"George, thank you for seeing me out!"
Stepping out of the gloomy Knockturn Alley and into the bustling, prosperous Diagon Alley, Harry let out a deep sigh of relief and turned to thank George.
He felt that had George not escorted him, the strange, eerie wizards lurking along the way might have caused him serious trouble—or worse.
"Harry! Harry!"
A small girl with thick, fluffy brown hair came running toward them, her face lighting up with joy.
"It's so good to see you! Why are you covered in dust, and what happened to your glasses?"
"I'm happy to see you too, Hermione." Harry adjusted his cracked glasses, smiling.
"It was an accident," he admitted.
"Alright, let me fix them for you first! Repairing Spell!"
Hermione waved her wand over Harry's glasses. In an instant, as though time had reversed, the cracked lenses returned to pristine condition.
Harry looked at his restored glasses and sighed. Hermione was extraordinary—not only had she mastered every spell from the first-year textbook, but she had also self-studied many more. Harry, by comparison, hadn't even fully mastered basic spells, including this Repairing Spell. George, standing beside him, shared the same thought.
The Repairing Spell wasn't just for glasses. With enough practice, it could repair entire collapsed buildings. George thought of the potential wealth he could earn in the Marvel Main Universe simply by mastering this spell.
"You are?" Hermione turned to George, who stood beside Harry, wearing a puzzled expression.
"He's my new friend, George. This is Hermione Granger," Harry quickly introduced them.
George extended his hand with a smile. "Hello, beautiful Miss Granger."
"Hello, George," Hermione replied. George's compliment immediately raised her favorability toward him. Most people praised her intelligence; few complimented her appearance. She smiled warmly and shook his hand.
"Harry, since your friend is here, I should get back to my errands. See you at Hogwarts," Hermione said, waving before heading down the street.
George didn't linger. For a first meeting, exchanging pleasantries was enough. Spending too much time might seem too deliberate. Besides, he had important studies to continue. He had no intention of interfering with Lucius Malfoy's plan to secretly slip Voldemort's diary to Ginny. Voldemort's diary contained a fragment of the Dark Lord's soul, capable of controlling people. Even with George's mental abilities, he wasn't confident he could resist it, so he chose not to involve himself.
There was no need to intervene. With Dumbledore around, the situation would ultimately serve as a test for Harry—and no young wizard would suffer permanent harm. George even considered using the incident to his advantage.
"He seems nice. Why haven't I seen him at school before?" Hermione asked, glancing at George's retreating back with a hint of confusion.
George didn't appear older than her—maybe the same age or slightly older—so it was strange she hadn't met him before.
Harry smiled. "He's just starting Hogwarts this year. That's why you haven't seen him."
"So he's younger than us. How did you two meet, then?" Hermione asked, walking with Harry toward Flourish and Blotts.
Harry began to recount his recent experiences, speaking excitedly.
Meanwhile, George returned to the shop entrance and noticed a massive figure staring into the store.
Calling him "burly" seemed like an understatement. The man's height exceeded normal human limits, probably around three and a half meters. If George approached him, he might barely reach his waist. The sheer size was overwhelming.
"Who is this guy?" George thought.
Recognition struck immediately. It was Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, and a master of magical creatures. Half-giant, half-wizard, Hagrid had a formidable presence.
Normal giants typically reached seven or eight meters, yet Hagrid, a wizard of normal human height, had combined with a female giant to produce such an extraordinary offspring. George gave a silent thumbs-up to Hagrid's father—an impressive feat, indeed.
"Sir, may I help you?" George stepped forward.
Hagrid looked down at the scrawny young wizard before him. Despite his gentle tone, his booming voice sounded loud to George's ears.
"I'm looking for a potion to get rid of carnivorous slugs. I heard only this shop sells it, but it seems to be closed."
"Mr. Merton, the previous owner, passed away while brewing a potion a while ago. I'm in charge now. I know the potion you're looking for and can fetch it for you."
George unlocked the door, quickly retrieved the potion from the counter, and handed it to Hagrid. Dora, though unable to brew potions herself, was well-versed in herbology and every potion in the shop—enough to attract customers and answer questions confidently.
"This Expelling Potion works not only against carnivorous slugs but also against cabbage caterpillars and cabbage heartworms," George explained.
"Oh, thank you, young boss," Hagrid said, genuinely surprised. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
"How much?" he asked.
"Fourteen Sickles, please. It's much cheaper than you'd expect."
Hagrid counted out fourteen silver Sickles from his massive overcoat pocket. He had assumed such a rare potion would cost at least two Galleons.
"I'm going to Hogwarts soon, so I'm in a good mood. Consider it half price," George said cheerfully, placing the coins in the box.
George had a plan. With his mental ability to communicate with animals and the potential to become a master of magical creatures, befriending Hagrid could only benefit him. Learning from Hagrid would help him earn money, raise magical creatures, and increase his strength. Hagrid's kind, straightforward nature made this easy.
Hagrid, momentarily stunned, instantly warmed to George. He studied George's face, smiling.
"So you're a new student this year. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Come find me after school sometime, and I'll make you rock cakes."
George grinned inwardly. This alliance would serve him well.