17. Shopping.

The bell jingled as we stepped into Ollivanders Wand Shop, the scent of old parchment and polished wood filling the air. The dim lighting cast long shadows over the countless wand boxes stacked haphazardly, just as I remembered from the movies. There was something almost eerie about the quiet stillness of the place, the way the walls seemed to hum with latent magic.

"Ah, new customers. A bit early, aren't you? Hogwarts letters won't be sent out for another few weeks," came a voice from the depths of the shop. Stepping forward, the old man himself appeared—white-haired, silvery-eyed, and exuding an air of practiced mystery. His gaze swept over us with an intensity that made it clear he was already measuring us up before we even spoke.

"Never hurts to be prepared and avoid the rush," I replied smoothly, meeting his gaze. If he was trying to unnerve me, it wasn't working.

"Too true. And who might you be?"

"My name is Ryan, and this is Yue." I gestured toward my companion, who simply stared at him, unblinking. She was curious, but unlike me, she wasn't used to engaging with people unless necessary.

"Excellent. Well then, let's get started!" Ollivander clapped his hands together, eyes gleaming with anticipation. The man lived for this—finding the perfect wand for each wizard or witch, matching them to their destined partner.

Unlike the countless fanfictions I'd read, there were no legendary handmade wands, no dramatic explosions of magic, and certainly no blood-bound contracts. The process was methodical, with a few failed attempts that resulted in sparks or odd noises before I was finally matched with an 11 ½ inch Yew wand with Chimera Bone Marrow. It was sturdy, temperamental, and incredibly picky—a duelist's weapon through and through. I could feel its weight settling into my palm as if it had been waiting for me all along.

Yue's wand turned out to be Mahogany with Unicorn Tail Hair, unbending, well-suited for Charms and Transfiguration. She examined it with quiet fascination before giving a small nod, satisfied with the choice. Unlike me, she didn't need to test a dozen wands before finding the right one.

Afterward, we picked up some wand care tips and purchased handmade maintenance kits—waxes, oils, polish—along with a pair of finely crafted dragon-hide wrist holsters enchanted with quick-release and comfort charms.

The transaction went smoothly, almost too smoothly. I had half-expected something dramatic, maybe Ollivander making an ominous comment about my wand like he had with Harry's in the books. But there was none of that. Just an old man doing his job with efficiency.

With our wands secured, we moved on to the next shop.

Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop was packed with all kinds of writing essentials. Though I had no intention of using old-fashioned quills if I could help it, I still bought a few enchanted self-inking ones just in case. The real prize was the fountain pens that never ran out of ink, a massive improvement over constantly dipping a feather into an ink bottle like it was the Middle Ages.

Yue browsed alongside me, her fingers trailing over the covers of journals with unlimited pages and linked journals that worked like magical text messaging. I grabbed several of each. I had no idea how useful they'd be, but better to have them than regret not buying them later.

We also picked up enchanted moonstone lamps for reading, bags enchanted with weightless charms, and even a few enchanted notepads that automatically sorted and organized notes by subject. If I was going to be learning magic, I wanted every possible advantage.

The apothecary and robe fittings could wait until we received our Hogwarts letters. Instead, we spent the rest of the day browsing various shops, picking up magical trinkets and supplies we might need.

A wizard chess set? Bought it.

A wizarding wireless radio? Definitely.

Magic alarm clocks that could be set to wake you up in different voices? Absolutely necessary.

At Honeydukes, I discovered something shocking—Willy Wonka was a wizard. His creations had an entire section in the store, filled with strange and wonderful candies that made even the classic Chocolate Frogs look boring. Of course, I bought some.

Most importantly, I stocked up on Butterbeer, buying an entire case. The plan was simple—store it in Gate of Babylon, ensuring I had an infinite supply. There was no way I was spending the next few years drinking nothing but pumpkin juice. I needed soda, proper tea, and real coffee. Something to add to the list for when I made a trip to Muggle London.

After hours of shopping, we finally stopped at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour for a break. The air smelled of fresh waffle cones and vanilla, a welcome contrast to the stuffy old-book scent of the previous shops. I got a simple vanilla, while Yue enjoyed a strawberry-chocolate cone, slowly licking at it with a quiet focus.

"How do you like it here so far?" I asked, watching her out of the corner of my eye.

"It's good," she murmured, clearly enjoying her treat.

"Glad to hear it. You'll get used to the crowds eventually. Personally, I prefer my peace and quiet. Shopping was necessary, though—we needed supplies."

Yue simply nodded, focused on her ice cream. She wasn't one for unnecessary conversation, and that was fine by me.

After finishing our snack, we headed to a furniture shop to pick up items for our multi-compartment trunks. I had big plans for mine, and I wasn't about to spend years at Hogwarts dealing with cramped dorm rooms and annoying roommates.

I purchased chairs, tables, bookshelves for a study, a workbench for potions and enchanting, and a proper bed and couch for comfort. I planned to convert one guest room into a study/library and another into a potions lab/workshop. The third compartment would remain empty—for now.

Yue, however, hesitated when I started picking out furniture for her.

"I don't need furniture. I'll stay with you," she stated firmly.

I shook my head. "I don't mind, but you should have your own space and personal belongings. Even if you stay with me, it's good to have a place to call your own. Think of it as a secret base."

She studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Okay." She even picked out a few rugs and furnishings she liked, which I took as progress.

By the time we finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over Diagon Alley. Our arms were full of bags, though the majority of our purchases had already been stored away in Gate of Babylon for convenience.

It had been a long day, but a productive one. Wands, supplies, furniture—we had everything we needed to get started.

As we walked back toward our townhouse, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation. With Yue settling in, my magical collection beginning to take shape, and the promise of magic unfolding before us, the future was looking very, very interesting.