[Note: Read up to Chapter - 43 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Cheers for the generosity, guv'nor," Aris nodded politely to the store manager before flashing a confident grin. "Now that we've struck a deal, shall we crack on with the challenge?"
"Of course, lad. Let's get started whenever you're ready," the middle-aged manager replied, giving a small nod to the two Flourish and Blotts clerks.
As word spread that this silver-haired boy was really going to attempt reciting an entire book in ten minutes, the surrounding crowd buzzed with excitement. Low murmurs filled the air, the kind you'd hear before a Quidditch match—part scepticism, part curiosity.
More witches and wizards, drawn by the growing commotion, were making their way over. In no time, the entrance of Flourish and Blotts was packed to the brim.
"You've got more bottle than I do. Good luck," came a soft voice beside him.
Hermione Granger—still clutching her prize from her own challenge—offered a small, genuine smile. Her expression was hopeful, though it was clear even she had her doubts.
And who could blame her? No one in the crowd thought Aris had a snowball's chance in hell of pulling it off.
Frankly, if there had been any real chance of success, the store manager would never have promised such a generous reward. He'd clearly seized the opportunity to boost the event's buzz—more punters, more attention, better sales. Win-win.
As far as the crowd was concerned, this was just a bit of harmless fun—a spectacle. Something to gossip about in the Leaky Cauldron later.
Even Xeno hadn't expected Aris to pull off a miracle.
"Takes guts just to give it a go. Doesn't matter if he pulls it off or not," he muttered, resting a protective hand on Luna's shoulder to stop her getting jostled by the growing crowd.
"Maybe he can do it…"
If there was anyone in the crowd who still believed in Aris, it was Luna. She couldn't quite explain why—but something about him gave her that feeling.
It wasn't just blind hope either. Her instincts told her that Aris wasn't the sort to stir up a fuss unless he had something up his sleeve. He didn't seem like the showy type.
In short, she had a quiet, unshakable faith in him.
Up front, the voice of the Flourish and Blotts store manager rang out again.
"If you're ready, lad, I'll start the clock!"
The manager had taken it upon himself to oversee the challenge personally. Clearly, this was shaping up to be quite the event.
"And just to be clear," he added, raising a finger, "no magic or potions allowed during the challenge—none of it. That includes memory charms, clarity brews, Felix Felicis... you name it."
"If we catch you cheating, you're out. Everything gets binned."
He gave Aris a firm look, as if to say I'm watching you.
"Understood," Aris replied with a nod.
The manager eyed him for a moment longer, then pulled out a slightly battered-looking book.
The book wasn't the one Aris had picked up earlier, but rather a more obscure title—one that most people in the crowd likely hadn't even heard of. Its name? The Mysterious Shafiq Family.
It was a dry old family history, hardly a bestseller.
In fact, it was probably just something from the store manager's personal collection.
Still, it was roughly the same length as the book Aris had originally chosen, so the difficulty hadn't changed. It was clear the manager wasn't trying to pull a fast one—he probably just wanted to be sure Aris hadn't memorised the other book beforehand.
When Aris saw the title, his eyes flickered.
A coincidence? Or something more deliberate?
The manager had chosen a book about the Shafiq family—his family—for this challenge.
"Ready, are we?" the manager's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Aris gave a small nod, pushing his curiosity aside for now. "Ready when you are."
"Right then… I hereby declare—"
The middle-aged manager placed The Mysterious Shafiq Family down in front of Aris, deliberately drawing out the moment before continuing:
"The ultimate challenge of the Flourish and Blotts back-to-school event… begins now!"
As the store manager's voice rang out, a beam of magical light shot from the tip of his wand.
A glowing green countdown appeared above the challenge area—ten minutes, ticking away second by second.
The challenge had officially begun.
Aris glanced up at the countdown and gave a small nod of approval.
Another clever bit of magic. This world really is fascinating...
The very next second, he lowered his gaze to the book in front of him and flipped open the first page.
"The glory of the past is etched into noble blood, and the name of Shafiq shall never fade. This book chronicles the long-standing heritage of the Shafiq family, along with its many remarkable and sometimes shocking achievements."
Just from the opening lines, Aris found himself drawn in.
Up until now, he'd only had a vague understanding of the Shafiq family, but it didn't take a genius to know that any one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight must've once basked in glory. And this—this was his chance to truly understand the family whose name he now carried.
Time ticked on.
His fingers turned the pages faster and faster.
The talents granted by the system—super speed reading and photographic memory—were working overtime now, kicking into full gear.
As Aris fully immersed himself in the challenge, it was as if the words leapt off the pages and embedded themselves directly into his mind, each line seared into memory with perfect clarity.
Meanwhile, the crowd that had been so noisy just moments ago had fallen completely silent.
No one had asked them to hush.
But somehow, instinctively, everyone held their breath—captivated by the sight of the silver-haired boy reading with unwavering focus, as if even the slightest noise might shatter the spell.
The manager of Flourish and Blotts was no different from the rest—silent and focused.
Though unlike the others, a glimmer of curiosity flashed in his eyes.
He looked thoughtful, as if trying to piece something together.
Five minutes ticked by.
Aris was turning pages at a startling pace now.
There was barely a pause between one flip and the next.
A quick glance, then onto the next page.
This odd display had the surrounding witches and wizards scratching their heads in confusion.
The murmurs started again.
"Oi, what's he playin' at? He's flippin' through that book so fast, I can't even make out the words—no way he's memorisin' it."
"Maybe he's just rushing to get it over with. Be honest—no one's reading a whole book in ten minutes, let alone rememberin' the bloody thing."
"Knew it. This whole challenge is a joke."
"Clock's nearly run out. Poor lad better brace himself—he's about to flop hard."
As the whispers spread through the crowd, the magical countdown above the stage crept closer to zero.
Even Hermione Granger was frowning now.
She watched the boy skimming page after page and gently shook her head.
At that pace?
He couldn't possibly be reading—much less retaining anything.
In her mind, the outcome was clear. There was no mystery left.
"Time's up!"
With a soft pop, the glowing timer vanished into the air.
The manager's voice rang out once more.
Just then, Aris closed the book—right on the last page.
He looked up, flashed a calm smile, and shut the cover with a gentle thud.
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[Note: Read up to Chapter - 43 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]