Despite various mishaps throughout the entire process, Tom ultimately left Ollivanders with a dogwood wand clutched in his paw.
Although based on what happened at the end, he could have used his own tail as a substitute for a wand when casting spells, the identity of "Hogwarts' first cat student in history" was already conspicuous enough. If he started using his tail as a wand during classes as well...
[(￣ω￣;) I refuse to be gawked at like a monkey in a zoo!]
Because he hadn't been able to provide the most suitable wand, Mr. Ollivander hadn't charged Tom for the dogwood wand. Instead, he'd plucked a tuft of fur from Tom's tail as payment.
According to the wandmaker's reasoning: since Tom's tail could function effectively as a wand, perhaps these hairs could serve as a wand core! If he could successfully craft such a wand, Ollivander was willing to create a custom wand uniquely suited to Tom, completely free of charge.
And so, under Ollivander's "persuasion," Tom steeled himself and decisively yanked a generous clump of fur from the tip of his tail, handing it over to the eccentric wandmaker.
Tom wasn't particularly concerned about the bald patch on his tail. Back before he'd reached an understanding with that stinking mouse, his tail had frequently ended up with bald spots. The fur always grew back on its own after a little while, so it was no big deal.
But just because he didn't care didn't mean others shared his indifference. The Lovegoods were fine—after spending so much time together, they'd grown accustomed to his peculiarities. Hannah, however, was a different story entirely.
As someone who'd only recently met Tom, in her eyes he was simply a cat who knew some special magic and would soon be her classmate, nothing more.
Seeing him as a friend, Hannah stared at that pathetically bare section of tail with such distress that even the sweets in her hands lost their appeal.
"(｡ó︿ò｡) Tom, is your tail really alright? Mr. Ollivander was so excessive—he plucked your tail completely bald!" Hannah's voice wavered with concern.
She reached out to gently touch Tom's denuded tail.
But the tail had its own dignity. Having just been plucked bare, it had no intention of being touched again. It nimbly dodged Hannah's approaching hand with an air that clearly said: '(－‸ლ) Don't touch me!'
In the end, Tom couldn't bear to watch any longer. He forced himself slightly, making the tail fur grow back prematurely, which finally put an end to this little farce.
However, he seemed to have forgotten the price of previously arousing Hannah's curiosity. Back then, Ollivander had come to his rescue, but now there was no one to help him.
Thus, seeing the suddenly regenerated fur, Hannah's curiosity exploded once more. She locked her gaze onto Tom, staring without blinking until Tom's skin prickled beneath his fur.
[(;ﾟДﾟ) You're staring at me! What do you want?]
"(•ω•)✧ Tom, we're friends, right?" Hannah's eyes sparkled with excitement.
[I... I suppose so. Why? What are you planning?]
"Then can you teach me those self-created spells you just used? I can trade you sweets for lessons!"
Having received Tom's acknowledgment, Hannah grew even more lively. Both abilities Tom had just demonstrated, the magic that enlarged body parts and the spell that instantly grew fur, she desperately wanted to learn them!
Although she personally had no need for the latter spell, her father certainly did! Just imagining that this might cure Tom's baldness made Hannah tremble with excitement.
She'd never understood why her beautiful mother had married her father. Every time she asked, her mother would only say that Father had been quite handsome in his youth. Therefore, what her father looked like with hair had become the question Hannah most wanted answered.
And now, if only she could learn Tom's "fur-growing" magic, this wish could be realized. How could she not be excited?
Unfortunately, her wish was destined for disappointment.
[I'm sorry, but these aren't spells—they're my natural abilities.]
In truth, having acquired a wand, Tom could sense that magic might be able to replicate some of his abilities. But he was currently just a magical novice.
What if something went wrong during his research, like what had happened to Pandora all those years ago? When Pandora had her accident, he'd been there to save her, but if something happened to him, who would be there to rescue him?
Of course, this was merely an excuse. The real reason? He simply couldn't be bothered to research it.
[As a cat who's already "retired," all I want now is to laze about
~ (～﹃～)~zZ]
If Luna had been the one asking, he might have helped for his "cat-owner's" sake, but Hannah... at the very least, they weren't close enough yet for such favors.
[As for later? I'll let future-me worry about future problems. ╮(๑•₃•๑)╭]
And so, to crush Hannah's hopes completely, Tom decisively refused her request, citing his natural abilities as the reason.
"(;´д｀)ゞ Oh... I see. Well, alright then," Hannah sighed with disappointment.
Since Tom had put it that way, Hannah couldn't very well insist. Besides, she could accept his reasoning—magical creatures really were just that wonderfully mysterious.
She quickly adjusted her mood, seeming to forget what had just happened. Circling around Tom once more, she began firing off questions in rapid succession: where Tom came from, whether he had any other relatives or friends, and so forth.
Clearly, faced with the marvelous Tom, Hannah's heart had been captured. After all, Hogwarts allowed students to bring one cat as a pet—why couldn't her pet be a Tom?
Unfortunately, by the time the group reached the pet shop entrance, she still hadn't received any answers from Tom. Honestly, Tom himself didn't know how to answer these questions.
What was he supposed to tell her? That he was a cat who'd run away from a neighboring production set, and this world had no companions for him? Even in a magical world, that answer was a bit too fantastical.
In the end, Hannah left empty-handed and disappointed. Although she was curious about what kind of pet a cat like Tom would keep, she already had her own pet and wasn't planning to buy another, so naturally she had no reason to follow them inside.
After seeing off the "enthusiastic" Hannah, Tom followed the Lovegoods into Eeylops Owl Emporium. Although toads and cats were also permitted pets, neither of those options would do.
Toads needed no explanation, Tom had never had any fondness for those slimy creatures.
As for cats? Tom had initially considered getting one, since a pet he could communicate with would certainly be more convenient than one he couldn't. But a comment from Pandora had thoroughly quashed that idea.
"(¬‿¬) So, is Tom looking for a child bride?" she'd teased with a knowing smile.
Having once been human, Tom had absolutely no interest in mating with cats (cat-girls were completely another matter). Thus, Pandora's teasing had perfectly eliminated the idea of keeping a cat.
Not liking toads and not daring to keep a cat, Tom's choice came down to owls alone.
Of course, he had an ulterior motive as well.
[(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ If I choose the largest eagle owl, couldn't I ride it like a flying mount?]
As everyone knew, Hogwarts owls were remarkable—knowing only the recipient's name, they could deliver letters directly into that person's hands. If he used one as a mount, wouldn't he be able to go anywhere he pleased?
With this idea in mind, Tom decisively selected the shop's largest specimen—an eagle owl nearly half his height.
Of course, there was another, more practical reason for this choice: if he'd selected a smaller owl, he feared that one day when hunger struck, he might stew it and eat it.