Chapter 19: Where is the Wand That Chooses the Wizard

After Ollivander tidied up the mess from helping Tom select his wand, he turned his attention to Robert.

"Alright, it's your turn. Which is your dominant hand—left or right?"

"Right hand."

"Okay, please stand still while I take some measurements."

The familiar process began again. Ollivander carefully measured Robert's arm length, wrist circumference, and other details before disappearing into the back of the shop.

When he returned, he carried seven or eight wand boxes in his hands.

"It's quite interesting," he mused. "You two are very similar… At least five of these are wands that the gentleman before you just tried."

Ollivander set down the boxes, glancing between Robert and Tom with curiosity.

Tom, now seated on the bench, absentmindedly ate his ice cream. But upon hearing Ollivander's comment, he frowned.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked.

"What he means is that we have many similar traits," Robert explained.

"Exactly! That's why some wands might suit both of you," Ollivander said with a smile.

Robert suddenly asked, "So... if I were to use Tom's wand, would it work for me as well?"

"Haha, it's quite possible!" Ollivander chuckled.

"No! This is my wand, don't even think about it!" Tom quickly shoved the yew wand he had just acquired deep into his pocket.

"Don't be so stingy, Tom. If there's ever a situation where I really need a wand, would you refuse to lend me yours?" Robert teased.

"Forget it!"

Tom clutched his pocket tightly and took an aggressive scoop of ice cream, shoveling it into his mouth as though he were digging into Robert's dignity.

"Haha, you two are quite the pair. You remind me of my own childhood friends," Ollivander said with amusement.

Tom shot Ollivander an irritated glare. "I don't even know him that well."

"Mr. Ollivander, he's still sulking about the ice cream incident. Best to ignore him," Robert said, smiling.

Ollivander, remembering his task, moved on. "Alright, let's begin testing. These first five wands are the ones your friend just tried."

He handed Robert a wand made of sandalwood.

Buzz!

The moment Robert gripped the wand, a dazzling white light burst forth.

"Ah! Excellent! This wand suits you very well!" Ollivander exclaimed in delight.

It was surprising—Tom had struggled to find a compatible wand, yet Robert had succeeded on his first attempt. Ollivander had expected another long and difficult selection process, but Robert's wand had chosen him instantly.

Tom, watching from the bench, was stunned.

How did he find a match so quickly?

Comparison is a cruel thing. Remembering how much effort he had put into finding his own wand, Tom felt deeply annoyed.

However, instead of looking excited, Robert stared at the wand thoughtfully, his expression unreadable.

"...You just found the most suitable wand for you. Why don't you seem happy?" Ollivander asked, puzzled.

"Well… this wand is nice, but I feel like it isn't the perfect one for me," Robert replied.

"Oh?" Ollivander's expression became serious. "You know, it's the wand that chooses the wizard, not the other way around."

"No offense, Mr. Ollivander," Robert said politely. "But since the wand chooses the wizard, shouldn't I also give other wands a chance to observe me? After all, as you mentioned, these wands are all likely to suit me. It just depends on which one chooses me, right?"

Ollivander considered this and nodded. "You make a fair point. Alright, let's try a few more."

He had no objections. Since he had already taken the wands out, Robert might as well test them.

Tom scoffed and finished the last bite of his ice cream. He thought Robert was just wasting time.

Ollivander handed Robert the second wand. "This one has a black walnut body and a dragon heartstring core—"

Buzz!

Before Ollivander could finish his introduction, the black walnut wand in Robert's hand began emitting golden light.

"Huh?" Ollivander's mouth fell open.

He had never seen someone trigger a phenomenon with two wands in a row.

Normally, only when a wizard finds an exceptionally compatible wand does it glow like that.

But how could there be a second wand that suited Robert just as perfectly?

"Hmm... still not quite right. Can I try another?" Robert returned the black walnut wand.

"Oh… of course, of course," Ollivander muttered, now curious himself.

He quickly handed Robert a third wand, momentarily forgetting to introduce it.

This time, the wand did not glow.

However, the moment Robert lifted it—

Poof!

The wand box in front of him transformed into a tiny, squeaking white mouse!

"Oh! Merlin's beard! This wand is even more suitable for you than the previous two!" Ollivander gasped.

Only now did he realize Robert's hesitation earlier had not been baseless.

"It's still not quite there..." Robert returned the wand.

By now, Ollivander had abandoned all skepticism. He handed over another wand.

And the strange phenomena continued.

Some wands emitted bright lights. Others transfigured objects. One filled the shop with a thick fog, while another made books levitate. At one point, Robert himself floated briefly in mid-air.

Ollivander stood there, stunned.

Tom, still watching from the bench, suddenly felt like his yew wand wasn't as special as he had originally thought.

No one knew how much time had passed, but the counter was now cluttered with discarded wands. The repeated bursts of light had made passersby outside think there was a thunderstorm inside the shop.

Finally, Robert picked up a reddish-brown wand and asked, "What is this one made of?"

Ollivander, now fully absorbed in the process, answered immediately. "That one is beechwood with a dragon heartstring core. It's twelve and a third inches long and quite flexible—"

Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence.

He was shocked to find that this wand had no reaction at all.

Robert twirled it in his fingers, then pointed it at the white mouse still scurrying across the counter.

Whoosh!

The mouse instantly transformed back into the wand box.

"This... How is this possible?" Ollivander muttered. "This wand showed no unusual signs, yet it appears to fit you better than all the others… No, it seems to fit you best of all!"

His previous understanding of wand selection felt completely shaken.

Robert smiled slightly and said, "That's because it's a little shy. But I can feel it."

He handed the wand to Ollivander. "I'll take this one."

"Ah… of course, of course..." Ollivander responded, still somewhat dazed.

Robert glanced at the mess they had made. "Sorry for the chaos."

"Oh, it's fine… it's fine..." Ollivander waved off his apology absentmindedly.

Tom, who had been watching the entire time, finally spoke up. "Wait. Didn't you say the wand chooses the wizard? Why does it look like he's the one choosing the wand?"

"...Ah," Ollivander sighed, rubbing his forehead. "It seems my understanding of wandlore isn't as thorough as I thought..."

He glanced at Robert, then murmured, "The wand chooses the wizard…"

Then, after a moment, he added, "But perhaps the wizard also chooses the wand."

End of Chapter 19

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