[Note: Read up to Chapter - 76 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Father, I don't get it—just because he's the heir of the Shafiq family?"
The boy named Draco looked striking, but there was a sickly pallor to his face. His expression carried the same haughty arrogance as his father's, like it had been passed down with the family name.
Draco Malfoy couldn't wrap his head around it. They were also one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight—so why was his father so eager to cosy up to some orphan?
Yes, orphan. That's what he believed Aris was.
After all, every other member of the Shafiq family had vanished, hadn't they?
Come to think of it, Draco reckoned the boy was rather pitiful.
"You don't need to understand it now," Lucius Malfoy said coolly, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint, almost sinister smile.
"You will, in time."
"That boy is a walking and talking vault of unreal amounts of gold."
"Wealth doesn't last forever, Draco. It needs replenishing—from wherever it can be drawn."
Draco frowned slightly, clearly not grasping the full meaning of his father's words. Still, one thing stuck with him.
Make friends with Aris once you're at school.
Fine. He'd humour the boy.
If Aris knew what was good for him, he'd be grateful for the honour. After all, Draco was generous enough to let the little orphan tag along.
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The Leaky Cauldron, Top-Floor Executive Suite
Aris had always been curious—was the Leaky Cauldron really the only place to stay in Diagon Alley?
As it turned out, yes. When Henry brought him and Luna to this rather shabby-looking pub, Aris had asked just that, and Henry had confirmed it without hesitation.
Still, the interior was more surprising than he'd expected.
The standard guest rooms were indeed nothing fancy—worn and a bit tired-looking. Then again, this place dated back to the early 1500s. Centuries of rain and wind had passed over it, and the fact that it was still standing at all felt like a small miracle. Without magic, it'd likely have crumbled to dust long ago.
But the suite on the top floor? That was a different story altogether.
It was properly posh. The walls gleamed, the furniture looked near brand new, and everything had that heavy, mysterious feel unique to wizarding architecture. Aris hadn't expected that.
Of course, the price tag matched the furnishings. But for him now, anything that could be solved with gold wasn't a problem.
"Young Master, this'll be your residence for the time being," Henry said, leading him inside with the sort of pride only a long-time servant could carry.
"The suite's got three rooms—feel free to choose whichever one you like with Miss Luna. The bartenders are on call round the clock. It's reserved for their most important guests, after all."
He gave a slight bow before adding, "If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call. I'll be staying just next door—close enough to be of service at any time."
Then, politely, he stepped back and waited with a smile for Aris's next instruction.
"This place is really lovely!" Luna's voice chimed from behind Aris.
"I never thought the Leaky Cauldron had such a posh room hidden away upstairs."
She had just finished exploring the suite and had already decided which room she fancied.
"Take whichever one you like," Aris said with a smile.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!" the girl grinned, dashing off to claim her chosen room.
Once she'd disappeared inside, Aris turned to Henry, his smile fading.
"Get started on what I asked. I want the answer before we leave this place."
Henry's expression turned solemn in an instant. "Yes, sir."
Without another word, he turned and left, gently shutting the door behind him.
"So, what now?"
Luna reappeared in the lounge, eyes shining with curiosity and eagerness.
"Now?" Aris replied with a grin, pulling out the enchanted bag Henry had given him. "Time for some reading."
In no time, he'd unpacked a towering stack of books onto the living room table.
"Ooh, brilliant idea!"
Besides collecting odd little trinkets and finding strange creatures, reading… reading about strange creatures was one of Luna's favourite pastimes.
The two quickly found comfy spots to settle in, each grabbing a book and diving straight in.
Sunlight poured through the tall window, casting a golden glow over Luna's hair. Her delicate face was softly flushed in the warm light—utterly serene.
The room was silent save for the gentle rustle of turning pages.
It was a picture of calm—a peaceful little moment frozen in time.
Aris carefully turned the pages of the ancient thread-bound book in his hands—Merlin's Handbook—the one he'd taken from the underground vault at Gringotts.
The contents didn't disappoint.
The characters, traced in shimmering blue ink, were elegant and radiated a subtle, otherworldly magic. As Aris focused on the symbols, he felt a sudden surge of warmth wash over him—almost like a blessing.
Truthfully, much of the content was far too complex to grasp at a glance. The language was archaic and the theories were dense. But oddly enough, with the help of that mysterious magic, it was as if someone—perhaps Merlin himself—stood beside him, patiently explaining each line, guiding him like a private tutor.
The fundamentals of wandless casting...
The proper channelling of prophetic energy...
Ways to commune deeply with magical creatures...
And the core structure and logic behind ancient magical systems...
All of it was detailed within those pages. And with the presence of that invisible teacher breaking down the concepts so naturally, everything started making perfect sense.
Despite never receiving formal magical education, Aris found he could follow along with surprising ease.
Is this divine energy? he wondered. Could it be the imprint Merlin left behind in this book?
If so, it was nothing short of astonishing. After all, Merlin had lived over a thousand years ago—yet the power in these pages hadn't faded one bit.
No wonder people called him the God of Magic.
As Aris delved deeper, the sensation of being guided grew stronger. He began to instinctively attempt basic wandless techniques without even realising.
Across from him, Luna noticed something strange.
She glanced over, eyes wide—and what she saw made her breath catch in her throat.
It was as though Aris had stepped into a pocket of pure magic.
Everything around him stirred softly, as if the very air was alive.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 76 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]