Diagon Alley

"Welcome, Mr. Breeze Order. You'll soon be a young wizard."

Emmeline rarely teased anyone, but she quickly reined in her smile and said elegantly, "I assume you brought the letter."

Breeze nodded and calmly took the opened letter from his satchel. The envelope was made of heavy parchment, with no stamp. At the top was a wax seal bearing a shield-shaped crest: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a capital H.

This was Hogwarts' letter. The familiar Hogwarts crest brought a knowing smile to Emmeline's face.

Taking the letter Breeze handed her, Emmeline opened it—

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Albus Dumbledore (President of the International Confederation of Wizards, President of the Wizards' Association, First Class Wizard of the Order of Merlin)

Dear Breeze Storm Order:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of the required books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl no later than July 31st with your reply.

Yours sincerely, Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

The back of the letter listed the things needed for school...

There were several other letters in Breeze's satchel, letters he had written to Hogwarts and Emmeline, but they no longer mattered.

Emmeline looked over the back of the letter. "Hmm, it's about the same as when I attended school. I'll take the letter and buy the cauldrons, textbooks, and so on. You go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and buy your uniform from Madam Malkin. I have something to do this afternoon, so we need to hurry."

"But first, we need to visit Gringotts. Muggle and wizarding currency are different. Hmm, Muggles are ordinary people without magic."

"Alright."

Breeze did not have much choice, did he? Emmeline looked like an elegant lady, but she was unexpectedly forceful. Or perhaps she simply believed that Breeze, as a child, could not handle buying everything himself without being taken advantage of.

Breeze and Emmeline arrived at Gringotts. A towering snow-white building rose above the surrounding shops, and beside its gleaming bronze doors stood a figure dressed in a scarlet-and-gold uniform.

It was a Goblin. Quite an ugly one.

As they passed through the second set of doors, Breeze saw even more Goblins. They appeared to be working and paid no attention to Breeze and Emmeline's arrival.

Breeze had no wizarding money, so he asked, "Can't pounds be used here?"

"Don't worry." Emmeline smiled. "Hogwarts provides assistance funds for young wizards in financial hardship. It isn't much, but it's enough to buy a wand and some second-hand school supplies. Of course, Muggle money can also be exchanged here for wizarding currency. Five pounds for one Galleon."

"One Galleon is worth seventeen Sickles, and one Sickle is worth twenty-nine Knuts. That's wizarding currency."

Hearing that, Breeze let out a breath of relief. He was not used to using second-hand things, especially second-hand wizarding school robes. Those were worn close to the body!

Breeze was about to take out the money he had saved over the years when Emmeline stopped him.

Emmeline said, "Betty cares deeply about you. She left you one thousand pounds as a grant for your schooling. I truly don't know how an old woman with barely any pension, who also runs an Orphanage, managed to save that much."

"Wizards do not accept large sums of Muggle money, since that would not benefit the development of the wizarding world. But Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic have joined forces to make things easier for young wizards from the Muggle world, so every young wizard can exchange one hundred Galleons each year."

Emmeline walked up to the high counter and said gracefully to the Goblin, "Please exchange one hundred Galleons for me, and give me this child's assistance fund as well."

After taking the five hundred pounds and Hogwarts letter Emmeline handed over, the Goblin wore an expression of displeasure and arrogance. Only after carefully comparing the letter against Hogwarts' list of aid recipients for the year did it reluctantly hand over two money bags, one large and one small.

The Goblin said loftily, "Twenty Galleons in 'aid for impoverished households,' and one hundred Galleons exchanged for Muggle paper currency. Yes, this is money temporarily entrusted to your care."

After saying that, it ignored Breeze and Emmeline and went back to handling its other work. It appeared to be checking account books, which was a Goblin's favorite thing to do.

In the Goblins' eyes, all money belonged to Goblins, because it was made through Goblin magic, a craft that was difficult to imitate. Muggles were thieves. Not only did they make Goblins guard the money, they spent it freely. Worse still, they even made Goblins exchange it for Muggle paper currency. It was simply the greatest humiliation.

Of course, Goblins would never say any of this aloud. After all, no Goblin dared casually violate the pact made with wizards long ago.

Emmeline did not care. She put the money from both bags into Breeze's satchel, then took his hand and led him out of Gringotts.

"There, that's the robe shop. I'll come find you after I've bought the other things, and then we'll go to Ollivander's Wand Shop together to buy your wand."

Following Emmeline's directions, Breeze walked to a rather nice-looking shop. It was clean and bright, and a giant stood at the entrance. Breeze noticed him at once. It was unbelievable.

Knowing that staring at others was rude, Breeze turned away. Just then, a scruffy little boy with equally messy hair ran out from inside.

"Ow!"

Breeze looked thin, but he was surprisingly strong. The boy nearly got knocked over by the collision.

"Are you alright?" Breeze grabbed the boy's hand, only then getting a clear look at him. He wore oversized clothes and carried the faint scent of dried rainwater. The glasses on his face, broken and held together with tape, had been knocked crooked... Breeze also saw the faint lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.

Harry Potter?

"N-No, I'm fine." The boy seemed socially anxious. When Breeze wrinkled his nose, he appeared embarrassed and moved farther away, while the giant beside him seemed to have been waiting for him.

"Come on, Harry. We still need to buy the other things and your wand. That'll take quite a while."

"Oh, alright, Hagrid."

Breeze watched Harry Potter and the giant leave in confusion, murmuring, "He doesn't look like a celebrity. Why does everyone talk about him?"

Shrugging, Breeze entered the robe shop and saw a thin boy with a pale face and a shining head being tormented by a floating measuring tape. Hmm... that shine came from his platinum-blond hair.

"Oh, why isn't this finished yet? Honestly!"

It was clear the boy had grown impatient. Yet when he saw Breeze enter, he hurriedly put away his earlier attitude, raised his chin proudly, and slowly allowed the measuring tape to take his measurements.

Pfft!

Sorry, Breeze laughed. The boy was like a peacock. He was only eleven or twelve, yet who knew where he had learned that act?

"What are you laughing at?" Breeze's laugh immediately drew the boy's displeasure. He glared viciously at Breeze. Breeze was about to say something when he saw a short, plump witch dressed in purple. This must be Madam Malkin.

Smiling warmly, she approached with a length of exquisite, luxurious fabric. She smiled at Breeze, then said to the boy, "My apologies, Young Malfoy. Your mother said you needed the finest clothes, as well as some elegant everyday outfits and splendid dinner attire. Since you are still growing, measuring you took a little longer."

Madam Malkin silently removed the mischievous measuring tape and held the fabric before the boy. "What do you think of this material for your school uniform?"

The boy looked even more impatient, but he maintained his proud manner. "It'll do."

Only then did Madam Malkin let out a breath. Making clothes for this boy was clearly no easy task.

"Then, Young Malfoy, I'll send the finished clothes to Malfoy Manor."

The boy raised an eyebrow and murmured, "Mm."

Only then did Madam Malkin turn to Breeze. "Are you here to buy Hogwarts school robes, dear?"

Breeze nodded. "I need three sets of plain black work robes..."

"Oh, I understand. I remember. And hats, dragon-hide gloves, cloaks, all with name tags sewn in. Oh! I forgot to ask the boy just now, though I hope he comes back!"

Seeing Madam Malkin's flustered, worried expression, Breeze pressed his lips together and smiled. "My name is Breeze Order."

Madam Malkin said, "Oh, of course. You can stand on the stool first so we can take your measurements. If it's only school robes, it'll be done quickly."

"Then I'll trouble you, Madam Malkin."

"It's no trouble. What a well-behaved and polite child." With that, Madam Malkin tossed the measuring tape toward Breeze, then carried the fabric into the fitting room.

"Po~lite? Hmph..."

The sing-song voice caught Breeze's attention. Turning his head, he saw a pale face filled with anger.

"Let's properly introduce ourselves, polite Mr. Order. I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"I'm..." Breeze was about to speak when he heard—

"Oh, no need. I already know. You're a Mud... Muggle-born wizard, aren't you?"

Draco Malfoy swept his proud gaze over Breeze's clothes before fixing his eyes on Breeze's face.

"Tch. Clothes that smell of mud and have been washed who knows how many times, a worn-out and old-fashioned satchel that you still carry around as if it were something grand..."

Draco Malfoy's attitude irritated Breeze. He glared at him with an unfriendly expression, his pitch-black eyes filled with displeasure as faint red threads spread through them.

Malfoy's words came to an abrupt halt. It was as though he had fallen into a silent world, standing alone on a solitary island as a raging storm loomed overhead. Of course, it only seemed that way. He quickly came back to himself, but when he saw the teasing look in Breeze's eyes, he froze.

"Draco!"

At that moment, an elegant yet proud blonde woman entered from outside. Seeing Draco Malfoy's undignified posture and expression, she said helplessly, "Your father is right outside. You should be grateful he didn't come in because he thinks this is the sort of place only women enjoy visiting."

Draco Malfoy seemed to recover. A flush spread across his pale face and reached the tips of his ears.

"Mother, you can't tell Father. I've been waiting here for you forever. You should apologize!"

Seeing her son's obvious pout, the woman affectionately stroked Draco Malfoy's little face, led him down from the small stool, then glanced lightly at Breeze.

Perhaps surprised to see an East Asian-faced first-year student this year, she gave Breeze a slight nod before leading Draco Malfoy out of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Draco Malfoy looked back at Breeze with a probing gaze, while Breeze copied his proud expression and raised an eyebrow at him. Draco left after turning his head away, refusing to look at Breeze.

Breeze was not an impulsive child, but he would not choose to suffer in silence either. Of course, at only eleven, he did not have any malicious intentions. He had merely used a small trick to frighten Draco Malfoy.

So I am a little special after all. For example, turning my eyes red can make others feel afraid. Hehe.

Breeze thought about the two of them for a while. Recalling books he had seen at the Orphanage, he suddenly murmured, "They seem like nobles from the last century. Does the wizarding world have nobles too?"

"There are no nobles in the wizarding world, child, but there are Pure-blood wizarding families. Of course, not every Pure-blood wizarding family is as famous as the Malfoy family."

Madam Malkin removed the measuring tape and said to Breeze, "Alright, child. Would you like to leave a mailing address, or will you come collect them yourself? You'll need them for the Sorting, so they can't be sent directly to the school."

"Hmm, can I come collect them in a few days? I think Diagon Alley should have inns, so I can learn more about the wonders of the wizarding world."

The first volume follows the original story closely, unfolding from the protagonist's perspective. He will not follow the group. As the protagonist grows stronger, the course of the world will gradually become stranger.

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