(Bonus Chapter, Today is my birthday)
Madam Marchbanks smiled slyly and said:
"It's impossible. Richard, you're too smart; that's your advantage, but also your disadvantage. First-year students accept everything their teachers tell them as truth. They're given exceptions to Gamp's Law of Transfiguration, the first four points are proven, and then they accept the fifth on faith. If a wizard believes something is impossible, they won't succeed."
"Um... I understand. The Ministry of Magic wouldn't benefit from a horde of wizards rushing to counterfeit ordinary people's currency and precious stones. But what about non-ferrous metals? What's stopping them from copying gold, platinum, and silver? Weren't there people doing that?"
"Richard, gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies are truly impossible to create using magic within the planet's borders. And this is the second reason why galleons and sickles cannot be counterfeited. These coins contain gold and, therefore, silver. When copied, they become brittle and crumble to dust. This was due to a ritual performed by ancient wizards to avoid undermining their countries' economies. Only the Philosopher's Stone can circumvent these restrictions. However, in the entire history of wizardry, only three wizards have managed to create Philosopher's Stones. Only one of them, Nicholas Flamel, survives to this day, but he is in no hurry to share the secret of the Great Work and hides from the world with his wife.
- What if we copy not gold and silver, but platinum or rhodium?
"I don't know what rhodium is, but most wizards don't usually think of it," Madam Marchbanks replied. "Everyone wants gold, or at least silver. Once they've tried their hand at those metals, wizards stop trying to create any metal. And those rare wizards who have figured out how to replicate platinum aren't quick to trumpet it. After all, that could land you in Azkaban-the wizarding prison. So don't tell anyone either."
"As you say, Mistress. So, counterfeiting pounds and dollars can lead to imprisonment, and the monthly currency exchange limit at Gringotts prevents it. But there are certainly wizards living in the mundane world who secretly use these charms. And I'm quite certain that as long as they don't violate the Statute of Secrecy, the Ministry of Magic turns a blind eye to such pranks."
"You're quite perceptive, Richard. But enough of this! Remember the gesture..."
***
Richard wasn't destined to get any rest on Monday. At breakfast, Gerald stunned his son:
"Richie, we need to visit the University of Sheffield today. They're opening a new campus there, sponsored by the Rich Group. The press will be there, so it would be useful for you to be seen as the son of a university trustee."
"One of the few days off..." Richard sighed sadly. "Dad, do all rich people have it this hard?"
"Only for those who are trying to increase their wealth, and not living on rent or burning through their parents' capital. It's necessary, Richie. It's necessary."
- I have two questions: when do we need to be there and how far is it?
"The building opens at noon. It's about seventy miles to Sheffield. I reckon we'll get there in two hours tops."
- At least I don't have to go to London.
- Richie, we're leaving in an hour to get there in time.
"Then I'll go pick out a suit..." Richard headed out of the dining room, but stopped and turned back. "Speaking of clothes, Dad, I need to update my wardrobe; my jackets are getting tight in the shoulders."
- Tell John about this.
- That's what I'll do.
There's nothing interesting about a long trip unless you're traveling as a tourist to new places. For Richard, the journey passed quickly because he'd prepared by bringing a couple of books.
The boy's presence was only needed for the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon in front of the new building; then Gerald stood in front of the journalists in the company of the rector.
The building was intended to house research laboratories for the new technical faculties. Only some of the equipment had been delivered so far. The rector demonstrated the enormous apparatus to journalists and the Duke of Westminster.
- This is the pride of our university-an electron microscope that will allow us to conduct research on the smallest particles.
A bored Richard caught the words of the university director out of the corner of his ear and listened more attentively.
For one hundred and forty years, scientists around the world have been struggling with the problem of studying carbon microparticles. This microscope will help us in our research.
"Hmm... Carbon microparticles?" Richard thought. "Could the rector be referring to graphene? God forbid, was a method for producing graphene invented at that time? Hmm... Judging by the rector's words, no."
Richard remembered how in his past life, in physics class in the sixth or seventh grade, they were given the task of obtaining graphene particles using the simplest method, which was invented... at the beginning of the twenty-first century!
"Definitely not!" thought Richard. "Why shouldn't I be a pioneer?"
The boy squeezed past the journalists to the desk and took some tape and a pencil from there.
Sitting down on a chair, Richie unrolled some duct tape, made a dot on it with a pencil, and then began gluing the sticky parts of the tape together in different places each time.
Gerald glanced at his son with indignation and raised his eyebrows in warning. In his language, this meant, "Son, don't embarrass us! We're aristocrats, and you're acting like a common child."
Richie smirked back and made a sign with his fingers that said, I know what I'm doing.
In response to this, the boy received a stern look from his father, which did not promise anything good after the completion of the official events.