"The material comes from the tail feathers of a particularly ancient phoenix and the core of a century-old elder tree. It is twelve inches long, flexible, and elastic. This is one of the proudest works of my life. I will never find another like it again.
With such precious materials, it is impossible to make a more powerful wand."
"I just hope this wand doesn't cause another accident," Albert muttered, exhausted from the frequent 'surprises'. He no longer cared whether the wand was powerful; he only wanted the experiment to be over. Still, he remained cautious as he took the wand.
The moment Albert touched it, the entire shop trembled with wands. A strange and wonderful sensation passed through the wand into his hand—a smooth, tame feeling, as though it had become part of his body. It felt like he could use magic with ease, without any effort at all.
Albert gently waved the wand. This time, there were no explosions or accidents. The tip of the wand simply glowed with a brilliant silver light, and all the wands in the shop immediately stopped trembling.
"It's wonderful… it's absolutely wonderful," Ollivander exclaimed, his voice full of emotion. "What an honor it is to witness this wand find its true owner in my lifetime."
Then he turned toward Albert and warned, "Wands with phoenix feather cores are powerful—and extremely selective when it comes to their owners. The Phoenix King, in particular, is even more particular. The elder wand wood is more difficult to control than any other kind. It demands far more from its user—immense magical talent and force of will. Any wizard capable of wielding such a wand is destined for greatness.
If you can truly master it, you are destined to have a legendary future."
As he spoke the final words, Ollivander glanced subtly at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore smiled gently. "Child, I am very glad that you've found such a wand. I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll achieve at Hogwarts."
Albert put the wand away with satisfaction, then turned to Ollivander and asked, "So, how much does this wand cost?"
"No, no money." Ollivander shook his head, glancing at the wand one last time with deep reluctance. "It is enough for me to see the greatest masterpiece of my life find its rightful master. I only hope you make good use of it."
As Dumbledore and Albert left the shop, Ollivander murmured to himself, "Wu's Orphanage again… and another genius… No—an even more incredible genius than that one. I only hope he doesn't follow the same path. Otherwise, the wizarding world…"
"Next, we need to buy your Hogwarts uniform," Dumbledore said as they stepped onto the cobbled street. "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions is the usual place. Let's go there."
Madam Malkin was a short, plump witch with a kind smile and dressed in a flowing purple robe. As soon as they entered, she beamed.
"Looking for Hogwarts uniforms, dear?" she asked Albert, not waiting for a reply. "We have many students coming in this week."
Then she spotted Dumbledore and her eyes lit up. "Oh! Mr. Dumbledore—are you here to escort a student yourself? I didn't notice you at first!"
They exchanged warm greetings, and Madam Malkin led Albert toward a raised platform for measurements.
Albert noticed another boy coming out from behind a curtain. The boy was shorter than him—Albert had always been taller than most children his age due to his accelerated physical growth. The other boy wore a dull, old-fashioned black robe that Albert found unappealing.
"Excuse me, is that the Hogwarts uniform?" Albert asked, pointing at the robe with thinly veiled distaste.
"Oh yes, dear," said Madam Malkin, chuckling. "That's the standard design. But if you don't like it, we can add lace or a few personal touches. Now—could you stand on this stool, please? I'll measure you."
Albert still found the robe outdated and uninspiring. Without hesitation, he made an unusual request.
"Can I design my own robe and have it custom-made here?"
"Design your own robe?" Madam Malkin's voice leapt an octave. "No one's ever made that kind of request. We're professionals here… but, well… if you insist, it's not impossible."
Her voice softened by the end. Clearly, Albert's request had hurt her pride slightly; she felt her expertise had been underestimated.
Albert pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil and began to sketch quickly, confidently.
He drew the uniform worn by the Magician's Guild students from the Moon World—a style embedded deeply in his memories. The design had a shorter hem than Hogwarts robes and a much sleeker, modern cut. It fused traditional wizarding fashion with contemporary Muggle design elements, giving it a fresh and dynamic appearance.
He also sketched matching shirts, vests, trousers, and outerwear to complete the look.
Dumbledore and Madam Malkin stood behind him, curiously peering over his shoulder. As the clothes gradually took shape under Albert's skilled hands, both their expressions grew serious.
Madam Malkin's brows lifted higher and higher. She finally let out a long sigh.
"I have to admit… your new student is a genius," she said to Dumbledore. "This isn't something an ordinary child could design. If he ever becomes a fashion designer, he'll earn a mountain of Galleons."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. From the moment he met Albert, the surprises had never stopped.
When Albert finally finished the last line of the drawing, he compared it once more and handed it to Madam Malkin. She immediately snatched it up and examined it with great interest, muttering to herself about fabric types, stitching patterns, and enchanted linings.
"I'll need a bit of time for this," she said. "The cut is quite different from the standard robes, and I'll need to enchant some of the stitching differently. But yes—it can be done."
Albert smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you."
Before they left, Madam Malkin asked hesitantly, "Would you mind if I kept a copy of your design? For inspiration… maybe?"
Albert thought for a moment and then nodded. "Just don't sell it as a Hogwarts robe without asking."
Madam Malkin looked thrilled. "Of course, of course. You have my word."
As they continued their shopping trip, Albert's customized robe became the subject of conversation among several shopkeepers. Word spread quickly. Even before he set foot in Hogwarts, he had already begun to earn a name for himself in Diagon Alley.
Dumbledore observed Albert with quiet satisfaction. "You are quite full of surprises, Albert."
Albert simply shrugged, his face calm but his mind alert. Designing the uniform hadn't been about fashion or showing off—it was about control. In a new world full of unpredictable variables, he wanted to shape at least one thing in his image.
Even his uniform.