Rigel looked around calmly, Diagon Alley remained strange, no matter how often he came here.
Rigel wore a small black suit with a long cape, this was formal wizard attire, but there were many other styles.
The strangest ones were those who wore brightly colored clothes, with glitter all over them, and matching pointed hats.
Like the witch wearing a long green cloak with silver stars that shone constantly and a silver hat shaped like a new moon.
Rigel stayed far away from that, he still hasn't gotten used to the wizarding ways.
Shaking his head, with the Kreacher following closely behind, his diminutive figure, followed by a house-elf, made him a sore thumb amidst the passersby.
Rigel ignored them and went straight to Gringots, it took him half an hour to leave with 95% of his savings in his bag, he took a deep breath before starting his shopping.
He gave some of the money to Kreacher and asked him to buy everything on the list, he was left to fetch the wand.
He already had his school uniform, he had ordered it along with his regular clothes two months ago. As a growing child, he needed to change his clothes every year.
With hurried steps, he went to Ollivanders.
He already had several wands at home, including one that had accepted him well, a yew wand with a dragon heartstring. The wand didn't respond well to him at first, but the more he used it and the faster he progressed with it, the more it obeyed him.
At this point, it was no different from what it seemed like, his own wand.
Still, he wanted to find a wand on his own, he could sense that this wand had only chosen him for his excellence, but the moment he proved himself an 'unworthy master', it would abandon him immediately.
Most of the protagonists who arrive in the world of Harry Potter wouldn't care, thinking they would be invincible forever, so this type of wand that enhances power but lacks loyalty is actually their favorite type.
He, on the other hand, prefers phoenix feathers, of the loyal kind that, in times of crisis, can even act alone to defend him.
So he went into Ollivander's shop.
"Ah, and who might you be, young man?" An old man appeared out of nowhere from behind a bookcase.
"Rigel Black, sir, I've come to collect my first wand." Rigel bowed slightly, with a posture of gentle, understated nobility.
He hadn't needed to follow this for years, but knowing it could be useful in the future, he maintained the habit, whether it was how to behave, how to walk, how to eat, when and how to speak... there were steps for everything.
"Ah, a Black, I haven't seen one in quite a while, I suppose." Garrick scratched his chin, which had a light beard, curiously.
Rigel didn't answer, unsure how to respond, he simply kept his gaze fixed on the man.
Garrick didn't seem to mind, he smiled and said. "Wait a moment, let's find out which wand is perfect for you. The wand chooses the wizard, you know?"
Rigel's right eye twitched slightly, again unsure how to respond to this. After 11 years in this world, living only in the company of Walburga, Kreacher, and books that a child really shouldn't have in their hands, Rigel had to admit that his personality had become somewhat... monotonous.
"Of course, Mr. Olivander, take your time." He finally managed to speak, careful not to reveal his aversion to the man's somewhat crazy behavior.
Garrick didn't seem to mind, Rigel had soon held dozens of different wands, but none of them were better than the Yew wand he was using, yet he didn't complain, only observed calmly.
Just as he was beginning to lose his patience, his usually calm expression becoming slightly furrowed, a wand finally managed to stay in his hand without Garrick snatching it away in a second.
Holding the wand, Rigel felt a slight intrusion into his mind, almost like Legilimency, but weaker, it was only superficial, or perhaps deeper than he could feel.
He left, wanting to see where it would lead.
The wand then trembled slightly, a jet of flame shooting from the tip and taking the form of a phoenix for a brief moment, before fading away, the room returning to normal.
Rigel felt strange, this wand didn't truly accept him, not completely. It heard him, but it was more as if it were evaluating him, trying to figure out if they could really form a team.
"Interesting..." Garrick couldn't help but say, drawing Rigel's attention. "That's a pine wand with a phoenix feather core, flexible, 33 centimeters."
"Excuse me, sir, but what's so curious about it?" Rigel asked, interested in learning more about the wand.
"Pine wands with phoenix feathers are extremely independent wands, I must say. Pine prefers solitary, independent, mysterious, and creative owners. Phoenix feathers are even harder to find a master for, as phoenixes are even more independent and proud. This wand has been in this shop for over two hundred years without finding someone who suited it." Garrick commented calmly. "Even now, it's still testing you. Only as you grow together will it truly become yours, or it will ignore you completely."
Rigel looked at the wand with evident curiosity.
"But there's no need to despair. Pine is one of the most versatile woods for magic, just like phoenix feathers, which can perform a wide variety of spells. This wand, while not the most powerful, is one of, if not the most versatile among them." Garrick smiled at Rigel, thinking he was unhappy with the result. "As an aside, I've also observed that those who possess pine wands, especially those with cores like phoenix feather and unicorn hair, generally have long lives."
Rigel merely grunted slightly, curious about the wand. He twirled it slightly between his fingers, testing the grip, and nodded in satisfaction. "Please, give me a wrist holster as well."
Garrick smiled and nodded contentedly.