previously in chapter 11
He continued walking, his gaze lingering on the wonders around him. A display of enchanted instruments caught his eye—an entire set of bagpipes that played on their own, causing a few nearby shoppers to laugh as the lively tune filled the air. Passing by an apothecary, Gray stopped briefly to purchase a few rare ingredients—dried horned slugs, a handful of fairy wings, and powdered bicorn horn. As he handed the galleons over to the shopkeeper, he caught sight of someone out of the corner of his eye.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 12
A wizard stood just off to the side, suspiciously examining a large banana leaf, his fingers twitching nervously. Gray could tell he was trying to act busy, though his attempts were failing. The man's eyes flicked toward Gray before quickly darting back to the leaf. "Hmmm," Gray pondered as he walked away, keeping an eye on the man but not engaging. He continued down the street until he reached Ollivanders Wand Shop, the iconic wandmaker's store nestled between two bustling shops.
Gray pushed open the creaky door. The bell above chimed softly as he stepped inside. The air was thick with the smell of old wood and dust, and shelves upon shelves of wands stretched up to the ceiling. From behind the counter, Ollivander looked up. His silver hair glinted in the dim light as his sharp, inquisitive eyes met Gray's. "Ahh, a customer," Ollivander said with a knowing smile. "What brings you here today, young man?" Gray approached the counter, pulling his wand from his pocket. "I'm here to return my wand," he said plainly, setting it down.
Ollivander's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Return it? Well, that's most unusual. What seems to be the problem with it?" Gray shrugged slightly, crossing his arms. "It's strange, i feel like its rejecting me for some reason" Ollivander frowned, leaning forward to examine the wand. "Hmm… Interesting. May I see you cast a spell with it?"
Gray nodded and raised the wand, focusing his magic. "Wingardium Leviosa," he muttered, directing his magic at an empty wand box on the counter. The box wobbled slightly before lifting into the air, hovering for a moment before slowly drifting back down.
Ollivander grunted, his brow furrowed in thought. "I see what the problem is," he murmured, taking the wand from Gray's hand and turning it over in his palm. "This wand, while bonded to you, is no longer suitable for your current magical growth." He placed the wand gently on the counter and motioned for Gray to follow him as he disappeared behind a set of shelves. "Wait here," Ollivander called from the back.
Gray stood, glancing around at the countless wands stacked neatly in their boxes. After a few minutes, Ollivander returned with several wands in his hands. "Let's try a few," he said, setting them down. Gray picked up the first wand—a slender one made of birch wood with a core. He gave it a flick, but nothing happened. Ollivander shook his head and handed him another.
"This one, ebony wood with a unicorn hair core," Ollivander explained. Gray swished it through the air, but once again, the reaction was weak. His magic barely flowed through it. "No, that's not right either," Gray muttered, handing it back. Ollivander continued to present different wands, but none of them felt right. Some barely reacted, while others fizzled with weak sparks. Finally, after several failed attempts, Ollivander paused, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. He turned and reached for a long, cane-shaped wand that had been sitting at the far end of the shelf.
"Ah… this one. It's experimental, mind you, it was given to me by a strange fellow" Ollivander said with a chuckle, holding the wand in his hands. "The shape is… peculiar, yes. But it might just be the match for you." Gray looked at it skeptically. The wand was unusually long, almost like a cane, and it emitted a faint, pulsing magical energy. "The core is dragon heartstring, that is what he told me " Ollivander explained, "and the wood is vine. A potent combination, though one that only works when it finds its perfect match." Gray took the wand, feeling its weight in his hands. Instantly, he felt the connection. A surge of magic pulsed through him, strong and wild. He grinned as he raised the wand to cast a spell, but before he could say a word, all the items surrounding him started to float.
"Whoa!" Gray exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. Ollivander chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Non-verbal magic at your age… Quite rare, indeed," he said. "What year are you going into?" "I'm starting my second year at Hogwarts," Gray replied, still trying to process the strength of the magic flowing through him.
Gray chuckled as Ollivander leaned back in his chair, clearly impressed. "Second year, you say? A twelve-year-old doing non-verbal spells already. We may just have the next great Dumbledore on our hands." Gray smirked and handed over the galleons, feeling the weight of his new wand—shaped like a cane—resting comfortably in his hand. "Thanks, Ollivander," he said, nodding before turning and walking out of the shop.
As he exited onto Diagon Alley, the bustling crowd around him barely registered. He was too engrossed in his thoughts, adjusting to the feel of the cane in his grip as if it were an extension of himself. It had already started to grow on him, its connection to his magic undeniable. As he moved through the street, Gray casually stopped at a few vendors, picking up some essential potion ingredients—gillyweed, powdered bicorn horn, and phoenix feather ash—until he had spent the targeted amount of money. "That's enough for now," Gray muttered to himself, eyeing his haul of supplies. "Time to buy that suitcase." He turned his gaze toward the shop he had in mind, but something caught his attention.
Across the street, the same man from earlier—the one who had been fixated on the banana leaf—was now crouching near another vendor's stall, examining a mandrake root with the same suspicious intensity. Gray frowned, his brows furrowing as an uneasy feeling crept into his chest. Without saying a word, he turned on his heel and walked into a nearby alleyway, slipping into the shadows. He stood there, waiting patiently. The faint hum of the crowded alley slowly faded away as he counted the seconds.
Just a minute later, he heard footsteps. Gray glanced over his shoulder and saw the man from before, this time with two others in tow. Their steps were hurried, their eyes scanning the area. When they spotted Gray standing there, calm and composed, their faces twisted into expressions of surprise and curiosity. "Well, well," the first man said, stopping short when he realized Gray was waiting for them. "Didn't expect to see you here, kid." Gray didn't respond immediately, his cold, calculating eyes taking in the trio. They were scruffy, dressed in worn robes, their wands clutched tightly in their hands. It was obvious they were no good.
"You've been busy," another man sneered, glancing at Gray's full satchel. "Buying all sorts of nice, expensive things, aren't you?" "Seems like you're out here alone," the third man chimed in, stepping forward with a gleam in his eye. "Not the safest place for a kid carrying all that." Gray raised an eyebrow, watching them closely. He already knew where this was going. "I see," he said slowly. "So, you're planning to rob me?" The first man smirked, his grip on his wand tightening. "Smart kid. Hand over the bag, and maybe we'll let you go."
Gray tilted his head slightly, a smile creeping onto his face—one that sent a shiver down their spines. It was too wide, too confident, and far too amused. And then, he started laughing. The three men exchanged confused glances. "Oh, this is going to be fun," Gray said, his voice low and brimming with excitement. He cracked his neck, then casually draped his cane over his shoulders like it was some kind of weapon. "Alright, lads, throw your spells at me. Let's see what you've got."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N its finally here, the wand, its quite important as you will come to find out. anyways, you know the 3 robbers were going to make their appearance at least at some point in the story, its a must.