Chapter Two - Diagon Alley
The next day Bree and her mother were taking a trip to Diagon Alley. Bree had been here many times before, because of her condition they usually went at dusk or in the night-time. Bree loved Diagon Alley at dusk, the shops weren't crowded and everything seemed so calm and tranquil, tonight the sky was dark pink and was decorated by lazy, fluffy clouds. It was a cool summer night and a light breeze tickled Bree's neck, despite the lack of sunlight she still carried her parasol.
The first they went to was Flourish and Blotts to collect school books, Bree breathed in the scent of the musty books, she noticed a bushy haired girl staring at a huge bookshelf running her finger along the titles, every so often she would pull one out, read the blurb and make a noise of astonishment. Bree walked over to her.
"Hello." Bree beamed, the girl gave a slight jump.
"Oh, hello."
"Are you starting Hogwarts this year?" Bree asked.
"Yes. I can't wait, my name's Hermione Granger."
"I'm Bree Roberts." The pair shook hands, "I hope I see you around."
Two people Bree assumed were Hermione's parents came over laden with books and other supplies.
"Well, I have to go now. Hopefully I'll see you on the train. Goodbye." Bree gave Hermione a wave as she left the shop which Hermione returned with a smile. Bree was glad to know that she wouldn't be totally alone on the train now.
"Come on Bree, here are your books." Her mother handed her a bulky bag, "Hmm, perhaps we should have left the books until the end. Oh well. Robes next!" Bree's mother said as they left the shop.
Five minutes later Bree was stood on a stool in Madam Malkin's shop being measured with a length of tape while floating scissor cut the fabric to the correct size. In the corner of the shop Bree's mother was looking at a display of hats. There was a large boy stood on the stool next to her, his hair was short and bristly and Bree couldn't but think he looked very mean.
"What you looking at?" The burly boy rasped and Bree quickly averted her gaze while the boy's mother chastised his quietly.
"Hush Gregory!" The woman was also very large and had dull eyes, she didn't sound as though she meant what she had said. Bree was very glad when her robes were finished so she could leave the brute behind, she didn't like the thought of making an enemy before her first day. Bree mother had to rush to Gringotts to take out some extra money and left Bree sat outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour with a small chocolate sundae. Also sat outside was a worried looking boy with a round face who was just finishing a small ice cream sundae, he kept glancing through the window looking at a stern woman talking to the shop's owner. Bree decided to smile at the boy, he smiled back and she moved over to his table.
"Hello!" Bree said cheerfully, "I'm Bree, are you starting Hogwarts this year?" she asked eying the various packages that were stacked around his feet.
"Oh yes, I'm Neville and this is my toad, Trevor." He pointed to an empty bowl, "Oh no! I've lost him again." Neville got on his hands knees and crawled under tables calling Trevor's name, Bree wished there was some way she could help. Bree felt something land on her head; she gave a squeak of surprise and a toad leapt onto the table. She grabbed hold of it.
"Neville!" She called, "I've got him." She handed the creature over to Neville who took it with a huge grin.
"Thank you so much. My grandmother would have been so mad if I lost him again." Just then the stern looking women came out the shop, "I'd better go. Bye Bree."
Bree's mother emerged from Gringotts just as Bree was finishing her ice cream. The next shop they were going to was Ollivander's to get her wand, Bree always wondered if she would able to get a real wand she loved playing with her Mother's when she was younger and hoped one day she'd get one to call her own. Inside the shop's walls were lined with boxes. A man looked up from the desk, "Nora Roberts," he said recognising Bree's mother, "Redwood with unicorn tail hair, I remember it well." He looked Bree up and down and measured her wand arm, he then pulled a small green box from the stack. Bree tingled with excitement as Mr Ollivander handed her a wand. It was made from Holly and it's core was a dragon heartstring, it felt cold in her hand Bree waved it but nothing happened.
"Ah, not to worry." Mr Ollivander who handed her another, "Pine with a unicorn tail hair."
A few feeble sparks fell from the wand but nothing extraordinary, seven wands later and Ollivander was relishing the challenge, every wand that failed made him mumble "interesting" and retreat further into his shop to retrieve different wand. He emerged carrying a purple box, "Willow with a feather plucked from the tail of a phoenix in New Zealand." He held it out and Bree took it and instantly felt a rush of warmth run through her body, she flicked the wand and out flew a huge golden spark which shattered into hundreds of tiny glowing lights, "Miss Roberts, I think we've found your wand!"
"Thank you Mr Ollivander." She beamed and handed over gold galleons.
"This wand is particularly springy and you should find it useful in Charms and Transfiguration."
Bree thanked the man again as her and mother left the shop.
They headed toward the pet shop Bree had had a cat for a year and needed some extra supplies so she could take it Hogwarts. The Magical Menagerie shop was quite crowded with a large group of redheads, the youngest of the group was clutching a shabby looking rat and was staring at a glass case of hula-hooping ferrets. Two identical boys were imitating pirates and each had a parrot sat on their shoulder and a red haired women was buying a screech owl for another boy, the women gestured towards him and told the shop keeper that he was going to be a prefect, "We're so happy!" The woman said this with a proud look in her eyes which disappeared when she turned around and saw the twin's pirate impressions. The family left quickly and Bree found the cat section. Bree's cat was a grey tabby called Cressida, she got her when she was just a kitten and they had quickly got close. Cressida would hunt mice and leave them by Bree's bed, Bree would then drink the creatures' blood despite her mother's warnings that it might not be safe. Bree bought a travelling case and some new toys for Cressida and then headed towards the Apothecary.
It was a fascinating shop, crammed with barrels which each held a different ingredient, while Bree would happily breathe in the scent of Flourish and Blotts' books she tried to hold her nose in this shop, the stench was foul and overpowering. A girl who worked in the shop gathered the necessities for a first year as Bree looked in at the barrels contents. In one a mess of tentacles squirmed, another held pointy, green claws, the third barrel contained hundreds of eyeballs soaking in blood. Bree felt her bloodlust overpower her. She could no longer smell the rotting ingredients only the sweet red substance in front of her, her vision started to blur and all she could see, hear, smell and think was blood! She dipped her fingers into the barrel and licked the thick liquid off. She took a deep breath and she noticed someone, a blond boy was staring at with a look of disgusted interest. There was no point in playing innocent so she gave him a defiant look. The boy simply smirked and walked away. Bree looked around anxiously hoping no-one else saw her.
"What were you thinking?!" Her mother hissed as they hurried to the Leaky Cauldron.
"I couldn't help it…I had to."
"Well someone saw you! What if he realises? He'll be suspicious now. And I bet he's a Hogwarts student, try to avoid him Bree."
"Yes mum. I'm sorry." Bree pushed open the door of the Leaky Cauldron and promptly fell flat on her face.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" A boy with messy black hair offered her his hand and pulled her up, "Did you fall over my things?"
Bree nodded stupidly, "I hope I didn't break anything." It was at this point that Bree noticed the boy's bright green eyes and his lightening bolt scar, "You're Harry Potter!" She whispered excitedly.
"Bree, we should be going." Nora ushered her daughter away and shook Harry's hand with hushed thanks. Nora gathered the school supplies they had bought, held onto her daughter's hand and together they apparated home with a soft pop.
AN- I think I covered all my bases for the identity of the soul mate! If any readers have particular likes/dislikes shipwise let me know. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter, I proof read this twice so I hope I caught any mistakes. As I said in the first chapter all reviews are appreciated so let me know your thoughts!