Lynn looked up, and what met his eyes wasn't an open-air street, but a spacious and bright arched gallery.
The dome of the gallery wasn't solid; instead, it displayed a realistic scene of the Alps.
The path beneath his feet was paved with highly polished light-gray granite slabs, reflecting like a mirror.
Walking further in, the architectural style of the shops on both sides of the gallery was quite similar to what he had seen at the competition venue—mostly wood and stone structures decorated with exquisite carvings and wrought-iron signs.
The commercial atmosphere here was much livelier.
Lynn first headed straight for his most interesting target—the "Edelweiss" Magic Materials Shop.
A bouquet of real edelweiss hung at the shop's entrance, acting like a natural air conditioner that refreshed approaching customers.
Entering the shop, the air was filled with a mixture of various herbs, minerals, and magical creature materials. Rows of glass counters and shelves against the walls were neatly lined with countless jars and packaged supplies.
"Hello, do you have 'Snow Crystals' here?"
Lynn asked a young witch wearing a neat clerk's robe.
Snow Crystals were a type of material that only condensed at specific magical nodes in the Alps, used for certain advanced Potions and alchemy arrays.
"Yes, sir,"
the clerk replied with a smile. "What size do you need? We have stock ranging from 'Dust-level' to 'Core-level' in various purities and sizes."
After Lynn asked about the price, he was secretly delighted; as expected, they were "cheap" at the source!
Compared to the prices in Britain, which were several times higher, the Snow Crystals here were extremely cost-effective.
He immediately purchased a large amount of high-quality Snow Crystals and also picked up some local specialties like "Chamois Horn Powder" and "Dragonblood Moss" for Potions and alchemy.
Afterward, Lynn's attention was caught by a wand shop called "Precision Moment."
This shop's storefront looked much cleaner and brighter than Ollivander's. The interior was decorated like a high-end watch shop, with wands carefully displayed in velvet-lined glass cases.
On a whim, Lynn walked to the counter and asked the owner, whose hair was combed meticulously and who wore a monocle:
"Sir, if I may ask, do you believe the wand chooses the wizard, or the wizard chooses the wand?"
This question caught the owner off guard. He adjusted his glasses, pondered for a moment, and then replied:
"I believe it depends on the individual wizard, sir. Much like watches, some pursue ultimate precision, while others prefer unique designs. It's the same with wands. If you are truly drawn to the appearance or philosophy of a certain wand, even if the initial compatibility isn't perfect, you will find a way to take it home and continuously break it in over time."
These words... left Lynn unable to argue.
Because his gaze had already been firmly captured by a wand in the center of the display case. Its body was completely translucent, looking as if snowflakes were frozen inside, and the tip was set with an ice-blue gemstone—it was simply too magnificent!
"Sir, you have excellent taste!" Seeing this, the owner immediately began an enthusiastic introduction.
"The body of this 'Glacial Sigh' is meticulously carved and polished from Alpine mountain crystal. The core fuses an Ice Phoenix tail feather with the nerve of an adult Crystal Dragon, crafted by a master..."
The owner rattled off a bunch of professional terms and manufacturing processes. Lynn was a bit lost, but the summary was—
"In short, it's not cheap, right?" Lynn interrupted the owner's flow.
The owner gave a sheepish smile and held up two fingers. "20 Galleons."
"I'll take it!"
Anyway, he had his Affinity ability to back him up; he could use any wand as if it were an extension of his own arm. Ollivander had been stunned by this trait back then.
Buying it as a spare wand or purely as a decoration wasn't bad either! After all, aesthetics are everything!
Afterward, Lynn visited a few more interesting magic item shops. In a shop called "Spatial Singularity," he discovered a magical item called a "Neutral Bank Key."
It was a small brass key that, when used, could temporarily connect any ordinary door to a fixed extra-dimensional safe space of about three cubic meters. It was perfect for temporarily storing valuables or for when an absolutely private small space was needed.
Lynn immediately thought of Ollie, who always liked to be alone, and felt this gift couldn't be more appropriate.
For William's gift, Lynn found an extremely precise pocket watch in a shop called "Chronos Workshop."
Besides accurate timekeeping, this pocket watch had a simple enchantment:
When the wearer focuses on a certain task or study, it slightly increases concentration and efficiency, reducing distractions.
For William, who loved learning and was serious about his work, this was undoubtedly a practical and thoughtful gift.
As for Edgar's gift, it was even easier.
In a grocery store filled with the aroma of food, Lynn found a gadget called a "Cocoa Forge."
It looked like a small copper cauldron. As long as you poured clear water into it, it could quickly "smelt" a cup of rich, fragrant magical hot cocoa that effectively dispelled cold and fatigue.
With Edgar's love for eating and playing, he would definitely adore this.
Having finished his shopping, Lynn returned to the fireplace in the common room, satisfied.
Just as Lynn stepped out of the fireplace and patted the dust off his robes, he noticed several gazes falling upon him.
He looked up and saw several young wizards wearing different styles of school robes sitting or standing in the lounge area, curiously sizing up his new face.
Looking at their crests, they were clearly contestants from other magic schools.
Lynn straightened his clothes and took the initiative to greet them.
"Uh... hello, my name is Lynn. I'm from Hogwarts, and I'm a contestant in this competition."
His self-introduction broke the brief silence.
A tall boy with striking short white hair was the first to respond, his voice carrying a slight American accent.
"Hello! My name is Ryan Sanderson, from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Next, a curly-haired girl in brightly colored robes nodded. Her English had a unique rhythm and wasn't very fluent, but the meaning was clear.
"Hello. Amina Okoro, from Uagadou School of Magic."
Another boy, wearing exquisite robes and possessing an elegant temperament, though with a slightly strange accent, bowed slightly.
"Hello, I am Luc Leclerc, from Beauxbatons."
The last one, wearing heavy dark fur-trimmed robes, stood tall with a somewhat pale face. He merely glanced at Lynn indifferently, his tone flat and even carrying a faint sense of condescension.
"Katya Volok. Durmstrang."
Did this person's tone sound a bit contemptuous? Was it an illusion? Lynn wondered to himself.
The Ilvermorny student named Ryan seemed quite sociable. He looked curiously at the shopping bags with different shop logos in Lynn's hands and asked,
"Hey, Lynn, did you go to... Vault Alley to buy things?"
"Yes." Lynn shook the bags in his hand.
"The magical specialties here in Switzerland are indeed good, with a great variety. You guys should go check it out if you have the chance; it's very close to here."
At this moment, Katya Volok from Durmstrang suddenly spoke. He sized Lynn up, and the slight contempt in his tone was no longer hidden, becoming clear.
"Judging by your appearance, you shouldn't be very old, right? Hogwarts sent someone like you to participate in an international competition? Are you even capable?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere instantly froze.
Ryan raised an eyebrow but said nothing; Amina frowned slightly; Luc maintained a polite but slightly distant smile.
Lynn was certain now—it wasn't an illusion.
This guy was being inexplicably hostile.
He didn't want to waste words on someone who spoke so unpleasantly for no reason, nor did he want to trigger unnecessary conflict before the competition.
He withdrew his smile and looked at Katya calmly, his tone neither humble nor arrogant as he left a single sentence:
"Whether I'm capable or not, we'll only know after the competition."
After saying that, he ignored the others and walked straight toward his room, his impression of Durmstrang dropping straight to rock bottom.
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