Hogwarts: Don't call me Wandmaker

Chapter 116 Power and the Wand

The next morning, almost everyone knew that Lockhart had been attacked and was lying dead in the foyer.

Rumor has it that he was attacked while drinking at Hogsmeade because he was in a bad mood. Lady Rosmerta, the owner of the Three Broomsticks, is a perfect example of this.

Lockhart initially drank at the Three Broomsticks, then for some reason went to the Hog's Head, and then there was no further news about him.

No one knows where Lockhart went, what he went through, or why he suddenly appeared in the castle hall.

However, the few lines of blood-written words on his body quickly caused panic among the students, and his status as a professor also added a terrifying element to the incident.

Rumors were flying around the school, and everyone wanted to know what those words meant.

For several days in a row, the students were discussing who the person who spread the power was, who the prophet who shouldn't have appeared was, whether it was one person or two, and whether he was at Hogwarts.

And someone carrying a wand... Beware... Does carrying a wand mean you'll be attacked?
Many younger students were too scared to bring their wands to class, and only reluctantly put them in their pockets after being sternly reprimanded by the professor.

Until the last weekend before Christmas, a rumor spread throughout the school overnight.

Someone combined two of the messages and got a startling clue.

Those who spread power, those who wield magic wands... could this refer to a wand maker?
Many people know that the symbol of the Ministry of Magic is a wand and a capital "M". The wand represents the authority of magic and is a symbol of power.

Isn't the person who sells wands to every wizard the one who spreads power?

The third question is whether we should be wary of the person holding the wand, or of anyone associated with the wand?
This argument quickly gained a lot of support, and coincidentally, there was an Ollivander at the school.

Even more coincidentally, Siron Ollivander was the first person to be attacked, which, combined with the phrase "the beginning and the end of all disasters."

Isn't the first one to be attacked just the beginning of the disaster?

We met again!

Rumors quickly spread throughout the school, with all eyes pointing to Gryffindor's Siron Ollivander.

……

"Shillon, don't worry, we all believe in you!" In the Gryffindor common room, Fred and George walked up to Hillon and patted him hard on the shoulder to show their support.

“We believe you have absolutely nothing to do with that cursed secret room.”

"Besides, Hogwarts doesn't necessarily have any secret rooms," George muttered to himself.

“It had nothing to do with me anyway,” Siron said. “Hogwarts legend says there’s only one Chamber of Secrets left by a Slytherin. Do you think I, a Gryffindor, could open it?”

“But they all say this attack was to get rid of you from the castle,” Harry whispered beside him.

“That’s even more impossible.” Celen put down his book. “If the target was me, why did you attack Lockhart? Do we look that alike?”

“No, of course not.” Harry shook his head. “I mean, I completely believe you have nothing to do with this. I’m just worried you might not be able to handle the criticism.”

"What is that?" Xilun looked at him in confusion.

"You didn't know?" Harry hadn't expected Hillon to react this way.

"What should I know?"

"Many people are saying that the attacks will stop as soon as you leave school, so..."

Harry paused abruptly, and after a couple of seconds continued, "So a lot of people are saying that the school should... expel you."

"Haven't you heard of these?"

“To be honest, not at all.” Xiren shook his head. “That was the first time.”

"That can't be," Ron said in surprise. "I've heard this kind of talk several times recently, and no one has come to you?"

“No, there really isn’t.” Xilun shrugged. “I have no reason to lie to you.”

"Why is that?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"Probably because they don't dare," Xilun said calmly.

"You dare not?" Ron still didn't understand.

Siron isn't some renowned and powerful wizard like Dumbledore; he's just a second-year student. What's wrong with the others?

If this happened to Malfoy, he certainly wouldn't mind loudly expressing his stance in front of the other party.

“Because no one can guarantee they’ll only use one wand their whole life.” It was Fred who spoke, and he immediately understood what Sirius meant.

“In England, Ollivander’s wands are the best.” George understood as well. “If Siren refuses to sell a wand to someone in the future, that person will have to buy Gregorovich from abroad.”

"Even when their children enroll in school, they have to go abroad to buy magic wands."

"The most likely group to target Celestia is Slytherin, but they are also the most shrewd and certainly wouldn't want to take that risk."

"They're probably stirring up trouble for others right now. The rumors circulating in the school right now are probably partly fueled by Slytherin behind the scenes."

Ron's eyes widened, as if he had only just realized that Siren had this other identity. "Don't talk nonsense. How could Siren refuse to sell wands to them just because of a few words from others?" Hermione couldn't help but say.

“I’m ashamed to say, but I really can.” Xilun raised an eyebrow. “What you just mentioned was actually my grandfather. He only cared about making wands and didn’t care about anything else… but I’m not as magnanimous as him.”

“But you two have reminded me,” Celen said, looking up at Fred and George. “Can you do me a favor?”

"No problem at all."

"Ten are fine."

The two of them said with smiles.

“I won’t need ten,” Siren said. “Just pass on a message to those fools who haven’t realized they’re about to be fooled.”

“Oh, we got it.” George winked at him. “We’ll pass on the message for you.”

“The great Siron Ollivander will one day take over his wand shop.”

Fred put one hand to his chest and raised the other high, "If anyone doesn't want to be forever shut out by Ollivander's wand."

“You have to learn to shut up…” George gave him a high five.

"That's pretty much the gist of it." Xilun nodded.

“But Siren, I must say this method won’t work for everyone.” Fred sat down opposite him.

"Some people still don't realize the importance of the wand."

“I see…” Siren pondered for a moment, “Then let’s add another clause: if there are too many such voices, I might raise the prices after I take over the wand shop.”

"Price increase?" Everyone was now on edge.

“But the wand has always been the same price,” Dean Thomas, who was not far away, couldn’t help but say.

“You know it’s always been this price.” A vein throbbed on Siron’s forehead. “A unicorn tail hair costs nine Galleons, and a wand made from it costs seven Galleons. Do you think that’s reasonable?”

“But… the Ministry of Magic will compensate you,” someone muttered quietly.

“Five Galleons, they calculated it perfectly, exactly the cost of a wand.” Xiren’s tone was tinged with disdain. “And they’re dragging their feet, it’ll take a year to get it.”

There were some things he had wanted to say for a long time, and this was a good opportunity.

"Or you can go out and ask around elsewhere. A wand that costs twelve Galleons is the price it was three centuries ago. Now a Gregorovich wand costs at least twenty-five Galleons, and if you're not a freshman, you'll have to pay an extra ten Galleons."

"The same price applies to Acayol in France."

The wands of the newborn twelve Galleons, not the newborn seventeen Galleons, are simply the result of the previous Ollivanders wasting their time and energy... or rather, doing free work for the Ministry of Magic.

Newly enrolled wizards only need seven Galleons to buy a wand, a fact that has almost become a calling card for the British wizarding community at the International Wizarding Federation.

Other ministers of magic are alright; they always bring Ollivander into the conversation when this matter is mentioned, so even though it doesn't make them money, it does earn them some fame.

Not long after Cornelius Fudge took office, he touted the "seven Galleons wand" as his own achievement, claiming that the Ministry of Magic was footing the bill for the new students.

In this context, more and more people take the seven Galleons' wand for granted, such as Dean Thomas just now.

However, Xilun silenced him with just a few words, and there were few people around him who supported him.

“Sirlen, first of all, I don’t object to you raising the price of wands.” Fred licked his lips, his expression becoming more serious.

"But you need to think this through. If you really can make the decision, this matter will definitely cause a huge uproar."

"And the scope is no longer just Hogwarts, but the entire wizarding world."

“Don’t be so serious, I just said I’m going to decide to raise prices.” Siren waved his hand. “But I’m only a second-year student, and it’s a long way from taking over the wand shop.”

The Weasley brothers breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing what Hillen said.

As they said, they don't object to Siren raising the price of wands, but this matter needs to be carefully planned before it can be implemented, rather than being decided on a whim like this... Otherwise, Siren might really become the target of everyone's criticism.

But if it's more than ten years from now, then there won't be a problem.

"Don't worry, we guarantee we'll get your message across!" Fred patted his chest, his expression once again one of gleeful anticipation for a good show.

“I think we can write them down and post them in the most prominent place in the common room of each college.”

“Good idea, I’ll go find the parchment right now.”

"Then I'll go find out the password to the Slytherin common room."

The two of them couldn't wait and ran out through the passage.

In the common room, Hermione seemed to want to say something, but before she could speak, Sheren had already gone upstairs back to his dormitory.

……

(End of this chapter)