The grand interior of Gringotts Bank sparkled under the soft glow of its chandeliers, the marble floors reflecting the harshly efficient atmosphere that surrounded the place.
Toji leaned casually against one of the large stone pillars, his sharp green eyes scanning the bustling activity of wizards and goblins going about their business.
The goblins were everything he had expected—sharp-featured, shrewd, and oozing greed with every movement. Their beady eyes darted toward every coin exchanged, their long fingers twitching as if itching to take a cut for themselves.
Toji couldn't help but smirk; if anyone could rival his knack for squeezing profit out of a situation, it was probably these creatures. It was fun watching them work, as he previously never had to deal with them back in his clan.
Nearby, Hagrid and Harry were engaged in a brief, almost curt conversation with a goblin who barely glanced up from his ledger. Hagrid leaned down to Harry, murmuring something too low for Toji to hear, before turning to him.
"Yeh wait here, Toji. Got some business ter handle inside," Hagrid said, his tone gruff but not unfriendly. "If yeh need ter, exchange yer Muggle money fer wizardin' money. Yeh'll need it fer shoppin' later."
"Got it," Toji replied lazily, waving them off with a flick of his hand.
As Hagrid and Harry disappeared into the deeper recesses of the bank, following the goblin down a narrow hallway, Toji let his smile widen. "So, according to the plot, they should be taking out the Philosopher's Stone, huh?" he muttered to himself, the words too low for anyone else to catch. His fingers brushed the hilt of his sword, a subconscious gesture that betrayed his ever-present readiness for trouble.
"I have no interest in meeting up with Flamel," he continued, his tone light and almost conversational despite the fact that no one was listening. "But Dumbledore... he's the one I need to attract."
His grin turned slightly predatory as he imagined the wheels turning in the old wizard's head. That man isn't simple, hell he could be more troublesome than anyone else for the sake of his greater plan but currently he had nowhere to turn.
As the minutes ticked by, Toji quickly grew bored. He toyed with the idea of exchanging some currency but decided against it after catching the annoyed expression of a nearby goblin. He had no business here, not really. And the longer he lingered, the more he felt the weight of the goblins' collective disdain.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," he muttered under his breath, pushing himself off the pillar and strolling out of the bank.
The streets of Diagon Alley were alive with color and noise, but Toji barely registered the chaos. His mind was elsewhere, spinning with possibilities and half-formed schemes.
It was then, as he turned a corner, that he caught a glimpse of pale blonde hair out of the corner of his eye. The boy stood near the window of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, his posture stiff and his expression one of barely concealed arrogance.
Toji's grin widened, this time with genuine amusement. "Well, well," he murmured, his voice tinged with mockery. "Looks like I just found myself a Malfoy."
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Toji's eyes remained fixed on Draco as he bounced around, jumping from one store to the next like a hyperactive bunny with a pile of gold coins. But his attention wavered momentarily—he couldn't help himself. The real prize here wasn't the bratty kid, it was the woman at his side.
Shifting his position slightly, Toji casually raised his hands to his eyes, shaping them into a crude telescope. He squinted through his hands, pretending to inspect Draco like some kind of bizarre wildlife specimen. "Hmm… let's see what we have here…" he muttered under his breath, observing the boy as if he were tracking prey.
But as Draco pranced around, throwing money into the air like it was confetti, Toji's focus faltered. His eyes drifted back to Narcissa Malfoy, and suddenly his telescope-shaped hands became a lot less useful as he found himself thoroughly distracted.
Damn, she really was something. Toji's eyes traced the elegant curve of her neck, the way her silver-blonde hair shimmered under the sunlight, the graceful lines of her dress clinging to her form like a second skin.
She was definitely trouble, the kind of trouble that Toji usually avoided… but damn if she didn't make it look good.
Toji lowered his "telescope," his grin widening, both amused and slightly incredulous at himself. "Okay, I'll admit, she's a solid milf. But, yeah, a tad too venomous," he muttered, clearly losing a bit of his usual composure. The woman radiated danger, yet all he could think was: If only she were a little less deadly...
He quickly snapped himself out of his trance, shaking his head as if trying to clear it. "Focus, Toji. You're not here to stalk wizards' mothers… but God, is that woman fine."
It wasn't long before Narcissa gave one last look at Draco, muttering something under her breath, before turning and making her way out of the store. She stopped briefly at the entrance, gave Draco a stern but affectionate pat on the head, and then turned, her heels clicking sharply on the cobblestones.
Perfect timing, Toji thought, watching as she disappeared into the distance.
When he saw Draco still meandering inside Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions—completely oblivious to his surroundings—Toji couldn't resist. He casually strolled into the store, making sure to maintain the kind of leisurely pace that would let him slip in unnoticed, but not too fast, giving off the air of someone who belonged.
"Well, well," he murmured to himself, "let's see what kind of trouble I can stir up with a Malfoy."
As the door chimed behind him, Toji's grin grew wider. Time to have some fun.
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The bell above the door of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions chimed as Toji strolled in, casually making his way toward the counter where Draco Malfoy was impatiently fiddling with his robes. The air inside the store was thick with the smell of new fabric and the low murmurs of customers preparing for the new school year. Madam Malkin, a kindly woman in robes of deep violet, waved Toji off with a polite gesture.
"Please, wait your turn, young man," she said, flashing him a smile as she adjusted the measurements on a young wizard's robes.
Toji nodded, though he had no intention of buying anything. He wasn't here for robes—he was here for something else entirely.
He looked down at Draco, whose eyes were immediately drawn to the katana hanging at his waist. Toji noticed the way Draco's lips curled into a sneer. Figures.
"Why would you carry a useless weapon like that?" Draco sneered, eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms. "One spell and you'd be on the floor before you could even come close."
Toji raised an eyebrow lazily. "Is that so?" He glanced down at Draco, not a hint of worry in his expression. "Seems that you've gotten yourself a new wand. No wonder you're frolicking around like a schoolyard king."
Draco's lip curled at the jab. "What did you say?" His voice was cold, but there was a hesitation in his stance. He'd just realized that the boy in front of him was a head taller and more solidly built—his eyes, emerald and piercing, stared at him with an unsettling calm, as if Draco were a rat in his sight.
"Lower your gaze, Muggle-born," Draco snapped, trying to regain control of the conversation, but the way his words faltered made it clear he was struggling against his own ego. "Don't think you and I are in the same position."
Toji's grin stretched wider, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Are we not?" he asked, tilting his head. His words were so casual, but the tension hanging between them was anything but. He leaned back, savoring the moment. Draco was like an NPC in a game, always looking for a fight with anyone who happened to cross his path. "No matter who you are, I don't think you'd compare to the Boy Who Lived."
Draco's eyes flickered, and for a moment, the tiniest glimmer of curiosity appeared. "You know him?" he asked, momentarily forgetting his usual arrogance. But of course, it was only a second before his typical Malfoy bravado returned. "So no wonder you're acting like a bigshot. You must know him."
Toji gave a nonchalant shrug, not bothering to play into Draco's sudden interest. "Don't flatter yourself," Draco continued, his sneer reappearing. "I am a Malfoy. No one could compare to me, not even the Boy Who Lived, and especially not a Mudblood like you."
Toji snorted quietly, amusement evident in his expression. "Wanna bet?" He asked, as if the entire conversation were just a minor inconvenience. "My sword against your magic."
Draco snorted, as if the idea of losing to anyone—let alone someone with a sword—was laughable. "What do you even have to bet?" he scoffed, eyeing the weapon hanging at Toji's waist. His gaze flickered between the katana and his own wand, clearly wondering if there was any way he could win this exchange.
Toji reached into his pocket, taking an exaggerated moment as if digging for something of great importance. After a few seconds, he pulled out a small leather sheath, enough to hold a wand securely.
"It's a special wand sheath," Toji said, holding it up with a perfectly straight face. "It nurtures and strengthens your wand, other than being a handy place to keep it with you at all times. Said to make your magic stronger and more reliable."
Draco's eyes widened in disbelief. "You expect me to believe that? How could a Muggle like—"
"I stole it!" Toji interrupted, cutting him off with a deadpan look, making even Draco take a quick step back, his expression momentarily faltering. "I mean, it's not like anyone would just hand over something that valuable, right?"
Draco's mouth worked but no words came out at first. After a beat, he found his voice. "You—you're insane," he hissed, but there was an edge of nervousness to his tone now.
It wasn't exactly a lie but Toji didn't see a reason to explain himself more than he had to.
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Kinda early to plug things but I hope you can also check out my original novel as well.
Mana Forged: Iron Mage
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