More Terrifying Than Dumbledore

Josh had never cared much about wands. Unlike other people, whose magic required chanting spells, his was basically instant-cast. Still, he seemed to have heard that a well-suited wand could enhance a mage's combat power. He did not know exactly how much of an increase it would provide, but if the effect was decent and a Magic Crystal from a magical beast could be added to restore magic power, then it would be quite good.

However, Josh's words puzzled Crouch. He could not understand why someone who looked about his age would want to visit a wand shop. Normally, a wizard would buy a wand suited to them as soon as their Magic Seed awakened.

But Crouch did not dwell on it. He simply assumed Josh was curious and out for fun. Besides, Josh was paying him, so he cared even less. Although Crouch had grown up in a wizarding family, his family was not aristocratic. His parents had decent jobs at the Ministry of Magic, but they had never given Crouch a single extra penny.

So, faced with someone like Josh who was willing to spend money, Crouch was naturally delighted and did his best to handle everything he could.

Before long, the three arrived at the wand shop. Josh looked it over and felt that the storefront was shabby and tiny. A single wand lay alone on a faded purple cushion in the display window. The gold trim on the wooden sign above the door had begun to peel away, but the words remained clear—Ollivander, maker of fine wands since 382 AD.

"382 AD? That's quite a claim. It's been nearly fifteen hundred years, hasn't it?" Garen shook his head at the sign. He thought it was rather boastful. In his memories, few legacies had lasted over a thousand years. Any that had survived that long through the accumulation of time alone would have become a major power, at the very least a hereditary great noble house—not some dilapidated little shop.

Crouch had just been about to refute Garen when Josh spoke first. "Why do you care whether he's boasting or telling the truth? If someone truly devoted himself to quietly making wands, who can say for sure? To be honest, I think he may be boasting too, but that has nothing to do with us. We'll know if we go in and try to find a wand that suits me."

Garen looked silently at Josh. At that moment, he realized Josh was really devious. A wand that suited him? From what he had seen so far, the power level of this world seemed truly low. If Josh had not planned to cultivate Battle Qi properly here, Garen would have wanted to talk him into leaving with him.

Given the situation, Garen felt that Josh's chances of finding a suitable wand in this world were probably slim to none. Josh was not here to find a wand—he was here to cause trouble! But Garen would not say that aloud. Something this entertaining was better watched from the sidelines.

"I believe you will certainly find a wand that suits you, and Mr. Ollivander will prove that he is not boasting."

Hearing Josh's words, Crouch thought he was reprimanding Garen. Though Josh had not put it very nicely, at least he was willing to give it a try. Out of absolute trust in Ollivander, Crouch gave Garen a victorious glance, leaving him speechless as he inwardly sighed, Young man, I'm afraid you've misunderstood.

Upon entering the shop, Josh discovered an enormous number of wands inside. Nearly every wooden shelf was stacked with countless boxes, all of which he knew should contain wands. He could also clearly sense faint ripples of magic power emanating from every wooden box, along with the visible marks of age.

"This really is something." The magical fluctuations from the wands inside the boxes were weak, but they were still crystal clear to Josh's senses. Still, as before, the energy felt exceedingly faint. Better than nothing, though.

"Oh, isn't this Mr. Edward?" Perhaps having heard the door open, Ollivander emerged from behind the shelves, moving down a ladder. He recognized Crouch at once. "If I remember correctly, your wand is blue sycamore, ten and a quarter inches, a modest and steady wand. By the way, are these two your friends?"

"You have an excellent memory, Mr. Ollivander. These two are my employers. They came from abroad and wish to visit Hogwarts, but before that, they also wanted to look around Diagon Alley, so I brought them here."

Crouch was very respectful toward Ollivander. His parents' wands had both been bought here, and perhaps not only his own, but also his classmates' and even their parents' wands had mostly been purchased here. Thus, he considered Ollivander an extraordinary and worthy person.

"Is that so?" Ollivander gave Josh a surprised look. It would have been better if he had not looked, for the moment he did, he felt utter disbelief. He rubbed his eyes, jumped down from the ladder, and rushed over to inspect Josh more closely. Only when Josh began to grow impatient did he cry out, "Good heavens, how is this possible? Why do I feel as though Dumbledore himself is standing before me? Good heavens, how is this possible?"

"Dumbledore? Headmaster Dumbledore? How could that be? Mr. Ollivander, you must be mistaken, right? Don't joke around. Professor Dumbledore could not have been as handsome as Mr. Josh when he was young." Crouch thought Ollivander was joking, but when he saw that Ollivander ignored him completely and continued staring at Josh, he realized something seemed wrong.

"I'm not talking about Professor Dumbledore in his youth. I mean Professor Dumbledore as he is now. Damn it, you look even more terrifying than he does!" Ollivander said gravely. He had never imagined that a monster like this could exist in the world, and he could not help wondering what this man had come to the United Kingdom for.

"Enough guessing. It means nothing to us, especially you, Mr. Ollivander. You are a wand merchant. You were one before, and you are one now, correct? I'm only here to see whether there is a wand that suits me. I trust you won't throw me out?"

"Of course not, sir. You are right. I am indeed only a wand merchant. I'll prepare something for you right away."

Ollivander thought he understood what Josh meant. It sounded as though Josh were telling him: Be a good wand merchant, and no one will come looking for trouble. Your ancestors lived that way, and you can continue living that way in the future. In truth, Josh's meaning was simple: Instead of thinking about such useless things, why not sell me a better wand like you always do?

Language could be profoundly misleading. Josh had no idea that a single sentence had made Ollivander even more troubled. Even if he had known, he would not have cared. Though Ollivander was quite capable and possessed the magic power of a first-rank, second-level mage, Josh had no idea what level of strength he could actually display. Besides, Josh himself had already reached the fourth stage, so there was no need for concern.

I look more terrifying than Dumbledore? Does that mean Dumbledore's strength is only so-so?

Josh propped up his chin as he thought to himself, completely missing Crouch's incredulous expression. Shaking his head, Josh stopped thinking about it and turned directly to Crouch. Only then did he notice the ghost-struck look on the face of this guy about his own age. He said with some amusement, "Mr. Edward, if you have nothing else to do, could you take us to Hogwarts? I'll pay you handsomely."

"Wh-what?" Crouch failed to react at first, but soon understood what Josh meant. "Why would someone like you still need to go to Hogwarts?"

Crouch gave an awkward laugh, feeling that his earlier behavior had been truly foolish. He had actually planned to attend Hogwarts with someone comparable to Professor Dumbledore? Though he still found it hard to believe that someone his own age could rival Dumbledore, he did not think Ollivander would joke about something like that.

At the same time, he worried about what Josh intended to do at Hogwarts. Was he going to challenge Professor Dumbledore's position, just like in the novels?

"Well, of course I'm going to learn things I haven't figured out yet, and find a quiet place to settle down." Josh stroked his chin as he spoke. "Oh, and if necessary, I could become a teacher at Hogwarts. After all, I didn't take much money when I left."

"B-become a teacher? For money?" Crouch could no longer keep up with Josh's train of thought. His mind had been full of worries about whether Josh was going to trouble Professor Dumbledore, only for the conversation to suddenly turn into Josh wanting a job at Hogwarts—and for money at that? The shift was so abrupt that Crouch could barely process it.

"Of course. What else would it be for?" Josh gave him a strange look, then suddenly understood. It seemed that young nobles with strength like his were always fond of challenging those old men who held high positions. Apparently, both Crouch and Ollivander had thought the same thing.

But Josh could not be bothered to explain, because he might really have to exchange blows with Dumbledore. If Dumbledore's strength truly turned out to be close to his own, then Josh certainly would not pass up the opportunity to train properly. As for Voldemort?

That guy might become stronger than Josh in the later stages—or maybe not. But Josh had no interest in dragging things out until then. He had plenty of ways to deal with that fellow early on.

"Dividing one's soul can never be fully repaired. Even if I don't remember how many so-called Horcruxes that guy has, I know one professor was possessed, and Harry Potter counts as one. I can search for the rest slowly later. As long as I'm careful, how can a dead man possibly compete with me?"

While Josh's thoughts leaped from one thing to another, Ollivander came out carrying a tray of small scrolls. His expression was difficult to describe, complicated, but he still asked seriously, "Sir, which is your dominant hand?"

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