Harry Isn't Worthy, But I Am—I'm Better Than Him!

When Malfoy asked about the price, a smile appeared at the corner of Silan's mouth.

I've been waiting for you to say that.

Silan held out his hand and spread five fingers.

"Five Galleons."

Malfoy did not raise any objections to the price.

But his two lackeys behind him, Goyle and Crabbe, both cried out in dissatisfaction.

"Five Galleons! You want five Galleons for this kind of 'ten-for-one-Knut cheap junk'?"

The short, pudgy Crabbe snorted. "You've gone mad for money!"

"You two simply don't know quality."

Silan dismissed their doubts and slowly unfolded the map in his hand.

"This map is made with the finest materials. There are only ten in all of Hogwarts."

"Owning one is a symbol of status and family. Money alone can't buy it."

Goyle curled his lip disdainfully and let out a strange snort through his nostrils.

"When all's said and done, isn't it just a map?"

"Exactly." Crabbe nodded along. "Five Galleons could buy dozens of sheets of parchment like this."

"Let's go, Malfoy."

"This guy's crazy."

Crabbe and Goyle urged Malfoy to leave.

Clearly, they had no intention of spending the money.

Five Galleons was a huge sum for an ordinary young wizard.

It was enough to cover half a term's daily expenses.

But for Malfoy, five Galleons did not even count as a fraction of his pocket money.

Still, he was no fool. There was no need to spend that money on this map.

Seeing Malfoy preparing to leave, Silan hurriedly brought out the trump card he had prepared.

He quickly took two steps toward Malfoy, spun around to block his way, and nodded toward Harry standing nearby.

"See that? The famous Harry Potter. He'd been pestering me just now, wanting to buy one of these maps. He was even willing to pay double."

Silan began making things up without blinking.

"But even then, I didn't sell it to him. Do you know why?"

Malfoy had been about to leave, but his brain was like a radar. The moment he heard the name "Harry Potter," he stopped in his tracks.

Silan's question made him itch with curiosity, and he could not wait to hear the answer.

"Malfoy, don't listen to his nonsense!" Goyle tugged at his sleeve, trying to pull him away.

"Shut up!"

After glaring at Goyle, Malfoy turned to Silan and asked impatiently, "Why?"

"Because he isn't worthy."

Silan's expression turned solemn and calm.

He straightened his back slightly, his gaze proud yet dignified. When he looked at the map in his hand, his eyes were full of fervor and reverence.

It was the integrity unique to a craftsman.

Just like Mr. Ollivander when facing the wands he had made with his own hands—proud and devout.

"Do you think I sell to just anyone?" Silan's voice was steady and stern. "Do you think just anyone can buy the maps in my hand?"

"No!"

Silan's voice suddenly dropped, startling all three boys across from him.

"There are only ten of these maps in all of Hogwarts. Only truly noble people are worthy of owning one."

"That's why I came to you."

After saying that, Silan fell silent and looked quietly at Malfoy.

Leaving him plenty of room for imagination.

In truth, Malfoy had not understood Silan's long speech at all.

But he had keenly caught the key words from it.

Harry isn't worthy, I am, I'm better than him!

Victory!

Malfoy processed Silan's words in his head.

He glanced at Harry, who was craning his neck and staring this way.

Sure enough, he was looking at the map in Silan's hand with envy.

So even you have a day like this, Potter!

Watching Harry's frustrated, longing expression as he shook his head one moment and sighed the next—

Malfoy felt indescribably pleased.

He did not actually care about the map's price at all.

What he cared about was that it was a map even the famous Harry Potter could not get.

If he bought it himself, wouldn't that mean he was better than Potter?

Oh, look at this pitiful fellow.

He was holding nothing but a battered, ordinary map.

It was not even in the same league as the gilt-patterned parchment map before him, drawn in lilac ink.

"Fine. I'll buy it."

Malfoy glanced at Harry and thought that Potter was still a little lacking compared with a young master like himself.

With the deal made, Silan beamed.

"Excellent. Buy now and get your family crest engraved for free. This is the glory of the Malfoy family!"

"There's even a service like that?" Malfoy's eyes lit up.

This money was well spent.

It proved that the Malfoy family was stronger than the Potter family!

He proudly showed Silan his family crest.

Following Malfoy's crest, Silan cast a spell on the quill, making it swiftly draw a clear crest on the parchment.

Once the crest was complete, Silan solemnly took the map and presented it to Malfoy with both hands.

It was as though the map, now engraved with the family crest, had gained even more weight.

Goyle shouted angrily, "This map is only a copy! It can't be used forever! This is outright fraud!"

Silan looked helpless at their troll-like intelligence.

He ignored them directly and spoke only to Malfoy.

"A pure-blood wizard like you must understand. That is precisely what makes this map precious. Only then can it highlight your unique taste."

As he spoke, he looked at Harry again and added meaningfully.

"Even if this map is only a copy that lasts eight months, Potter still can't buy one."

Anyway, tying everything to family glory and Potter was the right move.

Malfoy agreed wholeheartedly.

Holding the map, he waved it provocatively at Harry like a rooster showing off its bright feathers.

"Here are five Galleons." Malfoy paid readily.

Seeing Malfoy's smug expression, Goyle and Crabbe did not dare say anything more.

They could only glare at Silan resentfully.

Silan paid them no attention.

He glanced over the Galleons in his hand, confirmed that there was no problem, and turned to leave.

What a satisfying transaction.

Malfoy gained prestige, while he gained profit.

It was practically a win-win situation.

Miss Granger had been feeling a little gloomy lately.

Not all Gryffindor and Slytherin classes were held together.

As a result, she could not sit with Silan in every class.

It would have been one thing if she could not see him during lessons, but these past few days, she could not find him even after class.

She had no idea what Silan had been busy with.

She had not seen Silan for several days, and it was making her irritable.

There was a Defense Against the Dark Arts class that afternoon, with Gryffindor and Slytherin attending together.

Hermione arrived at the classroom early.

Like a guard statue, the little girl hugged her books and stared intently at the stairway entrance.

Students came and went. Just as class was about to begin, Silan finally arrived late.

"I thought you'd forgotten we had class today," Hermione said sourly.

"How could I? I just had a little something to take care of."

Silan gave a vague laugh.

The two walked into the classroom side by side, only to find that it was almost full.

They had no choice but to find seats in a corner.

That suited Silan just fine.

This spot was not very noticeable, making it easier to hide when he recited the spell later.

The only thing he found strange was that although there was clearly an empty seat beside them, Hermione sat pressed tightly against him.

It made him feel a little cramped.

"Hermione, do you think..." Silan hesitated before saying, "it's a little crowded?"

"Is it? I don't think so." As Hermione spoke, she squeezed even closer to Silan.

Looking at the clearly empty seat beside her, Silan sighed.

What was this little girl sulking about?

Hermione held a quill without dipping it in ink, poking the tip into the parchment again and again.

She really wanted to ask what Silan had been doing lately, but she was too embarrassed.

Keeping the question bottled up made her feel uncomfortable.

So she was feeling incredibly awkward.

"Want some candy, Hermione?"

Silan opened his palm. Resting quietly in it was a hard candy wrapped in colorful paper.

"Thank you, Silan." Hermione's eyes sparkled as she carefully pinched up the candy.

Though the candy had not even entered her mouth yet, Hermione already felt sweetness in her heart.

The awkward frustration she had been holding inside had long since vanished.

She was better already?

One piece of candy was enough to cheer her up?

Just as Silan was marveling at how easily Hermione could be coaxed, Quirrell entered the classroom.

Stuttering, he said, "C-class is beginning..."

[Author's Note: "Ten-for-one-Knut cheap junk" is a wizarding expression meaning something extremely common and worthless.]