Chapter 304: Wand Restraint
Time passed quickly, and before long, the new school year at Hogwarts was just around the corner.
Diagon Alley was as lively as ever.
This was always its busiest season, as countless parents brought their children to purchase textbooks, robes, cauldrons, and everything else needed for the new school year.
For first-years, there was one more important purchase.
Their first wand.
The long cobbled street was packed with witches and wizards, and even those without permanent shops had set up temporary stalls to do business.
"Attention, new students and parents!"
A loud voice with a strong foreign accent echoed from one corner of the street.
"Are you worried your child will be bullied at school and unable to fight back? Buy a pet! These cane toads are imported directly from Australia! Their venom can kill a full-grown crocodile, and they live for years—perfect companions throughout your child's entire education!"
Inside a large basket, several enormous toads struggled desperately, climbing over one another in a futile attempt to escape.
A passing wizard couldn't help laughing.
"You'd be better off selling those in Knockturn Alley."
"You'll get arrested if you try selling them here."
"Really?"
The foreign wizard panicked immediately.
He hastily packed up his basket and hurried away.
Clearly, he wasn't familiar with Britain.
In short...
Diagon Alley was just as chaotic as always.
---
A man in a black cloak walked slowly down the crowded street.
There were plenty of strangely dressed wizards around, so another cloaked figure wandering through Diagon Alley during the day attracted little attention.
But if anyone recognized who he really was...
Panic would instantly spread throughout the entire street.
Lord Voldemort.
The Dark Lord himself.
Naturally, he wasn't here to buy school supplies for children.
There had once been women obsessively devoted to him, but he had never been interested in romance.
And now...
Even the woman who had worshipped him most fanatically had long since died.
He had come here for only one reason.
To find Ollivander.
He wanted answers.
Why had his wand changed?
Why had the wand that had always obeyed him suddenly begun resisting him after encountering that boy?
With Barty Crouch Jr. dead, Voldemort now stood almost entirely alone.
Even Umbridge could barely be considered an ally.
As a result...
Many matters now required his personal attention.
---
The wand shop was still as old and shabby as ever.
However, the faded golden sign hanging above the entrance had recently been covered with fresh gold leaf.
Ollivanders
Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.
A notice hung inside the display window.
> The proprietor is currently away.
His apprentice is temporarily managing wand sales.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Voldemort slowly clenched his fist.
Coincidence...
Or something else?
Inside the shop, a young wizard stood behind the counter, serving customers.
Most of them were parents accompanying their children.
"Don't let my age fool you," the young assistant said confidently.
"My teacher speaks very highly of me."
"He won't say I've mastered wandmaking yet..."
"But he certainly trusts me to recommend the right wand."
After several enthusiastic recommendations, a satisfied father and son finally left with their purchase.
Although reluctant, Voldemort entered the shop.
"Good afternoon, sir."
"Looking for a new wand?"
"Yes."
Voldemort slowly raised the yew wand in his pale hand.
"Do you have any recommendations?"
The apprentice examined it carefully.
His expression froze for a brief moment.
"Hmm..."
"This wand is badly damaged."
"I'm afraid it's beyond repair."
"You'll need a replacement."
Even though...
The wand appeared completely intact.
"Let me find something suitable."
As he searched through the shelves behind him, the apprentice chatted casually.
"My teacher kept talking about interactions between different kinds of wands before he left."
"He said apple wood naturally restrains certain woods."
"Holly wands can sometimes be restrained by yew wands..."
"Because one represents life."
"And the other represents death."
"What did you just say?"
Voldemort's expression changed immediately.
The muscles in his face tightened.
If he still possessed eyebrows...
They would undoubtedly have been tightly furrowed.
"Sir?"
The apprentice blinked in surprise.
"Would you like me to repeat that?"
Most customers had no interest in wand lore.
To ordinary witches and wizards, a wand was simply a tool—as long as it functioned properly, that was enough.
Only duelists and wandmakers truly cared about such details.
"The relationship of restraint between wand woods," the apprentice explained again.
"Apple restrains holly."
"And yew restrains apple."
"Though..."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"I don't really believe those theories myself."
At that instant...
Every doubt in Voldemort's heart vanished.
How could the mighty Dark Lord lose to nothing more than a schoolboy?
It had never been his own weakness.
It was because of wand compatibility.
The next time they met...
He only needed to change his wand.
Then the boy falsely hailed as the Chosen One would surely die a miserable death.
Without another word, Voldemort turned and strode out of the shop.
Apparently...
He intended to verify the theory immediately.
---
"Finally..."
The apprentice let out a long sigh.
"That was exhausting."
Ignoring the fact that it was still business hours, he walked over and locked the front door.
"I think I'm about to throw up from drinking Polyjuice Potion..."
He glanced at the water bottle hidden beneath the counter and nudged it lightly with his foot.
Moments later—
His black hair gradually turned gray.
One of his eyes suddenly shrank back into its socket before being replaced by an enormous, grotesque magical eye.
The effects of the Polyjuice Potion were fading.
The so-called apprentice...
Was none other than Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.
Following Dumbledore's instructions, Moody had even willingly undergone hypnosis so that he himself would completely believe the false story.
Other than Severus Snape...
It was the only reliable method capable of deceiving Voldemort's constant use of Legilimency.
Everything that had happened today...
Had been carefully staged.
Its sole purpose was to feed Voldemort false information.
Sometimes...
The best way to hide a secret wasn't to conceal it completely.
It was to distract the person searching for it.
The true secret—the connection between the twin-core wands—had to remain hidden.
So instead...
They had deliberately sent Voldemort chasing after the completely fabricated theory of "wand restraint."
A false trail.
One meant to waste his time.
To divide his attention.
And to protect the truth that mattered most.
---
Everyone feared Lord Voldemort.
Yet Voldemort himself dared not openly reveal his identity in the middle of Diagon Alley.
The moment he did...
Dumbledore and countless Aurors could descend upon him at any time.
He, too, was restricted.
Once he made a move, endless pursuit and complications would follow.
More importantly...
He could not allow anyone to discover his true objective.
That was why he had resisted the temptation to slaughter everyone in sight.
Of course...
Moody had already been prepared to sacrifice himself if necessary.
---
At the crossroads outside Diagon Alley...
Voldemort disappeared into the distance.
Yet just as Voldemort dared not expose himself...
Dumbledore was equally constrained.
Even knowing that Voldemort would likely appear today, he still could not openly arrange an ambush.
A battle in the heart of London would inevitably involve innocent civilians.
That was a price Dumbledore would never accept.
Nor was there any magic capable of preventing Voldemort from Apparating away at will.
For now...
Both sides continued concealing their true intentions, each trying to mislead the other while searching for the decisive advantage.