`Elliot,' came a woman's voice from outside the bedroom door. `Wake up! You've got your Hogwarts acceptance letter!' Elliot Smith woke up with a start. `A letter from Hogwarts?' he thought to himself. `I've been waiting for this all summer!' he hopped out of his wooden double bed and made for his walk-in wardrobe, grabbing some clothes. Elliot's wardrobe wasn't as full as it usually was, as most of his clothes were already packed away, in his trunk. He had packed his trunk two days previously, as, although most school children could wait a lifetime, he could not wait for the summer to end. Even more so, now that the letter he had been waiting for all summer had arrived from Hogwarts.
Elliot was a wizard. He did not attend the local secondary school like every other eleven year-old boy did. He was due to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for eleven to seventeen year-olds with magical abilities. All the non-wizarding people – or Muggles, as the wizarding community referred to them as – were oblivious to the wizard world. All around the country, there were wizards, dwelling alongside the Muggles, concealing there true identities from their next-door neighbours.
`This is going to be the best year of my life,' Elliot said to himself as he finally found what he was going to wear. He put his clothes on his bed and walked into his en-suite bathroom to take a shower.
Five minutes later, he walked out of his en-suite and over to his bed and sprayed some Rightguard deodorant under his armpits. He pulled on some white Calvin Klein boxer-shorts on, a black Henleys top, with gold sequins spelling the word `Henleys' diagonally up his chest, some light grey Nike joggers, red Adidas hoodie and white and navy Adidas Original hi-tops. He looked at himself in the mirror, as he did almost every morning, to observe his reflection.
Elliot had bleach blonde hair, which was always styled to the left of his head, held their by hair-wax, very noticeable green eyes, and his skin was golden, as if it had a permanent tan. He was fairly big for his age, being five foot ten inches, at just eleven years-old, and had a very muscular body. He was considered exaggeratingly good looking by almost every girl around his age. Most of the people in Elliot's year at his old Muggle junior school were – even though some did a good job at hiding it – very intimidated by him. He had scars all over his arms and legs and, front and back, from injuries and fights.
He could smell something on the frying pan, and rushed down the stairs for his full-English breakfast.
`Mornin'!' greeted Elliot's dad, Alex Smith, his Newcastle accent always noticeable in his voice. He was much bigger than his son, at six foot six inches, and his muscles were like boulders. Elliot had inherited his dad's remarkably handsome looks, and got told everywhere he went by at least one person, that he looked like his father.
Whenever Elliot thought that the scars he homed gave him a sort of bad-boy look, he felt rather contradicted when he saw his dad's, and at this moment his dad was sitting in nothing but a pair of shorts and flip-flops, showing off an innumerable amount of scars from the top of his face, right down to his feet. There were clearly visible white lines, one sprouting from somewhere in his hair, right down to the small of his back. There were gashes hither and thither, and the odd chunk of flesh missing from his body. His body also housed three burn marks, and something that looked particularly like a tentacle marking.
`Alright dad,' replied Elliot. `What're we doing today then?'
`Well,' said Alex, handing his son a well-done fry-up. `Your mother just went over to your Aunty Laura's house, to ask if he wants us to bring Daniel and Rhys to Diagon Alley with us later. But I think we should start by opening your letter.'
`Yes! Of course!' said Elliot. `Where is it?' his dad signalled towards a stack of envelopes. Elliot walked over to the post, and surely enough, on top, was an envelope, scrawled with tidy black ink. He ripped the letter open, and there was two pieces of parchment tucked neatly inside. The first one read:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Ignotus Arcanium
DearElliot Smith,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Neville Longbottom
Deputy Headmaster
Elliot felt a sudden surge of glee spread through his body. He took out the next piece of parchment.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
UNIFORM:
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings).
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS:
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT:
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
Parents Are Reminded That First Years Are NOT Allowed Their Own Broomsticks.
`You didn't tell me I couldn't bring my own broomstick!' Elliot complained to his father. `I couldn't wait to join the Quidditch team! Patrick said I'm quite good!'
`Didn't I?' asked Alex. `Sorry, must've slipped my mind. Anyway, I promise you I'll get you a top-quality broom for your birthday, you'll get into the Quidditch team next year for sure then.'
`Depends,' replied Elliot. `What broom are you talking about?' Elliot often had a knack for being cheeky.
`Well, I've heard that the DragonFire is coming out sometime this summer, what do you think about that?'
`Sound!' said Elliot. There was a loud crack noise. Both father and son looked around, and saw Elliot's mother apparating in front of the both of them.
Pansy Parkinson-Smith was a beautiful woman, her jet black, silky hair reaching half way down her back. Her pale face bought out the light blue colour in her eyes. She wasn't very tall; her son was half a foot taller than her. Her belly was flat, and had curves in all the right places.
`Good morning Elliot.' She smiled at him. Pansy was a rather wealthy witch. Her father, Pritchard Parkinson, was British, who later went on to move to America to be the American Minister for Magic. He then moved back to England and had Pansy with a witch. She then abandoned Pritchard and Pansy. He died in a duel against Antonin Dolohov, a Death Eater, followers of the most evil Dark Wizard to walk the Earth, Lord Voldemort. He left everything in his possession to his only remaining family member, his daughter. She was high up in the ranks of Magical Law Enforcement for the Ministry of Magic, which bought in a stack of money.
Along with his father's riches, gained from being a highly successful Auror at the British Ministry of Magic, later being promoted to Head of Auror Office, and, with great difficulty, creating the most complex potion that if brewed and drank at the right time of the month, could cure certain werewolves of their unfortunate condition, Elliot was a child who grew up with everything he wanted.
Together, he, his parents, and his fourteen year old brother, Patrick, lived in a great manor just outside of London, four stories high. The kitchen Elliot was in now had sandy-coloured cupboards and drawers, topped with white marble counters and a black marble floor.
`Where's Patrick?' asked Elliot's mother.
`Three guesses,' joked Alex. `He's sleeping, obviously.'
`Of course,' she muttered. `When is he ever not?' and she went up the stairs to go and wake him.
`So what time are we going to Diagon Alley?' Elliot addressed his dad. He looked up at the clock. It was twenty-past eleven.
`Well, whenever your brother's ready, I suppose. But if he isn't ready by half twelve, we'll go and him and your mum can meet us there.'
Twenty minutes later, Patrick came down the stairs fully dressed. `Grab yourself a bowl of cereal Patrick; we're going soon.' said Alex.
`Going where, exactly?' demanded Patrick, pouring some Coco Pops and milk into his bowl, flipping his dark as night hair out of his grey eyes.
`Diagon Alley. Your book lists have come today –' Alex replied, handing him his booklist.
`And we're all meeting Aunty Laura, Uncle Rodger, Daniel and Rhys at Flourish and Blotts at half-past twelve, so hurry up with that, Patrick.' Pansy said. Patrick waited until his mum was out of sight, and his dad was indulged in The Dailey Prophet newspaper, and whispered to Elliot `you're going to be in Slytherin.'
`Fuck off you nob!' Elliot hissed at his brother. Alex heard this remark and came out from his paper.
`Oi!' he said. `What's the shouting about?'
`Patrick's saying I'm going to be in Slytherin again!'
`Patrick!' barked his dad. `What have I told you about that?' Patrick dropped his head. The boys' dad was a kind man, but if you got on his wrong side, he was astonishingly fierce. `Listen, Elliot. Your mother and I won't be ashamed if you get Sorted into Slytherin. We will be proud.' He dived back into his newspaper, came back out, and said, `your mother was in Slytherin, you know, and she's certainly turned out alright. Just stop your worrying, boy, it'll be fine.'
`Thanks,' said Elliot, and put on a little, fake smile. Pansy walked into the kitchen. `Alright, everybody ready? We'll be leaving by Floo Powder in five minutes, so make sure you've got everything.' She stopped in her tracks. `ALEX!' she yelled. `We're leaving in five minutes and you're not dressed! Go and get something on now!'
`Calm down love,' retorted Alex. `I'm going in this.'
`Now you are not!' she spat. `You go and get dressed into your robes, right now! You'll be giving a bad impression towards everyone!'
`Relax, Pansy, I'm pretty sure that, being one of the most respected wizarding families in Britain, not wearing a top won't give a bad impression.'
`Alexander Smith you go and change right this minute!'
`How about I just stick a top on, will that please you? Anyway, why're you wearing your robes? It's sweltering outside, you're going to melt.' He said the last word with emphasis. He was right though, he could feel the heat from outside now, even with the air-conditioner on.
`Dad's right, mum,' Elliot piped up. I'd change if I were you; I'm feeling pretty stuffy now.' He took off his hoody.
`I guess you're right. But I haven't got time to change!' she said.
`Bloody hell you're dumb sometimes, ain't you?' Patrick butted in. His mum looked shocked, but before she could say anything, he added `you're a witch. Just magic yourself into different clothes.'
`Oh, yes.' She replied. `But don't speak to me like that again, you hear me?' She took out her wand, waved in a small circle above her head, and a golden circle shot down her. Now replacing her red robes was a pair of tight shorts and a hot-pink vest. Alex gave a wolf-whistle. Elliot let out a groan.
`What's up El'?' asked Alex, as he magicked a red vest out of thin air.
`You two, just using magic whenever you like, it's not fair!' said Elliot.
`Hey,' said Pansy. `You've got the rest of the holidays, a month and a half left. That'll fly by in no time, and then you'll be off to Hogwarts. Speaking of which…' she walked to the bottom of the stairs, shouted `Wheezy!' and the next minute, the Smith's House-Elf, Wheezy appeared, with a loud crack.
`Mistress called for Wheezy?' Wheezy – so rightly – wheezed, with a bow so low his long, crooked nose and bat-like ears were almost touching the floor.
`Yes. We are going to Diagon Alley to get the kids' Hogwarts bits and bobs, just look after the house while we are gone.' Wheezy gave another low bow, and went to turn away, when Pansy added `and also, is it possible if you could write and send off Elliot's Hogwarts return slip, saying that he will be attending?'
`But of course, my mistress. Wheezy lives to serve the Ancient House of Smith.' He went over to the counter where Patrick and Elliot were sitting, took their dishes to the sink and start a round of cleaning.
Pansy looked at her watch and said `Look at the time! We've got to go right now! Now I want everybody into the living room!' She ushered them into the living room, next to the fireplace, that was big enough for a fully grown man to stand in. Built into the white marble mantle was a bowl. Inside was the glittery, silver Floo Powder, a means of transportation in the wizarding world. `Oh, we're running low on Powder; we're going to have to get some at Diagon Alley. Patrick, you go first, then Elliot, then me, then dad.'
Patrick grabbed a handful of the Floo Powder from the bowl, stepped into the fireplace, said `Diagon Alley!' and dropped the Powder. All of a sudden, green flames rose from the grate, engulfing him. The green flames died down, and Patrick was standing in the fire no more.
`Come on, Elliot, you next. Hurry up.' Pansy bossed. Elliot mimicked Patrick's actions. As the green flames swallowed him, he felt a spinning sensation. He caught glimpses of different fireplaces, the other many fireplaces linked to the Floo network.
The spinning stopped, and Elliot saw different green flames die down around him. He stepped out of the fireplace, feeling slightly nauseous after the spinning, and patted himself down of the dust and ash. He found Patrick talking to a boy around his age, and went over to them.
`Where are we, Patrick?' asked Elliot. They were standing in what seemed like a bar. It wasn't very crowded, although there were a few people at tables. One man was sitting, twirling his finger two inches above his coffee, and the spoon seemed to steer itself. Both boys turned round. The boy Patrick was speaking to was quite small. He had a long face, brown eyes and glasses. His curly, shoulder length, bright ginger hair seemed rather dirty He was a boy that looked like he couldn't defend himself in a fight if he got into one.
`The Leaky Cauldron,' Patrick replied. `Wizarding bar in London, Charing Cross Road. It seems to be a run-down shop to Muggles. Diagon Alley's entrance is just through the back door.' The ginger boy cleared his throat. `Oh, and this is Jon, by the way. Jon Jones. He's my year, in Hufflepuff.'
`Nice to meet you,' said Jon, his voice rather squeaky for his age. He stuck out his hand. Elliot shook it.
`Alright,' He replied in a half-grunt.
`I've heard that this year shall be your first at Hogwarts? Is this your first visit to Diagon Alley?' Jon asked politely. Elliot nodded to both questions. His parents had never taken him to Diagon Alley before, saying that there was no need to go. `I remember my first time.' Jon continued. `The excitement was uncontainable. My parents seemed almost scared, to be honest. Not really used to the whole wizard thing.'
`Jon's a Muggle-born. We met on the Hogwarts Express in our second year. Every Slytherin in our year threw abuse at him, until one day, one of the boys who thought that he was all that said something particularly nasty to him, and Jon duelled with him. I've never seen a duel quite like that in my life at Hogwarts. Nobody has said anything to him since.' Jon gave out a smug laugh.
`Ha, that's awesome.' Elliot said. `Where are mum and dad? I'm pretty sure we've been waiting here for fucking ages. Mum said we needed to meet Dan and his parents five min–' Elliot didn't finish his sentence, because a sudden roar of fire came from the fireplace, and spat out Pansy. A few seconds later, Alex appeared, too.
`Sorry, couldn't find our key to our Gringotts vault.' Mrs Smith said. Gringotts was an immense white marble building at the end of Diagon Alley. It was a bank, run and owned by Goblins. `We better get going, I'm sure Rodger, Laura and the kids will be at Flourish and Blotts. Come on!' she added as none of the males moved.
`Hello Mr Smith, Mrs Smith.' He greeted politely. Elliot got the feeling there wasn't a rude bone in the boy's body.
`Well, see you after the holidays, mate,' Patrick said to Jon as he made to leave.
`See you.' He replied. `Have fun in Diagon Alley!' he added to Elliot.
Elliot walked through the back of the Leaky Cauldron with Patrick, and was confused when he saw a small patio, with a brick wall in their way. `I thought you said the entrance to Diagon Alley was here?' He asked Patrick, but before he could answer, Alex had got his wand out, and started tapping bricks that Elliot couldn't see. Suddenly, bricks started moving in the wall, and in an instant a brick archway was leading towards a long, cobbled street, filled with people and children, doing their shopping. The first building to take Elliot's eye was the monumental Gringotts, towering over the other shops. Patrick had told him that their family's vault was underground, and you had to hop into a cart to reach it.
As they walked down the Alley towards Flourish and Blotts, Elliot's head was whipping from left to right, looking at every shop they walked past there were shops that sold books, stationary, a shop that sold ice-cream named Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. He could hear hooting and barking and squawking, and saw the Magical Menagerie. Elliot also noticed another shop, that sold owls, called Eeylop's Owl Emporium. He caught a glimpse of an old shop, and took a double take. There stood the shop he wanted to go to the very most. Ollivander's Wand Shop. Elliot could not wait for him and Daniel (Daniel was the same age as Elliot) to get inside that shop and buy their very first wands. The feeling of excitement, as Jon said it would, overwhelmed him.
Elliot came out of his fascination when he walked into his dad, and noticed they had stopped walking. Rodger, Laura, Rhys and Daniel Davies were standing outside of Flourish and Blotts. James and Laura were in deep converse with a witch and wizard and Rhys, in Patrick and Jon's year, speaking with an attractive brunette girl about his age. Elliot noticed her, and couldn't take his eyes out of hers, an amazing shade of blue, until her realised she was staring at him, winked, laughed and turned her attention back to Rhys. Laura, Mr Smith's thirty-two year old sister, younger than him by three years, was an attractive, brown haired and dazzlingly bright-green eyed woman. She was about the same height as Pansy. Rodger, Laura's husband, had ginger hair (although a much darker shade than Jon's), and had freckles all over his face. He was a scarred, hard-working man, in the same office as Alex. The amount of scars on Rodger, though, was nothing compared to his brother-in-law's, but he did have a half-severed right ear. Rhys looked a lot like his dad, his dark ginger fringe ending on top of his ears, and his freckles covering his face. Daniel took after his mother's appearance, looking soft and gentle, and his brown hair cut into a short style. Daniel, as was Elliot, just gazing at everything, trying to cram it all into his head. At the sight of her brother, Laura said her goodbyes to the witch and wizard she and her husband were speaking to, and gave him her full attention.
`Hello!' She said. She lived in Cardiff with her husband and children, and her Welsh accent was thick. `Are you okay? Hiya Elliot! Patrick! How have you two been?' She was always a cheerful lady. `Now, how about we get you an ice-cream from Florean Fortescue's, and then we'll head off to Gringotts?'
`Hiya,' said Daniel to Elliot. Patrick started walking with Rhys and the pretty girl towards Gringotts, saying that they would wait at the Gringotts entrance for them.
`Alright,' Elliot replied. `How've you been doing lately?'
`Not too bad, to be honest, man. I've been dead excited this summer, cannot wait to get into Hogwarts. What about you?' They started strolling back up the Alley to the Ice-Cream Parlour, Elliot and Daniel a few yards behind.
`Yeah, I've been good, thanks. And it's gonna be amazing, isn't it? My mum got Wheezy to write and send off my Hogwarts letter this morning. What house are you hoping to be in?'
`I want to be in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Definitely not Slytherin, seeing as the amount of Dark Wizards they have produced, and I'd rather not be in Hufflepuff, because Rhys has told me that they're quite a boring House, they haven't won the Quidditch House Cup or the Inter-House Championship in over twenty-five years. Plus you don't have to have any special qualities about you; at least in Slytherin people know you're either Pure-Blooded or a Dark Wizard. I really hope I'm in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.'
`My brother's in Ravenclaw. He told me it's Common Room is the easiest to get into, because you've only got to solve a riddle to get in; Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor all have passwords to their Common Rooms.'
`My dad was in Ravenclaw, my mum and my brother's in Slytherin.'
`My dad was in Gryffindor. My mum was in Slytherin,' said Elliot. `They told me they were both there at the Battle of Hogwarts eleven years ago. My mum didn't fight, but she was there. She suggested actually turning Harry Potter in to Lord Voldemort, but apparently everyone turned on her, all raising their wands against her.'
`Trust me,' said Alex, apparently eavesdropping on their conversation, dropping back to speak to them. `They did. Everyone except the professors did, and Harry himself.'
`Even you?' asked Daniel, apparently shocked.
`Yes, even me, Dan.' Replied Alex. `If you remember what Elliot just told you; I was in Gryffindor and Pansy was in Slytherin. The hatred was mutual. It's not like I had anything against her – I hadn't even spoken to her until two years after, when we were starting at the Ministry. You'll find that if either of you are sorted into Gryffindor, then you'll find that the Gryffindor/Slytherin resentment is mainly all-round. There might be the odd occasion where a Gryffindor gets along with a Slytherin, but that's mainly because they're family or friends before they get Sorted.'
`But dad, you told me, apart from you and Laura and Patrick, all the family have been in Slytherin, going back generations. I don't want to be in Slytherin.'
`Elliot, I've told you before, just don't worry about it. If you are in Slytherin, then Slytherin would've gained a great pupil. Besides, Harry Potter says that one of the bravest men he ever knew was in Slytherin.'
`Is that that Sever Snake man?' Daniel asked.
`Severus Snape,' Alex corrected him. `And yes, yes it is.' Elliot gave him a questioning look. Alex took this as a hint to explain. `Severus Snape was a Death Eater for Lord Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. He switched sides and was working for Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, though Voldemort- thanks love' he paused as Pansy handed him a Mint and Sour Apple ice-cream, taking a lick of it. `Though Voldemort thought Snape was still loyal, Snape was actually giving the Order crucial information, and only passing on information to Voldemort that Dumbledore told him to give. I'm not going into detail, if you want to you can ask around at Hogwarts – I hear that Harry Potter himself sometimes comes in to give lectures in Defence Against the Dark Arts, ask him if you like.
`Long story short, Snape was loyal to Dumbledore, though Voldemort failed to see it; he acted his bit well, and even killed Dumbledore on Dumbledore's own orders.' He stopped his story now. They had reached the snowy-white building which towered over the other little shops. At the top of the stairs were burnished bronze doors, and next to the doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold was a goblin. The goblin was about a foot smaller than Elliot, with a face that made him look like he had a horrible personality, and had short black hair, and a small pointed beard. He had very long fingers and feet.
Sitting at the foot of the steps was Patrick, Rhys, and the gorgeous girl, having the same effect on Elliot as earlier, making his heart skip a beat.
Daniel and Elliot walked over to the trio. `Alright Elliot,' said Patrick. `Been discussing with Daniel how you're gonna be continuing the family tradition? In my opinion, I think you're going to come out a Dark Wizard, you know, be the next Voldemort, trying to rid the world of Muggles and Muggle-borns alike. You'd have Jon to answer to though, I'm sure he wouldn't be too happy about it.'
`Shut the fuck up.' Elliot retorted, trying to sound as calm as he could. `If I did turn out a Dark Wizard, then you'd be my first victim, no doubt about that.'
`Ooo, look, you're on the road already, threatening me, with the Cruciatus Curse no doubt!' Elliot was almost trembling with anger.
The girl stood up. `Oh, leave him alone!' she said in a soft voice, engulfing him in a hug. He didn't know where the urge came from, but Elliot hugged her back. She didn't seem to mind.
`You like a bit of Georgina, d'you Elliot? She's half Veela, irresistible.' Rhys said in his deep voice, winking at him. `Trust me; you've got much further than Patrick's got with her. The most he's got is a seductive smile; he almost exploded there and then. Daniel,' he added. `You know, it's really rude to stare.' Elliot snuck a glimpse of Daniel, while still embracing Georgina; he was ogling at her, mouth agape.
`I'm Georgina,' she said, finally coming out of the hug. `Georgina Richardson; I've got a sister who's going to be in your year, Krystal, she's the spit image of me, even my mum gets us confused sometimes. Try your luck with her,' she winked, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and walked inside Gringotts. Patrick was red with envy. Elliot stuck his tongue out at him to gloat, and walked up the steps with Daniel, behind Georgina.
The goblin bowed as they walked through the hefty doors. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words graved upon them:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what waits the sin of greed,
For those who take but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn,
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware,
Of finding more than treasure there.
A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Daniel and Elliot made their way over to their parents, each speaking to a goblin at the counter.
`We're here to withdraw some money, please.' said Alex.
`You have your key, sir?' The goblin asked.
`Yes, we do,' Pansy said, producing a small, golden key.
`And you?' The goblin addressed Laura.
`Yes, here you go,' she replied, handing him a similar key.
`That's fine, vault numbers?'
`Seven hundred and thirty-seven and seven hundred and thirty-eight,' said Alex.
`I shall get someone to take you down now,' answered the goblin. `Bronuck! Garnat!' he shouted, and two goblins came walking over. `Please take the Smith family and the Davies family down to their vaults, seven hundred and thirty-seven and –eight. Here are their keys,' he handed them the family's keys. Bronuck and Garnat nodded, and leaded the way to one of the doors leading off the hall.
Patrick ad Rhys said their goodbyes to Georgina, and followed their family. The two goblins stood aside for the group to pass. Through the door was a narrow stone passageway, lit with flaming torches. It sloped downwards and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Garnat gave a shrill whistle and two carts came rushing round the corner on the tracks, coming to an abrupt stop in front of them. Garnet got into the first one, and signalled for Elliot and his family to hop in with him. Bronuck did the same with the second cart and Daniel and his family.
The cart started, speeding down a maze of tracks, Elliot often spotting some more carts. They were going rather fast, doing left, right, right, right, left, left, right, left, left, but Elliot decided to stop trying to remember, as the cart seemed to be doing quite a good job of that itself.
`Three more lefts,' Patrick shouted to Elliot, over the rattling of the cart and the wooshing of wind through Elliot's hair, `and we see a dragon! A Swedish Short-Snout!'
Sure enough, when they took their third left, there stood a dragon, guarding a row of vaults. He was glad they were way above it, dragon fire was very nasty. A few minutes later, the cart came to a halt outside a vault. Daniel's cart pulled up outside the vault next to them. They got out of their cart, and Garnet took the key from Pansy.
Garnet unlocked the vault. A green mist came pouring out. As it cleared, Elliot saw just what Patrick meant when he told him they were loaded. He saw hills of glistening gold, mounds of shining silver, heaps of bronze. A mountain of money, glistening in the light of the lamp that Garnet had picked up.
`Oh. My. Days,' Elliot said. He couldn't believe his eyes. His mouth was hanging there, unable to close.
`Told you,' said Patrick smugly, as he took a sack from his mother and filled it with golden Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts.
`How much have we got?' asked Elliot, as he too filled a sack from his mother with dozens of coins.
`Let's just put it this way,' replied Alex, `there's enough in there to supply your grandchildren for life. How much are we taking, honey?' he addressed Pansy.
`I was thinking about a hundred Galleons?' replied Pansy, filling her sack with the big bright golden coins.
Elliot went to take a look in Daniel's family's vault. There was a lot of money in there, too, but not as much as his.
`I can't wait to go to Ollivander's!' Daniel said to Elliot. `The sooner I get my wand, the better.'
`Yeah, I really won't be able to hide my excitement, it's gonna be amazing!' Elliot said.
The two goblins ushered everyone back into the cart, and they took the journey back to the main building of Gringotts. The families walked back out into the warm breeze of Diagon Alley. Rodger suggested going to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch. She was wearing a set of purple robes.
`Hello,' said Laura. `Can I have two for Hogwarts? And maybe these two,' she signalled Patrick and Rhys, `get re-fitted?'
`Yes, of course, dear, if you'd like to go to the back of the shop, I will be with you now.' Madam Malkin replied, smiling.
Minutes later, with Elliot, Daniel, Patrick and Rhys all in the back of the shop, Madam Malkin came through, holding a footstool.
`If you just pop yourself on that, dear, we'll get these fitted in just a moment.' She said to Elliot. She stood on a stool next to him, slipped a robe over his head, and started to pin it to the right length.
After having his robes fitted, Madam Malkin folded them and placed them into a bag. She then fitted Daniel, Patrick and Rhys in turn. When the boys walked out of the shop, they went to Amanuensis Quills. Elliot came out of it with a handsome-looking phoenix feather quill. After, they bought their quills, parchment and ink.
`So, I was thinking, we'll go to Eeylops, then Ollivander's?' said Alex. They entered Eeylops Owl Emporium, which was full of hooting, and watchful eyes, whilst Patrick and Rhys went off to Gambol and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Fifteen minutes after, Elliot, Daniel and their parents left, Elliot with a barn owl named Belle, and Daniel an eagle owl named Hunter.
`Why did you call your owl "Hunter"?' Elliot asked Daniel.
`Because I'm unimaginative and owls are hunters,' replied Daniel, nonchalantly.
Elliot and Daniel were having a conversation about Hogwarts, forgetting where they were going, until the adults stopped, Daniel walking full on into his mum. Elliot looked up. He couldn't hide his joy. He let out a noise of excitement as he looked at the door to the shop he was standing outside. It was narrow, and shabby, and the golden peeling letters on the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. On a dusty purple cushion in the shop window laid a single wand.
Elliot pushed the door open. A small tinkling noise came from the bell above the door. Stood behind the counter of the shop was an old man, with startlingly blue eyes.
`Hello, how may I help you?' said Mr Ollivander quietly.
`We've come to buy two wands,' said Pansy.
`Ah, Miss Parkinson, how lovely to see you,' Mr Ollivander greeted her politely. `Yes, I remember your wand, oak and dragon heartstring, nine and a quarter inches, if I remember correctly? Mr Smith, yew and unicorn hair, ten inches, yes, I remember that day very clearly. Almost set my shop on fire, I do believe. Let's just hope your son does not do the same today, hey?'
He took out a tape measure and said to Elliot `Mr Smith, which will be your wand arm? And you two, Mr Davies' he added to Daniel.
`Do you mean the hand we right with?' asked Daniel. Mr Ollivander nodded. `My left,' replied Daniel.
`And you, Mr Smith?'
`My right,' replied Elliot.
`Hold out your right arm then, please,' Mr Ollivander took a tape measure out and started to measure him shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and around his head. He then repeated the process on Daniel. After doing Daniel's measurements, Mr Ollivander went over to one of his many shelves, and picked an armful of boxes, placing them on the desk.
`Try this one, Mr Davies. It's ivory, dragon heartstring, nine and three quarter inches and flexible. Mr Smith, this one. It is oak, unicorn hair, nine and a half inches, rather springy. Give them a wave then!' he added as the two boys stood there, clueless.
Daniel waved his first. One of the small chairs in the corner, which his dad was sitting on, collapsed.
`No matter, no matter, we'll find you another.' Mr Ollivander said. He gave his own wand a wave and the chair repaired itself. ` Mr Smith, if you please?'
Elliot waved his wand. There was a loud bang and the room was filled with smoke. `Maybe not that one,' said his mum.
`Well maybe these,' Mr Ollivander said, and chose two more wands. `Mr Smith, take this; mahogany, unicorn hair, eleven inches and quite brittle. Mr Davies, you take this wand; willow, phoenix feather, eight inches and rather bendy.'
After almost an hour of wand-testing, they had found the wand for Daniel; a hawthorn wand, with a phoenix feather core and ten inches long. Elliot, however, was proving to be more difficult. Twenty more minutes after Daniel had bought his wand, Elliot was still searching. Mr Ollivander seemed to be getting more and more cheerful with every one of Elliot's failures, saying that he enjoyed a tricky customer. That might have been the case for Mr Ollivander, but Elliot was getting more frustrated by the minute.
`Maybe this one,' muttered Mr Ollivander to himself, handing Elliot what seemed to be the one millionth wand. `Give it a good, hard wave. I want to see the outcome of this.'
Elliot took the wand, and felt sudden warmth through his fingers. He gave a flick of the wand, and red and gold sparks came from the end of the wand, just as they did Daniel's.
`Strange, that is.' Mr Ollivander said. `I was thinking that this wand would become possession of an exceptionally powerful wizard – not that you will not be exceptionally powerful, but, an extremely extraordinary one. A yew wand; I know only one wand with the same core – the Elder Wand. The core to this wand is thestral tail hair.
`When I made this, I was hoping it would have roughly the same power, and it is not that far off. We should be expecting great things from you, Mr Smith. Use it wisely…'
After paying for the wand, they went back out to Diagon Alley. They had clearly been in Ollivanders for ages, as the street was not nearly as packed as before they entered the dusty shop, and there was a cool breeze gently nipping at Elliot's face.
`Oh my God that was long. I never knew that wand shopping would take so much time; I thought you picked up a wand, paid for it and walked out!' said Elliot.
`Well, as Mr Ollivander says, "the wand chooses the wizard".' Pansy replied. `I think we ought to go to Gambol and Japes, get the boys and head off?'
`I fancy another ice-cream from Florean's.' Laura announced.
`And me,' said Alex, licking his lips. `Gambol and Japes; get the boys; go to Florean Fortescue's and then go home.'
`Good plan,' Rodger agreed. So they went to collect Rhys and Patrick, and went to get ice-creams. After the ice-creams were bought, the families bode their goodbyes and returned back to their homes. One thing was dwelling on Elliot's mind, though, as he lay in his low double bed that July night. He lay there, spread out in his bed, thinking to himself, `I can't wait for summer to end.'