The Silencing Spell Is Cast Through Physical Force / Quirrell Doesn't Dare Shake Harry's Hand

"What did you say?!" Hermione shrieked in disbelief, nearly dropping the wand in her hand!

That twin wand had left Harry with a scar...

So that wand was actually in Voldemort's hands!

"That's right. Thirteen and a half inches, yew... And that's exactly what makes this so strange!" Ollivander murmured in disbelief. "If this wand had chosen Mr. Granger, I wouldn't have been surprised at all. But why Miss Granger...?"

"Mr. Ollivander, could you tell me what's special about two wands with twin cores?" Harry asked very seriously.

The wand that had been so eager to accept Hermione shared a twin core with the one in Voldemort's hands. Things were clearly unfolding in a way Harry hadn't expected.

"Oh, of course!" Ollivander quickly explained. "When two wands with twin cores face an enemy together, the magic they produce is ten times more powerful than usual!"

"Also, if these two wands were to duel, they... Wait! Could this be the real reason the Holly Wand chose Miss Granger?!"

Ollivander studied Hermione carefully, then stared at Harry for a long while, seeming unsure of his own guess.

"Anyway, this should be the wand best suited to Miss Granger." Ollivander shook his head, seeming unwilling to continue the topic. "Mr. Granger, now it's your turn to choose a suitable wand."

"I don't think I need to choose one." Harry shook his head. "There isn't a wand here that suits me."

Since Ollivander didn't want to say more, Harry didn't press him.

As for a wand of his own, he didn't need one.

While Hermione had been trying out wands, Harry had also felt out how they connected with him. Unfortunately, he hadn't found one that resonated completely with his magic.

The reason these wands had rejected him was also strikingly consistent: they couldn't offer him much help, so choosing one would only make it a burden.

However, the Holly Wand in Hermione's hand had responded to Harry's magic.

It simply felt that Hermione was still the one who ought to wield it.

"Is that so... What a shame~"

By then, Ollivander was thoroughly bewildered by Harry, so even when Harry ultimately decided not to buy a wand, he didn't launch into another of his long-winded explanations. After happily collecting seven Galleons, he courteously ushered Harry and Hermione out of the shop.

"Harry, are you sure it's all right not to buy a wand?" Hermione asked nervously after they left the wand shop.

A wand wasn't just a requirement for new students; it was essential for every wizard!

Hermione really couldn't imagine how Harry would manage at Hogwarts without a wand.

"I think that thing's not much use to me, actually."

Harry shrugged casually. He was about to drop out, after all, and unlike Hermione, he wasn't planning to pursue magic. What would he need a wand for? To pick his ears?

Still, knowing how persistent Hermione could be, Harry took her Holly Wand.

"Hermione, if you're really worried, I can borrow your wand whenever I need one."

With a casual flick of his wrist, a gentle wave of magic flowed through the wand, and a little burst of fireworks popped from its tip.

"Th-this... How can you use it too?"

Harry's action startled Hermione. She was a novice witch, but even she knew that something as personal as a wand shouldn't be easy for someone else to use.

"Didn't Ollivander say that the wand chooses its owner?" Harry said with a cheeky grin. "Maybe the Holly Wand's only letting me borrow it because it likes you."

"When you put it that way, that makes sense~" Hermione thought it over, then nodded emphatically. "It must know I'm your big sister, so it's letting you borrow it!"

"You're reading too much into it. That definitely can't be the reason!"

"I say it is!"

With the wand question settled, Hermione was clearly in high spirits.

They joked and bickered all the way to their final stop, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

But at the shop entrance, Hermione nearly collided with someone...

Silence Spells Are Cast Physically

"Hey, you're in my way."

Outside Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, walking toward Harry and Hermione was a blond boy who looked about their age.

He kept his chin raised as he faced them, and his voice seemed to carry an innate air of pride.

"Sorry."

The boy was clearly the sort Harry didn't want to deal with, so he had no interest in talking to him. He simply stepped aside with Hermione.

But the other boy seemed interested in him.

"Wait, are you Harry Potter?" After taking a good look, the blond boy recognized Harry, and his face lit up with delight.

"I can't believe I ran into you here!" the boy said cheerfully. "I'm Draco, from the Malfoy family. You must've heard of us. But honestly, I just can't understand what you were thinking, according to my father. Why would you choose a Muggle family when there are so many Pure-blood Families you could've gone to? Even the Weasley family, poor as they are, would be better than..."

"I think we can end this conversation." Harry coolly cut off Malfoy's rambling. "First, it's my choice which family adopts me. Second, I've never heard of your family. And finally... my last name is Granger now!"

"What did you say?!" When Malfoy heard Harry's last words, his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief!

"You just said... what's your last name? Granger? Good heavens, why would you take such an awful name?!"

"What's wrong with Harry being a Granger?" Hermione stepped forward indignantly. "Harry was adopted by our family. He's my little brother. Why shouldn't he have the same last name as us? And anyway... what's wrong with our last name?!"

"What would you know?!" Malfoy snapped at Hermione. "Harry Granger... Don't you think that name is ridiculous? He was born into a wizarding family, and yet he has to carry a Muggle surname... Wait, did you say he's your brother?!"

"That's right! I'm his sister, Hermione Granger. Is there a problem?"

Hermione linked her arm through Harry's in a show of defiance. Her expression practically screamed, "My little brother's got me to back him up!"

"A problem... Hmph. You're in no position to question me!" Malfoy gave Hermione a sneering laugh. "You're just a Mudblood from a Muggle family..."

A sharp crack rang out, and everyone froze!

Malfoy didn't get to finish his sentence. A prominent handprint appeared on his face, and Harry had just lowered his arm.

"Ugh... Y-you hit me?!"

Malfoy was stunned by the sudden slap. It took him a good while to recover before he started shrieking and hopping around.

Only then did the onlookers realize what had just happened.

No one present, not even Hermione, had expected Harry to hit him without a moment's hesitation!

"Draco Malfoy, right? I need to make one thing very clear..." Harry strode forward and grabbed Malfoy by the collar of his robes. "Whatever word you were about to say, you'd better never let me hear it! Or the consequences won't stop at a slap!!"

To be honest, Harry didn't know what Malfoy had been about to call Hermione. But from his tone and expression, Harry could make a pretty good guess that it was a word even more offensive than "Muggle"!

So... why let him say it when he could shut him up first?!

"Harry..."

Hermione gazed at Harry as he stood up for her. She had meant to tell him not to cause trouble, but the words died in her throat.

The Holly Wand in her arms kept jumping. In that moment, Hermione felt she understood a little more about why the wand had chosen her.

"Damn it! Harry, you asked for this!" Malfoy wrenched Harry's hand away, then actually pulled out his wand!

He was absolutely furious. When he'd recognized Harry, he'd thought they might become friends after a little conversation.

But he hadn't expected Harry not only to take a Muggle surname, but to slap him for the sake of a Mudblood!

It was outrageous!

Harry Potter was willingly sinking into disgrace!

So Malfoy decided to use the spell he'd just learned to teach Harry and that filthy Mudblood beside him a lesson!

For example... he could set their hair on fire~

"You haven't even started school yet and you're already trying to duel? Well, fine by me~" Harry stepped forward and squared up with his bare hands. "Bring it on."

"Harry, you can't do that. You have to use a wand!"

Hermione hurried forward, intending to hand Harry the wand, but he refused.

"Don't worry, Hermione. I've learned the Silence Spell. His spells won't work on me."

"The Silence Spell... What kind of spell is that?" Hermione blinked in confusion. She'd never heard of the "Silence Spell" Harry was talking about.

"Don't be ridiculous! There's no such spell as the Silence Spell!" Malfoy shouted from across the way, raising his wand at Harry!

"Take this! Incendio—"

Bang!!

Before Malfoy could finish the last word, Harry suddenly lunged forward and landed a punch right in his mouth!

"Ah!!" Malfoy let out an involuntary scream, blood pouring from his nose and gums!

Harry clearly wasn't satisfied with his work. He swung his fists at lightning speed, leaving Malfoy battered and bruised, then casually snatched his wand.

"Focus your mind, summon your magic, wave your wand, say the spell... As a rookie wizard, don't you think casting magic takes way too many steps?"

Harry glared down at Malfoy, who was clutching his jaw and wailing. He'd considered snapping the wand in two, but then changed his mind and tossed it aside.

A wand had a lot of significance, after all. Harry only wanted to teach Malfoy a lesson, not make an enemy for life. There was no need to go too far.

"This... is what you call the Silence Spell?"

Hermione looked down at Malfoy, who'd been taken out by a flurry of punches, then at the proud Harry beside her. She was completely dumbfounded.

How was that any kind of Silence Spell?!

"How is it not a Silence Spell?" Harry said, looking at her as if she'd never seen anything before, and picked at his ear. "It's a Physical Silence Spell. It works much better than ordinary spells~"

Hermione: "I don't believe a word you say!"

"Who's causing trouble here... Harry Potter? Did you do this to Draco?"

A middle-aged man in black robes pushed quickly through the crowd. The instant he saw Malfoy's "condition," his face darkened.

"Ha, here comes another one~" Harry shrugged disdainfully.

From his hair and bearing alone, it was obvious the man was Malfoy's father.

The kid's father showing up after a fight—the wizarding lot were just like ordinary people~

"Harry, Hermione? How did you get into a fight with the Malfoys?!" From the other side of the crowd, a towering man carrying a birdcage hurried over.

Hagrid had arrived too!

Draco, come over here and tell me what happened."

"Yes, Father! Harry Potter was completely out of line! He actually chose to take on a lowly Muggle surname!"

At his father's call, Malfoy scrambled over and began embellishing the tale, explaining all the injustice he'd supposedly suffered.

"Mr. Malfoy, I think this was a misunderstanding." Hagrid picked up Malfoy's wand and handed it to Lucius. "Harry and your son just had a little spat, the sort children have."

"I'll judge what happened for myself!" Lucius snatched the wand from Hagrid, then looked down at him with a sneer. "Now, keep your distance from me. Rubeus Hagrid, do you expect me to look up at you while we talk?!"

"Well... whatever makes you happy~" Hagrid spread his hands helplessly.

He didn't step away, but he didn't stay where he was either. He simply shifted a little, moving behind Harry and Hermione.

Clearly, he knew all too well what Lucius was like.

While this was going on, Harry took a good look at the middle-aged man in front of him.

Shoulder-length pale blond hair, icy blue eyes that gleamed with the cunning of a snake or a fox, and a pale face wearing the same deeply ingrained arrogance as his son... That was Lucius Malfoy, as Harry saw him.

He had to say, it was a pretty bad first impression~

To Harry, Lucius embodied just about every flaw found in those self-important British aristocrats.

"Harry Potter." No longer bothering with Hagrid, who would have required him to look up, Lucius turned his condescending gaze on Harry. "I thought being adopted by a Muggle family was the stupidest decision you could possibly make. I didn't think you could get even more foolish!"

"So, acting like a savage and throwing punches at a high-born Pure-blood Wizard is what you learned from that wretched new surname!"

"..." Harry's face darkened despite himself, and his fists slowly clenched.

He was getting more and more tired of the Wizarding World, especially these self-important Pure-blood Wizards!