If That Owl Doesn't Come Soon, I'm Sending Dumbledore a Howler

As the days passed and July drew nearer, Andy's usually laid-back heart gradually began to grow restless.

As long as he received Hogwarts' letter of acceptance, Andy could have a wand of his own and learn to cast his first real spell.

So...

"When is that damn owl finally coming?"

On the first day of July, Andy lay sprawled over the windowsill with his chin in his hands, gazing up at the bright blue sky. He could not help wanting to write Dumbledore a Howler.

The students were on holiday, so the headmaster should not have been too busy, right?

"Stop waiting, Andy. Maybe your name isn't even in the Book of Admittance."

Standing behind Andy, a certain little girl ate pudding as she said smugly, "Maybe you're a Squib!"

"Even food can't keep your mouth shut."

Andy snapped back, then said thoughtfully, "Come to think of it, Isha, you haven't had a Magic Outburst yet, have you?"

Isabel: "..."

"Heh!"

Andy spread his hands and chuckled. "I had a Magic Outburst when I was six. Instead of worrying about me, maybe someone should worry about herself."

The little girl became somewhat withdrawn. Even the pudding in her hand no longer seemed appetizing.

Hmph! You want to compete with me? As July began, Andy grew increasingly impatient. Even Kyle and Helen could no longer stand watching it.

"Don't worry, child. Hogwarts' acceptance letters usually arrive in late July," Kyle reassured him.

"Haven't you practiced casting spells on your own before? Since you're not a Squib, Hogwarts will definitely accept you," Helen also offered a few comforting words at the dinner table.

They had no choice but to say something. Andy had been absent-minded lately. If Kyle had not stopped him with all his might that morning, Andy's Howler would already have been sitting on Dumbledore's desk.

If you're so impressive, why not send Voldemort a Howler?

"I'm not worried about the acceptance letter. I just want to get my wand sooner." Andy propped his right cheek in his hand, too distracted to eat or drink.

Kyle rubbed his chin. "If you really want to start learning magic early, you can try using my wand."

"Really?" Andy sprang to his feet excitedly.

"Don't even think about it!"

Helen shot Kyle an annoyed look and said pointedly, "It's good to let him worry a little. This boy is usually too quiet. It's rare to see his emotions fluctuate."

Andy: "?"

"That works too," Kyle agreed.

On July fifteenth, an owl from Hogwarts finally flew into St. Catchpole Village and entered Andy's bedroom through the window.

The owl circled the room once before landing steadily on the desk. It lifted one leg to indicate that Andy could take the letter, but its eyes remained fixed on a small bag beside the desk—the cookies Andy had not finished the night before.

"Heh! Sharp eyes."

Andy understood the rules of dealing with owls. He first gave it a few cookies as payment, then took down the letter.

Seeing that it was indeed Hogwarts' letter of acceptance, Andy tied the reply he had written long ago to the owl's leg and signaled for it to hurry back once it had finished eating.

Thud, thud, thud! Andy raced downstairs and eagerly held up the letter to Helen. "Mom, the acceptance letter is here. We can go buy my wand now, right?"

Andy had already read the contents of the letter once, but only after truly receiving it did he realize just how excited he was.

This was magic! "I know. Um... Kyle went to work, and Isha would be alone at home with no one to look after her. How about we wait until the weekend?" Helen's expression was somewhat mischievous.

"We can take Isha with us..."

Before Andy could finish, Isabel crossed her arms and declared firmly, "I don't want to go to Diagon Alley!"

???

Weren't you usually the one most looking forward to going to Diagon Alley?

"We can drop Isha off at the Weasleys'..."

Halfway through the sentence, Andy suddenly realized it. This mother and daughter were ganging up to tease him.

"Enough messing around. Let's get ready and go!" Andy said irritably.

"Hehe, it's been a long time since I've seen you fuss like a child."

Helen shook her head with some regret, then took out her wand and tapped herself. Her casual home clothes instantly transformed into a set of blue Wizard Robes.

"I'm changed. Isha, hurry back and get changed too, or we won't take you with us."

Isabel looked at Andy, who had already changed into his clothes, and puffed out her cheeks. "You two are too sneaky!"

After arriving in Diagon Alley through the fireplace, Helen held Isabel's hand and turned to Andy. "Leave the other things to me. Go buy your wand and clothes yourself."

Helen had always been at ease when it came to Andy.

"Got it, Mom."

Andy had been to Diagon Alley many times and could not have been more familiar with the place.

He had been thrilled the first time he came, and still interested in looking around on the second and third visits. But after coming so often, he realized that aside from the magic being rather amazing, there was not much else worth seeing.

Diagon Alley was not even as large as a somewhat bigger pedestrian street in the Muggle World.

Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

Andy pushed open the door and walked in.

"Mr. Ollivander, I'm here to buy a wand."

The shop was tiny. Apart from the counter and a long bench, there was nothing else. Thousands of narrow boxes filled the space.

Ollivander poked his head out from behind one of the shelves. His pale eyes gleamed brightly. "Good morning, Mr. Collins. It seems you've finally reached the age to attend school."

"Yes, yes!" Andy looked smug.

Two years earlier, Andy had brought the pocket money he had painstakingly saved, intending to secretly buy a wand, only for this old geezer to reject him outright.

How hateful!

"Right hand, correct? Raise your arm." Ollivander clearly had an excellent memory.

Andy raised his right arm. A measuring tape flew up on its own and measured him from top to bottom, inside and out.

"Every Ollivander wand possesses exceptionally powerful magical qualities. That is the essence of them. We use different materials to make wands, and just as no two wizards in the world are exactly alike, every wand has its own personality."

At this point, Ollivander's tone suddenly became much more serious. "Remember, the wand chooses the wizard."

"..."

Andy neither agreed nor disagreed, but he did not wish to comment on someone else's field of expertise.

"Try this one. Pine, Phoenix Feather core, thirteen and a half inches."

Andy accepted the wand.

For an instant, Andy felt as though he and the wand had merged into one. He could even sense the wand in his hand conveying an emotion called "excitement."

Andy gave the wand a flick.

A brilliant radiance instantly blossomed from its tip, and the previously dim room seemed to grow much brighter.