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"I think you're in need of a lesson," a senior student sneered as he walked over.
"You think I'd be afraid of you?" Charlie furiously drew his wand.
Just then, Tom also stepped forward. "Are you really not afraid at all?"
Charlie retorted angrily, "Afraid? If I cower like a turtle after my family has been insulted, how am I any different from a beast? I'd rather die than be that kind of person!"
"Hmm.. Good. Then come with me," Tom said calmly.
Charlie was momentarily stunned, his previously rousing momentum catching in his throat.
"Go with you?"
Tom replied, "If you don't leave now, you'll be late. Do you plan on skipping this morning's Charms class?"
"Ah?" Charlie froze again.
Here he was, about to get into a brawl, and this guy was talking about class?
Can you not see the situation right now?
"You again?! Are you going to meddle in this too?" At that moment, the senior student finally got a good look at who had arrived.
"Good morning, André. Have you given any more thought to what I asked you last time?"
From behind Tom, Wade's unhurried voice drifted over.
André's pupils contracted the moment he saw Wade. "It's… it's you…"
"Yes, it's me. I remember last time I asked you—"
"Wait…" André quickly cut Wade off before he could continue.
After all, what Wade had asked him back then was whether he wanted to join him…
How could something like that be said out loud?
He was, after all, an upper-year student. If more people found out that he had actually considered lowering his head to a first-year, where would he put his pride?
"I… I'm still thinking about it…" André said hesitantly.
To be honest, the power Wade had shown last time had nearly scared him out of his wits.
Frankly speaking, he really didn't dare to outright refuse.
If it hadn't been for Professor McGonagall showing up back then, he might have already agreed on the spot, even though Wade hadn't even made a move…
"I'm sure you'll make the right choice," Wade leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "because anyone who chooses to be my enemy ends up in a very miserable state."
A chill ran down André's spine, and he completely forgot that Wade was merely a first-year student…
The others, seeing André—an upper-year—acting so timid in front of Wade, couldn't help but calm down as well.
Many of them speculated that perhaps the Shafiq family, to which André belonged, had at some point experienced firsthand the power of Wade's family background.
That would explain why André seemed so afraid of Wade.
With that thought, they too began to feel a sense of fear toward Wade.
Most Slytherin students admired strength, whether it came from personal power or powerful family backing…
"Come on, let's go. We're just like you—none of them like us. So we need to stick together," Tom said to Charlie.
Charlie glanced at Tom, then at the tense standoff with the pure-bloods around them, and recalled how they had been treated when they received the Felix Felicis yesterday.
It was clear to him that Tom wasn't lying.
The other pure-blood Slytherins were indeed isolating and excluding Wade and his little group.
"Alright." Charlie nodded and picked up the book that Abraxas had thrown to the ground earlier.
Even though it felt satisfying to say what he had, he was well aware that he had stirred up trouble.
So, he had no reason to refuse Tom's goodwill.
Only after watching Tom lead Charlie safely out of the encirclement did Wade speak.
"From today on, Charlie Prince is my friend. No one is allowed to bully him again. So—who agrees? And who opposes?" Wade smiled like a devil—a charming smile yet promising a lot of pain.
The pure-bloods around them, all wary of the mysterious family behind Wade, chose to remain silent.
Only Abraxas was an exception. He had been completely infuriated by Charlie's words.
"I object—"
But just as the words left his mouth, he found himself staring straight into Wade's cold, indifferent gaze.
UGH.. For no reason at all, an intense fear suddenly surged in Abraxas's chest!
It felt as if a raging fire dragon had locked its eyes firmly on him…
The words of objection had barely left his mouth when they twisted themselves—
"I object that I do not object... I just wanted to say that.. i-it's impossible to object... I agree..." Abraxas's voice grew smaller and smaller.
The moment he finished speaking, that suffocating sensation, as if a beast were staring him down, instantly vanished.
"Very good. Tom, let's go," Wade said, turning to stride toward the entrance of the common room.
Tom followed, bringing Charlie along with him, while Anne's eyes practically sparkled as she stared at Wade and Tom.
What she had witnessed today left her thoroughly excited.
She had known it!
Since Mr. Grindelwald had specifically instructed her to get close to these two, it was proof enough of their significance.
And now, seeing it for herself, it truly was the case!
In all the long history of Hogwarts, had there ever been a first-year student who could silence so many pure-blood family members with just a few words?
Mr. Grindelwald would definitely be very interested in this!
…
"Thank you for saving me," Charlie said sincerely as they walked.
"Since you're already our friend, there's no need to thank us for something like this," Wade said, then smiled and pointed at Tom. "Look at him—I've lost count of how many times I've saved this ungrateful brat, how many times I've helped him, yet he's never once thanked me."
Tom glared at Wade, his teeth grinding audibly. If he could beat him, he'd already have done it… I have thanked you! It's you who wants to be called my Godfather!!
"I… I really am grateful for your help, but… I don't quite understand." Charlie hesitated, then asked, "I've heard that you two are pure-blood wizards too. When I was cursing them just now, technically, I insulted you both as well. So why did you still help me? Don't you hate non-pure-blood wizards?"
Wade smiled. "On this point, that Mr. Grindelwald actually said something very true: in this world, magic only blooms in the souls of a select few."
Anne's eyes lit up at that. So… he also agreed with Mr. Grindelwald's words!
She made a mental note to report this to Mr. Grindelwald tonight.
Meanwhile, Charlie still looked puzzled. "What does that mean? What does it have to do with you helping me?"
"Muggles and wizards are all humans. And in some Muggle families, wizards are born… you know that much, don't you?" Wade said.
Charlie nodded.
"Then, do you know how many Muggles there are in this world? And how many wizards there are?"
Before Charlie could answer, Wade continued, "The number of Muggles is counted in the billions. And wizards? How many tens of thousands of us are there in the whole world?"
"So you see… every single wizard can be said to be one in a million, truly irreplaceable. Each wizard is a miracle of life."
"And! If we're all miracles of life, what sense is there in dividing us into high or low, noble or inferior?!"
"Besides… we still don't even know where wizards originally came from. So, even the most 'pure' of pure-blood families today, who can guarantee their ancestors weren't once Muggle-born wizards? Who can say for certain their line was never mingled with Muggles or other non-pure-bloods along the way?"
"So, these so-called pure-bloods, what right or reason do they have to look down on others?"
Wow... After hearing Wade's words, Charlie nodded repeatedly, thoroughly agreeing.
Just because his father was a Muggle, those people always found excuses to pick on him, to bully him…
But in truth, weren't they all the same at their core? What right did they have to look down on him, to push him around?
Just because their wands were quicker, did that mean his couldn't be just as fast?
On the other side, Tom had also heard Wade's words, his expression thoughtful…
In fact, ever since Wade entered Slytherin, every time he argued fiercely with the pure-bloods or simply intimidated them with force, he would earn varying amounts of merit points.
It was just that the system notifications were so annoyingly detailed, and the points earned were so pitifully small — sometimes even broken down to decimals, like… 0.1 merit points or so…
So, finding it bothersome, Wade had simply used Occlumency to block out those irritating sounds — all except Tom's.
After all, Tom was Wade's main tool for farming merit points.
And just as Wade finished his speech and Tom fell into deep thought, the system notifications about Tom began to pour in.
Ding! Future Dark Lord Tom, due to the host's deliberate guidance, has slightly altered his future trajectory! Awarding 20 merit points!
Ding! Future Dark Lord…
Ding!…
This wave alone netted Wade over five hundred merit points!
While Wade silently counted the points he had just earned, Tom remained deep in thought, and Charlie was still reflecting with emotion.
Meanwhile, Anne carefully memorized everything Wade had just said, planning to include it all in her report tonight!
She was quite pleased that Wade agreed with Grindelwald's words. She felt certain that Wade would eventually seek out Grindelwald and join the Alliance.
If that happened, Wade and Tom might truly become her friends!
…
Charms classroom.
It wasn't yet time for class to begin.
The group was sitting together.
"Welcome, Charlie! Welcome to our group," Alphard Black said cheerfully.
Henry added, "Even though your words basically insulted every pure-blood wizard in Slytherin… including me, I have to admit, you were right. I also look down on those beasts who obsess over the purity of their family bloodline and end up with all that inbreeding. So, welcome."
Henry boy! Aren't you the one who likes watching his sister bath!? Wade thought with a slight frown but quickly smiled.
And with that, Wade's small circle gained yet another member.
Wade had been sitting quietly, observing them, feeling that the surname "Prince" sounded oddly familiar.
Suddenly, Wade asked, "Charlie, do you have any siblings?"
"Yes, I have a younger sister. Her name is Eileen Prince, she's only eight this year."
Wade suddenly understood, no wonder the name had felt so familiar…
Eileen Prince — she would become, in years to come, the mother of Professor Snape!
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