"No, no, no, no, no...stay back or I...I...err...poke you! I have stick! Aha! I poke you! Back, back fiend!"
"He's having a crazy moment again..." Hermione muttered. "What set him off now?" she grinned at her friend.
I laughed, "I tried to give him medicine. He is covered in spots and lumps but won't take the counter-allergy stuff. He decided I was trying to poison him and suddenly grabbed this stick he found and is poking me." I waved my wand lazily at Albus, picking him up and sitting him down on a chair. "Are you staying for tea?" I glanced at Hermione who was entertaining Lily by swishing her tea in the air. "'Mione? Are you staying?" distracted she nearly dropped her tea, but, being the fabulous witch she is, she caught it.
"I would love to! The kids do like it here," she said brightly. "That reminds me, I came over to talk to you about something. Did you get Albus' Hogwarts letter yet?"
"Yes, actually, it arrived yesterday. We're lucky we live so close to Diagon Alley, I think we're going to pop over next week. This is so exciting, even though James started last year; it's so much fun when they go for the first time. And what about Rose, has her letter arrived yet, or is your owl slow?" Hermione looked a bit odd and turned away slightly.
"Well, the thing is, Ron and I are a tiny bit worried as to the whereabouts of the letter. I'm actually a tad dubious of its existence…" This she whispered. She nodded at the girl, who was laughing at her brother for getting bitten by his own cat. "She's never shown any magical ability before, just an abnormal intelligence – abnormally high that is. We were hoping that with a wand she would show, but, without going to the lengths of buying Rose her own, we have tried everything. At the beginning of the summer she tried her dad's wand, her Uncle Charlie's wand, my wand, and, as you know, she held your wand for a short time." I was astonished, I never knew that letting my niece play with my wand had such great importance. "I know I should've told you but I – we – didn't want to panic anyone. Just don't want to go into Felicity's to find out my daughter is a…a…a squib." Hermione was panicking slightly. She wasn't sure how she could handle a squib as a daughter, think how left out she would feel. I placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Remember, I'm with you forever, whatever, whenever; I'll always be there." I hugged her hard. "And if she is a…you know…a squib, then we can teach her muggle subjects ourselves, or theory or as a really drastic measure, send her to a muggle school, we've given all the kids a bit of muggle learning to help at Hogwarts, but she could get a proper education and a job. You never know, she could be really good at that sort of thing." I hugged Hermione again. "You know, 'Mione, that whatever Rose does, she will do great things because she is like her mother, who just happens to be running for Minister of Magic in a year or two." She nodded and smiled sadly. "Don't forget, we still haven't been to the wand makers yet. She could still be a witch," I said a cheerfully as I could. "Anyway, time for tea, I think, if you could get them out of the kitchen please, I need space." Hermione nodded gratefully at me and shuffled the kids out.
"Ron is going for a drink with Har- his mates tonight, so don't worry about him," she yelled.
"Mummy, what's for tea?" asked Lily, who had appeared at my side. Her long orange hair was up it five mad bunches today and she smiled a toothy grin at me, showing off her newly acquired 'grown-up teeth'.
"It's chicken casserole tonight babe."
"Okies." My little girl ran off, leaving me with an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach as I knew who Hermione had corrected herself from saying, Harry. Being divorced after three kids and ten years of marriage didn't give me the best feeling in the world as to being a good mother, but I hoped to do the best I could.
For the first few minutes of wandering around Diagon Alley Albus clutched to be like I was a life support. Also he constantly hid behind me to avoid taunts from his mischievous cousin. Rose's letter hadn't arrived so we'd come to Diagon Alley early this year. But when we reached the wand shop, the second shop – first we'd gone into the pet shop to pick up an owl for James, he hadn't had one last year due to 'insufficient funds' as Harry put it – he let go and raced inside, ready for his first ever wand. He came back and, grabbing my arm, dragged me inside.
"Come on mum." I nodded apologetically at 'Mione but she was busy being shown for the forty-thousandth time James' wondrous talent for levitating. Then I was pulled into the dank, dark shop that had a somewhat musty air.
It was exactly as I remembered from when Ollivander owned it. The tiny, spindly chair, the wand in the window, the thousands and thousands of wands in their boxes lining the walls, except instead of the old, crinkly face of Ollivander, the old crinkly face of Felicity, his sister, appeared out of the darkness.
"Ginevra Weasley, I remember you, I'd been in the back in the dark and Ollivander made me memorise all the people who might bring their children in for wands. Your wand was thirteen inches, rosewood, an all rounder, with an especially hard-to-get-at Veela hair core. I remember when Ollivander told me had got that hair, I was so proud. Ahh…and you must be Albus Severus. A grand name for a grand boy, who obviously needs a wand. Now…hmmm…let me see how about this, oak, eleven inches, unicorn hair. Give it a wave lad." Albus took the wand and swished it about. Slugs began to squelch out of his pockets in adverse personality conflict. "Ooh dear, not that, how about vine, ten and a quarter, dragon heart string. No, wait, I have a wand for you…" she snatched the wand away and hurried to the back of the shop. There was a shuffling and crashing sound as she not-so-delicately made her way around the tiny cupboard. I heard a sigh and a thump, and finally the old woman made her way back in triumphantly carrying a black box, wrapped carefully with a deep blue ribbon. "This," she cried, "is a fantastic wand. It took me so long to find the materials and then even longer to graft them together but," she paused meaningfully, "but it was well worth it. I'll let you in on a secret. This wand is the first of a new kind, it has two woods intertwined to create a strong and flexible, beautiful wand. Twelve inches, cherry and mahogany, phoenix feather. Try it; I can feel there is something about you that deserves this wand."
Albus gingerly took the wand from those frail old hands and swept it in an arc shape, smoothly round. A deep azure blue trail followed it, sparkling softly in the darkness. It was magnificent.
Albus said, "Yes, I think this is the wand for me. I like how it feels. Hold it mum." He passed it to me and I examined the exquisite wand. The two woods both deep red make it beautiful, a fairly heavy wand, with a bit more swing. Turning it on end, I discovered a miniature picture of a phoenix feather on the end.
"Look Albus, it's a phoenix feather." I pointed out the picture. "This is the wand for Albus. How much?" I smiled at Felicity.
"Usually, because it is special, 10 galleons. But because I like you and you knew my brother, I'll sell it to you for 8 galleons and 9 sickles." I laughed and pulled out the money.
"Now Albus, are you sure? Felicity, are you sure? I just want to know before I hand over this vast amount of money." I winked at them and they both nodded. "Here you are. We must be off now; we have tons of shopping to do. And don't worry; I'll bring Lily along in two years to get her wand. Good bye!" we waved as we left, but suddenly I remembered Hermione and Rose, so I ran back in. "Um, ah, felicity? Hermione's daughter is next and she…well…hasn't shown any sign of magic so if…if you find out she's…ah…well, you know, can you get me please?" she nodded. "Thanks." I gasped and ran to catch up with my son, passing Hermione on the way. "Good luck," I whispered and she disappeared into the shop.
AN. Well? Did you like it? I know, an evil cliffy, but still! As always, R&R! Love to you all. froga10t.