Chapter 2- Michelle

"Hurry Michelle!" cried my father from the fireplace.

"Coming!" I said as I hastily shoved my book list in my pockets. I double checked my papers then raced out the door, slamming it in the process. I nearly collided with my little brother, Brian as I rounded the corner in the hallway

"Michelle! Hurry! We're going to Diagon Alley!" he said. He was too eager to fight with me about the collision. I certainly wasn't. I'm looking forward to going to Diagon Alley. I've only been there a couple of times, but Brian should really watch where he's going.

"Brian, you should really watch where-" I began, annoyed.

"Hurry Michelle!" he grabbed my hand and we were racing down the stairs. As we arrived in the living room, Mom was bringing out the floo powder in the homemade flowerpot I made when I was seven. The reason why we were so anxious to leave is because we're going to get my Hogwarts stuff. We got the letter yesterday!

Hogwarts is the finest school for wizards. 'Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry' Emphasis on the withcraft and wizardry. Hogwarts has 4 houses: Gryffindore; daring and bold, Ravenclaw; wise and witty, Hufflepuff; just and loyal as well as Slitherin; cunning and ?. I would hate to be in Slitherin, theres not one wizard thats been in Slitherin who hasn't gone bad. Mom and Dad were both in Ravenclaw, that's probably where I'm going to be placed.

"Is Harry Potter going to school this year?" asked my little brother

"No, I believe it's next year," my mom replied, "Daniel, You go first." He takes a handful of floo powder and places himself in the large fireplace; throwing down the glittery silver powder that burst into green flames "Diagon Alley!" said Dad loud and clearly, as he disappears. The large green flames extingwish themselves at once. **check 2nd book for more elaborate details**

"Your turn Michelle. Do you have everything?" said Mom. I nod my head as I take some powder from the pot.

"Remember to speak cleary!" she reminds me as I place myself in the fireplace. I take a deep breath and throw the powder on the ground. "Diagon Alley!"making sure i pronounce clearly so that I don't end up somewhere else in the Floo Network.

Brian was lost once. When he was 6, he turned up at Renee's house.

The last thing I see is my mom smiling at me and my brother looking ridiculously impatient. Then I see my fathers face waiting for me. He helps me quickly get out of the fireplace. A few seconds later, Brian appears, followed by my mom..

"alright, first stop...Flourish and Blotts!" declared Mom.

"I thought we were going to Gringotts Bank first?" i ask her.

"Your father took the money out yesterday after work."

"Save us some time." he declared proudly.

"Alright, so why don't we split-" I began.

"Can I go check out the brooms at Quality Quidditch supplies?" said Brian cutting me off. That's the second time he's cut me off today!

"Shut up for a second!"I yell at him. Unfortunatly it doesn't have the desired effect.

"Michelle!" cried both my parents simutaniously. "apoligize to your brother." continued my mother.

"Sorry Brian," I said, "Now we'll split up and-"

"Sure, you guys can go look at the brooms, Michelle and I will be around." my mom, interrupted "Come on Michelle" she said, leading me towards Flourish and Blotts. I spent some time oogling at the books towering high. How could it be so small and look so disorginised, when it seemed so much bigger and well placed inside? After mom and I managed to pull ourselvesaway from the books, we picked up all the necessairy first year books.

We went to the Apothecary to pick up the ingredients needed for potions and Herboligy.

"So, we have to get my wand, then my robes and a few other potions supplies."

"I have a surprise for you after we get your wand." my mom annouced.

"Really? What is it?" i exclaimed

"theres a reason It's called a surprise ,silly."

"okay. Let's go to Olivanders!" We walk along the cobblestone towards the shop that reads in peeling gold letters over the door : Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.. Wit hno display at all. Inside the shop, thousands of narrow boxes containing wands were piled right up to the ceiling of the tiny shop, and the whole place had a thin layer of dust about it. My mom stands, since there are no chairs. A wicker chair would look good where she's standing though, or maybe a nice plush chair...maybe I should mention these tips to him. A *strange*, old manappears behind the counter and smiles at the sight of costomers.

"Ah yes, Christina Abott, or should i say Grandchamp? Do you still have your Oak wand with unicorn hair? 12 ¾ inches right? Does it still work as it did a good ? Years ago?" asked the man in a small voice that filled the shop.

"Yes, like a charm mr. Ollivander." she smiled. "this is my daughter, Michelle"

"Pleased to meet you miss Grandchamp." he said drifting into the shop, "Which is your wand hand, my dear?"

"My right." I reply holding it out as the tape measures fly all around me, measureing me,

He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket...He measured me from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head...I suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between my nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. "That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor."

"You know, you could put a nice plush chair as display, or a nice wicker chair. Ooh!" I said as a great idea poped into my head, "you could put a nice faded purple cushion with a single wand on it." Ollivander stops his search for a second, considering my thoughts. Then nodded slowly.

"Yes, I think that would work." he said to himself. He took out a narrow box from one of the towering selves. "try this, oak, mermaid hair, 13 inches." he hands it to me "Give it a wave." But when i waved it, feeling quite foolish, I felt nothing, and nothing happened. Ollivander santches it from me instantly "no, not that one" he rummages through boxes and pulls out another narrow box, this one looking brand new. "Just made this one myself a few days ago. 12 inches of willow with a pheonix feather. Graceful." he said passing me the wand. Immediatly i felt a sudden warmth, as if a part of me was empty before this. I waved it and a path of silver and blue sparks came out in a motion that resembeled graceful wings and then disappeared into the air with a glittery noise.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, awestruck.

"Yes, graceful." he said, "very graceful."

"Graceful?"

"yes, willow is a graceful kind of wood." with this, i examine my wand, it does sem quite elegant. We pay the 4 gallons and leave, bidding farewell too Mr. Ollivander.

"So, did you still want that surprise?" my mom asked. I had completly forgotten about it over all the excitement in the shop.

"Of course!" I exclaimed "what is it?" I look around anxiously trying to figure it out.

"Come on," said momleading me towards Magical Menager. When we get inside very cramped and noisy with every inch of wall covered by cages. You can hear the screeches of the various owls along with a few other animal sounds. "go pick one out Michelle" I walk slowly towards the owls, a small one looks at me curiously from its cage. I read the caption: Saw-whet. It's so cute and tiny! I look over towards the counter and from the corner of my eye, I see a huge ginger cat that is perched in it's cage glaring at me. I walk over to it and read it's name is Crookshanks.I look around at the other cages and see a small black kitten with white paws that resembles little boots and white whiskers, sitting elegantly.

"Mom!" I called out.

"Yes?" she responds, looking curiously in my direction.

"I think I found her."

"Awe, she's beautiful"

"Can I have her? I think I know what I want to name her already." I say excited.

"Of corse." She picks up the cage and heads back to the counter. I follow and by the time i get there she's already paying.

"How old is she?" I ask the storesclerk.

"About 5 months."

"You're still just a little baby!" I say, baby talking? to the kitten. After we leave, we buy ice cream. I get 2 scoops of chocolate fugde with chopped nuts and sprinkles.

"So what are you naming her again?" askes my mom as she takes another lick at her raspberry and vanilla ice cream with chopped nuts.

"Willow." I say, "It means graceful. She looks very graceful you know."

"And that's the first thing you noticed about her?

"One of the first. That and her little boots of white fur." We finished our ice creams and walked to madame Malkin's Robes for all occasions to get my uniform. As we walk into the brightly decorated shop, an elder a squat witch walks towards us with a huge smile across her face.

"Hello dear, I am Madame Malkin, are you on our way to Hogwarts?"

"yes." I replied quietly

"Got a few others here-another young woman being fitted up just now, in fact." In the back of the shop a short girl with long brown hair was standing on a footstool while another witch with matching mauve robes as Madam Malkin, was pinning up her long black robes. Madame Malkin stood me on the stool next to her. She slipped a long black robe over my head and began to pin it to the correct length. I glance at the girl next to me, her eyes popped out, they were green with a swirl of brown in them. The beautiful girl met my gaze, and we both whipped our heads back to the front. I couldn't just let the moment pass, it would make things awkward at school.

"Hi, my names Michelle, what's yours?"

"I'm Paige."

"that's a pretty name."

"thanks, are you excited for school?"

"yea, I'm looking forward to the sorting. What house do you think you'll be in?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, I definately won't be in slitherin"

"Yea, my dad basically says it's evil"

"well, there's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slitherin."

"You-konw-who was in Slitherin, he killed my uncle."

"oh, I'm sorry to hear that." I said "You-know-who took too many lives to count. It's horrible. Some people say he's still out there somewhere."

"Really? I wonder if it could be true."

"Okay dear, you're finished." Said the young witch who was pinning Paige's robes. She hopped off the stool

"Well, I'll se you at Hogwarts." she called, giggling musically.

"Yeah, see you!" I called after her, trying to keep from moving too much. I think maybe I made my first friend. Things are turning out just fine so far. Nothing can ruin my day, not even when Brian spilled his drink on my favorite shirt. Okay, maybe that burst my bubble, but he always does.