Nios, Harry, and Hagrid walked out of Gringotts, enduring the intense gazes of the Goblins.
As soon as they stepped onto the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley, Hagrid rumbled, "Alright, lads, next up is school uniforms!"
His massive body pushed through the crowd, leading the two directly to the entrance of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
"You two go in and get measured, I'll go to the Leaky Cauldron to catch my breath… uh, have a cup of tea."
He rubbed his stomach with lingering trepidation; clearly, the rollercoaster-like cart ride at Gringotts had left him with an impression far beyond "not very comfortable."
Nios stepped into the shop without a word.
Harry, on the other hand, watched Hagrid's large figure disappear around the corner before taking a deep breath and following him inside.
Inside the shop, the short, plump Madam Malkin, dressed in a striking purple robe, was deftly pinning a new black robe onto a pale, light-haired boy.
The blond boy held his chin up, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the figures who had just entered.
He prided himself on his pale skin, but compared to this guy with an eye patch, who looked like he'd just crawled out of an ancient tomb… tsk.
"Dear, are you here for Hogwarts uniforms?" Madam Malkin greeted warmly, her hands still busy, "Please wait just a moment—"
"I'm not buying."
Nios's voice was calm and flat, directly cutting off Madam Malkin.
He casually pointed at Harry, who had just entered, "He's buying."
With that, he didn't even glance at the others, walking straight to a slightly worn chair in the corner, sitting down, and pulling out his demon book to read.
Harry scratched his head a bit awkwardly and stepped onto the low stool.
A magical tape measure automatically wrapped around his body, beginning to take his measurements.
The blond boy's gaze lingered between Nios and the "magical creature" sitting beside him; it was clear he wanted to strike up a conversation—such a strange thing wasn't something just anyone could own.
But the cold, unapproachable aura around Nios made him open his mouth, only to swallow his words back down.
He then turned his attention to Harry, beginning a one-sided, incessant outpouring of "pure-blood supremacy," completely oblivious to the increasingly obvious expressions of impatience and disgust on Harry's face.
"Nios! Are you really not buying?"
Harry couldn't help but ask again during a break in the tape measure's arm length measurement.
He was a little worried; had Nios not exchanged enough Galleons at Gringotts? He had to find a way to help him…
Nios didn't even lift an eyelid.
He simply placed one hand casually on his chest.
Crack! Zzzzt—!
Blinding white electrical arcs instantly enveloped his entire body!
The light flashed and vanished, and his black suit was gone, replaced by a well-tailored, exquisitely made standard Hogwarts black robe uniform!
Harry: "!!!"
Blond boy: "!!!"
Madam Malkin: "Merlin's beard!"
The three froze in unison, mouths slightly agape, eyes nearly popping out.
The style, the texture—it was identical to the uniform they were currently handling!
Before they could recover from their petrification, another subtle electric arc flickered.
Nios's Hogwarts uniform instantly reverted to his original suit.
He remained steadily seated, as if he had merely brushed off some dust, his gaze never leaving that bizarre book.
"Phew…"
Harry and the blond boy finally regained their breath.
Just then, Azazel pulled out a pair of exaggerated small sunglasses from the skull on the necklace.
He floated slowly to Harry's feet, tilting his dog head, looking at the sunglasses, then at the worn, tape-wrapped round glasses on Harry's nose.
"Hmm…"
Azazel nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly flapped his small wings and shot up!
Before Harry could react, he had precisely snatched away his glasses.
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed.
Azazel ignored him, flying back to Nios's side and unceremoniously kicking Nios's shin with his short legs.
Nios finally reacted a little, extending one hand.
Azazel immediately placed Harry's broken glasses and his own sunglasses together into that cold hand.
Nios closed his fingers.
Crack!
Both pairs of glasses shattered with a snap!
Immediately after, that familiar, dazzling white electric arc burst forth in his palm!
The light was so bright that Harry instinctively squinted. As the light dissipated, Nios opened his palm.
A brand-new pair of round glasses lay quietly there, their lenses gleaming with a warm luster under the light.
Throughout the entire process, Nios's gaze hadn't left the book page for more than a second.
Azazel grabbed the new glasses, zipped back to Harry's side, and shoved them into his hand.
"Here, take these. Want to be friends with Nios? First lesson: always have your high-res eyes ready… no, your anti-flash sunglasses!"
Azazel patted Harry's shoulder with an old-fashioned air.
"Hagrid said yesterday was your birthday? A bit late, but happy birthday. These glasses now auto-adjust, so you don't have to worry about bright or dim light, ensuring you won't go blind watching his next trick."
Harry delightedly put on the new glasses; the world instantly became much clearer and brighter, and even the frames felt incredibly sturdy.
"Tha—thank you!" He looked in Nios's direction.
Madam Malkin watched with amazement, unable to resist asking, "Was that young gentleman using… Transfiguration?"
"Transfiguration?"
Azazel flew back to his seat, a strange expression on his dog face.
"No… it should… probably… count as Alchemy?"
He scratched his head uncertainly.
"Alchemy?!"
Madam Malkin and the blond boy exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with even bigger question marks.
Azazel was too lazy to explain, slumping next to Nios: "Anyway, that's how it is."
The three could only suppress their suspicions and continue with their tasks.
The blond boy quickly finished his measurements and hurried away with an expression that screamed "country bumpkins are so ignorant."
Harry and Nios then walked out of the robe shop.
At the entrance, Hagrid held two ice cream cones. "Come on, lads! Cool off!"
He cheerfully handed the ice cream to Harry and Nios.
Nios casually gave his share to the eagerly watching Azazel beside him.
Azazel immediately hugged the cone and began licking it with loud slurps.
On the way to their next stop, Harry couldn't help but complain to Hagrid about Draco's arrogance and ignorant disparagement of Muggle-borns.
Hagrid patiently explained the concepts of pure-blood families and some common Wizarding World knowledge that Harry didn't understand.
Next, they went to Flourish and Blotts, where Hagrid helped Harry find all the required first-year textbooks.
Nios merely glanced at the covers of books like "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1," without even the slightest interest in flipping through them.
What he wanted was to create a demon book or explore the mysteries of the Soul Sea. Rely on this kind of bookstore? Hah.
However, out of his duty as a student, he still bought all the necessary books for the first year.
Subsequently, the Cauldron Shop, the Apothecary; Nios was completely uninterested. This trip had further demystified the Wizarding World for him, as it reminded him of the feeling of accompanying others shopping in his previous life. By the time they finished, the sun was high in the sky.
Hagrid also enthusiastically took Harry to Eeylops Owl Emporium, picking out a beautiful snowy owl for him as a belated birthday gift.
He wanted to buy one for Nios too, but Nios simply shook his head gently, declining the kind offer.
Finally, they stopped in front of a narrow, dilapidated old shop.
The peeling gold sign read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
In the dust-covered display window, a single, lonely wand lay on a faded purple cushion, and the entire shop exuded a scent of aged wood mixed with mystery.
"Tsk, tsk," Azazel fanned the air in front of his nose, "The dust is so thick… one would think we're here for archaeological excavation."
Pushing the door open, the small bell above the door gave a tired "ding-dong."
Inside, stacks of wand boxes nearly reached the ceiling, and the air was filled with the scent of sawdust and old paper.
Nios and Azazel, familiar with the layout, walked directly to the only bench in the corner, sat down, clearly settling in as spectators.
Next up was Harry Potter's "Wand Selection Show."
In the small shop, chaos erupted: uncontrolled fireworks from wands, hurricanes, and explosions erupted one after another, but Mr. Ollivander's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Harry was disheveled, Hagrid nervously protected him, Azazel watched with great interest, while Nios calmly flipped through his demon book, as if the surrounding chaos was just background noise.
Finally, when Harry grasped the eleven-inch holly wand with a Phoenix feather core, a warm current surged through his body, and soft golden-red sparks erupted from the wand tip.
The dust settled.
"Curious! Very curious indeed!" Ollivander whispered excitedly.
Seeing Harry had chosen his wand, Nios closed his demon book, stood up, and signaled to Hagrid and Harry that they could leave.
Ollivander's sharp, silvery gaze immediately locked onto the quiet boy.
His eyes, which seemed to see through time, carefully scrutinized Nios, his brow furrowed slightly, as if searching his memory for something.
He was certain he had never sold a wand to this child.
"Young man," Ollivander's voice held a hint of inquiry, "you seem to already possess your own wand?"
He noticed the dark pink book in Nios's hand, which had a very peculiar aura.
Nios, hearing this, tilted his head slightly, the eye on his cartoon eye patch seeming to blink, and his tone carried confusion:
"A wand? Why would I buy a wand?"
"…"
The shop fell into a dead silence.
Harry: "…"
Hagrid: "…"
Ollivander: "…"
Azazel covered his face with his tiny paws in despair, letting out a long sigh: "I knew it… I knew this would happen! Can't you just play by the rules for once?! What do Wizards use if not wands?! Are you going to rub a Rasengan?!"
Nios ignored his demon's meltdown. He looked at Harry and Hagrid, asking calmly, "Do you think so too?"
Although Harry and Hagrid didn't speak, the expressions on their faces clearly said: "What else?!"
Nios didn't bother with further words. He steadily held up the dark pink demon book in his left hand, and casually pointed his right index finger towards a dim corner of the shop.
"Lumos"
A soft yet incredibly clear point of white cold light floated steadily at his pale fingertip!
The light illuminated the dancing dust, and also Ollivander's suddenly constricted pupils.
Harry gasped—Nios had already learned magic?!
Hagrid's bell-like eyes were wide with shock—wandless, silent casting?!
This was not the level a first-year student should be at!
Ollivander's shock, however, was entirely different.
He stared intently at the demon book in Nios's hand, his eyes, which seemed to penetrate the essence of wands, instantly saw through the key! That book!
That wasn't wandless casting! That book *was* his "wand"! A powerful, bizarre, unheard-of casting medium!
"Exquisite… unique…" Ollivander murmured, his eyes gleaming with the fervor of a devoted researcher.
But then he changed tack, with a hint of cunning, "However, young sir, in Potion Class, when stirring a cauldron, a handy wand provides unparalleled stability and control. Fingers… perhaps not so convenient?"
He tried to pique Nios's interest in traditional wands from another angle.
Just then, Azazel tugged at Nios's trousers, tilting his chow-chow face up, and asked in a tone that was both innocent and utterly obnoxious:
"Nios, after you stir the cauldron with your finger… would you suck your finger to taste it?"
Bang!
Nios's answer to Azazel was an unhesitating, precisely landed flick to his forehead! The sound was crisp and loud.
"Ow—!" Azazel clutched his instantly swelling head, spinning in place from the pain.