In the following days, the news that Harry had officially joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team spread rapidly throughout all of Hogwarts, like wildfire.
Besides being the Boy Who Lived, he now gained another title—Hogwarts' youngest Seeker in history.
On Friday afternoon, Oliver Wood took him for his first practice session. The training results were kept under wraps, but that night, the Gryffindor common room erupted into a celebration that lasted until the early hours of the morning.
As a Gryffindor member, Robert naturally participated, and he also took the opportunity to observe a Gryffindor practice match—while discreetly shoving a broken broomstick into the farthest corner of the broom cupboard.
You couldn't really call it broken; it was just a simple broom handle replacement. It wouldn't affect normal flight… probably.
Using the replaced century-old fir wood, and the last remaining strand of Professor McGonagall's hair, Robert quickly crafted a second wand.
[Fir wood, wizard hair, thirteen inches]
[Status: Perfect]
[Attribute: Transformation +17 (55%)]
Just as Robert had expected, this wand lacked the [Disguise] property, but in return, both the base bonus and the upper limit for Transformation had increased.
It was hard to say which attribute was better. Once such a magical bonus reached a certain level, further increases became extremely difficult. That 55% boost was the highest Robert had ever seen.
He gave the wand a test wave, transforming the ink bottle on his table into an elegant teapot.
The transformation felt as effortless as turning a matchstick into a needle—though a teapot, complete with detailed patterns and curves, was far more complex than a simple needle.
"Feels pretty good," Robert muttered to himself.
He decided to gift it to Professor McGonagall for Christmas. The wand's materials, combined with the custom design, might even earn him a thoughtful return gift.
Of course, it wasn't just about receiving something in return. The timing, after all, was perfect.
Robert took out a piece of golden cardstock from his suitcase and, with a few swift folds, turned it into a long, narrow box. He lined it with a piece of soft black velvet and gently laid the wand on top.
A purely handmade, vintage-style wand case—its cost only two knuts, but in stores, it would sell for five sickles.
It's the thought that counts.
With everything finished, Robert shifted his attention back to preparing for his next plan.
On the eve of Halloween, the entire castle was cloaked in a festive atmosphere. Even the most deserted corridors carried the sweet, enticing aroma of roasted pumpkin.
The first class that morning was Charms. Lessons before a big feast were often the hardest to get through, but fortunately, Professor Flitwick seemed to understand that.
To keep the students engaged, he finally set aside the dull, ordinary spells they'd been practicing and introduced the Levitation Charm—a spell that most had eagerly awaited.
Particularly memorable was when Professor Flitwick demonstrated the charm by making Neville's toad float and soar gracefully around the classroom. It perfectly captured what most Muggle-born first-years had always imagined wizardry to be, and the class was brimming with motivation.
Of course, motivation alone wasn't enough. The Levitation Charm proved far more challenging than their earlier lessons. The difficulty leap was akin to moving from single-digit addition to double-digit multiplication and division.
After several reminders about the incantation and wrist technique, Professor Flitwick had the students split into pairs to begin practicing.
Due to the seating arrangements, Harry ended up partnered with Seamus. Ron, who sat beside him, had no choice but to team up with Neville. He looked visibly unhappy—perhaps even a bit worried—as if fearing Neville might accidentally blast off his head.
Sitting further back was Robert. Being second-to-last in the row left him with one option for a partner: Hermione.
Truthfully, Robert was a bit conflicted. In his memory, the famous Ron-Hermione argument during this very lesson was a key event that eventually led to the formation of the iconic trio. But now that Ron was working with Neville instead, it was uncertain if the Boy Who Lived would still meet his destined "brains."
"Robert, what are you spacing out about?" Hermione asked, snapping him back to reality.
"Ah, nothing," Robert replied casually, brushing aside the thought.
Never mind. Dumbledore was still around.
With that, Robert casually drew his wand and performed a smooth flick and swish. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Compared to the clumsy charm he'd cast on the train, this time his incantation and wrist movement were both precise.
The feather before him floated gently, rising five feet into the air.
"Oh, well done!" Professor Flitwick clapped joyfully. "Everyone, look! Mr. Ollivander has succeeded! Two points to Gryffindor!"
Hermione didn't look too pleased. She could perform the charm as well, but she'd been just one step too late. If she'd been faster, those two points might've been hers.
But it didn't really matter—they were both Gryffindor.
Still, Hermione quickly set the matter aside. A more pressing concern soon took over: what to do now that both members of their pair had already mastered the Levitation Charm… and class had just begun.
Hermione decided to help others.
Her first target, of course, was Neville.
Earlier, when Neville waved his wand, he had done so with such force that he'd almost hit Ron in the face. Now, with several students separating them, practicing together was no longer possible.
"Lighten your wrist. You're not hammering nails. The break in the incantation must be clear—it's Wing-GAR-dium. Emphasize the middle syllable…"
Hermione tutored Neville for nearly half the class. Despite her growing frustration, Neville made no progress at all. His feather remained motionless.
"I've said before, his wand is the problem. The rest—pronunciation, technique—those are just minor details," Robert said calmly.
"If you're so confident, why don't you give it a go?" Hermione shot back irritably, turning to glare at him.
"Sure—seven Galleons," Robert replied, holding out a hand. "I can't promise instant success, but I guarantee it'll be better than now."
"You're still trying to sell wands during class?" Hermione said, eyes wide with disbelief.
Neville… quietly looked away, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
In truth, deep down, he didn't want to switch wands. If he had truly wanted to, he wouldn't have waited until now.
Madam Longbottom was likely the one most eager for Neville to inherit Frank Longbottom's wand. But if Neville had insisted on getting a new one, she would have given in.
After all, even though the Longbottoms had fallen on hard times, they weren't poor enough to not afford a new wand.
Robert said nothing more and simply smiled.
He had done his part. As roommates, he had reminded Neville twice—that was already more than enough. Constant nagging would only be counterproductive.
In the end, it was up to Neville. If the boy didn't want to change wands, then even a free one wouldn't make a difference.
Of course, that was only hypothetical. In reality, Robert would never give one away for free.
Seven Galleons was already a loss-making deal. The Ministry didn't offer any subsidies. Giving wands away would be absurd.
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