Ollivander's Veela Granddaughter?

The goblin's utterly different attitude made the corners of Sean's mouth lift slightly. He glanced at the goblin, who was busy weighing things, and asked curiously, "For wizards with ill intentions, aren't things like gold just as easy to obtain as pounds?"

"In fact, very few wizards dare to do that, very few indeed, let alone enter Diagon Alley. Besides, pounds aren't worth much, but gold is different. Heh heh..." The goblin rubbed his hands together and spoke ingratiatingly.

So long as they had the nerve and the means to slip in, you'd accept stolen goods too, wouldn't you? Sean thought to himself.

Half an hour later, Sean walked out of Gringotts carrying a large pile of gold Galleons, Silver Sickles, and Copper Knuts, with the goblin following behind him.

The goblin enthusiastically saw the two of them out. "We look forward to your next visit."

Sean patted his bag. Inside was the Transfiguring Lizard Skin Wallet gifted by Gringotts, enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Wallets and money pouches made from this material would automatically shrink when strangers approached, just like a transfiguring lizard. The wallet alone sold for five Galleons outside.

Of course, Gringotts was no charity. Aside from the money Sean carried, Allen had opened an account for him at Gringotts, and even more Galleons now lay in his underground vault.

After they had walked a few steps away, Allen complained, "That exchange rate is downright extortionate, and you can't even exchange it back."

Sean replied with a smile, "Then I should thank the esteemed Mr. Wallop even more for his generosity."

Allen smiled faintly and accepted his son's little bit of flattery with some pride.

Though the price had not been small, Allen was pleased with his foresight. He would not allow his son to have to scrimp and hesitate whenever he bought something.

"All right, kid. What are we buying first?"

"A wand." Sean answered at once.

Father and son followed the simple map on the parchment to a dilapidated storefront. The gold lettering on the sign above the door had peeled away, but it still read: Ollivander: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. In the dusty display window, a single wand lay on a faded purple cushion.

When he pushed open the door, Sean did not see the eccentric old man he had expected. Instead, a girl sat on the only bench in the shop.

The girl's long, waterfall-like silver hair draped smoothly to the waist of her Wizarding Robes. Petite in build, she was holding a massive, heavy old book. A pair of delicate little Gold-rimmed Glasses rested on her face as she read with complete focus.

She was an exquisitely beautiful girl, and she looked about Sean's age.

Sean's gaze only touched upon her briefly before he stepped forward lightly and asked in a polite whisper, "Hello, is the proprietor here?"

Without any haste, the girl finished the last page. She tucked a long silver-white mane hair between the pages, then gently closed the old book.

The instant she raised her head, Sean felt his breathing stop for a moment. The girl's pale blue eyes seemed to possess a magical power that made him want to sink into them.

Fortunately, the feeling lasted only a moment. Sean quietly looked away so as not to appear rude.

Though she was incredibly beautiful, this feeling wasn't quite right... Sean thought to himself.

"Grandfather, we have a customer." The girl withdrew her gaze and called toward the back in a cool voice.

Then she took out her wand and gave it a gentle flick. Allen, standing behind Sean, was pushed out of the shop by an invisible force.

"Ordinary people may be injured while testing wand compatibility." She elegantly lowered her wand and explained softly.

"I see." Sean turned to look at his father. Allen stood outside the door completely unharmed, examining himself with a puzzled expression.

Light footsteps sounded, and Sean finally saw the Ollivander he had expected: an old man with extremely pale eyes but an exceptionally bright gaze.

"Good afternoon." His voice was as ethereal as clouds on the horizon.

"Hello, sir. My name is Sean Wallop."

"Oh, yes, yes, Mr. Wallop. I knew I would be seeing you very soon..."

"Grandfather." The girl, who seemed to have Veela blood, called out in a cool yet helpless tone.

"Oh, I see... Mr. Wallop, let us get to the point." Ollivander smiled awkwardly and stopped his habitual opening.

A self-propelled tape measure began taking measurements of every part of Sean's body. By the time Ollivander turned and moved through the shelves, it had begun measuring the distance between Sean's nostrils.

"Which is your dominant hand, Mr. Wallop?"

"My right hand."

The tape measure curled into a ball and fell to the floor. Ollivander opened a box and handed him a wand. "Cedar Wood, Unicorn Tail Hair, eleven inches, quite flexible. Give it a wave."

Sean had barely waved the wand when Ollivander almost roughly snatched it away.

"This one. Cherry Wood, Phoenix Feather, twelve and a half inches. A loyal and powerful combination."

Again, nothing happened.

"Try this one. Dogwood, Dragon Heartstring, nine inches. A mischievous but very interesting combination, though it is always unwilling to keep its mouth shut."

"How about this one?"

"Very well, this one?"

"A picky customer, aren't you? Here, try this one."

Sean tried several dozen wands in all, yet Ollivander was still unsatisfied. The old man stared at the shelves in some distress, considering which wand to try next.

Seeing Sean standing straight with not a trace of impatience on his face, the girl who had been watching pointed to a box and said to Ollivander, "Grandfather, try that one."

Ollivander looked tempted and took down the brand-new long box.

"Here, give it a try."

Sean accepted it. It was a pure black wand, smooth and straight, with an understated elegance to it.

The moment it touched his hand, a strange warm current surged from Sean's body. He unconsciously waved the wand, and the current at his fingertips instantly became scorching hot.

Several sharp red flashes streaked past, sparks burst from the wand tip, and the crowded shelves came crashing down in a heap.

"Uh... is everyone all right?" Sean, still holding the wand, met the gaze of the girl standing beneath a transparent barrier.

"It is fine, it is fine." Ollivander struggled to his feet from the smoke and dust, an unusual light in his eyes.

He looked at the girl, then turned to Sean. "Elm, thirteen inches, with a Dragon Heartstring core. This is my newest creation."

As he spoke, Ollivander showed a wistful expression. "Elm Wands tend to favor masters with presence, superb magic, and innate nobility. In my experience, elm is one of the least accident-prone of all wand woods. Wands made from this wood are the least likely to make foolish mistakes and can cast the most elegant spells, but..." Ollivander's expression showed lingering fear.

"The owner of this wand core isn't someone easy to deal with."