Chapter 127: The Wand Is Useful

The wand shop was exceedingly narrow and run-down. Much of the gilded lettering on the door had flaked away, leaving only the words:

“Ollivanders—The finest wandmakers since 382 B.C.!”

As they pushed open the door, a clear bell rang.

The shop itself was just as cramped. The counter was very high, with a chair beside it. Ma Jun pointed to the chair and gestured for Harry to sit.

The place was packed with little boxes. Hundreds upon hundreds of wand boxes seemed ready to pierce the ceiling.

“Good afternoon.”

Before long, an old man emerged from behind the counter. In a mild voice, he glanced at Ma Jun, then fixed his eyes on Harry.

“Hello!”

“Harry Potter! How wonderful. I knew I would be seeing you very soon!” Ollivander ignored Ma Jun and launched into a long, rambling speech directed at Harry.

He even recited the makes of Harry’s parents’ wands. The old man’s endless chatter left Harry somewhat at a loss.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ollivander. Harry needs a wand. And, of course, so do I.” Ma Jun spoke at the appropriate moment. “My wand was destroyed while I was traveling around the world.”

“Ah, yes!” Hearing that the wand had been damaged, Ollivander cast Ma Jun an unhappy glance before turning his attention back to Harry. “Mr. Potter, let me see which hand you use to hold your wand.”

Ollivander produced a silver measuring tape and began measuring Harry’s arm.

After a great deal of fussing and testing, Harry finally obtained his wand—a brother wand to Voldemort’s.

The revelation alarmed Harry. He hurriedly rose from the chair and moved a little farther away.

Then it was Ma Jun’s turn.

He felt somewhat nervous—not because he was worried about his identity, but because he was filled with anticipation. Since the system had managed to arrange a wizarding identity for him, there was no reason for anything to go wrong.

He simply wanted to know whether he could use magic.

Ollivander narrowed his eyes and studied Ma Jun for a long while before his brows finally relaxed.

“Ma Jun. Thirteen inches. Eastwood, unicorn hair! Your wand was broken?”

*This man knows me, and he even remembers me purchasing a wand,* Ma Jun thought, nodding. *That means the system’s upgrade has strengthened the identities it arranges in worlds of this level. I only wonder whether I have a record of living at Hogwarts. It’s a pity I have no identification papers. The Ministry of Magic should have some information about me.*

“A damaged wand is a truly regrettable thing for any wizard!” Ollivander said, plainly displeased. He had a special attachment to wands.

Ma Jun shrugged in agreement.

Though unhappy, Ollivander remained professional and measured the length of Ma Jun’s arm.

That was actually rather strange. If the wand’s length was determined by measuring the arm, then its size must be related to the user’s body. Yet most people used the same wand for their entire lives. The height of a child and the length of his hand would certainly change as he grew older.

Could Ollivander somehow calculate a person’s adult height while taking the measurements? Or was he merely putting on an elaborate show?

Ma Jun was more inclined to believe the latter.

Before long, Ollivander handed him a wand.

“Fourteen inches. Eastwood. Unicorn feather!”

Ma Jun accepted it eagerly and held it lightly in his hand. Before he could even wave it, a powerful gust of wind burst forth. Every wand box around the room came crashing down.

Ollivander’s and Harry’s hair was blown backward, and both of them wore stunned expressions.

“Ha-ha… I’m terribly sorry.” Ma Jun gave an embarrassed laugh and set down the already damaged wand. Yet his expression was alight with excitement.

*It seems telekinesis really can activate magic. Could it be that wizards need mental power to cast spells, and my telekinesis is the enhanced form of mental power granted by the upgrade?*

“That wand… isn’t very suitable for you!” Ollivander recovered himself. “No matter. We’ll certainly find one that is!”

He put the wand away and walked toward the cabinets at the back. After taking a few steps, he turned around.

“Mr. Ma Jun, may I ask what you’ve been through these past few years? Your magical power seems… exceptionally strong.”

“Study.” Ma Jun smiled faintly and said nothing more.

After trying several more wands, Ma Jun gradually became familiar with the process. He learned how to keep his telekinetic power from fluctuating, preventing it from causing chaos through the wand.

“Birch, fourteen inches, dragon heartstring… from a rather unusual dragon.”

Ollivander handed him another wand.

Ma Jun accepted it and urged his telekinetic power into it. This time, the wand did not crack, and both he and Ollivander let out sighs of relief. The previous wands had all split apart, as though their magic had been too powerful for them to withstand.

“This one will do.”

By then, Ma Jun no longer cared much about the wand itself. He believed that, with his tremendous telekinetic power, he would be able to cast spells without incantations.

“Twenty Galleons,” Ollivander said after a moment’s hesitation.

It was an exorbitant price. After losing more than a dozen wands, the old man was evidently feeling the pain.

Ma Jun did not argue. He smiled, set down the Galleons, and left with Harry.

They had essentially finished buying everything they needed and were preparing to head back.

Seeing Harry hesitate as though he wanted to say something, Ma Jun asked, “What is it? Go ahead and say it.”

“Mr. Ma Jun, are you going to stay at the Leaky Cauldron? How long will you be there?” Harry asked.

“Probably a month or two. I need to find another place to live and get a job. Perhaps I’ll write travel journals or something,” Ma Jun replied.

“Could I— I mean, could I stay there too?” Harry gathered his courage. “There’s still another month before school starts.”

His expression fell as he lowered his head.

“If I take all these things with me, Aunt Petunia will certainly throw them away!”

“No problem!” Ma Jun agreed readily. “Oh, right. Yesterday was your birthday, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right. You knew?” Harry asked in delight.

“Yes. Your story has been reported in many places.” Ma Jun chuckled. “How about this? I’ll give you a present.”

Harry was overjoyed, but he was also embarrassed. He felt it would be impolite to accept a birthday present from someone he had only recently met.

Ma Jun insisted, however, and took him to a pet shop, where he bought him a snowy-white owl named Hedwig. Originally, Hagrid was supposed to give Harry the owl as his birthday present.

On the way back, they passed an ice-cream shop. Harry summoned his courage and decided to treat Ma Jun to ice cream. He had never had so much money in his life—enough to buy whatever he wanted—and Ma Jun happily agreed.

When they returned to the Leaky Cauldron, Ma Jun found Tom and rented two rooms. After having a casual dinner with Harry, he could hardly wait to enter his own room and begin studying magic.