At Florean Fortescue's, the two found a table under a sunshade. Wayne ordered two ice creams—one for himself and one for Hermione.
"Consider this a complimentary service. I'll be leaving by five at the latest," he said.
Hermione took out her purse and handed Wayne two Sickles. Since learning he was an orphan, her demeanour had softened considerably. Even now, she was gently advising him against reckless spending, reminding him he still had years before adulthood and earning his living.
Wayne simply nodded with a smile, offering no rebuttal.
Hermione was just as he remembered—her tone often imperious, her conversations dominated by studies and books. Yet, her inherent kindness was never hidden. It was no wonder the Sorting Hat had ultimately placed her in Gryffindor.
As soon as she received Hogwarts: A History, Hermione eagerly flipped through its pages. Rented at a Sickle per hour, the young witch treasured every moment, her focus unwavering.
As Wayne took the Sickle, the system's prompt suddenly sounded.
[Detected that the host has successfully earned a little wizard's living expenses. Initiating large-scale long-term mission—Empty Their Pockets!]
[Mission Description: Is there any money more precious than a child's pocket money? Empty their wallets! Every Galleon earned can be exchanged for system points at a rate of 1 Galleon to 5 points.]
[This mission is valid for the duration of the host's enrolment at Hogwarts. It will disappear upon graduation or withdrawal.]
Wayne: "System, have some decency. Only 5 points for 1 Galleon? Wait—"
'No, how much pocket money do little wizards even get in a year? Normal students might have a dozen or so Galleons, while pure-bloods like those in Slytherin might have more. But there are plenty like Ron, who only get one or two Galleons a year.
'And you're eyeing their meagre savings? How shameless!'
Wayne sighed dramatically.
Hermione looked up, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just thinking about something. By the way, how much pocket money do you have?"
Hermione, not suspecting anything, replied immediately, "After buying books, I only have 5 Galleons left this term."
'Only 25 points...'
Wayne gave the little witch a disdainful look, leaving her baffled. She huffed and went back to her book.
Though he found the system's mission despicable, the points were undeniably tempting. With points, he could grow stronger quickly. And if Voldemort's minions ever came to Hogwarts, he could protect the other little wizards.
Wasn't that a win-win?
'Wait—no, I'm not robbing the little wizards. The system made it clear: only money earned through legitimate means can be exchanged for points.
'So, I'll have to rely on fair transactions. By that logic, the little wizards win twice, and I'm the one losing out!'
Wayne grew more irritated the more he thought about it, silently plotting what he could sell to drain the little wizards' wallets most effectively.
A future swindler, both feared and adored by young witches and wizards, was on the rise...
Time flew by.
The sun dipped westward, and over two hours passed in a blink.
Wayne lightly tapped the table, snapping Hermione out of her reading trance. "I should head home now."
"Oh? Right." Hermione reluctantly closed the book and handed it back. "When will you be back in Diagon Alley?" she asked.
"What about you?" Wayne countered.
"I've been practising spells at home in the mornings and reading at Flourish and Blotts in the afternoons," Hermione said. She planned to finish all the books about the wizarding world and Hogwarts before term started, to be as prepared as possible.
"Then keep this book for now," Wayne waved it off.
"But I don't have enough money—"
"No need. Borrow it for a week. I'll come back to Diagon Alley, and you can return it then."
Consider it a reward for the little witch activating a system mission for him.
Hermione hugged the book to her chest, overjoyed, and promised to return it in a week.
To ensure it, she even gave Wayne her home phone number and took his in return, for future contact.
...
Hogwarts.
That morning, Professor McGonagall had finally completed the last of the orientation tasks for a little witch from a purely Muggle family and returned to the school.
Finding Dumbledore also at Hogwarts, she headed to the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor to report. With a smile, Dumbledore listened as McGonagall finished speaking, his gentle gaze resting upon her through his half-moon spectacles:
"Minerva, you've worked hard. If I hadn't sent Snape away, your workload would certainly have been lighter."
McGonagall's expression remained stern. "It's all for the school. I wouldn't call it hardship. If anyone's overworked, Albus, it's you."
The old man chuckled. "Ah, now you're making me blush."
McGonagall didn't respond, instead turning to the matter that concerned her. "How are things with Potter? Hagrid hasn't bungled it, has he?"
"I trust Hagrid as much as I trust you," Dumbledore replied. "There was a minor hiccup, but you'll see the boy on the first of September."
Dumbledore briefly recounted Hagrid's encounter with the Dursleys.
McGonagall visibly bristled with anger.
"How could they?!" Professor McGonagall fumed.
"Now, now, Minerva. Muggles often harbour certain prejudices against wizards. In truth, they aren't so very different. At the very least, they did raise the boy, didn't they?"
The anger on McGonagall's face didn't dissipate, but her professionalism kept her from uttering anything too harsh.
Dumbledore soothed, "There now, Minerva. If there's nothing else, you should go and rest. Enjoy what's left of your holiday—less than a month now—before we face those energetic little troublemakers again."
"Apologies, but there is one more thing I nearly forgot." McGonagall pressed a hand to her forehead. "I encountered a rather exceptionally talented young wizard—Wayne Lawrence."
"When selecting his wand, he took nearly an hour. And in the end, he even spontaneously cast the Patronus Charm."
"Oh?"
Dumbledore's eyes brightened, and he straightened slightly in his seat.
"Impossible!"
The portraits of past Headmasters on the walls abandoned their pretence of sleep. One particularly severe-looking wizard even exclaimed aloud.
"McGonagall! I've read enough books—you can't fool me! No young wizard just introduced to a wand could possibly cast a Patronus Charm!"
"Easy, Phineas," Dumbledore gestured for silence before asking, "Could you elaborate on the specifics?"