Bab 8: Chapter 8: The Unicorn and the Dragon
Five pounds equal one Galleon, which is equal to seventeen Sickles, or twenty-nine Knuts.
Nietzsche stared at the large bag of Galleons in his hand. He had never imagined that Watson, who was tightly controlled by Sherlock and Mary when it came to the wallet, could manage to get the goblins to exchange even this much. After all, for goblins, Muggle money was of little use, and they had a set limit for exchanges.
"If you gambled less, we might be able to buy up the entire Diagon Alley," Nietzsche said with a hint of resentment.
"Happiness is priceless, son!" Watson puffed out his chest, defending his one and only indulgence with righteous conviction. "Just like how I've never been upset about the compensation fees for all the people you've hit."
That... actually made sense.
Hermione, who was standing nearby, widened her eyes in shock.
So that's how it is. No wonder Nietzsche is so good at making excuses for himself—he learned it from his family! What a good person he could have been, yet he's gone down the wrong path... Hermione vowed to herself that she would set Nietzsche straight, making sure he wouldn't keep breaking school rules and finding justifications for it!
Professor McGonagall led them out of the bank while discussing the school's courses.
"We'll buy books first, and then head to Ollivanders for wands," she said, pulling out a wooden stick that was noticeably different in both style and carving from Snape's. "A wizard's essential tool—unless, of course, you master wandless magic."
Wandless magic?
It sounded extraordinary, like the highest level of marksmanship where you no longer needed to hold the gun.
"Are you referring to that little stick made from yew?" Watson asked.
McGonagall seemed surprised. She hadn't expected the Muggle to identify the material so quickly.
"It's not just yew. Inside is a dragon heartstring... I know Muggles have mass production capabilities, but trust me, no two wands are ever exactly alike. There are twin wands, but no perfect duplicates."
"Like how there are no two identical leaves in the world?"
The professor cast an approving glance at Watson for his interjection.
"I used to be familiar with the Muggle world, though I haven't kept up with it in a long time. Still, that's a fair analogy."
Ollivanders Wand Shop was on the southern side, directly across from Gringotts. Unlike the shops selling cauldrons and clothing, this one looked particularly old and dilapidated, as if the sign hanging above could fall off at any moment, with some of the gold lettering already peeling.
It read: "Ollivander's Family, Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."
"Ahem..."
Nietzsche pushed the door open, only to be hit by a cloud of dust and the overpowering scent of incense.
The shop appeared small, with just a single long bench in the center. Hermione curiously inspected the wands laid on purple cushions, while the Granger couple and the Watsons followed behind. As for Sherlock Holmes... no one knew where he had wandered off to.
"You all buy your... wands... from here?" the boy asked the professors with a pitiful look.
Apologies, but he couldn't fathom how the wizarding world, so detached from Muggle society, could be in such a dire state, looking as economically bleak as England had under Thatcher's austerity measures.
"Nietzsche!" Hermione hissed as she secretly pinched his waist. "That's why... you're always in trouble for being disrespectful to the teachers. That's why they don't speak up for you."
Professor McGonagall merely shook her head, though there was a tinge of envy in her eyes as she looked at the two students.
As for Snape, he simply turned away, uninterested.
Ah, who hasn't had a childhood friend or two? Unfortunately, fate plays cruel tricks... Still, at least these two first-years wouldn't face the trials they did back in their day.
"Ollivander! We have customers!"
Suddenly, there was a loud clatter from the corridor at the back of the room, where countless small boxes were stored. The elderly Ollivander, with a surprising agility for his age, slid down from a moving ladder, arms full of wand-making materials.
Upon seeing Professor McGonagall standing next to Professor Snape, Ollivander grew visibly uneasy.
"Ah, it's already time for new students," the small man said, hunching over as he quickly made his way to Hermione and grabbed her arms without warning. "Which hand do you use?"
"Right hand."
"Try this one, made of aspen and White River Monster spine. The stronger your sense of morality, the more powerful it becomes."
Listening to words like "honesty" and "elegance," Hermione's confidence grew. This wand seemed tailor-made for her! But when she gently waved it under Ollivander's guidance, it merely blew up a nearby cabinet.
The explosion startled the Grangers, but Watson, having seen worse, instinctively pulled his coat up to shield the group from flying wood fragments.
"No, no, that won't do. Let's try another!"
"A wand with a leopard hair core..."
"A Wetland Werewolf hair core, close to dark magic... hmm, no, you're not suited to dark magic either..."
Hermione tried one wand after another, her initial confidence giving way to awkwardness, then hesitation, and finally numbness.
Nietzsche, quietly observing, pieced together that the wand chooses the wizard. The wand and wizard must be a good match in personality. This reminded him of Eastern divination or the Gypsy tarot cards.
He checked his watch and suggested, "How about a vine wood wand?"
"Vine wood?" Ollivander waved his own wand, causing a box to fly out of the debris. "A vine wood wand with a dragon heartstring core. To be honest, this type of wand is best suited for witches and wizards with strong learning abilities."
Miraculously, Hermione's next wave of the wand emitted only a strong pulse, no miniature tornadoes or explosions.
"Perfect!!" Ollivander, like an excited child, turned to Nietzsche. "How did you know she'd suit a vine wood wand? This material is usually for those with great ambition!"
"Am I that kind of person?" Hermione asked, puzzled. "I didn't even know."
"You're just being repressed. If you stopped being so rigid and rule-bound..."
Hermione took a few steps away from Nietzsche, seeing him as if he were a villain straight out of a superhero comic, always scheming to manipulate others with his words.
She understood now—Nietzsche must have changed his strategy.
He wanted to turn her into someone like him!
Unfortunately, Nietzsche had no idea about the mental storm raging in Hermione's mind and was just feeling uncomfortable from her intense gaze.
Hermione Granger's eyes sharpened...
"Sir, which hand do you use?"
"Right hand."
"Try this one—laurel wood with a Thestral tail hair core. Deadly. Its owners are always open and aboveboard, unlike those Slytherins. Even in pursuit of honor, they do so with integrity."
It sounded like a wand for a true gentleman.
Under the watchful gaze of Watson, the epitome of an old-school gentleman, Nietzsche... of course, didn't succeed.
After all, he was practically raised in the same household as Sherlock Holmes—honesty and transparency didn't exactly suit him, especially not Nietzsche, who grew up hearing about all sorts of murder cases.
"Pear wood," Ollivander said calmly, unfazed.
Based on the character Nietzsche had displayed earlier, he recommended a wood known for warmth, generosity, and wisdom.
Nietzsche held the wand, but unfortunately, the energy flowed through it too violently. A bolt of lightning grazed Ollivander's scalp and shot up into the ceiling, accompanied by a loud crack of thunder inside the room.
After trying dozens of wands and having to repair the shop seven times, Ollivander finally felt something different—something unprecedented.
The texture of black walnut was exquisite.
The moment Nietzsche held it, he felt his arm meld with the wand.
"Black walnut wood, with... unicorn tail hair, 14 inches," Ollivander announced, though his expression held a hint of regret. "It seems you're going to struggle in Defense Against the Dark Arts, my boy."
"What do you mean?"
"Unicorn hair is stable when casting magic, but it strongly resists dark magic. In other words, while this wand is steady, it can't be too powerful."
Hermione let out a sigh of relief.
Dark magic sounded so evil, at least she wouldn't have to worry about this antisocial little maniac delving deeper into the world of dark wizards.
"It's fine. Stability in spellcasting is helpful for Transfiguration," Professor McGonagall said, relieved.
But the two professors had entirely different reactions—while McGonagall was pleased, Snape let out a derisive snort.
"At least I don't have to worry about the new Slytherin student this year."
Nietzsche, however, was unfazed and continued to ask, "Are wizards only considered powerful if they master dark magic?"
"Not necessarily, but wizards who can perform light magic to the level of Headmaster Dumbledore are almost nonexistent. Besides, dueling and battle magic are typically dark magic, and they're more effective in combat."
Did wizards expect to attack with levitating objects?
This inability to delve into dark magic meant a wizard's future would likely be in areas like spell research, ruling out professions like Aurors.
Nietzsche's mind buzzed with questions, but he decided to find answers in the bookstore.
"Thanks for your business. A new student's wand costs five Galleons. Don't break it; the discount is only for your first wand purchase."
After leaving the wand shop, Hermione proudly puffed out her chest.
She had the same wand core as Professor McGonagall—dragon heartstring... from a fire dragon's heart nerve. Just hearing it sounded so powerful.
"It's fine. Unicorns are cute too~" she teased.
Nietzsche ground his teeth but ultimately couldn't be bothered to argue.
Fine, let her have her moment of pride.
For now, Nietzsche allowed Hermione her moment of triumph, but once he uncovered the fundamental principles of magic, he vowed to repay her a hundredfold.
Status Power Mingguan
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Power 
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