Draco Malfoy hurried over excitedly to Wentworth's side, his voice full of enthusiasm.
"Wentworth, are you here to buy supplies for the new term at Hogwarts too? I'm starting at Hogwarts this year as well! That means we'll be seeing each other often!"
As he spoke, Draco glanced sideways at Hagrid and Harry Potter, his brow furrowing in curiosity.
"And these two… are they your friends?"
It wasn't surprising that Draco looked puzzled. Compared to Wentworth's impeccably tailored suit, Hagrid appeared rather disheveled, and Harry was dressed in oversized, ill-fitting hand-me-downs—nothing about them suggested they belonged to the same world as Wentworth.
Wentworth chuckled at Draco's confusion and introduced them with a polite smile.
"Let me introduce you—this is Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."
"Er… hello," Draco greeted Hagrid with a half-hearted wave, his expression betraying complete disinterest.
Then Wentworth gestured toward Harry.
"And this here, like you, is a new Hogwarts student—Harry Potter."
At that, Draco's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Merlin's beard! The Harry Potter? I mean—so it's true, then? The rumors were real? Harry Potter is actually starting at Hogwarts this year?"
Recovering quickly from his shock, Draco extended his hand eagerly toward Harry, introducing himself with a practiced air of confidence.
"Nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Draco, of the pure-blood Malfoy family. You see, Hogwarts has all sorts—but we both know some wizards are simply superior to others. You wouldn't want to make the wrong sort of friends, would you? I can help with that!"
Wentworth stood off to the side, an amused, almost mischievous grin playing on his lips. He idly nibbled at his fingertip, silently observing the scene unfold. If he had a bucket of popcorn, he would have been happily munching away.
Meanwhile, Hagrid leaned down and murmured to Wentworth in a low voice.
"Wentworth, d'you think this is really a good idea? I dunno… that Draco kid might be a bad influence on Harry."
Without turning his head, Wentworth replied evenly.
"Hagrid, we don't get to choose friends for others. Everyone has the right to make their own choices—so long as they're willing to face the consequences."
Harry hesitated, staring at Draco's outstretched hand. This was the first time anyone had openly offered him friendship.
Almost instinctively, Harry glanced at Wentworth. Perhaps because it was Wentworth who had brought him out of that house—the place that felt more like a cage than a home—Harry felt an inexplicable sense of reliance on him.
Seeing Harry's pleading look, Wentworth… promptly looked up at the sky, gazing off into the distance over Diagon Alley as if to say, This is your decision to make.
Draco, noticing Harry's hesitation, added smoothly,
"No need to look to Wentworth for approval, Harry. He and I are friends too! We even watched the Quidditch World Cup Final together last year. In fact, this Golden Snitch here—Wentworth gave it to me as a gift!"
As he spoke, Draco reached into his robes and pulled out a gleaming Golden Snitch, proudly displaying it for Harry to see.
Wentworth: …Excuse me?
Harry, however, seemed reassured. He no longer hesitated and reached out, clasping Draco's hand firmly.
"Nice to meet you, Draco. I'm Harry—Harry Potter. Glad to be friends."
Watching the scene unfold before him, Wentworth felt a thrill deep in his chest—like he had just personally altered the course of the future. If only he had a Butterbeer in hand, he would have toasted to the occasion.
Draco, thrilled, threw an arm around Harry's shoulders and turned to Wentworth, grinning from ear to ear.
"Wentworth, seeing you and Harry together just confirms it—I finally have the answer to the question we discussed last year!"
Wentworth raised an eyebrow.
"Question? What question?"
"The one about whether blood status or talent matters more, of course! And my answer is—both! The friends we choose should have at least one of the two. But ideally, they should be like Harry here—a shining example of the finest among pure-blood wizards! He's exactly the kind of friend we need!" Draco declared with unwavering certainty.
Wentworth sighed, rubbing his temple as if warding off a headache.
"Think whatever makes you happy, Draco."
Draco smirked knowingly.
"Oh, I understand, Wentworth. With Dumbledore as headmaster, there are things we simply can't say out loud at school. But we know the truth, don't we?"
As he spoke, Draco shot a sidelong glance at Hagrid, his expression brimming with arrogance.
Then, turning back to Harry, he asked,
"Have you finished buying everything for school yet? If there's anything left, I'll get it for you—consider it a gift between friends!"
Harry shook his head.
"I haven't bought anything yet. But I have money, so you don't need to trouble yourself, Draco."
Draco, undeterred, seized Harry's wrist and began leading him toward Ollivanders.
"In that case, the first thing we should get is your wand! You know, the first thing I bought in Diagon Alley was my wand. I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for this moment!"
As they disappeared ahead, their excitement palpable, Wentworth and Hagrid exchanged glances and shrugged.
"I've got some errands to run," Hagrid muttered. "Maybe you should go with them?"
Wentworth nodded readily.
Moments later, the three of them arrived at Ollivanders. Draco strode in as if he owned the place, pushing open the door with confidence.
"Oi! Someone come out here! We need the best wand for my good friend Harry Potter—I'll pay!"
Wentworth instinctively raised a hand to cover his face, unconsciously taking a step away from Draco.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed as Ollivander emerged from the back of the shop. Hearing Draco's words, the elderly wandmaker turned his gaze to Harry, his expression one of quiet intrigue.
"Ah… I have been expecting you, Mr. Potter."
Ollivander's eyes flickered briefly toward Draco before he addressed him directly.
"I believe I've told you before, Mr. Malfoy… It is the wand that chooses the wizard."
Finally, Ollivander turned his gaze to Wentworth. His lips curled into a knowing smile.
"I see your wand has been serving you well, hasn't it?"
Wentworth returned the smile and gave a small nod in response.
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