Chapter 7
A wand is a lifeline in the wizarding world—who in their right mind would settle for just one?
Apparently, most wizards do. Sainz found that baffling.
He had never heard of a soldier who went into battle carrying only a single weapon. Sure, the primary weapon should be the most reliable, but secondary backups? Absolutely essential. You might not always need them—but you definitely can'tafford to be without them.
The idea that a fully trained wizard could become a helpless, angry mess the moment his wand was knocked out of his hand? Ridiculous.
Sainz often reminded himself, "This is the wizarding world. Don't expect Muggle logic to apply."
But this wasn't about logic. It was about basic common sense.
Leaving Ollivander's, he headed straight for Wezeacre's Magical Supply Store.
There, he picked up a complete wand maintenance kit, five wand holsters, and a specially enchanted briefcase with an Undetectable Extension Charm. The bag looked no more remarkable than a slim, 32-page hardcover—barely two centimeters thick—but inside, it contained a full eight cubic meters of space.
It had cost him four hundred Galleons, and it was worth every knut. No more dragging around a massive, clunky suitcase.
Sure, compared to the other items—most of which cost only a few Sickles—the bag was absurdly expensive. But considering the enchantment it housed, it was a bargain.
If Muggle scientists ever got their hands on something like this, Sainz suspected they'd trade away half of modern civilization just to reverse-engineer it.
Of course, the Traceless Extension Charm was officially prohibited for private use. Only the Ministry of Magic was authorized to create such items. The fact that the briefcase was available for public sale meant it had been officially sanctioned. What that said about enforcement policy was… up for interpretation.
Next, Sainz made his way to the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, tucked into the northern stretch of Diagon Alley—a place every Hogwarts student came to know intimately.
As he stepped inside, a young male clerk came over with a friendly smile.
"Hello, sir! Anything I can help you find?"
"Thanks. I need the complete set of Hogwarts textbooks—minus the first-year materials. I already bought those yesterday."
The clerk's eyes lit up. "Wow, you must be a Ravenclaw! Hi, I'm Pajason Vala, just graduated from Ravenclaw this year."
Sainz shook his hand politely. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sainz Autumn. First-year student, sorry to trouble you with this list."
"No trouble at all! Give me just a moment—I'll fetch them for you."
While Pajason disappeared into the shelves, Sainz wandered the store, idly browsing. He quickly spotted a familiar title—Mermen: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Habits—the book Ollivander had mentioned. The author was a wizard named Dylan Marwood.
He scanned the other shelves in hopes of finding more advanced spellwork, but nothing of real depth was on display. No guides to the Undetectable Extension Charm, no breakdown of Apparition. Unsurprising. Those were clearly restricted materials—likely only available in Hogwarts' forbidden section.
He made a mental note to find his way into that part of the library.
After browsing a bit longer, he picked up a few more titles on impulse. Before long, Pajason returned, arms piled high with books.
"Here we go! Everything from second-year through sixth-year core subjects.
'Standard Book of Spells, Grades 2 to 6,'
'Seeing the Future Through the Mist,'
'Intermediate Transfiguration Guide' and its 'Advanced' companion,
'Advanced Potion-Making,'
and 'Complete Guide to Carnivorous Trees.'
Should I include electives too?"
"No need for now. I'll also take these." Sainz handed him his additional picks.
Pajason scanned them quickly:
"Mermen: A Comprehensive Guide, Basic Spells for Dealing with Hyperactive and Irritable Animals, Simple Spells for Fooling Muggles, Hogwarts: A History, The Healing Handbook, and Practical Defensive Magic and Counter-Curses.
What a list! You have great taste. Some of these I didn't even read during school. I'll say it again—you're a natural Ravenclaw."
Sainz smiled but didn't respond. Arguing with people about what house he belonged to was pointless. It didn't raise your value—it just made you look petty.
If he was being honest, Hufflepuff actually appealed to him more. After everything he'd been through in his past life, he was ready for a quieter, more grounded existence.
And contrary to popular belief, Hufflepuff's common room was not located next to the kitchens for the food. That was just a bonus. The real treasure was the house-elves.
In Sainz's eyes, house-elves were the most ideal assistants a wizard could hope for—loyal, efficient, bound by ancient magical compulsions, and absurdly competent. They didn't just clean. They ran your entire life if you let them.
It was no wonder they were practically irreplaceable. You couldn't just sell or free a house-elf—they knew far too many secrets.
As far as Sainz knew, the only place with a large, semi-public colony of elves was Hogwarts itself.
Even the Weasleys—renowned for their kindness and strong anti-pureblood views—didn't have one. Ron had once mentioned that his mother, Molly Weasley, had always wanted a house-elf to help with the chores.
"There are sixteen books in total," Pajason said, "That'll be forty-five Galleons. You can pay the store manager directly, or—" he added hopefully, "—you can give it to me and I'll pass it on."
The look in his eyes made it clear he got a commission. Sainz didn't mind. Everyone needed to make a living.
Make money—don't be shy about it.
With practiced ease, Sainz pulled out his magically expanded briefcase and tucked the towering pile of books inside. Pajason's eyes widened as he watched a foot-and-a-half stack vanish into something the size of a paperback.
From his expression, it was obvious he was reevaluating Sainz's background. A fancy briefcase like that didn't come from an average wizarding family.
But the fact that Sainz was clearly not from any known British wizarding bloodline—he was Oriental, after all—seemed to short-circuit Pajason's assumptions.
An average family might pay for their kid's school books. But a family that casually gifted a four-hundred-Galleon enchanted briefcase? That was a different tier altogether.
With his wand purchases completed and his books squared away, Sainz felt a wave of satisfaction wash over him. The two biggest errands on his Diagon Alley list were now done.
He even felt relaxed enough to indulge himself at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, ordering a scoop of something with an unpronounceable name and a color that didn't exist in nature.
Yesterday, he'd rushed through Diagon Alley to avoid wasting Professor Sinistra's time. Today, with no one waiting for him, he finally allowed himself to slow down and take it all in.
He strolled through the cobbled street, letting himself get lost in the magic.
He remembered how, in his previous life, he'd watched the movie scene where Harry entered the Leaky Cauldron for the first time. The moment the brick wall opened to reveal Diagon Alley—the sudden shift from the mundane Muggle world to the magical—had left him breathless.
Now, he was living that moment.
Standing on this bustling street, surrounded by excited young wizards and flapping owls, Sainz felt his heart pound in his chest like it had when he'd first discovered his superpowers.
He couldn't help but wonder:
"What is it that truly draws me to the magical world?"