Robert had to admit, Garrick's idea was quite sound. But when morning came, the Portkey Garrick had handed him was still clenched tightly in his hand.
He had overlooked one important detail: Romania wasn't only famous for its Dragon Reserve — it was also the world's top producer of the highest quality dragon blood wood.
Robert might have been able to ignore dragon heartstring, but dragon blood wood was another story. Especially after that accidental creation of a certain wand, the material had become impossible for him to disregard.
His hand instinctively brushed the wand tucked inside his pocket — no longer than his finger, yet holding a secret. Fortunately, Garrick Ollivander remained clueless about the core embedded within it. Had he known, he might've completely lost control. In that case, there would've been no question of them traveling to Romania at all.
"Ready?" Garrick glanced at his pocket watch. "We registered for ten o'clock. Let's not miss the time."
"Three... two... one..."
As if yanked by an invisible hook, Robert felt his feet lift off the ground, his entire body dragged forward at high speed. The wind roared in his ears. Everything around him — the shops, cobbled streets, and familiar sights of Diagon Alley — blurred into streaks of color that vanished like a mirage.
This wasn't Robert's first time using a Portkey. The magical device didn't require Apparition skills and was both more efficient and faster than the Floo Network or even the Knight Bus. It had always been the travel method of choice for Ryan and Lila whenever they took him on longer trips.
But those journeys had only taken him around the United Kingdom. This was the first time he'd used a Portkey to leap across a thousand miles.
He couldn't tell how long they'd been traveling. Time had melted into a swirling vortex of nausea and dizziness. His head spun, and his stomach churned, threatening to rebel.
Then, suddenly, the sensation ended.
His feet slammed into the ground with a heavy thud. Staggering slightly, Robert struggled to regain his balance before finally managing to stand upright and take in the view around him.
They had landed on an open grassland. The grass beneath his boots was thick and springy — soft enough that he wouldn't have been hurt had he fallen. In the distance, immense mountain peaks stretched high into the sky, wrapped in a cloak of forests that seemed to go on forever. The air carried a distinct sulfuric tang, sharp and acrid.
"Welcome to Romania," Garrick announced with a smile, landing smoothly beside him. "That smell — you never forget it."
"How are you holding up?" he asked, clapping Robert on the shoulder.
"A bit dizzy," Robert replied, rubbing his nose as the sulfur stung his nostrils. It felt like standing beside an active volcano.
"I was the same my first time here," Garrick said, amused. "Oh — someone's coming to meet us."
From the forest's edge emerged a burly man, charging toward them at a surprising speed.
"It really is you, Garrick!" the man exclaimed as he drew closer.
He looked to be in his sixties or seventies, yet his build rivaled that of a mountain troll. His powerful arms were crisscrossed with scars — some faded, others still raw and healing.
Without warning, he enveloped Garrick in a tight hug.
"Shouldn't you be in Diagon Alley preparing wands for Hogwarts' first-years?" the man asked, releasing him.
"The letters haven't gone out yet," Garrick responded casually.
"Ah, right. It's only July," the man muttered.
Robert had been watching them from a polite distance. Now Garrick turned and gestured toward him.
"This is Alistair Barkley," he introduced. "A senior dragon keeper — he's been here over thirty years. An old friend."
"Hello," Robert stepped forward. "My name is Robert Ollivander."
Alistair shook his hand firmly. It felt like gripping a strip of untreated dragon hide.
"Ollivander…" Alistair looked at Garrick knowingly. "He must be Ryan and Lila's son."
"Exactly," Garrick confirmed.
"I've heard of him — the kid who's inherited the family wand-making skills…" Alistair trailed off, then lowered his voice. "Listen, Garrick, we're friends and all, but I need to remind you — the Dragon Reserve only collaborates with the official owner of the wand shop. That hasn't changed."
"Of course I know that," Garrick replied calmly. "And I've no plans to retire just yet."
"You're sure about that?" Alistair narrowed his eyes. "Also, we don't sell materials to individuals. You know that."
Alistair didn't know much about Robert, but he knew Garrick very well. Decades ago, this man had used every underhanded trick imaginable to get his hands on enough dragon materials.
Alistair had been fresh out of school then — passionate and idealistic. He'd walked into the Reserve completely unprepared for the darker sides of the magical world. Dealing with Garrick back then? It had been a daily education in being swindled.
Still, those very lessons had proved useful later when Alistair faced off against poachers and smugglers — now he could outwit the best of them.
"Relax," Garrick said with a smirk. "He's only in his second year. Even if you wanted to sell to him, he couldn't afford it."
Alistair didn't look convinced.
"I'll leave him out here," Garrick added. "He won't follow us to see the slain Ukrainian Ironbelly."
"So you really did come for that," Alistair said with a grunt. "That's why you're here… But how did you even know? We haven't gone public yet. Still, more than a dozen people have already shown up."
"Who else came?" Garrick asked.
"Before you — Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. He brought Newt Scamander."
Garrick sighed. "Dumbledore… I should have come sooner."
Alistair chuckled, amused at his rival's frustration.
"Come on, let's go see it," Garrick said eagerly. "I promise, every young witch or wizard who gets a wand from this dragon will be grateful for your generosity and sacrifice."
"You've used that line a hundred times," Alistair muttered, shooting him a sideways glance. "And still — you know — a lot of those poachers you complain about use dragon-core wands."
Despite his complaints, Alistair led Garrick toward the Reserve's heart. Truth was, many dragon keepers used wands with dragon cores — including himself. His own wand held a dragon heart nerve.
Still, he wasn't going to leave Robert completely alone. While this section of the Reserve wasn't as perilous as the inner zones, it wasn't entirely safe either.
"Someone will come fetch you shortly," Alistair told Robert, pausing to give him a once-over.
Robert had stayed quiet and respectful during the conversation — a good listener, standing to the side without interrupting. That kind of demeanor earned Alistair's respect.
"You've got a decent head on your shoulders," he said with a small smile. "Keep working hard. I hope we'll be able to collaborate one day."
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