Chapter 81: Luna and the Crumple-Horned Snorkack Sticker

A colorful sign hung on the corner of Diagon Alley:"Special Offer! Just five Sickles to make your wand one of a kind!" A girl with pale gold hair and misty silver eyes stopped in front of it, tilting her head slightly with curiosity. She tugged at the sleeve of the man beside her. "Daddy, I want to have a look," she said, her voice light and dreamy. "Of course, my dear," Xenophilius Lovegood replied warmly. "We have to buy your wand anyway." They turned into a smaller side alley, but upon seeing what awaited them, Xenophilius froze mid-step. A long line stretched out from the shop's door, curling almost back toward the main street. "Dear... have we taken a wrong turn into Flourish and Blotts?" Xenophilius asked, removing his glasses to polish them furiously on his robes. The line reminded him vividly of the crowd that had formed for a celebrity book signing the day before. "No, Daddy, look!" Luna pointed at the small hanging sign. "It says Ollivanders." He squinted, and sure enough, the letters were unmistakable. "But... why would Ollivanders have a queue?" Xenophilius muttered, bewildered. Still, if Luna wanted to go, waiting was a small price to pay. The line moved slowly but steadily, people trickling out of the shop with looks of childlike joy. Strangely, most of them weren't young students but older Hogwarts pupils and even a few adults. And every single one, upon leaving, immediately inspected their wands under the light with expressions of utter delight, as though seeing them for the first time. "They're not getting new wands... are they?" Xenophilius wondered aloud. It made no sense. Wands weren't disposable items. Why would so many need replacements? Finally, after what felt like forever, they stepped inside. A soft bell chimed overhead. The cramped shop was just as he remembered: narrow, dusty, shelves stacked with thousands of boxes. Behind the counter stood Garrick Ollivander himself, looking invigorated at the sight of them. To the right, at a separate counter, was a boy—likely a few years older than Luna—busy assisting customers. "Oh, at last! A new student!" Garrick exclaimed brightly. He bustled over with his measuring tape, forgetting himself in the excitement until halfway through when he finally remembered to announce Luna's wand measurements, much to his own embarrassment. While Luna patiently underwent the measuring process, Xenophilius took the chance to satisfy his curiosity. "Ollivander, has something happened?" he asked. "I mean... to cause so many people to buy wands again?" The old wandmaker chuckled. "No disasters, if that's what you mean. The magical world is as peaceful as ever." He gestured toward the boy behind the side counter. "But I think I understand. Harold, why don't you explain?" The boy—Harold—flashed a professional smile and neatly laid out a few small items on the counter. "We recently launched some wand accessories," he said. "Stickers, coloring sprays—simple charms, but they're popular. Especially with students." Xenophilius blinked down at the display: bright metallic stickers, glittering sprays in every color imaginable. "So that's why the queue?" he asked incredulously. "Exactly. First-time buyers get a fifty percent discount," Harold added. "Would you like to pick something?" "How much?" "One Sickle for stickers, five Galleons for sprays—with the discount." "Not bad..." Xenophilius mused. One Sickle wasn't much at all. Before he could say anything else, Luna piped up, her silver eyes alight. "Do you have a Crumple-Horned Snorkack sticker?" Harold hesitated, genuinely caught off guard. He turned to get a proper look at her: pale gold hair, dreamy grey eyes, a radish earring swinging from one ear. "Crumple-Horned... what?" "Snorkack," Luna repeated seriously. "It says on the sign you can customize any magical creature." "That's true, but—" Harold scratched his head. "Usually, people provide a picture. I've never seen a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. I can't make it up from imagination." "I've never seen one either," Luna admitted without a trace of embarrassment. "Daddy and I are still searching for it." "That's right!" Xenophilius said proudly. "Sadly, Luna will be at Hogwarts soon, otherwise we'd be combing the Swedish forests together." "Well, good luck finding it," Harold said with a chuckle. Luna suddenly stepped closer, disregarding the measuring tape still floating around her. "You've seen it too, haven't you?" she whispered. "Me? No," Harold said honestly, blinking. "I already told you—I haven't." "Then why didn't you laugh at us? Everyone else says it doesn't exist." The question hung in the air. Harold smiled faintly. "Because once, someone told me that magic makes anything possible," he said. "If you really want advice... maybe you should write to Newt Scamander. He's the best magizoologist alive. I bet he's explored the Swedish forests." Luna's face lit up instantly. "That's a wonderful idea! But... I don't know his address." "Maybe your owl can find him," Harold said with a wink. She thought for a long moment, then nodded solemnly. "Alright." She turned to her father. "Daddy, I want to buy an owl." Xenophilius sighed helplessly. In the end, they left the shop seven Galleons and one Sickle lighter. Luna had chosen a sparkling unicorn sticker. Just before the door shut behind him, Xenophilius cast a glance back at the boy behind the counter. Strange lad. Strange energy. Suggesting an owl could find someone without an address? Only someone like Luna would take it seriously. Still... perhaps a personal owl wouldn't be a bad idea after all. Back in the shop, Garrick Ollivander leaned toward Harold and asked in a low voice, "What in Merlin's name is a Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" Harold shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe it's related to a Crup." The old wandmaker shook his head. "And here I thought I'd heard it all." Harold smirked as he pocketed the silver coin Luna had left behind. Customers like her were rare. Good for business too.