章節 4: 4
I celebrated my 11th birthday a few days later. I was looking forward to that day, because I thought I would get some kind of big magical boost, as it was a magical number. Unfortunately there was no massive increase in my power or a sudden extra ability. No, the day came and went without any incidents. My mother insisted I invite some friends from school, which I managed to dissuade her from forcing me to do, after persuading her that I much rather spent the day with her, which I honestly did. I could have invited Hermione, but that would have probably turned into some kind of interrogation. Obviously my mother would only do so with good intentions, but nonetheless it would have been a hassle I did not want to deal with.
On friday my mother and I met up with Hagrid at the leaky cauldron. The half giant led us through the pub to the backside and activated the entrance to Diagon Ally. My mother asked all kinds of questions along the way, which Hagrid answered to the best of his abilities. Most of the questions pertained to the shopping list or Hogwarts.
Once we arrived in Diagon Ally our first stop was Gringotts, where my mother exchanged muggle money for the wizard equivalent. Our guide informed us that the goblins have a horrible exchange rate and we should avoid exchanging too often.
After acquiring some money we started with the first item on the list, which was clothing. Hagrid led us towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, which had everything I needed.
Next was books. Hagrid marsched with us in tow towards Flourish and Blotts, which had all 8 required books for the first year.
Then there was some other miscellaneous equipment. Like a cauldron or a telescope.
I also had to choose which animal I wanted to bring. After concidering the pros and cons I decided to go with an owl. I bought a brown male Barred Owl in Eeylops Owl Emporium and named him William.
And finally the last point on the list. A Wand.
For that we of course visited Ollivanders. Hagrid informed my mother that usually chldren get their wand by themselves, because it was a rather private matter. A wand is after all the most important tool for a wizard. Listening to Hagrid my mom gave me the rest of the exchanged money and let me go inside alone.
"Ding" a bell rang as I entered the old and shabby shop.
The tiny shop consisted of a counter with a vase on top in the middle, a single, spindly chair in the corner and thousands of narrow boxes containing wands behind said counter. "Coming!" said presumedly the owner. Shortly afterwards Ollivander emerged out of the maze of wand boxes. Once he stopped behind the counter I said, "I would like to purchase a wand, please." "You have certainly come to the right place" he replied stepping around the counter with a tape measure in hand. "I just need your measurements."
After the tape was done measuring me it flew back to Ollivander, who swiftly disappeared back into his maze of boxes. It didn't take long for him to reappear with a single wand box. "This one is made out of walnut wood with a dragon heartstring as a core." he explained, while handing me the brown wand. I gave it a small waggle and the vase exploded. "Not this one" he mumbled without paying the small explosion any mind. He went back to his boxes and came back shortly thereafter with a different wand. "Willow wood with unicorn hair, try this one." I shook this new wand as well, but this time nothing at all seemed to happen. "Interesting" was all he said as he again took the wand back and reemerged with a new box.
"Ding" hearing the bell interrupt us I turn around to see my mother standing in the entrance holding the door open. "Excuse me." she said to Olivander apologetically, before saying to me "Sweety, Hagrid will show me a shop about magical appliances. If you are done here just wait until I am back."
"Ok" I replied watching my mom leave with Hagrid through the window. Now switching back to Olivander who was eager to show me the newly picked wand.
"This one might be it, red oak with a dragon heartstring." He opened the box and handed me the wand. The moment the wand touched my hand the counter burst into flames. Ollivander instantly took it back and as sudden as the fire started it stopped. "A mistake, my apologies."Leaving and returning once more, he gave me another one, "This one is made out of pine wood with a phoenix feather as core." As soon as this one touched my hand I could fell my magic spontaneously rush towards the wand. It felt weird. On one hand I had a better control over my magic than ever before, but on the other hand it felt like I could almost only exclusively channel magic through the wand. I could not distinguish if this detriment was the wand's fault or if it was a side effect of the enhanced magic affinity.
But what I could tell was that Ollivander was elated to have found the right wand for me. "It is 9 and a half inches long and flexible. Pine wood suits an owner, who is independent, creative and unlike others. Pine wands also enjoy being used creatively, and unlike some others, will adapt unprotestingly to new methods and spells. It is also described to choose wizards, who are perceived to be loner, intriguing or mysterious. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners. You are destined for greatness that I am sure of." he explained.
Then he turned towards his counter swung his own wand once and all the damage I caused was undone. Turning back to me he said, "That would make 7 Galleons." I opened my money pouch and fished 7 Galleons out, handed them to him and started to leave. "One more thing. The use of magic under the age of 17 outside of Hogwarts is prohibited." He informed me as I was almost at the door.
I simply thanked him and walked out onto the bustling street of Diagon Ally. Not finding my mother or Hagrid I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out legilimency on an adult wizard while I wait for them. It should also be inconspicuous, because of the amount of people walking up and down the street.
It didn't take long to find someone who was walking towards me and was absorbed in a conversation and looking at me absentmindedly. Taking a deep breath to ready myself I used legilimency with full power.
"Arrgh" I whined.
It felt like I ran full speed into a brick wall.
'Shitty Occlumency.'
Looking up to my victim I saw him laying on the ground unconscious. It probably felt like someone punched him into the head with full force and without any warning.
Suppressing the pain, I reentered Olivander's and made my way to the chair in the corner of the room. "Coming!" Olivander said again from somewhere behind the counter.
"It's just me. I will be waiting for my mom in here if you don't mind!" I exclaimed back.
"No worries!" was his reply "Make yourself comfortable!"
After a few minutes I finally rejoined with my mother and Hagrid. Giving the almost empty money pouch back to my mom, she insisted I show her my wand. So I took it out of the box and gave it to her. She inspected the straight and smooth beige stick for a few seconds before giving it back to me.
Done with the school supplies Hagrid led us back to the brick wall, through the leaky cauldron, to the muggle world.
"Almost forgot, here." he said suddenly, searching his pockets until he found a train ticket, "The Hogwarts Express leaves on the 1st of September at 11 o'clock sharp."
"Would you like to come with us for some coffee?" mom invited him, but he turned her down saying he still had some business to attend to in Diagon Ally. So we parted ways, him going back into the leaky cauldron and we went home.
'Wait a minute if Hagrid took me to Diagon Ally, then did he take Hermione as well or did another Hogwart's teacher take her? Maybe I am just early, because I have not seen anyone I know from the movies do their shopping.... I guess I can just ask her on the train.'
Today being the 15th of August I still had 16 days before my departure, which I cherished with my mother.
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