The Boy They Tried to Sacrifice

Matthew didn't press further and simply followed Lyon to a nearby storefront.

A golden signboard hung above the door, its paint nearly worn away, weathered by time.

Matthew looked up and read the inscription: Ollivanders – Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

The two of them pushed open the door, and a small brass bell above the entrance gave a crisp ring.

There were no other customers inside, and the shop was unusually quiet.

Matthew instinctively held his breath as he stepped in.

At the sound of their arrival, an old man with hair as wild as Einstein's silently emerged from behind a tall shelf.

"Ah, Mr. Lyon, back again. And this must be the young wizard here to choose his wand."

"Excellent—you're my first customers of the day."

The speaker was none other than Garrick Ollivander, Britain's renowned wandmaker.

He exchanged a few polite words with Lyon, then turned his full attention to Matthew.

"Well then, Mr. Anglie, if you'd kindly extend your hand—"

Matthew obediently reached out.

With a snap of Ollivander's fingers, a measuring tape leapt off the counter and began floating around him, automatically recording various measurements.

"Which is your dominant hand?" Ollivander asked.

"Right hand."

"Try this one!" Ollivander said, waving his hand as a long box floated toward them.

"Eleven and one-third inches, cedar wood, unicorn tail hair core."

"Oh, no!" he muttered the moment Matthew touched it. Just as Matthew felt a strange, uncomfortable disconnect, the wand was snatched away again.

"Then how about this one? Applewood, phoenix feather core..."

Ollivander continued his introductions, but Matthew suddenly froze.

Because just then, that emotionless mechanical voice echoed once more in his mind.

[You have come into contact with a creation manifested by the World Will. Due to your Odin's Insight, you have gained the specialty: Elementary Alchemy Talent.]

He quickly checked the details of the newly added specialty.

[Elementary Alchemy Talent:

Grants basic understanding of alchemical principles and structure. Can be advanced to Intermediate Alchemy Talent as your alchemical knowledge deepens.

Since the Laws of Alchemy are among the foundational laws of this world, your current comprehension of the Alchemy Laws has slightly increased.]

"Don't worry," Ollivander said, noticing Matthew standing motionless. "The right companion isn't always found immediately."

Matthew nodded and took the wand Ollivander handed him.

This time, the uncomfortable sense of separation was completely gone.

In fact, every wand he touched afterward felt the same—no resistance, no rejection.

Ollivander was visibly astonished. He had initially thought the second wand would be a perfect match for Matthew, and then the third, which also proved suitable.

To his growing surprise, every wand—except the very first—seemed unusually compatible with the boy.

He couldn't help but study the young wizard before him more closely.

Matthew, unaware of Ollivander's odd behavior, continued cooperating with the wand testing process.

But his attention was elsewhere—focused on his panel, which had quietly updated:

♾️—│ SYSTEM PROFILE │—♾️

Name : MatthewRace : HumanTalent : [Odin's Insight]Tier : World-ClassOrigin : Unique – Exclusive to All Realms

│ Description: │→ Odin's Insight allows the host to bypass comprehension steps and directly obtain mastery-level understanding of any concept, law, or spell the world permits.

Specialties:→ Local Space Lock→ Otherworld Projection→ Odin's Lock→ Elementary Alchemy Talent

World Laws:→ Alchemy Laws (Not Mastered)

Origin Laws:→ None

Status:→ Gaze of the Evil God→ World Rejection: 0.9%

[Note: Law-related content has now been unlocked.]

♾️—————————♾️

A new category had appeared on the panel—World Laws, Origin Laws, with a note: Law-related content had now been unlocked.

He still didn't know the exact difference between World Laws and Origin Laws, as there were no available entries or explanations on the panel.

The Alchemy Laws were listed as "Not mastered," the text grayed out.

Even so, noticing the slight decrease in World Rejection—from 1% to 0.9%—Matthew felt a quiet sense of joy.

In that moment, it was almost as if the magical world itself was acknowledging him!

Fuu~~ At least it's decreasing...

Meanwhile, back at Ollivander's—

After testing more than a dozen wands, Ollivander was repeatedly astonished by Matthew's unusual compatibility. Instead of growing tired, he became more animated with every new trial, clearly fascinated.

Matthew snapped out of his thoughts and, upon seeing Ollivander's eager expression, couldn't help but recall the frenzied look his foster father had worn just before the ritual sacrifice.

At Ollivander's, most wands were crafted with one of three core materials: phoenix feather, unicorn hair, or dragon heartstring.

Each core came with its own affinities, suited for specific types of wizards.

But in Matthew's case, that fundamental rule no longer applied.

He could only assume it had something to do with the Alchemy Laws he had just come into contact with.

"In that case... sir, please try this one," Ollivander said at last.

Ollivander suddenly beckoned to a distant corner, and an ancient-looking box, thick with dust, floated toward him.

Even from afar, Matthew could feel a faint pull emanating from within.

Ollivander opened the box carefully, gently brushing a hand over the wand inside before beginning the introduction:

"Peachwood, struck by lightning, with a Kirin whisker at its core. Thirteen and one-third inches long, with simple horizontal ridges carved into the handle for better grip…"

Matthew reached into the box and took the wand in his hand.

Instantly, a marvelous sensation coursed through him.

He gave it a gentle wave, and a cascade of multicolored light burst from the wand's tip, filling the shop like a curtain of shimmering brilliance.

"It seems you two are a perfect match!" Ollivander said, visibly delighted.

"This wand was crafted by a friend of my father's—a man said to have come from a distant, mysterious land. It has sat here in my shop for who knows how many years, and not once has it accepted a master."

"With a body made of an unknown material, paired with the whisker of a Kirin—an ancient, mythical creature—the power this wand holds may be far beyond imagination."

"For decades, fulfilling his friend's dying wish to find a suitable owner became something of an obsession for my father…"

"I'm truly glad I was able to complete that task today."

"Of course…" Ollivander extended his hand with a smile, "Eight Galleons, please."

Alright, alright—plenty of lore, all the buildup in place, and the price is exactly what it should be.

Buy it? Of course he would.

He was now a rich second-generation with 1,000 Galleons in pocket money.

Though he grumbled internally, there was no denying that the wand suited him perfectly.

Among all the first-year students enrolling in Britain this year, there was likely no one more suited to this wand than him.

All the new students in Britain this year…

That thought made Matthew glance over at Lyon, who was just stepping out of the shop with him.

Suddenly, he remembered a question he had completely forgotten to ask since transmigrating.

"Mr. Lyon, what year is it right now?"

"1991," Lyon replied, casually taking Matthew by the hand and leading him forward. "Next, we'll go pick up your other supplies."

Matthew's heart skipped a beat.

He remembered—1991 was the year Harry Potter started at Hogwarts in the original story.

Which meant… in this version of the world, altered as it was, would Harry still exist?

And if he did, would he still be starting school this year?

He didn't have time to think further. Because at that very moment, he got his answer.

A tall figure was walking toward them, accompanied by a small boy about Matthew's age.

The wind lifted the boy's hair from his forehead, revealing a lightning-shaped scar.

Harry Potter.

Matthew recognized him instantly.