The sound of pistons working and the slow rumble of the train lured Justin into a low relaxed state. His mind wandered as changing landscapes passed by the window in his compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Justin sat there, marveling at the fact that he was finally going into his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
A few weeks prior, with the arrival of his Hogwarts Letter, he got another surprise. He had been named Quidditch Captain of the Hufflepuff House Team. He smiled softly to himself as plans for the coming season zoomed around his head like the Quidditch Players he would soon be leading.
Justin absently spun his wand in his fingers, lost in thought, when there was a sudden crash outside his compartment door. Startled, Justin jumped and his wand flew out of his hand, almost like he had been hit with Expelliarmus. He looked at the door and saw a flash of dark curls. He shook his head as he reached for his wand, noticing a slight smell of vanilla in the air.
Justin grabbed his wand and looked at it, the intricate designs on the handle, he smiled as a memory came from the back of his mind. It had been 6 years since he bought this very same wand in Diagon Alley.
...
"Come on Justin. All that's left is Ollivander's for your wand. Then we'll go over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour for a quick treat. How bout that?"
Justin looked up at the plump woman holding his hand. He smiled at his mother, her blond hair flowing down the back of her robin's egg blue cloak.
"Really! You mean it?"
Lynn Elliott chuckled. "Of course I do sweetie."
"Can I get chocolate chip cookie dough!"
Lynn laughed harder. "You can have what ever your little heart desires. It's not everyday a young man goes into his first year at Hogwarts, now is it?"
Justin jumped with glee and practically dragged his mother down Diagon Alley towards Ollivander's.
The mother and child weaved in and out of the bustling crowd slowly making their way towards the wand makers. This was the one thing Justin couldn't wait for. He had seen his mom do great things with her own wand and well, he wanted his own.
Justin's eyes positively lit up as they finally made it to the shop. Justin looked up at the store, his eyes gleaming as he dragged his mother inside.
The shop was a musty place, rows upon rows of shelves filled the place. But instead of books on these shelves, they contained small thin boxes, which Justin knew contained wands. He jumped up and down with joy on the spot as he waited.
"Mr. Ollivander?" Lynn called out. "We've come to buy a wand."
A muffled cry came out from the back of the shop. "I'll be there in a second, I've landed myself in a bit of a pickle. One moment please." They heard the sound of a spell being cast and hundreds of boxes flying back onto a shelf. "Ah that's better!" Said a grey haired man as he came walking down one of the aisles. "I do apologize about that, a couple of the boxes fell on me while I was trying to reorganize. Now who do we have here? Ah! Lynn! it is so great to see you. Keeping care of that wand I sold you? Ivy and unicorn tail hair if I do recall. Is it keeping up?"
"Very much so Ollivander. Your wands are the best. I'm here to get Justin his first wand." Lynn placed a hand on Justin's shoulder and looked down at him lovingly.
"Ahhh." Ollivander said as he looked down at the small boy. "Excited about starting school?"
Justin nodded excitedly. "I'mma be the greatest wizard ever!" Justin excitedly jumped up and punched the air. Lynn and Ollivander laughed.
"Now my dear boy, I'm sure you're gonna be a fantastic wizard." Said Ollivander, his eyes twinkling. "But before you can, you need one very important thing. And that is your wand. You've come to the right place for that my dear boy. Now let's see."
Ollivander looked around his shop, a pondering look in his eye, he glanced at Lynn then pulled a box down from the shelf. He opened it carefully. Inside was a long thin wand, made of some type of black wood. He took it out gingerly and handed it to Justin.
"Lets try this one. African Blackwood and unicorn tail hair. Give it a wave."
With the slightest flick of Justin wrist silver sparks shot out of the tip of the wand and lit Ollivander's desk on fire. Startled Ollivander waved his wand and the flames went out.
"Well, definitely not that one." Ollivander took the wand back and put it in the box, returning it to it's shelf. "Hmmmmm" Ollivander walked around the shop pulling box after box down, stacking them on the top of his large desk. He finally pulled the last one down and set it at the end of the pile.
"I'm sure your wand is in here somewhere dear boy."
The process continued again and again. Ollivander handing Justin a wand and Justin waving it. Some did nothing, while others had catastrophic affects. One of the wands set fire to Ollivander's pants even. Which got a round of roaring laughter from but was silenced instantly with a stern look from his mother. They went through what must have been 30 wands. Ollivander seemed to get happier and happier as they went by, exclaiming "Oh! A difficult customer! A difficult customer indeed!"
Finally they reached the last wand on the desk. Ollivander opened the box and handed it to Justin. "Willow and unicorn tail hair. Nice and Supple."
When Justin grabbed the wand he felt a slight warmth in his fingers. He waved the wand and small red sparks flew from the end. Justin was elated. He grinned eagerly at his mother but his face fell when he looked at Ollivander.
"W-w-what is it Sir? Surely this must be my wand. It hasn't done any damage to anything." Said Justin weakly.
"Of course that wand would work perfectly fine for you, I have no doubt about it. but the magic is a little weak from it. It's close to your wand but not exactly your wand. Hmmm I wonder. I have an idea. If you'll excuse me." Ollivander strode to the very back of the shop and pulled a box down from the top shelf, a thick layer of dust covered the box. He wiped the dust off the box with his sleeve and smiled a little. "Maybe. Just maybe..."
Justin watched Ollivander walk back to the front of the shop a thin box in his hand, from the looks of it, the box was very old. Ollivander seemed to carry the box as if it were an old friend, a priceless treasure.
Ollivander stopped behind the desk and gingerly opened the box. Inside was a long thin dark brown wand. The wood appeared to be braided just above the handle and intricate markings crisscrossed along the handle. Ollivander gently took the wand from the box and handed it to Justin. "Let's try this one."
Justin grasped the wand in his hand and felt a huge warm feeling shoot up his arm and into his heart. He flicked his wrist and sparks flew from the end of the wand. They merged to form a small phoenix that flew around the room once before popping out of existence. Justin grinned at Ollivander.
"This wand is perfect!"
Ollivander smiled softly at the small boy. "It is indeed. Acacia and Phoenix feather core. 12 and a half inches. Quite Flexible. I was wondering when this wand would find it's owner."
Justin tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean sir?"
Well, my dear boy. This wand is the very first wand I ever made. I made it many, many, many years ago. I have always hoped it would find it's owner. And well my dear boy. Here you are! From the little display we just saw, there is no doubt you'll be a great wizard. No doubt at all. Acacia wands tend to withhold their true power from those but the most gifted. I know we'll be hearing great things about you Mr. Elliott. Great things indeed."