Chapter 285: Shopping
After Fawks delivered Wade to the office, Dumbledore sat quietly at his desk, his hand resting just above Tom Riddle’s Diary. At first glance, the notebook looked no different from any ordinary Muggle diary—plain, unassuming, and utterly mundane. Yet Dumbledore could sense the dark, malevolent power embedded within it, a pulsing remnant of a Horcrux.
The Pendant Box was Voldemort’s more mature creation—an artifact capable of piercing the deepest flaws and shadows within a person’s heart. But even so, the residue of its master’s presence was sparse. The Diary, however, was different. When Voldemort had crafted it, his magic was still unrefined, and he had likely left behind far more of his own thoughts, emotions, and darkness than he intended.
Still, Dumbledore had no interest in probing it now. He stared blankly at the book, his mind drifting back to the ghostly image it had once conjured—the faint, shimmering silhouette of Ariana.
He knew it was false. He knew it was a trick of magic, a cruel illusion. But the moment he saw her again—just a flicker in the air, a memory given form—his heart twisted as if torn open. The part of him he had long buried—the cowardice, the darkness, the endless regret—rose up without warning, raw and unguarded.
So when Wade said he still held another Horcrux, Dumbledore instinctively thought of the Resurrection Stone.
That black stone—the one he both yearned for and feared most. The legend had long made it clear: the dead could not truly return. But what if Ariana’s soul had come back?
What would she say to him?
---
Wade stayed at Sirius Black’s house on Privet Drive for lunch. Afterward, he and Harry prepared to head to Diagon Alley to pick up some supplies. Remus Lupin had been cooking, but the ingredients were running short, so Wade and Harry decided to step out and buy more.
“Beef, chicken eggs, green onions, cabbage…” Wade read the list Remus had written, while Harry casually tossed a carton of chicken eggs into the shopping cart.
Just as they were browsing, a loud, boisterous laugh cut through the air. A group of teenagers had gathered near the sports equipment section, flexing with boxing gloves, mock-fighting each other.
One particularly tall, broad-shouldered boy had his arm locked around a friend’s neck, showing off how he’d once knocked someone out.
Harry frowned. “Oh, it’s Dudley Dursley and his gang.”
“You mean your cousin?” Wade asked. He’d already recognized Dudley Dursley—there was no mistaking the golden-haired giant, now even larger and heavier than the year before.
“Yeah,” Harry said, his voice tight with disgust. “Let’s just get out of here.”
He started pushing the cart toward the other side of the store, but before he could fully turn, Dudley’s friends spotted him.
“Look! Who’s that?” a thin boy shouted. “It’s that filthy little Potter kid!”
The group surged toward them, but Dudley himself lingered at the back, his expression strained. Not because he didn’t want to torment Harry again—but because he was afraid. Afraid of wizard magic. Afraid of what might happen if he tried anything. And worse, afraid that if he showed fear, his friends would see it and mock him.
So he lingered, pretending indifference.
“Hey, Potter,” he called, voice heavy with forced casualness, “you finally got some new friends?”
A lean, swaggering boy stepped forward first, eyeing Wade with a smirk. He’d been planning to pick on him too—until their eyes met. In an instant, he felt it: something in Wade’s presence was off. Dangerous. Unnerving.
So the boy redirected his taunts at Harry.
“Hey, new kid,” he sneered. “You don’t know what kind of trouble this Potter boy is. No school’ll take him. So he’s stuck in a juvenile detention center!”
“Shut your filthy mouth, Pete!” Harry shot back instantly, his face turning red. “Don’t act like a pig and squeal like one!”
Wade knew full well Harry wasn’t in any juvenile facility. But the insult still stung—deeply.
“Wanna try our fists, Potter?” Pete snapped, clenching his fists as the others closed in. One of them shouted toward the back, “Dudley! We need to teach this annoying cousin of yours a lesson!”
Harry instinctively reached for his wand, his mind torn. He remembered the rules—no magic in public. He couldn’t use it here.
Seeing his movement, Dudley flinched and took two steps back.
“Hey! Kids, stop it right now!” the cashier called out sharply.
Wade tilted his head slightly. “Let’s go outside.”
“Outside? Who do you think you are?” Pete challenged.
“Harry’s friend,” Wade said calmly. “Or, if you’re willing to admit you just came from the restroom—after a full meal, judging by the stench—you’re free to keep your mouth shut and we’ll forget this ever happened.”
He paused, then added, “Or are you just used to picking on people who don’t fight back? You’re not much different from a pampered Chihuahua—except the Chihuahua still has some charm. You lot? You’d drag down the entire country’s average looks.”
Pete stared, jaw slack. He opened his mouth, then closed it, speechless. Even Harry was stunned, eyes wide.
They’d argued before—of course. But insults had always been crude: “die,” “go to hell,” “rot in the underworld.” Even “Mudblood” was the worst thing Harry had ever heard. But Wade’s words… they were something else entirely. Sharp. Cold. Unforgiving.
“Argh! Aaaaah!” Pete screamed, flailing in frustration. After a long pause, he roared, “You come out here! I’m gonna beat you half-dead!”
“Wow… so scary,” Wade deadpanned, his expression utterly blank. The sheer absurdity of it drove Pete even more furious. He shrieked, “Get out here! Get out!”
Wade handed the cart to Harry. “You handle the checkout.”
Then he walked straight toward the group, stepping out into the parking lot.
“Wait, Wade!” Harry called, frantically pushing the cart after him. But just as he reached the door, the cashier grabbed his arm.
“Pay first, kid!”
Harry shoved a wad of money onto the counter and turned to follow. The cashier held on.
“Wait! I haven’t given you change yet!”
“I’m in a hurry! I’ll come back later!” Harry said, already rushing.
The cashier didn’t let go. “If you don’t come back, who do I give the change to? Should I put all this back on the shelves?”
Harry, usually slow to catch on, suddenly realized: the man wasn’t just being stubborn. He was blocking him.
“Why are you stopping me?” Harry demanded, frustrated and anxious. “My friend’s about to get into a fight!”
“You’re always getting beaten up,” the cashier said bluntly. “You’ll only get hurt. Stay out of it.”
“This is because of me!” Harry insisted, yanking his arm free and dashing out the door—nearly colliding with someone.
“Slow down,” Wade said, steadying him. “You forgot the groceries.”
“Wade? Wait… you’re back already?” Harry blinked, stunned. “Where are Pete and Dudley?”
“Crying,” Wade said casually. “Don’t worry about them.”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
