Approximately three hours later, under Snape's guidance, Ian had completed the purchase of most of his required items.
The list of necessities for a first-year student at Hogwarts wasn't particularly extensive. Aside from textbooks, students primarily needed supplies for Potions and Herbology classes.
Three sets of plain work robes.
A pointed hat for daytime wear.
A pair of protective gloves—any material similar to dragon hide would suffice.
The gloves Snape purchased for Ian were made from Hungarian Horntail dragon hide.
Exorbitantly priced.
Exceptionally protective.
Since Ian had no Galleons of his own, he had no say in the matter and could only watch as Snape paid for most of his essentials.
To be fair, Ian had kept a decent amount of British pounds for himself, even after giving nearly all his savings to Ms. Elena to support his younger siblings through the winter. He had planned to exchange them for wizarding currency at Gringotts, but Snape showed no intention of taking him there. Helpless, Ian could only observe as Snape made every decision about his school supplies, while the money in his pocket remained useless in the magical world.
Strangely, many of the items Snape purchased didn't match the standard Hogwarts supply list. They were far more luxurious and expensive.
Whenever Ian tried to ask about it, Snape would deflect his questions with sarcasm.
Expensive things have their reasons.
As a first-year Hogwarts student, Ian lacked the confidence to argue with Snape and could only watch as the professor selected each item. Yet, with every payment Snape made, Ian's suspicions deepened. The Snape he knew was neither this generous nor this responsible.
It was well known that Snape was not highly regarded as a Hogwarts professor—many fanfictions depicted him as a wizard with personal charm but a bias-ridden and often unpleasant teacher. Beyond his sharp tongue, Ian was now witnessing Snape's deep seriousness regarding academic preparation.
The cauldron had to be the best.
The gloves and robes were made of the finest materials.
Even the textbooks were brand new—no discounts, no second-hand books.
Clearly, this was far beyond the scope of Hogwarts' standard student loan.
To be fair, even ignoring the fact that all the items were brand new, everything Snape purchased was of exceptional quality. The brass cauldron alone cost dozens of Galleons, and the dragon-hide gloves were undoubtedly top-tier.
Hogwarts was a prestigious magical academy, but Ian, who understood basic economics, couldn't believe its student loans were this generous.
If Hogwarts provided such abundant financial aid, why had Ron Weasley—Harry Potter's best friend—struggled so much?
Even in his second year, Ron had still been using his older brother's hand-me-down wand. If student loans were sufficient, wouldn't he have been able to afford a new one? His younger sister, Ginny, had bought second-hand books and supplies when she enrolled.
The Weasley family, despite being pure-blood wizards, had clearly relied on student loans, yet they could only afford used goods. A family that could splurge on an extravagant trip after winning the lottery—only to return penniless—had likely depended on loans to fund their children's education.
It was simple economics.
If student loans barely covered second-hand textbooks for a poor student, why was Snape purchasing luxury items for Ian without hesitation?
What kind of debt did Snape owe him to be this extravagant?
If Ian's parents hadn't been taken by the plot, he would have found the Hungarian Horntail gloves too expensive to accept.
"Professor, is Hogwarts always this generous?"
Unable to contain his doubts any longer, Ian finally asked after Snape bought him a limited-edition telescope.
"As a student, your priority should be absorbing as much knowledge as possible at Hogwarts. That is far more important than wasting time on meaningless speculation."
Snape's tone was as expressionless as ever. Watching Ian struggle to fit everything into his suitcase, he then turned and swiftly headed to their next destination.
Ollivander's Wand Shop.
The final stop.
Unlike Gringotts or Flourish and Blotts, Ollivander's had a small, unassuming storefront—weathered by time, its sign was faded and worn. Yet, this was the only wand shop in the British Isles, an essential stop for every young wizard.
A legendary place.
It lacked the grandeur of Gringotts. It didn't shine like Flourish and Blotts. And yet, even Voldemort had never dared to challenge its authority.
A one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable business.
A dynasty, immune to time.
"This is the last stop."
Snape, despite his willingness to spend, was never one for unnecessary words.
Ian had long anticipated this moment. He gazed at the timeworn sign, eyes filled with excitement—and an unspoken nervousness.
And who could blame him?
From what little he understood of this world, beyond Harry Potter and the bright-minded Hermione, Ollivander's Wand Shop was one of the most enigmatic places in wizarding history.
The entire Harry Potter story hinged on prophecies, and Ollivander's was a place where prophecy took shape.
The Dark Lord's downfall.
Dumbledore's fate.
Compared to this shop's greatest prophecy, those were mere footnotes.
The wand chooses the wizard.
Even figures as powerful as Dumbledore and Voldemort had their futures dictated by a single moment in this very shop.
Even Harry Potter had not escaped its prophecy.
If anyone believed Ollivander was just a skilled wandmaker and not a seer beyond compare, Ian would be the first to call them a fool.
After all, the first book's climax proved it.
Who else's prophecies could rival his?
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