"Alder wand, unicorn hair core, nine inches long."
Ollivander took one look and immediately identified the wand's materials. He also recalled its owner. "This wand belongs to Quirinus Quirrell. I heard he was chosen as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts this year.
How did his wand end up here? And it's cracked! Fortunately, it's not beyond repair!"
Ollivander cherished wands deeply and couldn't bear to see them damaged. He reached out to take Quirrell's wand, already thinking of ways to repair it.
But Dudley quickly pulled the wand back and tucked it into his coat pocket.
No way! If Ollivander repaired it, the wand's rating would jump to A-rank, and the fusion cost would skyrocket!
How was Dudley supposed to complete his rapid spell-learning plan then?
"Mr. Ollivander, all I need is a certificate of authenticity. This wand is tied to a major incident and doesn't need repairing," Dudley said, his tone official and firm.
Ollivander hesitated but didn't argue further. He walked behind the counter, pulled out a piece of parchment, and began sketching.
A skilled wandmaker, Ollivander was also an excellent carver and artist. This was evident from the thousands of uniquely designed wands in his shop. Even wands with similar materials were given distinct appearances.
In no time, Ollivander had drawn a lifelike replica of Quirrell's cracked wand on the parchment, complete with its material composition and owner's name. He signed his name and added his family crest with a touch of magic.
A simple yet elegant certificate of authenticity was now complete.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Ollivander!" Dudley said, snatching the parchment with lightning speed. He offered a casual thanks before turning to leave with Harry.
By the time Ollivander realized what had happened, the two boys were already out the door.
He felt a sudden sense of loss. Remembering Dudley's "technique," he closed his eyes and tried to connect with the thousands of wands in his shop.
One minute, ten minutes, half an hour, an hour...
...
Whether Ollivander succeeded in connecting with the wands, Dudley neither knew nor cared. He had gotten what he wanted without spending a single Knut.
As they stepped out of the wand shop, Dudley and Harry found Hagrid looking miserable and Dumbledore deep in thought.
"What's wrong, Hagrid? Did you lose your money?" Dudley joked. After a satisfying verbal spar and a successful con, his mood had improved.
But happiness seemed to be a zero-sum game. For someone to laugh, someone else had to cry.
"No, Dudley. It's worse than that. Minister Fudge doesn't believe me or Dumbledore. He's a fool who refuses to accept that Voldemort has returned and won't admit I'm innocent!" Hagrid said gloomily.
Even after erasing the memory of Dumbledore's flaws, the poor half-giant couldn't shake his sadness.
"Is this Minister Fudge powerful? More powerful than the 'great Dumbledore'?" Dudley asked sarcastically. As he spoke, he pulled a brand-new suitcase from one of the magical carts parked nearby.
"Oh, Dudley, of course not. No one is more powerful than Professor Dumbledore. Even Voldemort wouldn't dare say that," Hagrid replied without hesitation. In his mind, Dumbledore was infallible.
"What about influence? Does Minister Fudge have more sway than the 'great Dumbledore'?" Dudley pressed, now pointing his highly compatible poplar wand at the suitcase's interior.
"Not at all!" Hagrid said. "Professor Dumbledore has unparalleled influence, both nationally and internationally."
"Then why are you moping around? Have you lost your minds? If this minister won't listen, replace him with someone who will!" Dudley said calmly, dropping a bombshell.
He couldn't understand Dumbledore's thought process. On one hand, the old man seemed to follow the rules, using his power and status to bend them when necessary—like protecting Hagrid or allowing Gringotts to compensate Dudley with live dragons.
On the other hand, when it came to major issues, Dumbledore couldn't stand firm. With all his power, he chose to compromise, leaving himself frustrated, his allies miserable, and his enemies free to scheme and grow stronger.
"That's not right, Dudley! I can't do that. You—" Dumbledore, still reflecting on his mistakes, was startled by Dudley's audacious suggestion.
He quickly glanced around to ensure no other wizards were nearby, then instinctively tried to correct Dudley's "misguided" thinking.
But Dudley, uninterested in Dumbledore's moralizing, cut him off with a spell.
"Undetectable Extension Charm!" Dudley waved his wand at the suitcase, mimicking Hagrid's earlier spellcasting.
The Undetectable Extension Charm was a high-level spell regulated by the Ministry. Since Diggle's spellbook didn't include it, this was Dudley's first attempt—skipping theory and diving straight into practice.
"Crack!"
A misfire. Dudley's wand emitted a spark of black smoke before fizzling out. Clearly, he had failed.
"Dudley, your pronunciation is off, and your wand movement is incorrect," Dumbledore said, now in full teacher mode, offering guidance.
This time, Dudley didn't ignore him. He was a pragmatist and wouldn't let pride or emotions stand in the way of gaining power.
After some coaching, Dudley successfully cast the Undetectable Extension Charm, expanding the suitcase's interior to a hundred cubic meters—a decent-sized room.
However, perhaps due to lack of practice or insufficient skill, the expansion wasn't permanent. It would last only a week, falling short of Dudley's expectations.
Dumbledore noticed Dudley's dissatisfaction and, without a word, pointed the Elder Wand at the suitcase.
"Undetectable Extension! Weightless Charm! Preservation Charm! Permanent Enchantment!"
A seamless series of spells, effortlessly cast.
Dudley watched as an ordinary suitcase transformed into a C-rank magical item.
Its interior now permanently held a thousand cubic meters of space, with items inside remaining fresh and the suitcase itself staying lightweight.
A top-tier storage artifact!
"Impressive," Dudley said, then proceeded to load all five fully packed magical carts into the suitcase. These contained everything he and Harry had purchased, except for Hedwig in her cage.
Harry, worried about his pet and future owl feeling stifled, carried the cage himself.
With everything packed, Dudley turned to Dumbledore and delivered his parting ultimatum.