Half an hour passed in Ollivander's Wand Shop...
Adam waved the wand mechanically, as it required the use of both hands, switching whenever he used acid on one. The frequent explosions that echoed around him no longer fazed him, though eight out of ten times, they caused serious effects. He remembered a time when flowers bloomed from the wand's tip. He thought that was the right one, but Ollivander dismissed it.
Then, a wand found its way into Adam's hands, and he immediately sensed its difference. As he waved it, the surrounding wand boxes trembled and floated back to their places. A surge of pleasure washed over Adam, unlike anything he had felt before, as though an extension had been added to his body.
"That's it! That's the one!" Ollivander clapped enthusiastically. "Sixteen inches, acacia wood, phoenix tail feather—I knew it!"
You know nothing! Adam held back a sarcastic retort, nearly gagging on his frustration. But his better nature kept him quiet, although he couldn't resist rolling his eyes.
He seriously suspected Ollivander had gone through every possible combination of wands before finding the right one.
"Ahem... this wand's combination is quite unique, which is why it took so long," Ollivander explained awkwardly. "Both acacia wood and phoenix tail feathers are notoriously picky, and the sixteen-inch length is unusual. The last sixteen-inch wand I sold was for a half-giant!"
Though Adam doubted Ollivander's explanation, the joy of finally selecting his wand helped him push aside the frustrations of the past half hour—where he narrowly avoided several dangerous explosions and shocks. He carefully examined the wand in his hand.
It was a sleek, black-brown cylinder, with smooth curves and runes engraved along its slender body. The handle, spindle-shaped and wrapped in various symbols, caught his eye. At the bottom of the handle, a yellow gemstone was embedded.
"That's a yellow tourmaline," Ollivander said proudly. "I acquired it from an Eastern wizard—it complements the wand's magic perfectly. No extra charge!"
Adam's resentment faded. The gem was stunning.
He turned the wand over a few more times, admiring it.
Sixteen-inch wands were considered long, but Adam's Dark Staff was even taller. Compared to that, this wand was small—almost cute, in his opinion.
After paying for the wand, Adam entered the next phase: buy-buy-buy mode, with his grandfather, Robert, leading the charge.
Owls, snacks, a cauldron, more snacks, potion ingredients, yet more snacks, school uniforms, even more snacks, and books.
Adam lingered for quite some time in Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, captivated by the endless supply of knowledge.
He hadn't forgotten that a wizard's growth is tied to learning, so he wanted to purchase many additional books beyond the required reading for Hogwarts. His curiosity about the wizarding world was insatiable, especially regarding the parts never shown in the original stories.
Adam signed an order for two feet of parchment, with the books to be delivered to Hogwarts. His grandfather assured him that the house elves would handle them.
"That's a broomstick," Robert said as they passed a shop. "Freshmen aren't allowed to bring broomsticks to school."
After a pause, he added, "But if you want one, we can buy it now and leave it at home."
"No thanks, Grandpa. I'm not really interested in flying broomsticks."
"Are you sure? Nimbus 2000 is quite expensive, but your grandparents are very well-off."
"Mom and Dad gave me plenty of money, Grandpa." The offer wasn't tempting to Adam. Nimbus 2000 was indeed costly, but Adam's parents had originally planned for him to attend Eton College, which came with a price tag of over £40,000 a year. The money was ready, but with Adam now attending Hogwarts, which didn't charge tuition, his mother gave him the funds instead.
"Boys shouldn't be deprived," she'd said. "Especially when they're in unfamiliar environments."
"I just don't think it's worth buying a broomstick now, Grandpa. I can't even bring it to school, and they might release a new model next year."
In fact, Adam knew Nimbus 2001 would come out the following year, and the year after that, the Firebolt. It reminded him of how smartphones were constantly being upgraded.
Besides, Adam had other ways of flying. He had a Clow card that allowed his Dark Staff to sprout wings, transforming it into a broomstick. He could even grow wings himself! Why waste money on something obsolete after a year?
A rich kid once said it best: "I'm rich, not stupid."
After buying out nearly every shop in Diagon Alley, they went to pick up Emma from the Twilfitt and Tatting's store. While Robert seemed more practical in his purchases, Emma's shopping list was on a different level.
"Alan! You can't expect your grandson to survive a whole semester at Hogwarts with just one uniform!" she exclaimed.
"Old clothes, pajamas, formal wear for the Yule Ball... You need more! What if there's a special occasion?"
"Your wand requires proper care," Emma added. "Buy extra sets of maintenance tools. Don't skimp on quality."
"You'll need several pairs of dragon-hide gloves. Some potion ingredients are best handled with specific gloves, and you can always lend a pair to classmates to build good relations."
"Also, buy extra potion ingredients and white fresh essence. Always carry some with you. If you get injured, apply it immediately. Don't rely solely on the school nurse. Adam, listen, Alan!"
After another two rounds of shopping, with snacks serving as a convenient lunch, Emma surveyed the packages and then turned to Robert.
"Alan, take these things home. Adam and I are going to continue shopping."
Robert looked at the pile of packages, then the owl in the birdcage on top, and sighed.
"Alright, you two have fun. Will you be back for dinner?"
"Maybe, maybe not," Emma replied quickly, making it clear they wouldn't.
"Uh, okay," Robert said, defeated, as he trudged away with their purchases.
"Why didn't Grandpa use magic to carry everything?" Adam asked Emma, puzzled.
"Magic requires focus. Trying to do two things at once can lead to accidents. Never do it, Adam."
"Is that so?" Adam said thoughtfully.
Maybe Grandpa's just weak...
After lunch, Emma wiped her mouth and led Adam to a secluded corner.
"Grandma?" Adam asked, puzzled by her secretive behavior.
"Hold on tightly," she instructed.
Adam complied, and the next thing he knew, they were shooting through what felt like a narrow tube. After what seemed like endless squeezing, he finally emerged onto a patch of grass, feeling nauseous.
"Ugh..." Adam groaned, turning pale.
"That was Apparition," Emma said, rubbing his back. "It takes practice to get used to. Take deep breaths."
As Adam caught his breath, Emma leaned down and whispered an address in his ear. To Adam's amazement, a crack appeared on the grass in front of them, and a small house with a garden seemed to push through the gap.
"This is extremely powerful protective magic. Don't ask questions yet. Just follow me," Emma said, guiding Adam to the door.
( End of the chapter)
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