Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Only the original characters added to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter.
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"Looks like you've got the cedar wand."
Chris immediately recognized the wand in Kyle's hand after meeting him outside Madam Malkin's robe shop.
Because of its unusual combination, Chris had a deep impression of it. Furthermore, it was thanks to this wand that he first met Diana.
He hadn't expected it to end up in Kyle's possession.
Chris glanced at Kyle with a touch of emotion, but his expression quickly changed. As if a thought had occurred to him, he patted Kyle's shoulder with a heavy face.
"My dear, I regret to tell you some bad news. With this wand, you probably won't get into Gryffindor."
"You won't get into Gryffindor?" Kyle's mouth twitched, and he began to understand what his father meant.
Ollivander had said that wizards with cedar wands possessed sharp insights and a naturally calm demeanor, while Gryffindors... well, maybe, perhaps, they didn't need to be calm.
Kyle hadn't expected to be rejected from a house before even starting. It was truly heartbreaking news.
"What are you two laughing about?" Diana asked curiously, approaching.
She had just gone to buy Kyle a cauldron and, on her way back, had stopped by the Men of Letters to buy some quills and parchment, so she hadn't heard the conversation between father and son.
"Nothing, just that Daddy said I can't get into Gryffindor with this," Kyle explained, showing Diana his new wand.
Diana, recognizing the cedar wand and considering Kyle's words, couldn't help but laugh too.
"I'm sorry, dear, but I think your father is right."
Neither Chris nor Diana had any particular desire for Kyle to attend a particular house. To them, as long as it was Hogwarts, the house was the same.
Kyle felt the same way.
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Like choosing a wand, making the uniform was a lengthy task. Even Madam Malkin, a professional, took over twenty minutes.
And that was just the time it took to measure the necessary parameters; getting the finished product would take even longer. Kyle was taller than most people his age, so the shop didn't have any suitable items in stock, so they had to make it custom, which would take about two hours.
After some thought, Kyle decided to leave his address and have it delivered by owl.
It was already five in the afternoon, and two hours later it would be seven—too late. Express delivery was more convenient.
After Madam Malkin's robe shop, his next stop was Flourish and Blotts.
This time, the process was quick: in less than five minutes, Kyle had found all the books he needed. He also bought two extra books.
The first was definitely Uncle Newt's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Revised Edition).
Although he already had nineteen copies at home, that didn't stop him from supporting Uncle Newt, considering it a way to boost sales.
The new revision was also quite good, with thirty more pages and seven new magical beasts. It was a great value, and a worthwhile purchase.
As for the second book, Kyle accidentally kicked it out of the corner while checking out.
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1).
As the name suggests, it contains common spells like Lumos, Leviosa, and Scourgify.
But the advantage is the sheer number of them, covering everything. It's a bit like a spells version of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and it's also affordable at just one Galleon.
Kyle glanced through it briefly and then took it with him. While it wasn't particularly useful, it was a good way to pass the time.
Besides these two, Kyle had many more books he wanted to read—spells, potions, and transfiguration—that could fill a whole parchment, but Kyle didn't buy any.
It wasn't that he was short of money. Chris and Diana's income was still quite good. While not as good as those of pure-blood families, it wasn't so bad that he couldn't afford even a few books. The main reason was that he was going to Hogwarts soon.
With one of the largest and oldest libraries in the wizarding world, why would he need to buy books? Unless it was a necessary textbook for class or a book he really liked, he could just borrow it when he wanted to.
He didn't know what others thought, but Kyle didn't want to be an outsider. His Galleons weren't just blown by the wind.
After leaving Flourish and Blotts, the items on the school enrollment list were almost all bought, or at least already.
The only thing left was a pet, which Kyle didn't need.
Chris had rescued many injured owls over the years, so his family was well-known in the courier community, and Kyle benefited from that reputation.
Whenever he appeared at the window with an envelope or a package, a large flock of owls would rush over, vying to deliver it for him, many of them from Hogwarts.
If he needed it, he could just hire one for the treats. It was so convenient.
Look, another Galleon saved.
Kyle had originally planned to use the money he saved to buy a broomstick. He didn't need anything fancy; a Nimbus 1500 or a Cleansweep Seven would be fine.
Compared to the new models in the window, this old broom was a very good value. The quality wasn't much different, but the price was less than a third of the new ones, making it quite affordable.
For example, the Nimbus 1500, which was all the rage a couple of years ago, originally cost 300 Galleons, but now could be taken away on the spot for just 80. His pocket money, saved over the years, was just enough to cover the cost.
The Cleansweep Seven was more expensive, around 100 Galleons, but it wasn't impossible to buy, it just required Chris's support.
However, as soon as he proposed the idea, Diana vetoed it. The reason was simple: Hogwarts rules prohibited first-years from bringing brooms, so buying one would be pointless; having one at home would suffice.
Chris could only shrug helplessly at Kyle, implying he couldn't help. However, he kindly took Kyle to the window display of the Broomstick Shop, letting him enjoy the view before heading to the Leaky Cauldron.
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The Weasleys, who had come with them, had already left, just as Kyle was buying robes.
Mrs. Weasley needed to go back early to prepare a sumptuous dinner, no small undertaking for a family with six children, and even with magical assistance, it would take over an hour.
It was a pity that he didn't get to see the twins make such a fool of themselves, which made Kyle feel extremely regretful, second only to the fact that he didn't get to buy a flying broom.
[End of the chapter]