Snape stood alone on the platform, isolated and solitary, but he was accustomed to being alone; there was no space beside him reserved for anyone else, anyway.
While he waited on the platform, some students' parents approached him to exchange a few simple words. Snape's resentment among the students ran deep, but the parents didn't mind. A Potions Master in his thirties was a rarity in the entire world. With such an expert, even if he was a bit strict in class, it was worth it as long as their children could learn something from him.
It was only after leaving school that people would belatedly realize that the professor's classes they had once been desperate to skip were something they couldn't buy a chance to attend later, even with a handful of gold. Only after stepping into society did they understand the insurmountable class barrier between themselves and the professors who had once taught them.
"Severus, I almost didn't recognize you!"
A blond man holding a woman's arm walked toward Snape. He held an exquisite cane in his hand, dressed in decent, luxurious clothing that was completely different from the other parents around them.
"Lucius."
Snape nodded slightly. "And Narcissa. Have you been well recently?"
"Of course, my friend."
Lucius Malfoy approached warmly. Even setting aside their past relationship as alumni and colleagues, Snape's current "market value" alone was enough for Lucius Malfoy to show him such enthusiasm.
"How is Draco doing at school? He's performing quite well, isn't he!"
When mentioning his son, a trace of pride appeared on Lucius's face.
"Not well," Snape shook his head coldly. "If you don't keep a tighter watch on him, it won't take long before he is ruined."
This unexpected answer caused Lucius's expression to freeze, and panic suddenly rose in his heart.
"What's wrong with Draco?" Narcissa let go of Lucius's arm and asked anxiously, "Did something happen? Or is someone bullying him?"
"I think you, like me, can clearly realize the influence of one's environment on a person."
Snape narrowed his eyes slightly, seeming to scrutinize Lucius's pale face.
Lucius swallowed with some difficulty and forced a strained smile. "Surely it can't be worse than back in our day?"
"That is true."
Hearing this, Lucius breathed a small sigh of relief, but immediately, his heart was suspended in the air again.
"In our day, we didn't have so many idiots around us. Lucius, you know best who your son is closest to."
"Stupidity... is a contagious disease, and there is no cure for it."
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't bother with him. But if he continues not to listen in the future, it will have nothing to do with me."
"Thank you for the reminder, Severus." Lucius, whose mind had raced through many things in that instant, nodded slightly. His expression was a bit ugly; he had already guessed who those people were. No one knew the nature of those fellows better than he did. "I will have a good talk with Draco."
Compared to his son, nothing else in Lucius's heart was as important. If Snape put it this seriously, then it was definitely time to take it seriously.
After bidding farewell to Snape, the Malfoy couple couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted.
The sound of the whistle drew near. As the scarlet steam engine slowly pulled in, the platform instantly became lively.
"Professor Snape, I'm over here!"
Harley waved happily at Snape from the crowd, but by the time she got off the train, Snape was already walking toward them.
"Hello, Professor Snape."
Lynn and Cho also greeted Snape, their gazes involuntarily sizing him up.
Today, Snape was wearing a black trench coat with a standing collar, layered over a black wool sweater and a gray long scarf. His hair was also meticulously groomed. Compared to how he looked at school, Snape seemed like a completely different person. There was even a hint of an upward curve at the corners of his mouth; the whole man appeared much warmer.
"Is this really the Professor Snape we know?"
Cho lowered her voice and whispered in Lynn's ear.
"It's Snape — Domestic Soft Version 2.0."
Lynn whispered back. Snape's outfit today was an 8.5 out of 10. If not for his facial features and face shape naturally carrying a bit of gloom, the score could have gone even higher.
"Incredible..." Cho murmured softly. "He's like a totally different person from school..."
"I have to go, Lynn. Remember to come to my house before Christmas."
Coming back to her senses, Cho waved goodbye to Lynn. After giving Harley a hug, she disappeared into the crowd.
"The Professor is taking me to Godric's Hollow today, but we're going to Diagon Alley first. I already told my aunt and uncle not to pick me up today."
"Let's go, Lynn." Harley took Lynn's arm. "I heard Apparition feels really awful, is that true?"
"It's probably like being squeezed out of a tight rubber tube. Of course, if you want to think of it as being pulled out of some creature's butt, that's fine too."
"Ew, that's disgusting."
A look of revulsion appeared on Harley's face.
"We can also use Floo Powder," Snape spoke up, looking calmly at Harley and Lynn. "Apparition is indeed somewhat uncomfortable."
"Then let's try Floo Powder! You just have to say where you're going and you'll get there, right?!"
Harley asked curiously, "I've read about it in books. I'm not afraid of spinning around."
"Over here. There is a public Floo fireplace."
Snape nodded and led them to one side of Platform 9¾. Many wizards were coming in and out here. A staff member nearby was selling Floo Powder; one Sickle bought a small handful, enough for one person.
As the glittering powder was thrown into the fireplace, green flames surged up instantly.
"Remember to speak your destination clearly. Lynn, go demonstrate."
Snape signaled for Lynn to go first. He would leave after Harley, just in case.
"Sure, Professor."
Lynn stepped into the green flames and clearly said, "Diagon Alley." With a roar of fire, Lynn's figure vanished inside the fireplace.
"Don't be nervous, Harley."
Snape was fussing like an old father.
"I know, Professor. I'm going over now."
Sprinkling the Floo Powder into the fireplace, Harley mimicked Lynn's demonstration. The next second, she vanished into the flames.
Diagon Alley was exceptionally lively during the student holidays. Pedestrians wove through the streets like a loom, and Christmas decorations were visible everywhere.
Squeezing through the crowd to Gringotts, accompanied by a goblin, Lynn and Harley arrived once again at the Potter family vault.
"Is this enough?"
Seeing Lynn only take two gold bars from the chest, Harley looked at him with some confusion. "Why not take a bit more? There's so much anyway, over a dozen chests. Do you want silver bars? The chest holding this one is about to break."
"I don't know whether to call you a spendthrift or just overly generous."
Lynn tossed the gold brick in his hand. Each one was 400 troy ounces, which meant 12.44 kilograms. If he didn't have telekinesis supporting it, Lynn wouldn't have been able to handle it so easily.
"Just these two in my hand are already worth a hundred thousand pounds. You could buy your aunt and uncle's house outright with just one more."
"Oh."
Harley, who wasn't sensitive to money, didn't feel anything particular about this. She hadn't seen much money before and had absolutely no concept of it. Visually, these dozen or so chests of gold, weighing over three tons combined, didn't have as much impact as the mountain of Galleons piled two Hagrids high next to them.
"You should just take a whole chest. It's too much trouble to come back if it's not enough. Whatever you don't use, just count it as me storing it with you. By the way, pack some Galleons for me too. Who knows when I might need to spend money. I saw in the newspaper that the Nimbus 2001 is about to go on sale. Lynn, order three for me. You can bring a broom to school in your second year, and then we can play Quidditch together!"
"Did you forget that I can fly? Let's not waste money."
Lynn floated up lightly, pulled out his Fourth-dimensional pocket, and swept some small coins from the top of the Galleon mountain into it. He couldn't count exactly, but there were at least three or four thousand.
"Being able to fly on your own is so convenient..." Harley pouted, speaking with some envy.
"When I find a way to fix this thing, I'll let you use it."
Lynn took the broken Superpower Training Box in his hand and shook it. Lynn hadn't found a way to repair Doraemon's black-tech parenting gadget yet; at least pointing a wand at it and saying "Reparo" had absolutely no effect.
"Then you definitely have to figure out how to fix it!"
Harley said expectantly. However, just as the two were preparing to leave the vault, Harley reached out and tugged on Lynn's sleeve.
"There's something I want to ask you, Lynn."
"What is it?"
"It's just... this time I'm going to visit Mom and Dad... I've prepared a gift for Mom, but for Dad... do you think a Golden Snitch would be okay?"
Harley pulled a not-so-new Golden Snitch from her pocket. Although its color was still bright, traces of wear and tear were visible on it.
"The one I caught in my first match. I asked Madam Hooch if I could buy it as a keepsake, and Madam Hooch said yes. Dad liked Quidditch a lot back then too. What do you think about giving this as a gift?"
"A wonderful idea." Lynn nodded with a smile, reaching out to rub Harley's little head. "I thought you only prepared a gift for your mother."
"How could I..." Harley shook her head. "Even though Dad really wasn't a good student at school—he bullied people, formed cliques, and caused trouble—in the end, Mom still chose him. That proves that while Dad did do bad things, he changed. I can't deny his good points just because I know his faults."
"Mom was a smart, good student praised by all the teachers. She wouldn't be foolishly tricked. If Dad was truly a hopeless scumbag, then Mom wouldn't have married him, right!"
"That's right." Hearing Harley's words, Lynn answered affirmatively, "It's really great that you can think like that."
"Hehe, I'm not an idiot, you know."
Harley put away the Golden Snitch and leaned her little head forward.
"But being patted on the head will turn you into an idiot."
"Huh?" Harley froze for a moment, then immediately clenched her little fists and chased after him. "Lynn, don't run! Let me pat you back!"
Leaving Gringotts amidst playful fighting, Lynn and Harley parted ways at the entrance. Snape took Harley to Godric's Hollow to see the memorial statue of the Potters and their graves, while Lynn walked deeper into Diagon Alley and pushed open the door to Ollivanders Wand Shop.
"Mr. Ollivander, I'm back."
After the wind chimes rang, Lynn's voice echoed in the empty shop.
"Back, are you? Welcome, welcome."
Ollivander's soft voice drifted from behind the counter. His pale, large eyes looked like two small moons in the dim shop.
Seeing Lynn again after a few months, Ollivander was very happy.
"I've finished reading all the books you gave me before. I recorded everything I didn't understand about wand-making. I'm here to ask for your guidance this time."
"Hagrid gave me some wand-making materials, but I tried several times at school and couldn't succeed. Could you take a look for me?"
"Of course, child."
Ollivander looked at Lynn with gratification. Although he didn't have any worries about having no successor—his son and grandson were already qualified wandmakers—he was happy in his heart to see someone who loved this trade.
After taking the prototype wand Lynn handed over, Ollivander gave the reason for the failure without even needing to examine it closely.
"The problem lies in the fusion of magical substances. Every piece of magical wood has different properties. Even wood from different locations on the same tree has subtle differences. Harmonizing magic is a task that requires great care to complete; compared to brewing potions, its difficulty is only higher, not lower."
"The hair of an adult male unicorn is relatively more compatible with wood from the heart of the tree, because the magic of a male unicorn is more powerful and aggressive, requiring more containment. The heartwood, compared to material from other parts, can better withstand this power. But nothing is ever absolute. If you can completely master the techniques of magical harmonization, then these issues can be ignored."
"For beginners, newcomers just touching upon wand-making, the practice method I recommend is—wrap the unicorn hair core around the wood and first try to fuse the magical substances of the two. Wait until you have mastered this proficiently before attempting further steps."
"Hagrid gave you quite a lot of unicorn hair, didn't he?" Ollivander chuckled heartily. "I know he has several sacks of it at his place, but most of it isn't suitable for making standard-sized wands. Only the long tail hairs are relatively applicable. But it's better than using it to twist ropes or knit sweaters. That fellow Hagrid... only he could be so wasteful."
"Close to a third of all unicorns in Europe live in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. In the wild, it's hard to see even one or two, but herds can only be seen in the Forbidden Forest. He has a very high talent for breeding magical creatures."
As an old friend who had known Hagrid for decades, Ollivander understood Hagrid well. Hagrid's wand back then had been made by his own hands.
"Actually, there's one more thing I'm curious about."
"Speak, child."
"Why must wands be a combination of wood and a magical creature core?"
"You wish to ask about other wand body materials?"
"More precisely—why can't other materials be added?"
A distinct gleam appeared in Lynn's eyes.
"In the Mirror of Erised, I saw a completely different possibility."
"And I... want to realize it!"
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