In less than ten minutes, Marchionne looked almost like a different person—his clothes were in tatters, and he now sported a black eye.
"Stop grinning foolishly," the white-haired magic figurine said sternly. "When you mock others, you should be prepared to take a beating."
"I wasn't mocking Professor Murray; I was just stating a fact..."
Before Marchionne could finish his sentence, he saw the magic figurine shrink back to the size of a finger and get tucked into Professor Murray's pocket.
With a loud "thud," he lay flat on the ground and muttered, "Why am I even explaining things to a magic figurine?"
Professor Murray nudged his leg with the tip of his shoe and remarked, "Or maybe you should explain why you couldn't even defeat a magic figurine?"
"Is this an ordinary magic figurine?"
Marchionne shot a sidelong glance at the professor and retorted, "The magic figurines we produce in the workshop aren't nearly this agile or powerful! This must be a custom-made special edition gifted to you by Wade!"
Professor Murray squinted and asked, "Oh? Do you feel it's unfair?"
"Of course it's unfair," Marchionne grumbled. "But I finally understand why you're so partial to Wade..."
"Hmm?"
"That kid has been overprotected by his parents and by Hogwarts... He lives in an ivory tower—innocent and kind hearted, completely out of place in this harsh world," Marchionne said with a deep sigh.
Professor Murray fell silent for a long moment.
He thought of certain people...
Like Peter Pettigrew, Lockhart, Quirrell, the students crying and screaming in the maze after being chased by insects, Madam Pomfrey rushing about in the hospital wing, and Dumbledore, perpetually worried about students turning to the dark side.
Professor Murray gave Marchionne a strange look, wondering how he had arrived at such a unique conclusion.
...
When Wade came downstairs, he saw that the Streaming mirror in the air had changed to a new scene, now displaying footage of the recent match between the Braga Broomfleet of Portugal and the Caerphilly Catapults of Wales.
In truth, Wade knew nothing about either team, but the mirror was broadcasting the commentator's passionate narration, and there were Quidditch enthusiasts among the audience on the first floor.
The sub-mirrors on the shelves were being snatched up quickly. Although staff kept restocking, the shelves never seemed to stay full.
Harry finally managed to free himself from the crowd surrounding him. With his hood up, he stood in a corner and stared intently at the enlarged screen.
Sirius picked out two of the best sub-mirrors and stood in line to pay.
Wade wandered aimlessly around the shop. Most of the hot-selling products from Aslan Magic Workshop had been designed with his input, and he already owned the best samples.
He quickly grew bored. After greeting Lupin, he pulled up his hood and squeezed out of the crowded shop.
It wasn't yet the time of year when students flocked to buy new schoolbooks, so apart from the area around Aslan workshop, the rest of Diagon Alley was relatively quiet.
Wade decided to visit a secondhand bookstore to look for a few books. Occasionally, he would come across old wizard notes. Most were useless, but every now and then, he'd find something surprisingly valuable.
"Sorry, Will can't make it. He's too busy… If you're willing, I can take his place…"
A faint, trembling voice reached his ears.
For a moment, Wade thought someone was calling him, but then he realized they were talking about Will.
It was a strange feeling to hear someone mention someone you had just met.
The speaker's voice trembled so much that Wade hesitated, but he still turned to follow the direction of the sound.
As he passed by a shop sign, he tapped his head with his wand. A cold sensation spread over him instantly, and his figure seemed to blend into the air, vanishing from sight.
He cast two more spells in quick succession, muffling his footsteps and masking his scent. Turning a corner, he finally spotted the speaker in a narrow alley.
His guess was correct—it was the same girl who had been talking to Will earlier at Aslan.
The girl was thin, with a petite and delicate frame. Her fine, silky blond hair was soft and pale, her complexion was almost ashen, and her features were plain to the point of being unremarkable.
She looked like a child who hadn't yet grown up.
Standing in front of her was a figure draped in a black cloak, their form was entirely obscured. The person, whether male or female, seemed to be scrutinizing the blond girl with a cold, piercing gaze.
"Do you know what we're asking you to do, Claire?" the cloaked figure asked in a low voice.
The blond girl, Claire, nodded vigorously. "I know… it's for testing potions, right? If Will can do it, I can too. I… I'm a werewolf too."
The cloaked figure suddenly let out a cold laugh.
Wade's eyes widened in shock.
The voice of the black-robed wizard was unfamiliar, but the laugh was disturbingly familiar.
"Do you also have magic?" the cloaked figure asked again.
Claire froze for a moment, then lowered her head and shook it dejectedly.
"I... I can't..."
The black-robed wizard was silent for a moment before asking, "So, you were originally a Muggle?"
"Yes," Claire replied, biting her lip.
"When were you bitten?"
"When I was seven."
"Most Muggles attacked by werewolves die from severe injuries. How did you survive?" the wizard continued.
"I... Well, there happened to be a wizard in our village. He heard the commotion and treated me in time..." Claire mustered her courage to ask, "Does this... have something to do with testing potions?"
"No," the black-robed wizard replied. "Just curious."
"Then, I..."
"No." The wizard's voice turned languid. "Potions need to be tested on individuals with magic to yield accurate results. Even if you're a werewolf, you're not qualified. Only Will can do it."
"But... but..." Claire gritted her teeth and said, "Will has already found a job! He doesn't have to risk his life helping you test potions anymore!"
The black-robed wizard gave her a once-over and laughed. "If Will says that himself, we won't bother him. But what you say doesn't count."
"But..."
"You don't understand the situation, so stop making decisions for him, Claire."
Claire wanted to say more, but the wizard seemed to have lost all patience. With a dismissive wave, they turned and walked away, leaving only a parting remark—
"Tell Will this: if he wants to find us, meet at the usual place tomorrow night at 11."
Claire stood there, dazed and heartbroken, looking as though she might shatter at any moment.
Wade thought for a moment, then took a bottle of Polyjuice Potion from his bag and drank it in one gulp.
The invisible figure began to grow taller, black hair turning gray, and his facial features shifting.
Before long, the wizard "Werner" reappeared.
Wade switched to a backup wand, lifted the Disillusionment Charm, and stepped out of the corner.
--------------------------------
🙏🙏Please consider supporting this translation project by becoming a P@treon member!!!
Your support is greatly appreciated!
Available on my P@treon page for just $4!!
Early access to the following translations:-
⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +235 Chapters
⭐MCU: Druid's Adventures (MCUDA)(⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 460
⭐Famous Police Detective in Detective World (FPDDW)- +165 advance chapters
⭐Marvel: Little Genius (MLG) (⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 450
p@treon.com/Lightreaper457
--------------------------------