Chapter 457 — Alone?!!
He was right.
Darren really was thinking about those days too.
In a daze, he remembered how Ollivander had once "cheated" him—how, without hesitation, Harry had handed over ten thousand Galleons for that wand.
He had nearly gone bankrupt back then.
Honestly, the wand in his hand was terrifyingly expensive.
"All right, everyone one by one!" Ludo Bagman announced happily.
"Let's start with Krum!"
Krum muttered something under his breath, then impatiently shoved his wand into Ollivander's hand.
"Dragon heartstring," Ollivander declared with delight. "Excellent and powerful!"
He gave an approving nod, then turned to Fleur.
Fleur handed over her wand as well.
"Veela hair," Ollivander said in fascination. "A rare core. I've hardly ever worked with this combination… fascinating!"
He flicked her wand gently.
A beautiful flower bloomed from the tip.
Fleur frowned and tossed it aside.
Ollivander pretended not to notice.
Then he turned to Darren.
A smile spread across his face.
"Ah, Darren. The last time I saw you was when you were eleven. You walked into my shop and chose your wand yourself."
Walked in himself?
Darren thought Ollivander's eyesight must be failing.
What about Paige? Wasn't she alive?
"Oh, house-elves don't buy my wands," Ollivander muttered thoughtfully.
Darren sighed.
A perfect chance for Holy Father points—gone.
"I remember your wand very clearly," Ollivander continued.
"Cypress. Ten and a third inches. And the scale—Reverse Dragon Scale."
"I told you then: people who choose cypress often live short, dangerous lives. The core is powerful, but it's too rigid, too sharp. A righteous heart, a fatal destiny. I didn't want you to choose it."
"It was expensive. And difficult to wield."
"Did you ever solve the mystery of it?" he asked curiously.
Darren smiled and nodded obediently.
"I did. It's a guardian spirit—one that manifests as a blue dragon. It only appears when I choose to protect someone."
[Ding, Holy Father Value +50]
[Ding, Holy Father Value +60]
[Ding, Holy Father Value +40]
[Ding…]
Ollivander sighed.
"You're too honest, my boy. Thankfully, that's not a large secret. Otherwise, there would be many people dreaming of stealing your wand."
Darren nodded gratefully.
More Holy Father points.
"Ah… you've always been kind," Ollivander said warmly.
"I thought as much the moment I first saw you."
Darren almost rolled his eyes.
Kind?
Back then, this man had nearly stripped him dry.
Silver gone.
Family shares gone.
Life nearly gone.
Yet here this old man was, smiling like a saint.
Darren still played along and lowered his head shyly.
"Well then… let me test your wand," Ollivander said.
He raised it and cast a Patronus.
A small blue dragon burst forth from the tip.
It wasn't massive, but it burned bright and vivid.
"Hm. The output is similar to other wands. Nothing too extraordinary," Ollivander declared lightly, and handed it back.
Darren instantly understood.
Ollivander was deliberately downplaying it.
What he showed others was a harmless version of his wand.
No one would covet it now.
At most, they'd think it was interesting.
Ollivander was protecting him.
"Well then."
Ollivander turned.
"Harry."
Harry jolted upright.
He quickly wiped his wand on his robes.
It was covered in fingerprints.
He never maintained it.
Not once.
Fleur subtly stepped away from him.
Ollivander frowned.
"Mr. Potter, a wand requires care."
Harry flushed.
Luckily, Ollivander said nothing more.
He examined it briefly.
Then straightened up.
"All wands are functioning adequately."
Harry finally breathed.
Next came the photographs.
They were meant to take group shots.
But Madame Maxime was too tall to fit properly into the frame.
In the end, they had to take separate pictures.
Group shots.
Half-body shots.
Single portraits.
By the time everything was finished, it was already nighttime.
"At least I don't have to go back to class tonight," Harry muttered.
"Best news of the day."
At that moment, Hermione came running toward them.
"Harry! Darren!" she whispered urgently.
"Look—your letter!"
She waved a parchment in the air.
Harry's eyes lit up.
"From him?!"
"Yes!"
Hermione nodded hard.
The letter bore the unmistakable handwriting of Sirius Black.
Harry tore it open.
Dear Harry and Darren,
Because letters may be intercepted, I have to keep this short.
I'll be waiting in the Gryffindor common room at one in the morning on November 22.
Darren doesn't have to come—if you're tired, it's fine. But if you're awake, Darren, I'd love to see you too.
I need to talk to you.
And… I miss you both.
Love,
Sirius
Harry stared at it.
Darren stared too.
In the end, they agreed on a plan.
Harry would wear his Invisibility Cloak and go ahead to meet Sirius near the Gryffindor entrance.
Then they would wait together in the common room.
Sirius didn't know the password.
If he tried to get in alone, he might be caught.
Darren insisted on being there.
It would be safer.
That idea earned him another round of Holy Father points.
In the following two weeks, Harry lived only for one thing.
November 22.
The thought of seeing Sirius again was the only thing keeping him going.
Because Rita Skeeter had not let him off.
Her newspaper once again dragged him through the mud of public mockery.
He never imagined she would write about him like that.
He felt like he was breaking apart.
Everywhere he went, people laughed behind those articles.
Even Ron looked at him differently now.
Suspicious.
Cold.
Distant.
Harry began to feel like even existing was a mistake.
And the worst part—
He didn't know how much longer he could endure it.
---
Check new harry potter fanfiction i ma translating
Harry Potter's Defence professor
( Glidory Lockhart is the protagonist, no system)(this is AU)
Harry Potter's Natural villain [ Draco]
Draco Malfoy is the protagonist
( no system, no cheats)