Silver light intertwined for a moment.
Then slowly returned to the wand.
Only a faint silvery glow continued to shimmer before gradually fading away.
"I never thought it would truly wait for its owner. Merlin above, I'm clearly witnessing the beginning of a piece of history. You're destined to achieve great things that will go down in the history books." Ollivander's cloudy eyes fixed on Ian, and his stooped frame seemed to bend a little more than before.
As if he were bowing slightly.
"Is this the Elder Wand?"
Ian looked down at the wand, which seemed to be in tune with his thoughts. He wasn't sure whether this was a characteristic of the Elder Wand, but he felt that his magic was unusually lively and surging.
"Elder wood is the rarest wand wood, and it's harder to master than any other. Few people choose to make wands from it, because it only chooses owners with extraordinary destinies."
"Every owner of an Elder Wand has been destined to command the world's attention throughout history... So you're sure to become an incomparable great figure in the future."
Ollivander looked extremely pleased.
Perhaps
Ian's compatibility with the wand proved that his experiment all those years ago hadn't failed: this was a wand that could be used normally and was exceptionally compatible with its wizard.
"Thank you for your good wishes. I hope I'll accomplish something great when I grow up, too."
Ian was very pleased with his wand.
He couldn't bear to put it down.
"That's not a good wish, Mr. Prince. It's the destiny revealed by the wand. I wanted to prove myself back then, so I chose a unicorn tail hair for this wand's core."
"That combination goes against common sense and completely defies the rules of wandmaking." Ollivander was very old, yet he now looked at Ian with remarkable fervor.
He seemed to possess a certain... youthful vitality?
Ian, bewildered, really couldn't describe Ollivander's current state.
"Hm?"
Ian tilted his head.
But Ollivander only smiled more broadly.
"You may not understand yet, but this wand's qualities will guide you toward the future it foretells..." Perhaps Ollivander had mastered the art of speaking in riddles even better than Dumbledore.
"I can't reveal the elusive future to you, but you'll surely overturn and change many things." Ollivander's gaze returned to the wand in Ian's hand.
"Uh, the thing I most want to overturn right now is probably the high price of wands. Since it's been gathering dust for so long, could you give me a little discount, sir?"
Ian blinked and started haggling in a childishly innocent voice.
He'd thought that with Ollivander's praise and amazement, combined with his own well-practiced haggling skills, he'd surely get a bargain.
However.
"Seven Galleons. That's the rule."
A businessman was a businessman.
The moment they started discussing prices, Ollivander's earlier deferential attitude vanished.
"Couldn't you knock off just one Galleon?"
"If I really do become a great figure someday, I'll appoint you head of Hogwarts's Wand Protection Association, so you can charge every student at Hogwarts an annual wand usage tax."
With the most innocent expression, Ian painted the most shameless promise.
"..."
Even the worldly Ollivander was at a loss for words.
"Seven Galleons. That's the Ministry of Magic's regulation."
Ollivander rejected Ian's grand promise with considerable exasperation.
"The Ministry of Magic has a rule like that?"
Ian figured Ollivander was definitely trying to fool him.
Just like that so-called guidance of destiny.
He couldn't even spare one Galleon.
And you're telling me I'll become an incomparable great figure?
"Indeed. In fact, that's already a discounted price for young wizards. If you want to buy a second wand, even Dumbledore would have to pay me twenty Galleons."
Ollivander showed just what it meant to care about money and no one else.
"What if Dumbledore promised to let you charge an annual wand usage tax?" Ian asked curiously, looking up with an unusually creative question.
"Well..."
To his surprise,
Ollivander actually seemed tempted and began to consider it.
All right!
Got it!
So much for being taken seriously!
All that talk about being destined for greatness was complete bullshit!
Ian grumbled inwardly and reluctantly took out his money. Snape had given him seven Galleons in total, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't save even a single Knut.
"I hope you enjoy your studies."
After receiving the money, Ollivander's face lit up with a smile again. He bowed slightly as he watched Ian leave his little shop.
"Jingle~"
Just as Ian opened the door to leave,
a little girl and her guardian were about to push their way inside.
"Move, boy."
The old woman had an aged face and an air of nobility. A crooked hat sat atop her head, and a thin veil covered her face. Standing outside, she ordered Ian about in a condescending tone.
Not wanting any trouble,
Ian quickly stepped aside.
However,
he also let go of the door handle.
The old woman had to push the door open herself, then entered with the little girl beside her, whose hair was platinum blonde. She didn't so much as glance at Ian standing nearby.
The little girl, on the other hand, stared at Ian for a long while. He couldn't tell whether she was displeased by his little maneuver, since there was nothing on her face to reveal what she was thinking.
She's got the same dead-fish stare as Professor Snape. This mother and daughter would be a perfect match for the old bat. Ian glanced only briefly at the girl's delicate face.
A high, elegant nose.
Prominent cheekbones.
And thin, perfectly symmetrical lips.
Even among the many handsome men and beautiful women of Germanic descent, the girl was exceptionally striking. But that wasn't what caught Ian's attention.
He noticed her eyes, which were two different colors: one blue and the other white. Her heterochromia was even rarer than her delicate beauty.
"A pure-blood noble, perhaps..."
Ian didn't examine her for long.
After the two of them went inside,
he took only a couple of curious glances, then stepped forward and opened the door again as he left.
As the door swung shut by itself,
the voices inside could still be heard very clearly.
"Ms. Rosier, it's been a long time. I never expected you to come to London."
"And you've brought a young witch with you... Let me see. Good heavens... Merlin above, she's... yes, yes, I can't bring unnecessary trouble upon you."
"I never imagined... this family still had descendants, and one of them has inherited such extraordinary talent. I'm sure she's destined for a brilliant future."
Both his tone and voice were familiar.
Good grief!
He praises everyone he meets!
No matter who shows up, they're all destined for greatness?
Seria of the wizarding world had now been conclusively exposed!
_(End of Chapter)_