Holding the wand that belonged to Harry, Lei could actually feel the warmth emanating from it.
At that moment, he felt as if he was about to replace Harry and become the protagonist of the wizarding world.
Under Ollivander's expectant gaze, Lei waved the wand in his hand with force.
Once, twice, three times...
After the third time, Lei stopped waving and then, with a touch of embarrassment, placed the wand on the table.
When he waved it the first time, nothing happened in the shop. Lei understood then that this wand still belonged to Harry Potter, not himself.
The reason he waved it three times in a row was because he was worried about something.
This was the third wand he had tried. Every wand, regardless of whether it was a good match, should react in some way.
Since he had waved three wands without any response, there was only one possibility: he was a Muggle and didn't have the aptitude to become a wizard.
Ollivander seemed confident in Lei. He thought the reason the wands weren't reacting was because Lei's requirements for wand compatibility were very high, so he continued to find new wands for Lei to try.
However, after Lei had tried fifty wands, Ollivander could no longer contain himself and exclaimed, "This is impossible!"
"Every young wizard can wave a wand. There's no way there wouldn't be any reaction. Are you supposed to be attending Hogwarts?" Ollivander finally asked this question.
This was a very rude question to ask a young wizard. But Lei wasn't angry at all, because even he was starting to doubt himself.
"This is the Hogwarts acceptance letter, sir."
Lei was a little nervous. As soon as Ollivander asked the question, he thought of that possibility. So, he took out the acceptance letter and gave it to Ollivander, hoping to get confirmation that he could indeed attend Hogwarts.
Under Lei's expectant gaze, Ollivander carefully examined the acceptance letter and finally nodded.
Only then did the anxiety in Lei's heart finally ease.
"Don't worry, child, I have many wands in my shop. We can try them slowly. We'll definitely find one that suits you."
Having confirmed Lei's acceptance letter, Ollivander no longer had any doubts. Only one outcome remained. The compatibility between the young boy before him and the wands had reached an unbelievable level.
'Ollivander: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.' This was his golden signboard. However, as Lei tried more and more wands, Ollivander became increasingly worried that his signboard would be tarnished today.
The wands in the shop, whether they were old or recently made, showed no reaction, no matter how the boy waved them.
If he didn't firmly believe that Hogwarts' acceptance letter was correct, Ollivander would have thought the boy was either a Muggle or a Squib, a Squib in a new, different sense.
An hour passed. Lei had forgotten how many wands he'd tried, and Ollivander often fell into thought, considering how to help Lei choose a wand.
During this process, two or three young wizards had already successfully found their wands with Ollivander's recommendations.
Lei was quite helpless because another hour had passed: "Mr. Ollivander, perhaps I should try somewhere else."
He didn't dare to continue trying, because even Lei himself was starting to doubt whether he even possessed magic. Perhaps that ability to summon objects and make glass disappear wasn't magic at all, but some other kind of superpower.
"No, no, that's not right."
Ollivander ignored Lei's request, clenching his right hand into a fist and lightly tapping his forehead, as if he too was in distress.
"Wait, wait, maybe, maybe it's this one. Hmm, it must be this one." Ollivander muttered as he walked to the front of the display case, then picked up the lone wand within the glass case and walked over to Lei.
"Acacia Wood, twelve inches, Black Dragon Heartstring and Nerve, the first wand of the Ollivander family."
Garrick Ollivander spoke very formally. This wand, which had always been displayed in the showcase, was made by the first Ollivander. As he picked it up, it seemed as if he was still recalling the story of this wand.
"Acacia Wood is a peculiar wand wood. It usually rejects anyone who tries to use it, except for its true owner."
"However, it only reveals its true power to the most talented individuals. Therefore, the owners of Acacia Wood wands are usually meticulous wizards, at the very least, their magic control is extremely precise, and they possess a very strong mental fortitude."
Ollivander presented the wand to Lei with both hands, a confident smile on his face. He was certain that this wand would resonate with Lei, that it would choose Lei as its master.
… The wand was twelve inches long, black with purple undertones, and faintly adorned with a dragon motif that seemed to leap across the shaft.
Lei took the wand. The moment he held it, a sense of profound well-being washed over him, a feeling of perfect harmony, like a fish in water, a dragon returning to the sea.
Moreover, the black dragon on the wand suddenly came to life, swirling around the shaft, eventually reaching the tip, and dissolving into mist.
It felt like a lock had been undone, a lock that had prevented him from using the wand.
"Incredible!"
Ollivander couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Without Lei even having to make a single wave, he could tell that the first wand ever born in the Ollivander family had chosen the child before him.
"Sir, this...?"
Lei didn't dare to wave the wand again. He still wasn't entirely sure that the wand had chosen him. He was afraid that if he waved it again, there would still be no reaction.
"Child, the wand has chosen you, so there's no need to worry anymore." Ollivander knew what Lei was thinking. Finally finding a suitable wand also made Ollivander breathe a sigh of relief.
"So, Mr. Ollivander, from now on, I can only use it to cast magic?" Lei was still a little worried, fearing that he could only use this one wand to cast magic from now on.
Ollivander smiled and comforted him. "Of course not. The core of the wand in your hand is Black Dragon Heartstring and Nerve. You've already received its initial recognition, which is equivalent to unlocking a shackle on your magical power. As for other wands, you'll naturally be able to use them too."
While comforting him, Ollivander handed Lei another ordinary wand.
Picking up the ordinary wand, Lei waved his right hand, and an explosion immediately sounded at the place the wand was pointing.
Hearing the muffled explosion, Lei finally confirmed he wasn't a Squib.
This was something to be happy about, and Ollivander seemed to agree.
"Seven Galleons, child. You are quite special, and I believe your future achievements will be limitless."
"Thank you for your patience, Mr. Ollivander," Lei said sincerely, then happily paid the seven Galleons.
A wand was undoubtedly the most expensive item on the school supply list. After a difficult selection process, he finally had one.
As for the remaining necessities, Lei had more than enough money. Furthermore, he hadn't heard that Hogwarts charged tuition.
If tuition had been required, Tom Riddle's chances of becoming Voldemort might have been significantly reduced.
Since Voldemort, an orphan, could attend school, so could Lei.
After buying all the necessary supplies, Lei was ready to return to the Leaky Cauldron when it started to get dark.
There were very few pedestrians on the street. Pushing his trolley, Lei arrived at the closed entrance and took out his wand, preparing to open the door using the method Tom had taught him.
However, just as Lei took out his wand, a disheveled, long-haired vagrant suddenly appeared behind him, one hand covering his mouth, the other arm around him, and ran towards Knockturn Alley on the left.
It all happened too suddenly; Lei didn't react at all. His mouth was already covered by the other person's hand, and his shouts could only turn into muffled sounds.
The trolley followed closely behind, pushed by an old man with a pale face and black lips, who also entered the entrance to Knockturn Alley.
The entrance sloped downwards. In his panic, Lei bit down hard, and then he heard a cry of pain.
At the same time, he kicked hard against the narrow walls of the entrance.
Boom! Lei's resistance was so intense that it caught everyone off guard, and the three of them, along with the trolley, tumbled into a heap.