Draco pulled Harry out of the shop, leaving Mr Borgin's glib excuses and his father's furious accusations inside.
He casually tapped Harry's robes and glasses with his wand, and the unsightly soot finally disappeared.
"That is much better," he said with satisfaction.
Harry's lips curled into a smile at the sudden brightening of his glasses. "Thank you, Draco."
He inspected his spotless robes, a hint of admiration on his face. "Hermione has a point. I really should learn the Scouring Charm..."
"I bet this is your first time using Floo Powder, correct?" Draco glanced at him.
Harry nodded sheepishly.
"You need to practise more," Draco said sympathetically.
"Where am I?" Harry asked as he walked.
Draco gestured with his chin towards an old wooden street sign beside him. "Knockturn Alley. It is not safe for you here. You might get into trouble. Imagine the tabloids might run it up like, 'Harry Potter Spotted in Knockturn Alley—The Boy Who Lived Befriends a Dark Wizard.' That is not a good thing. We need to get going."
"Is it really that exaggerated?" Harry looked at him in alarm. "Are you joking?"
"You have no idea what the bottom line is for those unscrupulous tabloids." Draco gave Harry a meaningful look, then led him away, far away from those gloomy wizards.
They quickly made their way through the winding, dark alleyways and finally appeared on the bright, wide, straight street of Diagon Alley.
Across the alley was Gringotts, and Draco immediately spotted Hermione standing on the steps.
The little girl I had not seen all summer. Her brown hair stood out vividly against the white walls.
Just then, she turned around unintentionally and immediately spotted him. She quickly ran down the steps to greet them with a beaming smile.
"Oh, Draco, you are here! And Harry... It is so good to see you two. Are you going into Gringotts?" She looked them up and down with a beaming smile, her bright brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
Draco shrugged. "I have already taken the money from Gringotts."
Harry was somewhat tempted. He said to Hermione, "Could you wait a moment? I shall go after I find the Weasleys."
Just then, Hagrid arrived.
"Harry, where have you been? I ran into the Weasleys, they cannot find you and they are going mad with worry!" He rushed up to Harry and asked.
"Knockturn Alley," Harry said.
Hagrid's face darkened, and he said seriously, "Oh, that is not a place for a little wizard. I think I shall wait with you until the Weasleys arrive before I go about my business. Oh, hello, Hermione—"
Hermione raised her face to Hagrid and smiled slightly.
She wanted to say something to Hagrid, but Draco abruptly interrupted her.
"I think we should not keep your parents waiting any longer," he said to Hermione, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, glancing at the uneasy couple standing in front of Gringotts—they seemed quite uncomfortable with the goblin guards' stares. "Let us exchange the money now whilst there are not too many people around, so we can save some time."
"How do you know they are my parents? I have not introduced them to you yet!" Hermione asked in surprise.
"Just a guess," Draco said briefly.
Was he going to admit that he had met the Grangers briefly on the platform of the Hogwarts Express when he was a first-year student, and that he inexplicably remembered what they looked like? Impossible.
The Grangers gave the impression of being refined and easygoing. Draco could tell at a glance that they came from a well-educated family.
Mr Granger was tall and dashing, whilst Mrs Granger was elegant, gentle, and modest. They were undoubtedly family with Hermione, for they shared Hermione's bright eyes.
"Mr Granger, Mrs Granger, hello, I am Hermione's classmate—" Draco stepped forward at Hermione's direction and bowed to them.
"Oh, you must be Malfoy," Mr Granger said kindly. "I have heard everything about you from Hermione."
Hermione, standing to the side, looked a little uncomfortable. She said, "Oh, stop talking, Dad."
"She said you are the smartest little wizard she has ever met," Mrs Granger said with a smile. "I rarely hear her praise anyone; you must be exceptionally talented..."
"Mum!" Hermione gave her mother a warning look.
"I think she is the smartest one in our year," Draco said in a charming, polite manner. "Would I have the honour of showing you around Gringotts?"
"I would be delighted," Mrs Granger said with a smile.
And so, the young Malfoy master skilfully led the Grangers into the only wizarding bank in Diagon Alley.
Although the Grangers were amazed by the appearance of the goblins and by the sheer number of rubies, which were piled up like mountains of coal, they still maintained a certain composure, unlike the Muggles that Draco knew who loved to make a fuss.
"Madam, please allow me a moment to speak with the goblins," Draco said graciously. "They are more polite to familiar faces."
The Grangers complied without question.
They watched Draco with great interest—the young wizard, unfazed by his age, went straight up to a goblin with an empty counter and an arrogant expression, and said, "I need to exchange pounds for Galleons...yes, five to one...for what purpose? Need I say more? For education..."
The goblin behind the counter glanced at him, recognising him as a regular customer, and then dropped her arrogant demeanour. She readily agreed to Draco's request, not daring to underestimate him because of his age.
Then, the platinum-blonde boy turned around, his tone shifting from arrogant to amiable, "Oh, Hermione, how many did you want to exchange again?"
A moment later, the respectful goblin took a large bag of Galleons from the cart behind her and exchanged it for the pounds in the Grangers' hands at the correct ratio.
"I am really puzzled. Why did you only mention his marks and not anything else? He is so thoughtful, polite, and composed, and his appearance is also..." Mrs Granger's words drifted over from behind, her tone slightly excited.
Hermione gave a vague answer, which sounded somewhat irritable.
Draco pretended not to hear. He crossed his arms and stared intently at the goblins counting their money.
When it comes to greed and cunning, the goblins are far more outrageous than Mr Borgin, so you have to be extra careful.