He knew exactly what kind of trouble that troublesome brother wand could stir up.
Dylan definitely didn't want to get involved in any of that.
After testing all the wands that Ollivander had offered, the one that felt the most compatible was still the 13-and-a-quarter-inch yew wand with the Nightshade tail feather core.
Ollivander was delighted.
All these years, he had poured a lot of effort into creating these wands when he was younger. Now, he had finally found a worthy owner for one of them.
It gave him a sense of joy, almost like a father watching his daughter get married.
Because of this, Ollivander didn't charge Dylan much, just a friendly price, and even gave him a variety of wand care materials, including a wand sleeve made of Nightshade fur.
"Sir, you're only charging me seven Galleons?" Dylan said, holding the wand and the bundle of gifts with a pleased smile.
"Yes, young wizard, the Ministry of Magic doesn't allow wizards to pay exorbitant prices for wands," Ollivander explained.
Dylan quickly put it together.
The Ministry must be providing some kind of subsidy for this old man's wand sales.
Considering these wands had been made when Ollivander was younger and had accumulated for so long without being sold…
Dylan blinked.
So that's it!
No wonder he was given so many little gifts!
"Thank you, sir, I'll be on my way now."
Dylan walked out of the shop, arms full of his new acquisitions.
Ollivander watched his retreating figure with a smile. "Another interesting little wizard, and quite well-mannered too."
Once Dylan stepped outside, he immediately spotted Professor McGonagall.
He hurried over. "Sorry for keeping you waiting, Professor McGonagall."
"It's fine," she replied with a gentle smile. "Picky wizards tend to achieve great things, so I'm looking forward to your performance once you start at school."
She glanced at the large bundle in Dylan's arms, raising an eyebrow subtly but saying nothing.
Instead, she gave him a piece of advice: "Your wand will likely accompany you for life. Take care not to let it suffer any irreversible damage."
"I'll take great care of it!" Dylan promised.
At that moment, he felt a mix of excitement, eager to truly step into the magical world, and thrilled to have his new treasure.
He looked at the wand, wrapped in the soft fur of the Nightshade, and couldn't help but smile.
Seeing this young wizard, who often gave off an air of maturity, now acting like an excited child, McGonagall's eyes softened with warmth.
"Let's go. You still need to get a few robes custom-made. Of course, it's fine to start with just one."
Under Professor McGonagall's guidance, Dylan made his way through Madam Malkin's Robe Shop, the Patchett Cauldron Shop, and the Flourish and Blotts.
By the time they left, Dylan was carrying several shopping bags.
"Professor, I'd like to visit that pet shop," he said.
Professor McGonagall paused for a moment. "You… don't intend to get another pet, do you?"
In reality, Dylan hadn't bought much else.
However, he had picked up over thirty books from Flourish and Blotts, both big and small.
These were all books recommended by Professor McGonagall, including some textbooks.
Dylan figured, since he had a professor guiding him, he might as well make full use of the opportunity. After all, having such an expert to recommend books wasn't something that happened every day.
But this did mean that he wasn't able to pick up any more items.
Still, Dylan wanted to visit the Magical Creatures shop, not to buy a pet, but to inquire about how to get a breeding permit for a Nightshade.
He gave McGonagall a shy smile. "Mr. Ollivander mentioned a few things about magical creatures earlier, and I'm curious. That's why I'd like to go and see."
"Is that so?" Professor McGonagall nodded. "Then go ahead. I'll wait for you here, but don't take too long."
"Okay, Professor!" Dylan said, and with that, he dashed into the Magical Creatures shop, bags in hand.
After some inquiries, he didn't waste any more time and asked Professor McGonagall to use Apparition to take him home.
Once they said their goodbyes, Dylan stepped inside his house. He quickly brought all his things into his small basement.
The excitement of soon entering Hogwarts made him feel so energetic, despite carrying so many bags and wandering around for hours. He didn't feel tired at all.
After briefly explaining to his parents what had happened during the day, Dylan freshened up and immediately snuck back into the basement.
It was at that moment he noticed that the system panel had refreshed with a new message. He hadn't noticed when it had appeared, but he quickly looked up to see what it was.
[Message]: You've unlocked a new achievement!
"Huh? A new achievement?" Dylan was surprised. He thought it might be related to his first visit to Diagon Alley, perhaps something like "first time holding a wand" or "first time experiencing Apparition."
He quickly tapped the magic scroll icon to open the achievement panel. What he saw next made his heart race.
The new achievement description looked like it had been gnawed on by something. The text was jagged, with twisted and squirming strokes, the color darkened, almost like dried, old blood.
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[Achievement]: The Fall (I)
[Description]: Good job! You've learned how to truly embrace the darkness!
[Requirement]: Learn the Unforgivable Curse (1/1)
[Reward]: Slight affinity with Dark Magic
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[Achievement]: The Fall (II)
[Description]: Well done! You're now a truly qualified dark wizard!
[Requirement]: Learn the Unforgivable Curse (2/2)
[Reward]: Strong affinity with Dark Magic
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[Achievement]: The Fall (III)
[Description]: Merlin, your heart has no light left! You're even more evil than Voldemort!
[Requirement]: Learn the Unforgivable Curse (3/3)
[Reward]: Super affinity with Dark Magic
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[Achievement]: I Am the True Dark Lord!
[Description]: Once again, you've mastered a full-level Forbidden Curse. Well done! You're one step closer to overthrowing the Dark Lord and claiming the throne for yourself!
[Requirement 1]: Master the full-level Cruciatus Curse.
[Requirement 2]: Master the full-level Imperius Curse.
[Requirement 3]: Master the full-level Avada Kedavra.
[Reward]: Full-level High-tier Forbidden Curses +3, release Dark Magic without negative emotional triggers!
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[Achievement]: I'm a Good Kid
[Description]: You've tricked the Hogwarts professors into believing you're harmless! Who would have thought you understand Dark Magic better than the Dark Lord himself?
[Requirement]: Master the full-level Unforgivable Curse and walk ten times back and forth in front of a professor without arousing suspicion.
[Reward]: No one can indirectly trace the magical marks you leave behind!
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Dylan blinked in disbelief. He stared at the panel for a while, trying to process the unexpected achievement notifications.
He couldn't help but wonder: how did he unlock these achievements? The mention of "Unforgivable Curses" and "Dark Magic" didn't sit well with him.