36
Wanderful Wands
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You decide to visit Wally's Wanderful Wands shop next. Now that you have your spellbook you want to get your hands on a wand as soon as possible and start doing some magic.

The sign above Wally's shop is a giant wand dangling from a chain above the shop door. It swings gently to and fro even though there is no breeze to speak of, and little crackles of electric-gold magic arc over its surface.

You can't help thinking that this wand must also double up as Wally's security system.

With a nervous glance upwards you and your Mum enter the shop.

The inside is sparklingly clean and glass cabinets are artfully arranged around the shop. Each cabinet contains three or four magic wands, resting on little red cushions with gold tassles. It all looks very expensive.

"Arthur are you sure this is the only wand shop?" asks your mum. "Perhaps there is another one that is not quite so err... so un..."

"Welcome!" a smooth rich voice startles them from the back of the room. "Welcome to Wally's Wanderful Wand shop! And madam I can assure you that this is the only wand shop in Hippoto Mews. But fear not I'm sure we can find a wand that is the perfect match for young Arthur."

"How did you know my name?" you ask in surprise.

"One of the many branches of magic in which I am an expert, young Arthur, is mind reading. Just by looking into your eyes I can see the entire contents of your brain. I can also do it by looking in your ears, in your mouth, up your nose... any hole works to tell the truth. But I usually prefer the eyes. Also your Mum called you Arthur when you entered my shop."

"And you are Wally I suppose?" says your Mum.

"I am indeed, dear madam. Did you divine this from looking in my ear hole? Remarkable!"

"No I figured it out when you said this was your shop."

"Quite so. We are all mind-readers to some degree."

"Mr Wally" you interrupt "can I have a wand please?"

"No you cannot have a wand Arthur. But what you can have is the wand. Every wand is unique! You are unique! You require the exact match for your particular thaumaturgical resonance. Your thaumaturgic twin as it were. The most powerful - the only! - tool you will ever need as a magician."

"That sounds nice," says your Mum, "but we don't want anything too fancy. The thing is we don't have much, or in fact any, wizard money. Frigates I mean."

"The wand is of course priceless. I do offer a 10% discount for Hogsnorts' students in their first year. But for you I will increase this discount to 100% if - if! - Arthur and I can establish a true connection of minds, and I can see that you Arthur are a worthy wandholder."

"A 100% discount you say? That's a good deal. Arthur see if you can connect up your mind with Wally's love." your Mum suggests.

Wally crouches down in front of you and holds your ears gently but firmly forcing you to look deep into his blue grey eyes. At first nothing happens. But after just a few moments you get the strange sensation of being pulled towards his eyeballs; his black pupils feel like they are dragging you inwards.

"Good Arthur, very good!" says Wally. "I believe that the magical connection between our minds is now established, and astonishingly quickly too! You must have deep reserves of magic.

"Arthur I need you to think of a number. If I can read your mind and tell you the number you were thinking of this will be proof that the magical mind connection is working properly.

"First I need you to think of a number between 1 and 10. But don't tell me what it is! Have you got one?"

You think of a number and nod your head.

"Now" says Wally, "I need you to multiply this number by 9. 9 is a number with strong magical properties" he explains.

You multiply your number by 9.

"The next step" he says, "is to split your answer into the two digits and add those two digits together. For example if your answer is 13 (and I know it is not!) then you would split it into 1 and 3, then add that 1 and 3 together, so 1 + 3 = 4.

"Ok" you say as you do the sum in your head.

"Now take that answer and multiply it by 9. Can you do that?"

"Yes" you reply.

"Now turn to that number! And we will see if our minds are connected."