The brown-haired girl looked up, revealing a face that was still childish.
Aside from her two rather prominent front teeth, she was actually quite a pretty young girl.
“Hermione, you need to be more careful.”
Seeing that their daughter had bumped into someone, her parents hurried over.
“We’re terribly sorry.”
Hermione?
Combined with those familiar features, Adrian Ambrosius immediately realized who the girl was.
“It’s all right.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
“No harm done.”
What a pleasant voice…
Hearing him speak, Hermione looked up at him again, and her cheeks instantly flushed.
He looks like a prince from a fairy tale…
or perhaps an elf from a legend.
Elegant, handsome, and extraordinarily refined—nothing like the ordinary people she’d seen in the Muggle world.
The Granger couple breathed a sigh of relief.
The boy before them seemed remarkably easygoing.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Granger were, in every sense of the word, ordinary Muggles with no magical talent whatsoever.
However, they were exceptionally open-minded parents.
As successful dentists, they also had more than enough financial means to support Hermione’s seemingly unbelievable magical education.
Even so, having never truly entered the wizarding world before, the Granger family found themselves somewhat overwhelmed.
They had only just come out of Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions after asking for directions.
Noticing their confusion, Adrian Ambrosius asked gently,
“May I ask if you’ve run into any difficulties?”
The Grangers exchanged a glance before Mr.
Granger spoke.
“Hello, we’re…”
After briefly explaining their situation, Adrian Ambrosius quickly understood what they were trying to accomplish.
“So you’re shopping for this young lady’s school supplies.”
He smiled.
“My name is Adrian Ambrosius Ambrosius.
If nothing unexpected happens, Miss Granger and I should be classmates in the future.”
Hermione looked at him curiously.
“Um…
Mr.
Ambrosius…
are you a Hogwarts student too?”
Why does everyone ask me that?
Adrian Ambrosius complained inwardly, though his smile remained warm.
“Yes.”
“Everything you need can be found along this street.
However, the currency used here is different from the one you’re familiar with.”
“You can exchange British pounds for wizarding currency over there.
After that, shopping here is pretty much the same as it is in your world.”
The Grangers listened attentively.
So the wizarding world was essentially like another country.
As long as they had the local currency, everything else functioned much the same.
“Mr.
Ambrosius, thank you so much.”
The couple expressed their sincere gratitude.
“Otherwise, we probably would have spent hours trying to figure everything out.”
Adrian Ambrosius nodded.
“It was nothing.
No need to thank me.”
Checking the time, the Grangers realized it was already afternoon.
“We’re sorry, Mr.
Ambrosius.
We still have quite a few things left to buy, so we really shouldn’t keep chatting.”
“No problem.”
Adrian Ambrosius smiled.
“I hope you have a wonderful day in the wizarding world.”
With that, he disappeared deeper into Madam Malkin’s robe shop.
After he left, Hermione whispered,
“I told you there are lots of nice people in the wizarding world.”
Her parents nodded in agreement.
“Absolutely.
That young man is much friendlier than the grumpy old lady running this shop.”
The “grumpy old lady” they were referring to was none other than Madam Malkin herself.
Already advanced in age and rather plump, Madam Malkin looked thoroughly irritated as she dealt with the endless stream of young witches and wizards.
Measuring tapes enchanted with magic flew about on their own while quills rapidly recorded names and measurements.
Adrian Ambrosius cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, Madam Malkin.
You seem rather busy.”
She looked up, fully intending to glare at whichever fool had interrupted her during the busiest time of day.
The instant she recognized Adrian Ambrosius, however, her expression changed with astonishing speed.
“Young Master Adrian Ambrosius!”
With a wave of her wand, heavy curtains descended, separating a private area from the crowded shop.
Unfortunately for her, Adrian Ambrosius had no intention of exchanging pleasantries.
With a flick of his wand, a sheet of parchment floated onto the table.
Ink, guided by magic, swiftly wrote line after line across its surface.
“I’ll be starting school soon.”
“So before then, I’d like my uniforms prepared properly.”
Controlling the parchment with magic, he floated it before Madam Malkin.
“My measurements and all the special requirements are listed here.”
Use the same materials as before.”
“I hope you can finish the order as soon as possible.”
Madam Malkin quickly scanned the parchment.
“Understood, Young Master Adrian Ambrosius.
I’ll prioritize it immediately.
As for the pri—”
Sorry, I already know what you’re about to say.
Adrian Ambrosius tossed her a small money pouch.
“The usual rate.
Twenty Galleons per robe.”
Immediately, Madam Malkin beamed so broadly that her eyes nearly disappeared.
“Thank you very much, Young Master Adrian Ambrosius!”
Escaping the shop at last, Adrian Ambrosius let out a long sigh as he looked up at the sky.
“If I hadn’t run into Harry Potter and Hermione today, I’d definitely regret coming to a place like this myself.”
“It’s practically suffocating.”
“Now then…”
“It’s time for the most important purchase of all.”
“I wonder how my wand is coming along.”
About ten minutes later, another customer stepped into Ollivanders’ tiny wand shop.
The faded golden sign above the door read:
Ollivanders — Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.
Sitting quietly on a long bench, Adrian Ambrosius watched countless wand boxes stacked throughout the cramped store.
Somewhere among them, Ollivander seemed to be rummaging around, completely out of sight.
“Mr.
Ollivander.”
Adrian Ambrosius called out.
Almost immediately, the sound of a ladder sliding echoed through the shop.
An elderly man with silver eyes and snow-white hair appeared before Adrian Ambrosius as silently as a ghost.
Upon seeing him, Ollivander’s wrinkled face broke into a delighted smile.
“Mr.
Ambrosius.”
“I was just admiring what I believe to be the finest wand I’ve ever crafted.”
“I didn’t expect you to arrive at precisely that moment.”
Despite his advanced age, the old wandmaker moved with remarkable agility.
He disappeared once more into the towering stacks of wand boxes.
When he returned, he carried an exquisitely crafted case.
Descending the ladder with practiced ease, he carefully placed the box upon the crimson velvet before Adrian Ambrosius.
“Young Master Adrian Ambrosius…”
“This is the custom wand you commissioned.”
Ollivander’s eyes shone with unmistakable pride and affection as he presented his masterpiece.
Slowly, Adrian Ambrosius reached out and opened the box.
Resting silently inside was a long, elegant wand.