Chapter 56: Braun's Wand

Braun first told Cam the name of the recipient. Then handed both the letter and the book to Dolly. He asked her to help tie them to Cam's body, as Dolly was a professional in handling such tasks. It wasn't long before an owl, with a letter and a small package tied to its paws, waved its wings and left.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, Little young master Braun?"

"No more, Dolly."

Braun was about to leave. After remembering something, he turned around and said:

"Merry Christmas, Dolly! Hope you have a nice Christmas night."

Dolly was moved to tears.

"Oh! Of course, thank you very much, Little young master Braun."

Strolling along the castle's path, Braun couldn't help but sigh a little. House-elves are creatures that sometimes evoke compassion in people. However, Braun also knows that it's impossible to change their personalities, and it will take generations to succeed. Of course, even if it succeeds, Braun will not do it. Firstly, it is not in his interest. Secondly, as a beneficiary, he may not want to change the status of house-elves in his heart. But being a little nicer to them can still be done – encouraging them from time to time, treating them with more respect and doing some small favors. This can lead to gaining their gratitude and loyalty.

He wouldn't scold or hit these house-elves like other members of pure-blood families. Otherwise, the result may be like Sirius Black, who was looked down and regularly insulted at every sentence by Kreacher, the house-elf of the Black family. House-elves, as the closest servants in pure-blood families, know a lot of secrets.

The next day, as soon as Braun opened his eyes, he saw a variety of gifts placed in his room. This was a usual occurrence every Christmas. The gifts were sent by families and potion masters who were close friends with their family. Most of them were books, contributing to the vast collection in his room.

The most conspicuous gifts were two packages that looked as if packed by a toddler. Checking the senders, Braun found them to be from Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley.

"No wonder," Braun muttered as he opened the packages.

Ron's gift was a set of wizard chess, brand new and in good condition. 

Ginny's gift was more personal – a set of greeting cards she had drawn herself. The animals depicted on the cards would also move, and although they looked a bit crude, they carried a sincere touch.

Braun tucked away the books sent by other wizards in his bookshelf based on his indexing. He then proceeded to open his parents' gifts. His mother had given him a pendant with armor protection. However, it was his father's gift that left him in awe.

"Oh, Merlin! It's a magic wand!"

Excitedly, Braun examined the wand in the box, noticing its slightly old appearance. With this wand, he could continue learning potions and start exploring spells.

"Wingardium Leviosa" Braun uttered the incantation, feeling a wave of magic flow from his body to the wand, lifting a book in front of him.

"There is a sense of rejection from the wand even if it's kind of obscure, but it's enough for refining potions," Braun said, pleased with his new wand.

Most witches and wizards bought their first wand when they were eleven, just before starting their magical education. Most English wizards and witches bought their wands at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley, where they would try out multiple wands until they found the one that suited them, or rather, the wand found the wizard that suited it.

Some witches and wizards, especially those from poorer backgrounds, were left to use wands that had not chosen them but chosen a member of their family: Ron Weasley, for example, used his brother Charlie's old wand when he began his first year at Hogwarts. Though they would face a bit of rejection from the wand, as long as its not as severe as in the case of Neville Longbottom, its not something that they cannot work around.

Braun felt that this wand did not reject him outright and was usable for the basic magic.

At the table while eating a sandwich, Mr. Foley asked, "How about it, son? Do you like my Christmas gift for you?"

"Yes, Dad, I love it. But the magic of this wand seems a little obscure?" Braun inquired.

Mr. Foley shrugged, explaining, "It's normal. After all, I got it through other means. Twelve inches long, blackthorn plum wood, staff core is the toad's heart tendon. This wand was ordered by a wizard who committed fraud, but before he could receive it, he met an unfortunate end."

"Toad's heart tendon? Can that be used as a wand core? Aren't wand cores typically dragon heartstring, unicorn hairs, or phoenix feathers?" Braun asked in surprise.

"Of course not, my child. There are many materials that can be used as wand cores – from cat beards to mermaid hair. Essentially, any material that can channel magical energy can be crafted into a wand. The three cores you mentioned were established by Garrick Ollivander after he took over the wand shop. However, he offended many wizards at the time," Mr. Foley explained.

"So why do wizards still go to Ollivander's wand shop now? Didn't you say he faced resistance?" Braun questioned.

Mr. Foley took a bite of his sandwich, replying, "Certainly, but it's because his wands are superior to all the other wandmakers products in Britain. Despite initial resistance due to his unconventional methods, people soon discovered that Ollivander's wands were better than all the others. Wizards crave power, and finding a wand that suits them best is irresistible. That's why, even though there are many other wand makers, Ollivander remains the most popular choice."

"And are those measurements of arm length and height during wand selection truly essential?" Braun inquired further.

"Absolutely. The parameters like arm length, forearm length, height, and head circumference help choose a wand based on the user's physical characteristics. Each wand is unique due to its combination of wand core and wood, selected to complement each other. Ollivander believes that the best wand should contain a powerful core and carefully chosen wand wood, ultimately choosing the wizard it finds most attractive. This is why he insists on personally measuring a wizard for their wand," Mr. Foley clarified.