The Change of the Wand

Chapter 6 The Change of the Wand

A week is neither a long nor a short time; if you calculate it precisely, it's only 168 hours. Time flies by in the blink of an eye.

August 30th was the last day of holiday before Hogwarts started, and it was also the day Ian came into this world and received his first paycheck.

Walking on the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, my mind was filled with all the things I had seen and heard over the past few days. I had met most of the named characters from the original story.

Especially the iconic scene of Malfoy and Harry's first meeting, with the tall Hagrid, the lovely Miss Beaver, and the pure young girl Cho with an Asian face.

Of course, they didn't see Ron, nor did they see the twins. After all, given the Weasley family's circumstances, it wasn't very realistic for them to come here to buy new robes.

"Madam, this is too much. I haven't really done anything. Besides, I'm already very satisfied with the job and the 15 Galleons salary you gave me in the first place."

Looking at the 50 Galleons that Madam Malkin had piled up on the table, Ian said somewhat embarrassedly.

It's not that he doesn't love money or has any moral fastidiousness; he witnessed the booming sales figures of the week firsthand and knew perfectly well that he could take the 50 Galleons without feeling guilty.

As for why I chose to temporarily refuse, it actually involves a very basic workplace rule, or psychological game.

Ian understood perfectly well that clothing sales would obviously enter a slow season after the start of the school year. To put it bluntly, he was afraid of being politely refused a job. Although it was unlikely to happen, he would try his best to avoid it if there was any chance.

If he wins the gamble, he'll only earn a few dozen gallons more; if he loses, he might be back to having nothing. Before that, he had a deep understanding of how difficult it was to find a job in Diagon Alley.

Ian was well aware that even the slightest changes in this world could directly impact survival in the apocalypse.

For a long-term, stable source of income, he couldn't afford to gamble and dared not gamble, so he could only reluctantly decline. The principle of "to take, one must first give" applies everywhere.

With this refusal to accept any more Galon matters as a foundation, and based on Ian's understanding of Madam Malkin's character over this period, he estimated that his job would be very safe for at least three months.

As for what will happen in three months, there's even less to worry about. First of all, he is confident that he will gain a certain level of self-protection ability.

Secondly, three months of getting along, not to mention the accumulation of feelings, is enough to ensure that you won't be easily fired. Either way, you win, which is the choice of an adult.

"Actually, you can totally accept it. Okay, okay, Ian, since you insist, I respect your choice. But I don't think you'll refuse a holiday. You know that Hogwarts will be pretty quiet after school starts, so go and have some fun with your Galleons for a few days. I'll give you three days of paid leave."

Mrs. Malkin said with a touch of playfulness.

Looking at her expression, which was like she was teasing a child, Ian rolled his eyes inwardly, speechless.

"Of course I wouldn't refuse such a rare moment of relaxation. Thank you, madam. See you the day after tomorrow?"

"Go, child, and enjoy your time," Mrs. Malkin said, waving her hand.

She went to the cubicle to change out of the luxurious dress and prepared to put back on the second-hand plain robe that Old Tom had given her. Actually, according to Mrs. Malkin, this dress was already a gift to him, not something that could only be worn for work.

However, Ian changed back, not choosing that glamorous and high-profile dress, because he was afraid that people would get tired of the look and it would affect the store's sales.

Faced with such a simple answer, Mrs. Malkin readily agreed, but immediately gave him a new, plain turquoise robe to replace the previous secondhand one.

Leaving the robe shop with 15 Galleons in his pocket and carrying the packed secondhand robe, Ian strolled alone through the streets of Diagon Alley.

Shopping with money in your pocket feels completely different from shopping without money. Being able to buy something but not doing so, or wanting to buy something but not being able to afford it—the result is the same, but the feelings are drastically different.

"Alright, I can finally begin my magical journey. First, I need to figure out what's going on with this wand that brought me here. I have to go to Ollivander's Wand Shop."

After gathering his thoughts, Ian headed straight for the wand shop.

We arrived at our destination shortly afterward. Some of the gold lettering on the signboard had peeled off, but the content was still clearly legible.

Ollivander: He began making wands in 382 BC.

Looking at the sign he had seen countless times in books in his previous life, Ian felt a little uneasy about this familiar yet unfamiliar scene. After all, it concerned the important question of whether he was a wizard or a Squib. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

This is a crowded, cramped, and dilapidated little shop. Wands are displayed on faded purple mats, but most are stuffed into long boxes and piled on old shelves that are almost touching the ceiling.

The thousands of wands gathered together made the space increasingly crowded, so apart from a bench, there was no other living furniture.

But anyone who underestimates it because of this would be making a big mistake. The potential power of the arms dealer family that has monopolized the British Isles for nearly 2000 years is unimaginable.

"Good morning!" A gentle voice came from Ian's side, and an elderly man with bright eyes and a full head of silver, shoulder-length hair appeared beside him.

Ian quickly stepped aside and bowed slightly, saying, "Good morning, sir. I would like to have my wand serviced."

This was a plan he had prepared beforehand. It didn't cost much but could still get useful information. After all, he didn't buy anything and just shamelessly came to ask for advice. Heh, he wasn't some boy who survived a great calamity. Why should everyone have to cater to him?

"Oh, of course, no problem. If I remember correctly, you didn't buy your wand from me. You know, the Ollivanders can clearly remember every wand they sell and its owner, because Ollivander wands are all unique."

Ollivander nodded, then looked Ian over and said, not forgetting to praise his own business at the end.

"Yes, I only recently arrived in England, but I've heard of the oldest family in Europe that makes canes."

Ian is very, very willing to do things that require no capital but can bring people closer together.

After saying that, he drew his wand, stretched out his four fingers, curled his thumb inward, and held the wand steadily in his palm, with the tip of the wand pointing diagonally to the ground.

Ian did this intentionally, just like when handing someone scissors or a fruit knife, the sharp side faces you and the handle is handed to the other person. This not only shows politeness, but also demonstrates trust in others and expresses that you are harmless.

Ollivander clearly understood the meaning behind Ian's actions, and a happy look appeared in his eyes. After all, almost no young wizard had been so polite in all these years.

The other person gently pinched the wand between their thumb and forefinger, placed it on the mat, and examined it carefully.

"Oh? A very rare combination," Ollivander said with a surprised expression, as this combination seemed quite uncommon.

"This wand..." Ollivander seemed lost in memories. After a while, he realized that there were still customers in the shop.

"I apologize for my rudeness. Judging from its craftsmanship, this wand should also be from our Ollivander family. It is thirteen inches long, with acacia wood for the shaft and a thunderbird feather core."

"In addition to increasing the power of magic, Thunderbird feathers also ensure the stability of spellcasting. Meanwhile, the acacia wood symbolizes resurrection and the elimination of malice. It is a very powerful combination, and only those who truly have outstanding abilities in the magical world can wield this wand."

In a flash of inspiration, after Ollivander revealed the properties of the plastic wand, it seemed to transform into a mimosa wood thunderbird feather.

A subtle connection arose spontaneously. Ian seemed to sense a slight excitement emanating from the wand, while deep within his heart, the sound of wind and thunder could be faintly heard.

He breathed a long sigh of relief, confirming that he wasn't a dud.

The Squib's magic was as hard and lifeless as rock, unable to resonate with the wand, and the problem that had been troubling him was now solved.

Ian was also overjoyed at this moment, looking at his wand and thinking:

"The turning point should be scanning and copying other wands. There are thousands of wands here. I selected a combination that fits me perfectly, thus completing a complete change in form and quality, and then activating rebirth."

At this moment, Mr. Ollivander looked somewhat excited, the silver-haired old man gesturing wildly and laughing like a child.

"Very good, excellent, just like that. It seems its connection with you has become even stronger. Treat your wand well; they have feelings. It is the wand that chose the wizard, it is the wand that chose the wizard, and this time it is strong evidence. I must write this down. Ha, that's really great; I knew my guess was right."

More than half an hour later, the wand had undergone Ollivander's series of tedious and meticulous maintenance. However, it was clear that Ollivander had upgraded the maintenance service on his own, otherwise it would not have taken so long.

Ian was happy to see these things happen.

After everything was over, Ollivander gently placed Ian's wand into the box, just as a parent would put a child who has just been put to sleep into a crib, then closed the lid and wrapped it in brown paper.

"Cheng Hui, 9 Sickles, if you add 3 Galleons, you can get a wand care kit from Ollivander."

"Okay, sir, but I don't need this set for now. Of course, I'll buy it when I come back next time."

Good steel should be used where it's needed most, and the same applies to Galon. Ian, strapped for cash, didn't intend to spend money on anything outside his plans. Besides, his wand, having just undergone careful maintenance, wouldn't need another servicing for at least six months.

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(End of this chapter)