Oppression and Resistance Will Take You Further

That three-meter-tall giant was probably Hagrid, a Half-Giant and Hogwarts' Keeper of Keys and Grounds.

Holding an umbrella in his hand, Leon knew that was Hagrid's wand.

Hagrid had likely just brought Harry away from the Dursleys and taken him to Diagon Alley to buy magical supplies. Dudley probably had not even had the pig's tail removed from his backside yet.

In the original story, Hermione and Harry met on the Hogwarts Express. This was probably the result of the butterfly effect caused by him.

Leon and the others were heading to Ollivanders Wand Shop, and Harry and Hagrid happened to enter the wand shop as well.

"Mike, these are the items Hermione and I need. Have the others take care of them, and book a few rooms at the Leaky Cauldron while you're at it."

Mike nodded. More than a dozen Razor Gang members behind them quickly dispersed, leaving only Mike, Leon, and Hermione as they entered the wand shop.

"Oh, picky customers."

The moment they entered, they heard that classic line—Ollivander's catchphrase.

In the middle of the shop, Ollivander was handing wand after wand to a black-haired little boy wearing glasses. That was Harry.

Hagrid sat to one side, waiting for Harry to choose his wand.

"Sir, let me help this young gentleman choose his wand first."

Ollivander said this, then turned back to Harry. "Very good. Thirteen and a half inches, holly wood, phoenix feather. Try this one."

Harry examined the wand before him through his broken glasses. The instant he took it, he suddenly raised it, and a red light shot from its tip and exploded against the ceiling.

"Oh, Merlin's beard, wonderful, simply wonderful."

"The wand core of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's wand was also a phoenix feather. It came from the same phoenix as the wand in your hand."

"That will be ten Galleons."

Harry had chosen his wand quickly. While Ollivander wrapped it, Harry looked over in their direction.

His gaze met Leon's.

Harry quickly took in Leon's attire: a vintage British cap, a gray trench coat over a neatly tailored suit vest, and a pair of black gloves that emphasized Leon's status.

Harry then looked down at the obviously oversized clothes he had gotten from Dudley and lowered his head in embarrassment.

"You're a new Hogwarts student too, aren't you? Looks like we'll be classmates."

Seeing Harry's gaze, Hermione spoke up kindly. Harry gave an awkward smile. "Yes."

Harry had only just left the Dursleys. He had been bullied by Dudley for so long that this inferiority would continue even after he entered Hogwarts.

"Wait, what's on your forehead?"

Hermione suddenly seemed to notice something and stared at Harry's forehead. Just as she was about to continue, Ollivander interrupted her.

"Sir, please come over and choose your wand."

Leon looked at young Hermione. "Ladies first."

Hermione hurriedly declined and insisted that Leon buy his wand first. Leon did not stand on ceremony and stepped forward.

Ollivander first pulled out his wand and gave it a flick. A floating magical tape measure began measuring Leon's height, weight, waistline, arm span, and more.

From his previous life until now, Leon had always felt this was one of Ollivander's peculiar habits.

These measurements should not have had any use in choosing a wand, right?

But out of good manners, Leon said nothing.

Soon, Ollivander took out a wand.

"Fourteen inches, beech wood with a Fire Dragon heartstring core. Suitable for a rather resilient wizard."

Ollivander looked at Leon as though he could see straight into his heart.

Leon calmly accepted the wand, when suddenly, he felt a heat at his fingertips!

A surge of purple light erupted from the wand's tip and instantly pierced through the roof!

"Oh! How could this happen?!"

Under the astonished gazes of Harry, Hagrid, Mike, and young Hermione, Ollivander swiftly flicked his wand. The roof was repaired, and the wand in Leon's hand flew into his own.

"No, no. The wand is afraid. How could this happen...?"

Ollivander's expression turned solemn. Leon found it strange. "Sir, what is going on?"

Ollivander walked to a row of shelves in the middle of the shop, pulled out a box from among the black wand cases, and handed it to Leon.

"I have always believed that the wand chooses the wizard, but... well, try this one."

Leon frowned. He had a feeling that things were not as simple as he had imagined.

When he took the wand again, he felt the same sensation. The wand's tip suddenly grew hot, and a black beam instantly punched through the roof. A powerful surge of magic swept through the room, sending rows upon rows of wands tumbling from the shelves!

"This is... the aura of death."

Ollivander stared directly into Leon's eyes. "May I ask your surname, sir?"

"Leon Shelby."

"Oh! Good heavens, you're Shelby!"

Leon was somewhat bewildered. Why did Ollivander know him?

Harry's mouth hung open as well. He looked at Leon in disbelief, then turned to look at Hagrid.

Hagrid was stunned too. He had never seen Ollivander this excited before.

"I once visited Birmingham. I heard that it was controlled by a mafia called the Razor Gang, and it was the place with the best public safety I had ever seen. You must be Britain's youngest godfather, am I right?"

The moment those words were spoken, Harry exchanged an incredulous look with Hagrid, feeling as if his throat had been choked.

Harry's mind was a mess.

He had only come to buy a wand, yet he had discovered that the head of Britain's largest mafia would be his classmate.

Hermione, however, was used to it. She explained to Harry and Hagrid, "Leon really is impressive, but he's a good person. You don't need to be afraid."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "I assume my identity has nothing to do with choosing a wand?"

"No, no, it does. Being able to trigger such a powerful magical fluctuation has much to do with your upbringing. Only those who grow up in the harshest and cruelest environments, who make it to the present through the deaths of countless people, can possess stronger souls."

"Death is a profoundly complex subject for wizards. Murder can split a person's soul, but deaths caused by vengeance and resistance can bring about a qualitative transformation in a wizard."

"You will find that throughout Wizarding Society's history, the greatest number of powerful wizards often emerged during wartime, because these people were born amid countless deaths and oppression."

Leon quietly listened to Ollivander's explanation and gained some new understanding of the matter.

The original story said that murder could split a person's soul—and that was also how Horcruxes were made. Leon had originally wondered why members of the Order of the Phoenix had killed so many Death Eaters without their souls splitting, but now he understood.

"Mr. Shelby, if I'm not mistaken, the magic within you is twice that of others your age. Your path will take you further."

Ollivander stared at Leon with a deep, unreadable gaze. Leon naturally knew what was happening.

It was the effect of Surging Magic, the reward the system had given him earlier.

"Leon has twice as much magic?!"

"What? Mr. Ollivander, are you sure it's twice as much?"

Hagrid was dumbfounded upon hearing this. He felt that this had already overturned everything he knew.

Harry, however, was not paying attention to that.

Ollivander had just said that Leon had walked through the deaths of countless people.

That he had fought his way out of oppression...

Didn't Leon look the same age as him?

At eleven years old, he had already emerged from oppression and resistance... His soul was terrifyingly strong. Every sign suggested that Leon was not as gentle and refined as he appeared. He must have had another side...