Wand (Part 1)

"Gaunt? That Gaunt?"

Ollivander looked at Luke and could not help asking.

At Ollivander's words, Hagrid froze for a moment as well, then looked at Luke in astonishment. Though he was a rough sort, he still knew this basic piece of Wizarding World knowledge. Wizards in Britain, and even Wizards around the world, knew that surname.

They were one of Britain's Sacred Twenty-Eight, but they were also among the oldest Pure-blood Nobility in the entire world.

The Potter Family was also a Pure-blood Family, but Harry knew absolutely nothing about such matters. Still, from Hagrid's expression and Mr. Ollivander's tone, Harry could sense that the person before him had no ordinary background.

To Harry, their reaction felt like meeting a new friend while walking down the street, only to discover that friend's surname was Windsor.

"Yes, Mr. Ollivander. Luke Gaunt greets you."

Luke made a gesture toward Ollivander that looked quite complicated. Yet the entire movement was elegant and fluid. Ollivander, too, reined in the shock on his face and solemnly returned the same gesture.

In that instant, the kindly, aged air around him seemed to vanish completely, faintly revealing an aura of nobility.

"Greetings to you, Mr. Gaunt."

Harry and Hagrid were both utterly bewildered. Professor McGonagall's expression, however, turned serious. This was the oldest Wizard greeting ceremony. In those ancient times, only nobles could use this form of etiquette. Nowadays, even those old families would not casually use such a greeting. It had all but vanished into the river of history, like tears shed for a bygone era.

Yet judging from the actions of these two today, this etiquette could merely be forgotten. Those who could truly use it still had it engraved in their bones, ready to bring it out at any time.

She also looked at Ollivander across from her. This old man appeared kind and genial, always smiling, and many people overlooked the fact that Ollivander was also one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.

However, after they exchanged greetings, the noble air around Ollivander vanished without a trace. Smiling warmly and kindly at Luke, he said, "You're far better than those fallen wretches. I knew the descendants of the Gaunt Family couldn't possibly have degenerated into that state."

At this point, he seemed to recall something and abruptly stopped speaking. Then he said to Luke, "I can sense the aura of a wand on you. Ancient, noble, powerful. More importantly, it suits you very well."

"It is too ancient, too noble, too powerful. So I cannot rely on it yet."

Luke gave a helpless, bitter smile. After all, a family that had made wands for over a thousand years could hardly be more sensitive to a wand's aura.

Hearing Luke's explanation, Ollivander nodded and did not ask further.

He turned and walked to the shelves where he kept all kinds of wands. Decisively pulling out a box, he returned to Luke's side, opened it, and took out a finely decorated wand, one even carved with exquisite magical runes.

Honestly, when they saw that wand, the other two people present could not help glancing at the wands in their own hands. Hagrid, meanwhile, could not help looking at his umbrella.

Well, it was sturdy and handy. But compared to that wand, it looked somewhat plain—or rather, crude.

"Give it a try, Mr. Gaunt. Elm, Fire Dragon Heartstring, twelve inches. Noble and powerful."

After the brief introduction, Mr. Ollivander handed the wand to Luke. Luke accepted it and gave it a light wave. A burst of flame shot from the tip, and Professor McGonagall instinctively moved to extinguish it. Yet, unexpectedly, the fire did not lose control.

Luke gently moved the wand, and the flame followed its tip. It looked utterly obedient.

Harry could not help feeling a little envious. The damage he had caused while trying wands earlier had not even been repaired yet, while Luke seemed to have found a suitable wand with his very first one.

But at this moment, both Luke and Ollivander were frowning deeply.

Luke extinguished the flame, then handed the wand back to Ollivander.

"Sorry. It... isn't quite suitable."

Compared to how well it matched Slytherin's Wand, this wand felt far inferior.

Ollivander accepted the wand without surprise and nodded. "Though it appears obedient, the sense that it is deliberately trying to please you is far too obvious."

He decisively stuffed the wand back into its box, picked it up, and returned to the shelves to search again.

The description "deliberately trying to please" left Harry and the other two confused. If Harry had not seen wrong, when that wand was returned to Mr. Ollivander just now, it had seemed very reluctant...

Harry suddenly felt a little sour. The pride in his heart, born from the attention and respect everyone had shown him earlier, took a blow as well. He had thought he was someone special. But now it seemed he was not special enough.

While Harry was lost in wild thoughts, Ollivander took out another wand.

"Try this one. Pine, Unicorn Tail Hair, ten and a half inches. Mysterious and noble."

This one did not look as exquisite as the previous wand, but it still gave off a unique feeling. That feeling made Professor McGonagall and the others increasingly feel that their own wands did not seem to be among the very finest...

Harry, however, breathed a sigh of relief. This one looked about the same as his own.

Luke accepted the wand and lightly waved it once more. This time, a stream of clear spring water surged from its tip, gentle and crisp, bringing a feeling of delight and cheer.

Luke felt that sense of compatibility, but for some reason, it still seemed to be lacking something.

Ollivander felt the same. Frowning deeply, he held out his hand toward Luke.

"Ninety percent compatibility is already very high, but it still feels slightly out of place. It feels as though it is missing something..."

As Luke returned the wand to Ollivander, he heard the man muttering to himself. Luke's thoughts stirred as well. If they were to put it that way, perhaps it was not that the wand lacked something, but that he had something extra... such as the system, or the aspirations and ambitions brought by its tasks.

Ollivander returned to the wand shelves once again, one hand supporting his elbow while the other gently stroked his white beard, seemingly deep in thought.

Just then, Luke seemed to sense a peculiar pull. He could not help looking toward the very top of the wand shelves. There was a box there that looked quite new, sitting at the highest point of the shelf.

"Mr. Ollivander, could you bring that one over for me to see?"

Luke pointed to where the box was and spoke to Ollivander.