The Ollivander family was renowned as excellent wandmakers; the sign above their door stated that they had been wandmakers since 382 BC.
The purchase of a first wand is an important and very personal event for a witch or wizard, which is why each child went to Ollivander's with their parents, meaning without the company of their friends. The Malfoys went first. The rest waited, looking around in the shop windows.
- "I've said this before, but I don't understand why you trust them. You know Narcissa isn't your friend, right?" - Alice was annoyed by how "selfish, arrogant, and petulant" Narcissa was, in her opinion.
- "These are times of peace, and they are friends of Severus. I'm aware that Narcissa or Lucius wouldn't even greet me if I weren't married to Severus. However, circumstances have allowed us to meet and a pseudo-friendship to exist between us. I respect their ideology, even though I don't share it. Of course, I have hopes that there has been a change of heart during the time we've been together, for the children and Severus."
- "No matter how much you justify it, I still believe you're wrong," - Alice said, ending the subject. She didn't want to appear intolerant, so for her son, she agreed to keep her doubts silent, except for a few times, like now, when she couldn't contain herself from expressing her thoughts and warning, in this case, the sister of her late friend Lily.
Draco left the shop with a smile, eager to practice with it. His wand was made of hawthorn, 25 cm long, with a unicorn hair core, and described by the maker as "quite springy." The boys were entertained, watching like cats as a street vendor set up his stall. The scent of caramel and chocolate captivated them. They waited for him to signal them to go buy something. Draco distracted them and talked about his process of choosing his wand.
Next up was Neville; his mother refused to let him use an inherited one. The acquisition was brief; on the fourth choice, he found the right one. His wand was made of cherry wood, 27 cm long, with a unicorn hair core. Draco congratulated him on having the same core as him, commenting on how special unicorns are.
Finally, it was Harry and the twins' turn, because Harry didn't want to go alone with "his godparents"; he wanted to distract the maker so it would be less "gloomy." The shop had a dusty window, with a simple, faded purple cushion and a single wand. Upon entering, the bell rang, signaling that someone was entering the small space. There was a spindly chair that Eleanor suspected was uncomfortable. Thousands of narrow boxes could be seen stacked neatly to the ceiling.
The manager, Mr. Garrick Ollivander, made his dramatic appearance, greeting with his classic "I've been expecting you" and naming the wands of each of the adults present.
The elderly wizard primarily made wands with three types of cores: phoenix feather, unicorn hair, and dragon heartstring. However, he also had other types of wands made by his ancestors, whose woods and cores might differ from the classic ones.
Harry knew what could happen on that visit. He was eager to get his wand back, but also uneasy about the reminder the maker would make of his history. So he decided to include his family. He asked that his cousins be the first to receive their wands.
- "Okay, now, who's first?" - Both twins said simultaneously, "Me." A brief staring match ensued between them.
- "I'll go first. Hello, Mr. Ollivander, it's Chris."
- "Hi, Chris... Let me see," - He said as he took a tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. - "Which arm do you use with your wand?"
- "I'm right-handed," - Chris replied.
- "Hold out your arm... That's it." - He measured Chris from shoulder to finger, then from wrist to elbow, from shoulder to floor, from knee to armpit, and around his head.
- "Every Ollivander's wand has a central core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hair, phoenix tail feathers, and dragon heartstrings. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are the same. And, of course, you'll never get as good results with another wizard's wand." - He commented as he took measurements.
Suddenly, the tape measure was measuring itself between the boy's nostrils. Mr. Ollivander, meanwhile, was fluttering between the shelves, pulling out boxes, muttering, «Black pine... Apple... Oak.»
- "That's it," - Said the maker, and the measuring tape rolled up on the floor. - "Try this."
Chris took the first wand; it felt cold when he held it. He moved it, and nothing happened. He put it down and picked up another one. A nearby jar exploded. The maker snatched it away and handed over another. Chris held it, and nothing happened. It felt alien, and the magic was violent as a brief gust of air passed through.
The energetic maker climbed a ladder that ran like rails along the shelf. He grabbed the other boxes and went down, noticing that the boy had neatly packed each wand in its corresponding box.
- "Thank you. Now try this." - Chris repeated the search until he found a wand that, when shaken, shot out fireworks like confetti. - "Bravo! Spruce wood and hippogriff wing feather, 29 cm. A wand with its temperament, you must be firm with it."
Chris nodded, showing it to the rest of the family.
It was Liam's turn, and he approached the counter.
- "Which arm do you use with your wand?"
- "I'm left-handed," - Liam replied.
The maker listened to him and, like his brother, used a tape measure while Ollivander took out several boxes and added them to the ones Chris tested.
After several tests, one of the wands produced lights that formed a bouquet of flowers.
- "Interesting, spruce wood and dragon heartstring, 29 cm. You must have a good sense of humor to be chosen for wands of the same wood."
Severus praised his sons, while Marcus tried to be seen at the counter level. - "Hi, my name is Marcus, and I'm right-handed."
- "Pleased to meet you, Marcus. I'll remember that the day you return to reunite with your wand, which will be waiting here until you turn 11. I see great potential," - Ollivander said kindly to the boy, who nodded with a pout.
The boy went to his mother and stretched out his arms to be picked up, taking refuge in his mother's warmth.
- "I thought I'd see you soon, Harry Potter." - Ollivander commented when it was Harry's turn. - "You have your mother's eyes. It seems like only yesterday she came here to buy her first wand. 26 centimeters long, elastic, and made of willow. A beautiful wand for enchantments." - Mr. Ollivander approached Harry. The boy looked again into those silver eyes with a slightly gloomy expression. - "Your father, on the other hand, preferred a mahogany wand. 28 and a half centimeters. Flexible. A little more powerful and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I said your father preferred it, but it's the wand that chooses the wizard, remember that." - Ollivander extended a few fingers, pointing at Harry's forehead, and his face went blank. He studied him for a few moments. - "Funny, really funny."
- "What?" - Asked Liam.
- "His owl glasses?" - Chris asked.
- "His unibrow?" - Liam asked, smiling.
- "I don't have unibrow!" - Replied Harry, rubbing his brow.
- "Oh, cousin, don't worry! It's nothing a little waxing won't fix," - The twins commented at the same time, looking at each other mischievously for their shared thoughts.
- "Children, don't bother your cousin! Harry has two distinct eyebrows... ignore my mischievous ones and please continue, Mr. Ollivander." - Said Eleanor, apologizing.
Ollivander shook his head and changed his expression, beginning with the measurements for Harry, who knew he was right-handed.
- "Good, Harry. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstrings. 23 centimeters. Nice and flexible."
Harry took it, knowing it wasn't the right one, and waved it around, but Mr. Ollivander took it away almost immediately.
- "Maple and phoenix feather. 17 and a quarter centimeters. Very stretchy. Try..."
Harry tried it, but as soon as he raised his arm, Mr. Ollivander took it away.
- "No, no... This one. Ebony and unicorn hair, 21 and a half centimeters. Stretchy. Come on, come on, try it."
Harry tried it without success, and as he guessed, Garrick Ollivander was more interested in him than in the others.
The number of wands already tested increased by the minute, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander took out, the happier he seemed to become.
- "What a difficult customer, huh? Must be family. Don't worry, we'll find your perfect match around here somewhere. I wonder... yes, why not, an unusual combination, holly and phoenix feather, 28 centimeters long, pretty and flexible."
Harry recognized his wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head and brought it down through the dusty air. A stream of red and gold sparks erupted from the tip like fireworks, sending flecks of light dancing off the walls.
Sirius and Remus congratulated him, as did everyone else.
- "Oh, bravo! Oh, yes, oh, very good. Good, good, good... How curious... How truly curious how these things happen..."
- "Mr. Ollivander is a very curious person," - Marcus said, resting his little head on his mother's shoulder.
- "Curiosity is an innate concept in human children," - Eleanor commented to Marcus. - "Mr. Ollivander is a person whose creativity is fueled by curiosity and a willingness to enrich his mind."
The maker unexpectedly blushed, putting Harry, Liam, and Chris's wands in their boxes and wrapping them in wrapping paper.
In his previous life, this was the moment when Harry wanted to know what was so curious, and then he would give Ollivander a chance to explain part of the story surrounding his wand. Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale gaze, as if waiting for him to ask, but Harry remained silent.
Eleanor knew the scene of Ollivander and Harry's first meeting almost by heart, but things were different this time in some ways. While she could have helped the scene unfold, it was getting late, and there were still things to buy. Besides, why spoil the moment by bringing up Voldemort? Later, she could mention it to Harry privately. She'd say she was curious and consulted with Ollivander about it, or she could tell him that he had mentioned it out of surprise when she went to get a care kit.
They paid 7 gold Galleons for each wand, and Mr. Ollivander escorted them to the door of his establishment.
They looked at their watches; they were headed to "Stowe & Packers Wizarding Bags," the wizarding luggage store in Carkitt Market. It was located up a flight of steps from the Market, next to a junk shop. The group split between those looking for a place to eat and those heading to the store.
Remus presented the receipt to collect the trunks, which the children liked.
- "It has our initials," - Commented one of the twins.
Eleanor offered them a bag or a backpack.
- "Mom, I prefer my backpack," - Said Liam.
- "I understand, but you need a special one for Hogwarts," - Said Eleanor. - "It will be an enchanted backpack, so it's lightweight, among other benefits like keeping it clean, etc."
- "Yes, accept! We'll have matching backpacks, and we can upgrade them with stickers." - Said his twin. - "The ones we have are too small for everything we seem to have to carry. Mom and Dad won't be around to help us if we forget something."
- "Harry, what do you think?" - Asked Liam.
- "Chris is right. The castle is big, and it's more likely that we'll have to carry several things for classes. You'd waste time going to the dormitory because of what you forgot."
Liam reconsidered his decision not to buy a new backpack.
The salesperson offered satchels, briefcases, backpacks, and purses. They chose a pair of green and dark blue backpacks with a small Hogwarts crest painted on them, adjustable straps and side panels, and zippered front and interior pockets. Harry opted for a gunmetal backpack with a painted Snitch. His first time at Hogwarts, he'd brought a satchel; this time, he'd switch to a backpack. Draco and Neville already had their satchels, but they shared their opinions on models and colors.
After shopping, they went for a snack.
- "The only thing missing is the pets." - Eleanor whispered to the wizards.
- "Early in the morning. Harry said he wants to choose an owl," - Sirius said.
- "The twins wanted to take the cats, but I explained that the castle is too cold for Ludo and Vico. They also thought about an owl; it would be useful for communicating. I told them they could each choose a pet, but they decided to share an owl for now." - Severus finished speaking when they heard Marcus crying.
- "Mummy!" - He cried, hugging Harry.
The twins complained about their brutality to a tall, sturdy boy, who pushed the smaller one as they were about to pay.
- "Your race should know its place," - He said, smirking at the quartet of children.
- "Race? What race?" - One twin asked angrily.
- "It's not our problem if you're the only troll in the business," - Said the other twin.
A witch with a face reminiscent of a Bulldog approached at the same time as Eleanor and the others.
The woman asked her son if he was okay and cleaned him up as if he'd soiled himself.
The parents comforted their son and restrained the others. Harry also had to be restrained when he thought of demanding an apology. Eleanor saw a scratch on her son's little hand and saw red; professional conduct was a thing of the past.
- "What adult acts like that?" - Eleanor reprimanded, losing her bearings. - "That is not an appropriate response for someone of his age. You should instill good manners in that child."
- "How dare you?!"
- "How dare you? Your son pushed a small child; he was completely rude, and you don't correct him; instead, you encourage his verbal and behavioral aggression. It's normal for parents of a child who bullied to justify their child, seeking external explanations that absolve him of responsibility. However, you should be open to the idea that your child may have a problem and listen willingly, not defensively."
The witch drew her wand, while the boy glared at Eleanor.
- "I wouldn't do that if I were you." - Severus said, protecting his family.
- "That woman must be a 'Muggle-born,' her nonsensical words prove it. I belong to a pureblood family; I have nothing to apologize for, much less my son."
- "I'm bored with hearing such idiotic comments. There isn't even the slightest idea in your head; it's just dust and cobwebs. Oh, and for your information, we're a magical family, and unlike that 'boy,' my children don't disgrace the family." - The Potions master replied.
The witch gave him a dirty look, then recognized Sirius Black, the last of a prominent and obscure family. She thought better of it and left without another word, making a dismissive gesture before leaving.
To forget the absurd incident, they went to the Owl Emporium, the chain of stores that sold owls and supplies for caring for them, such as food. There were three locations: Glasgow, Leeds, and London.
Outside the establishment located at 521 Diagon Alley, many different colors and species of owls hung in cages, watching every passerby. The place was dark for the first few minutes of entering, full of glowing eyes, and the sound of flapping wings could be heard constantly.
Harry looked for his dear friend Hedwig, who in her previous life had been bought here by Hagrid on his birthday. He thought the place must be dark inside, probably because owls are nocturnal creatures.
- "We found her!" - The twins chorused.
The owl had large, dark eyes that seemed bottomless, fluffy, dark, ashen feathers, as if filled with soot, with flecks of lighter gray that almost looked like snowflakes against a night sky. Her eyes remained eerily fixed on them, staring intently.
- "We'll call her Wally." - They said excitedly.
- "I see they inherited your peculiar taste, Tuney." - Severus whispered into Eleanor's ear.
After a few minutes, Harry found his beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head tucked under her wing. The boy made a sound of surprise at seeing her again. Hedwig's large, round, amber eyes looked up at him with curiosity and a glimmer of interest. Harry thought he saw recognition, but dismissed the thought.
Hedwig was a very intelligent, loyal, and affectionate companion. She tended to show her affection by gently nibbling on Harry's ears or fingers. On more than one occasion, she demonstrated that she was fully capable of understanding his wishes and would faithfully follow his commands.
- "Sir, we're bringing the white owl and the snowy owl." - Sirius said, delighted by his godson's bright expression upon finding the bird he wanted.
Remus and Sirius listened with interest to Harry's description of the bird he desired, and hoped the boy wouldn't be disappointed if he didn't find it.
The cages were included in the price the Marauders and Severus paid, along with "Eeylops Premium Owl Treats," according to the advertisement: "The best for a happy and healthy owl."
With nothing else to do and tired, they left the ice cream for another day and returned to their homes.