The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 6 I didn't say I wouldn't pay.

Ollivanders Wand Shop.

In the cramped room, an elderly man with a full head of silver hair seemed to be trapped in some self-constructed world, talking to himself and muttering incoherently, creating a somewhat eerie scene.

Seeing the scene before him, Ino had no choice but to remind him, "Sir! If possible, I would like to get my own wand as soon as possible."

Looking out through the shop window, I noticed that there were already people waiting at the door. Perhaps out of basic courtesy, they didn't rush in.

"Ah, sorry, child! That's good now."

Ollivander clearly saw the guests waiting outside and, without any delay, immediately resumed the measurement process that had been interrupted.

I started from the shoulders to the fingertips, then from the wrists to the elbows, from the shoulders to the floor, and even took the time to measure Ino's head circumference.

The enchanted measuring tape moved up and down incessantly. Once everything was ready, Ollivander turned and stared at Ino's amber eyes for a while before tentatively saying:

"Try this one, elderberry phoenix feather, 12 inches long, fairly flexible. It was the most active one when you were telling the story, so I think you two would be a good match."

A very beautiful magic wand, that was Ino's first impression.

Unlike other common elderberry branches, the protruding joints on this staff are not so obvious. Instead, they are arranged in a staggered manner, looking from a distance like white gemstones inlaid on the staff.

Although he acknowledged the wand's good looks, he didn't quite believe Ollivander's explanation and strongly suspected that it was just an excuse he came up with on a whim after hearing the story.

You should know that although this world has magic, it is only magic. The bizarre and fantastical things in fairy tales and folklore probably don't work here.

Even so, Ino carefully accepted the wand, knowing that both phoenix feathers and elderberry are extremely special in magic.

It feels delicate and smooth to the touch... and seems to carry a faint warmth.

But this is not the point.

Because he clearly saw that the moment he grasped the wand, the tip of the wand glowed with a bright green light, and then a white, six-petaled elderflower bloomed.

How to put it... Unlike the clattering and commotion when Harry was choosing wands, he was just like a lively, mischievous kid.

The elder wand in his hand right now is like a shy girl, expressing her thoughts in a reserved and demure manner.

……

"Fantastic!" Ollivander exclaimed excitedly.

The sudden sound startled Ino, and by the time she came to her senses, the blooming flowers on her wand had quietly vanished.

"I knew you two were a good match, really... It seemed so happy while listening to the story just now."

Ollivander, the instigator of the whole affair, continued to preach his ideas, rambling on like a chatterbox.

"Here we go again..." Ino couldn't help but roll her eyes.

He admitted that the wand was indeed a good fit for him; holding it felt like holding a long-lost friend, giving him a faint sense of familiarity.

But if you're really talking about things like self-awareness, personality, or intelligence, sorry... I really don't get it at all.

Seeing that the other party was about to launch into a long-winded explanation, Ino had no choice but to unleash her trump card.

"Yes, you're right! Since it's so happy, does that mean I can take it home for free?"

Ollivander: "Uh..."

Having run the shop for decades, this was the first time Ollivander had encountered such a statement, and he was momentarily stunned.

"Ahem! That's not it... I mean, compatibility just means the wand has found the right owner, not that it's free to take it away."

Seemingly afraid of hearing any more shocking reasons, Ollivander spoke without hesitation before Ino could even react:

"A special price of 7 Galleons! Remember, this is the first-time price, so take good care of it."

"Okay, okay! I didn't say I wouldn't give you the money..." Seeing the other person's wary look, Ino opened the money bag speechlessly.

……

Stepping out of the wand shop, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

Owning a real magic wand was something he had never dared to dream of. Now that his dream had come true, a profound sense of happiness filled his entire being.

"Happiness is that simple..."

Having lived two lifetimes, he knew very well that happiness did not come from how comfortable and wealthy one's life was, but from the fact that there was always hope in life.

Just like his two years of wandering, even though he was homeless and lived a life of hardship, he always believed that he could take advantage of the fantasy world to live a more exciting life.

Therefore, simple bridge arches and cheap food have become decorative elements in life.

at the same time.

After buying the wand, Ino strolled leisurely down the cobblestone street, the initial sense of unfamiliarity she felt upon arriving in Diagon Alley vanishing.

"He's someone who owns a magic wand, after all..."

With that in mind, I leisurely made my way to the second stop, the legendary Flourish and Blotts bookstore.

As for secondhand books, he wouldn't even consider them. Learning magic isn't like reading fairy tales; missing pages and doodles don't matter.

Learning is something that concerns one's future livelihood, so it cannot be taken lightly.

Even after receiving this funding, he already had plans.

Everything else can be bought cheaply secondhand, but wands and books are the only things that must be bought new.

Upon closer examination, the 20 Galleons Hogwarts gave wasn't an arbitrary amount. It was because that sum was roughly enough to buy everything, except… an owl, of course.

……

South side of Diagon Alley.

A shop, quite different from the wand shop, sits quietly on the street. The brand-new signboard and the spacious storefront alone speak volumes about its business.

Flourish and Blotts consistently ranks among the top five in terms of both appearance rate and popularity in the original works.

Stepping into the store, one is always drawn in by a refined yet profound atmosphere, with the pleasant scent of oak and the subtle fragrance of ink unique to books.

On a shelf by the main entrance, two barren magical ornamental plants were placed, adding a lot of life to the otherwise austere bookstore.

The store was somewhat dimly lit.

Fortunately, the weather was sunny, and the afternoon sunlight streamed through the bookstore's old windows, dancing on the rows of bookshelves.

The scattered sunlight was just right, allowing people to clearly see the books displayed on the shelves.

"Welcome to Flourish and Blotts. Do you need to buy Hogwarts textbooks? First year? Second year? We have complete sets of textbooks packaged over there. Or do you need to buy individual books? Textbooks are all over here, and other books are on the shelves behind."

The bookstore manager was a somewhat greasy and overweight middle-aged man, whose slightly sunken deep-set eyes indicated that he was not a native of England.

As he explained to Ino, he pointed to the two rows of bookshelves in front of him. Perhaps textbooks are the best-selling books during the summer vacation, so they were placed in the most prominent place in the center of the bookstore.

"Yes, sir! I need the entire first-year Hogwarts curriculum."

Following the other person's finger, Ino's gaze swept towards the bookshelf at the very front.

*A History of Magic*, *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, *Standard Spells: Beginner, Level Two, Level Three, Level Four…*, *A Thousand Magical Herbs and Mushrooms*, *Magic Potions and Elixirs*, *Black Magic: A Self-Defense Guide*…

Hundreds or even thousands of brand-new books were neatly stacked together, creating a particularly spectacular sight.

A new book release marks a new journey. Thank you to all our readers, both new and old, for your support.

The new book has been signed, so big shots can add it to their collections with confidence.

(End of this chapter)