“That’ll be thirteen Galleons, six Sickles, and four Knuts.” With Madam Malkin cheerfully seeing them out, Witt walked from the shop looking deeply aggrieved.
As a veteran haggler, this was the first time he’d ever lost so badly.
Madam Malkin had definitely noticed how much Lily liked that particular outfit and refused to lower the price because of it.
Witt had wasted half the day arguing with her, only to knock five Sickles off the price.
If Lily hadn’t been standing there, Witt was certain he could have bargained her down by at least three whole Galleons.
Judging by Madam Malkin’s delighted smile, and the fact that she’d personally escorted them all the way to the door, Witt knew she’d made a killing on that sale.
After leaving the robe shop, Witt bought the rest of their supplies one by one: a cauldron, textbooks, an owl for Lily, two sets of glass phials, and various other necessities.
By the time they reached the point of buying wands, only thirteen Galleons remained.
Lily looked at Witt rather sheepishly.
It was her first time shopping in the wizarding world, and she’d gotten a little too excited and bought quite a few expensive things.
“I already have a wand.” Witt took out the wand the System had given him and reassured her, “This one works perfectly well.
I don’t need a new one.” It might not provide any special bonuses, but it had one enormous advantage.
It didn’t have the Ministry’s Trace on it.
Otherwise, given Witt’s old habit of opening fights with Crucio, the Ministry would have dragged him off to Azkaban ages ago.
Ollivanders looked tiny from the outside, and rather shabby besides.
Inside, countless long, narrow boxes were stacked densely from floor to ceiling.
Witt pushed open the door.
A bell jingled overhead.
From somewhere at the back of the shop, Ollivander appeared atop a rolling ladder and peered out at them.
“Welcome,” he said softly.
“A first-year?
Professor McGonagall.” “She needs a wand.” Witt gently nudged Lily forward.
Only then did Ollivander properly notice her.
He blinked in confusion, came over, and crouched in front of Lily for a closer look.
“So alike…
extraordinarily alike.” “May I ask your name?” Lily looked at the strange old man with his wild white hair and answered softly, “Lily Evans.” “What?” Ollivander shot to his feet.
His memory was exceptionally good.
Even something that had happened twenty years ago remained as vivid to him as if it had happened yesterday.
Looking exactly the same was astonishing enough.
Having exactly the same name as well was far too much of a coincidence for him not to wonder.
Ollivander turned towards McGonagall.
“Professor McGonagall, this is…?” Dumbledore had instructed McGonagall not to tell anyone about Witt’s situation.
At the same time, she was afraid Ollivander might spread word of what he had seen.
So she could only lower her voice.
“Please keep this confidential.” “Oh!” Ollivander nodded solemnly.
Exactly what conclusion he had reached was anyone’s guess.
This time, Ollivander didn’t even bother taking Lily’s measurements.
He went straight into the depths of the shop and returned with a wand.
He offered it to her gently.
“Try this.
Willow and phoenix feather, eleven inches.
I think it should suit you.” Lily gave it a tentative wave.
A burst of flame erupted from the wand tip, nearly singeing Ollivander’s hair.
He immediately snatched the wand back.
“No, no.
Not this one.” “It seems you haven’t changed.” With that, Ollivander went searching again and soon returned with another wand.
“Willow and unicorn hair.
Ten and three-quarter inches.
Quite supple.” Lily accepted this one much more cautiously.
The sudden flames from the previous wand had clearly startled her.
The instant her fingers closed around the new wand, a warm glow spread from it.
“A perfect match.” Ollivander looked delighted.
He circled Lily several times, studying her from every angle.
Witt frowned, stepped forward, and pulled Lily behind him, placing himself between the two of them.
“How much is the wand?” “Money?
No need.” Ollivander shook his head and said softly, “Consider it my gift to celebrate Miss Evans’s arrival.” “Thank you.” The moment Witt heard the words no need, he thanked Ollivander without hesitation, immediately settling the matter.
Free things were always welcome.
It wasn’t as if Witt was refusing to pay.
Ollivander was the one who didn’t want the money, and Witt had never been in the habit of chasing people down just to force coins into their hands.
With that settled, Witt took Lily by the hand and prepared to leave.
Better to get out quickly in case Ollivander changed his mind.
“Wait.” Lily stopped him and tugged at his sleeve.
“Witt, your wand is really old.
Why don’t you buy a new one?” Earlier, Witt had insisted that they didn’t have enough money and stubbornly refused to buy himself another wand.
But Ollivander hadn’t charged anything for hers.
That meant the remaining money could be used to buy Witt one instead.
“No need.” Witt held up his battered old wand and declared confidently, “Even if my wand is old, it’s still the best wand in the world.” After making such a grand declaration, Witt leaned close to Lily’s ear and lowered his voice.
“As long as a wand works, that’s enough.
We’d better save the money.
We might need it later.” “We’re living under someone else’s roof right now.
There’ll be plenty of things we’ll need money for.” After his whispered explanation, Lily’s cheeks inexplicably turned red.
She obediently followed Witt out of the wand shop.
“Professor McGonagall, where are we going now?” “Back to your home.” “What home?” Witt didn’t understand for a moment.
“Your home in London.” McGonagall answered quietly.
She and Dumbledore had discussed it.
It wasn’t suitable for Witt and Lily to remain at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore couldn’t be certain whether Lily might suddenly return to her own time.
Snape was important to him, and he didn’t want this situation to have any adverse effect on the man.
For now, it would be better not to let Snape know.
They would observe Lily for a while.
Once they were certain nothing unexpected would happen, they could tell Snape the truth.
“Isn’t Hogwarts a boarding school?” Witt asked curiously.
“If we’re supposed to commute, what happens if we’re late?” “Term begins on the first of September.
There is still quite some time before then,” McGonagall explained.
“During this period, new students are not permitted to stay at Hogwarts.” “You and Lily were exceptions because of unusual circumstances.
Now that matters have been settled, you need to return to London.
On the first of September, you’ll take the Hogwarts Express to school like the other students.” “Come along.
I’ll take you home.” McGonagall reached out and took Witt and Lily by the hands.
With Side-Along Apparition, the three of them vanished from Diagon Alley and reappeared instantly outside Witt’s house.
Witt’s home wasn’t particularly large, and from the outside it looked rather old and shabby.
Functionally, however, there was nothing wrong with it.
The only thing currently malfunctioning was Witt.
“Urgh—!” He dropped to the ground and retched.
That violent sensation of the world spinning around him had left him thoroughly miserable.
It took quite a while before he managed to stand again.
“Wizard transportation really is convenient.
Shame it feels absolutely awful.” “Professor, would you like to come in for a while?
I make excellent tea.” Witt warmly invited her inside.
Bribing a professor before term started was obviously a very sensible thing to do.
At that moment, Witt had completely forgotten that when he first met McGonagall two days ago, he had welcomed her with a particularly enthusiastic Crucio.
“No, thank you,” McGonagall replied.
“I still need to collect another student.” “A cup of tea won’t take long.” Thick-skinned as ever, Witt stubbornly insisted until he managed to drag McGonagall inside.
Somewhere in another corner of London, the young Severus Snape, who had now been wandering the streets for an entire day, suddenly sneezed violently.
Faced with Witt’s relentless hospitality, McGonagall eventually stayed for a cup of tea after all.
Before leaving, she gave Witt’s tea exceptionally high praise.