The Sunshine of Hogwarts, Snape

"In that case, let's try again."

Ollivander seemed eager. He led Severus into the rows of shelves inside the shop and began searching through them.

"Speaking of suitability, how about chestnut? It's a highly versatile material… its nature changes depending on the core."

As he spoke, he pulled out a box from the stack and opened it in front of Severus, revealing a straight chestnut wand.

"Ten inches, chestnut wood, with a core of snake nerve… a very classic combination."

He handed the wand to Severus, who merely gave it a light flick to cast Orchideous. Ollivander himself shook his head almost immediately.

"No, it doesn't feel quite right."

"Ah, true. Chestnut pairs best with unicorn hair. The former Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot used that very combination. For you, this change is too extreme."

Muttering to himself, Ollivander continued rummaging through the boxes.

Before long, he pulled out another one.

"What about pear wood? Wands made from this wood possess remarkable magical power. Eleven and a third inches, phoenix feather core… ideal for those who are generous, warm-hearted, and intelligent."

Severus took the wand, but before he could even wave it, the tip exploded like a firework.

"Merlin's beard! It dislikes you! My apologies, I forgot about your expertise in the Dark Arts. This wand isn't suited for… well, certain individuals."

He snatched the pear wood wand back and resumed his search, handing Severus wand after wand to try.

Finally, he dug out a dusty box from the corner.

"Here, try this one!"

There was something odd in his expression as he passed the wand to Severus.

Severus took it, and the moment his fingers made contact, the tip burst forth with a shower of jubilant silver sparks!

Then Severus gave it a wave, casting Avis, and the little stick of wood felt like an extension of his own arm… effortless and natural.

Moreover, he could clearly sense that the spells he cast with this wand were noticeably different from before!

There was a smoothness, an innate harmony, as though this was how his magic was always meant to be.

"This one feels excellent. It suits me perfectly."

Severus said with satisfaction. He turned to look at Ollivander, only to find the old man's expression not one of joy or excitement, but something far more peculiar.

"Is there something wrong with it?"

"No! There's nothing wrong with this wand! Eleven inches, holly wood, with a phoenix feather core from a bird named Fawkes… supple and flexible, precise and excellent for dueling-"

Ollivander rambled on, his eyes gleaming as he stared at Severus.

"But it's also peculiar, because there's another wand that shares the same phoenix feather core! That is to say, this wand has a brother! Can you guess who once purchased its sibling wand?"

When Severus heard this extremely familiar description, he looked at the holly wand in his hand with some astonishment.

'Holly wood, Fawkes's feather, a shared core with another wand-'

'Isn't this the one Harry was supposed to buy before starting school?!'

"Don't tell me its brother wand was bought by You-Know-Who years ago?"

"You knew?! Did he speak to you about his wand before?" Ollivander clutched at Severus' sleeve so tightly it seemed he might tear the robe.

Clearly, he was aware of Severus' past allegiance.

"Just a guess." Severus' expression was unreadable. The revelation was unexpected.

"But a shared core is just that, right? This wand still works perfectly fine, doesn't it?"

"Of course! It's flawless… and it will serve you exceptionally well!"

Ollivander assured him.

Severus seemed to ponder something further, his gaze locking onto Ollivander's eyes as he suddenly asked:

"If this wand suits me so well, does that mean its brother wand... would also have high compatibility with me?"

Ollivander hesitated for a moment before answering.

"There's never been a precedent like this… I've almost never used materials from the same magical creature to craft different wands. But theoretically, yes. And that wand was made of yew, which shares similar symbolism with holly, one represents immortality, the other rebirth."

"Holly symbolizes rebirth?" Severus looked down at the wand again, now understanding why it had chosen him.

"Yes! At Christmas, people hang holly wreaths on their doors, don't they? That's where its meaning comes from… death and rebirth! And the phoenix feather core only amplifies that symbolism!"

Ollivander spoke enthusiastically.

"Then this is the one!"

Severus didn't hesitate any longer and pulled the Galleons from his pocket.

Ollivander accepted the payment with a smile, saying to Severus, "From birch to holly, from snake nerve to phoenix feather… the change in your wand reflects the change in you, Professor Snape! I sincerely hope your repentance leads you to a brighter future!"

Severus gave him a final word of thanks.

"Thank you for your blessing."

"Goodbye!"

"Goodbye."

So, Severus left Ollivander's Wand Shop with the new wand that was originally meant for his future student.

As for what Harry would use now that he had taken this holly wand-

When he asked about the twin-core wands, Severus already had a plan.

Since twin-core wands shared the same compatibility, he could simply take Harry to find the other yew wand, the one hidden away by the now-disembodied Voldemort, before the school year started.

If they could find it, he would use his former master's yew wand, and pass this holly one down to Harry.

Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

No one would suffer any wand-related misfortunes!

After purchasing the new wand, Severus was in high spirits as he rejoined Lupin and Harry.

They were observing various strange creatures at the Magical Menagerie.

"Look at that cat! It's so ugly!" Harry pointed at a ginger, bow-legged, flat-faced kitten.

Lupin stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"That cat might have some Kneazle blood in it."

Standing behind them, Severus also noticed the ginger cat that would one day be named Crookshanks by a certain young witch. He rubbed his chin, suddenly reminded of something else.

"Harry, you've gotten lost twice now. Relying on luck every time something happens isn't a solution."

After hearing his voice, Lupin and Harry turned around, realizing he had caught up with them.

Harry looked innocent at Severus's words.

"I don't mean to, but things just don't go the way I want them to."

"Perhaps we should get you something."

Severus seemed to have thought of something and glanced at the time.

"It's still early. We can visit another alley and have a look. I think we'll find what we need there."

He led Harry and Lupin through twists and turns in Diagon Alley, going deeper and deeper until they reached a shadowy side path that took them to another infamous wizarding shopping district-

Knockturn Alley.

This place was the complete opposite of Diagon Alley's cleanliness and order. The narrow, winding streets were lined with medieval-style buildings, many of them tilted or crumbling.

Even though it was already mid-morning, the alley was still shrouded in an eerie mist, and the few remaining gas lamps along the street were mostly broken.

"This isn't a good place." Lupin muttered, frowning slightly as he pulled Harry closer between himself and Severus.

"Depends on what kind of wizard you ask." Severus said, leading them forward with clear purpose, "I've made quite a few Galleons in this alley. Some potions can't be bought in Diagon Alley, no matter how much you pay."

Influenced by the atmosphere of the street, Harry also became very alert. He grabbed the corner of Severus's robe with one hand and Lupin's sleeve with the other.

The three of them went deeper and deeper until they stopped in front of a magical item shop with the sign: [Borgin and Burkes].

Even from the outside, it was clear this wasn't a reputable establishment. The display window featured a withered hand, blood-stained playing cards, and glass eyes that stared blankly ahead.

"Remember, don't speak inside, and don't touch anything."

Severus warned Harry, and at the same time signaled with his eyes to Lupin to make sure he kept an eye on him.

Both nodded in understanding.

With that, Severus pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Behind the counter facing the entrance sat a stooped man with greasy hair slicked back… giving off a vibe not unlike Ghost Snape from another time.

"Ah-ha! What an unexpected and distinguished guest!"

The wizard's voice was as oily as his hair, his tone exaggerated as he rose from his chair.

"Professor Snape! You've been making waves in the Wizarding World lately! I thought I'd lost a valued customer forever… that we'd never cross paths again!"

He grinned widely.

Severus ignored the theatrics.

His relationship with Borgin was purely transactional. In the past, Borgin had occasionally commissioned him to brew banned potions for sale, and in return, Snape would purchase hard-to-find ingredients from him that weren't available in Diagon Alley.

The two of them are very familiar with each other, which is why Bogin spoke in such a teasing and mocking tone.

Severus didn't bother with pleasantries.

"Enough chatter. I recall you had a pocket watch here, didn't you?"

"Which one? The one made from finger bones?" Borgin raised an eyebrow.

"Not a cursed item. A half-broken alchemical watch. You once told me you misjudged it… thought it might have been one of Nicolas Flamel's creations, but most of its functions were damaged beyond use. The only thing left was a barely working locator."

Borgin clearly remembered now. He hunched over, rummaging through piles of bones and eyeballs before pulling out a silver, antique-looking pocket watch!

Its exterior suggested it was a finely crafted relic, but upon opening it, one would notice the watch face had no hands or time markings… just silver runes etched into the dark surface.

"You must be misremembering!" Borgin's eyes darted shiftily, "I never said I misjudged it. This is absolutely one of Nicolas Flamel's works! It still has great restoration potential… its functions go far beyond just locating!"

Severus didn't entertain him. He simply pulled out a handful of Galleons, twenty in total, and slapped them onto the counter.

"Take it or leave it. If you refuse, I'll just go to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley and buy a Trace-Sniffing Owl instead."

"Ah, but how could I refuse such a valued customer?" Borgin immediately slid the watch across the counter, "Twenty Galleons it is! A single Flamel artifact can sell for thousands these days… you're getting a steal!"

Borgin's hand moved so fast Harry barely saw it… the coins vanished from the counter in an instant.

And the pocket watch was held in Severus's hand.

Borgin's grin widened.

"Do I need to explain the specific usage again? You bind it with a small spell, then use Signum Revelio… the mark you draw with your wand will automatically guide you to the watch's location."

"You already told me everything. I know how it works."

Once the transaction was done, Severus wasted no time. He immediately pocketed the watch and led Harry and Lupin out of Borgin and Burkes.

As they left Knockturn Alley, Severus took out the watch again, tapping it with his wand. A small silver serpent-shaped rune appeared on the watch face before he handed it to Harry.

"Keep this on you. If something happens again, I'll be able to find you immediately."

Harry was delighted. He took the watch, fiddling with it for a while before finally tucking it into his pocket.

After purchasing everything they needed, Severus and the other two did not stay in Diagon Alley any longer.

Dumbledore had invited them to lunch, so it wouldn't do to show up right at mealtime without giving the old man any face.

By around 10:30 in the morning, the three of them returned to the Leaky Cauldron, using the Floo Network to travel to Hogsmeade, the wizarding village near Hogwarts.

From there, they made their way to Hogwarts Castle.