“Good morning!” An old man with very light pupils was standing before them. “Very glad to see you, Ms. Molly Prewett. It’s a pleasure. Twelve inches long, cherry wood, stronger. It’s a good wand.”
“Yes, Mr. Ollivander, I really like this wand.” Mrs. Weasley hurriedly stood up and said hello. “This is Evan Mason, and this is my daughter, Ginny Weasley. They are all new to Hogwarts this year and need to buy a new wand.”
“Of course, of course!” Ollivander’s gaze turned to Ginny and Evan. “Wizards need wands to cast magic, but remember, it’s the wands that chooses the wizard!”
Evan swallowed, not sure how to answer him.
“Well, let me see!” Ollivander did not stop. He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket and came to Ginny. “Ladies first, Ms. Weasley. Which is your wand arm?”
“I’m right handed,” whispered Ginny.
“Hold out your arm, please.” Ollivander measured Ginny, from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and round her head.
As he measured, he explained to Ginny and Evan, “Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard’s wand. Please always keep this in mind; it’s the wand that chooses the wizard!”
He had just said this and he disappeared between the dense shelves; and before Evan had time to relax, he saw him coming out with a box.
“Beyond doubt, the Weasleys are very susceptible to unicorns. There’s no doubt about this.” Ollivander whispered, “Try this one, fourteen inches, ebony and unicorn hair, a bit curved.”
Ginny had just took it and he snatched it out of her hand almost at once.
“No, I think it should be this one, made of willow and unicorn hair, eight inches and a half long, very strong elasticity!”
Ginny had just received it, and a red light emerged from the tip of the wand she was holding, like a star of fireworks, throwing dancing spots of light on to the wall.
“Extraordinary combination, very suitable for Charm work. Your Charms class will definitely be a great success.” Then, Ollivander turned to look at Evan and whispered, “Mr. Mason, I think it’s your turn.”
Like Ginny, Evan was also right-handed. First, it was the measurement, but his selection process was not as simple as Ginny’s.
Evan tried many wands one after another, just holding them in his hand, and taken at once by Ollivander, which made him look a little foolish.
“Like Mr. Potter last year, a tricky customer, but don’t worry, you can always find the best one here, the most perfect, the best for you!” Ollivander looked very happy, “Let me see. Oh, yes, fourteen and a half inches, vine wood, Thestral tail hair core, this was the last wand made by my grandfather. He was a very famous wand maker at the time.”
Evan just took the wand, and a stream of heat gushed from his fingers. The tip of the wand gave off a white halo, like ripples in the water, spreading out in circles.
“Wonderful, very wonderful!” Ollivander’s voice became softer and softer. “I don’t really like to use the Thestral tail hair, but I can only say, Mr. Mason, you are really a wonderful combination with this wand.”
“Sorry, sir!” asked Evan whispering when there were only the two of them left in the room, “But what’s wonderful?”
Evan was really curious. The inside core of the wand was the Thestral tail hair, unlike any other wand Ollivander had made.
“As everyone knows, the Thestral is considered a symbol of bad luck.” Ollivander stared at Evan strangely. “This is a very weird substance that only a wizard who can control death can control it.”
Ollivander’s voice seemed to float down from the sky. Hearing his explanation, Evan had the urge to throw his wand out of his hand. Strange…Death…Infelicity; he did not want to be considered the successor of the Dark Lord as soon as he entered school.
“Mr. Mason, the magic power you just sent has a strong positive energy. This is a kind of energy that is completely opposite to the Thestral tail hair. That’s why I say it’s wonderful.” Ollivander was close to Evan’s face, speaking in a whisper. “Remember, the wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Mason. You’ll undoubtedly achieve something remarkable in the future.”
Evan was frightened, feeling that all the secrets were seen through, he wasn’t sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much.
After leaving the wand shop, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Next, Mrs. Weasley led Evan and Ginny to Madam Malkin’s Robes store. However, Ginny was less interested than she had just been, because she had to choose her robes from second-hand uniforms.
Evan found it cruel, especially when he asked Madam Malkin to measure him and looked at Ginny’s sad face not far away. He felt like a sinner.
“Mrs. Weasley, thank you for inviting me to your home.”
“Dear Evan, you don’t have to thank me. You and Harry are good boys. Arthur and I welcome you to our home very much.” Mrs. Weasley came over and rubbed Evan’s hair, looking pleased.
“Thank you, I want to give you a gift as thanking!” Evan said a little awkwardly, “If you don’t mind, I want to give new robes to Ginny.”
“No, boy, It’s too expensive!” Mrs. Weasley looked astonished, and Ginny, standing aside, raised her head and looked up hoping.
“For me, this is not a big deal.” It seemed to him that Mrs. Weasley wanted to refuse and he did not give her time to react. Evan continued quickly and said, “You can think of it as a Christmas gift for Ginny. After all, we are already friends.”
Ten minutes later, with Evan’s persuasion, Ginny’s anticipated gaze, and Madam Malkin’s agreement to give a very good discount, Mrs. Weasley finally agreed to accept the gift.
The next second, she held Evan tightly in her arms. Looking at the red-faced Ginny, and Madam Malkin’s smiling face, Evan was embarrassed for a long time.
