A/N: Okay. I'm new to Fanfiction (though I've been reading it for a while), so this is my first story...
First, I'd like to ask:
Disclaimers- do I need one? I see that some authors write one and some don't. When is one needed?
Well, hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter One- First
Lily Evans, soon-to-be first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, stepped into Diagon Alley with an expression of pure awe on her face. She tugged at the hand of her slack-jawed parent as she hopped around excitedly, taking in every detail of the bustling wizarding street with eager green eyes.
"Mum, mum, look!" she said in a carrying whisper, seemingly straining not to let out an ecstatic squeal. "There's a big pot stirring itself! And- ooh- owls and bats and things! This is so cool…"
Mrs Evans nodded weakly, taking in the cheerful strangeness of the scene. "Yes, Professor Bumdledore- Dudlemo- Dumbledore, mentioned this… It's a bit, er, overwhelming, isn't it?"
Lily nodded, all too ready to agree, her rather bright red locks bobbing joyfully. "Where are we going to go first, Mum? Can we go get a wand now? I wish Sev was here, he'd know what to do!"
"We'll need to change the currency first, dear," Mrs Evans stated firmly, and she smoothed down her skirt resolutely with a nod to her daughter. "And we should get your books and uniform before the wand; we don't know how long this wand fitting business is going to take and we told your father we'd be back by two…"
The little girl twirled around in glee and grabbed her mother's hand, skipping down the cobbled lane.
Lily sighed as she bit into the melting ice-cream, shivering with delight as a pleasantly icy feeling rushed through her head. The midday sun beat down upon the two Evanses as they sat under the barely adequate shade outside the ice-cream parlour.
"This is wonderful," Lily sighed as she lazily followed the movement of a small swirling flame that refused to burn out as it drew hypnotising symbols above the apothecary. What a fabulous, brilliant, spectacular day. If only Sev was here to enjoy it with her… He would have told her everything he knew about every single item they'd bought just to see her gleeful grin.
Her mother nodded absently, rifling through the bags that contained her daughter's new school clothing, cauldron (thankfully bewitched to be lighter than it looked) and other Potion equipment. She scanned the list of requirements she procured and smiled.
"Only the wand to go now, and then we can maybe pick out something special for your father and sister!"
Lily gave an almost indiscernible twitch at the mention of Petunia, but no, she wouldn't let the thought of her bitter sister ruin her day.
"Sure," she said brightly, popping the last bit of cone in her mouth and chomping. Was there something different, special, about wizarding ice-cream as well?
Mrs Evans gathered up the bags of purchases with an exaggerated groan, and Lily, somewhat reluctantly, took up two of the lighter bags. They headed further down the alley to where a solemn looking shop stood, with golden letters proclaiming 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC' over the door. A single wand lay on a purple cushion in the window, where a bored but respectable looking man lounged idly. He looked up as they approached the door and nodded, smiling at the pair. Lily returned his grin somewhat hesitantly and entered the store.
The interior was small and rather cramped, and save for a worn-looking counter and spindly chair in the corner, it was piled high with long, thin boxes. It made it all the more squished that a young boy and a woman who seemed to be his mother were making their purchases, scattered wands and boxes askew around them.
They looked up as the tinkling of a bell announced Lily and Mrs Evan's arrival, and smiled politely. The storekeeper, a wiry looking man with peppery hair smiled, rather creepily in Lily's opinion, and said that he'd be with them shortly.
"That's fine, take your time!" Mrs Evans replied graciously, moving over to perch on the flimsy chair.
Lily stared at the two customers. They were wizards. Somewhere in a poorly educated part of her brain, Lily supposed, she thought they'd all be like Dumbledore; mighty, imposing, with that little bit of madness. But no, these two were like any other person she might see on the street, save for their modestly black robes. The boy was about her age, rather small and thin, with spectacles and messy black hair that made his head look too big. He was in the process of waving wands around. Lily's breath caught in her throat. Actual wands! Oh, how she wanted one. The boy took up another but before he could even move it far, the man snatched it away, shaking his head and muttering under his breath.
"No no, definitely not that one! Ah, how about this; eleven inches, mahogany and unicorn hair, pliable."
Eying the shopkeeper as if expecting him to snatch it away any second, the boy gently picked up the wand. He blinked with surprise, staring at his hand, and swished it in the air. A small firework of gold sparks burst from the end with a loud bang.
Mrs Evans jumped from where she was staring aimlessly at the faded floorboards, and Lily clapped her hands together in surprise.
The man clapped his hands too, looking far too gleeful for such an age.
"Oh jolly good! That will do quite well for you, Mr Potter!"
Mrs Potter conversed with the storekeeper as he set about neatly packaging the wand, and the boy ran his hand through his hair, looking a bit too pleased with himself.
As they made to leave and Lily started forward, the Potter boy bumped into her, eyes trained on the box in his hands.
"Oh, sorry!" he cried, putting a hand out to steady her and smiling apologetically.
"N-no problem," Lily replied uncertainly, rubbing her arm self-consciously.
"See you at Hogwarts then!" he said with a grin, and then he and his mother were gone.
"Now, how can I help you?" the shopkeeper asked with a slight bow. "Garrick Ollivander at your service!"
He fixed piercing blue eyes on Lily, and the words that had been in her mouth withered up and died.
Mrs Evans stepped in. "A wand here, for my daughter; she's starting at Hogwarts this year!" she beamed proudly, putting an arm around Lily.
"Wonderful," said Mr Ollivander. "Now, which is your wand arm?"
"Well, I'm left handed…?"
Ten minutes later Lily was reverently carrying her new wand out of the shop, turning back to wave at Mr Ollivander. Staring down at the soft brown of her new wand, and her head once again swimming with the idea that she was going to do magic, she forgot all about the wizard boy who she'd bumped into that day at Diagon Alley.
