Yami Muto and the Room of Snakes 5

                              Ollivander's Shop


A tinkling bell’s sound was heard at the depths of the shop as the two brothers stepped into it slowly trying to make the slightest sound possible. Both of the brothers were feeling their hearts flattering in their chests as they did so. A magic wand… This was way more than they had ever imagined and now that anticipation was capable enough of killing them. Even inside, the shop was narrow and shabby. The tiny place was empty behind the shopkeeper’s bench. However behind it the shop reminded of an old storehouse or a strict library. It was stuffed in several bookshelf-like shelves that were also padded with countless tiny boxes, piled the one over the other almost leaving no space between them. The air was heavy by the countless dust-granules that were causing an illusion of a foggy morning inside the shop.
Several other things were hanging from the high ceiling that resembled small paper bags like those they put the spices in. Yami and Yugi could only imagine what they could possibly contain… Anyway, they stepped in the shop carefully.
“Hello?” Yami called in a low voice
His voice seemed to have spread through the dark depths of the endless labyrinth of shelves. The boxes were piled up right up to the ceiling. Yugi gulped a little.
“Hello?” Yami repeated, “Anyone home?”
Yugi was constantly looking around and so was Yami. He was feeling the strange urge to touch the dust with his finger…to open one of the countless boxes. The sensation was tickly to his fingers… The dust and silence around were making him feel shivers down his spine, as though some strange magic in them was causing his body to react. Suddenly the dead of silence broke by a soft voice:
“Welcome”
Yami gasped, jumping in surprise and more or less so did Yugi, who instinctively got hold of Yami’s sleeve. An old, thin man with pale eyes like moons was standing there looking at them with a soft smile. Yami could see his face was covered with a few wrinkles that weren’t because of his age. Probably it was because of some traumatic experienced he had in the past. Yami swallowed all questions that came to his mind, though. He was wearing plain robes also old and dusty like the rest of his shop, but the same classical.
Old-Ollivander was looking at them with his moony eyes while his pure-white hair seemed tame-less on his head as if forming a bush around his head. He indeed seemed to be…shining within the gloom of the shop.
“Good afternoon!” the man repeated politely in his soft voice.
Yami and Yugi nodded their heads to him.
“G-Good afternoon…” Yugi stammered, “W-We’re here…”
“I know why you’re here” the man smiled, “What’s your name, my boy?”
“Y-Yugi. Muto Yugi” Yugi responded hoping once more that his English wouldn’t abandon him
The man’s smile grew slightly bigger.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Muto”
“L-Likewise” Yugi said cracking a smile too. He had started to like that man
Yami on the other hand, even if he liked the man too, wished at least the man would blink a little so those moony eyes would block from view for a second. He felt as if those misty eyes could see more than they were thinking. Ollivander moved closer to Yugi. Yugi saw him bending over so he had now eye contact with the tall old man. The two eyes of his were like two pools of milk, like a pair of mirrors Yugi could see his reflection in them… He blushed a little; he always felt a slight discomfort having strangers examining him so close.
“Hmm…” Ollivander hummed while rubbing his chin in thought, “Alright then, Mr. Yugi. Let me see…”
He walked over to his shop bench and picked up a small measure tape.
“Are you right-handed or left-handed?” he asked
“Er…right-handed” Yugi answered
“I see…good…good…” Ollivander monologized, “Now hold your arm out, Mr. Muto… Yes, that’s it. Well done… Stay still please…”
Yugi did as he was told while Yami was watching them with a questioning yet amused look with his arms crossed over his chest. Ollivander measured Yugi from shoulder to fingertip, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. Yugi saw, in amusement that he was using a small measure (barely 30 cm long) but every time he needed to measure something longer he just pulled softly as if commonly holding out a longer measure, and the measure would automatically get longer. Yugi blinked a couple of times when that happened, to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him because of some grain of dust that had got into them.
“Wands have cores” Olllivander started talking while measuring
Yami was surprised to hear explanations from him but then he realized that the old man definitely had piercing eyes and sharp brain. He had seen right through them and their questionable glances so he had probably assumed they hadn’t grown up in Wizardry World.
“Every Ollivander” Ollivander continued, “…uses three kinds of cores for the wands; Dragon Heartstring, Unicorn Hair, Phoenix Feather. Every wizard is meant to hold his own wand. In other words, you won’t have the same result with someone else’s wand…”
As Ollivander kept on talking Yugi’s eyes widened when he realized the measure tape was moving on its own. Ollivander had left it some time ago… When the measures ended, Ollivander picked the measure tape up and placed it back on his bench. Mr. Ollivander then walked behind his desk to flit among the countless shelves. With extra precaution and extreme care he removed one of the bottom boxes of one of the central shelves. Yami was amused to see that no other box fell or even shook a little. As the small, long box came fully to view, Mr. Ollivander brought it to Yugi and opened it to him. Inside there was a nice twig like those Titan and others around used. This was the wand…
“Alright…maybe this will work… Willow, Dragon Heartstring…11 inches” he said
Yugi took it from inside the box and looked at it indecisively not sure what he was supposed to do. He felt that he was spacing out foolishly because Mr. Ollivander encouraged him saying:
“Come on, give it a wave…”
Yugi looked at it once more before waving it once. Suddenly a tremendous noise was heard as an entire shelf somewhere in the depths of the shop collapsed, taking with it all the boxes and other stuff on it. Yugi winced unpleasantly surprised, feeling he had done something extremely bad and in an instinctive move placed the wand back into its box, like a kid it was caught taking a cookie from the jar and so he placed it back in. Mr. Ollivander looked at the wand in the box once and then at Yugi again.
“Hmm… Clearly not…”
He walked back into the shelf-labyrinth again and took another box. This time he took it out of its box himself and brought it to Yugi.
“Perhaps…this”
Yugi took it and a bit hesitatingly –especially after what happened the first time- he gave it another wave. This time the small lamp on Ollivander’s desk, as if pushed by an unknown power, flew up to the other side of the room and shattered on the wall when it hit it. Yugi winced again.
“No! No, no! Absolutely not!” Ollivander said snatching the wand back from Yugi.
He then walked to the other corner of the room and dragged a wooden ladder with him, bringing it close to the shelve he chose this time. He climbed onto it and reached one of the highest shelves. He then drew out another box bringing it down as he climbed down the ladder and brought it to Yugi. When he opened the box, he revealed a beautiful, well-polished wand. It had the color of milk chocolate and its handle was barely a few mm thicker than the main wand and it had a nice anaglyph vine winding around it. The wand-handle itself ended up in a nice, round shape as if a drop of water had landed on it giving it a round shape.
“Beech wood, Unicorn Hair core, 9 and 2/4 long…”
Yugi felt a strange aura inside him, as if some power was drawing him to it. His small, plump fingers closed around the wand’s handle and its weight felt oddly familiar instantly. When he held the wand up, a soft, blue light escaped its tip and a beam of blue-glowing fairy dust emerged out of the tip of the wand winding around Yugi’s petite body. Yugi felt as if a summer cool breeze was blowing him along with the soft water drops that escape from a waterfall when the water falls in a small lake. He giggled at the pleasantly tickling sensation. Yami had his eyes fastened on his brother while the five-second display was happening. After five seconds it ended.
“That’s it!” Ollivander said triumphantly, “This is destined to become your wand!”
“Really?” Yugi asked not being able to stop looking at his now new wand.
“Yes” Ollivander said, “The Beech, which wood was used to make this wand is also said to be the wood for wise-beyond-their-age wizards with low-profile-personality and kind heart…”
Yugi blushed again and lowered his gaze from Ollivander’s piercing eyes
“Why…thanks…” he mumbled
Ollivander smiled once more and then turned to Yami.
“Now, young man…Mr.…Muto too, I presume” he had said the last one after a moment of thought, “How can I help you? Do you have a wand that needs repair or something?”
Yami blinked a little at the sudden attention or at the old man’s face almost nose-to-nose with his but said.
“Emm…actually…I don’t have one… I mean I don’t have one at all”
Mr. Ollivander seemed shocked.
“You don’t? This is your first wand?”
He seemed being in disbelief.
“How old are you? You seem like fifteen”
“I’m thirteen!” Yami protested
He barely had got into teen-phase and he even started having the first hints of his voice changing but still he was getting irritated when others treated him like THAT older than his age. It disturbed him to think how he would look like when he really grew up! Ollivander though said.
“Unusual…really unusual… It is the first time I have ever heard of someone getting his first wand at the age of thirteen…”
He seemed so lost in his thoughts as he started walking away from Yami back to his storing shelves, without even measuring Yami like he had done with Yugi. He remained almost silent as if he was about to perform some sacred task as he walked to the depths of his shop and took out another box. He remained there looking at it.
“I wonder…” he mumbled to himself
He then walked back holding the box with both hands as if he was afraid he would hurt something really fragile inside if he made it move the slightest bit. He brought it to Yami and opened it. Yami felt a wave of awe looking at it. It was a beautiful wand made out of a cream-whitish color. It was completely straight and plain. Its handle had a slighter darker color but it had small symbols engraved on it and the engraved symbols also had the whitish color of the main wand so they were pointed out in the darker handle. It took him one or two seconds to realize they were Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
He got hold of it with the same deferential way Ollivander had brought it to him. Right away he felt a wave of warmth rushing through his fingers and passing to his entire body. He also had the impression he was surrounded by a beam of sunlight. A warm breeze was blowing to that small beam of light around him and also Yugi’s wand let out a faint light as well. The whole thing didn’t last longer than five seconds, however Yami was left speechless in astonishment. Mr. Ollivander was looking around.
“Interesting…” he monologized in a soft whisper, “Very…very interesting…”
“Excuse me but…what do you mean ‘interesting’?” Yami asked
Mr. Ollivander softly took the wand from Yami’s hands and stroke it with feather’s lightness with his fingertips.
“I remember every single wand I ever sold, Mr. Muto” he said reverently, “However THIS particular wand is the oldest I have in my shop. It is Aspen with Dragon Heartstring core, 12 and half inches long… It was a wand that rests in this shop waiting for its owner as long as I can remember. In Wandlore it is known that the Aspen is also called the ‘duelist’s wand’ cause its owner should be a really strong-willed wizard. Also Dragon Heartstring is used as a core to really powerful wands. It is interesting, though, because for the first time in my long life as a Wandmaker…it wasn’t only this wand the one to react…but also…”
His arm traveled so now his finger pointed at the wand within Yugi’s grasp.
“…this…”
Yugi glanced at the wand in his hand and then back at Ollivander and Yami.
“I had never seen such thing before…” Ollivander continued, “Without these two wands having anything in common…without even having Twin Cores…they still reacted together when your wand found its owner…”
Yami was too astonished to speak or even to think. Everything seemed so confusing to his mind that he could hardly take in one or two of them. However whatever the reason this happened, it made his body shake in anticipation and excitement.
“The wand chooses the wizard Mr. Muto…” Mr. Ollivander continued with his moon-like eyes fastened upon Yami’s levanter ones, “And I can see within your eyes a wisdom and a great determination that reaches way longer than your young age… This wand…” he said pointing at the hieroglyphics at its handle, “Here the hieroglyphics say ‘The One Who Wields me, Wields my Dark Power and Knowledge’ In the beginning it started as a joke…as simple words… However no one can never foresee the paths of destiny… Yes… I can be certain that you can do great things…”
Yami swallowed hard and he was about to open his mouth to say something. He wasn’t sure he liked Ollivander THAT much but, for sure, he wasn’t feeling alright with his pale stare glued on him. However the events of the last moments were sending shivers down his body. He was interrupted by the sound of someone tapping on the shop’s display window. It was Titan and he was holding up a small cage with…a rat in it!
“Happy birthday Muto Yugi” he said.
Yugi’s lips formed an enthusiastic grin and ran outside the shop to see his new pet. It was a beautiful rat with lustrous fur at the color of milk chocolate and a pair of deep black eyes looked at him sweetly. Yami was still frozen to his place watching Yugi squealing in happiness holding his new pet, through the other side of the display window. He then turned around and paid seven Galleons for each one of the wands and walked out of the shop with Ollivander following them to bow them from his shop…

“He’s so cute!” Yugi squealed for a billionth time while they were walking to the narrow streets of Diagon Alley once more, “I’ll call him Billy! I think it suits him! Right? Billy?”
The rat seemed to like his new name…well as much as a rat can show approval to a matter like that. However that was enough for Yugi, who yelped happily once more.
“Don’t you think he’s cute, Yami?”
“Hm?” Yami was lost in his thoughts, “Oh, yes. He sure is! Thanks Titan!”
Titan only said:
“It was Hagrid’s gift. He gave me some Galleons to buy you something and he thought a pet was the perfect choice. I thought you would be pleased when I saw you staring at those pets. Yugi grinned and nodded.
“Yes! Thank you so much!”
Yami on the other hand was constantly staring at the wand in his hand…at the hieroglyphics engraved on it.
“‘The One Who Wields me, Wields my Dark Power and Knowledge’? What is that supposed to mean?” Yami was thinking as he was walking right next to Titan and Yugi
“Yami” Yugi’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Yami snapped his head up and his eyes met Yugi’s worried ones.
“Are you alright? You seemed awfully quiet…”
“Er…yes” Yami lied, “Yes everything’s fine. Why shouldn’t be?”
“I dunno… You seemed quite troubled ever since what happened in Mr. Ollivander’s shop…”
Yami realized he has been dozing off a lot so he forced a smile to his lips and said:
“Don’t worry, Yugi…I’m fine…really”
Unfortunately his voice didn’t come out as persuasive as he wanted to.
“Yami…” Yugi began however Titan barged in saying
“Follow me now, young men”
Yami looked up raising a brow
“Where are we going?” he asked
“To one of the Ministry of Magic inns” Titan replied, “This is where you two are staying for a couple of days till the time of the train’s departure from King’s Cross Station”
The brothers nodded and followed Titan to a narrow alley so they would avoid the crowd-river that was blocking their peace, stopping them. After turning around and round to couple of alleys they got to a wider cobbled street and reached a wider area without shops. It mostly had wooden or stone pub-like places and inns. The scenery resembled those backgrounds for Pirate or Western movies, Yami thought. The houses were the one close to the other with their wooden signs for inns or pubs hanging from ropes outside the main entrance while a couple of frequenters were standing outside, holding large pewter mugs of beer or some other drink. As they passed by such a team of people, they would stop their chatting and drinking to take a glance of them and then return back to their previous doings when the company would have walked past them completely. Yami was still not used to their strange outfits and their unusual accessories. He had the feeling he was walking through a time-machine-tunnel that was leading him deeper and deeper in time…or inside some fairy tale.
Titan Darkwaters was walking with his back straight up and from time to time he would respond to some glance or wave of a hand with one wave of his own or simply a nod. Obviously he knew the area around. It already had become dark and the sunlight was nothing more but an illusion to the corners of the horizon, and the only thing that separated them from complete nightfall. Finally, in time that seemed like an eternity to the Muto brothers, Titan started heading towards one of the inns. Its sign was wooden, hanging from two ropes out of the main entrance and it was shaped like a barrel. It was so graphically made, that Yami thought that from moment to moment a pirate would come out and call “Ahoy!” at them. Its low windows were glowing in a warm orange light from some fire inside. Yami suddenly was feeling his knees ready to bend down from fatigue and he was already feeling his stomach growing in hanger and saliva forming in his mouth by the sweet aroma of roasted meat that was coming from inside. He desired to step inside that inn to feel to his bones the sweet fire that was causing the smoke come out of the chimney. It might have been summer, but weather in England and in Diagon Alley was cold and wet. He was feeling quite chilly now.
As they approached the inn further Yami was able to read the clean, black letters ‘The Boar’s Wings’. Normally Yami would have asked how on Earth a boar can have wings, but he was so tired and hungry that he swore he could eat the entire boar whether it had wings or not.
“Come on” Titan told them, “We’ll grab something to eat here and we will move on”
The boys were so tired and hungry that they wouldn’t say ‘no’ even if Titan demanded their souls in return. Titan opened the front door with his large hand. The two children were greeted by a pleasant wave of warmth and the sound of many people talking. They stepped in and saw the main room was something like a bar. There was a bar-bench to the left side with the pewter mugs or other type of utensils hanging from hooks over the bar. The many tables in the inn were almost all full with people drinking, eating or talking with each other. The smells of roasting meat and boiling potatoes reached up to the boys’ nostrils and made their empty stomachs rumble in a complaining way. Titan led them to a corner of the candlelit inn, in a place close to the lit fireplace. The creaking sound of fire was yet another type of music to their ears… Yami took his seat and soon Yugi followed, placing Billy’s cage to a chair next to him.
No soon after they had sat to the table, a person dressed in green robes approached them.
“What shall I bring you?”
“Something for the kids. I think I can smell your famous boar-meat right now. Some of it and warm pumpkin juice, it will be a cold night. Also bring a mug of Firewhiskey for me.”
The waiter nodded and left, getting lost behind the bench after a few more steps. The brothers were trying to contain their hunger but it wasn’t that easy. Soon the waiter came back holding a disc with a loaf of bread, a large plate full with deliciously smelling meat and three pewter mugs. The two children were ready to rush upon the meat like a pair of starved lion cubs. After they ate to their heart’s content, they drank the warm pumpkin juice. It wasn’t a beverage they were familiar with. They had drank it only once or twice in their life when they had visited England for Halloween. Its taste was sweet and was going down their throats smoothly, warming them up. Yami sometimes watched Titan drinking from his mug slowly and sometimes eating some bread. Yami saw that Titan’s mug was proportionate to his size, in other words his mug was quite large. Yami was sure if whatever was inside it was an alcoholic drink, then Yami after drinking the entire mug, he would fall flat down the floor from drunkenness.
After eating and filling their stomachs up, Yami felt sweet oblivion taking over him. The warmth around him and contentment inside his belly were making him feel his fatigue even more and his eyelids felt so heavy he could hardly keep them open. He wanted nothing more but lay down and sleep but, to his great disappointment, he saw Titan leaving a few coins on the table and standing up again.
“No, lads” he said, “I know you are exhausted but I want you to bear with it a little longer till we go to your rooms”
“What?” Yami and Yugi protested in union
“I thought we would stay here for the night” Yami continued
“No, lad” Titan said, “We came here to grab something to eat. Now we will head to your rooms.”
Really unwillingly the two children got up and pulled their luggage up. Yugi also took Billy’s cage to his free hand.

After the warmth of the inn, the street was cold and wet, especially since it was now evening for good. They kept on walking to the narrow alleys following Titan’s lead. Their legs could hardly follow his pace anymore…
“Yami…” Yugi tagged Yami’s sleeve as he spoke in small voice, “Yami-nii-kun… Tsukareta…” he nagged sweetly speaking in Japanese
“Aa, ore mo da, daga...” Yami replied to the same language and looked at Titan before them, “Mou sukoshi dake…”
He stopped when he saw Titan had stopped and was looking at them from a distance.
“…To omou…” Yami added making a funny, nervous face
Yugi too let out a nervous giggle at the look Titan was giving them and they followed him up to another building. It looked kind of scary and long from outside but probably it was because it was already night and darkness wasn’t helping. Titan knocked the door and walked in when he heard the stewed “Come in” coming from the other side.
They stepped in to be greeted by a candle-holding man dressed in black robes. His hair was white and long till his shoulders and he had a nose pointy and kind of curved like a falcon’s beak. The trio walked in and the door closed behind them with a creaking sound.
“Name?” he asked in a low and kind of shaking voice
“Yugi Muto. He is to stay here”
The man looked over Titan’s shoulder at the two children.
“Which of the two is Yugi?”
“The younger one. The other one is…”
Once again Titan leaned over to the man’s ear to whisper something. The man’s expression grew surprised.
“Oh…that’s just…”
“I know” Titan interrupted him, “I have to report this to Hogwarts”
“But…there are no spare rooms at the moment for the other boy to stay…”
“We’ll share room!” Yugi barged in, wrapping his arms around Yami’s forearm
The man held his chin in thought.
“I guess…this could happen… Follow me…”
Following him up to a wooden stairway under the half-light of the candle they entered to a room. It was spacious. It had a large bookshelf that reached up to the ceiling, a small table in the middle, a small fireplace and a bed to the left corner of the room. The children placed their suitcases to the floor and sighed in relief. The place smelled like a clean hotel room. They liked it. They ran happily on the bed and lay flat on it.
“Ah! That’s what I’m talking about!” Yami said chuckling. Yugi giggled in response.
Titan pulled one of the table’s chairs and brought it close to the table. He sat on it. Message was clear. The brothers got up in sitting position and looked at him.
“Now, lads, you two will be staying here till the day arrives for the train’s departure. I’ll come to pick you up that day and I will accompany you up to King’s Cross Station”
The brothers nodded to show him they were listening carefully.
“Tomorrow morning” Titan continued, “after breakfast I will come and explain you a few things. Probably someone is on the way to inform your…family”
Yami got that he had corrected himself the last moment before saying “Your parents”
“Your staying here gives you two also the opportunity to realize how our world works. Since you two are Muggle Born wizards, you must understand a few things. Don’t worry though, I will explain you everything tomorrow.”
Yet another nod from the two brothers almost in union this time…
“Now, you two need to rest. Also you can see there is a library in this room. Feel free to read any book you desire. It might help you understand our world better.”
“Okay” Yami said
“Sure…” Yugi replied.
Titan’s answer to that was a nod of his head.
“Well then” he said standing up to his feet, “I will leave you two rest now…”
He turned around and walked at the door. He stopped there for a little and looked at them over his large shoulder.
“If you need anything, Bernard Woodchurch is there when you need him”
“Bernard Woodchurch?” asked Yami cocking up an eyebrow
“The man that showed you your room” Titan replied simply and with a single wave for goodnight left the room closing the door behind him

The two Japanese children were left alone in the room. They looked at each other really unable to believe what they were living. It was actually hard to take in what had happened. Both of them took their wands out of their jacket pockets and looked at them. Yugi’s face was pink in excitement.
“Yami! Can you believe it? Can you believe it what’s happening to us?!”
“Kind of” Yami said smiling a tired smile, “Honestly weren’t you tired a second ago?”
“Yeah, but still I…I can’t believe it!”
“Yeah…” Yami said placing the wand on the table along with the packages they had got from Diagon Alley and went to the suitcase, opening it and starting getting out their baby-blue pajamas.
“I am already excited to see what will happen!” Yugi said
Yami chuckled throwing him the pajamas shirt in the face.
“Jeez, Yugi! Where do you find this energy?”
Yugi removed the shirt from his face revealing his cute pouting.
“I could return the question to you, Yami, however reversed; what happened? Ever since you got your wand you do not seem…well… You act weird”
Yami sighed pulling his own pajamas shirt over his head finishing his dressing.
“I’m fine, Yugi. Really”
Yugi crossed his arms over his chest. Obviously he hadn’t believed him. Yami sighed in defeat.
“It’s just…” he started trying to find the proper words to express what he wanted to say, “After what that old man Ollivander said…I…”
“Yami…you worry too much… I mean, we just got into a world of magic. It is natural for you to feel lost.”
“I guess” Yami was forced to agree.
Yugi yawned and stretched himself making a “mm” sound.
“Alright! We better go to sleep! I think I am ready to sleep on the spot!”
Yami chuckled moving his arm and shoulder in a circular move, trying to lift the pain away from the entire day of pulling the suitcase with him.
“I know what you mean! I have the impression my shoulder would fall apart and then I would start gathering my pieces too!”
Both brothers laughed softly and then said goodnight to each other before climbing up to the bed. They twisted a little under the warm blankets trying to find the position that would be comfortable. Thankfully the bed was big enough for the two of them and luckily neither of the two was particularly tall or wide.
In the end they ended up to a back-to-back position. Yami lay there, having the impression that the room was moving round and round because of his fatigue and the fact he had finally lain his head somewhere after a long day. Despite feeling lightheaded in fatigue, his mind was still racing at the recent events… Their experience, their shopping, the day that had turned their lives upside down at once…
“…Yes… I can be certain that you can do great things…” Ollivander’s words echoed last in his head…
And next, like someone had put him chloroform on his mouth and nose, his eyes closed and he drifted to a dreamless sleep…