"What about me?"
"Did I hit a nerve, young Master Malfoy?"
Leon spoke in a calm tone that somehow managed to be infuriatingly smug.
"You're slandering me! What's so great about that scar-headed git?"
"Potter's just a pathetic fool who's gone and ruined himself!"
"Hanging out with Mudbloods, blood traitors, and a bunch of no-good losers! What kind of future does he have?"
Malfoy's neck was practically bulging as he shouted himself hoarse.
"Got it. You're just mad because you care too much."
Leon shook his head, his expression a mix of helplessness and pity.
"Obsessed fans meddling in their idol's friendships, jealous of their mates, twisted up with envy, turning love into hate, and acting like lunatics…"
He turned to the crowd of onlookers gathered in the courtyard, his voice earnest as he warned them:
"This is a lesson for all of us—stay rational when you're a fan! Get too obsessed, and you'll end up like Malfoy here, with your thoughts and actions all warped and deranged."
"Saying you despise Potter, but deep down, you're obsessed with him, tracking his every move."
"By day, you attack Harry's friends, but at night, you're dreaming of being his best mate."
"When you wake up to the grim reality, you're so heartbroken you can't stand it. You hide under your blankets, sobbing quietly, cursing Harry's friends…"
"And over time, you get more extreme, your emotions spiraling out of control—just like this!"
Leon pointed at Malfoy, whose face was red enough to explode, steam practically pouring from his ears.
"Take this as a warning, everyone!"
The crowd's whispers grew louder. Every young witch and wizard was buzzing with excitement, like chattering creatures diving into a field of juicy gossip.
"Spot on! Malfoy's always picking fights with Potter. If he wasn't obsessed, how could he clash with him every single day when they're not even in the same House?"
"I've got insider info—Malfoy met Potter on the train last year and straight-up said he wanted to be friends!"
"I heard from some Slytherins that Malfoy's always ranting about Weasley and Granger in the common room, but he barely mentions Potter."
"It all adds up! He hates his idol's best friends because he's jealous he's not one of them!"
"Look, Malfoy's not even denying it! That proves it's all true, doesn't it?"
"What if… Malfoy really does cry under his blankets because Potter doesn't like him?"
"Shh! Keep it down! If Malfoy hears you, he'll lose it and send someone to hex you!"
Even Malfoy's dimwitted bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle, got swept up in the nonsense.
Goyle scratched his head, looking at Crabbe. "Vincent, you ever see Draco crying under his blankets?"
Crabbe's voice rumbled back, "Dunno, maybe I was sleeping too hard to notice."
"Enough! Shut up!"
Malfoy snapped, glaring at his two idiot lackeys to stop their stupidity.
The crowd's murmurs grew even louder, like a swarm of crickets.
"Green, is it? You're gonna pay for this!"
Malfoy shot Leon a venomous look, his threat dripping with rage.
He turned to storm off, hoping to escape the whirlwind of gossip and salvage what was left of his pride.
But Leon stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"What, you lose and run? Off to cry to Daddy again?"
Leon's tone was as flat as ever, his expression unbothered, as if Malfoy's fury was just a mildly amusing clown show.
"When you write to Lucius, tell him I've got a business deal he might be interested in. He can reach me anytime."
Leon casually brushed imaginary dust off Malfoy's shoulder.
"Oh, and one more thing."
With a flick of his wrist, a shiny gold Galleon appeared between his fingers.
The coin gleamed as it danced across his knuckles before he flicked it—whoosh—straight into Malfoy's pocket.
"Consider that your tip. No need to thank me."
Leon turned on his heel, leaving Malfoy fuming, practically ready to combust on the spot.
"Let's go, back inside. Looks like rain's coming."
Leon strolled back to his group of stunned friends, casually waving them toward the castle.
"Merlin's beard, you just…"
Ron swallowed hard.
"You humiliated Malfoy with a Galleon! That's next-level!"
"Leon, you were so cool! Can I take your picture?"
Colin's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Nice one, Leon! That's how you deal with prats like him!"
Ginny grinned, clearly delighted.
"Brilliant wit is humanity's greatest treasure," Luna said out of nowhere, as cryptic as ever.
"I thought you were going to duel him! But seriously, Leon, watch out—Malfoy's not going to let this go."
Hermione's voice was tinged with worry.
Neville Longbottom, who'd wandered over at some point, chimed in nervously:
"Yeah, I've never seen Malfoy this mad. Be careful."
Harry glanced back at Malfoy, still rooted to the spot.
That smug face was darker than the stormy sky overhead.
Harry never imagined Malfoy could be humiliated with money, of all things.
Leon had gone all out, sticking up for him and getting under Malfoy's skin—while spending a Galleon in the process.
"Leon, you…"
Harry hesitated, unsure what to say.
If Malfoy came after Leon, Harry would have his back, no question.
The Galleon wasn't a huge deal—Leon wasn't exactly strapped for cash—but it was still spent because of him.
Harry always felt talking money with friends was awkward, but staying silent didn't sit right either.
Leon caught his vibe and grinned.
"Relax, mate, I'm not some gullible idiot. Even if I had gold to burn, I wouldn't waste it on a twit like him."
He leaned in, lowering his voice.
"Don't forget, I'm Irish."
When everyone looked confused, Leon kindly explained.
"In Ireland, there's a certain type of leprechaun that makes special Galleons."
He dropped his voice even lower.
"Think about it—goblins have a stranglehold on wizarding currency. Why would they let anyone else mess with it?"
"But no one bats an eye at leprechaun Galleons. Ever wonder why?"
The group exchanged blank looks, their eyes wide with innocent confusion.
Even Hermione, the walking library, was stumped.
"Today's lesson: don't get scammed," Leon whispered, just loud enough for the huddle to hear.
"Those Galleons? They vanish after a few hours. How long they last depends on how much magic the leprechaun puts in—never more than a day."
"Whoa…"
The group gasped, marveling at the sneaky magic.
Malfoy had met his match. Merlin's mother tripping over Merlin's beard—talk about bad luck!
First, he gets humiliated with a coin to the face.
Then the coin disappears.
If he wants to return it, he'll have to cough up his own money.
If he doesn't, it's like he accepted Leon's tip.
Either way, Malfoy's stuck, and he's got to be fuming.
The group gleefully dissected the brilliance of the plan.
Hermione, chewing over Leon's words, gave him a suspicious look.
"So where'd you get those leprechaun Galleons? It's been over 24 hours since yesterday noon!"
"Oh, you know, I've got my ways," Leon said, glancing at the sky, a bit too casually.
Whoops. In his smug moment, he'd let slip a tiny hint about his leprechaun-gold side hustle.
"Come on, you second-years don't have classes to get to? Off you go!"
Leon quickly changed the subject.
"And you first-years, anyone fancy some sweets? Follow me!"