Chapter 9 Old Wands

"Regardless of how and by whom you were brought to this Hogwarts, I'm sure you all can understand the current situation of the school. The Ministry of Magic has blocked and controlled all wand trading, leaving us with no means of being able to take you to the wand shop with a straight face and pick out the wand of your choice."

Dumbledore's blue eyes were constantly focused on Jon and the gang as he spoke, his gaze was very serious, and his tone became unmistakably solemn in contrast to when he had greeted Jon and the gang with candies earlier.

"These wands before you, have all been used for a lifetime, it is true that they do not have the shine of those new wands in the wand shop, but each of the last owners who held them fought to the end for what they stood by. For me, seeing these wands is like seeing the people who used them, so I hope you won't dislike them just because they are old."

"If at some point in the future you have the opportunity to get your hands on the wand that you would like better and more, then please return the one that you took from here today, there will be other children who will need it in the future to truly enter the world of magic."

Dumbledore's words caused everyone in the room to hold their breath.

Professor McGonagall looked at the old wands on the wooden box with an unconcealed sadness.

Neville clenched his fists as soon as Dumbledore began to speak, his whitening knuckles enough to reveal his inner turmoil.

Ron, who had been jumpy from the moment they first met, was also silent with a solemn look on his face.

Justin and Lavender, both infected by the atmosphere in the office, looked down at the wooden boxes, each representing a wizard who had died in the fight against pure-blood oppression.

Jon was also looking at the wands, and unlike the others, he associated more with the words that came out of Dumbledore's mouth.

Every year new children were enrolled at Hogwarts, and according to what Ron had said before coming to the Headmaster's office, only two Muggle students, Jon and Justin, had been brought back this year, a very small number compared to previous years, which meant that the minimum number of students enrolled in previous years was estimated to be no less than five.

That meant that five wands were claimed from here every year.

But now the cupboard remained full, with more than ten wands.

This meant that the Order of the Phoenix, led by Dumbledore's men, were killed much more each year, far more than the number of new students joining!

For any organisation to be in such a situation could be considered fatal, with fewer new students than the depleted force, there is simply no future in sight.

"Who's first?"

Dumbledore suddenly said aloud just when the entire office went so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.

Almost the moment the words fell from his lips, Neville, who was standing in front of Jon, already moved physically.

Without hesitation, he stepped in front of everyone and came to Dumbledore's side, and spoke in a firm voice.

"I've been waiting for this day, Professor Dumbledore."

Dumbledore looked at the round-faced blond boy and a smile returned to his face.

"You will be a source of pride for everyone in the Longbottom family, Neville, no one will doubt that."

Neville's eyes fixed on one of the wands, he seemed to have been looking at it since Dumbledore had opened the cupboard, and right now, without any hesitation, he reached straight out and took the slightly curved wand in his hand.

"I agreed to your father's request three years ago and never took it out before, only today, I put it here." Dumbledore said calmly. "Your mother, Alice Longbottom, used this same wand during her lifetime, the same cherry wood as your father, with a unicorn hair wand core, only slightly shorter by two inches, measuring eleven inches long. She died after being struck with three killing curses to protect the students on the Hogwarts wagon whose whereabouts were discovered at the time, and the last words she spoke in her life are considered a legacy to us all"

Neville's hand trembled as he gripped the wand, and at the tip, a silver stream of light glinted as he gritted his teeth and spoke one word at a time.

"These children, and my son, they will surely walk in the sunlight of equality, of justice, in the future!"

Dumbledore patted him gently on the shoulder.

"Each and every one of us have never forgotten that statement, and that is why this Hogwarts exists."

Neville nodded silently as he took the wand he had inherited from his mother and returned to the group of new students.

The second person to come forward was Lavender.

There was no wand left behind by her kin in it, yet she nevertheless maintained great respect for each one of them inside and eventually selected one from it.

Jon keenly noticed a moment of lost remembrance on the face of Professor McGonagall, who stood beside him, as Lavender reached for that wand.

Lavender looked at Dumbledore nervously, as if she was afraid that the old man would next say, "This wand carries too much meaning for you to have it."

But Dumbledore met her eyes with nothing but a gentle smile on his face.

"Aspen wood with unicorn hair, 12 inches long. I am honoured that you would be able to wield it, Miss Brown, it once belonged to my colleague, Pomona Sprout, Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts and the last Head of Hufflepuff. She died in the battle that marked the fall of Hogwarts Castle seven years ago, choosing to hold off dozens of Death Eaters and Aurors alone in order to allow Minerva to retreat from the castle with the students, ultimately leaving only this wand behind."

Lavender stammered as she became even more nervous.

"Profess- Professor, my father always talked to me about her, she was his Head and the best possible mentor to him, should I put it back? She is a great witch and I don't deserve it."

"If you put it back, then Pomona would only be disappointed, Miss Brown." Dumbledore's voice sounded serious, "She died for the students in this school, then everyone who is a student of this school has the right and the responsibility to take this wand of hers out. I am sure that it will receive no less glory in your hands than it did in the hands of its previous wielder."

Lavender turned red, shy and excited at Dumbledore's words, and finally nodded with a solemn look on her face and took a deep breath as she promised.

"I will! Professor!"

She rejoined the group of new students, and the next to walk forward was Ron, who picked an Elm wood wand from the wooden cabinet.

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