novelcrest Chapter 280 Fire Arrows
Chapter 280 Fire Arrows
Chapter 280 Fire Arrows
If you were lucky enough to come to Diagon Alley one day, what would be the first thing you do?
A. Go to the Bouncing & Playing Magical Joke Shop and buy a Stink Bomb.
B. Go to Ollivanders Wand Shop and buy a wand.
C. Go to Tumble Lane and confront your fears.
D. Go to Gringotts to get the money.
If this question appeared on the final exam that Sean designed for first-year wizards, the standard answer would definitely be D.
After all, without money, you can't buy wands or stink bombs.
This is also the first thing Harry does every time he enters Diagon Alley—go to Gringotts to get money.
Of course, all of this is predicated on Harry having his own little savings account at Gringotts.
If you don't have any savings in Gringotts, relevant experts at the Ministry of Magic might suggest you consider renting out your flying broomsticks to earn some necessary funds.
Every time Harry fills his purse at Gringotts, he needs great willpower to overcome his greed so that the money doesn't run out too quickly.
Such a characteristic is rare for a young wizard.
As Harry carried his overflowing purse, his feet unconsciously led him to a shop—the Quidditch Shop.
This is his favorite store, bar none.
The Quidditch boutique was packed with wizards, and Harry was curious about what was going on inside.
He squeezed through the crowd, pushing past the excited wizards, and finally made his way through the throng, his gaze landing on the newly erected display stand in the center of the shop. On the stand lay the most magnificent and exquisite flying broom Harry had ever seen in his life.
"The newly released sample," a square-chinned wizard whispered excitedly to his companion.
"That's the fastest broom in the world, right, Dad?" a boy younger than Harry asked, gripping his father's arm tightly and his voice sharp with excitement.
"That's right! The Irish International Quidditch Club just placed an order for seven of these exquisite weapons!" the shopkeeper proudly announced to the assembled wizards. "They're the hottest items in this World Cup!"
Just then, the large witch in front of Harry finally moved aside, and Harry's vision became clear. His gaze was immediately drawn to the gleaming sign with large, eye-catching words:
Harry held his breath and continued reading:
"This latest high-speed flying broom features a streamlined design, a premium ash wood handle, diamond polishing, and a hand-engraved registration number. Each carefully selected birch branch at the broom's tail undergoes special treatment, giving the broom unparalleled balance and precision. The fire bolt can accelerate from a standstill to 150 miles per hour in ten seconds and possesses a magical braking function. Price negotiable."
Harry's eyes were fixed on the broom, a strong desire welling up inside him.
Every detail of the Firebolt made his heart race; he knew that possessing this broom would mean having a huge advantage on the Quidditch field.
But.....
Not far away on the street corner, two figures hid in the shadows, watching Harry's every move like voyeurs.
"Do you think he'd like a fire crossbow if I bought him one?" one of the men asked in a low voice.
The other man nodded. "If I'm not blind, I bet he'd love it."
"I think he deserves the best," the first man continued, his tone revealing a subtle emotion.
The two people were naturally Sean and Sirius, who had just entered Diagon Alley.
"Would you like to meet Harry up close?" Sean turned to Sirius and asked, his tone exactly like a creepy uncle trying to show a little girl goldfish.
Sirius nodded subconsciously, but then realized what he was doing and shook his head violently, as if trying to shake off some kind of impulse.
"No, no," he whispered, his eyes filled with a complex, conflicting emotion. "I can't go see him directly—at least not now."
Although Sirius Black desperately wanted to see Harry, and even to hug his godson up close.
But he knew he was still wanted and even misunderstood by Harry. Appearing in front of Harry rashly would only bring him danger and endless pain to both of them.
"How about we surprise him?" Sean said half-jokingly. "You want to buy him a fire crossbow, don't you?"
Perhaps this can be a way for you to express your feelings—even though he won't know it was from you.
Sirius hesitated for a moment, then his gaze fell on Harry again.
Harry remained standing at the entrance of the Quidditch shop, his eyes fixed on the Firebolt, filled with longing and anticipation. Sirius felt a pang of sorrow. Harry had lost so much; he had so desperately wanted a complete family, and Sirius had destroyed it all. As his godfather, Sirius could only hide in the shadows and silently protect him.
"You know," Sirius said softly, a hint of regret in his voice, "I owe him so much. If the Firebolt can make him happy for a while, then it's worth it."
Sean chuckled and patted Sirius on the shoulder. "It's settled then. We'll have the shopkeeper deliver it anonymously; Harry will be in for a surprise."
Sirius took a deep breath, finally nodded, and a hint of determination gradually returned to his eyes.
However, after a moment, those eyes became clear.
More accurately, it was a clear-eyed panic.
Sean waved his arms and called out in Harry's direction, "Harry!"
Sirius's heart suddenly raced, and his expression instantly turned panicked.
He was still immersed in his complicated emotions when he was suddenly interrupted by Sean's shout. He turned around in a panic and stared at Sean, as if he couldn't believe that he had done this.
"Are you crazy?!" Sirius Black whispered, his voice filled with tension and anxiety. He quickly grabbed Sean's arm. "I can't see him!"
However, it was too late.
Harry heard someone call his name and turned around in confusion, searching the crowd for the source of the voice.
His gaze was fixed on Sean.
"Professor Phillips!" he responded, then ran excitedly toward Sean.
It was ten minutes later when the three of them started talking again.
One is a savior, the other is Sean.
In the era following Lockhart's passing, the two once again caused congestion.
God knows how terrifyingly high Shaun's reputation in the wizarding world had become after the Ministry of Magic lawsuit ended!
"Good heavens," Harry exclaimed, panting, "Professor Phillips, I never expected to run into you here!"
"Me too, Harry," Sean said reluctantly.
The three of them bypassed several intersections, shook off the crowds, and finally met at Flourish and Blotts bookstore.
It just so happens that both of them need to buy the textbooks they will need for the start of the next semester from Flourish and Blotts.
"This is my good friend, Witt." While Sirius was still in a daze, Sean gently nudged him, making him take a step forward.
Sirius was pushed so hard he almost knelt, but he quickly recovered and tried to look as natural as possible.
He gave Harry a somewhat stiff smile, nodded, and remained silent with a blank expression.
Only he knew that he was too nervous to speak.
"Oh, Mr. Witt," Harry said, unconcerned by the "weirdo's" reaction, and politely extended his hand with his usual friendly expression, "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Sirius was at a loss as he looked at Harry's outstretched hand.
This action undoubtedly reinforced Harry's stereotypes:
Mr. Witt is a strange man.
It wasn't until Sean quietly stepped on Sirius Black's foot that he snapped out of his daze, suppressed the flutter in his heart, and finally mechanically reached out and took Harry's hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sirius said with difficulty, his voice hoarse as he forced himself to remain calm.
Harry didn't pay much attention to the reaction. He had met many strange wizards, and Witt's reaction just made him think that the man was a little nervous.
He nodded politely, smiled and withdrew his hand, then continued discussing the next semester's courses and the books they wanted to buy with Sean.
Sirius listened to their conversation while trying to calm himself down. The warmth of his hand, which had just held Harry's, still lingered in his palm, a sensation that stirred a pang of sadness within him.
How much he longed to tell Harry the truth, how much he wished the scene could be different—that he wouldn't have to hide his identity, but stand with Harry as his godfather.
Today's experience left him with mixed feelings.
Just as Sean and Harry were chatting about their holiday experiences, a familiar voice suddenly came from the bookstore entrance.
"Professor Phillips!"
Sean looked up.
Oh, it's his little witch who's here.