Chapter 15: The New Wand
Early morning. The sun had just risen, and Diagon Alley was still in a state of brief tranquility. But Ollivander's Wand Shop had already welcomed its first two customers of the day.
"Miss Hamilton, this is your new wand." Ollivander said, presenting the wand box with both hands, a proud look on his face. "Ebony wood, Veela hair core, nine and one-third inches."
"Ebony wood?" Lupin glanced at Lyra, a bit surprised.
Ebony wands were said to choose wizards who had courage and were not swayed by outside interference...
Miss Hamilton seemed to be quite different from that description... Just as Lupin was wondering, Ollivander explained with a smile, "It was crafted based on the material of Miss Hamilton's first wand."
"I specifically contacted my old friend, Gregorovitch, and had him send me the same ebony used for her original wand." Ollivander watched with great satisfaction as Lyra took the wand box.
"It is my masterpiece."
At his words, Lyra pressed her lips together and carefully opened the box.
A dark silver wand lay quietly inside. As the morning sun fell upon the wood, glints of silver light reflected in Lyra's eyes.
Is this wand really made of ebony?
Lyra instinctively looked up at Ollivander. She clearly remembered her first wand being a dark purple...
"I gave the wood a special polish," Ollivander said with a smile. "Gregorovitch, while a master wandmaker, is sometimes not considerate enough of the user." He looked at Lyra's face, hidden beneath her hood. "For a wand destined for a witch with Veela blood... it should naturally be more beautiful, should it not?" He smirked. "And besides, this was my first attempt at crafting a wand with a Veela hair core."
Lyra pressed her lips together, her face flushing slightly. She stammered, "Th... Thank you."
"Well, go on, give it a try," Ollivander said, shrugging as he leaned against the shop counter. "It's not just the wizard who chooses the wand, the wand also chooses the wizard."
"O... Okay..." Lyra reached for the wand, a bit nervous. Her ears perked up beneath her hood.
If... if this wand doesn't choose me... that would be terrible... she worried. After all, she didn't consider herself an outstanding witch by any means.
But as her fingers closed around the cool wood, her anxiety vanished.
Mr. Ollivander was truly a master wandmaker. This wand felt exactly like her previous one, perhaps even more comfortable... And, Lyra could clearly feel her magic flowing smoothly through it.
This was an outstanding wand.
Gripping the wand, Lyra gave it a light flick, silently incanting in her mind: Lumos.
Her magic flowed fluidly, and a soft light emerged from the tip.
"Perfect!" Ollivander nodded excitedly. He walked a circle around Lyra and said, "It has accepted you as its master."
He didn't seem to have noticed that Lyra had used a non-verbal spell.
"Thank... thank you... Mr. Ollivander," Lyra said softly, clutching the wand.
She hadn't held a proper wand in over a week. To finally have one of her own again made her incredibly happy.
And Mr. Ollivander had clearly put a lot of effort into this wand... She wondered how much a wand like this cost?
Watching Lupin slowly pull fifty Gold Galleons from his pocket, Lyra instinctively pressed her lips together...
That's all my future salary... Speaking of which, I never even asked Dumbledore how much I'd be earning a month... Did this just use up my entire first month's pay?
Lyra suddenly remembered that she hadn't paid for her stay at the tavern for the past week, either...
She couldn't help but feel a little panicked... It's all my fault for not trying to save any money.
Lyra had never saved much money during her school days. Her money either went to the classmates who pranked her, or was spent on books and materials related to Magic Formations.
As for her time serving Lord Grindelwald... Lyra had lived and eaten for free for three years, and she never had the nerve to ask him for money.
My Gringotts vault probably has less money in it than this wand cost...
Lyra couldn't help but tighten her grip on the wand... Just wait, Dumbledore... As soon as I pay you back... I will begin to plot for Lord Grindelwald's great cause! Find your weakness... and then, with this wand, I will deliver the final blow! I'll save Lord Grindelwald and restore the Zauberpartei!
For the Greater...
Click.
The wand shop's door suddenly swung open, followed by a voice that made Lyra's heart stop.
"Remus, Miss Hamilton... I thought I might find you here."
"Dumbledore..." Lupin hadn't even finished his sentence when Lyra let out a sharp "Ngh!" and stumbled back several steps, crashing into the shop counter.
"D-D-D-D-Dumbledore?!"
"I don't believe my name is D-D-D-D-Dumbledore," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Headmaster Dumbledore." Ollivander greeted him with a respectful nod.
"My apologies for the intrusion, Ollivander," Dumbledore said politely. "As much as I'd love to discuss wands, I'm here for Miss Hamilton."
"Me?!" Lyra yelped. "I... I didn't do anything!" She instinctively assumed Dumbledore was here to get her in trouble... After all, he never seemed to bring good news.
"Oh? Have you done something you shouldn't have?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.
"N-No!" Lyra shook her head so fast it was a blur.
"Well... let's discuss the specifics outside." Dumbledore said, nodding to Ollivander. "Pardon the interruption."
As the three of them stepped out of the shop, Dumbledore began to walk, asking quietly, "Miss Hamilton, do you remember the favor I asked of you?"
"Ah..." Lyra froze, then remembered what Dumbledore had told her a week ago, about becoming a Ministry consultant.
"I... I remember," she said quietly. She had been so excited about the Magic Formations that she'd fallen for Dumbledore's trick... That's right, a trick!
I'm Lord Grindelwald's person, yet here I am, about to work for Dumbledore... and for the Ministry, of all things! I hate it... I hate the Ministry... I hate Dumbledore...
Lyra muttered in her heart, as if that would make her feel better.
"That's good," the unaware Dumbledore said, half-joking. "I was actually worried you might have hidden away like a squirrel..."
"I... I wouldn't... Also... I'm... a person..." Lyra whispered, pulling her hood tighter to hide her pointed ears.
Lupin, who was following, raised an eyebrow. "Headmaster... do you mean Miss Hamilton is starting now?"
"Indeed." Dumbledore turned slightly to look at them. "Why else would we be here?"
He gestured with his head to the building in front of them.
The large sign reading "Ministry of Magic, Diagon Alley Office" made Lyra feel dizzy. If Lupin hadn't reacted quickly to steady her, she might have collapsed onto the ground.
"Th-Th-Th-The... Ministry!"
"Don't worry, Miss Hamilton," Dumbledore said gently. "Even back then, the British Ministry never yielded to Grindelwald."
That's exactly why I'm so scared!