## 285. Shopping
After Fawkes saw Wade off, Dumbledore sat in his office, his hand resting on Tom Riddle's Diary.
At that moment, the book looked no different from any other diary in a Muggle shop, appearing completely ordinary. Yet, Dumbledore could sense the evil power of a Horcrux emanating from it.
The Locket was already a more refined work by Voldemort, capable of discerning the weaknesses and darkness in one's heart, but the "messages" its owner left on it were actually very few.
The Diary, however, was different. Voldemort's technique wasn't as skilled when he made it, and he likely left too many of his "thoughts" within it.
But Dumbledore had no immediate interest in investigating. He merely gazed unconsciously at the Diary, his mind replaying the phantom image that had appeared on the Locket.
Ariana...
Even though he knew it was an illusion, seeing her again made Dumbledore feel as if his heart had been torn open.
The most cowardly, dark, and regretful parts of his inner self were exposed so unexpectedly.
So much so that... when Wade said he had another Horcrux, Dumbledore instinctively thought he was referring to the Resurrection Stone.
That black stone was what he desired most, and also what he feared most.
The legendary tales had already made it clear that the dead do not truly return.
But what if Ariana's soul truly came back...?
What would she want to say?
...
Wade stayed at Sirius's house on Privet Drive for lunch. After their meal, they planned to go to Diagon Alley to buy some things.
Lupin was preparing a French meal for lunch, and they were short on ingredients, so Wade and Harry simply went out together to buy them.
"Beef, eggs, onions, cabbage..."
Wade looked at the list Lupin had provided, and Harry, without thinking, picked up a carton of eggs and placed it in the cart.
While they were browsing, they heard a burst of crude laughter.
A group of teenagers were in the sports equipment section, wearing boxing gloves and sparring with each other. One tall, strong boy had his arm around a friend's neck, boasting about how he had beaten someone up.
Harry frowned. "Oh, it's Dudley and them."
"Your cousin?" Wade asked.
He had already recognized Dudley — undoubtedly, the tallest and fattest blond kid was Dudley Dursley; he was much fatter than last year.
"Yeah." Harry's expression was one of disgust. "Let's just avoid them."
He pushed the cart in the other direction, but before he could turn away, Dudley's friends spotted him.
"Look! Who's that?" a scrawny boy yelled loudly. "It's the dirty Potter kid!"
The group of boys surrounded them, but Dudley stayed at the back, looking conflicted.
It wasn't that he didn't want to bully Harry anymore... it was just that Dudley was afraid of wizards' strange methods, and he didn't want to lose face in front of his friends or let them see that he was actually a little afraid of the "Potter kid."
He shuffled slowly to the back.
"Well, well, Potter, made a new friend, have we?"
A lanky, slovenly boy rushed to the front. He looked at Wade with narrowed eyes, initially intending to bully him too, but the moment their eyes met, he immediately realized that the person in front of him was not to be trifled with.
So the scrawny boy redirected his aggression towards Harry, sneering, "Mate, maybe you're new here and don't know how awful this Potter kid next to you is — no school would take him, so he had to go to juvie!"
"Shut your stinking mouth, Pete! Stop squawking like a pig!"
Harry immediately shot back, his face flushing with anger.
Even though Wade knew he wasn't in any "juvenile detention facility," Harry still felt humiliated.
"Hey, wanna try our fists, Potter?"
Pete and a few other boys immediately clenched their fists and surrounded them. Someone also shouted loudly to Dudley behind them, "Dudley, we need to teach your annoying cousin a lesson!"
Harry gripped his Wand, again struggling internally — he remembered not to use magic here.
Seeing his movement, Dudley immediately took two steps back.
"Alright, boys, no trouble in my store!" the supermarket cashier immediately shouted.
Wade tilted his head and said, "Wanna step outside?"
"Outside? Who do you think you are?" Pete challenged.
"Harry's friend," Wade said. "Or, if you're willing to admit you just ate out of a toilet, which explains why you're spewing such filth, then we won't hold what you just said against you."
"Or perhaps you're just provoking Harry because you think his temper is good and he'll always put up with it? How are you any different from a chihuahua that pees wherever it wants and thinks it's tough?"
"Oh, there is a difference. Chihuahuas are at least cute. If you guys went out, you'd lower the average attractiveness of British people, wouldn't you?"
Pete's eyes widened, his mouth agape, unable to speak for a long time. Even Harry stared at Wade in shock.
Honestly, even when they argued, it was usually "damn," "hell," or "go to hell."
"Mudblood" was the most vicious word Harry had ever heard. He had never imagined that Wade's insults could be truly devastating.
Pete pointed at Wade, making incomprehensible "ah ah ah ah" sounds, before finally shouting, "Come outside! I'm going to beat you half to death today!"
"Wow… how terrifying…"
Wade deadpanned, infuriating the person opposite him, who stomped their foot and yelled, "Come out! Come out!"
He shoved the shopping cart at Harry and said, "Go pay."
Then he followed those people outside.
"Wait, Wade!"
Harry quickly pushed the cart to follow, but when he tried to leave, the cashier stopped him.
"Pay up, kid!"
Harry fumbled around, pulled out a wad of cash, and put it on the counter, ready to go find Wade, but the cashier tugged at him again.
"Hold on, I haven't given you your change yet!"
"I'm in a hurry! I'll come back for it later!" Harry said quickly.
But the cashier didn't let go, stubbornly saying, "If you don't come back, who do I give it to? Am I supposed to put everything back?"
Even Harry, slow as he was, realized the cashier was deliberately holding him back. Anxiously and angrily, he said, "Why are you stopping me? My friend is about to get into a fight with them!"
"Aren't you always getting chased and beaten up?" the cashier said very directly. "You wouldn't be any help even if you went. It's better if you don't get involved in this kind of thing!"
"Wade is getting into a conflict with them because of me!"
Harry forcefully pulled away from the cashier's hand and rushed out the door, nearly colliding with someone.
"Slow down." Wade steadied him, then entered and said, "Why didn't you get the groceries?"
"Wade? Wait… you're back so fast?" Harry asked in surprise. "Where are Pete and Dudley?"
"They're crying! Don't worry about them," Wade said casually.
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