Diagon Alley.
The cobblestone street was lined with all sorts of curious shops, the scene of which could not be fully captured by novels or movies, brimming as it was with the wonders of magic in all its varied forms.
But Ino paid no attention to any of this, focusing solely on following Snape.
Despite his curiosity about his surroundings, he knew that he wasn't following the responsible Professor McGonagall or the good-natured Hagrid.
Therefore, completing his tasks quickly was the most important thing right now.
After all, he knew the way now and there were still almost two months before the school term started. He could always come back for a thorough visit later.
...
Leaving Gringotts, Ino held a small pouch containing 20 Galleons, the entirety of Hogwarts' funding for new students.
Of course, this grant was not free. When he signed for the money, he had clearly seen the terms.
Upon closer examination, the money was essentially an interest-free loan, which students needed to repay within three years after graduation. Nonetheless, this measure had indeed helped many people, which was undeniable.
With the grant in hand, Ino turned to Snape. "Professor, what do we do next?"
"It's you, not we." Snape corrected Ino's grammar with a blank expression, then said indifferently:
"Take your money and buy the items on the list. My responsibility was merely to bring you to Diagon Alley and ensure you received the funds."
Ino: "..."
Watching Snape walk away without looking back, Ino raised his arm to rub his aching cheeks. Keeping a harmless smile for so long made his facial muscles stiff.
"Ridiculous! Did I disturb the graves in Spinner's End?"
He still didn't know how he had offended this man. Though he had black hair, his eyes were definitely not green.
Though a bit annoyed, he could do nothing about it now.
As Snape had just said, Snape had fulfilled his duty to guide him. Although he wasn't sure of the specific details, he knew Snape wasn't one to lie about such matters.
...
In front of the Gringotts' doors, Ino's mind flashed back to his first encounter with Snape.
A phrase, 'lousy Occlumency,' made him speculate. Just as Snape wouldn't lie, he wouldn't say meaningless things either.
"He mentioned Occlumency..."
In his thoughts, Ino first considered his disguise.
To survive safely in a magical world, disguising oneself as an innocent and kind child was essential.
While the magical world might be illogical and unreasonable, it adhered to one principle: good children always come out unscathed, facing and overcoming any hardships.
Because of this, he had always tried to appear harmless.
"This might be only part of it..."
Ino shook his head lightly. The known conditions were still too few for him to figure out the reason.
"Forget it! I'll look for answers in the library after school starts."
Unable to figure it out, he decided to stop thinking about it, as there were still many things to do.
...
Fifteen minutes later.
Ino walked out of the second-hand goods shop with a well-behaved expression, not only buying a second-hand cauldron and glass bottles at a discount but also learning the location of Ollivanders Wand Shop.
With a sense of anticipation for a wand, he walked quickly.
In no time, he arrived at the only wand shop in Diagon Alley and the entire British Isles: Ollivanders.
The shop's signboard, worn by the passage of time, had peeling gold letters, but the writing was still clear if looked at closely.
"Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."
Standing outside, Ino gazed at the name that had appeared countless times in books and films, feeling a tinge of excitement.
"The starting point of the story..."
With a sigh in his heart, Ino pushed the door open and entered.
...
Entering the shop, Ino found that it wasn't as spacious as it seemed from the outside; the actual usable space was tiny. Cramped, narrow, and old were its defining features.
Despite its small size, the room's setup was filled with a sense of mystery.
Wands lay on faded purple cushions on display, while most were still stored in long boxes, piled high on old shelves that almost reached the ceiling.
Thousands of wands were neatly stacked, giving the place a quiet and solemn feel, as if it were a place forgotten by time.
"Good afternoon! A new face."
While Ino was looking around, a gentle voice came from the side.
An old face, a head full of silver-grey shoulder-length messy hair, but those eyes were strikingly bright, making an unforgettable impression.
"Good afternoon, sir." Ino responded politely, then said, "If possible, I would like to purchase a wand of my own."
"Of course! Every summer, young wizards come here to find their wands."
Ino smiled without commenting when Ollivander subtly replaced "purchase" with "find."
"Child, which arm do you use to wave a wand?" Ollivander rolled up his sleeves and picked up a tape measure from the corner.
"Right hand, sir!" Ino extended his arm voluntarily to facilitate the measurement, although he never understood the purpose of these steps.
Seeing Ino's cooperation, Ollivander skillfully started measuring, not forgetting to explain his wand philosophy.
"...Actually, many people think it's the wizard who chooses the wand, but it's quite the opposite. It's always the wand that chooses the wizard."
This time Ino didn't stay silent but took the initiative to join the conversation, saying:
"I agree. It's like the story of the Elder Mother. To some, they're just trees, but to others, they're kind spirits."
"The Elder Mother?" Ollivander paused his actions and looked at Ino with curiosity.
"It's a Muggle fairy tale, sir! The story is very vivid and meaningful."
Seeing Ollivander's curious gaze, Ino began to recount a story from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales.
With two years of reading accumulation, he was familiar with various stories and folklore.
"In that distant ancient time..."
The story was simple: a mischievous boy who broke his leg refused to drink the bitter elderflower tea and embarked on a magical journey.
First, he saw the elderflower in the bowl grow into a towering tree, and then a green-skinned woman emerged from it. In an instant, the boy was lifted by the ever-growing elderflower to the sky, holding tightly to a branch to avoid falling.
After an unknown time, the elderflower stopped growing, and he found himself in a picturesque, flower-filled place.
The branch he was holding turned into a beautiful girl, whom the boy instantly liked.
He liked the girl with the elderflower fragrance.
The boy boldly expressed his love, and the girl accepted, placing an elderflower on his head and saying, "This is your eternal life."
The story wasn't long, and Ino finished it in less than a quarter of an hour.
During this time, Ollivander remained silent, listening intently.
However, the story's ending took a dramatic turn.
Under the witness of small animals, the boy and girl married and lived a peaceful and happy life, even having a clever child.
One day, when their child broke his leg and needed elderflower for treatment, the boy remembered everything, including his mother waiting for him at home.
"...He woke up and returned to his original place, once again the injured boy. Seeing the warm elderflower tea, he didn't refuse this time, drinking the bitter medicine in one gulp."
As Ino finished the last word, the meaningful story concluded.
After a brief silence, Ollivander applauded and commented excitedly:
"A wonderful story! Yes, they are all alive: elder, rowan, apple, vine..."