"Garrick, maybe you didn't get enough rest last night? You can't even stand steadily."
Dumbledore reacted quickly, stepping forward to help Ollivander up and offering a gentle excuse for him.
"Albus, you are as sharp as a hawk. I was racking my brains last night trying to come up with new wand materials."
Ollivander realized he had overreacted. He followed Dumbledore's steps to make amends, then smiled kindly at Tom. "But don't worry, child. Even if I can't walk properly, I will definitely help you choose the most suitable wand."
...
Though Ollivander seemed to accept the coincidence of Tom's name, he was still uneasy. After measuring Tom, the first wand he offered was made of yew wood, which caused Dumbledore's eyelids to twitch slightly.
Yew symbolizes death and rebirth and is often favored by powerful dark wizards. It excels in both dark magic and defense. The last Tom had used a yew wand as well.
A burst of fire shot from the tip of the wand, but Ollivander shook his head in dissatisfaction, snatched it from Tom's hand, and opened another box.
"The last wand was too gentle. It's not suitable for you. Try this one."
Tom took the new wand, and a flock of birds exploded from its tip.
"It still doesn't work. Neither the previous one nor this is as good as I expected. Let's try another."
Taking a third wand, Tom immediately felt an unprecedented smoothness. Flicking his finger, he shattered a broken flowerpot in the corner into powder instantly.
[The host has successfully oriented its future development direction, and the system is anchoring... Anchoring successful. The strongest learning system will serve you wholeheartedly.]
Tom lowered his eyes, expressionless, as if he hadn't heard the voice.
Ollivander clapped his hands and smiled. "A perfect match: fourteen and a half inches of yew wood, with a dragon heartstring core. I can already imagine the power of your future spells."
"I'll put it to good use, Mr. Ollivander."
"Remember, the wand is not just your tool but your companion, child."
"Also, eight Galleons for the wand."
After paying, Tom played briefly with his wand. Though he felt no strange connection, the sensation of casting spells was incredibly smooth.
Ollivander's skill proved true: the wand truly chooses the wizard. Before reaching a certain level, wand adaptability significantly impacts a wizard's strength.
Accepting the simple maintenance tools Ollivander provided, Tom left the wand shop.
The moment the door closed behind them, the forced smile on Ollivander's face vanished. Cold sweat dotted his forehead.
A wand longer than thirteen and a half inches is considered extra-long. Such length reflects the user's absolute confidence and extraordinary desire for control, while a short wand suggests narrow-mindedness and meanness.
Ollivander remembered selling the shortest wand to a wizard named Umbridge. The longest? Tom's.
Additionally, only powerful wizards can control a dragon heartstring core.
"Dumbledore, you know what all this means, don't you?" Ollivander muttered quietly as he silently returned scattered wand boxes to their places.
Dumbledore nodded. "Ah, Mr. Riddle, I finally remembered what I had forgotten."
He pointed across the street toward a pet shop. "First-year students are allowed to bring one pet. Would you like to take a look?"
"Forget it, sir." Tom shook his head. "Owls are merely messengers. I don't need one. Toads and mice don't suit me."
Dumbledore nodded, not pressing further. "Then let's call it a day. Go have a drink with Tom, and I'll take you home."
Tom didn't refuse.
They returned to the Leaky Cauldron. It was already dinner time. Bartender Tom had reserved the only two empty seats for them.
Dumbledore's presence subdued much of the noisy conversation in the pub. Fortunately, they each had only one drink and left without lingering too long.
Tom suddenly understood why Dumbledore always seemed lonely when he watched Harry Potter in life before this. His status was too high, he was like an emperor, revered yet isolated.
An emperor, at least, has a queen. But Dumbledore... well, he sent his "queen" to jail himself.
Thinking this, Tom looked at the old man with a touch of pity, noticing the smile that never quite faded.
An hour and a half later, Dumbledore escorted Tom back to the children's home.
"Looking forward to seeing you again, Mr. Riddle."
"Me too, Professor."
After Dumbledore left, Tom went inside.
Armand had already prepared dinner. Seth and the other three boys were eating, but a large portion was left for Tom.
"Boss, do you really want to go to that white-bearded old man's school?" Seth asked curiously.
When the other three saw Tom return, they hurriedly finished their meals, washed dishes, and fled to their rooms. Only Seth remained, steady and inquisitive.
Currently, only Tom and Seth were permanent residents of the children's home. The other three were recent arrivals, problem children who scurried away whenever scolded by Tom, like mice sensing a cat.
"This isn't something you need to worry about," Tom said, biting into his steak.
"If your grades drop in middle school, don't blame me when I visit during the holidays."
Seth shrank his neck, unwilling to argue.
Seth was simply worried for Tom, angry because his boss was going to a school he had never even heard of.
In Seth's mind, Tom was unbeatable, best at both studying and fighting.
Tom could have gone to Harrow or Eton, but their outrageous fees had forced his eldest brother to leave.
Tom didn't know Seth was standing up for him. He hadn't said much since Dumbledore had warned him never to reveal the magical world to Muggles or allow magical items to leak out. As a freshman, Tom knew he lacked the power to defy the magical world's rules.
After finishing his meal and clearing the dishes, Tom returned to his bedroom.
"Open the system panel."