Neither the scheming headmaster nor the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who had been thoroughly rattled by his own superior, had considered one very real possibility:
What if some bold little wizard simply saw that letter as a giant Gringotts check, complete with a clear signature?
To them, it was Slytherin's Legacy. A treasure worth killing for. A few dead wizards? Hardly a tragedy. After all, the Triwizard Tournament had claimed far more lives, just for a thousand Galleons and a bit of glory.
But what were a thousand Galleons or some fleeting honor compared to Slytherin's inheritance? Without that legacy, Ilvermorny wouldn't even exist.
What? You say the letter merely represented a chance? Come on, if that letter hadn't had an age restriction, Dumbledore himself might have shown up!
Of course, both the headmaster and the professor were wrong about two key things.
First: if Dumbledore ever did come, it wouldn't be for the legacy's power, but because it might contain a way to finally get rid of his least favorite student: dear old Tom Riddle.
Second: there really was someone in the wizarding world bold enough to sell such a thing.
That someone? A certain Hufflepuff, who preferred not to reveal his name.
Yes, Lord Slytherin had been a powerful wizard, but to Allen, his legacy wasn't all that enticing.
Especially not when you could sell it for a hefty sum and use the money to buy someone else's legacy.
It's not like Slytherin would be mad about it.
Even Soraka the demigod had her legacy sold at a fixed price, 45 Galleons per copy, no scams, no fine print.
Compared to that bargain-bin rate, Slytherin's was already outrageously priced. Soraka herself might cry if she heard about it, though her tears weren't magical, and Allen couldn't bottle and sell them anyway. So, best if everyone just compromised.
So, how much did Allen sell Slytherin's legacy for?
Not as much as you'd think.
Under Allen's expert persuasion, and the lingering trauma from the fear spell he'd once cast, the Slytherin student in question (yes, it's a bit of a tongue-twister) was moved by the temptation of legacy and ended up coughing up everything he had.
A full 1,000 Galleons.
And that was after he'd gone around borrowing from anyone who'd lend.
Sure, 1,000 Galleons was dirt cheap for a legendary inheritance, but Allen, after some serious thought, decided to give his Slytherin classmate a "friends-only" discount.
After all, Allen was a generous guy, always willing to lend a hand to fellow students, even those from other Houses.
What? You think Allen just wanted to join the Ministry's expedition and needed funding, so he conned some sucker for cash?
Don't be ridiculous!
Slytherin's legacy was real, wasn't it? The letter clearly offered an opportunity. Allen still had to risk his neck exploring that place, didn't he?
Whether or not he actually kept the inheritance was a separate issue entirely. He guaranteed the key was authentic. What more did people want? A refund policy?
Get real! This was Slytherin's legacy we're talking about. That key went for a friendship rate of 1,000 Galleons! And you still want it to come with the actual treasure? Might as well ask for a mansion with your potted plant.
A thousand Galleons. A bargain. And if not for their "bond", what was it again? Oh right, that "thanks for cheering during the match" nonsense, Allen would've asked for even more.
It wasn't like Allen was afraid the guy would get scammed and die of rage. Not at all. He just… had a kind heart.
When Allen entered the room, his pockets were so empty he'd forgotten what Galleons even sounded like. But when he left? Norris's vault was weeping.
Even the school's Niffler, normally obsessed with shiny things, came in sobbing and left devastated. Like a rat that wandered in and realized there was nothing to steal.
In short, both parties walked away very satisfied with the deal.
Even if, deep down, they each thought the other was a total idiot.
Norris had no reason to complain. A measly thousand Galleons? If he'd had the funds, he would've happily bought more keys, hell, he'd said as much to his family back home.
And it wasn't even a loss for him.
The key was something he already had.
When he went around borrowing money, he also got a loan note from the guy who gave him the most, 3,000 Galleons, no less. No discounts.
That guy even thanked him profusely. After all, the key was for his use. Three thousand Galleons for a shot at a legacy? Still a steal.
Later, when the other Slytherins laughed about how that clueless Hufflepuff got tricked, even Norris eased up around Allen.
I mean, sure, he was sneaky, but at the end of the day? He still bowed to the almighty power of Galleons.
What none of the Slytherins knew was that, elsewhere, Ilvermorny's headmaster was delivering a stern lecture to his handpicked students, along with detailed instructions on how to activate the tracking spells embedded in each letter.
He felt no guilt about targeting Hogwarts.
Why should he? Those labs belonged to Ilvermorny.
This was America, not the British Commonwealth. The Brits had no right to call the shots.
Letting them poke around Ilvermorny unchecked had always been part of the plan.
If not for their arrogance, treating Ilvermorny like their personal property, rummaging through rare books, strolling through classrooms like they owned the place, his students would never have become so united.
Never would they have grown so disgusted with the Brits that they'd even agree to strike hard inside the labs.
Ilvermorny's things belong to Ilvermorny. Not to the British. Not even to the Ministry of Magic.
As for Allen?
At that moment, he was in the middle of a fiery "discussion" with a Ministry Auror.
And yes, Allen didn't have a beard, but if he had, it'd be bristling.
"You must be joking! You want me to provide the key? In your dreams! This negotiation is over, Auror!"
"You can't even spare ten pints of Polyjuice Potion, what kind of joke are you trying to pull? How can you claim to keep my identity secret with that?"
"You won't even provide a wand? What, is the Ministry bankrupt now?"
"And the pay? Just 100 Galleons? Because I already have the key? Forget it! Unless I get 1,000 Galleons, don't even think about it!"
In the end, after being absolutely steamrolled by Allen's demands, the poor Auror was forced to sign a humiliating agreement, giving in to nearly every single one of Allen's conditions.
When it was all over, Allen shook his hand and smiled, though, of course, only he thought it was a pleasant meeting.
Just before leaving, Allen asked with a smirk, "You mean to tell me the Ministry couldn't find a single young graduate to do this? Why me?"
At that moment, the Auror's face darkened, then strangely lightened, only to turn dark again.
Allen blinked.
Must've imagined it.
He shrugged it off, mumbling to himself, "Guess they just had a really weak graduating class this year..."
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