The main course of the feast rolled on for a solid thirty minutes before the spread shifted into the final stage, with desserts of every imaginable kind appearing along the tables. By then, most students were already stuffed, groaning happily and slowing down their attack on the food.
Julian, however, had other priorities. While everyone else was distracted, he quietly palmed several tarts and a handful of cookies, slipping them into Greed for later. He did not notice the way Dumbledore had to fight to keep a straight face up at the staff table when he caught sight of this.
To the old wizard, the sight of a boy secretly stashing sweets like a greedy child was endearing, a touch of harmless mischief that earned Julian a bit of unspoken goodwill. Julian, of course, only cared that he had just secured snacks for the next few days.
That did not mean Dumbledore's attention had missed anything else though. Throughout the feast, he had also clocked the bird-shaped ring settled on Harry's finger, and he had not forgotten it for a moment.
...
When the feast finally ended, the prefects for each house gathered the wide-eyed first years and began shepherding them out of the Great Hall. They led them through twisting staircases and moving corridors to their respective dormitories, explaining along the way how to reach their common rooms and how to get through the entrances.
Once inside, the newcomers were given a brief run-down of the rules. Things like the strict separation of boys' and girls' dorms were emphasized first, with a clear reminder that no one was to enter the opposite gender's bedrooms.
There were a few other obvious rules as well, such as not stealing from fellow housemates or starting unnecessary fights. After that, the first years were essentially turned loose to relax and settle in, with one notable restriction. They were required to stay inside the common room, since curfew was nine o'clock and first years were not allowed to roam the castle at night.
"So, you tiny little firstie, let us talk business, shall we?"
Fred and George appeared at Julian's side like a pair of red-haired specters, each grabbing one of his arms before he could reply. Harry and Ron could only stare as the twins hauled him off toward a quiet corner of the Gryffindor common room.
"All right, let us get down to it," they said together once they had him more or less penned in. "What do you want for the rings?"
Julian's smile turned sharp, almost predatory, as he shook his head and clapped each of them lightly on the shoulder.
"It is not about what I want," he said calmly. "It is about what you can offer. Understand?"
Both twins suddenly felt very much like flies that had wandered willingly into a spider's web and only just realized their mistake.
...
Thirty minutes later, Fred and George staggered away from Julian looking as though they had just finished dancing with a dementor. Whatever energy they had started with was thoroughly drained, leaving their expressions hollow and shell-shocked.
Julian, on the other hand, looked absolutely delighted. He was practically glowing as Ron approached him hesitantly.
"What did you do to them?" Ron asked, sounding half impressed and half afraid.
Julian chuckled. "They wanted a service from me and were foolish enough to offer me a blank check," he explained, amused. "So I took full advantage of it. Do not worry, I am not cheating them. They are getting exactly what they asked for."
Harry, curiosity piqued, tilted his head. "What did you ask for that put them in that state?"
"Nothing too terrible," Julian replied, as if discussing something trivial. "Just a small, durable magic furnace."
He spoke as though it were a normal request, but it really was not. The furnace itself was not particularly expensive, priced only around fifteen Galleons. The issue was that practically nobody wanted one in the first place, so they were produced almost entirely to order.
Julian knew this because he had seen a detailed description of one in his system's shop, where acquiring it directly would have cost him three thousand points. Armed with that information, he knew the item was obscure, specialized, and inconvenient to track down.
"Why in the world would you want something like that?" Ron blurted out, astonished.
"Right, I forgot you have not been brought up to speed yet," Julian said, snapping his fingers lightly. "I am a ring smith. Everything on our hands," he lifted his fingers to show off Sanar and Greed, "I made them myself."
Ron's eyes widened as Julian continued, pointing at Greed.
"Your brothers want something along the lines of this one," he said. "I need the furnace so I can work without worrying about burning down the castle or running out of fuel. Everyone wins. They get their enchanted rings, and I get proper equipment."
He shrugged. "The only reason they looked so drained is because of how much trouble it will be to actually get their hands on that furnace."
Ron opened his mouth, clearly on the verge of asking for a ring of his own. Julian cut him off before he could even voice the request.
"Before you ask, I do not work for free," he said bluntly. "I only make things as gifts for birthdays or Christmas. Harry's ring is a birthday present." He gestured toward the bird-shaped band on Harry's hand.
Ron deflated, looking heartbroken for a second, then sighed and nodded. He understood well enough. Wanting something and being able to afford the cost, in money or favors, were two very different things.
With nothing else pressing to discuss, they all gradually drifted toward their beds. It was only then that they discovered they would be sharing their dormitory with Neville Longbottom.
...
The next day was Sunday, which meant no classes and no obligations. They were free to explore the castle as much as they liked, and Julian fully intended to take advantage of it.
There was no elf haunting his dreams that night, so he slept soundly and woke up feeling clear-headed and rested. At seven in the morning, he climbed out of bed, finding the rest of his roommates still fast asleep.
He dressed in his casual robes, slipped his feet into his shoes, and fished an oatmeal cookie out of Greed. Munching on it as he went, he slipped out of the dorm and began his personal exploration of Hogwarts.
He started with the third floor, since that was where the Gryffindor common room was located, carefully avoiding the infamous "forbidden corridor" that Dumbledore had warned them about.
As he roamed, Julian checked on one specific landmark he already knew about from the books: the humpbacked witch statue. Seeing the secret passageway in person felt strangely satisfying. It was one thing to read about it, another thing entirely to stand there, in front of the weathered stone, knowing what lay hidden beyond.