Chapter 288: Reputation
Chapter 288: Reputation
"A new student?" Harry repeated the word, puzzled.
"Yes," Wil smiled gratefully, "I... well, I have the same problem as Remus. I'm a..."
He smiled, revealing sharp teeth.
The others suddenly understood—he was a werewolf too.
"Because of this, I struggled to find work and almost starved... Later, Remus contacted us. He earned money and was willing to support us with Wolfsbane Potion, helping us return to normal society."
Wil expressed his gratitude, then turned to Vold, saying, "Since Mr. Gray gave Remus a job, we also received indirect help. So I say... you're the benefactor who gave me a second chance at life."
Vold shook his head, "The one who helped you was Remus, not me. I don't interfere with how he spends his wages..."
Seeing that Wil's attitude didn't change, Vold paused and asked, "You just said... you all?"
"Yes, besides Wil, there are a few werewolves who follow the rules and struggle to make a living. But Aslan Magical Workshop only accepted Wil," Lupin explained.
"Remus taught me a few spells, not many, but I'm quite skilled with the Copying Charm," Wil said happily. "That's how I got this job opportunity."
"Congratulations," Vold nodded. "But now we'd like to take a look at the workshop's store."
"Of course, of course... Ah, this way..."
Wil put down his work and led the group through the work area, then pushed open a large door, and a burst of noise greeted them.
As Harry stepped in, he was immediately confronted by a huge, familiar face with a hideous expression.
It took him a moment to realize—it was his own face!
Startled, Harry instinctively took a step back, but Sirius, right behind him, quickly stepped forward and stared at the screen, asking, "What's this?"
A staff member immediately approached, smiling enthusiastically, "This is the latest product from the Magical Workshop, a new invention by the brilliant alchemist Vold Gre—the FlowMirror! You can think of it as the Wizarding World's television..."
"I know," Sirius turned to look at the others and asked, "I mean... when did this happen?"
In the store, the crowded crowd suddenly let out a collective gasp, and some instinctively closed their eyes, shouting, "Look out!"
On the giant screen suspended in the air, a basilisk opened its bloody maw, lunging at Harry.
"Before... we were all together, challenging the basilisk in the Slytherin Dungeon..." Harry said, puzzled. "I told you about it."
Sirius looked at the screen and said softly, "But I didn't know it was this dangerous... I thought... I thought it was similar to the time we faced the python."
On the screen, a bloodied Harry picked up the basilisk fang from the ground, searching for an opportunity, while injured students were being swatted away by the basilisk.
Sirius placed his palm gently on Harry's head, saying tenderly, "It must have hurt when you were injured, right?"
Harry's heart twinged slightly, and for some reason, he suddenly felt a tingle in his nose.
To hide his emotions, he rubbed his nose and exaggerated, "Haha... I was so tense at the time that I didn't feel anything... Vold, how did you manage to record this too?"
"Such a spectacular scene, perfect for promoting my new product.
"Voldemort mentioned that he was initially concerned that Dumbledore wouldn't agree, as the Basilisk has been a well-guarded secret of Hogwarts for a millennium."
"Ah, so that's why you stayed behind to speak with the Headmaster that day!"
Harry understood and said angrily, "If I had known, I should have stopped you from staying!"
"Why?" Voldemort asked curiously. "What's wrong with others seeing that you can even defeat the Basilisk?"
"Of course there is!" Harry clenched his teeth. "I'm already bothered enough by all this fame!"
Perhaps their voices were a bit too loud, as one of the viewers turned around, stared for a moment, and then suddenly shouted, "Harry Potter! It's you, Harry Potter!"
Countless eyes turned towards Harry, and he hurried to leave, but it was too late.
Just moments ago, the audience had seen the little Savior on the screen, bloodied and battered, and their worries and admiration for him had reached a peak. They wished they could jump into the screen and fight alongside him.
But when they turned around, they found the protagonist right behind them? The crowd surged forward.
Sirius and Lupin quickly spread their arms to protect the children behind them from being crushed or trampled, and even the staff of the magical workshop rushed to maintain order.
However, the crowd was more friendly than they had anticipated. They simply surrounded Harry, eager to express their feelings—
"Mr. Potter, how are your injuries?"
"Mr. Potter, may I shake your hand?"
"Mr. Potter, your courage is truly admirable. I've wanted to meet you for a long time..."
Amid the buzzing noise, Voldemort, who was no longer the center of attention, quietly slipped out of the crowd, and other viewers immediately filled the space he left behind.
As he squeezed through, someone pulled him, and Voldemort looked up to see Mr. Machione.
"I heard you were at the workshop, so I rushed over to take a look, and I didn't expect to see this," Mr. Machione said, leading him towards the upstairs rest area with a mischievous smile. "Do you regret it?"
"Regret what?" Voldemort asked, straightening out the wrinkles on his clothes that had been caused by the crowd.
"Regret giving up the opportunity to become famous—soon, people will adore Harry Potter even more than they did Lockhart last year. Seeing how popular he is, don't you regret it?"
Mr. Machione said with a smile, but there was a hint of seriousness in his tone. "Don't argue... I know that if you wanted to, you could have defeated that Basilisk—although it was indeed terrifying."
"I don't need that," Voldemort said. "Or rather, I dislike being so famous. This level of fame is just right."
"Hmm..." Mr. Machione looked thoughtfully at Harry, who was surrounded by the crowd, his eyes now lacking their usual sparkle. "Your classmate doesn't seem to enjoy the fame either."
"He's different," Voldemort said.
Voldemort's gaze drifted through the transparent railing, and he spotted Wil arranging the shop's goods. In the corner, a frail girl turned her back to the crowd, tugging at his clothes and speaking urgently.
(End of Chapter)
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