"Oh? Another one?" Lucius Malfoy looked at Noah, who was walking slowly toward them, a proud smirk curling on his lips. "Noah? Are you the Ravenclaw who's supposedly the top student in your year? Mr. Finniel, was it?"
Noah raised his head, calmly meeting Lucius's gaze. The man had long, slicked-back platinum blond hair, cold gray-blue eyes, and a pale, pointed face.
Noah knew Lucius was an arrogant man—highly cunning, manipulative, and skilled at controlling others from behind the scenes.
To be honest, Noah felt that these traits were probably passed down through the Malfoy family. After all, his son, Draco Malfoy, displayed the same arrogance and superiority complex.
In short, Noah didn't like either of them. He wasn't the type to be overly kind to those who had already chosen their path.
His philosophy was simple—if you mess with me, I'll make sure you regret it.
Trying to reform a future Death Eater? That was a job for Hogwarts professors, not a student like him.
"Yes," Noah answered, his tone casual but firm. "And you are?"
Lucius's smirk widened slightly. "Lucius Malfoy. Draco's father."
"I see. A pleasure to meet you."
Though Noah disliked him, he maintained a polite facade.
To be blunt, he found Lucius pathetic—an intelligent man who still chose to be a servant to another. That alone made him unworthy of Noah's respect.
"I've heard about you from Marcus Flint," Lucius continued, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "What an unfortunate situation. I truly feel for you. You're a Muggle-born, correct?"
"Yes, is there a problem with that?" Noah asked flatly.
"Not at all," Lucius said smoothly. "It's just that—if I were you—I would consider aligning myself with a well-established pure-blood family. It would ensure a far more promising future."
Noah scoffed. "Oh? You mean I should attach myself to someone with an inflated ego and no real skills? Someone like, say—"
"Mr. Finniel," Lucius interrupted coldly. "I hope you understand who you are speaking to."
"Oh, I do," Noah said with a smirk. "I'm speaking to a self-important fool."
A tense silence fell between them. Lucius's expression darkened, but he didn't lash out.
Noah wasn't worried. He knew Lucius wouldn't dare attack a student in public—especially not one under Dumbledore's protection.
Even if he did, Noah had his own ways of handling the situation.
Lucius Malfoy was a skilled wizard, but he wasn't on the level of Dumbledore or other top-tier spellcasters, just a Third order wizard.
Noah, despite his young age, had already reached the Third Order. While he was still below Lucius in experience and Rank, he had knowledge of both Dark Arts and elemental magic.
More importantly, Noah had been studying the Ancient One's notes. That alone gave him a significant edge.
Still, he had no reason to start a fight. If anything, it was more fun to poke at Lucius's inflated ego.
"Mr. Finniel," Lucius said after a long pause, his voice controlled but icy, "you should understand that the wizarding world does not favor people like you."
"Oh? And what does it favor?" Noah asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Power. Influence. Those who understand how the game is played."
"Ah, right," Noah said mockingly. "So, using wealth and intimidation to manipulate others—that's the key to survival?"
Lucius smirked. "Precisely."
Noah let out a dry chuckle. "You know, I'd take you more seriously if you weren't so pathetically devoted to a certain 'Dark Lord.'"
Lucius's expression hardened. "Watch your words, boy."
"Why? Am I wrong?" Noah tilted his head. "You're so proud of your pure-blood status, yet you willingly kneel to someone who isn't even pure-blood himself. If anything, that makes you a hypocrite."
Lucius clenched his jaw, but he didn't respond.
Noah leaned in slightly, lowering his voice just enough for only Lucius to hear.
"Here's some advice, Mr. Malfoy—keep your son away from me at Hogwarts. Otherwise, I can't guarantee he won't have a… rough time at school."
With that, Noah turned on his heel, taking Ms. Haifin's hand and leading her away.
This was the first time he had spoken so bluntly, but honestly? It felt good.
If Lucius was truly loyal to Voldemort, then he was beyond saving. Noah had no interest in trying.
Of course, there was always the possibility of retaliation.
But Noah wasn't worried. He planned to inform Dumbledore about his connection to the Ancient One, and the Sorcerer Supreme had already agreed to it.
Once Dumbledore knew, he would likely be even more protective of Noah than he was of Harry Potter.
Because if something happened to the Ancient One's apprentice at Hogwarts—let's just say the school might cease to exist altogether.
---
As they walked through Diagon Alley, Ms. Haifin finally spoke up.
"Noah, are you sure you'll be okay after talking to him like that?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Don't worry," Noah said with a sigh. "Lucius Malfoy won't dare make a move against me openly. And if he tries anything in secret—" He smirked. "Well, let's just say I have ways of dealing with that."
Ms. Haifin studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Right… I suppose being the student of the Sorcerer Supreme has its benefits."
Noah chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that."
Lucius Malfoy reminded Ms. Haifin of her own estranged family—rigid, aristocratic, and obsessed with status. It was a painful memory, one she preferred not to dwell on.
Shaking her head, she changed the subject.
"Forget about him. What's next?"
"Well…" Noah thought for a moment. "We should take a look around. Diagon Alley has plenty of interesting shops."
Ms. Haifin suddenly smiled. "By the way, every Hogwarts student needs an owl or some kind of pet to send letters, right? You don't seem to have one."
Noah hesitated. "Uh… well, they're kind of expensive, and I—"
"Where's the pet shop?"
"…"
Noah sighed. He had a feeling he wouldn't be leaving Diagon Alley empty-handed.
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