Chapter 63: Give It to Me! (Free-Rider)

This book provided a detailed guide on how to permanently anchor the Undetectable Extension Charm onto a physical container, such as a building. In addition to the incantation, it required several ancient rune carvings to provide magical support, along with materials possessing special properties. While items like mucus from a-two-horned-lizard could be found in the ingredient cabinet of the Potions classroom, there was one crucial thing missing.

Occamy feathers.

An Occamy was a serpentine creature with feathers, wings, and two legs, capable of shrinking or growing at will. Their feathers naturally carried this magic, making them exceptionally well-suited for constructing long-term Undetectable Extension Charm zones. However, because their eggs were made of pure silver, Occamies were frequently targeted by poachers. This had made them extremely rare, and the price of Occamy feathers remained consistently exorbitant.

Based on the book's requirements, Cohen made a rough calculation. If he wanted to raise another dragon and still ensure he had a room to live in, he would need at least seventy-seven Occamy feathers. It felt like it would practically pluck an Occamy clean of its skin.

Cohen had no intention of spending a fortune to buy seventy-seven feathers out of his own pocket. The market price for them was even higher than unicorn hair, which also belonged to the Ministry of Magic's 4X classification.

At least unicorns were somewhat approachable; they would allow pure-hearted individuals to draw near, and even Ollivander could pluck a few hairs from their tails—though Ollivander had once nearly been impaled by a unicorn.

Occamies were entirely different. Because humans constantly stole their eggs, they were fiercely wary of humanity. The moment they detected human presence, they would flee at lightning speed. If escape was impossible, they would expand their bodies to an enormous size and cruelly crush the intruder.

"This supply chain is a bit too obvious!"

Cohen frowned as he looked at the contact information printed at the end of the chapter.

*If you wish to purchase Occamy feathers, please contact Nerva Rodriguez in Dorset. Prices are negotiable, shipping is fast, and delivery is available across Europe.*

Still, that was something for Dumbledore to worry about.

"I read in the book that carving the ancient runes requires Occamy feathers."

On Saturday morning, Cohen hurried up to the Headmaster's Office—and this time, he actually had a legitimate matter to discuss.

"But they're way too expensive. Can you hook me up?"

"Have you already reached the stage where you need to carve ancient runes?"

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, facing a stack of letters. He raised his head and looked at Cohen with a gentle gaze, though he did not immediately agree.

Cohen’s rate of progress exceeded Dumbledore’s expectations. Back in the day, Newt had only begun using this method to reinforce his case after graduation, and the Undetectable Extension Charm was nearly impossible for lower-grade students.

Yet, coming from Cohen, it made a certain kind of sense.

If Cohen truly acted like an ordinary young wizard, Dumbledore might have started worrying that he was destined to become the second Tom Riddle.

All those magical creature materials Cohen kept accumulating couldn't possibly be vanishing into thin air, could they?

"It doesn't feel particularly difficult—except for the material hurdles. Occamy feathers are just too pricey. Maybe I should just become a full-time magical creature breeder in the future. Just relying on the fur they shed during seasonal molting would be enough to buy small cakes every single day..."

Cohen displayed his half-completed trunk to Dumbledore, suitably expressing his grand ambition—a sentiment that left Dumbledore profoundly gratified.

"The salary of a headmaster is not particularly high—"

Dumbledore said leisurely.

*Yeah, right. Like I'm going to believe that, old man with the white beard...*

Cohen simply assumed Dumbledore was joking. Poor? That was merely because Dumbledore had no current need to spend money. In other words, Galleons were just numbers to Dumbledore, and no one could stop him from acquiring whatever he desired.

"However, I do have some good news. Newt Scamander's Occamies have successfully bred a massive population—and he happens to be one of my very close former students."

Dumbledore winked at Cohen from behind his half-moon spectacles.

"That means you can help me score seventy-seven Occamy feathers for free!" Cohen's eyes gleamed as he locked gazes with Dumbledore.

"It means you can purchase these fascinating magical materials from him at a reduced price. We can buy those feathers from him for seven Galleons apiece—which is somewhat cheaper than unicorn tail hair."

Dumbledore maintained his cheerful, smiling expression.

"Cohen, obtaining something without labor certainly makes one's wishes easy to fulfill, but remember, our lives consist of more than just 'results.' There is a far more crucial 'process.'"

Evidently, Dumbledore had most likely learned through the centaurs that Cohen had infiltrated a unicorn herd, and Dumbledore had no intention of footing the entire bill for Cohen's Occamy feathers, especially since Cohen was currently quite well-off himself.

Still, managing to secure a discount was a positive outcome. Cohen planned to sell some Acromantula venom; he didn't currently have much use for that much venom himself. If he ever needed to poison someone, he would probably just opt to use a sealed container filled with his own blood instead.

After Cohen obtained Newt's address along with a letter of recommendation, Dumbledore offered a final reminder just as Cohen was about to leave.

"I am glad you have found something you love to do here at Hogwarts. Once the trunk is finished, I can offer you some extra assistance—Newt used to complain that his trunk made it far too easy for those little fellows to accidentally slip out."

Dumbledore certainly did not want a dragon suddenly bursting out of a trunk, as that would likely trigger a multi-million Galleon renovation project for Hogwarts.

Cohen agreed to the offer, since he also planned to carry the trunk everywhere with him. If the dragon suddenly escaped the trunk during the summer holidays and appeared at Number Four, Privet Drive, he shuddered to think how furious Aunt Petunia would be.

By then, the entire family would have to play a game of wits with the Ministry of Magic...

After leaving the Headmaster's Office, Cohen returned to the Room of Requirement and began drafting a letter to the potion shop to sell the Acromantula venom. Newt was unlikely to purchase such an item; he wasn't some sort of terrorist, and given his advanced age, he probably wasn't breeding any dangerous magical creatures that required venom cultivation.

Once he had carefully bottled the Acromantula venom, Cohen stuffed the jars into a bag and instructed the Earl to carry them in flight straight to Diagon Alley.

"It won't spill out, will it?"

The Earl stared with extreme distrust at the bulging bag containing the jars of venom.

"I still have children to feed—if I perish on the way..."

"I'll make sure your eggs are delivered to Hedwig—besides, how do you even know those eggs are yours..." Cohen consoled.

His comforting words earned him a severe rolling of the eyes from the Earl.

Once the funds were secured and the Occamy feathers purchased, Cohen would finally be able to renovate his ultimate "mobile base."