Chapter 5
"Welcome to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, dear. Are you here to buy a Hogwarts school uniform?" A short and fat witch greeted Albert with a smile as he walked into the shop.
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Albert replied. "What a polite young man! Come on, let me measure your dimensions," Madam Malkin said as she tapped her wand, causing all the tape measures, pins, and scissors to fly over and begin to automatically measure Albert's body. Herb watched the scene in amazement.
Customising clothes is a complicated process, and it took Madam Malkin about half an hour to finish measuring Albert. She then asked them to come back to pick up the packages after they finished shopping.
"Madam, can I also order a black peaked cap and a normal black cloak in addition to the uniform required by Hogwarts? The dimensions should be as specified, but please do not attach a name tag. Could you please pack it separately? I'm sorry for the confusion, but I just wanted to make sure I was clear. This is a gift for Nina," Albert explained as he sorted through his messy clothes and handed Madam Malkin a slip.
Madam Malkin looked at Albert suspiciously and repeated his request, "A black peaked hat and an ordinary cloak, without a name tag?"
"Yes, that's correct." Albert nodded.
"Okay." Madam Malkin nodded, understanding the request. After paying a sum of a gallon in advance, Albert and Herb left Madam Malkin's Robe for All Occasions and headed to the Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment store nearby, where they bought a brass scale, a set of phials, and a telescope.
A total of 13 galleons were spent on the uniform and accessories. Albert also bought an additional hourglass for two more galleons.
Under the enthusiastic introduction of the shopkeeper at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, Albert easily found Potage's Cauldron Shop and bought a pewter cauldron for 15 galleons. Next, they entered Slugs and Jiggers Apothecary. As they walked through the shop, they made their way to the ingredients section, where they planned to gather materials for their potion class. However, the apothecary was not a pleasant place to be. As they approached the store, a disgusting smell wafted towards them, almost as if it was meant to drive away customers.
The apothecary was filled with strange and unusual items. Jars of herbs, roots, and brightly coloured powders lined the cabinets. Bundles of feathers and bunches of fangs and claws hung from the ceiling.
Herb couldn't believe that wizards could boil such things into potions and then drink them. He was especially disgusted by the can of slugs, priced at 1 galleon. Albert's father began to have doubts about his decision to send his son to Hogwarts.
In addition to the ingredients for potions, Albert also bought some tools that he would need when making potions.
"Albert, I think we should give up," Herb said with a serious expression as he pulled Albert away from the apothecary. "You should go to Eton College instead."
Albert's face twitched, and he shook his head. "But... the more I think about it, the more I realise that maybe Daisy was right," Herb said with a complicated expression.
"We still have some books to buy, and we need to go to Ollivanders and the Eeylops Owl Emporium," Albert replied. "At least, until we understand more about the magic world, we can't jump to any conclusions."
"Okay," Herb said, feeling a little depressed but nodding in agreement.
At Flourish and Blotts, Albert purchased the books on the list and also picked up additional books on the history of the wizarding world. He had wanted to stay in the bookstore longer, but considering the limited time they had, he reluctantly left and asked the manager for a list of books so he could order them through Owl in the future.
Next, at Amanuensis Quills next to Quality Quidditch Supplies, Albert bought a large amount of parchment paper, quills, and ink.
With the help of a stranger, they found the Eeylops Owl Emporium on the north side of Diagon Alley. The shop was relatively easy to find, with a lot of owls hanging outside. Albert knew he needed to buy an owl so he could stay in touch with his family.
Herb helped Albert purchase a bag of owl food and a nest for the new pet. As they pushed the shopping cart, Herb crossed off the items they had already bought, leaving only the wand on the list.
The Ollivander Wand Shop was located on the south side of Diagon Alley. They had learned the location of the shop from the witch who sold owls. The shop appeared old and neglected, but when Albert pushed open the door, a jingling bell rang inside. The shop was small, with nothing inside but a bench.
As Herb pushed the cart into the shop, he felt that the space was much larger than it appeared from the outside. He sat on the bench and began to eat the pumpkin pie he had just purchased from a nearby stall. The cart also contained some sweets that he had bought as a gift for Nina. Albert also had a pumpkin pie in hand and was hungry as well.
"Excuse me, is anyone there?" Albert called out.
"Good afternoon," a soft voice replied, and Ollivander emerged from the back of the shop.
"Hello, sir. I'd like to buy a wand. It's for my first year at Hogwarts," Albert explained, setting down his pumpkin pie.
"Of course, a wand for a first-year student at Hogwarts What is your name, child?" Ollivander asked. "I am required by the Ministry of Magic to record every single purchase that takes place within these premises," he added, probably noticing the look of confusion on Albert's face.
Albert introduced himself.
"Okay, Mr. Anderson," Ollivander replied, taking out a tape measure from his pocket. "Which arm is your wand arm?"
"I am right-handed," Albert said, raising his right arm.
Ollivander began to measure Albert's right side, starting at the shoulder and going down to the fingertips, and then measuring from the wrist to the elbow. The complicated measurement process made the father and son suspect that Ollivander was not selling wands but clothes.
"Every wand I make is unique, and here, a wizard will always find the most suitable wand here," Ollivander said to himself while measuring, but Albert was already starting to doubt his claims. As Ollivander spoke, he even started measuring the distance between Albert's nostrils.
Frustrated, Albert reached out and pulled the tape measure away. He walked over to the counter and waited. Ollivander took out a magic wand from the shelf and introduced it to Albert. "Holly wood and phoenix feathers, seven inches, very flexible," he said.
Albert reached for the wand, but as soon as he touched it, there was a loud explosion, and he was quickly taken away by Ollivander.
"Try this one, ash wood and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches long. It's an extraordinary combination and has good elasticity," Ollivander said, handing Albert a different wand. Albert tried it, but it didn't work either.
"That one doesn't seem right either," Ollivander said to himself. "Try this one..."
Albert tried one magic wand after another, sometimes causing destruction with the broken vases on the countertop that shocked Herb and other times experiencing no response at all.
"Ah, a tricky customer you are," Ollivander said with a smile as he pulled out another pile of magic wands. "Redwood and phoenix feathers, eleven inches, good elasticity," he said, handing the wand to Albert.
As soon as Albert touched the wand, he felt a slight warmth at his fingertips. With a light tap, the tip of the wand glowed with red sparks that bloomed like fireworks in the shop.
"That's it," Ollivander said happily, packing the wand into a box. "It is said that a wand made of red cedar will bring luck to the user," he added with a smile.
"Do you believe that, Mr. Ollivander?" Albert asked rhetorically.
"No, I do not. I believe that wands made of red cedar are attracted to certain wizards who have the ability to turn dangers into fruitful encounters," Ollivander replied.
"So, it's not that red cedar brings luck, but its owner has made it famous for luck," Albert asked.
"You could say that." Ollivander nodded. "A total of 7 gallons. Would you also like a wand holder and a wand maintenance kit for an additional 5 Galleons? Thank you for your patronage."