Facing the Savior, Even Giving It Everything Is Futile / The Training Room

The sunlight in Diagon Alley was still bright, but Vera's mood inevitably darkened a little.

She should have expected this—at this point in time, as a member of the Black family, she was destined to face all kinds of suspicion and exclusion.

Still, it was no big deal.

She turned her wheelchair and arrived at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, whose display windows showcased all manner of exquisite school uniforms and dress robes.

"Need a hand, dear?" A short, plump witch stood before the steps and asked warmly with a genial smile.

"Thank you, but I can manage." Vera politely declined her kindness. As she spoke, she lightly touched the rune on her wheelchair's armrest, and an invisible magical force steadily lifted her up the steps.

Interestingly, during this process, she could also sense through the Magic Circuit the trajectory of magical power as the Levitation Charm was cast—

Those silvery-white threads wrapped around her wheelchair like living creatures, then quietly dissipated after she landed.

For some reason, Vera had an intuition that although she had only gotten her wand less than two hours ago and had never formally studied magic, if she took the initiative to try, casting the Levitation Charm she had already seen several times should pose no problem at all.

Was this the Magic Circuit's assisted learning effect...?

Author's Note: Promo: "Honkai: Star Rail, Don't You All Dislike Me?"

Facing the Savior, Resistance Was Futile Even With All Her Strength

Led into the shop by Madam Malkin, Vera briefly glanced around.

The shop was more spacious than she had imagined. Several racks were filled with robes in all kinds of styles, while a huge three-sided mirror stood in one corner.

To her surprise, there was already another customer in the shop—a pale blond boy stood on a footstool, allowing an enchanted tape measure to move around his body and take his measurements.

"It'll be done soon, young man," a witch said to the boy.

The boy turned his head, and his gray eyes visibly flashed with surprise when he saw Vera's wheelchair.

He raised his chin and asked in a distinctly superior tone, "Are you also a new Hogwarts student this year?"

Vera calmly met his gaze. "Yes."

"I'm Draco Malfoy." The boy proudly gave his name, though his eyes remained fixed on her wheelchair. "Your legs... what happened?"

Vera narrowed her eyes. After thinking for a moment, she gave a brief answer. "Complications from a car accident."

Draco seemed displeased by her cold response. He jumped down from the footstool and walked over to her. "Do you know the Malfoy family? My father is one of the school governors."

"Of course I do." Vera raised her head, a trace of amusement flashing through her dark eyes. "One of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, with multiple marriage ties to the Black family."

Draco's eyes widened. "You're from the Black family?"

His attitude immediately changed in a subtle way. "My mother is from the Black family! Narcissa Malfoy—you definitely know her!"

"Of course." Vera nodded. "By seniority, she's my aunt."

"So we're cousins?" Draco said excitedly, having completely forgotten his initial arrogant attitude. "Then you'll be sorted into Slytherin, right? All pure-bloods go to Slytherin."

"Perhaps." Vera gave no definite answer and wheeled herself over to the footstool.

With Madam Malkin's help, she smoothly transferred from the wheelchair to the stool, and the enchanted tape measure immediately got to work.

Draco stood to one side, watching the tape measure dance around her. He could not help lowering his voice and saying mysteriously, "You must have heard, right? Hogwarts will be welcoming that Savior this year!"

Vera did not answer. She merely waited quietly for the measurements to finish. Madam Malkin specifically selected a standard set for her and thoughtfully made special adjustments to the hem of the robes for wheelchair use.

Seeing that she did not respond, Draco found himself snubbed and said bluntly, "My father said we might want to make friends with Potter."

Vera glanced at him and felt that, compared to the Savior she had just met, this one was rather boring.

"But—" Draco suddenly changed tack, casting a disdainful glance at Vera's wheelchair. "Forget making friends. Can someone like you really go to Hogwarts? I heard there are stairs everywhere."

Vera's fingers tightened slightly, but her expression remained calm. "Thank you for your concern, but I think Hogwarts should have a way to solve that problem."

"Hmph, I hope so." Draco shrugged. "I wouldn't want to see you fall down the stairs on your first day of school."

He made no effort to lower his voice, immediately drawing the attention of several students and parents in the shop.

A chill flashed through Vera's eyes.

She raised her head and lowered her voice beside him. "Cousin Draco, do you know? There's a condition in the Muggle world whose symptom is constantly meddling in other people's affairs."

Draco's face instantly reddened. "You—"

"I suggest you get yourself checked at St Mungo's," Vera continued in a calm tone. "After all, it's only right to care about a cousin's health, isn't it?"

Draco's face went from red to white, and anger flashed in his gray-blue eyes. "How dare you speak to me like that! You cripple who can't even walk—"

Before he could finish, the shop door was suddenly shoved open, and a small figure burst in with considerable force.

"Apologize to her!" Harry's angry voice rang out as she stepped in front of Vera. "What you just said was way out of line!"

Vera raised her head and looked in slight surprise at Harry, who stood protectively before her.

That small body was wound tight, her fists clenched so hard they had turned white, while rage burned in the green eyes behind her glasses.

She was clearly shorter than Draco, yet she stubbornly stood in front of the wheelchair without yielding an inch.

Like an angry little cat with its fur standing on end.

Vera did not know where that association had come from, but since the Savior had already stood up for her, she quietly put away the wand she had long been gathering power into within her sleeve.

Draco had clearly not expected someone to suddenly rush out and accuse him. He took a step back, his eyes widening round. "Who are you? What right do you have to interfere in my business?"

"I'm Harry Potter." Harry straightened her back and glared at him indignantly. "And what you said just now was extremely rude."

"Potter?" Draco's expression instantly became colorful. He looked Harry up and down, his gaze lingering on the scar on her forehead for a moment. "You're the Potter who defeated You-Know-Who? I heard my father say—"

"I don't care what your father said," Harry interrupted with a frown. "I only know that what you said just now insulted my friend!"

Vera sat quietly in her wheelchair. Hearing herself called a friend by a girl she had known for less than ten minutes gave her an oddly subtle feeling.

This Savior was far too quick to make friends.

An unnatural flush rose on Draco's pale face. He looked at Harry, then at Vera in her wheelchair, and finally gritted his teeth. "I-I was only stating facts! If she goes to Hogwarts like this, she'll be laughed at too!"

Harry's fists clenched tighter, and she raised one eagerly, as though ready to pounce and punch him at any moment.

Faced with a Savior who had no intention of reasoning with him at all, Draco could only turn to leave without much confidence. Yet as he passed Harry, he deliberately bumped into her.

Harry staggered and nearly fell.

Vera swiftly caught her wrist and steadied her.

"Thank you," Harry said softly, her cheeks faintly red.

Vera released her hand and gently shook her head. "You didn't need to clash with him over me."

"But he said those things about you—" Harry frowned. "He's awful!"

Vera looked at Harry's serious expression and suddenly found it a little amusing. The Savior of this world seemed more impulsive than in the original story, and also more... pure.

"...What is it? Did I say something wrong just now?" Harry grew a little uneasy under her gaze.

Vera withdrew her eyes and gently shook her head. "I just didn't expect you to come after me."

"It wasn't coming after you, it was running into you again!" Harry emphasized firmly. Under Vera's gaze, her tone gradually became a little guilty. "It's a good thing I ran into you again."

Vera watched the tips of Harry's ears turn slightly red, and a faint curve touched her lips.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Author's Note: Promo: "Those Days I Was Flirted With in Honkai: Star Rail"

Training Room

"Thank you."

Vera's voice was very soft, but Harry's eyes instantly lit up as though she had received some tremendous praise.

"You're welcome!" Harry grinned, revealing two small canine teeth. "I just couldn't stand the way he talked."

Vera noticed that the collar of Harry's old T-shirt was already frayed, and there were several inconspicuous mended patches on the cuffs.

"Have you bought everything you need?" Vera changed the subject, wheeling herself over to the counter and accepting the parcel Madam Malkin handed her.

Harry shook her head. "Not yet. Hagrid said robes were the last thing."

"All right, dear." After settling Vera's bill, Madam Malkin turned to Harry. "Your turn."

Harry nodded repeatedly, clumsily climbing onto the footstool and curiously watching the enchanted tape measure work in front of her.

Vera sat quietly to one side, idly stroking Nox with her fingers.

The kitten contentedly narrowed its eyes and began to purr.

Vera did not know when Harry had turned to look at her. Standing on the footstool, she suddenly said, "Actually, I'm a little nervous... about Hogwarts. Hagrid said there are moving staircases there, and ghosts and things..."

Only as Vera watched Harry anxiously push up her glasses did she realize that this girl was also encountering the magical world for the first time.

"I was surprised when I first heard about it too," Vera said softly. "But supposedly, new students are guided by older students, so they won't get lost."

Harry's beautiful green eyes widened curiously. Just as she was about to say something, the shop door was pushed open again, and Hagrid's enormous body squeezed inside.

"Harry! So this is where yeh are!" Hagrid let out a breath of relief, but when he saw Vera, his expression became subtle again. "Er... are yer robes ready?"

Harry looked back at Hagrid, then at Vera, hesitating for a moment. "Vera, do you want to come with us? Hagrid said he was taking me for ice cream..."

Vera calmly lowered her lashes. "No, I still have things to buy."

Harry's green eyes dimmed for a moment, but quickly brightened again. "Then... we can meet when school starts, right? I mean, if we can go to school together..."

Vera looked at this persistent girl and kindly reminded her, "Miss Potter, we've known each other for less than twenty minutes."

"But we already fought against an annoying person together!" Harry looked into her eyes and said seriously.

Vera fell silent for a moment. She still was not very good at dealing with such an enthusiastic little thing, but in the end, she gently nodded. "If there's a chance."

This ambiguous response seemed to satisfy Harry completely.

She flashed a brilliant smile, took the parcel Madam Malkin handed her, and jumped down from the footstool. "Then it's settled! So we'll... see each other when school starts?"

Vera nodded gently, then as though recalling something, softly said, "Oh, and happy birthday."

Harry's eyes lit up. "How did you know?"

"He mentioned birthday presents earlier," Vera replied calmly. "Wasn't that owl your birthday present?"

"You're the first person besides Hagrid to say that to me!" Harry said excitedly. She suddenly bent down and hugged Vera tightly, then quickly sprang back. "Thank you! See you at school!"

Watching Harry's retreating figure hurry away immediately after thanking her, Vera blinked and stroked Nox on her lap.

"What a strange Savior," she murmured.

Still, she was unexpectedly not unpleasant.

After completing the purchases on the school supply list, it was just past noon.

Vera wheeled herself out of Madam Malkin's shop. The sunlight slanted across the cobblestones of Diagon Alley, casting a warm golden glow.

Nox lazily yawned on her lap, its amber eyes half-lidded, seemingly uninterested in everything around it.

She lowered her head to check the list. After confirming that she had bought all the necessities, she returned to the Leaky Cauldron and used the Floo Network fireplace to go back to Grimmauld Place.

By then, Kreacher had already been waiting for quite some time. The moment Vera appeared, he hurried forward excitedly.

"Miss is back!" Kreacher stepped forward quickly. "Kreacher prepared Miss's favorite fruit tea!"

Vera nodded and took out the items she had purchased one by one, handing them to Kreacher. Kreacher helped hang the robes in the wardrobe and neatly stacked the textbooks on the desk.

Nox lightly jumped onto the bookshelf and looked down at its new surroundings, its tail swaying elegantly.

"Miss looks very happy today." As Kreacher organized the items, he secretly observed Vera's expression. "Did Miss encounter something good?"

Vera took out her wand and lightly stroked it, an unconscious smile rising to her lips. "Something like that."

The rosewood wand felt cool and smooth, the golden patterns carved into its shaft appearing and disappearing in the sunlight.

Vera gazed at the wand, then suddenly remembered something and looked up. "Kreacher, is there a place in the house where I can practice spells?"

The house-elf's ears twitched. "The Black ancestral home has an abandoned training room at the end of the Third Floor Corridor, but..."

He hesitantly twisted his tea towel. "No one has used it for a very long time..."

"Take me to see it." Vera wheeled herself forward, eagerness glittering in her eyes.

House-elves could not disobey their master's orders.

Even though Kreacher had his reservations, he could only dutifully agree.

With the house-elf's magic, the wheelchair beneath Vera was lifted by an invisible force and floated steadily through the air.