Thump!
"Ouch!"
Harry collided with another young wizard, and they both landed on the ground, clutching their heads.
"Damn it… I'm going to tell my father!" the light-blond boy with slicked-back hair muttered angrily.
"Sorry, sorry… Are you alright?" Harry quickly scrambled to his feet and offered a hand to the boy.
But to his surprise, the boy slapped his hand away, sneering at Harry's less-than-impressive garments. "Where did you crawl out from, some backwater?"
Hearing this, Harry touched his head sheepishly. "My name is Harry Potter, and…"
"Harry Potter?!"
The boy immediately reached out and brushed aside Harry's bangs, revealing the lightning bolt scar. Then, contradicting his previous disdain, he said, "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. Delighted to meet you."
As he spoke, Draco Malfoy extended his right hand to shake Harry's.
Harry shook it blankly. "Uh… hello."
"Harry Potter! Get back here!"
At that moment, Cassandra's disapproving voice cut through the air.
Hearing the familiar tone, Draco Malfoy stiffly turned his head. Seeing the familiar figure, his smile twisted into something resembling a grimace. "Cassandra, it truly is you."
It was no wonder he reacted that way. From a young age, his parents had constantly compared him to her, and he was found wanting in every aspect. He felt an uncontrollable urge to flee whenever he saw this "neighbor's prodigy."
"Draco, this does not concern you," Cassandra said before turning to Harry. "Hurry up and follow."
"Okay, okay."
Harry trotted over quickly.
Watching his hard-won acquaintance with Harry Potter being whisked away, Draco Malfoy gritted his teeth in anger. "Damn it… I'm going to tell my father!"
"Hmph…"
Cassandra smiled disdainfully. "Spare me talk of your father; even your grandfather couldn't help you out here."
With her teacher present, the entire Malfoy family would be groveling.
"I would like to know who dares say I'm useless."
Just then, a middle-aged man in magnificent robes, carrying a golden, snake-headed cane, his long, golden hair flowing in the wind, strode over with an arrogant air.
"Hmph! My father is here! None of you are escaping so easily!"
Draco Malfoy stood with his arms crossed, looking smugly at Cassandra.
Lucius, hearing his son's words, couldn't help but smirk—until he looked up and met those emerald green eyes staring directly at him.
Thump.
His body reacted before his brain could process it; Lucius immediately knelt.
"Father! Why are you kneeling?!"
Draco Malfoy, puzzled, tried to help his father up, but no matter how he tried, Lucius refused to rise.
"You intend to obstruct me?"
Tom's tone was icy, utterly devoid of emotion.
Hearing this, Lucius laughed, a sound more like a tortured wheeze. "Oh, Master. What are you saying? I was merely jesting with the child… Come, Draco, come and greet the great Tom Riddle."
"Huh?"
Draco Malfoy stared at Tom in shock. This legendary Dark Lord was quite different from the image he had conjured in his mind.
Seeing Draco Malfoy hesitate, Lucius broke out in a cold sweat, urging him in a low voice, "Hurry and kneel."
"Oh, oh!"
Draco Malfoy, finally remembering the legendary terror of the Dark Lord, was startled, fearing the Killing Curse. He was about to follow his father's example…
But when he looked up, Tom had already led Harry and Cassandra away. Harry even glanced back at him curiously.
What's going on? Should I kneel or not?
Draco Malfoy stood frozen, knees bent, resembling someone practicing a horse stance.
"Master! I…"
Lucius was about to drag his dim-witted son after them when he heard a voice say, "Be gone, and cease bothering me."
"As you wish!"
Lucius smiled, rose, and led Draco Malfoy away.
But the moment he turned, Lucius's smile vanished completely, replaced by palpable seriousness and fear.
How did Tom Riddle resurrect without a word, and appear so young… No! I must return home and discuss this with my wife!
...
Outside a shop that looked ancient and somewhat dilapidated, the wooden sign above read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.
"Harry, your first mission as a Death Eater is to rob this shop."
Thinking of Dumbledore's expression upon hearing the news, Tom suppressed a smirk.
Hearing this, Harry looked at Tom questioningly. "But… weren't we here to buy wands?"
Tom replied matter-of-factly, "This shop is a rip-off. I only have two Galleons left in my pocket. How am I meant to afford a wand?"
"Just go! Enough with the nonsense!"
Cassandra impatiently urged Harry.
"Oh, okay!"
Harry steeled himself, his eyes resolute, and pushed open the wooden door, stepping inside.
Inside stood an old wizard with gray hair and a disheveled beard.
The moment he saw Harry, he thought of Harry's father, and his eyes widened in surprise. "You're… Harry Potter!"
"You know me?"
Harry was equally astonished.
Hearing this, Ollivander smiled gently, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Your parents both purchased wands from me; it feels like only yesterday…"
Ollivander stared intently at Tom, who entered after them, his eyes filled with disbelief and dawning horror.
Great heavens, the Savior's parents have become the Dark Lord?!
Tom didn't seem to notice Ollivander's strange expression. "We are here to acquire wands."
"Okay… okay… I'll retrieve them for you."
Ollivander quickly turned and headed towards the back room.
"Remember, as soon as you get the wands, cast a spell on this old man. The incantation is 'Avada Kedavra'."
Tom earnestly instructed Harry.
"Avada… What's that? What does this spell do?"
Harry tried to pronounce the words, but found it awkward.
Tom, without batting an eye, replied, "It is for sleeping. I noticed this old man suffers from insomnia, so I thought I'd lend a hand."
"Wow, you're such a kind person!"
"It's nothing."
Three minutes later…
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Try this."
Ollivander emerged with a brown wand and handed it to Harry.
Harry picked up the wand, pointed it at Ollivander, and shouted, "Avada Kedavra!"
Huh?
Boom!
An explosion rocked the shop.
Tom Apparated, and Cassandra and Harry made their escape.
"Cough, cough, cough…"
Ollivander, covered in soot from the explosion, rushed out of the shop, shouting, "Harry Potter and some Mysterious Man attacked my shop!"
As it turned out, Harry had no real intention to kill, and his magical skills were not strong enough. Furthermore, he had not adequately learned the Killing Curse, leading to a misfired spell. The resulting explosion was simply caused by the wand detonating.
...
Inside a small English house on Privet Drive in London, Tom suddenly appeared with Cassandra and Harry.
This house was newly purchased by Tom, though paid for by one of his underlings.
Cassandra was clearly still reveling in the recent events. What was it? A prank? She did not know, but… she rather enjoyed the sensation.
---