McGonagall, whom she believed to be fair and impartial, had decided to focus on taking care of Loren next semester since the final exam.

Loren felt that Dumbledore valued Harry, and they were just passing by, although Dumbledore was also very kind to them...

He coughed: "Start practicing the spell."

Accompanied by waves of chanting of "Calling the Divine Guards", the silver light shone in the courtyard.

"Your Patron Saint Spell has solidified a lot. You can summon a physical Patron Saint before school starts."

"I really envy you. My Patronus Charm is still getting bigger and there is no sign of condensation."

Loren was fishing leisurely while saying flattering words.

Hermione tried hard to suppress the smile on her lips, and said with a serious face: "Don't be lazy, practice your spells!"

"Okay, Professor Granger."

Loren glanced at Hermione secretly, and seeing that her attention was no longer on this side, he tentatively said: "[Fluorescent Flash]"

Bang!

If you seek death, you will be beaten. Loren grinned and rubbed his arms.

…

"Why don't you keep little Hermione for dinner?" Bates stood in front of the kitchen counter, marinating the steak with spices and salt, slapping the steak with his palms, making a snapping sound.

"She won't agree." Loren watched Bates' marinating process at the kitchen door and warned aloud, "Put too much salt. The beef cannot absorb so much salt during marinating, and the extra salt will be wasted. .”

In the past, Bates would not marinate the fried steak in advance, but after watching Loren make it several times, he found that it tasted better after marinating, so he reluctantly added this step.

Bates said nothing. Although you were right, he didn't want to talk to you.

Throw the butter into the pan and wait quietly for the oil to melt into liquid. After the fat and milk aroma comes out, Bates puts the steak in and slowly fry it.

Use a spatula to hold each side in contact with the bottom of the pot in turn. The high temperature and oil will first denature the protein on the edges and make them hard, preventing the juice from seeping out.

Then he cooks both sides in turn, waiting for the heat to penetrate the steak and reach his desired doneness.

Loren looked at it for a while and then said: "I still think it's delicious cut into small slices or strips and eaten with onions. It would be even better with some rice."

Bates pretended not to hear and remained silent, not wanting to talk to Loren at all.

He added a little more salt to the pot and poked the center of the steak with a spatula to feel the softness and hardness. When he thought it was just right, he put it on the plate, took out his fork and knife, and carried it out.

As he passed the door, Bates turned to look at Loren: "Your steak is still on the plate. You can cook it yourself. Do it how you want."

Loren looked at him with a confused expression. He is 80 years old, so what...

Seeing Loren's stunned look, Bates took a deep breath and felt that the steak on the plate tasted even better. I asked you to keep giving your opinions.

Bates sat at the dining table and began to enjoy the delicious steak.

A few minutes later, Loren came out with a well-cooked steak with rosemary and garlic.

Watching Loren cut a piece and put it into his mouth, although there was not enough juice and it didn't look tender enough, why did it smell and feel more fragrant and delicious?

Bates ate with his head down, beef and juice filling his entire mouth.

With the addition of garlic and rosemary, the well-done steak became more attractive. As Bates smelled it, he felt that his steak was no longer fragrant.

Why does this person make the same thing better? Bates was so angry that he said bitterly: "Next time you cook."

"I was the one cooking, you just wanted to cook today." Loren said.

Bates's knife scraped hard on the plate, making a squeaking sound.

For the sake of the 80-year-old man's cardiovascular and cerebrovascular affairs, Loren stopped mentioning the steak: "Grandpa Bates, how much money do you have now?"

Bates raised his eyes and looked at Loren: "Why do you ask?"

"For some unspeakable reasons, I now know some financial changes, and the return on investment is very high." Loren felt that eating one piece and cutting it into pieces was not suitable for him, so he started cutting the beef constantly and enjoying it after cutting it.

While cutting, he explained to Bates, "The pound will depreciate in September. I'm not sure how much it will depreciate, but it will definitely depreciate significantly, so I'm asking if you have any ideas to make this money."

"Magic? Prophecy?" Bates asked tentatively.

"Yes, yes, you can't say. That's how magic is." Before Loren could answer, Bates made up the answer on his own.

"Just think of it as a wizard's prophecy." Loren couldn't explain rebirth and time travel, and prophecy was the best excuse.

"I didn't expect that the wizard's prophecy could predict these things." Bates sighed, and then asked curiously, "Can the prophecy see the lottery numbers?"

"Probably not." While Loren was cutting meat, he looked up at Grandpa Bates. You are quite flexible in your thinking.

“So are we making this money?”

Bates thought for a moment and replied: "I will consider what you say, but you will not be involved in it."

As a veteran, his cautious character was deeply rooted in his bones, and he would not let Loren get into any trouble, even if it was just possible.

"Oh." Loren nodded obediently, feeling a little regretful that he couldn't follow the capitalists to make trouble.

Bates looked at Loren's still immature face, and felt a trance in his heart. When he first saw him, he was still a little cub, and now he is so big.

"Loren."

"Um?"

Bates hesitated, but still asked: "What do you want to do when you grow up?"

"I still can't think of what I want to do specifically, probably return to human society -" Loren paused for a moment, "Enjoy life?"

Bates smiled, thinking that Loren had not planned for the future, and continued to ask: "What kind of jobs do students who graduate from magic schools usually do?"

"It depends on the circumstances. Wizards from pure-blood families who have a family business will return home to inherit the family business. Others include fire dragon breeders, Quidditch players, Aurors of the Ministry of Magic, police, government personnel, and those who open magic supplies shops. ." Loren said, picking up what he knew.

“How do these jobs pay?”

"Well..." Loren thought about what to say, "Most people can support a family."

Pure-blood families gain profits by occupying a monopoly, and wizards with outstanding abilities can break through blockades. For example, professors at Hogwarts can make money based on their abilities.

Restricted by the secrecy law and blocked by pure-blood families, others can only eat and wait to die.

Bates nodded thoughtfully and stopped talking.