[Note: Read up to Chapter - 75 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"What's this then? Looks proper mysterious," Luna asked, peering curiously into one of the boxes.
"That," Ollivander replied, clearly trying to keep a lid on his excitement, "is a very rare core indeed — Thestral tail hair!"
He leaned in slightly, his tone more dramatic now. "The Thestral is a peculiar magical beast. You can only see one if you've witnessed death with your own eyes."
"A wand with a Thestral tail hair core holds a frightening power — the essence of death itself. Only a wizard who's truly mastered death can hope to wield it."
"From what I know," he added, lowering his voice, "there's only one wand out there with a Thestral tail hair core."
'The Elder Wand…' thought Aris.
Ollivander then turned to the next box, his fingers trembling ever so slightly as he removed the lid.
"And this… this is wand wood spoken of only in legend and fairy tales — the Undying Wood."
"They say it comes from the heart of a mythical immortal tree. The sort that never rots and never dries. In old tales, they reckoned that eating its bark could grant eternal life. Imagine that!"
Aris blinked, a bit taken aback as he glanced at the undying wood. "Eternal Life… could it really?"
Ollivander smiled. "Well… mostly. It's true the legends and fairy tales surrounding the Immortal tree granting the eternal life are too far-fetched, as with most fairy tales, but that wood — that actual wood — it does exist. And it's rarer than dragon eggs in a drought."
"It's got magical output the average wizard couldn't even dream of. The vitality in this wood is downright staggering. I honestly can't think of a better material for your wand than Undying Wood," Ollivander said with awe.
"With the Undying Wood and the Thestral tail hair combined, you've got the forces of life and death… and once they are bound together in perfect harmony, it would be the wand that would suit you. Only a wizard who can command both sides of that coin could ever wield this wand properly."
"Mr. Shafiq," he added, "your meeting with these materials must've been written in the stars — part of the great cycle of fate, no doubt!"
Aris glanced at Henry, a smile tugging at his lips. "Fate, eh? I reckon Henry here went through hell and high water to track these down."
"As long as I can serve the young master," Henry replied with a slight bow, his curled goatee twitching with pride, "I'd go to the ends of the earth and do it gladly."
"Cheers, Aris!" Xeno said warmly, finally pulling his eyes off the wand components. "You're finally gettin' a wand made just for you."
Luna beamed. "Told you you'd end up with something special."
"Well then," Ollivander said, practically bouncing on his heels, "now that we've got the materials, I'll get started straightaway. Give me a few days… I shall send an Owl once the wand is ready…"
He rubbed his hands together, muttering more to himself now than anyone else, "This is going to be a real project… But if I pull it off, the name Ollivander will be echoing through the wizarding world again, just you wait!"
"Merlin's beard… Only the second wand in history to use Thestral tail hair… and Undying Wood, of all things… Perhaps a wand even stronger than the Elder Wand?"
Still mumbling with barely contained glee, Ollivander scooped up the materials and shuffled off toward the back workroom, leaving the others in stunned silence.
He didn't give a toss that the shop was still packed with people—he was clearly a proper craftsman, lost in his work.
"Right then, let's not bother Mr Ollivander anymore," said Xeno, turning to Aris. "What's next? Heading home?"
"Looks like we've nearly sorted out all your school gear," he added with a nod.
Aris raised an eyebrow at Henry, who immediately caught the cue and handed him a bag about the size of a small rucksack.
"Young Master, there are exactly 1,258 books in here. That's everything I could gather for now," Henry reported.
"Since Flourish and Blotts mainly stocks popular titles, the selection's a bit limited. So I've also included a few pieces from the family's private collection. It should keep you busy for a while!"
"If you need more, I can get them—it'll just take a bit of time."
Aris accepted the bag and gave a satisfied nod.
"Cheers, Uncle Henry. That'll do nicely."
In such a short amount of time, collecting over a thousand books was no small feat. He was genuinely pleased—there'd be more than enough to read for now.
Glancing toward Ollivander's workshop, Aris then turned to Xeno.
"The wand's going to take a few days to finish. I'd like to stay somewhere in Diagon Alley until then. Do you have any plans?"
"I'm afraid I'll need to head back to sort out a few things with the magazine," Xeno replied, sounding slightly regretful. "So I won't be able to stick around."
"Then I'll stay!" Luna piped up suddenly, slipping her hand into Aris's without hesitation.
"Aris doesn't know much about the wizarding world yet. I can tell him all the interesting things I've learnt."
Xeno hesitated.
He clearly wasn't thrilled with the idea of leaving two children alone in Diagon Alley. But before he could say more, they'd already stepped out into the street, away from Ollivander's shop.
Henry thoughtfully hung up a sign that read Temporarily Closed and firmly shut the shop door behind them.
"Please don't worry, Mr Lovegood," he said at just the right moment, sensing Xeno's hesitation.
"I'll take excellent care of the young master and Miss Luna."
Truth be told, he was more than happy Aris had decided to stay—it gave him the perfect chance to properly serve the heir. Especially now, after learning of Aris's rare and formidable magical talent, Henry practically treated him like a precious gem.
After a bit of hesitation, Xeno exhaled, "Well then, I've no reason to fret," Finally easing up a bit, he nodded, "In that case, I'll be off!"
He glanced once more at Aris and Luna before adding, "Be careful, yeah? And if anything comes up, don't hesitate—send an owl straightaway!"
"Got it, Mr. Lovegood!" Aris grinned.
Luna gave a calm nod in agreement.
With that, Xeno stepped away and vanished from the street with a quiet crack of Disapparition.
"Now then, Young Master—if you'd kindly follow me," Henry said with a gracious bow.
"I'll see to it that you and Miss Luna are settled somewhere comfortable."
"Thanks, Uncle Henry!"
"Young Master, really—just Henry will do."
"I dunno, I think Uncle Henry sounds rather nice."
"This old servant's not sure he can accept that sort of flattery!"
"Well, I insist."
"...Very well, then."
With easy laughter between them, the three wandered down the cobbled lanes of Diagon Alley, the mood light and pleasant.
What Aris didn't know was this—
Not long after they'd left, two figures appeared outside Ollivander's Wand Shop.
"Aris Shafiq," came a low voice, cool and full of superiority.
A man in a dark green robe stood there. He had long, sleek blond hair and carried an ornate cane.
"Draco," he said to the boy beside him, "remember that name. When you get to Hogwarts, make sure you befriend him."
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[Note: Read up to Chapter - 75 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]