Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 33: Wand Maker
"Welcome to my humble shop, Madam Yafel." The decrepit-looking old man had to use the help of his cane to bow down.
Morgan and Harry had to cross through a secret door at the end of a dark alley to get there.
"Is this really a wand shop?" Harry sounded doubtful. He didn't think a shop this secretly hidden would have any clients.
The old man smiled. "It is, but this part of the property is only for important clients." He pointed up. "The one up there is open to the public."
Morgan glanced at Harry. "Making wands without approval from the Ministry gives you a life sentence in Azkaban."
"Oh, I see." Harry then understood. Magic was a lot more regulated during this era, and he was still getting used to it.
Over the past month, he had learned a lot from the books that Morgan had provided him.
Now it was finally time for him to get a proper wand so he could practice his magic with it.
The old man stared at Harry for a long moment. "So… the wand is for this young man."
"Yes. Make him a good one. I hope you don't disappoint me, Hector."
The old man flinched. "I wouldn't dare… Madam Yafel. This will be my best job." He made a gesture with his hand. "Please, follow me, young man."
Harry was guided towards a set of small boxes. Each contained a different material.
"You want me to choose a core?"
"Indeed. The core is the most important part of the wand. You must find what you are more compatible with. Close your eyes and move your hand over the boxes. Take your time and see if you can feel anything special while doing so."
Harry knew exactly what to look for. His sensitivity to magic had always been exceptional, and he still had this ability after his reincarnation.
He felt a slight connection to most of the materials there, but one particular one was much more intense than the others. "This one."
"Oh?! That one? Are you sure?" The old man sounded shocked as he stared at the small box that Harry pointed at.
"What's wrong?" Harry couldn't see what this box contained, as it was closed.
"What is that material?" Morgan got closer to take a look, but just like Harry, she couldn't tell what it was.
"I found this one on a black market over fifty years ago… I have created hundreds of wands since then, but never found someone with a connection to this." The old man opened the box, and inside was something resembling a piece of rock, resting on a velvet cushion.
Of course, this was just at a simple glance. Both Morgan and Harry could feel the magical energy emanating from the stone as soon as the old man opened the box.
"This is a piece of a petrified heart. It belongs to a creature that had long gone extinct. A Primordial Dryad. A progenitor of the fairies and many other enchanted creatures we have today."
"A Primordial Dryad?" Merlin sounded interested.
This was because during his past life, he had met such a creature. The one that many knew as the 'Lady of the Lake' was truly an ancient aquatic dryad, a being made of pure natural energies, the most primordial form of magic.
She was the original possessor of the sacred sword, Excalibur, and Merlin had met her during his youth years, long before he placed that same sword in the stone, waiting for its true master.
"The Lady of the Lake…" Harry muttered softly while remembering those old days.
So much had happened since then.
Morgan glanced at him, as she could guess what he was thinking about.
While looking at this petrified heart, Harry could not help but wonder if it used to belong to that particular dryad.
"I never thought I would ever find someone compatible with this object." The old man sounded very excited. "Madam Yafel, you have really brought me someone exceptional today!"
He then moved to another part of the room. "Young one, this way! We must choose an appropriate wood now."
Seeing that he was yet to move and was still staring at the petrified heart, Morgan approached Harry and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think it's hers."
Harry lifted his eyes to look at Morgan.
"But if it is," she continued, "I'm sure she would be happy to be of some use to you at this point. You always had a special connection with nature and its creatures."
Harry nodded solemnly before going to where the old man was waiting for him.
He had already placed several blanks made of different woods on a table. There were seven in total, and all had slightly different colors.
"These are the ones which I believe would go best with that special core."
"Do I have to do the same as before?" Harry asked.
"No." The old man responded. "The core needs to have an affinity for its user, but the wood only needs to be compatible with the core. Any of these woods would work well. You just have to choose the one you wish to use."
Harry looked over the rectangular blanks. They had different tones of brown, from very light ones to almost black. But there was one that caught his attention, as it was completely green, just like his eyes.
"What is this one?"
"Verdant Cypress. It only grows in one particular enchanted marsh in North America. It symbolizes a connection with nature and order," the old man explained.
"Then it's a very appropriate one for him," Morgan said.
"Indeed! This is going to be my best work to date." The old craftsman sounded very excited at the prospect.
"It better be," Morgan commented. "So take your time and do it properly. As for the payment—"
"No, no. I couldn't ask for anything in return, Madam Yafel," the old man hurried to say. "If it wasn't for you, I would have likely died at the hands of my father when I was a mere child. It has been a very long time, but this old man will never forget that debt…"
Harry glanced at Morgan and could not help but feel a bit happy to hear this. He always knew there was a lot of kindness inside her heart, even if no one else saw it.
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