Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 25: An Illegal Purchase
"People keep staring at me…" After leaving the bank, Harry went back onto the main street of the alley.
This time, he made sure to avoid opening a gate in the middle of the street, but he still felt like everyone had eyes on him.
This made him feel incredibly uncomfortable.
"Maybe it is because you keep talking with your hat." V suggested in a low tone.
"Oh… you may be right about that." He felt a bit dumb for not realizing this sooner.
But Harry had spent thousands of years with the hat as his only form of company, so, to him, talking to V felt as natural as breathing.
"I don't think I can stop doing it." Harry eventually said.
"Understandable. Just try to avoid the Muggle side of London then." V added.
A boy talking to a magical hat would seem weird on the magical side, but on the Muggle side, it could become a much more serious issue.
"Here we are." Harry stepped in front of Ollivander's Wand Shop.
"Remember that you need to speak with the shopkeeper and ask for the items that you require, and then pay for them with the coins you got." V, having to remind Harry of such obvious things, would be completely uncalled for if he were talking to anyone else.
"Also, when they greet you, remember to greet back. It is expected of you to do so."
In the case of Harry, these basic instructions were very much necessary.
"Welcome!" Mister Ollivander greeted Harry with his usual enthusiasm.
"Ehm… Thank you, Sir." He responded. "I mean, hello."
"Mister Potter, holly wood, Phoenix core, and eleven inches. Is that right?" Ollivander gave him a knowing look.
Harry had no way to recall such niche details. "Yes, Sir."
"I hope the wand I sold is still serving you well, Mister Potter. What can I do for you?"
"About that… my original wand was destroyed. I am in need of a new magical focus."
Ollivander flinched. "Destroyed?! By Merlin, what happened?"
"Mmm… I believe it burned down when I was practicing some ancient fire magic." Harry was sure that it happened during what he called his 'First Era'. His memories of that distant time were very few and far between.
Ollivander didn't look too pleased. "So, I presume you came here for another one?"
"Actually no… what I need is two unused wand cores." Harry said.
There were a few other materials that he needed, but the wand cores could only be legally bought by wand makers.
"Wand cores?" Ollivander sounded confused. This was definitely not a normal request.
"Dragon heartstring and phoenix feathers would be preferable, but I would also take hairs if that is all you have. The only requirement is for the two cores to be of the same type and must be unused."
Bad reactions could occur when trying to mix cores. He learned that the hard way.
"What would you want something like that for?" Ollivander asked with suspicion. "I hope you are not planning on making your own wand. You should leave that for the experts. A single mistake during the process could be catastrophic."
"It is not really a wand that I'm making. I…" Harry wasn't sure if he should explain what he planned on doing. It didn't feel like the man would approve.
'Perhaps I should have gone to Knockturn Alley instead.'
Ollivander frowned. "I can't give you that. If you want a new wand, I will find one for you, but I don't sell wand cores." The old wizard said in a firm tone. "It's against Ministry Regulations."
"I understand…" Harry sighed.
He didn't want another wand, even one that was properly matched to him. And extracting the core of an already-made wand was not an option either.
He required the cores to be completely unused so he could mix them with other ingredients and craft a special type of ink.
Just then, Harry heard his hat whispering. "Leave it, let's go somewhere else."
Harry nodded in response. By now, he had also realized that Mister Ollivander was too cautious to sell potentially dangerous materials to a student.
Or perhaps the old man was worried that Harry could become another wand maker and give him competition.
He said his goodbyes, trying to sound polite, and left the store without wasting more time.
Harry began walking without a clear direction in mind at first, trying to recall what other shops could have the materials he needed for this.
He had visited way too many shops in his lifetime to have a clear notion of what every single one had in its catalog.
"I know where you need to go." V told him before he could make a decision.
"You do?"
"You may know the shops, but not the people who run them. Even if you go to Knockturn Alley, most shop owners will refuse to sell dangerous materials to a child. It is not like the place is completely lawless, as they still have to answer to the Ministry of Magic…" V explained.
"I see." His magical hat was right on that one. Harry knew little about the people living here, but V still had most of Tom Riddle's memories until 1981, so he knew much more about the world than Harry did.
"Okay, so where is this place?"
"Near the end of Knockturn Alley, there is a location where very few dare to venture. A beautiful clearing where sunlight can reach, filled with grass and flowers. A wooden house is at the center."
"Oh, I think I know the place that you speak of," Harry said. "And this person will sell me what I need?"
"Oh, definitely. As long as you have the money, she will sell you anything, no matter how illegal it is."
"A she?" Harry was surprised to learn that it was a witch.
"Yes, and once we are there, make sure to be as polite as you can manage. You do not want to anger that witch."
Harry glanced upwards. He found it very unusual for V to be this wary of someone. Not only did the hat hold the mind of a former Dark Lord, but even in its current state, this magical hat possessed incredible power.
"What is the name of this person?" Harry asked as they moved across the alley.
"Lady Rose."
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