Ten minutes later, inside Ollivander's Wand Shop.
"This is my wand?" Leonard asked, running his fingers over the ridged knots along its length.
The wand was a pale, ashen white, with circular joints spaced every few inches. The grip had been fashioned from a different wood, but Ollivander had carved away the outer layer to expose the spiral grain of the elderwood beneath—allowing Leonard to touch it directly.
The moment it settled into his hand, Leonard felt a rush of clarity. The wand didn't resist him, didn't push back—it simply became an extension of his arm.
It was unlike anything he had felt before. Clearly, this wand was a perfect match.
Excitement bubbled in his chest. True, it wasn't the fabled Elder Wand, but it was close—crafted by Garrick Ollivander himself, the greatest wandmaker alive.
A one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Leonard could almost see the golden Galleon signs flashing across it.
As for size, Ollivander hadn't been exaggerating: with the added grip, it stretched to a full fifteen inches—nearly forty centimeters. Not impossible to carry, but definitely unwieldy in the swing.
Still, its value was written plainly on Ollivander's tired, sleepless face.
"Don't get too excited yet," Ollivander yawned, weariness heavy in his voice. "So far it's all just theory. Whether this wand performs the way I imagine still needs to be tested."
"How do we test it?" Leonard asked.
"By seeing if it works as any normal wand should." Ollivander gave his own wand a flick.
The shelves parted, and a practice dummy, target painted across its chest, sprang out.
"Go on, try it." Ollivander gestured.
Leonard looked down at his wand, uncertain. "Try how?"
"With a spell."
"But I don't know any."
The shop went quiet. Ollivander smacked his forehead. "Of course—you've never studied magic, never even held a wand before. Still, basic spells aren't hard. You've read the Standard Book of Spells, haven't you? The fundamentals are in there."
Leonard nodded.
"Good. Use one of those to test. Focus on the magic inside you, add a touch of frustration, and swing the wand with intent."
"Like this?" Leonard gave it a try.
At once, the wand grew heavy in his grip. A deep crimson spark burst from the tip, trailing light as it shot straight into the bullseye.
With a loud thud, the dummy was hurled back against the wall, the target dented at its center.
"Not bad. Strong impact." Ollivander ran his hand across the dent, a satisfied look on his face. "The question is—how does it compare to the Elder Wand?"
Leonard was equally pleased. With his meager magical reserves, an ordinary wand would've barely shoved the dummy aside, leaving no mark at all. Yet this wand had amplified his spell far beyond expectation.
"I think it's already excellent," Leonard said.
"No, no—that was only a basic charm." Ollivander shook his head. "The Elder Wand's true marvel lies in how it amplifies spell effects. You'll only see that once you've learned more magic."
Leonard frowned. "You sound like you know the Elder Wand very well."
"My family kept records," Ollivander said wistfully. "It was said to be the finest wand ever made. They say its Repairing Charm could even mend other wands. Do you know how rare that is? Wands are nearly impossible to fix. Every time I see some fool mistreating theirs, I want to throttle them."
The sudden burst of temper made Leonard sweat nervously.
"So you want to see if this wand can enhance spells like the Elder Wand did?" he asked.
"Exactly," Ollivander nodded. "Raw damage isn't impressive. It's the quality of the effect that matters."
"Well, I—" Leonard began, ready to suggest he'd practice more, when the doorbell above the shop chimed. A new customer entered.
"That'll be all for now. Come back tomorrow, I'll teach you a few spells," Ollivander said, glancing toward the father and daughter who had just stepped inside. "I've got customers. Likely one of your future classmates."
"Then I'll be going." Leonard glanced at the newcomers, noting the way they surveyed the shop.
"Excuse me, we're here to buy a wand," the father said, displeasure in his voice as neither wizard had acknowledged him.
"My apologies. Right away," Ollivander said with a quick smile, hurrying over.
Seeing him busy, Leonard turned to leave, passing close by the pair.
The girl's gaze lingered on his wand. Its design was so unusual, unlike any she had seen in the hands of Hogwarts professors or patrons at the Leaky Cauldron.
"Looking to buy a wand, are we? What's your name, child?" Ollivander's voice floated over as Leonard stepped outside.
"My name is Hermione Granger," the girl replied.