The group entered Diagon Alley, marveling at the strangely dressed wizards and the presence of non-human beings.
Professor McGonagall turned to them and said, "First, let's go to Gringotts to exchange some money. British pounds aren't widely accepted here, and there are strict exchange limits. But with a first-year acceptance letter, you can exchange a small amount."
Yang Tao looked around in amazement. The alley wasn't very wide, but it was crowded and full of life. Despite the chaos, there was an underlying order to it all.
Flying creatures occasionally passed overhead, though most of them were owls. The entire magical atmosphere fascinated him.
The group quickly arrived at Gringotts. The white building stood out, especially against the backdrop of the shorter buildings around it.
As they stepped inside, Yang Tao saw a large number of goblins. They reminded him of the goblins in the Twilight Forest, except for their different color.
The tall counters gave him the feeling that he wasn't in a bank but rather a pawnshop.
And he wasn't entirely wrong—Gringotts did buy valuable items. Of course, if you tried to trade in some old rags for money, the goblins would make sure you learned exactly what goblin magic was.
They walked up to the counter at the very back. Professor McGonagall addressed the goblin inside, "First-year students from Hogwarts here to exchange some Galleons!"
A goblin wearing glasses poked his head out, gave the two young girls a once-over, and nodded.
Before long, everyone had exchanged their money.
As they stepped out of Gringotts, Hermione couldn't help but ask, "What are they? They look so strange!"
Professor McGonagall explained, "They are goblins. They have special kinds of magic, and with them guarding Gringotts, the bank is extremely secure. If you ever need to store something valuable, you can keep it here. You'll learn more about them at school. Now that we have money, let's head to the wand shop. A wand is something every wizard must have."
Hearing the professor's explanation, Hermione nodded and followed her to the wand shop.
On the way, Hermione suddenly turned to Zhang Wenjing and said, "Hello, my name is Hermione—Hermione Granger. I'm a first-year student this year. I hope we can be friends!"
Zhang Wenjing noticed Hermione's flushed face and understood that it must have taken a lot of courage for her to say that. Being a top student, Hermione had probably never had many friends at her previous school, so taking the initiative to greet a stranger wasn't easy for her.
"Hello, I'm Zhang Wenjing. I'm a first-year too. Looks like we'll be classmates!"
Hermione was delighted to get a response, and the two of them quickly started chatting away.
At that moment, Mr. Granger, looking a little nervous, reached out to Yang Tao and said, "Hello, I'm Hermione's father, and this is my wife. I'm a dentist, so if you ever have any dental issues, feel free to come to me!"
Yang Tao was at a loss for words. Who offers to check someone's teeth the first time they meet? He knew Mr. Granger was probably just nervous, but this family really wasn't great at socializing—including Hermione.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Granger. I'm Yang Tao, Zhang Wenjing's older brother."
They shook hands.
"I'm a Muggle who doesn't understand magic. I don't really know what 'Muggle' means, but I guess it refers to people who can't use magic. Finding out that magic is real was a huge shock for me—I still can't believe it!"
Mr. Granger seemed relieved to finally have someone to talk to. He started rambling about his thoughts and feelings. Yang Tao listened patiently and didn't show any sign of annoyance. After all, if he had suddenly found himself in the world of Harry Potter, he wouldn't have reacted much differently.
As they chatted, the group made their way to their destination—Ollivanders Wand Shop!
The sign above the shop not only displayed the name "Ollivanders" but also had a line that read: "Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C."
Yang Tao couldn't help but think that all those "century-old shops" back home were nothing in comparison. Anything in this store could probably be considered an antique.
Ollivanders was a small and worn-down shop. In the display window, a single wand rested on a faded purple cushion. The gold lettering on the sign above the door was peeling.
As they stepped inside, they saw shelves packed with small boxes, stacked all the way to the ceiling.
The shopkeeper noticed the customers coming in, paused from organizing the shelves, and walked over.
"Professor McGonagall! Long time no see. Oh! It's that time of the year again—another school year is starting! Are you here to get wands for the new students?"
Professor McGonagall smiled. "Mr. Ollivander, it's been a while! Yes, I've brought the new students to pick out their wands. I'll have to trouble you with that."
"No trouble at all—it's my job, after all. Let's see." Ollivander adjusted his glasses and looked at the two youngest children. "Two first-years? Who wants to go first?"
Hermione nervously stepped forward. "I'll go first!" She had no idea what was about to happen, and it made her even more nervous.
"Relax, child. It's simple!" Ollivander immediately pulled out a measuring tape and began taking her measurements.
After a moment, he turned and took out a wand. "Here, try this one. Give it a wave!"
Hermione gripped the wand, and a soft glow appeared at its tip. Ollivander looked pleased. "That's it, child. This wand suits you well. Let me see… Fourteen inches, made of vine wood, with a dragon heartstring core. A fine wand indeed."
"Now, it's your turn, young lady! Let me measure you first." He once again used the measuring tape.
After thinking for a moment, he turned and went to the back, returning with a wand box.
"Here, child, hold it and give it a try."
The moment Zhang Wenjing took the wand, it emitted a dazzling glow—much stronger than Hermione's. The brightness made everyone in the room squint.
"Well, well! Your magic is incredibly strong, far beyond what I'd expect from a first-year student. Let's see… Fourteen inches, willow wood, with a unicorn hair core. This wand is a perfect match for you."
After paying, they moved on to buy the rest of the school supplies. Other than the robes, everything else was purchased fairly quickly.
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