The Threads of Fate

"One-Winged Bird, the materials you brought me last time were extraordinary!" Mr. Ollivander said, brushing his fingertips over the two wands with the utmost gentleness, as if afraid of disturbing the souls sleeping within them.

"The feathers of this legendary creature are extraordinary. The edges of the male bird's wing feathers are sharp enough to cut through metal, while the female bird's down can soothe even the wildest magical surges.

They spend their lives side by side, one wing and one eye each. Only together can they take flight."

His gaze grew distant as he began to tell the story of the wands—or rather, the destiny of the materials they were made from.

"This one,"

he said, pointing to the dark brown wand on the left.

"I made from the male bird's hardest primary flight feather, which broke in a storm as he protected his mate. I combined it with Dragon Heartstring to create this wand, which represents 'protection' and 'strength.'"

"And this one,"

he said, pointing to the wand on the right.

"Was made from the softest neck feather, which fell as the female bird groomed the male beneath the calmest moonlit sky. Its core is Phoenix Feather, symbolizing 'comfort' and 'connection.'"

Ollivander's voice carried a craftsman's pride.

"They resonate with each other. If held by witches or wizards whose hearts are in tune, their combined spellwork will be far more than a simple sum of their power.

"Their magic will merge and transcend, creating miracles unique to them."

Hermione listened, captivated by the romantic and powerful idea.

"Then what if—I mean, just hypothetically," she asked, unable to contain her curiosity. "What if the people who hold these wands used them to attack each other?"

Mr. Ollivander's moonlike eyes immediately fixed on Hermione, and the atmosphere turned grave.

"Attack each other?" he repeated, slowly shaking his head. His tone carried an unmistakable warning.

"My child, that would be the ultimate betrayal of a bond that lasts until death. The power of the One-Winged Bird comes from 'symbiosis,' not 'opposition.' If you force them to turn against each other..."

He paused. A chill seemed to pass through the air.

"The feathers that hold their cores will begin to disintegrate from within. The male bird's fierce power will turn against its wielder, and the female bird's gentle magic will become a sorrow that eats away at the soul.

"They will not harm each other, but will destroy themselves.

"Their magical circuits will burn away completely, leaving behind two heaps of lifeless charred wood and ash. This taboo is carved into their very nature. It must never be violated!"

He looked meaningfully at Caesar, then at Hermione.

"To choose them means choosing absolute trust and a bond between you. They are both peerless blades and the most fragile of vows. Now..."

He turned to Hermione, his voice returning to its usual tone. "Let's see which of these two long-awaited companions is more destined to be yours."

Hermione's heart pounded. She looked at the two wands, which seemed to hold life within them, then glanced up at Caesar beside her.

The shopkeeper's words echoed in Hermione's mind like an ancient Prophecy.

They mustn't attack each other, or the wands would destroy themselves.

This wasn't merely a description of the wands' properties. It seemed more like a metaphor for the relationship between their wielders: only witches or wizards who shared a close bond could earn their recognition.

"Go on and try. The wands will choose for themselves who can become their owners."

Caesar's gaze had also settled on the wands. His profile looked especially striking in the dim light, and it was clear he hadn't known about this before.

Would these two wands really have such a condition? Hermione might be able to pick up one of them, but could Caesar pick up the other?

The finest wands chose their own owners. That was an unchanging truth, older than time itself!

As Caesar pondered, Hermione reached out and walked toward the female bird wand, the one that represented "comfort" and "connection," with a hint of reverence and unwavering resolve.

The instant her fingertips touched the smooth, warm wood—

Everything changed!

The Jade Necklace hidden beneath her clothes suddenly grew warm without warning.

The Symbiotic Feather of the One-Winged Bird embedded in it seemed to come alive, giving off an extremely faint but unmistakable rainbow glow.

At almost the same moment, the wand in her hand trembled softly, and gentle golden motes flowed from its tip like ripples on water.

Caesar stood beside her.

Beneath his robes, the similar but more ancient-looking necklace he had never shown anyone, made from the male bird's materials, also gave off a faint warmth and resonance.

He frowned slightly and instinctively pressed a hand to his chest. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, quickly giving way to a deep understanding.

The two wands and the two necklaces seemed to transcend time and matter.

In that instant, they were bound together by an invisible thread, resonating with an ancient rhythm only they could understand.

A warm, harmonious, yet immensely powerful field of magic spread through the air. Even the thousands of wand boxes around them seemed to hum faintly.

Mr. Ollivander's moonlike eyes widened. He murmured:

"Remarkable, absolutely remarkable! I sensed they would answer each other, but I never imagined their resonance would be so profound! This is more than a wand choosing a wizard. It's the weaving together of the threads of fate!"

Hermione was completely immersed in the wondrous sensation. It felt as if she held not merely a wand, but an extension of a living pulse.

She looked up at Caesar in delight, eager to share the shock of it with him.

But Caesar had already quickly concealed his emotions.

He didn't respond to the excitement and questions shining in Hermione's eyes. Instead, he calmly stepped forward.

Without drawing attention to it, he blocked Mr. Ollivander's potentially probing gaze, then took a heavy purse from his inner robe pocket and placed it on the counter.

His voice was as steady as ever, without the slightest hint of emotion. "Mr. Ollivander, this is payment for the two wands. Thank you for your fine work."

The old wandmaker paused, then nodded in understanding. He accepted the evidently substantial number of Galleons and said nothing more, turning to record the details of the wands.

While he was occupied, Caesar leaned slightly toward Hermione's ear.

His voice was very low, carrying an undeniable gravity. His breath brushed her earlobe. "Little Hermione."

Caesar didn't use Hermione's full name, but his tone was more serious than ever.

"Everything that just happened—the necklaces, the resonance..." He paused, meeting her gaze. "Don't tell anyone. Remember: anyone."

"Why? We haven't done anything wrong, and we're family... All right."

Hermione's heart gave a sudden leap as she met his eyes, which seemed able to see through everything.

She saw the warning in them, along with a complicated feeling she couldn't quite name.

She immediately understood what he meant.

The strange connection between them, woven from the materials of the One-Winged Bird, went beyond the ordinary relationship between teacher and student.

Under Hogwarts's rules, it was a secret they couldn't speak of.