Chapter 6: Choosing a Wand
The journey back was exhausting as ever. This time, perhaps because he had emptied his stomach earlier, Ethan was in relatively good spirits as he departed, and finally caught sight of the gray-and-white fire dragon guarding the vaults.
But before he could ask a question, a wave of nausea washed over him again, and he clamped his mouth shut.
Back in the lobby, Ethan rested for half an hour before he recovered.
Carrying four hundred Galleons, they carefully stowed the vault key and left Gringotts.
"Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. You can order the uniforms you need from here."
Professor McGonagall pushed open the door and went in.
Upon seeing Ethan, the short, plump witch's eyes lit up. "Hello, Professor McGonagall! Is this a new student at Hogwarts? What a handsome young man!"
Having grown accustomed to compliments about his appearance, Ethan simply smiled and nodded to indicate that he was indeed new here.
As Madam Malkin measured him with her tape, she declared him one of the most handsome boys she had ever seen.
The Joneses beamed with joy at hearing Ethan praised him.
Soon, Madam Malkin helped him down from the footstool. "All right, my dear, once you've paid the deposit, you can go look around elsewhere. Come back in two hours to pick up the clothes and pay the balance."
After leaving the robe shop, their next stop was the wand shop.
The peeling gold lettering on the sign read: "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."
This reminded Ethan of a joke he remembered from his past life: "You make a staff, I carry a shield, he sells swords, and we all have a bright future."
Ollivanders had been making wands for two thousand years, which meant its future was indeed bright. It was just a pity that this sort of pun could not be shared with others.
After entering, his parents and Professor McGonagall sat down on the only bench. Ethan called out softly into the empty shop, "Is anyone here?"
"Good morning." A gentle voice seemed to sound right beside him.
This startled Ethan.
An old man appeared before him without a sound. His silvery-white eyes stared directly at him.
"Hello, Ethan Jones. You're here to buy a wand."
"Oh, Mr. Jones, hello. Yes, a new student at Hogwarts." Ollivander nodded to Professor McGonagall and the Joneses.
He pulled a measuring tape with silver markings from his pocket.
"Mr. Jones, which arm do you use to wield your wand?"
"I am right-handed."
"Very good. Raise your arms."
Ollivander took the measuring tape and measured from Ethan's shoulder to his fingertips, from his wrist to his elbow, from his shoulder to the floor, from his knee to his armpit, and finally around his head.
Ethan's head was full of questions.
If the first two measurements could be explained as determining the appropriate wand length, then the middle two could also be loosely interpreted the same way.
The remaining measurements made no sense to him. Why did he need to measure his head circumference when choosing a wand? Were people with larger heads smarter? Were they more suitable for high-end wands? He didn't understand, and he was deeply puzzled.
Moreover, during the measurement, he kept hearing Ollivander muttering to himself:
"Every Ollivander wand contains an extremely powerful magical substance, which is its essence."
"We use only unicorn hair, phoenix tail feathers, and dragon heartstrings. I believe these are the best materials for wand cores."
"Every wand we make is unique, because no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are exactly alike."
"Of course, if you used a wand that belonged to another wizard, you wouldn't get such good results."
What was most outrageous was when Ollivander measured the distance between his nostrils.
As the measuring tape slipped to the floor and rolled into a ball, Ollivander had already taken several cardboard boxes from the ceiling-high shelf.
"Mr. Jones, try this one first. It's made of ash and snake nerve, ten inches long, and very flexible. Give it a swing and see."
A wand was shoved into Ethan's hand.
He silently complained to himself, "Didn't you just say you only use three materials? How did snake nerve suddenly come up? Is there something wrong with my ears or your mouth?"
He held the wand and waved it lightly. A red light pulsed from the tip, leaving a small dent in the pillar.
"No, this wand is not suitable."
Ollivander snatched it from his hand and shoved another into his grip.
"Try this one too. Aspen and unicorn hair, nine and a quarter inches, very sturdy."
He had barely waved it when it was taken away again.
He tried wand after wand, working through every one Ollivander had pulled down, yet none proved suitable.
Ollivander grew visibly excited. He fetched another bundle of wands from the shelf and handed them to Ethan one by one.
This behavior made Ethan wonder if he had stumbled upon a madman.
Finally, as another wand was placed in his hand, his fingertips prickled with warmth. Before he could even wave it, a black light shot from the tip and burst against the wall.
"Rowan wood, twelve and a third inches, dragon heartstring core, unyielding," Ollivander read the wand's details aloud.
"What a remarkable combination, Mr. Jones. Such rare materials."
He clapped his hands together.
"Rowan wands choose owners destined for longevity. I have never heard of a rowan wand owner dying young. They always favor those who are independent, unrestrained, or enigmatic."
Ollivander studied Ethan's dark eyes, his expression unreadable. "I remember every rowan wand I have sold. Most belonged to the same family, but that family has not revealed itself in a very long time..."
"Oh? What family?" Ethan asked, running his fingers along the smooth wand, curiosity evident on his face.
"A mysterious family. Let us not speak of it. That will be seven Galleons." He glanced at Ethan's dark eyes once more, then lowered his head to place the wand in its box.
"Tch!" Ethan was annoyed. He despised people who spoke in riddles and left sentences unfinished.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Shall we proceed? You still have a great deal to purchase."
Ethan did not press the matter. He paid and departed as Ollivander bowed respectfully behind him.
Professor McGonagall led him onward.
First, he bought a large pewter cauldron, a high-quality brass balance scale, and a collapsible brass telescope from a shop he had noticed upon entering Diagon Alley.
Then he stopped at the stationery store for the essentials: parchment, quills, and ink.
He went to the apothecary and bought a set of crystal phials. He also bought a small potion kit containing basic ingredients at the shopkeeper's recommendation.
Professor McGonagall didn't stop him; she knew these things meant nothing to him.
"Finally, we need a pet and the books. Let's hurry up; we've spent too much time at the wand shop," McGonagall urged.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall."
After a brief moment of thought, they quickened their pace and headed toward Eeylops Owl Emporium. He had chosen the owl shop, intending to take care of the simple matters first.
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