Chapter 4 is out! In this one, there will be a little introduction to the Allomancy I mentioned back in the first chapter's notes.

All the credit for this goes to Brandom Sanderson. I'm just borrowing it to expand and introduce a bit more variety to the magical system. If anyone has ever read the Mistborn series, it won't be the same as there. Mainly because there are some mechanics which wouldn't fit in the HP world, so I'm going to make it a bit different.


Scala ad Caelum

Chapter 4: The Wandmaker

Pandora Lovegood POV

Monday 15th January, 1991 (The Rookery, England) - After lunch

Normally, she would wait until Xenophilus came home to perform one of her experiments, but her husband was going to be absent for the entire weekend, and she couldn't wait for him to come back. Pandora had to test this new theory she was working at immediately.

That was what she did; experimenting and crafting.

The Lovegoods weren't precisely rich, but they didn't lack money either. Xenophilus's newspaper, The Quibbler, and the money she had inherited from her family allowed Pandora to pursue her true dreams and passion: theoretical and practical spell-crafting. Usually, her work ended up in failures, but there were occasions in which she was successful with her experiments.

Those were the times when she could sell her work to some important investor or pureblood lord, which allowed her to make an absurd amount of money in a very short time; if her experiments were a success, of course. But even if they were, that money was often spent to cover the future projects, so it wasn't as if they really made a lot of richness.

The money was just a plus, a nice one of course, but the main reason why she tried so hard was because of the feelings that came with the success; amazement, pride, and recognition overall. Her parents told her long ago, when she started pursuing her dreams, to drop them; that she would achieve nothing big. Those words were still in her head even after many years, but they quickly disappeared when she thought about her successful experiments.

Come on, Pandora, you got this. It was time to prepare her working zone. There were some experiments, like the one she was performing today, that could be very dangerous and destructive if they went wrong; that was the reason why she had to spend a lot of time preparing the protection wards around her working room.

Usually, when it was time to perform any kind of test, her husband took their daughter, Luna, out to the outside. Not too far away from the house, because there were scenarios in which she could need help, but neither too close to it, in case of something going very wrong. But this time, he was outside the country on one of his working travels, so she had made sure that Luna spent the whole day with the Weasleys; in the safety of The Burrow.

As soon as all the wards were up, she walked to the centre of the room, doing the same ritual she always did before the experiment; it was nothing important, but it helped a lot to relax her mind. It is time, Pandora readied herself with a long gulp of air.

She wasn't in the middle of the room just for her ritual of luck. Around her, there was a heptagon that had magical glyphs in each one of its seven ends. Magic was everywhere, and any wizard who wanted, knew, and could feel it, would be able to find it as Pandora could. That was a process that took much time and many experiences to master, and very few wizards had the willpower to keep trying failure after failure.

Fortunately, Pandora was never a regular witch. She wasn't born with any special talent, though. But thanks to that, her younger self had worked much harder than other colleagues of hers who were way more talented. Life wasn't anyone to tell her what she could do or what she couldn't; she could take the reins of her own life and pursuit her dreams.

Not as if that mattered today; after all, the experiment didn't need any complex magic.

After many years of research from herself and her colleagues from all over the world, they were finally experimenting with how some special metals would react to different types of magic. It was a very ancient branch of magic that had disappeared with the passing of time; to the point that no one remembered it in the present. It was called Allomancy; the art of using magical metals to perform magic; just as other people used, for example, nature.

The wizards from the Ancient Times could somehow use metals to fuel their magic in many different and unique ways. One of Pandora's friends found past year some ancient manuscripts which talked about this craft. This manuscript only talked about the relationship between metals, like zinc and brass, with human emotions; but anyone could read between lines to understand there were many other uses and metals.

I'll be the first witch in ages to feel this magic... It took a whole year for Pandora and her group to start with the experiments, but this was something very new and they wanted it to be serious and safe. Up to this day, none of the many experiments they've performed had succeeded. But this one will. This is the correct way. They had tried to interact with the metals in many ways. Some of them ended way worse than others, but after many tries, most of the group agreed with Pandora's idea.

It could be dangerous, but Pandora knew that this might be the only way to bring this ancient magic back. Was it worth the risk? Totally. She would be the first human being to try some unknown, and probably dangerous, experiment. Despite that, it was the only way to obtain the glory of the inventor.

It was the only way to write her name in the history of the Wizarding World.

Pandora grabbed the vial that was on the table, right in the middle of the room. Said vial contained a solution made of little fragments of the purest zinc she could find in the market, a potion that allowed its combustion, and water to dilute it all. The only thing left to add, and presumably the most important one, was her magic.

The witch aimed her wand at the vial, to fill it with her magic, and waited for it to happen.

One second was all the time Pandora needed to feel how the vial heated up in her hand. This is working! Now it was time to test it. With no second thoughts, she drank the whole vial down with a long gulp, and just a few seconds after it, she felt how something flared up inside of her. Embrace it, Pandora, just like the Ancient Wizards did before you! The woman did it. She could feel how that flare reached every part of her body and how her emotions ignited; almost as if they were fireworks!

The zinc was used to ignite emotions; to make people drunk just with the strength of their feelings. That was exactly what Pandora was experiencing right now. I made it! I've just brought back a branch of magic from oblivion! Never in her whole life had she felt as glorious as now. She had done the unthinkable when nobody trusted her; not even her fellow colleagues. The witch couldn't wait to see their faces full of envy.

Her whole body was like a storm of fire fuelled by her emotions, but in theory, this magic was used to ignite others' emotions more than the self ones. Wait... this is too much... I-I can't even think... There has to be a way to stop this... Pandora reached inside of her, trying to use her magic to stop the effects of the zinc; she found nothing.

Black points were starting to appear in her eyesight. Blood was starting to pour from her nostrils and eyes. She tried to reach for her wand, trying to feel safer in its familiarity and power, but her limbs were not answering anymore. The woman fell to the floor, her whole body burning like fire; then, she heard the house's door opening.

"Mum!" Luna shouted "I'm home! Mrs Weasley has dropped me earlier because she had other things to do, but I had so much fun playing with Ginny"

NO! This can't be happening... My Luna can't... see me... like this... But all her efforts in stopping that firestorm inside of her were failing. Her lungs were already aching because of the lack of air, and there were so many black points in her eyesight that Pandora couldn't see what was in front of her anymore. The only thing she could feel was the cold floor where she was dying; that, and her convulsing body.

"Mum?" Luna asked once again, after not hearing any answer from her. "Where are you? Are you in your study once again? I want to see what you are doing this time! Can I? Pleaseee..."

Suddenly, the door was opened to reveal a very happy and excited Luna. Her whole face and posture changed as soon as she saw her mother's state. She started to shout with tears falling from her eyes and ran towards her, but she was stopped by the invisible wall that was the result of her protection wards.

Luna kept shouting hysterically while punching and scratching the wall, but all her efforts were in vain. The barrier wouldn't ever break until her last breath, and by then, it would already be too late for anyone to save her. Pandora's last thoughts were for her daughter. I'm... so... sorry... my... poor... Luna...


Quirinus Quirrell POV

Tuesday 3rd June, 1991 (Albanian Forest) - After dawn

Quirinus was about to do the unthinkable; something even Albus Dumbledore, the Great Sorcerer, wasn't able to do. He was about to track down the Dark Lord, or at least, what remained of him; if there was something to find, of course.

One of the dreams from his youth came true around a year and a half ago when Hogwarts' headmaster, Albus Dumbledore himself, offered him the position of professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, at the same school where Quirinus was already teaching Muggle Studies. He immediately accepted the position, but in the end, he decided to take a sabbatical year in order to get some practical experience; because on the theoretical aspects of the subject, he was good enough.

He had already been travelling for more than a year around all over Europe. Quirinus had had some ugly encounters with other magical creatures like vampires, hags, or trolls; but he wanted more. Fortunately, that 'more' didn't take long to reach him thanks to some information provided by a woman he met in Poland. At first, the man had many doubts about it, but cowards never archived their ambitions.

That was the story of how Quirinus found himself at one of Albania's largest forests; waiting for the informant to meet him.

Where the hell is that man, he should already be here. I hope that woman didn't trick me into some trap. The young professor was currently waiting in a tavern for some man who was supposed to have the information he needed to continue his search. It wasn't a shady place, but the bar could definitely welcome a thorough cleaning. At least, the beer was rather nice.

"You must be Quirinus," a voice suddenly said from behind.

Quirinus turned to look at the owner of the voice. He was a man with raven-black hair combed backwards with some kind of gel to give it consistency; from the look of it, the man probably poured the whole bottle in one go. He wasn't very tall or strong in complexity, in fact, he didn't appear to be a force to reckon with, and that made Quirinus a bit more relaxed. He was wearing full dark robes, with a cape that was of a darker greyish tonality and which ended in a hood.

Always cautious, have your wand ready, Quirinus. He had never been the bravest man. He wasn't a coward either, of course. But there had always been some kind of nervousness around him that made people believe he was always afraid of something. "Yeah, it is me," Quirinus answered with confidence. "You must be the man Jessica talked to me about. She didn't mention any name, though."

The man's face was adorned with a creepy and shady smile. "You can call me Ashram, and I will be your guide today. Come on, Quirinus, we have a long way ahead of us!"

"What are you talking about? I didn't ask for a guide, you were supposed to give me some precious information. That is the reason why I am here."

"That is what you are getting," Ashram told him with a calm voice. "But I would rather show it to you, otherwise, you wouldn't believe me. This is something much bigger than whatever shit you are imagining."

That definitely caught Quirinus' full attention. "How big is it? What do you have for me?"

Ashram's creepy smile got way bigger after the question. "Well, Quirinus, I'm going to show you what is left of a man who was known as The Dark Lord in the past."


Ten hours later...

Quirinus was physically exhausted.

They had been walking through the forest for a little more than 10 hours, but for the body of the young professor, it seemed like far more time had passed since they left the tavern. Well, I think it is finally time to exercise my body. Another thing I'll have to do this year at Hogwarts.

"Stop," Ashram commanded, out of a sudden. "I have to tell you something first. I don't know what you'll really find ahead. There is some kind of presence that invaded this forest not long ago. Said presence had been terrorising the animals of this area, even to a point that some local, muggle ranger decided to enter in the deep forest to see what was wreaking havoc in the ecosystem."

"Tell me more," Quirinus said, his body almost shivering with anticipation. "I want to know everything you have; it can come in handy for later."

"Well, if that is what you want," Ashram sighed. "Said ranger never came back; he just disappeared, not leaving any trace of him behind. Hell, even the animals no longer get this far into the forest. Those were very curious things, so I decided to investigate it myself; I'm a very curious man, after all. It took me many hours, I was even starting to give up, but I finally found what I was looking for."

The young professor gulped before asking: "What was it?"

"I-I don't know," the other man muttered. "It was some kind of shadow, but I felt a presence; a dark one which I hadn't felt since the Great War ended. It was aura was so weakened that it almost confused me, but I would recognise his presence no matter what. Unfortunately, I couldn't see what was left of him because I ran as fast as I could."

This was the moment he had been waiting for so long; his jump to eternal glory. The achievement which would make everyone recognise him as one of the most brilliant minds of his generation. I will no longer be that shy and nervous boy I was at Hogwarts. I will be known as the Great Quirinus, the wizard who tracked the Dark Lord down. Oh, what would all those who mocked him in the past say if they could see how close he was to making history...

That thought helped him to bring his determination back. "I see, this is everything I was looking for and far more. Thank you, Ashram; you certainly were far more useful than I thought." Quirinus thanked him.

Ashram bowed his head a little, in a sign of respect towards the young professor, and extended his hand to shake Quirinus'. "Thank you, my friend," he said. "What is awaiting you is nothing but a shadow of a ghost, but be very cautious, you have to be ready for the worst. I wish you the best of luck. I will be waiting for you back in the tavern so we can toast for your glory after you are finished."

Quirinus didn't even look back. He just started walking towards the deepest part of the forest, where his prey was awaiting him. It was the middle of summer, but that place felt as cold as winter. The sun could barely seep through the thicket in that part of the forest; something that wasn't helping him to relax. But he was Professor from Hogwarts, the most renowned magical school in the world. He would not falter in the last second.

It only took five minutes for Quirinus to feel the dark presence. It was like his veins had turned into ice, making him shiver violently. No! Get a hold of yourself, Quirinus. This is the end of the way, everything you have left behind for this would mean nothing if you fuck it up now! His wand appeared in his hand as fast as lightning. People used to underestimate him in the past—they had their reasons to do it—but this last year had hardened him; the boy became a man.

Quirinus illuminated the whole place with a powerful Lumos. "I've come for you, shadow!" Quirinus shouted to the thicket. "I know you are there! Get out so I can end you for good!"

The mysterious shadow did it.

It came from some bushes which were in front of Quirinus; so fast that the young wizard couldn't do anything. The dark presence went through him, making him drop his wand because of the sudden cold he felt in his whole body. Then, before he could regain his composure, something hit him from behind, making the young man fall to the ground with burning pain in his middle back, which quickly extended to his whole spine.

"You are such a fool, Quirinus Quirrell!" A voice laughed with dark mirth. "You did really think you could track down the most powerful wizard in history as if he was some filthy beast! That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen! Even if he is just a shadow barely alive, he would completely crush your body and mind without much effort."

I-I know that voice... He couldn't believe it until he saw his face, just when Ashram kicked him in the ribs so he could lay on his back. "You... you have b-betrayed me," Quirinus muttered, fighting the pain with all his might; losing the battle against it. "I-I trusted you..."

"Yeah, that wasn't your wisest move," Ashram smirked. "But I haven't fully betrayed you. I promised I would lead you to what was left of the Dark Lord; that is precisely what I did, Quirinus Quirrell."

"IS THIS THE MAN YOU PROMISED ME?" A sudden voice—that couldn't belong to a human being—echoed near his head. The voice wasn't even loud, it was very similar to a hiss in fact, but it sounded very close to his ear.

"Yes, my Lord. His name is Quirinus Quirrell," Ashram announced while falling to his knees. "He is going to be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts in Hogwarts this year. The fool has been looking for you thanks to all the rumours which had been spread by my people. When my contact in Poland told me about him, I knew he was the perfect one for you."

"Good," the hissing voice said. "It's been a long time since I had a decent vessel. All thanks to you and the blood of the unicorns I killed. Lord Voldemort always remembers those who are by his side when he needs it, Ashram. You have proven yourself a very loyal servant once again."

"I live to serve you, my Lord."

"But now, it is time to see what he can tell me," the Dark Lord hissed. "I'm going to enjoy breaking his mind and soul. This worthless scum really thought he could track me down, and now, it is time to pay for it." With that being said, the dark presence suddenly disappeared, making the young man hold his breath. For a few seconds, he prayed for everything to be just a nightmare.

But it wasn't.

The dark presence pierced through Quirinus' mind, ripping it apart with ease. His Occlumency never stood a chance against the intrusion. All his memories flashed in front of him as if they were images being projected on a giant screen.

He only felt pain; then, he felt nothing; then, he felt pain again...

Quirinus saw himself graduating from Hogwarts, giving a handshake to Filius Flitwick, who was looking at one of his favourite students with pride in his eyes. Then, the pain came once again, and there he was, at Dumbledore's office, just when the Headmaster offered him a new position in the decency of the school.

But in the end, the Dark Lord found what Quirinus was trying to hide from him.

The young professor found himself back at one of the guesthouses where he spent the night when he was in Bulgaria. "What do we have here, you filthy rat?"The Dark Lord's voice echoed in his mind. Seconds after that, as a shadow, he materialized in the room, just behind Quirinus. From that place, he was able to read the letter which was in the young man's hands.

"Oh, you have proven me so wrong, Quirinus,"the shadow said with delight in his voice. "I was starting to think you didn't have anything useful for me, but this changes old fool of Dumbledore is hiding the Stone from me in Hogwarts. You and I will be spending some time together, my new friend."

Lastly, the pain came once again, but this time, it was much worse. It was tearing him apart, and he couldn't do a thing to stop it. "Tell me Quirinus, will you help me?" The Dark Lord asked, just as the pain increased.

"Please stop!" The wizard shouted in agony. "Have mercy! I beg you my Lord, pleaseee! I will do everything you want!"

Finally, the pain stopped. Only to be replaced with a burning cold that completely enveloped him. "Good decision, Quirinus. But don't ever forget that from now on... YOUR MIND AND YOUR SOUL BELONGS TO LORD VOLDEMORT."


Ronald Weasley POV

Monday 27th July, 1991 (Diagon Alley, London) - Middle of the day

The day Ron had been waiting for so long was finally here. Today, he will be going to Diagon Alley to buy all the things he needed for his first year at Hogwarts.

He didn't care a lot about the books and the more basic things since he already had Percy's notes for that. Almost two years ago, Ron asked his older brother Percy what was so interesting about studying for him to spend that much time in front of the books. He not only explained all the reasons to him, Percy even managed to convince him to give it a try!

After that day, Ron definitely gave it a try. Either way, it wasn't like he had better things to do since all his brothers were at Hogwarts. The younger redhead didn't have so much faith in it, but much to his surprise, Ron found himself pretty interested in Percy's notes about his first year at the school. He was simply amazed about all the possibilities magic could give a wizard. He had been familiar with the use of magic since he was practically a baby, of course. But he always saw it as something too far of his reach, like a talent only his parents and older brothers could do.

That notion changed after the day when Percy gave him his notes. Ron realized he was only two years shy of attending Hogwarts, and that fact, along with the incredible boredom which surrounded him back at the Burrow, made reading and 'studying' much more interesting than he first thought.

He even started to swarm with questions his two older brothers, Bill and Charlie, whenever they came back home for a few weeks of holidays. Bill was a curse-breaker from Gringotts, so he knew loads of interesting things. While Charlie was a dragon tamer in training, which meant he had many incredible stories to tell. The two of them were amazing, and Ron just wanted to get good enough at magic to be as cool as them one day.

All the things he read; all the stories he listened to; all the questions he asked… They were nothing compared to what was happening today. After all, this was the day on which Ron would get his wand! There still were a few months until Hogwarts started, but the boy could already see himself roaming through the castle with his brand new wand in his hand.

How had he waited for this moment...

This year, his parents had decided to split the family into two groups, otherwise, it would be a mess to buy everything in just an afternoon. Mainly, because the twins were starting their electives this year and they needed to buy more things, both in variety and quantity. That's why today, he was accompanied by both his father and mother, his brother Percy, and his little sister Ginny.

"I always forget how crowded Diagon Alley gets when the Hogwarts letters come," his mother commented, and the boy totally agreed with her. The whole alley was packed. Most of them were kids like him, with his parents and families, ready to buy all the things needed for another year at Hogwarts.

There were some kids here and there who resembled his age. I wonder if any of them will be my classmates this year. He couldn't wait for the moment to come; he really wanted to be at Hogwarts. All of his brothers had already told him many incredible and fantastic stories about the legendary school, which did nothing but exciting him even more.

"Mom, I think we should split up," Percy suggested. "Eeylops owl emporium is that way. Dad can help Ron to get the books and the potions' ingredients."

"Wait, what!" Ginny exclaimed. "Is Percy really going to have an owl? Why? I want one too!"

His mother patted Ginny's head in an affectionate way. "Oh, my dear. We are going to buy Percy an owl because he has been named prefect!"

"Woah!" Ron exclaimed. "That's blimey, Percy. Wait, does that mean Scabbers will be my pet?"

"Yes, Ron," Percy answered. "I'm both very excited and happy to get an owl, but I'm not going to lie to you, I'll miss the old Scabbers. It has been so long since I was given it."

"Come on, Molly," his father urged them. "I think Percy is right, we should split up. You can go with Percy and Ginny to get the owl and Ron can come with me."

His mother sent his father a very weird look; as if she was feeling sorry for him or something like that. What has gotten into her? That look was very weird. But in the end, they all ended up separating.

People could say many things about buying books and ingredients, but man, it was for sure one of the most boring and tedious things Ron had ever done. At first, it was cool when he could glance over the many books which were placed on the shelves, but having to wait for the long queue to buy those he needed was completely the opposite. The good news was that Ron was getting a few brand new books, unlike Percy and the twins. This was something very rare. All the Weasley brothers handed down everything they could, but the first-year books were originally from Charlie, and a few of them were far past from the point of being wear and tear.

After more than an hour of waiting, the two of them finally came out of the Apothecary. "For a moment, I thought we weren't getting out of that place anytime soon!" His father exclaimed. He was carrying in both of his hands the bags with Ron's new first-year books, and also, some books for Percy's electives that needed to be bought. "Come on, Ron. If they were luckier than us, your mother should be finished by now."

"Wait, dad," Ron started, tugging from his sleeve to call his attention. "You can't be serious! There is one more thing to buy!" With that being said, his father gave him a weird look, like he was trying to remember what was left to buy. "The wand! We still need to buy my wand!"

"Oh, yeah, the wand..." his father sighed, tiredly. "Ehm... How can I say this? Look, son, the thing is... we do not have enough money for a new wand."

"What?" Ron muttered. His brain must have been playing a prank to him because those words couldn't have come out from his father's mouth, right?. "How can you say that? You just bought Percy an owl!"

"I know, son. I am so sorry, believe me, please," Arthur apologised once again. "But your brother has been working very hard for the last four years and has just been named prefect. Your mother and I just wanted to make him a good present for once; one that could show him how proud of him we are."

Ron couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But what about my wand? How can I do well at Hogwarts without a wand! I've read they choose the wizard, that they are unique!"

His father cleaned the sweat from his forehead with a heavy sigh. "We still have Charlie's old wand, Ron. I'm sure the wand will accept you as it did with your brother, you are family after all."

Tears started to form in Ron's eyes. This couldn't be happening. Like all his brothers, he was very used to not having money for many things, but this was a whole new level. He had been thinking about how his wand would look like since the moment he first saw his mother doing magic.

All for nothing, it seemed. His dream had just been shattered thanks to a stupid owl...

He wanted to scream and run. "I-I need some time, alone..." Ron said, before starting to run in the opposite direction of the one his father was taking.

He could hear him shouting his name and begging him to stop, but that was the last thing he wanted to do right now. He turned to the right at the first intersection he found; then, he went straight; then, to the left and to the right. Soon enough, Ron lost his sense of direction, so he just ran forward.

He stopped when he found himself in a very big and beautiful square. It was formed by two big circles. In the outer one, there were a lot of wooden benches—which were completely clean—surrounded by a sea of perfectly-cut grass; with some wizards enjoying the warm sun by lying on it. Then, in the inner one, there was a gigantic fountain in the middle of it; the water being poured from the wands of some statues of important wizards, or so Ron supposed they were.

It was the first time he visited that place, but it had to be the High District of Diagon Alley, where all the luxurious and unique shops were located; a place in which a Weasley had nothing to do.

Ron just realized how much he had run. Mainly, because he was very tired and out of breath. He decided to sit in one of the benches which were near the fountain. To hell with Charlie's wand... I want mine! That was the only thing Ron could think about right now. He felt devastated, and to top that, he didn't know where Gerd was. As soon as they arrived at Diagon Alley, the Essentia had left him to explore the whole place, and now, he was missing her greatly. Gerd would surely understand him...

Ron was so immersed in his thoughts he didn't even feel a man taking a seat next to him on the big bench until he decided to talk. "You sure must be tired after that sprint, boy. What happened to you? You certainly look terribly upset."

Ron didn't answer the stranger's questions. His father taught him long ago to not mess with people he did not know, and it was now the redhead was realizing he was alone in a place he wasn't familiar with.

"You are a Weasley, aren't you?" The man kept asking. "You all look the same way: tall redheads with lots of freckles." That made Ron look at him for the first time. He was a man of medium height who appeared to be in his forties, but it was hard to know since his head was completely shaved. He had a good beard with no grey streaks and brown eyes which were looking at Ron with curiosity.

"Do you know any Weasleys?" Ron questioned him.

The man sighed before answering. "I do know some Weasleys, boy. If you are who I think you are, I know your brother William. He must be a fine man by now, isn't he?"

"Wait, who are you? What do you know about my brother Bill?"

"Well, it is a very long story," the stranger said. "To be honest, I was never very familiar with the Weasleys, but I was with your mother, Molly. Her brothers, Fabian and Gideon, were probably my two best friends since we were at Hogwarts. But after what happened to them... I lost contact with your mother and her family." Ron really didn't know what had happened to his uncles. The only thing he knew was they died in the war, fighting against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

"We never talk about them at home; mum always starts crying when someone mentions them," the redhead admitted. Since the man didn't talk, he decided to keep the conversation alive. "You said you studied at Hogwarts; in which House were you Sorted? Were you a Gryffindor like my uncles?"

"To be honest, I don't really like to talk about Hogwarts' Houses," the man let out a tired sigh. "I think the only thing they do is divide people, and no, I wasn't in Gryffindor."

Ron was left very confused after that. What was the man saying? Being a Gryffindor had always been something to be proud of.

The stranger must have seen his confused face because started to explain himself. "Don't look at me like that, boy. I do think all that House's nonsense is bullshit. At first, it is funny, but correct me if I'm wrong. You probably think being a Gryffindor is the coolest thing ever; all the Slytherins are bad people; all the Hufflepufs are a bunch of softies; all the Ravenclaws are nothing but bookworms," he listed one by one. "Did I hit the nail? Now, before you say something about it; no, I wasn't sorted in Slytherin."

"But most of the bad guys in the war were from Slytherin," Ron argued back. That was what he had been told since he had memory. His parents and brothers would never lie with something as serious as that. "You can't deny that."

"Yes, you are right. I can't deny that half of them were nothing but vile and cruel bastards," the man admitted. "But trust me when with what I am about to say. I've known Slytherins who fought the Dark Lord and gave their lives in the war so others could live a better world. I've seen how a Gryffindor betrayed his friends because he wanted to save his own neck. I've known Huffelpuffs who were so cowards they couldn't even help their friends when they needed it the most."

The man's rambling left Ron speechless. He didn't have any idea of what the man was talking about. But those words had surely made an impression on him. "Woah, I-I don't know what to say." The redhead spluttered.

"Sorry," the man apologised, as he scratched the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have rambled like that. There are some things which are better to not remember. By the way, where are my manners? I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Gerard Stokes; what is yours, boy?"

"Mine is Ronald Weasley, but everyone calls me Ron."

The man's eyes twinkled with recognition. "I've heard that name before from your aunt Muriel. You are the last son of Arthur and Molly, aren't you?"

Ron just nodded his head to confirm his words. The conversation was helping him to forget his nonexistent wand. I can't still believe they bought Percy a bloody owl before buying me a wand.

His face must have shown his thoughts because Gerard asked: "What is the problem, Ron? I saw you sprinting here with tears in your eyes, not having a clue where to go. You can tell me about it. I owe a lot to your uncles, if there is something I can do, I'll try to help. You have my word."

"F-father said we didn't have enough money to buy me a wand," Ron barely whispered. "Despite that, they bought an owl for my older brother because he had just been named prefect..."

Gerard turned his head to look at Ron. "What? That can't be true. I can't let things be like that. I can't allow the nephew of Fabian and Gideon to attend Hogwarts without his own wand. They'd just come out of their graves to drag me with them!"

The moment Ron heard those words, his eyes perked up to the mention of having his own wand. But he quickly tossed the thought away. He was a true Weasley; they didn't accept charity. But I could have my own wand...

Gerard just rolled his eyes with exasperation after seeing his facial expression. "Come on, boy," the man sighed. "I know that expression very well. Don't come at me with that 'we don't accept charity' bullshit. I've heard that sentence far too many times. This isn't charity; this is a gift from a friend of your family. You can even pay me back in the future, but you are getting a wand, even if I have to drag you by the ears."

"I-I don't know what to say..." Ron tried to express himself, but words weren't coming out of his mouth.

"Then, don't say anything and just accept your gift."

"Does that mean that we are going to Ollivander's?" Ron asked. His family was still in that area and he didn't want to meet them on his way to get a new wand.

"Ollivander's?" Gerard snorted like it was the stupidest thing ever said. "Don't make me laugh, boy. That isn't the way of getting a good wand. The old man surely has thousands of wands back in his shop, already waiting for some new wizard to link them; but that isn't the way. If you really want a good wand, it has to be made only for you; a custom-made wand. You ain't finding many of those at some wandmaker's shop. Sure, you can be lucky enough to hit one, but your wand is like a part of your body, and you must treat it like that."

"I don't really know what you are saying," Ron admitted. "But you are the smart one here and I don't want my family to see me going into Ollivander's. They would never let me hear the end of it."

"Yeah, that would be classical from Molly and Arthur," Gerard snorted. "There aren't many combinations out there like the Weasley-Prewett combo," he stopped for a moment as if he was remembering better times; a big smile already formed on his face. "You won't find many people as stubborn as your kin. Eh! Don't look at me that way. I never said that was a bad thing."

"Sooo... how are we doing this?" Ron asked. "Where do you want to go?"

"Not so fast, boy. If we are getting you a wand, we are doing it the proper way. We'll have to meet another day because I have yet to talk to a friend of mine. I reckon in four or five days, we'll be ready."

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "Another day? How am I supposed to do it? It is not like I can go out like that for a full day; my mum won't let me."

"Who said anything about doing it in the middle of the day?" Gerard smirked. "I still remember where The Burrow is. I can drop by it and pick you up in four nights. I'm sure you won't mind a little adventure."

Going out in the middle of the night with a man he barely knew? Ron didn't know if that was a good thing to do, but if he wanted a wand, this was his only chance; he'll have to trust this man who claimed to be an old friend of his family. Come on Ron, you'll have your own wand, don't be a coward. I'll tell Gerd the whole thing, I want to know what she thinks about this.

"Okay, let's do it," Ron agreed, his voice filled with determination. "In four nights, when everybody is sleeping, we'll meet at the creek near my house. Do you know where it is?"

Gerard's smile reached his eyes, which were sparkling with something resembling a bit of pride. "Of course! I have good memories of that creek. I think you should go now, Ron, before your parents start to stress too much about your whereabouts. I'll go with you, but let me tell you made the right decision. Your uncles would have done the same for you if they were alive."

Gerard patted Ron's shoulder and they both started to walk towards the main district of Diagon Alley. As soon as they got out of the square, Ron felt the familiar presence of Gerd settling on his shoulder. "I've heard everything," the Essentia said. "I think he really wishes you no ill; he was speaking the truth. You can know when people lie most of the time. They sound and act differently; as if they were trying to be another person. This man was being himself for the whole conversation."

Ron didn't answer her; not as if he could when Gerard was so close to him. He couldn't talk with Gerd without freaking out others. Besides, the Essentia knew he had heard her, so it was fine. In no more than five minutes they reached the same place where Ron's escapade had started. His father was just where Ron had literally dumped him, tapping the ground with his foot in a nervous frenzy.

When Arthur saw the pair, he practically sprinted to meet them. "Ron! Thank Merlin you are here! I was starting to get worried... Wait a moment... I know you... By Merlin's beard! Gerard? Is that you? Nobody has heard from you since the war ended!"

"Hello, Arthur, it has been a long time indeed," Gerard greeted with a wave of his hand. "I was walking around when I ran into your son. He just needed some time alone, but now he is fine."

"Oh, that was what I imagined," Arthur sighed, looking quite relieved. "There aren't any exits that way but the one which leads to the Fountain of Prosperity. I figured out he wanted some time alone, so I decided to give him a moment. I was about to go looking for him."

"Well, he is here now, so you don't need to stress yourself," Gerard said while patting Ron in the shoulder. "It has been a pleasure, boy. Now, behave well and listen to your father and mother; they know what they are talking about." With that, Gerard left them without any other words. Both father and son watched him until they lost sight of him when he turned to the right in the first intersection he found.

"Did he really know the uncles?" Ron asked. He was starting to trust Gerard's words after what Gerd told him, but it was always better to check it twice. "He also said that he knew who Bill was."

Arthur was still looking for the place where Gerard had disappeared. "That man was one of Fabian and Gideon's best friends since they met at Hogwarts. But he just disappeared after the war ended. He met Bill once when we were visiting your aunt Muriel at her manor."

His father then turned to him, with regret and sadness written all over his face. "About the wand... I'm so sorry, son... I truly am. But I promise you if Charlie's wand doesn't really work, we'll get you a wand. I don't know how, but I'll get one even if it is the last thing I do. That is a promise."

Well, at least his father was truly sorry. Still, it didn't change the fact they chose to buy Percy an owl before buying him a wand. Despite that, thanks to Gerard's promise, he wasn't as sad as he was before. Ron knew he could trust the man; if he was right, the redhead would have a wand made especially for him. Just for him. A thing none of his siblings had. "Don't worry, dad," Ron told him. "I understand it, really. I just needed some time to cool off. I'm fine now."

"Okay," his father smiled. "Come on, son. Your mother must be wondering what we are doing; let's not make her wait for us. She wanted to prepare a big feast tonight. I don't know but you, but I'm quite hungry."


Harry Potter POV

Friday 31st July, 1991 (Diagon Alley, London) - Middle of the morning

So far, today had been the best day of his whole life. There was nothing that could change that.

When Harry went to sleep, back in that rusty hut, he would have never guessed his life was about to change completely; for once, it was for the better. I am a Wizard, just like mom and dad. Even after more than twelve hours from the revelation, the boy still fell very giddy; in a good way, of course.

This whole day in Diagon Alley had been fantastic. Harry couldn't believe all the wonderful shops and places he had visited today. First, it was Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank. Then, the Owl Emporium, where Harry got the best birthday present ever: a snowy-white owl whose name was still to be decided. To finish the tour, he was all alone at the entrance of Madam Malkin's Robes. Hagrid had gone to have a drink at the Leaky Cauldron after the experience in Gringotts, but Harry still had to buy his robes for Hogwarts, so here he was.

After some moments contemplating the shop's window, Harry finally decided to get inside. He was quickly welcomed by who must have been Madam Malkin; a squat, smiling witch dressed in all mauve. "Hogwarts, dear?" The woman asked. "Got a lot here. Another first year is being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, Harry could see a boy with a pale and pointed face, who was standing on a footstool being measured. He had pale blond hair and silver eyes. The boy turned to look at him with a bored face. "Hello, Hogwarts too? My parents are finishing all the mandatory groceries, and as soon as they are finished, I'm going to drag them off to look at the racing brooms. Have you got your own broom?"

"No," Harry answered. The boy's voice reminded him a bit of Dudley, and he didn't like that.

"Do you play Quidditch at all?" The boy asked, looking at him like he was some kind of weird animal.

"No."

"Well, I do," the boy kept rambling as if Harry wasn't even there. "Father says it would be a crime if I'm not picked for Slytherin's team. Do you know what house you'll be in?"

"No," Harry repeated, feeling more and more stupid as the conversation went. He had no idea what the boy was talking about. What does Quidditch mean? What is that thing about what house I'll be in? Hagrid forgot to talk to me about those things!

"Eh, why are you looking at me with that face? Don't you understand what I am asking you? Where are your parents?"

"They are dead."

"Oh, sorry," the blond boy said, not sounding very sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and a wizard if that's what you mean," Harry stated.

"Hey, Draco!" A high pitched voice called the boy from outside. "Don't you think it is a bit early to be such a nuisance?"

The voice came from a blonde girl who had her hair combed in a ponytail. She was pretty, but she walked like she owned the place, and Harry knew what he was talking about; there were other girls like her in the school he attended. But the girl wasn't alone. Standing next to her was a boy who also had the same fair, blond hair—maybe of a darker shade—but unlike the girl, he wasn't walking like he was royalty. They are very alike, they must be family, maybe cousins.

"Greengrass," Draco sneered at her, as the girl stepped into the shop. "I wasn't expecting to find you here, shame. By the way, who is that? Ah, I already know you, don't I? You were Greengrass' cousin; Martin Larsson?"

The other blond boy scowled at him. "My name is Marcel. Marcel Larsson. But you already knew that, Malfoy."

"Ah, sorry," Malfoy apologised, but once again, he didn't sound very sorry. "Oh, it was about time. I didn't know you needed so much time to take some measurements."

Madam Malkin must have been used to dealing with kids like him because she just scowled a bit before getting close to Harry. "Come on, dear. It is your turn now," she started to take Harry's dimension as she addressed the two cousins. "What about you two? Hogwarts too?"

"Yes," the girl answered. "But I already got my robes. I was just showing my cousin the whole place since he is visiting us for the weekend."

Madam Malkin didn't have time to answer because Malfoy, pointing at the shop's entrance with a funny face, whistled: "Wow, look at that man."

Harry turned his head towards the direction Malfoy was nodding, and there, he found Hagrid; who was grinning at Harry, pointing at two large ice-creams to show why he couldn't come in. "That is Hagrid," Harry started. He didn't like the boy's tone of voice when signalling him. "He works at Hogwarts as the gatekeeper."

"Oh, I've heard about him," the girl commented. "Father told me he was some kind of servant who lived in a hut outside the castle and who likes to get drunk once in a while."

"I think he is brilliant," Harry grunted. He was liking those kids less and less every second. In fact, as soon as Madam Malkin finished taking the measures, Harry paid her so he could get out of the shop as soon as possible.

Those were his intentions, but unfortunately, the smug girl decided to follow him. She was looking at him with curiosity in her blue eyes; like he was some sort of creature she had never seen, which was infuriating Harry. He was about to shout at her when the other boy, Malfoy, came out of the shop just to ask him. "Wait, boy, what is your surname? You said your parents were our kind, but I want to be sure."

It must have been the 'International Day of Interrupting Harry', because just as the boy was about to tell those snot kids to sod off, another voice piped in.

"Draco! What are you doing standing there?" The voice came from a tall man with very long and pale hair. Harry was sure that the man had to be Malfoy Snr; mainly because Draco had the same hair and the same sneering face. "Oh, Hagrid. It is a... surprise to see you here. I didn't know you also were Dumbledore's errand boy," as soon as the man saw the big man, his face turned from an arrogant look to one of pure disdain.

"Lucius..." Hagrid grunted.

If they were not enough, another man came from behind Malfoy Snr's back. What is happening here? Why are all the wizards blond? I don't understand a bloody thing! The new man was slightly taller than Lucius Malfoy, but he seemed much more imposing and stronger. He had a prominent jawline and a very harsh expression adorning his face.

There was something about his posture that displayed self-confidence, and he had an aura around him that prevented Harry from angering him. Maybe it was due to his 'Viking look'; with very short hair and some dark tattoos covering both of the head's side, where the hair was practically shaved. This was a man who screamed problems; like the ones Harry saw during a school trip to a local prison.

"What do we have here?" The new man asked to the air. "Lord Lucius Malfoy himself."

"Ludwig Larsson," Lucius Malfoy almost hissed. Harry also observed the man had suddenly changed the way he was gripping his walking cane; the same went for his posture.

Things are about to get ugly. But at that moment, Hagrid grabbed his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Come on, Harry, we gotta move. Things are goin' to get ugly here, yeh have to trust me."

That sure is a good idea. So the both of them just walked away from the group of wizards. Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream. He was still pretty confused about his conversation with that Malfoy boy and the whole thing that took place after that. On top of that, the boy was practically livid after hearing how those two kids talked about Hagrid as if he was scum.

"Hagrid," Harry started. "That boy asked me something about what house I will be sorted in. What does he mean?"

"Well, it is very easy. All the students at Hogwarts are sorted into four different houses," Hagrid explained. "Gryffindor, the house of the brave. Ravenclaw is for those who seek knowledge above everything. In Hufflepuff, you will find the kindest and friendliest lot. Then you have Slytherin..."

"What is the matter with Slytherin?" Harry asked.

"There is not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't sorted in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one of them. And let me tell yeh somethin', that blond boy back there, he is goin' to be in Slytherin; just like his whole family has been for generations."

Well, at least I learnt something today. I know I don't want to be sorted in Slytherin. The two of them kept walking around Diagon Alley; they just had one more stop left. Hagrid bought Harry's book in a shop called Flourish and Blotts, where there were so many books on the shelves they almost touched the ceiling. The boy would have loved to keep eyeing a very interesting book about the magical creatures from Europe, but his visit was coming to an end.

"Well," Harry commented, trying to hide how sad he was. "I guess we are finished here, aren't we?"

For an unknown reason, that made Hagrid laugh. "No, Harry, yer wand is left."

"A wand?"

"Yeh, the wand is the most important thing for a wizard. It would allow yeh to do magic. I wanted to buy it last because it takes more time."

"My own wand..." Harry whispered. "Where are we getting it, Hagrid?"

"There is no better place to buy a wand than Ollivanders', the man is a bit barmy, but he is a good lad." Just as he finished speaking, Harry noticed they were at the entrance of a narrow and shabby shop which had peeling, gold letters over the door that read 'Ollivanders: Makers of fine wands since 382 BC'.

Woah, come on Harry, it is time to turn into a real wizard. With those thoughts, both Harry and Hagrid came into the shop.


Ronald Weasley POV

Sunday 2nd August, 1991 (The Burrow, London) - Past midnight

"It is time, Ron," Gerd announced. "They are all already sleeping. I've checked it twice."

Okay, let's do this. Your wand is waiting for you. Tonight was the night he was supposed to meet with Gerard, who, somehow, was going to get him a wand. Ron told the man they would meet at the creek which was close to the Burrow, but first, he had to be sure no one was still awake.

His plan was pretty simple. He just had to get to the lower floor, and then, he would go outside to meet Gerard. The only problem was avoiding all the steps which creaked, but even that was pretty easy for someone who had been living in the Burrow for eleven years.

In the end, even though it was far easier than he first thought, Ron couldn't breathe calmly until he stepped out of the kitchen; welcoming the fresh air with a smile on his face.

"That was pretty easy, to be honest," Gerd pointed out. She was flying around him, her gleaming dress swaying like always even if there wasn't any wind.

"Yeah, next time I'll try not to stress so much. Come on, Gerard must be waiting for us. Follow me." Ron made his way to the creek, leaving the barn way past him.

The creek wasn't far from his house—just a few minutes by walking, in fact—but Ron was so excited, that when he realized, he already was at the meeting place. Where is he? Gerard should already be here. The man told him they were going to meet at the creek a few hours past noon; when his family were no longer awake.

"You took your time, boy," Gerard said while materializing in front of him. "I've been waiting for a while."

"Woah! That was totally wicked! How did you do that!"

Gerard smiled after seeing the emotion on Ron's face. "That was a very simple Disillusionment charm. One day you'll be able to do it too. Are you ready?"

"You joking? I've been waiting for this moment since you convinced me back at that square."

"Good," Gerard nodded. "Have you ever done side apparition with either your father or mother?"

"I think I did it once with dad. From what I remember it sucked a lot." The redhead grimaced.

"Well, that would be a good sum-up of it," the older man smiled. "Come on, grab my arm with strength and don't ever let it go. Trust me, you don't want that to happen." Ron did what the wizard ordered. As soon as he grabbed his arm, the whole world started to spiral. It was short but intense; because only one second after it, Ron found himself in another place.

Gerard managed to land perfectly on his feet as if nothing had happened at all. On the other hand, Ron fell to the ground as soon as they apparated in the new place. It wasn't his most graceful entrance, but he had tried his best.

Gerard helped him to get on his feet. "You'll get used to it," he smirked. "Everyone starts like you. Practise makes perfection, remember those words and you'll be thankful to me one day. Come on, the place we are going is not exactly close to here."

Well, Ron sure agreed with him on that. That place was nowhere to be seen after walking for what seemed like an eternity. "Where is that bloody place," Ron grunted, barely able to speak due to the exhaustion. "If it was so far, you could have apparated a bit closer, don't you think?"

"Said place has many wards that prevent uninvited guests from apparating right on it," the older man explained. "If we had tried that, we would have crashed against an invisible wall; trust me, that wouldn't be very pleasant."

If you say so... Ron couldn't even enjoy the landscape because they were surrounded by trees from everywhere, which didn't help at all to make the place a bit more welcoming. The redhead thought that maybe they were on a mountain or on a large hill because they were definitely going uphill; his legs letting him know how tired they were at every second.

"Wait, stop right here," Gerard suddenly said. His wand appeared from nowhere in his left hand just as he started to poke at the air in front of him. "That cautious bastard... I told her we were coming tonight." He then pressed his wand further into the air, but much to Ron's surprise, the wand didn't go very far. It was like it had touched some kind of invisible wall.

That must be one of the wards he mentioned earlier... wicked! Ron just waited while Gerard tried to do something, but the man was cursing someone for most of the time. Luckily, they didn't need to wait for much longer because a few minutes later something changed in the air. If someone were to ask him what the difference was, Ron would have no idea what to answer; maybe it had something to do with the fact the air felt warmer, but that was all.

The scenario in front of them changed completely in just a few seconds. In the place where previously was the way uphill, suddenly appeared another man-made dirt road which led to a big, wooden hut. Waiting for them, with his hands behind his back, was a domestic elf; who didn't even wait for them to take a step before bowing. "You must be my master's guest," the elf greeted. "I've been waiting for you to come, Lord Gerard. Follow me, my master is waiting."

"I'm not a lord, elf," Gerard cursed, clearly angered by the elf's words. Despite that, he still followed him, so Ron decided to do the same.

That was weird; he got pretty riled up out of nowhere. The two wizards followed the elf, who was leading them to the gigantic hut. They weren't even in front of the door when the elf waved his hand towards it, opening it from a distance. That was bloody brilliant! I didn't know elves were so good at magic aside from those charms used to clean and those things.

As soon as he stepped into the hut, it greatly reminded him of the Burrow; at least, by how comfy and welcoming it looked. Just as it happened with every other wizarding house it had a fireplace, which was at the end of the entrance corridor. At both of its sides, there were two black, wooden doors, where Ron thought they were going into. But much to the boy's surprise, the elf stopped them in the middle of the corridor. With a snap of his fingers, the elegant and large carpet—which went down the whole hallway—was set aside; revealing nothing but the wooden floor.

"What is he doing?" Ron asked Gerard, barely whispering the words.

The man didn't have time to answer. The elf, now kneeling on the floor, palmed it as he muttered something. The second after that, a large portion of it was literally removed. "What a cautious bastard," Gerard let out a whistle. "Did you see that? Well, it was just a silly ward of hiding; the elf just broke it."

"Please, follow me to the workplace," the elf told them, ignoring their conversation. "My master already has everything ready." He jumped down without even looking at the fall.

Instead, the two wizards went downwards by using a wooden ladder that led to a basement. The atmosphere was totally different down there. A floor made of pure stone welcomed them, just as the cold air filled his lungs; a total opposite of what happened up in the hut. There were many blue torches in the walls, which allowed them to see the many shelves and tables that were placed all over the basement; still, it was a pretty shady sight. Especially after observing said furniture had many jars of glass with strange things inside of them.

"It has been a long time, Gerard," a voice greeted them from Ron's right. "What is the matter now? That wand doesn't suit you anymore? In all my years, you are the first client who has ever requested a third wand."

"It is not for me this time, Violet," Gerard greeted back.

The woman stepped into the light of one of the torches, so Ron was finally able to see her. She was a rather short woman with a very similar hairstyle to his; but in her case, the hair was as black as coal instead of fiery red. Suddenly, the woman's eyes were directed towards Ron; narrowing to study him as Percy did with his books. "If it isn't for you, the wand must be for him, then," she deducted.

Gerard just nodded in response; then, he beckoned Ron to get in front of the woman so she could study him better. Violet just circled around him, not averting her eyes from him at any moment. All this study was making Ron very nervous and uncomfortable, but luckily for him, it ended very quickly.

"Okay," the woman nodded. "Let's see what we can do with him. Follow me here, boy. I need you to listen to me very carefully. This is very simple; do you see that table with all those jars? Well, I'm going to extract its contents so I can put them on the table. The only thing you need to do is extend your arm towards them and listen to what I say, okay?"

"Yes," Ron answered, almost instantly.

The wandmaker started to do what she had just explained. When she was finished, Violet beckoned him to get closer to the first jar. There, waiting for him on the table, there were some orange feathers that probably came from an exotic bird. Ron extended his arm towards them and waited for whatever was supposed to happen. "Mmh... Definitely not," she muttered. "Come on, onto the next."

Ron did as she said. In front of the next jar were some very white strings. Those seem like tail's strings from a horse... maybe? He did the same as with the previous one, but there wasn't luck either. The woman made him repeat that exact process with the next five jars, and just when Ron was starting to get a little nervous, he felt it.

He had extended his arm—like the many times before—towards some very beautiful feathers; unlike the first ones, these were a mix between golden and white. Just when he was about to pull out his arm, the redhead felt a spark that went from his hand to his head; it was something he had never felt before, but it was pleasant. In fact, it made him try to touch the feathers, but Violet stopped him before he could do it.

"That would do, boy," she ordered. "Quite interesting I would say. Those are feathers from the tail of a Thunderbird. They don't usually connect with many wizards, and when they do, most of the time it is the wizard who tries to find another core. Such is the bad fame they have. If you were to ask me, I would say those wizards who refuse them are cowards; it is true they are hard to master, but the rewards can be incredible. If I were you, I'd take them."

Damn, what I'm supposed to do now? This was something that wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't ready to take such an important decision; that was both Violet and Gerard's role. It was how Ollivander's worked. What the hell should I do? With the corner of his eye, the redhead noticed Gerd flying above the feathers; looking at them with a mix of curiosity and attention.

"I think you should take them," Gerd advised. "Something about them makes me feel good."

Well, that came out of nowhere, but I don't really know what to do, so maybe I should take her advice. At least if they turn out bad, it won't be my fault. Ron turned his head to look at the wandmaker. "I'll take them."

"Good decision," she smiled. "A risky one for sure, but those are the best ones if they are proven right in the end. Well, the core is settled. Now it is time for the wood. I'm going to need your help with this, Gerard. What wood do you think will fit him the most?

Gerard took a moment to think before answering. "Maybe mahogany, rowan, yew, or something similar."

"Mmh... I was also thinking about ebony since it has good chemistry with the Thunderbird's feather," the woman muttered while handing Ron some piece of dark, brownish wood. "Can you feel something? Most wizards can't feel the magic that comes from the wood used in the making of the wands. But when the wood is exceptional, like my woods are, and there is chemistry, some people can feel the connexion."

Ron took in his hands the piece of wood, but he didn't feel a thing. He was about to give it back when Gerd said: "Ebony is the best option. Trust me, I know what I'm saying."

The redhead wasn't still very sure about it, but it only took one look from Gerd to make him change his opinion. There were very few times when the Essentia got serious. Most of the time it was because there was something about her past which she couldn't remember, but this one didn't seem like one of those. I should follow her advice, then. I will ask her later about his change of mood. As soon as we are back at the Burrow, that's it.

"Yes, I can feel something," Ron lied. "It is similar to what I felt with the feathers, but not that intense." Now it was time to see if the bluff worked or not.

The wandmaker raised her eyebrow like she was impressed. "Well, ebony and Thunderbird's feathers are a very rare combination, but they have a lot of chemistry together. Your wand will be very... hard to master, but if you manage to connect with it, the results can be incredible."

"Good," Gerard pipped in. "You can work with that, right? You've already evaluated him enough for the length and flexibility of the wand, or do you need something else?"

"No, I can work with what I have," the wandmaker agreed. "Ebony is not like most of the other woods. It can vary, but most of the wands made with said wood don't change in flexibility and length too much. Now, about the payment..."

"What payment?" Gerard asked while raising a brow. "You owed me one service, Violet. You are not the type of person who forgets that kind of thing."

"Come on, where is your sense of humour?" She joked. "I had to try. Those components are not precisely cheap, you know?"

"That is a pity. When will the wand be ready? Around one week like the others?"

"Sure," the woman answered. "I already have everything I need to make it. One week will be enough to run some tests on it and to verify that everything went exceptional."

"Good," Gerard replied. "As soon as you've finished, have it delivered to me; I'll handle the rest. Thanks, Violet, it was good to see you again, but we have to go now."

As soon as they said goodbye, both Ron and Gerard followed the elf to get out of the wandmaker's house. I'm going to have my own wand... that's just... bloody brilliant. Ron was so happy and immersed in his thoughts that he clashed against Gerard's back when the man suddenly stopped. He turned to look at him with his brow raised "Come on, grab my hand, it is time to go back."

He did as the man said, so Ron found himself spiralling once again, but this time, he managed not to land on his arse; he just kissed the ground with more force than the one he would have liked. "It takes time to perfect the landing," Gerard smiled.

Yeah, whatever, it is me the one with his mouth full of dirt, so let's smile. Ron got up and tried to spit as much dirt as he could, but Gerard beckoned him to move forward. They had taken more time than what the man imagined, so he wanted to call it a night.

They were past the barn when they spotted the kitchen's light. Come on... I should have imagined it. Not everything can go according to the plan for once. How was he going to get to his room? He didn't know if it was his mother or his father the one to be awake right now, but he didn't want to check it.

"Did you leave your room's window open?" Gerard asked.

"Ehhh... I think so..." Ron answered, trying to remember. He had been so nervous back then that whether the window was closed or not slipped past his mind. Still, the boy didn't know in what way would it help them; his room was on the last floor, after all.

Either way, he just followed Gerard until they both came just under his room's window, which was open. "Good, I'm going to lift you so you can get into your room, okay?"

"What? Are you bloody serious?" Ron asked.

Gerard didn't even answer him, he just aimed his wand at him. In no time, Ron found himself being lifted from the ground, and just in a few seconds, he was at the same level as his window was. Then, some force pushed him inside; but this time, he managed to land on his feet for once. Wow... that was amazing.

As soon as he recovered from his amazement, he stuck his head out of the room to say goodbye to Gerard, but the man was nowhere to be seen. That is just rude, he could have said goodbye or something. Well, since the man was already gone, Ron wanted to ask Gerd about her change of demeanour back at the wandmaker's hut. Unfortunately, the Essentia was also nowhere to be seen.

Ey, what is happening here? Does anyone in this house have some kind of modals? Whatever... He would ask Gerd tomorrow or some other day if she had decided to do some of her escapades without telling him.

Now, the only thing that Ron wanted was to sleep.