Beautiful clothes are always a delight for little girls.
After trying on her wizard robes, Hermione spent ages admiring herself in the mirror before reluctantly taking them off and letting Madam Malkin pack them away—after all, now wasn't the time to be parading around in full uniform.
Qin Yu paid for the robes, and Hermione left the shop clutching her new outfit like a treasure.
Next stop: Ollivanders.
Qin Yu was no stranger to this legendary wand shop. Not only had he bought his own wand here, but he'd also written several letters to Mr. Ollivander—trying to sell him high-quality unicorn hair from Hogwarts, and even a few phoenix feathers.
Of course, Mr. Ollivander hadn't been interested in the latter, but he had bought a considerable amount of unicorn hair.
"…At present, wands made with phoenix feather cores don't sell particularly well, as very few witches or wizards are truly suited to them."
That was Mr. Ollivander's explanation in one of his letters.
Qin Yu had been a little disappointed, but he didn't press the issue. After all, plucking feathers from Fawkes the phoenix wasn't exactly child's play.
He'd later heard that Professor Swinton had managed to use a phoenix feather to craft the sword she gifted him. Qin Yu had always wanted to ask how she'd gotten her hands on it, but he'd never found the right moment.
Ding-dong!
The ancient wooden door swung open, the bell above jangling and shattering the hush inside the shop.
Two young customers stepped in.
The first thing that caught the eye in this old shop was the endless stacks of slim wooden boxes reaching up to the ceiling, each one humming with a mysterious, magical energy.
Staring up at those boxes, Hermione felt a sudden jolt of nerves. Instinctively, she gripped Qin Yu's hand tighter. Only when she felt his reassuring squeeze did she relax a little.
"Good morning, children!" came a gentle voice.
Hermione jumped, startled.
An old man with unusually large, pale eyes appeared before them. In the dim light of the shop, his gaze seemed to glow.
"Good morning, Mr. Ollivander!" Qin Yu greeted him with a warm smile.
"Oh, Qin, I remember you… That unicorn hair you had Hagrid deliver was excellent!" Mr. Ollivander beamed.
"I'm glad you liked it," Qin Yu replied.
"Well then, young lady, if I'm not mistaken, you're here for your first wand?" Mr. Ollivander turned to Hermione.
"Yes, that's right, Mr. Ollivander," Hermione replied, her voice solemn.
"Very well, let's start by taking some measurements…" He produced his enchanted measuring tape, which began to slither and swoop around Hermione.
"You have to get measured for a wand?" Hermione whispered to Qin Yu.
"Of course. Everyone's different—your size, your dominant hand, how you move. Wand length and flexibility need to suit the witch or wizard," Qin Yu explained quietly.
"Precisely!" Mr. Ollivander added, overhearing. "Whether you're left- or right-handed, your height, arm span, even the distance between your eyes—all these things matter. The wand must choose the wizard, after all."
Now understanding, Hermione obediently raised her arms for the tape.
Mr. Ollivander finished taking her measurements in no time, then began searching among the hundreds of boxes.
Soon, he descended from a ladder holding a slender box. He opened it, revealing a wand, and handed it to Hermione.
"Ten and three-quarter inches, vine wood with a dragon heartstring core. Dragon heartstring wands are known for their power and flair, and they often help their owners learn spells quickly. I believe this one will suit you well."
Hermione accepted the wand with great ceremony, her hands trembling ever so slightly.
Only she knew how excited she truly was.
From the moment she'd discovered she was a witch, Hermione had dreamed of one day owning her own wand.
When Qin Yu started at Hogwarts a year ahead of her and got his wand, he'd never let her touch it—unlike everything else, which he was always happy to share.
But Hermione understood. She was still too young then. Wands, after all, were powerful and sometimes dangerous.
Now, finally, she was old enough. At last, she could have a wand of her very own!
She gripped the brown wand tightly, feeling a surge of energy flow through her. It was as if a faint voice echoed from within.
The moment she closed her fingers around it, she knew—this was her wand. The wand that belonged to Hermione Jane Granger.
She raised it gently. A burst of brilliant fire shot from the tip.
"Splendid! I knew it—this wand is indeed perfect for you," Mr. Ollivander said with delight.
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander!" Hermione clutched her precious wand with both hands and bowed deeply.
She understood: Mr. Ollivander hadn't just sold her a wand. He'd chosen for her a lifelong companion—the one that would walk beside her on every magical journey.
Qin Yu promptly paid the seven Galleons.
Before they left, Mr. Ollivander called Qin Yu back and checked his own silver lime wood wand with a unicorn hair core. He replaced the slightly worn core with a fresh, high-quality unicorn hair—free of charge.
"You've been using it a bit too much. Be kinder to it," Mr. Ollivander advised.
Qin Yu scratched his nose, a little embarrassed.
Over the past year, he'd put his wand through the wringer. Professor Snape had knocked it from his hand countless times in dueling class, and during his trial with the basilisk, he'd nearly snapped it more than once.
"I will, Mr. Ollivander," Qin Yu promised sincerely.
"But don't be afraid to use it when you must. After all, a wand's purpose is to protect its master," Mr. Ollivander added with a twinkle.
"…"
Well, you've said it all, haven't you? Qin Yu thought, smiling inwardly.
…
With robes and wands sorted, the rest was easy. Qin Yu took Hermione to pick out a telescope, a brass scale, crystal phials, and—most importantly—their textbooks.
They spent ages browsing Flourish and Blotts, buying complete sets of first- and second-year course books, plus a few extra reference volumes for good measure.
When Qin Yu paid at the counter and they finally stepped out into the sunlight, Hermione couldn't hold back any longer.
"Qin, did all this cost you a lot?"
After this trip to Diagon Alley, she'd gotten a sense of magical world prices and knew these supplies weren't cheap.
"Huh?" Qin Yu blinked, then flashed what he hoped was a dashing grin. "Did I ever tell you I made quite a bit of money this past year?"
"…I don't think so," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Well, whether I did or not, it doesn't matter. We're family, aren't we? What's mine is yours. Spend as much as you like!" Qin Yu said grandly.
"Mm-hmm!" Hermione nodded, her smile bright as sunlight.
She especially loved that phrase: "We're family."
So, without a shred of guilt, the little girl begged Qin Yu for an ice cream—the kind loaded with crushed nuts.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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