Gerald stood at the entrance, taking in everything before him.
Robe shops, wand shops, bookstores, shops selling cauldrons and broomsticks...
All the things he had read about countless times in Harry Potter had come to life before his eyes.
It was a strange, wonderful feeling, as though memories of his previous life had overlapped with the reality of this one, leaving time and space out of joint.
"Mr. Green?" Professor McGonagall called from ahead. "Don't stand there daydreaming. We still have plenty to buy."
She led Gerald to a white building.
"This is Gringotts, the wizarding bank. The school has opened an account for you, and all your expenses will be paid from it."
After pointing out the white building, McGonagall held out a key and a cloth pouch to Gerald.
"Before coming to see you, I withdrew the money you'll need for your books, robes, and wand. Keep this key safe. When you need more money, you'll have to withdraw it yourself."
Gerald took the key and turned it over.
A small number was engraved on its handle: 687.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. Having you guide me makes all this much less daunting."
Professor McGonagall smiled faintly.
What a polite child.
"There are a hundred and twenty Galleons in this pouch. That should cover your school supplies, with the rest serving as your living allowance for the first term."
Gerald hefted the pouch. It was heavy.
Judging by the descriptions in the original novels, a hundred and twenty Galleons was no small sum.
"Oh, and Galleons are wizarding currency. One Galleon equals seventeen Silver Sickles, and one Silver Sickle equals twenty-nine Knuts."
Professor McGonagall explained as she led Gerald away from Gringotts.
"We'll buy your textbooks at Flourish and Blotts first, then get your wand."
Gerald followed McGonagall through the crowd.
As they passed a shop window, he stopped.
It was a pet shop.
All sorts of magical creatures were displayed in the window: snowy-white owls, brightly colored lizards, toads that changed color...
Could that be Hedwig?
"Would you like an owl?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Gerald shook his head.
"No, I was just curious."
Professor McGonagall said nothing more and continued on.
The shelves in Flourish and Blotts were packed with books. Some wriggled about on the shelves as though dancing.
There was also a strange book with several eyes on its cover. As Gerald approached, those eyes suddenly opened.
"Don't touch that one. That's The Monster Book of Monsters. You won't need it in your first year."
Professor McGonagall's voice came from behind the shelves. Gerald quickly withdrew his hand and began finding the books on his list, one by one.
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade One), History of Magic, Magical Theory, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them...
Flourish and Blotts stocked all of them, but they weren't cheap.
Fortunately, Hogwarts was covering the cost. Otherwise, these textbooks alone would have swallowed several months of Grandpa Henry's earnings.
As they left the bookstore, Professor McGonagall glanced at the sky, then at the remaining items on her list.
"Your wand is next. Ollivander is the best choice."
At last. It's time for this.
The wand chose the wizard, not the other way around.
He had read that line many times in the original novels in his previous life. Now it was actually his turn.
Before long, Professor McGonagall brought Gerald to the wand shop he had imagined countless times.
Ollivander's stood on a corner on the south side of Diagon Alley. It was a tiny shop, with a gold sign that read:
Ollivander: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.
Gerald pushed open the door, setting off a clear tinkling sound.
The shop was narrow. Apart from a long bench, every available space was filled with rows of wand boxes stacked right up to the ceiling.
"Good afternoon."
An old man emerged from the back of the shop. His eyes were strikingly pale, like two silver moons.
"Oh, Professor Minerva McGonagall. It's been eight years since I last saw you. Are you still using that wand? Vine wood, dragon heartstring, nine and three-quarter inches."
"I am, Mr. Ollivander." Professor McGonagall nodded politely, then stepped aside to reveal Gerald behind her. "But today's visit is for him, Gerard Green."
Ollivander turned his gaze to Gerald and smiled faintly.
"Hello, Mr. Green. This is undoubtedly your first visit to my shop, but I guarantee you won't leave empty-handed today."
Gerald was about to nod in response when Professor McGonagall spoke again.
"Mr. Green, choosing your wand will probably take some time. To save time, I'll buy the remaining school supplies on your list for you. See you shortly."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you for everything you've done for me."
Professor McGonagall paused briefly, then opened the door and left.
After McGonagall left, Ollivander approached Gerald and studied him with his head tilted.
"Now then, Mr. Green, which hand do you use for your wand?"
Gerald raised his right hand.
"Let me see..."
Ollivander pulled a silver measuring tape from his pocket, and it began taking Gerald's measurements on its own.
"Right arm length... forearm length... head circumference..."
Ollivander went to the shelves and took down a dust-covered box.
"Try this one. Ebony, unicorn hair, nine inches."
Gerald took the wand and gave it a wave.
The wand boxes on the shelves began trembling with a humming sound.
"No, no." Ollivander snatched the wand back, then turned to fetch another.
"Beech, dragon heartstring, eight and three-quarter inches."
Gerald waved it again. This time, the wand boxes stayed still, but two light bulbs in the shop burst.
Looks like I really do have magical talent of my own.
"No, still not right."
After a moment's thought, Ollivander hurried deeper into the shelves. He rummaged around for quite a while before bringing out a very old-looking box.
He opened it to reveal a dark brown wand, its surface covered in fine markings.
"Hornbeam. The core is... wait, this core is very
unusual."
Ollivander's expression shifted subtly. He glanced at Gerald and held out the wand.
"Try this one, Mr. Green."
The moment Gerald took the wand, warmth spread through his fingertips, as though he were holding something familiar.
A power entirely different from spiritual energy surged out of his body.
He gave it a gentle wave.
A pale golden light shot from the tip, traced an arc through the air, then scattered into tiny motes that slowly drifted down.
Holding the wand, Gerald could sense a faint current of energy flowing through its core.
As soon as the Divine Firmament Five-Elements Heavenly Thunder Art sensed that energy, it began circulating on its own.
This wand seems to contain powerful primordial qi. It can actually set this cultivation art in motion!
Gerald was secretly astonished. He was only at the chain-form essence transformation stage, where he could absorb spiritual energy from nature to temper his body.
He couldn't store spiritual energy yet, much less transform it into innate primordial qi.
Yet this wand actually contained primordial qi.
Perhaps magic and cultivation techniques have something in common.
A possibility suddenly occurred to Gerald.
Did wizards need wands to amplify and control their magic because they lacked magical power early on, or because they couldn't control it well enough?
After all, some powerful wizards could perform wandless magic.
Ollivander, however, had no idea what Gerald was thinking.
He stood motionless, his silver eyes filled with disbelief.
"Extraordinary. Truly extraordinary."
He murmured to himself.
"Hornbeam, nine and a quarter inches. The core is... kirin horn, from the ancient East."
Ollivander looked at Gerald, his gaze deepening.
"This wand has been in my shop for so long that I'd almost forgotten it existed. Do you know what a kirin is? It's a remarkable magical creature, and a very rare one."
A kirin? That really does feel familiar.
Gerald's grip on the wand tightened slightly.
Of course he knew what a kirin was.
A benevolent beast, an auspicious beast, whose steps harmed neither ants nor plants.
Its horn possessed spiritual awareness and could distinguish loyalty from treachery, good from evil.
Those ancient legends, scattered through the depths of his memories from his previous life, were suddenly stirred to the surface by this dark brown wand.
"I'll put it to good use."
Just as Gerald finished speaking, a line of small text suddenly appeared before his eyes, making him pause.
[Obtained high-grade magical artifact: Kirin Horn Wand. Current status (unbound).]
Before you continue