Expecto Patronum

Ollivander was an old shop that had been making fine wands since 382 BC. A single wand sat alone in its dusty display window, and its gilded sign had long since peeled away. The shop looked small and shabby—at least compared to the other stores, crammed with dazzling goods and beautifully arranged, it looked as though it were about to go out of business. Yet it was recognized throughout the wizarding world as the finest wandmaker.

When they entered, a tinkling bell sounded from the back of the shop. There was nothing inside except a bench. Behind the counter stood a large cabinet, with thousands of narrow cardboard boxes stacked almost to the ceiling, all covered in thick dust. Pomona felt an inexplicable sadness.

"Pete, can everyone only choose one wand that belongs to them in their lifetime?"

"What?" He had just been about to sit down on the bench when Pomona's question left him frozen.

"Of course." A gentle voice spoke. A middle-aged man suddenly emerged from behind the shelves. He had a pair of very pale eyes, which shone like two bright moons in the dim shop.

"Why?" she asked somewhat timidly.

"Every Ollivander wand contains exceptionally powerful magical substances. That is where their essence lies. We use unicorn hair, phoenix tail feathers, and dragon sinew. Each wand is unique, because no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes in the world are exactly alike. If you use a wand meant for another wizard, you will never achieve the best results when casting spells. I believe that answers your question."

"But how do you know the wand you choose now will still suit you in the future?" Pomona asked anxiously. "People change."

"Hm... I understand." The middle-aged man studied Pomona, then after a long while said, "You are half-Veela, aren't you?"

Pomona felt terribly embarrassed, but in the end, she nodded.

"Please wait. Let me think, where did I put it?" Ollivander said as he moved between the shelves, taking down several long cases, opening them, then rolling them back up and stuffing them away. After a moment, he suddenly cried, "Aha!" and took out a wand resting on blue velvet.

"Try this one, miss. By the way, what is your name?"

"Pomona. Pomona Martin."

"Miss Martin, this wand is made of beechwood and Veela hair. It is seven inches long and very flexible. Try giving it a wave."

Pomona gave a bitter smile. So, in wizards' eyes, Veela were classified as magical creatures like unicorns, dragons, and phoenixes. Still, she picked up the wand. She felt a power flow into her fingertips, like testing the temperature of bathwater—not too cold, not too hot, just right. Then a stream of white smoke flowed from the wand like water, quickly turning into white mist and shifting constantly in the air until it finally became a beautiful swan.

Ollivander and Pete were both stunned. After a long moment, Ollivander finally cried out, "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! How marvelous, how marvelous!"

"What happened, Pete?" Pomona looked helplessly at her knight.

"Expecto Patronum. That is an extremely advanced spell in the wizarding world. When it works, it summons a Patronus. Like a shield, it can defend against Dementors." Pete pointed in shock at the swan circling Pomona. "This is the first time I've seen someone produce one the instant they picked up a wand."

"Perhaps it has something to do with Miss Martin's Veela bloodline. Veela are female fae who can transform. They live in forests, lakes, mountains, rivers, and misty clouds. They can become swans, horses, or wolves. When they dance beneath the moon on Midsummer Night, those enchanted by them forget everything in the world. Do you know what happens when Dementors attack someone, Mr. Sprout?"

"You remember me?"

"Of course I remember you. Ollivander remembers every wand he has sold and every owner it has had. I believe it was five years ago that you came to buy a wand with your grandmother, wasn't it? A holly wand with unicorn hair?"

"That's right. If you were still studying at Hogwarts, I'd give you two points." Pete smiled. "When Dementors appear, they make people feel cold. It is as though they lose all passion and courage, leaving only their most painful memories. They feed on people's hope, happiness, and desire to live. When using Expecto Patronum, you must do your utmost to remember something happy in order to summon a Patronus. What were you thinking about just now, Pomona?"

"I wasn't thinking of anything." Pomona lied. She was glad she was only a Veela and merely needed to pluck out a hair, rather than having her nerves ripped out like some poor dragon and turned into wand-making material.

"This wand has been finished for over three hundred years. My great-great-great-grandfather made it. I never expected it would not be sold until my generation." Ollivander put the wand back into its case, wrapping it in brown paper as he spoke. "Marvelous. Simply marvelous."

"Wait," Pomona said. "I want to try other wands."

Ollivander and Pete stared at her in surprise.

"Why? This one suits you very well, doesn't it?"

"I've only tried one. How do you know there isn't another wand that suits me even better?"

"When it feels right, even love at first sight can bring happiness for a lifetime." Ollivander tried to persuade her. "You must trust your feelings, Miss Martin."

"Like an arm." Pete rolled up his sleeve. "The original is always best. If I cut off the old one and replaced it with a new one, even if it belonged to Merlin, it might not suit me."

Tears welled up in Pomona's eyes. At last, she turned to Ollivander irritably. "Shouldn't every young wizard be accompanied by an adult wizard when buying a wand?"

This was a Ministry of Magic regulation. Young wizards' magic was unstable, and coupled with an unstable wand, it often caused accidents. Still, most people paid no attention to the rule.

"Yes..."

"Then let's go, Pete. Next time, I'll find an adult to come buy one with me."

"Don't be such a girl, Pomona." Pete complained impatiently. "Why do you always like making trouble out of nothing?"

"Oh, for God's sake, I am a girl!" Pomona was furious. "You also said that if anyone asked who I was, I should say I was on a date with you. Are you saying you date boys?"

Pete and Ollivander were both stunned. A moment later, Pete swore and reluctantly left with Pomona.

"Wait." Just as Pete's hand touched the doorknob, Ollivander handed him the wrapped wand. "Take it with you. Since the third century BC, no one has ever left Ollivander empty-handed."

"Thank you." Pete took it before Pomona could speak. "How much do I owe you?"

"No need." Ollivander smiled as though a burden had been lifted from him. "You have already helped me greatly."

Both Pomona and Pete found Ollivander's words strange, but neither gave them much thought. After all, the wizarding world was full of odd people.

"I won't use it," Pomona warned Pete. "When your mother has her next holiday, I'm still coming back with her."

"Oh, please. Who knows when she'll ever have time off?" Pete said as he pushed open the door. A group of people stood outside Ollivander's shop: Lily Evans and Snape's family.

"Hi, Pomona!" Lily waved excitedly at her, while Snape arrogantly turned his gaze elsewhere.

Pomona knew perfectly well that her warning would be useless against a brave Gryffindor girl. They were brave to the point of recklessness; even when facing unknown danger, they would not retreat.

In comparison, girls from Hufflepuff were far more sensitive and timid. That was precisely why the other houses looked down on Hufflepuff.

Gryffindor pursued courage, Ravenclaw pursued knowledge, Slytherin pursued ambition, while Hufflepuff pursued family and love.

Mediocre people were unworthy of keeping company with exceptional ones.

Pomona felt inexplicably depressed. What she understood even less was why she had insisted on finding a second wand that belonged to her. In truth, she knew the first wand suited her perfectly. She had simply been stubbornly fighting fate, and so, as Pete had said, she had made trouble for herself like a foolish girl.