"Draco, Honey, come down here," my mother yelled to me. "Your Hogwart's letter is here." Finally, I think to myself as I run down the stairs. I got my acceptance letter from Durmstrang a month ago. Unfortunately I won't be going to Durmstrang, not that I had any choice in the matter. When I received my Durmstrang letter Mother and Father had a three day argument about where I would go to school. Father wanted me to go to Durmstrang because he was mates with the headmaster. They are also more selective in the students they allow so I wouldn't have had to deal with any mudbloods. I don't know any mudbloods so I don't know what the big deal is but I have learned enough from Mother and Father and their friends to know that I don't want to have to deal with them.Mother wanted me to go to Hogwarts because it's closer to home and I would get more breaks. She's clingy that way. I suppose all mothers are, but mine is a little more over bearing than most, I think. It works for me though, because I end up getting whatever I want. Anyway, after three days she won the argument, as usual when it comes to things concerning me. So for a month now I have been anxiously waiting for this day to come.
When I reach the dining area I snatch the envelope off the table and tear into it. Dear Mr. Malfoy, You have been accepted blah blah blah. Well, duh, I've been accepted, Father has already bought his way onto the Board of Governors. I turn to the next piece of paper and read through the supply list. 1 wand finally! I'll be able to get my own. Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad. Well, that's a no brainer. I'll bring Aelfric, my owl, the one I received for my birthday last year. Seriously, what kind of person would bring a toad, ha! FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS. Are you kidding me?! Not allowed my own broomstick! I know they don't let first years on the quidditch team, a shame if you ask me, but to not even be able to have a broom. Oh no, no, no this won't work at all. With a huff I look up at Mother expectantly as I hand her the parchment. She glances over it, "We should be able to get all of this in Diagon Alley in one trip." She looks at me and notices the look of indignation on my face. "What is it dear? Did you want to shop somewhere else?"
"What! Shop? I don't care where we shop. It says I'm not allowed a broomstick." I bring this information to her attention.
"Well, yes, I suppose it does, although, I don't really see what I can do about this." She looks at me questioningly.
"Oh, never mind, I will discuss it with Father. He has strings he can pull anywhere." I say as I glance at the clock to see what time it is so I will know where he's at.
"Don't worry about it now dear, he'll be going to Diagon Alley with us. Now why don't you go get dressed?"
When we apparate to Diagon Alley I immediately head to Quality Quidditch Supplies to check out the new racing brooms. I see my friend Blaise already there. "Look," he says to me. "The new Nimbus Two Thousand."
"I know, it's supposed to be the fastest model yet. Have you gotten one yet?" Blaise, like me, is a pure blood. He is raised solely by his mother though and she is very wealthy, being an only child he tends to get whatever he wants as well. He shakes his head at me. "Me neither, did you know we aren't allowed broomsticks at all at Hogwarts. I've been arguing with Father about it all morning. He's owling who he can but so far no luck."
"I know it's ridiculous. I guess it's because of all the muggleborns. They don't want us to have too much of an advantage over them. Have you got the rest of your supplies yet?" Right at that time Mother calls me to start.
We first head to Madam Malkin's Robes. As I start to get fitted I am standing next to Pansy, another friend of mine. She is just finishing up so she has barely begun telling me about the wand that she just got when her father calls her to go. "Bye, Draco." She says to me just as another boy my age is set up next to me. He is a very skinny boy, wearing clothes that is obviously too big for him. He has jet black hair and glasses that seem to have tape holding them together. "Hello, Hogwarts too?" I greet the boy. He seems very timid. It doesn't stop me though. I'm just too excited today. I end up blabbering something about Mother and Father. I tend to chatter when I'm excited. I then get right back on the important subject of broomsticks. I've decided at this point to go back to the Quidditch supply store and to just smuggle a broom in. "Do you have a broomstick?" I ask the boy.
"No."
Geez, is that all the response I'm going to get? "Play quidditch at all?" I try to get the conversation rolling.
"No."
Nothing again. This boy is either not very loquacious or just very rude. "Well, I do. Father says it would be a shame if I'm not picked to play for my house and I must say, I agree. Do you know what house you'll be in yet?" I ask trying to go for a different angle on the conversation. Maybe he's just not a quidditch fan, though I don't know who wouldn't be.
"No."
Goodness, maybe he doesn't like me for some reason. Oh well, never stopped me before, not going to stop me now. I blabber on something about being in Slytherin, which I have no doubts about, when I notice a gigantic, hairy man holding ice cream cones standing out the window. "Look at that man!" I exclaim.
"That's Hagrid. He works at Hogwarts." The boy says with a smile on his face.
So he does speak! I think of everything I've heard about Hogwarts. I do remember hearing something about a Hagrid. "Oh, I've heard of him. He's sort of a servant isn't he?"
"He's the gamekeeper," the boy says with shortness. What did I do to this boy to make him dislike me so much? I go on to tell him what I have heard about Hagrid. Nothing good I promise. What do I get in response; this poor boy thinks he's brilliant. Weird.
"Do you?" I ask the boy with a slight chuckle. Then quizzingly I ask, "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"
"They're dead." Damn. I always ask questions I shouldn't.
"Sorry." Then I wonder if maybe that's why he doesn't play quidditch, maybe they were muggles. So I ask him, I have no censor. I can't help it, I was always taught to speak my mind.
"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean." Of course that's what I mean, what else would I be talking about? But I guess that answers my question anyway he really doesn't like quidditch.
"I don't think they should let the other sort in, do you?" And I'm off explaining the differences between muggleborns and purebloods. As I'm thinking about it if he's a pureblood I would have at least heard his name in conversation. I ask him for it, before he has time to answer though Madam Malkin tells him he's done. "Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts I suppose." He never replies he just walks out. I can't believe how rude some people are.
When I am finished I head to Flourish and Blotts to find Father. I want to discuss having a broomstick again but he is nowhere to be found. Probably somewhere down Knockturn Alley. He doesn't really have a lot of patience when it comes to family things. So I decide to find Mother she was supposed to be at Ollivanders, so that's where I head. When I get there she is outside. "There you are Draco, dear. Where have you been?"
"I went to find Father. I was trying to figure out anyway to get a broom in."
"You have to quit fretting about that. You know if there is any way you can have one your father will figure it out. That's probably what he is doing now. You go on inside and get your wand and I will try to go find him," she said to me gesturing towards the Shoppe.
I huff but do as she ask and go in the shop. When I walk in there is already a very petite girl with big, bushy brown hair talking to the shopkeeper. They seem to be in deep conversation. She is telling him what she would like her wand made of and he is explaining to her that she doesn't get to choose what her wand is made of, that a wand will have to choose her. "That is absurd," She says to him. "How can an inanimate object choose anything?"
"Miss Granger, wand lore is a very astonishing kind of magic. While I consider myself extremely knowledgeable on the subject even I cannot fathom to know all of its secrets. The connection between a wand and it's wizard or witch is one of the most abstract bonds there is."
"But if specific woods and cores and lengths are all good for different things can I not choose the one that I think would be the most effective for me?"
"You certainly can choose the one you think will be most effective for you, but I assure you, Miss Granger, unless that wand chooses you back it will not be the best for you. Please let me help you find one."
"Are you saying that of every wand that has ever been made only one will work for me? How do I know I can do magic at all then?" This girl, I think to myself shaking my head.
"That is not what I am saying. Depending on your magical talent you will be able to use any wand you come across. However, there is a specific wand that will bond with you, and with this wand you will be able to do magic much more powerful than if you tried to use another's wand."
I look at the brown haired girl; I can see her face trying to understand the concept. "It's magic." I say to her, "you don't have to understand it, just go with it." She seemed to notice me for the first time with an expression that suggests I told her something scandalous.
"Fine," she huffs at me. Turning back to the man she demands, "Mr. Ollivander, I'll just go with it. Show me what you mean."
He scurries off to the back of the shop to find some specific wands or to escape the girl, who knows? The girl turns back to me, "I'm sorry, I didn't know I was holding up the line. This magic thing it's just so exciting isn't it!" Oh god, I think to myself she's muggle born. "You know I only found out a week ago, my parents are dentists. I always wondered why weird things were constantly happening but I never imagined all of this." She gestures her arms around. "I'm Hermione, by the way."
"Draco," I reply.
"Is this your first year at Hogwarts too?"
I am saved from having to answer because Mr. Ollivander is back with two sleek black boxes. "Here you are, Miss Granger. I brought you two different wands. I brought the wand you asked for and I brought you the wand that I think will bond with you. I want you to try this one first to feel what I was talking about and then the latter to compare the difference." He removes a very dark brown wand from the first box and hands it to the girl. "Go ahead and try to use it."
She waves it around and a few ashes emit from the end, "Very good, very good. Now try this one." You can see an immediate difference in the girl's persona when she takes this wand. When she waves this one around, there is no visual change but the room is suddenly filled with the smell of old books and a light floral scent. It is very pleasing.
"Wow, Mr. Ollivander that is astonishing. What is this one made of?"
"Ten and three quarter inches, vine wood, and dragon heartstring."
"Dragon heartstring, really! Not what I expected at all. But I can't think you enough this does seem the right fit for me." She hugged the man. Paid him, then started heading towards the door but stopped just inside and turned towards me, "Bye Draco, see you at school." She had the cutest smile on her face; it really lit up her eyes.
"Um, yeah, I suppose," I stutter back to her. What is wrong with me? It is very out of character for me to get so unseemly in front of people.
"Mr. Malfoy, are you getting your wand today as well?" Mr. Ollivander asks me. I nod in response. "Hmmm… mother; 10 inches, elm, unicorn hair… father; passed down, 18 inches, elm, dragon heartstring." He mutters to himself as he walks around his shop. He pauses, looks at me, and then continues wandering. "Here we go, here we go. Mr. Malfoy if you'll try this one." He hands me a wand, "13 inches, elm, dragon heartstring." I grad it and instantly feel it's not right and hand it back. "Try this one then," he says handing me another one. "11 ½ inches, elm, unicorn hair." I don't even get to grab this one before he snatches it away. "Third times the charm, right? Try this one, 10inches, hawthorn, unicorn hair core."
I take this one and feel it, like I've grown an extra extension to myself. I wave it and the shop is filled with a beautiful melody. Did that really come from me and this wand? Wow!
"Wonderful, Mr. Malfoy, I knew it was here somewhere. That'll be 5 galleons." Just then Mother walks in and I look at her as she counts out the money.
She turns to me, "I've had everything else sent to the manor, ready?" She asks as she takes my arm to apparate home.
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander." I say as I start to feel the familiar tugging spinning sensation start.