Elizabeth arrived at Diagon Alley without too much difficulty. Aunt Josephine had been here before with her brother, of course. And with good old Tom, the bar keep for the Leaky Caldron (which stood at the gateway) to help them in by tapping the third brick from the left with his wand, she could finally accept that this all was real.
Everywhere there were amazing things to see. Strange people and smells. Cauldrons and broomsticks on display. Owls hooting and flying around. She couldn't stop starring, especially at the goblins, having never seen a mythological creature in real life before. She also found it interesting when her aunt exchanged their "muggle money" for these strange little coins made of gold, silver and copper. She couldn't help but gaze at this strange currency. Could she actually belong in this world?
Her excitement only seemed to be dwarfed by her aunts. "My, my. I haven't been here in so long! You know you have to be with a witch or wizard to get in here! Too bad I never found me a good wizard husband, huh, Lizzy?" Aunt Josephine said nudging her. It was obvious that she would have done anything if only to be born a witch too. But as long as Aunty was happy, Elizabeth knew that she had family, a home. What did it matter to be used?
"So, girly, what do you need to get?" Her aunt nudged her again. "Umm... let's see," she said, pulling out her list. "I need a wand-" "Perfect! Let's start with that!" Aunt Josephine cried, grabbing her arm and dragging her until they reached a dusty little shop that looked as if it had been out of business for years. The sign read Ollivanders: makers of fine wands since 302 B.C. Her aunt merely glanced at it before dragging the poor child inside.
In the wand shop sat a strange man with frizzy gray hair and silver eyes. He looked rather old but moved with the air of a man twenty years his junior. "Mr. Ollivander!" Josephine exclaimed. His eyes moved from Aunt Josephine and rested on Elizabeth. Their seemed to be a twinkle of curiosity and recognition in those misty orbs, but with a quick shake of the head, it was gone. "Aha! First year a Hogwarts I take it." He pulled out a tape measurer that began to take measurements of Elizabeth's arm and torso of its own accord. He rummaged through many boxes on the shelf. When this strange man-Mr. Ollivander-seemed satisfied with the measurements- the measuring tape now measuring the distance between her eyes-he called for it to stop. "Here we are! Holly and unicorn hair! Excellent for charm work!" But as soon as the wand was placed in her hand, it was rapidly pulled out again. "Here, how about this one? Oak and hippogriff feather?" But that one was soon taken from her. And so on it went, Mr. Ollivander becoming more and more amused with each wand they tried. He kept laughing, saying "The wand chooses the wizard after all."
But after what seemed like an eternity of "testing" these wands even he seemed to tire of this game. His eyebrows knotted together and he looked at the child as if he were trying to peer into her soul. "Oh, what the heck! Let's give it a try!" He exclaimed, exasperated and a little disappointed. He hurried to the back of the shop, shortly returning with a small and dusty box. "Here child, try this one," he encouraged. Lifting the lid she found a long wand, blackened with age. She could barely make out the tiny symbols that were engraved on the hilt. "Willow," He murmured. "And strange at that. Hematite, lapis, and tiger's eye, all fused together with Vampuric venom." She felt very nervous, gazing at this wand. It seemed almost as if Mr. Ollivander were warning her, pleading not to take this wand. She slowly reached in and grasped it, her fingers forming a bond with the symbols. Suddenly she felt complete. Warmth rushed trough her and she found herself flicking the wand, which emitted crystalline sparks from its tip. Mr. Ollivander gazed at her, pity and sorrow in his eyes. She instantly felt guilty, as if she had commited some sort of crime.
The silence was broken by Aunt Josephine clapping her hands in joy, oblivious to the change of atmosphere. "How much will it be, Mr. Ollivander?" Not removing his eyes from the girl he softly replied no charge." Even more quietly, he murmured "It is back with its rightful owner, afterall."