Chapter 529: Once a Black Gives Something Away, It’s Never Taken Back
"A shop? As a Christmas present?"
This time, Kyle was genuinely speechless. "What did you just say?" he asked, thoroughly confused.
"Is it so hard to understand?" Sirius laughed. "Didn't you find it odd yesterday? Why didn't you get a Christmas gift from me?"
"I did," Kyle replied. "The Firebolt, wasn't it? It helped me with the first task of the Triwizard Tournament."
"No, no, no," Sirius corrected him. "That was for you becoming a Champion. You didn't think I was lying in the Headmaster's Office, did you? Well, you were wrong. I did prepare a gift that couldn't be delivered to Hogwarts..."
"Wait a second," Kyle interrupted, narrowing his eyes. "Did your uncle leave this to you, too?"
"No," Sirius said with a grin. "This one's a Black family heirloom. But it's mine now, and I can do whatever I like with it."
Kyle shook his head firmly. "Forget it. The Firebolt is already a valuable enough gift. I can't accept a shop, too."
He couldn't even begin to calculate the cost of a shop in Diagon Alley, but he was sure it was worth several thousand Galleons at the very least—possibly ten thousand if it was a prime location. Such a gift felt impossibly extravagant, and Kyle couldn't accept it without feeling a deep sense of guilt.
"No way," Sirius said, his expression suddenly serious. "You've helped me so much—"
"Stop," Kyle interrupted, raising a hand. "It was Professor Dumbledore who helped you. Whether it was defending you at the Ministry of Magic or retrieving Regulus from the cave, he was the one who did the most. I was just there to watch."