Chapter 219 "Making Wands"

Skyler checked the time and revealed a pair of intricately crafted golden arm guards.

"I have another gift for you," he said. "These arm guards were forged by goblins using pure black gold. The one on my left hand bears the engraving of my unique protective magic, 'Divine Aegis.' As for the one on my right hand, I sought Eleanor von Hohenheim of Durmstrang to inscribe it with her family's potent magic designed specifically to resist soul curses. It surpasses the protective bracelet I gave you earlier."

"These magics are set to trigger passively. You don't need to learn or actively use them. If you ever face danger, the magic within the arm guards will automatically activate to ensure your safety."

Luna smiled warmly. To her knowledge, even though Daphne was Skyler's official girlfriend, she didn't possess these unique items. Whether it's the pendant box housing the harassing horsefly or these two arm guards, they are all exclusively crafted for her, making them truly one-of-a-kind.

In truth, every girl fond of Skyler acknowledges that Daphne's position is nearly unassailable. Previously, all six girls and the six Slytherin prefects under Skyler's protection received bracelets with basic enchantments like the iron armor charm and the soul protection spell against soul-stealing curses. The designs were standard, simple bracelets without any additional carvings. However, Daphne stood out—

They all know that Daphne received five bracelets from Skyler earlier, each intricately engraved with advanced spells such as "Divine Aegis," "Spiritual Mirror Wall," and "Fortress of Souls." Rumor has it that even Voldemort himself would find it challenging to use Legilimency on Daphne, implant the Imperius Curse, or seize her body with the remaining soul without her detection.

What's even more astonishing is that these five bracelets were evidently hand-carved by Skyler himself, requiring a significant amount of time. They boast various exquisite patterns and carvings, with both Skyler's and Daphne's names prominently inscribed in conspicuous places!

Luna vividly recalls the scene from that day.

When they laid eyes on these five bracelets:

- Morag's expression remained unchanged, as serene and composed as always.

- Astoria's eyes sparkled with little stars of envy.

- Cho's eyes briefly flickered with imperceptible bitterness.

- Susan's eyes were brimming with fervent admiration, treating Skyler's creation not merely as a bracelet but akin to a masterpiece.

- Luna couldn't quite recall her exact emotions at that moment. Perhaps a mix of envy, bitterness, admiration, appreciation, and even a tinge of jealousy. Yet, now she, too, possesses a gift that is exclusively hers – a personal piece of jewelry from the person she holds dear. Personal jewelry, often carried close, holds extraordinary significance for girls.

Skyler remained oblivious to the intricate emotional interplay in the hearts of the girls. He gestured towards the arm guards, offering a smile as he remarked, "I invested considerable time and thought into these two arm guards. Their magic isn't limited to what you see now; take a look here."

Injecting magic power into the arm guards, Skyler revealed a small slot on the inside of both. "Similar to the pendant box, I've enchanted the interior with an Invisible Stretch Charm. You can now summon all the little spiders into it with a stretching spell."

Luna complied, directing the Spectre Arachnids to crawl into the slot in an orderly manner.

"This arm guard serves two purposes," Skyler explained earnestly. "The first spell is 'Dragnet,' allowing you to spray spider silk directly from the slot on the outside of the arm guard. You can find specific usage details in this book."

Curiously, Luna took the book and flipped through its pages. To her surprise, it was a comic book, but not the familiar "Crazy Muggle Adventures" of the wizarding world.

"It's a renowned Muggle comic book called Spider-Man. You can refer to it for practical methods of spraying spider silk from the wrist." Leaning beside Luna, Skyler helped her open the book to a specific page. "For instance, this method involves spraying a ball of spider silk directly onto the wizard's face, rendering him unable to open his eyes or mouth. It's more effective than curses like the Incisor Match, Throat-Locking, Tongue-Sealing, and Eye Disease Curse."

"The second spell is 'Ten Thousand Spiders in Their Nest.' Its effect is to release all the Spectre Arachnids from every slot in the arm guard. When casting this spell, ensure your magic power and mental state are normal, and be capable of controlling the Divine Spectre Arachnid for at least an hour to prevent any potential backlash from these dangerous little spiders. Understand?"

Luna, shedding her usual trance and carelessness, nodded with an unusually serious expression. Softly, she affirmed, "Yes. I'll prove myself to you. I won't let you down." Internally, she added, "I won't lose to anyone."

After guiding Luna out of the suitcase space, Skyler asked Dobby to summon Susan. The three, accompanied by the elf, entered the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets.

Skyler had plans to enhance Susan's strength.

In essence, a wizard's combat ability is determined by six factors: magic level, spell-casting skills, physical fitness, on-the-spot reaction, tactical use, and the quality of equipment.

The Slytherin Blood Potion addresses the magic level issue.

Spellcasting skills can be honed through learning.

Physical fitness can be improved with various magic potions and regular exercise.

On-the-spot reaction and tactical application are aspects Skyler can't significantly enhance directly. They need observation and practice. Skyler can share his experience and provide them with a partner for actual combat training—Salff.

While Salff surpasses each of them in combat, the gap is not insurmountable, making her an ideal training partner.

The last factor—the quality of equipment—is why Skyler approached Susan.

The Bones family's secret magic, from which Susan hails, emphasizes defense over offense, relying on an impregnable defense to seize opportunities for counterattacks.

Despite her aunt Amelia Bones' love leading her to Ollivander's Wand Shop at 11 years old for a new wand, adhering to the principle of "the wand chooses the wizard," Susan's defensive approach requires specialized equipment.

Ollivander rejects the idea of selecting a wand based solely on its power and characteristics, striving instead to uncover the key to the highest compatibility between the wizard and the wand.

In a way, his approach has validity.

Consider Voldemort as an example. Initially, he was a perfect match for the phoenix tail feather wand, emphasizing "excellence." However, due to the "flashback effect" with Harry Potter's wand of the same origin, he opted to abandon it.

In pursuit of power, he sought the legendary Elder Wand, unaware that its core was a Thestral's tail feather, choosing only wizards capable of "controlling death" as its masters. This decision led to Voldemort's ultimate defeat.

(Note: Voldemort created Horcruxes not to control death but to "escape death." To truly control death and become the master of death, one must confront and conquer death.)

Voldemort's example serves as a reminder that a wand's power is not the sole determinant of its suitability; it must align with the owner's personality and characteristics.

However, Ollivander's "Wand Chooses the Wizard" concept has two significant drawbacks.

Firstly, the wand's core and body are crafted from unknown materials, and Ollivander cannot guarantee to test all possible materials. Even if he did, it's impractical for every young wizard to test each wand's effect.

Essentially, Ollivander provides the little wizard with the most fitting wand from the store's daily stock, not necessarily the most fitting in the world.

Secondly, humans are adaptable and growth-oriented beings. In Susan's case, at 11 years old, she lost her parents and relied on her aunt. Fueled by a disdain for war and a desire for an ordinary life, she found solace in Hufflepuff House. Despite her aunt's wizarding elite status, Susan's upbringing lacked discipline, making her content with mediocrity.

Under Skyler's influence, Susan discovered her life goal and experienced significant growth in character and mentality. From Skyler's perspective, her determination to become stronger rivals that of anyone in Serpentis Vigil Club!

However, her current magic wand no longer suits her.

Hence, Skyler's clear objective in seeking Susan today is to assist her in crafting a wand tailored specifically for her.