What a careful character study and interesting hidden moment in canon. I really like the not-quite-camaraderie that develops between Voldemort's captive and Voldemort's lackey, the understanding Ollivander, with his detachment and self-awareness, extends to Pettigrew, spineless and insecure and not entirely a villain. They are non-heroes, and Ollivander is kind enough to compare his cowardice to Peter's and not condemn him for it while having no illusions about what it means. Peter, who strikes me as a very lonely and rather childish figure, seems to have his conscience pricked, although under the circumstances that's not going to help either of them. And Ollivander's shaky dignity invites fellow-feeling, which may be a blessing or a curse, since Peter is in no position to have any feelings that aren't approved by the Dark Lord. But it draws a parallel between different kinds of victims, never mind that Peter is definitely more culpable in his own fate and more deserving of the consequences.
The scene with the dragon has a quiet, enthralling magic about it. The idea of a heartstring "echo" is fascinating and suggests that Ollivander deals in a kind of nonhuman magic that many wizards don't practice or even know about. His fearlessness in facing the dragon belies his belief that he is not a brave man; to be unable to bear up under brutality and torture is a different kind of weakness than Peter's. Peter, after all, can't find the courage to refuse. With another wand, it was so much easier to pretend the death, the torture, was all as just an extension of someone else.
I felt sorry for both of them at the end: Ollivander for understanding their common fate and flaws, and Peter for not understanding at all, only aware, in his unexamined way, that he probably doesn't deserve the wand. The fic is subtle and poignant, and it sheds an impartial light on two rather elusive characters. It made me identify with Ollivander and feel pity for Peter. The echo of the heartstrings, and the sad irony of pathetic Wormtail dreaming about dragons, lingered long after I'd finished reading. Very nicely done, mystery author.