Liam turned around.
Standing behind him was a pale blond boy with gray eyes and an expression of complete disdain.
Draco Malfoy.
The boy looked Liam up and down before curling his lip.
"I'm simply reminding you not to forget who you are, Cassandra. Associating with Mudbloods damages the honor of pure-blood families."
There was obvious excitement in Draco's voice.
His hand immediately moved toward his wand.
Like most pure-blood children, he had already learned a handful of basic spells at home and was eager to test himself against someone his own age.
Unfortunately for him, Liam had no interest in childhood duels.
Liam casually accepted the wand Ollivander had offered.
The moment his fingers touched the wood—
Draco flew backward.
It looked as though an invisible giant had kicked him squarely in the stomach.
The blond boy shot out of Ollivanders and disappeared through the doorway.
Silence.
Cassandra blinked.
Ollivander blinked.
Liam blinked.
Then he calmly examined the wand in his hand.
"Not this one."
Several seconds later, furious footsteps echoed from outside.
The door slammed open.
A tall man with long blond hair strode into the shop carrying a dazed Draco.
His aristocratic features were twisted with anger.
"Who hurt my son?"
Lucius Malfoy swept his gaze across the room.
"Show yourself."
"Lucius."
Liam looked up calmly.
"Your son called me a Mudblood."
The moment Lucius saw him, his face changed dramatically.
"You?!"
Shock instantly replaced anger.
"Shouldn't you be in Azkaban?"
Cassandra stared.
Ollivander stared.
Even Draco forgot his complaints.
Liam shrugged.
"Ludmis released me."
He casually adjusted his sleeve.
"I'm attending Hogwarts."
Lucius nearly lost control of his expression.
What was that idiot Ludmis thinking?
Releasing Liam Hale?
Sending him to Hogwarts?
Had the Ministry finally gone insane?
Unfortunately, none of those thoughts could be spoken aloud.
Not while Liam was standing directly in front of him.
"What?"
Liam smiled faintly.
"Are you here to avenge your son?"
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Lucius immediately shook his head.
"No."
The answer came so quickly it almost sounded rehearsed.
"Of course not."
A strained smile appeared on his face.
"Draco is young and ignorant. If he offended you, I apologize on his behalf."
Before anyone could react, Lucius slapped Draco across the back of the head.
The boy looked completely stunned.
Others might not understand Liam's reputation.
Lucius did.
Years ago, Lucius had encountered the child while conducting business with certain Death Eaters.
Back then Liam had merely been a servant.
Now?
Now he was the nightmare whispered about in Knockturn Alley.
A boy immune to the Killing Curse.
A child who treated Dark Wizards like prey.
A monster who had survived Azkaban.
The fact that Draco remained alive proved Liam had shown restraint.
"No need to thank me."
Liam folded his arms.
"Actually, there's something you can do."
Lucius suddenly had a very bad feeling.
"My possessions were confiscated by the Ministry."
Liam smiled.
"Would you mind compensating me?"
The room went silent.
Cassandra stared at him.
Ollivander stared at him.
Even Draco stared at him.
The boy was openly extorting Lucius Malfoy.
Lucius himself looked like he wanted to scream.
Unfortunately, he couldn't.
Not if he wanted Draco to survive Hogwarts.
Liam had just revealed that he would be attending the school.
Lucius knew with absolute certainty that the Sorting Hat would place him in Slytherin.
If Liam decided to settle scores later, there would be little Draco could do about it.
A few Galleons suddenly seemed like a very reasonable investment.
"Of course."
Lucius forced another smile.
"Children should be punished when they make mistakes."
He reached into his robes.
"I only ask one thing."
"What?"
"Please don't hold this incident against Draco once you're both at Hogwarts."
Liam considered the request.
"If he leaves me alone, I won't waste my time on him."
"Excellent."
Lucius immediately removed a heavy purse and tossed it over.
Liam caught it.
Without hesitation, he slipped it into the pocket enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
"Pleasure doing business."
The corner of Lucius's eye twitched.
"Then we'll be leaving."
Grabbing Draco by the shoulder, he quickly exited the shop.
The speed of his retreat resembled a tactical withdrawal from a battlefield.
The moment the door closed behind them, Cassandra snorted.
"For someone who looks completely harmless, you're surprisingly domineering."
Liam smiled.
"Is that a compliment?"
"Maybe."
To Liam's surprise, Cassandra showed absolutely no fear after learning he had been imprisoned in Azkaban.
Instead, she seemed even more interested.
Ollivander, however, was a different story.
The wandmaker's expression had become noticeably cautious.
Liam understood why.
To ordinary wizards, Azkaban prisoners were among the most dangerous criminals in Britain.
Seeing Lucius Malfoy willingly hand over money only reinforced that impression.
"Mr. Hale."
Ollivander cleared his throat.
"Would you say this wand is suitable for you?"
His eyes drifted toward the wand Liam had used.
"After all, you just sent Mr. Malfoy flying without casting a spell."
"Suitable?"
Liam shook his head.
"No."
He weighed the wand thoughtfully.
"It doesn't reduce my magical consumption at all."
Then his gaze shifted.
Toward a dusty corner beneath the counter.
"Let's try that one."
Tap.
The wand in his hand moved slightly.
A neglected wand box floated out from beneath a shelf and landed gently in front of him.
Ollivander froze.
His expression changed immediately.
"That one..."
The old wandmaker fell silent.
The wand inside was made from chestnut wood.
Its core consisted of Thestral tail hair.
The chestnut itself wasn't unusual.
Chestnut favored curious minds.
Researchers.
Explorers.
Inventors.
Those who constantly sought knowledge.
The core was the problem.
Thestrals were creatures associated with death itself.
Invisible to most people, they could only be seen by those who had witnessed death and truly understood it.
Their tail hair was exceptionally rare.
The Elder Wand itself possessed a Thestral hair core.
More importantly, Thestral cores were notoriously difficult.
Only those who understood death could master them.
For decades this wand had remained unsold.
No owner.
No match.
No partner.
Until now.
Liam set down the first wand.
Then he opened the dusty box.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the chestnut wand—
Something changed.
A terrible pressure swept through Ollivanders.
It wasn't magical force.
It was presence.
Authority.
A feeling so overwhelming that everyone nearby instinctively lowered their heads.
Several customers outside the shop staggered.
A witch nearly dropped her shopping bags.
Ollivander felt an urge to bow.
Even he couldn't explain why.
His instincts simply screamed that resistance was impossible.
Only one person remained unaffected.
Cassandra Greengrass.
Instead of lowering her head, she raised her chin higher.
Her emerald eyes shone brightly as she watched Liam.
Unlike others, Cassandra didn't admire pure-blood status.
She admired excellence.
Her pride came from confidence in herself.
That was why she never cared about family names.
Whether someone was pure-blood or Muggle-born made little difference to her.
Most people stood beneath her notice either way.
That belief often left her feeling isolated.
Today, however, she sensed something familiar.
For the first time, she had encountered someone who carried the same natural certainty she possessed.
Everyone else lowered their heads before Liam.
Cassandra did not.
She stood proudly and met his gaze without flinching.