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Chapter 139: The Bottom Line of an Honest Shop
Chapter 139: The Bottom Line of an Honest Shop
Malfoy glared at Kyle, seething with anger, as if he wanted to hex him on the spot.
And that was precisely what he intended to do.
"Leg-Locker Curse!"
Malfoy struck first, casting the Leg-Locker Curse on Kyle, aiming to immobilize him and buy himself time to escape and find other Slytherins who could deter Kyle from pursuing him further.
"Protego!"
Kyle calmly waved his wand, conjuring a transparent shield that deflected Malfoy's spell back at him.
The next second—
"Thud..."
Malfoy, who was attempting to flee, fell to the ground, his legs locked tightly together as if bound by an invisible force.
Only then did Crabbe and Goyle snap out of their daze.
Without hesitation, they rushed forward, their fists clenched, ready to pounce on Kyle.
Fred and George simultaneously stepped forward to intercept them, but before they could make a move, Kyle tossed several liquorice wands in their direction.
The brown candies twisted in mid-air, transforming into slender ropes that swiftly bound Crabbe and Goyle, rendering them immobile.
"Stop this at once!"
A furious voice rang out from a group of Slytherins who had been drawn to the scene by the commotion.
"How dare you lay a hand on our freshmen!" they exclaimed as they recognized the prostrate Draco Malfoy and immediately considered him one of their own.
After all, he was a Malfoy, undoubtedly a Slytherin.
Leading the group was a fourth-year student who, upon identifying Malfoy, brandished his wand without hesitation.
"Engorgio!"
"Protego!"
Once again, the transparent shield materialized, but this time, the spell was not deflected back at its caster, as he was more skilled than Malfoy.
Kyle stopped those who wanted to assist, and said seriously, "Although your ambush was despicable, I accept your challenge."
His voice carried, ensuring that the surrounding young witches and wizards eavesdropping on the spectacle heard him loud and clear.
"Challenge us? That's a joke," the lead Slytherin student sneered. "You're just a lucky fool who happened to rescue a worthless piece of trash, earning yourself a Special Award for Services to the School. Don't get too full of yourself. Anyone who dares to provoke Slytherin will pay the price!"
As he spoke, he raised his wand again, ready to cast another spell.
Kyle looked at him admiringly and gave him a silent thumbs-up.
This guy had guts, openly calling Connor worthless in front of so many people...he certainly didn't give a hoot about Snape.
Just for this courage alone, it would be a shame if he didn't end up in Gryffindor.
Of course, admiration aside, Kyle wasn't about to stand there and let him attack.
He once again blocked the incoming spell with Protego and retaliated with two spells of his own.
"Impediment Jinx!"
"Engorgio!"
The Slytherin student attempted to mimic Kyle and cast Protego, but as he lifted his wand, his legs suddenly felt weak, and he stumbled.
Before he could complete the shield charm, Kyle's Engorgio hit him squarely in the face.
In an instant, he found himself hanging upside down from the ceiling, and a sharp, long needle appeared before his eyes.
"I suggest you stay still," Kyle said calmly. "Otherwise, you'll be spending your first day of school in the hospital wing."
His words were enough to keep the student still; he didn't dare to breathe too heavily as he stared at the needle inches from his face.
Kyle then approached the stunned Malfoy and asked, "Now, can we talk properly?"
"I'm not afraid of you," Malfoy said, his body trembling but his neck stiff with defiance. "If you try to blackmail me, I'll tell Professor Snape."
Picking up a map, Kyle pointed to the long tear across it. "Because you suddenly barged in, my spell went awry, ruining these freshly made maps. My demand for compensation is reasonable, isn't it?"
"But they're not worth two hundred galleons!" Malfoy exclaimed angrily. "They're just pieces of parchment, and the two galleons I gave you before are more than enough to cover ten times the cost!"
"No, no, no," Kyle interrupted, holding the map up to Malfoy's face. "Take a closer look. This parchment itself is worth one galleon. And look at the pattern at the top—it's made from unicorn hair, with gems from Fire Crabs as embellishments. Each of these fine maps is priceless, and charging you two hundred galleons is already a bargain."
As Kyle spoke, Cedric and the others behind him bit their lips, their faces solemn.
Malfoy paused, reaching out to touch the map. Indeed, the pattern felt like unicorn hair; he had a tapestry made from unicorn tail hair at home, and the texture was identical.
Kyle was right; these maps were indeed priceless.
Malfoy's heart sank. "Then, then you can use a Repairing Charm! Just a simple spell, and they'll be as good as new. If you don't know how, I can..."
"Repairing Charm? Are you joking?" Kyle cut him off.
"These are our top-of-the-line products from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Magic Items Shop, meant for sale. And you expect me to use a Repairing Charm on them?"
Malfoy was taken aback by Kyle's sudden outburst. "Wh-what's wrong with that?" he stammered.
Kyle's face was stern as he asked, "Do you know what a top-end product is? It means it can't have any flaws, not even minor blemishes, much less a long tear like this. And when it comes to doing business, we value integrity above all else. We would never sell a damaged product to anyone, even if it has been repaired. That's the bottom line of an honest shop and our responsibility to everyone who has purchased our products."
...
Kyle's words were confident and assertive.
Malfoy sat there, stunned. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel that Kyle was right.
Even the surrounding Slytherins listened with a mix of awe and contemplation...
Gradually, the anger in some of their eyes faded, replaced by a thoughtful gaze directed at Malfoy.
Finding himself the center of attention, Malfoy remained silent for a moment before lifting his head and saying, "Two hundred galleons, then."
"Yes," Kyle nodded.
Without a word, Malfoy took off a badge from his collar and handed it to Kyle along with his wallet. "I only have one hundred and fifty galleons with me. You can have the rest in a couple of days. This Quidditch Championship commemorative badge is worth a hundred galleons; I'm giving it as collateral."
Earlier, he had refused out of reluctance to be blackmailed, but now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, he had no reason to argue. While two hundred galleons were not a small amount, it was a mere letter home for him.
Kyle accepted the wallet but returned the badge. "No need for collateral. I believe the Malfoy family wouldn't produce someone who would tarnish the family's honor."
"Of course!" Malfoy straightened his posture, and his impression of Kyle improved significantly.
As expected of someone who received a Special Award for Services to the School in his first year, he had good judgment.
...
(End of Chapter)
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