The large snowy owl outside the window immediately flew in without hesitation, landing gracefully on the table in front of Adam Bailey. It tilted its head, cooing as it looked him over, as if confirming his identity.
Then, it lifted one leg and held out a parchment letter it was clutching.
Looking at the nearly one-meter-tall snowy owl, the whole family showed expressions of astonishment.
"Such a big and beautiful owl! Whose is it?" Mr. Bailey's wife asked in confusion.
The snowy owl nodded in a human-like manner, its expression seeming somewhat impatient, as if urging him to hurry up and accept the letter.
Seeing his eldest son's hesitation, Mr. Bailey said excitedly and eagerly, "Adam, this snowy owl is the Lord's messenger! Quickly, take the letter!"
"The Lord's messenger?!" Upon hearing this, the whole family looked shocked.
Why would the Lord send a letter? And to Adam?
Filled with shock and confusion, Adam took the letter and examined it carefully.
The others gathered around, full of curiosity.
On the back of the letter was a red wax seal with an emblem: the letter "H" surrounded by a Phoenix, a Dragon, a Thunderbird, and a Basilisk.
Turning it over, the front was written in emerald-green ink with the recipient's name and address:
"Mr. Adam Bailey, No. 21, Dittany Community, Dragon Street, Hogsmeade City, to the right of the first-floor dining table."
Adam Bailey read the text on the envelope with amazement.
The others were equally astonished.
"It's so magical, so incredible! How is this done?" Adam exclaimed in disbelief. "How did it know I was sitting at the dining table? Is someone watching from outside?"
As he spoke, he couldn't help but lean out the window to look, wondering if someone was standing outside watching, and that's how the letter was addressed.
Mr. Bailey, though surprised, wasn't perplexed. He waved his hand and said in a tone full of reverence and faith, "Don't doubt it. The Lord certainly doesn't have the time to monitor a child like you. As incredible as it seems, for the Lord, knowing your exact location is as easy as pie!"
"Believe me, I sometimes suspect there's nothing in this world the Lord cannot do!" Mr. Bailey declared fervently.
Hearing his words, the family all showed agreement. They were all filled with faith in the Lord.
In their eyes, the Lord was no different from a god, omnipotent.
"Alright, quickly open the letter and see what it says," Mr. Bailey urged his eldest son expectantly.
The others were equally curious and eager.
Upon opening the letter, inside were two pieces of parchment and a silver badge. The badge bore the same emblem as the red wax seal on the letter.
Adam looked at the silver badge curiously but couldn't see anything special about it. He placed it on the table and continued reading the parchment.
Dear Mr. Bailey,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
The term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Edward
Vice-Principal
P.S. The attached silver badge is a timed Portkey. It will activate at 10:00 AM sharp on August 1st, transporting you to Diagon Alley to purchase the required books and equipment. Please be sure not to miss the time.
"So this badge is a Portkey?" Adam picked up the silver badge from the table in surprise, then asked, puzzled, "But I don't seem to need this? Diagon Alley isn't far from our home. Can't we just walk there?"
"Dad, what should we do with this Portkey? Should we use it to go to Diagon Alley when the time comes?"
Mr. Bailey looked at the silver badge and suddenly understood. "I see! A few colleagues from the Portkey Office in our Department of Magical Transportation were working overtime recently. They must have been making Portkeys!"
Then he smiled and ruffled his eldest son's hair. "Don't worry about this Portkey. I suspect every acceptance letter contains one. After all, not everyone lives as close to Diagon Alley as we do and doesn't need it."
"Alright, quickly check the second page to see what needs to be purchased so we can prepare in advance."
Adam obediently placed the second piece of parchment on top.
It listed the required school uniform: black robes, a pointed witch's hat, protective gloves, a winter cloak, as well as a series of textbooks, and other equipment like a wand and a cauldron.
Looking at the shopping list, Mr. Bailey smiled at his son and the rest of the family.
"These things should all be available in Diagon Alley, especially the wand. Adam, you've always wanted a wand, haven't you? We can go buy it early. That way, we avoid the crowds on August 1st. It's sure to be very crowded that day."
Hearing about buying a wand, Adam's eyes immediately lit up. He asked eagerly, "Dad, when are we going to buy the wand? How about right now?"
Mr. Bailey understood his son's eagerness and desire. Back when he first discovered his son had magical talent, he had been eager to go to the wand shop to buy a wand for him.
However, Mr. Bill, the wand shop owner, had refused Mr. Bailey's request, stating clearly that a child's magic was still unstable and they needed to wait until around age eleven or twelve for their magic to stabilize before owning a wand.
So, Mr. Bailey had given up on buying a wand for his son, waiting until now.
But he still shook his head at his excited and expectant son. "No, Adam, it's too late today. We'll go tomorrow and conveniently buy everything needed according to the letter all at once."
Hearing this, Adam had to abandon the idea of going immediately and could only look forward to tomorrow.
At the same time, similar to the Bailey family,
in Hogsmeade, Bree, Isengard, and even farther places, acceptance letters delivered by owls were quickly arriving.
In the Angle of the Anduin, the Dúnedain settlement, a letter from Hogwarts broke the tranquility here.
Looking at the letter delivered by the large snowy owl, especially the address so detailed it specified the bedroom, the Dúnedain were shocked.
Seeing the contents of the letter, they felt both delight and confusion.
They hadn't expected the Wizard Lord of Weathertop to be enrolling students, and even accepting their Dúnedain children.
This made them hesitant, unsure how to decide.
Over the years, many of them had encountered those wizards and knew of magic's wonders.
They were naturally happy that their children could learn magic, but the thought of going to Hogwarts Castle to study gave them pause.
Coincidentally, their Chieftain, Arathorn II, was in the settlement during this time. So, the family who received the letter went to visit Arathorn and seek his advice.
(I checked it's really Arathorn)
Arathorn naturally wouldn't refuse such a good thing. After all, he possessed a wand personally made for him by Luke and had mastered several spells himself.
He was delighted to see his clansmen's descendants being accepted by Hogwarts.
He even decided to personally take the Dúnedain children to Diagon Alley to buy wands and other school equipment when the time came.
Elven children from Rivendell, Lórien, Mirkwood, and Dorwinion also received letters, all waiting for the Portkey activation time on August 1st.
On August 1st, almost every wizarding household within Luke's territory had a Floo Network fireplace installed.
They could travel directly to Diagon Alley just by using the fireplace.
Therefore, the Portkey badges included with the acceptance letters weren't that crucial for these families.
Some wizarding families, unwilling to wait for the Portkey activation time and also wanting to avoid the crowds of August 1st, had even taken their children to Diagon Alley early to buy wands and other school equipment after receiving the acceptance letters.
Of course, there were also wizarding families who enjoyed the bustle or wanted to experience the Portkey, so they waited until August 1st to travel to Diagon Alley via the Portkey.
Families like the Dúnedain, and elf families without Floo Network fireplaces, all chose the Portkey method.
Like the Anorimil family of the Dúnedain in the Angle, after receiving the Hogwarts acceptance letter, they chose to wait for the Portkey activation time.
Furthermore, Chieftain Arathorn decided to accompany them this time.
On the morning of August 1st, the Anorimil family got up early.
After preparing everything and waiting for Chieftain Arathorn to arrive, they kept track of the time.
Originally, Middle-earth didn't have very precise timekeeping tools like minutes and seconds; timekeeping was very rough, relying only on things like hourglasses or water clocks.
But after the Ministry of Magic was established, the wizards of the Department of Mysteries, under Luke's guidance, began researching time magic.
The wizards working in the Department of Mysteries were collectively called Unspeakables. They were a group deeply fascinated by magical research, focusing on uncovering the mysteries of magic. They had made Unbreakable Vows and were under the Fidelius Charm to Luke, answering only to him.
Luke tasked these Unspeakables with studying the creation of the Deathly Hallows, Ravenclaw's Diadem, Hufflepuff's Cup, Gryffindor's Sword, and even the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, aiming to understand not just the 'how' but the 'why' behind the magic involved.
Luke even gave these Unspeakables more research directions, such as death, time, soul, prophecy, the universe, etc.
Although these directions were still ethereal concepts at present, Luke believed that with persistent research, it might be possible to unravel their mysteries in the future.
One person's planning is short-sighted; the wisdom of the crowd is long. Luke always believed that collective wisdom and potential were limitless.
Otherwise, relying on himself alone, he lacked the confidence to master all magical knowledge.
This was also why he proactively established a magic school and enrolled students.
Only by cultivating a continuous stream of wizards, selecting the best, and giving rise to more Potions Masters, Alchemy Masters, Charm Masters, Transfiguration Masters, etc., could magic prosper further and coalesce more crystallizations of magical wisdom.
Then, Luke could pluck the ultimate fruit of magical wisdom, allowing himself to reach a higher realm of magic.
But back to the topic. After the Department of Mysteries was established within the Ministry of Magic, under Luke's guidance, the Unspeakables quickly invented clocks and pocket watches, precise to the hour, minute, and second.
A giant clock was also created in the Ministry of Magic atrium, which, besides telling time, had various warning functions, among others.
Gradually, wizards appreciated the convenience of precise timekeeping. Magical clocks and pocket watches became available for sale in Diagon Alley.
Under magical influence, these clocks and watches were perfectly accurate, and they could also give timed reminders, like making sharp noises to wake people up, or reminding them to feed livestock, go out, eat, etc.
These magical clocks and pocket watches gradually became popular among wizards, and later spread beyond them.
Some skilled craftsmen, referencing the principles of magical clocks and watches, created purely mechanical clocks and pocket watches that didn't use magic as a power source.
Thus, clocks and pocket watches became popular across Middle-earth. Even Elves and Dwarves greatly appreciated these timekeeping tools. Elf and Dwarf craftsmen, with their exquisite skills, made even more exquisite clocks and pocket watches.
Simultaneously, as a mark of respect for this innovation, clocks everywhere uniformly adopted the time set by the Ministry of Magic, with synchronized second hands.
So, the entire continent of Middle-earth adopted a unified time.
Arathorn himself possessed a silver pocket watch made by Elf craftsmen. Utilizing both Elven craftsmanship and magic, the watch was incredibly sturdy and would never stop or malfunction.
Arathorn took out his pocket watch and checked; it was only a few minutes until ten o'clock.
He immediately had the Anorimil family get ready, holding each other's hands tightly without letting go, and waited, watching the badge with the Hogwarts crest on the table.
When the time jumped to exactly ten o'clock, the silver badge on the table emitted a blue light and began to vibrate slightly.
Seeing this, Arathorn's expression turned serious. Holding little Anorimil's hand with his left hand, he called out to the parents who were holding Anorimil's other hand, "Everyone, hold hands tight, don't let go! We're about to leave!"
Little Anorimil and his parents immediately looked tense and solemn, tightening their grip on each other's hands.
Then Arathorn reached out with his free right hand and grabbed the vibrating silver badge.
The moment his hand touched the badge, a pulling force appeared out of nowhere, firmly sticking his hand to the badge. Everyone felt a powerful tugging sensation, as if an invisible hook had suddenly grabbed their navels, yanking them violently towards the Portkey.
The sensation was swift and irresistible. Their bodies instantly left their original spots. Accompanied by intense dizziness and speed, countless lights and colors blurred. After a brief period of spinning and disorientation, it felt like they were being squeezed through a rubber tube and then popped out again.
With a thud, Anorimil and his parents landed dizzy on the ground, retching.
Arathorn , with his quick and agile reflexes, didn't fall, but he still felt quite dizzy.
"Ugh, that feeling is terrible! Isn't there a better mode of transportation?" Arathorn looked at the silver badge in his hand with lingering fear, having no desire to experience that again.
It was fast, sure, but the experience was just too torturous.
They recovered on the spot for a long while before the dizziness and nausea subsided, then looked around.
They were now at the end of Diagon Alley.
Looking at the incredibly bustling Diagon Alley, they all widened their eyes, marveling at the lively scene before them.
Especially Anorimil, the main character, who was both excited and thrilled, as if he had stepped into a magical world.
Today's Diagon Alley was even more bustling due to the back-to-school season.
The winding cobblestone street was crowded with people.
Shops lined both sides of the street, offering a dazzling array of goods. Some shops sold robes, others sold telescopes and strange silver instruments. Shop windows were filled with barrels of bat spleens and eel eyes, piled high with spellbooks, quills, rolls of parchment, potion bottles, cauldrons, and all sorts of magical merchandise.
The street was bustling and extremely lively, filled with an aura of magic everywhere. Magical lights flickered and danced in every corner.
Owls busily carried various goods, flying back and forth above Diagon Alley. Groups of young wizards crowded around broomstick shop windows, gazing enviously and longingly at the latest models.
There were also various magical mannequins, enchanted to continuously beckon customers outside the shops.
Due to the start of the school season, aside from the majority of wizards wearing robes, there were also some Elven couples, who seemed to glow, bringing their young Elves to purchase school supplies.
Humans are visual creatures, and wizards always held warmth and goodwill towards these beautiful and elegant Elves.
Especially towards the pretty and adorable young Elves, the wizards were particularly fond.
Madam Ross from the robe shop practically wanted to hug and kiss the young Elf getting measured for robes in her shop. Upon learning that the young Elf had also received a Hogwarts acceptance letter, she said with a proud and enthusiastic tone:
"I'm so happy you'll be studying at Hogwarts, my dear. Believe me, it's absolutely the right choice! I studied at Hogwarts myself once, though I wasn't as lucky as you; I could only study there for a year. But those were my most unforgettable days; I remember them vividly, as if they happened yesterday."
"Oh, and my son William is also a new student this year. It's a pity he's not here now, otherwise I'd certainly have you meet." Madam Ross said somewhat regretfully.
Faced with the enthusiastic and talkative Madam Ross, the reserved and introverted Elf couple and their family were a bit overwhelmed.
But listening to Madam Ross's words made them even more curious about Hogwarts.
Especially the young Elf who received the acceptance letter, their eyes shone with longing.
Although Madam Ross kept calling the young Elf 'my dear', the Elf was actually older than Madam Ross herself.
Due to the slow growth rate of Elves, their age isn't calculated in solar years, but by a more complex system called "Elven-years".
During an Elf's growth stage, one Elven-year is equivalent to 12 solar years. Elves officially reach adulthood at 24 Elven-years.
Hogwarts' enrollment age for Elves is based on their Elven-years, not solar years.
Otherwise, an 11-year-old Elf would still look like a three or four-year-old child. Hogwarts isn't a nursery, so it naturally wouldn't enroll such a young Elf.
The bell on the robe shop door rang.
Arathorn entered the robe shop with young Anorimil, while Anorimil's parents went to buy other school supplies.
"Welcome!" Madam Ross saw the new customers, her gaze falling on the child, Anorimil. She said gently, "You're a new student this year too, dear? Wait a moment, I'll finish measuring this young Elf first, then it will be your turn."
Anorimil followed Madam Ross's gaze and saw the young Elf standing on the platform being 'teased' by a magical measuring tape. His eyes lit up with amazement.
It was his first time seeing a legendary Elf in person, and he felt they were even more beautiful than in stories. He couldn't even tell if this androgynous young Elf was male or female.
Sensing Anorimil's gaze, the young Elf gave a reserved, polite smile and nod, also curious about this future classmate.
However, when the young Elf spotted Arathorn beside Anorimil, their eyes immediately brightened, and they exclaimed joyfully in Elvish, "Estel!"
Arathorn also looked surprised and delighted, calling out to the Elf in Elvish, "Arannil! I didn't expect to see you here!"
Then his gaze shifted to the Elf couple beside them. Like meeting old friends, he said happily in Elvish, "Long time no see, Aranta, Yavannil. So glad to meet you here."
The Elf couple were also very happy to see Arathorn . "Estel, it's been a long time. Where have you been since leaving Rivendell?"
Then their eyes fell on the young boy accompanying Arathorn . "And this is?"
"This is a child of my people. He also received a letter from Hogwarts and came today to buy school supplies." Arathorn patted Anorimil's head and explained to the two with a smile.
The Elf family was from Rivendell and were all acquainted with Arathorn , especially the young Elf Arannil, who was Arathorn's playmate.
However, due to the different growth rates of Elves and Humans, Arathorn was now an adult, while Arannil still looked only about eight or nine years old.
Meeting familiar faces, the two parties naturally decided to proceed together.
Thus, the young Elf Arannil and the Dúnedain Anorimil also got to know each other.
After both had their measurements taken at Madam Ross's robe shop, paid, and left (to pick up the robes later in the afternoon), the two families headed straight for the wand shop together.
The wand shop was located in the middle part of Diagon Alley. It wasn't large or ornate, with only gold lettering above the door reading "Ollivander's Wand Shop."
A wand of ancient and simple design was displayed in the shop window.
From the outside, the wand shop didn't seem very spacious, perhaps even unable to accommodate both Arathorn's party and the Elf party.
But when the door opened and they stepped inside, the space opened up remarkably. It could easily hold five people, even twice as many wouldn't feel crowded.
Near the entrance, against the wall, was a long wooden bench for customers to rest on.
On the other side were rows upon rows of tall shelves, stacked high with long boxes.
The wand shop was very quiet. Inside and outside felt like two different worlds, separated by a door and window that blocked out all the noisy sounds.
Although quiet, the Elf couple, with their innate Elven super-perception, could sense countless subtle magical emanations coming from the wooden shelves. It sounded like faint breathing or buzzing, as if there were countless living things there.
"Is anyone here?" Arathorn called towards the counter.
The next moment, a figure swished into view from deep within the shelves, standing on a rolling ladder.
A head of bright red hair was particularly striking, like burning flames, and it was somewhat disheveled, looking a bit messy.
Arathorn , startled by the sudden appearance, instinctively drew his wand instantly.
"Oh, sorry, I scared you." The wand shop owner apologized without much sincerity, then explained, "I was just organizing wand boxes. A rather... particular young wizard was here earlier, took quite some effort to find him a suitable wand."
The wand shop owner, Bill, was the person to whom Luke had originally taught the craft of wand-making.
As the son of an ordinary carpenter, Bill originally had no surname. So Luke bestowed the surname 'Ollivander' upon Bill, making it his family name.
Bill felt deeply honored by this and took great pride in the Ollivander name.
Now, Bill was long married with a family, and his descendants also bore the Ollivander surname.
Bill immediately spotted the two children, the young Elf Arannil and Anorimil. He understood instantly. "New students for this year? And friends from the Elven race! Welcome, welcome! You're the second group of Elves I've served today. You Elves are truly blessed by nature, each so incredibly beautiful, and your magical talent is the envy of all."
"The young Elf before, I remember, was from the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood. Holly wood, Acromantula nerve, eleven inches—a powerful and quite fascinating combination—"
Perhaps because he was given the Ollivander name, Bill seemed to be evolving towards eccentricity and muttering.
This left everyone present exchanging glances, unsure how to respond.
Bill seemed to finally emerge from his own thoughts, quickly ending his soliloquy. His green eyes turned to the two children.
"Alright, now, who would like to choose a wand first?"
"Let Arannil go first," Anorimil said, stepping back to make way for the young Elf Arannil.
After a morning of interaction, Anorimil and Arannil had gotten to know each other. With Arathorn as a mutual connection, the two children had become friends.
Although the young Elf Arannil was even older than their Chieftain Arathorn, their appearance was that of an eight or nine-year-old. The eleven-year-old Anorimil naturally assumed the role of an older brother and began looking after the young Elf Arannil.
Bill didn't give the Elf a chance to respond, directly saying, "Then the young friend from the Elven race shall go first!"
He then bent down, his deep green eyes staring intently at the young Elf, making them somewhat uncomfortable.
He waved his wand, and a tape measure flew from the counter towards the young Elf.
The tape measure, marked with silver graduations, measured Arannil from shoulder to fingertip, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and finally head circumference. It even seemed to measure the distance between their nostrils.
Everyone present exchanged glances at this spectacle.
As he measured, Bill explained, "Every Ollivander wand contains a powerful magical substance, which is its essence. We typically use Dragon Heartstring, Thunderbird feather, Great Eagle feather, and Elf hair as cores. Each wand is unique. Even different feathers from the same Thunderbird have their differences, just like how no two leaves in the world are exactly the same."
"So, if you use a wand that was meant for another wizard, you will never achieve such good results."
After finishing the measurements, he asked, "Arannil, right? Which is your dominant hand?"
The Elf shyly raised their right hand. "I can use both, but I usually prefer my right hand."
Bill nodded, waved his wand, and the tape measure flew back to the counter.
Bill then turned to the shelves, searched, pulled out a small rectangular box, returned to the counter, took a pale yellowish-white wand from the box, and handed it to the young Elf Arannil.
"Friends from the Elven race usually have an affinity for wands with Elf-hair cores. This one is White Oak wood, with a core made from a single strand of hair from a Sindar Elf. Give it a try."
The young Elf Arannil was a pure-blooded Sindar Elf, with amber eyes and silver hair, so Bill recognized it immediately.
Arannil carefully took the wand, unsure what to do.
"Give it a wave!" Bill prompted.
Arannil obediently waved the wand. The next moment, a beam of white light shot out, hit the ceiling, and blasted a hole in it.
This startled the young Elf, their face turning pale. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
The others were also startled. The Elf couple looked at Arannil with surprise and concern.
Anorimil, however, watched with amazement, mixed with excitement and anticipation.
Bill, unconcerned, waved his hand reassuringly at the frightened Elf. "This is normal, no need to apologize."
As he spoke, he picked up his own wand from the table, waved it, and the hole in the ceiling instantly repaired itself.
This again left both the young Elf Arannil and Anorimil stunned.
Bill took the wand back from Arannil's hand and shook his head. "This one isn't suitable for you. Let's continue with the next one."
He then returned to the depths of the shelves to search for another suitable wand.
As one wand after another was tried by Arannil, the wand shop was momentarily filled with either raging winds, flooding water, or blinding flashes of light, attracting curious glances from passersby through the glass window.
The others, from their initial alarm, had now become accustomed to it.
They also understood why there was a long bench in the wand shop for customers to rest on.
The waiting party simply sat on the long bench, quietly watching the ongoing commotion, waiting for it to end.
Finally, Bill happily brought out a red-and-white wand and handed it to the young Elf Arannil.
"This time it's absolutely right! Fourteen inches, a newly sprouted branch from an Ent in spring. I traded a bottle of plant growth potion for that branch from the Ent to make this wand."
"The core is a single strand of hair from a High Elf of the Sindar race who passed through here. He bought a wand from me; I heard he was preparing to go west to the Grey Havens to sail across the sea to the Blessed Realm."
The young Elf Arannil took the wand and instantly felt it become one with his arm. The wand, along with his entire person, emitted a holy, soft light, with faint Elven songs seemingly echoing around.
Everyone present widened their eyes, marveling at the scene.
Bill was extremely pleased, clapping his hands. "Marvelous! Mr. Arannil, I believe you will certainly become a remarkable Elf in the future!"
The young Elf, feeling very shy from the praise, blushed, but still treasured the wand in his hand, caressing it unwilling to let go.
The Elf couple also smiled, happy that their son had found his wand.
Bill's gaze shifted to the other young boy, whose eyes were now full of impatience and eagerness. He said with a smile, "Alright, it's your turn now, young sir."
Another series of cracking and popping commotions ensued, even more intense than those caused by the young Elf.
Just as Anorimil's arm was getting sore and weak from holding up the wands, he finally found the one that belonged to him: Twelve and a quarter inches, Mallorn wood, with a Great Eagle feather core.
Having obtained his wand, Anorimil forgot the previous ordeal of selection. He excitedly stroked his wand, showing it off to his Elven friend beside him.
"Arannil, look! This is my wand! It's amazing! It feels like an extension of my arm, and I can feel power from my body flowing through the wand!"
Arannil, being more reserved by nature, also held his own wand with shining eyes, his pointed ears turning bright red.
Seeing the two children, Arathorn and the Elf couple shared a knowing smile, then walked up to Bill.
"Mr. Ollivander, how much for the two wands?" Arathorn asked.
"That will be 7 Galleons each. Of course, this is the discounted price set by our Lord and the Ministry for new students. For others, or if a wand is damaged and needs replacing, the price won't be this low," Bill explained.
"Lord Luke's generosity is truly praiseworthy! Not only establishing a school to selflessly teach magic but also offering students discounted wands," Arathorn remarked admiringly.
His own wand was personally made by Luke, so he didn't need to buy one in Diagon Alley, but he had heard that wands from Ollivander's were quite expensive.
While wizards within the territory enjoyed certain discounts, Elves or Dúnedain who came seeking wands based on reputation had to pay hundreds of Galleons for a single wand.
It was important to know that the gold Galleons minted by Gringotts were very valuable.
Just 5 gold Galleons could buy a Rohirrim warhorse, so the price of a single wand was enough to buy dozens of warhorses.
Hearing Arathorn's praise, Bill's face immediately showed a proud expression.
As the person personally taught wand-making by Luke and granted the Ollivander surname, Bill was extremely loyal and devoted to Luke, considering him his true teacher from the bottom of his heart.
So, hearing praise for the Lord from others made him countless times happier than hearing praise for himself.
Arathorn took out 14 gold Galleons and was about to hand them to Bill.
The Elf couple beside him felt embarrassed and quickly refused, "Estel, we've already exchanged plenty of money at Gringotts. You don't need to pay for us!"
Arathorn smiled gently but insisted, "No need to be so polite, Aranta. We are friends, and it's been a long time since I last visited Rivendell. Meeting here like this is fate. Consider it an enrollment gift for Arannil."
Just as the two parties were politely insisting, Bill smiled and directly interjected.
"Everyone, may I interrupt?" Bill's words made both sides look at him.
"Friends from the Elven race, I have a favor to ask," Bill said. "As you know, I'm a wandmaker. I can give these two wands to you for free, if you would be willing to give me two strands of your hair to use in wand-making?"
Faced with Bill's request, the Elf couple hadn't expected it, but they nodded in agreement immediately.
It was only two strands of hair, after all. Each of the Elf parents plucked one strand of their hair and handed it to Bill.
Bill happily accepted the two strands of hair and then waived the fee for Arannil and Anorimil's wands, seeing everyone out.
After leaving the wand shop, Arathorn actually felt a bit embarrassed. After all, he had originally intended to pay for the two wands, but now the Elf couple had covered the cost with their hair.
So, Arathorn took Anorimil and Arannil to the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley.
Here, they sold not only various owls but also creatures like Ashwinders, Salamanders, Toads that could turn invisible, Rabbits that could transform into hats, Fire Crabs encrusted with jewels, dancing Puffskeins, cats, and other animals.
These were all animals bred by wizards, possessing a touch of magic.
Furthermore, the shopkeeper, having learned magical hybridization and breeding techniques from Luke, had also bred more creatures like Pegasi and Hippogriffs.
However, these larger magical creatures were generally not sold directly in the shop but were pre-ordered.
For instance, the Pegasi beloved by the Elves mostly went to Rivendell and Lórien; while the Hippogriffs became the exclusive mounts of the tribes of Dunland.
But back to the topic. At the Magical Menagerie, Arathorn bought a Eurasian Eagle-Owl for Anorimil and a Snowy Owl for the young Elf Arannil.
"You have a great eye, sir!" The shopkeeper's smile became even more sincere and enthusiastic as the two most expensive owls in the shop were purchased. He explained, "These two owls are both of extraordinary lineage. They are descendants of the great Snowy Owls kept by the Lord himself at Hogwarts Castle. One is a hybrid between the Great Snowy Owl and an Eagle-Owl, the other is a hybrid between the Great Snowy Owl and a common Snowy Owl."
"That Great Snowy Owl is said to be a species unique to the island of Númenor in the past. Now, in all of Middle-earth, only our Hogwarts Castle has them. Their descendants are smarter, better fliers, and never get lost compared to other owls. They are the best helpers for delivering letters and parcels!"
Hearing the shopkeeper's words, the two children liked their respective owls even more.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of emotion passed through Arathorn's eyes. As the Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North and a direct descendant of the royal line of Arnor, he had naturally been to Annúminas, the former capital of Arnor.
He had also heard from the clansmen stationed there that Luke had taken a flock of Great Snowy Owls living there and brought them to live at Weathertop.
And this species of bird, which once lived on the island of Númenor, held special significance in the hearts of the Dúnedain, descendants of the Númenóreans.
After purchasing the owls, the group went on to buy the other necessary school equipment.
Like them, other families who had received acceptance letters were also gathered in Diagon Alley today, purchasing their supplies.
But once all the required equipment was bought, a problem arose: how were they to get back?
Arathorn looked at the silver badge that had brought them here earlier, wondering if they were supposed to use it to teleport back?
But the badge showed no signs of activity.
Soon, however, they received guidance.
At both ends of Diagon Alley and along the street, there were Aurors in uniform patrolling.
Seeing the confused new student families, the Aurors would proactively step forward to help.
So, under the guidance of an Auror, Arathorn and the others walked to the western end of Diagon Alley and arrived at the Ministry of Magic tower.
The incredibly vast atrium on the first floor stunned everyone who entered.
In the very center of the atrium was a magical fountain: a golden statue of Lord Luke riding a dragon, majestic and imposing, with a thin golden stream spraying from the wand in his hand into the pool below.
The pool also contained many coins, mostly Copper Knuts and Silver Sickles, with a small number of Gold Galleons.
Someone, it seemed, had started the trend of treating this fountain as a Wishing Well. Wizards would often toss a coin into the pool and make a wish to the Lord's golden statue.
Although it held no practical meaning, some people never tired of doing it.
Thus, a thick layer of coins had accumulated in the pool.
These coins were regularly scooped out and donated to the wizard hospital – the Two Trees Hospital – as a medical fund.
The Two Trees Hospital was established under Luke's impetus, with Madam Amand, who had the best healing magic skills, as its director.
Although it was a wizard hospital, the patients it treated were not limited to wizards but included all subjects within Luke's territory.
In the Ministry atrium, besides the magical fountain, there was also a long row of fireplaces along one wall.
From these fireplaces, people would occasionally emerge, or others would step into them and vanish directly.
The polished floor of the atrium was so shiny it reflected people's images. Those coming and going walked briskly, and many owls and papers flew back and forth.
Arathorn and the others went to the reception desk and, as requested by the receptionist, presented the student's acceptance letter for verification.
After registration, they followed directions and took the elevator to the Department of Magical Transportation.
The staff there did not neglect these visitors. To the group who had finished buying their school supplies and needed to return home, they explained meticulously: "Considering the inconvenience of your return travel, the Ministry offers several transportation options."
"One is to go to the Portkey Office and apply for a Portkey that will take you directly home."
"The second is to take the Knight Bus, which our department developed. As long as you have a wand, simply hold it out by the roadside, and the Knight Bus will appear and safely take you home."
"Of course, there is a third, more convenient option. You can apply to our department to have your home fireplace connected to the Floo Network. Our department will then dispatch personnel to your homes to activate the Floo Network."
"In the future, you can travel between your home and other fireplaces via the Floo Network. It will also make it easier for your children to travel to Hogwarts Castle for school or to Diagon Alley to purchase supplies."
"What would you prefer?"
Hearing the Department of Magical Transportation employee say this, almost all the new student families chose to apply for the Floo Network connection.
After all, who would refuse such a method of instant travel over thousands of miles? Especially considering the convenience for their children.
Getting this response from the parents, the Transportation Department employee became even more enthusiastic.
After all, promoting the Floo Network meant performance merits for their department.
After all the new student parents had applied for the Floo Network, the Transportation Department employee immediately said:
"In the coming days, our staff will visit your homes to activate the fireplaces. We recommend purchasing a sufficient supply of Floo Powder in advance so you can use it once the fireplace is connected."
"For now, if you are in a hurry, you can go to the Portkey Office to get a Portkey for immediate return home. But if you're not in a rush, I suggest trying the Knight Bus. It's quite an experience!"
Having secured a large batch of applications, the Transportation Department employee was in a good mood and cheerfully recommended this to the group.
Hearing his words, everyone recalled their earlier Portkey experience. A sense of trepidation filled them; they really didn't want to experience that extreme dizziness again, followed by the need to recover for at least half an hour.
So, they all chose the other transportation method.
Arathorn and the Anorimil family also chose to take the Knight Bus.
As for the young Elf Arannil's family, since they lived in Rivendell, which already had activated fireplaces, they bid farewell to Arathorn and the others and returned to Rivendell via the Floo Network.
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Gandalf vs Dumbledore, battle of headmasters who do you think would win?