Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter 2
Artemis P.O.V
The week before the twins were set to go to Hogwarts, the five of us travelled to Britain via international portkey, and we moved into a cottage that had been in my family for generations, that was hidden under many charms and spells in the North of Wales. The twins had to share a room, but they said they didn't mind- it was only for a week.
We had been there for a whole day, before the twins began begging to be allowed to go to Diagon Alley. So, on the second day, we went to Diagon. I think I knew what the twins wanted to see really, but I indulged them, saying I believed that they wanted to see the whole place. Several years ago, Fred and George had moved back to Britain, to work in the shop, instead of via owl order, and Blake and Tala were desperate to see the shop.
I apparated us all to an alley in London, that was two streets away from The Leaky Cauldron, and grabbed onto Tala's and Blake's hands.
"Stay close to one of us, you two." I said.
"We will mamma." They chorused. I smiled at them, and we set off, Victor and Logan on either side of me and the twins. I led them down the streets, knowing exactly where I was going. That was until someone barrelled right into me, knocking me off my feet. I heard Logan and Victor growl.
"Mamma!" Tala and Blake said, hovering at my side.
"I'm alright." I said, standing up, and looking at who I had been run over by. The blonde hair and rather piggish appearance told me all I needed to know. "Dudley?" I asked.
"Artemis? Oh my God! It really is you!" He said. He was grinning. "I thought you were… well, ya know!"
"Yeah, well, I kinda just moved away after I got the guy." I said.
"Oh, so he is gone then. I wondered why Hestia and Daedalus just disappeared one day."
"They just upped and left?" I asked.
There was a throat clearing. I looked at Logan, and smiled sheepishly. "Ah, sorry. Dudley, meet Logan and Victor, my soul bonded partners, and Blake and Tala, our children. Guys, this is Dudley Dursley, my cousin."
"Which one's the father?" Dudley asked.
"Great thing about magic, Dud, if someone has two soul bonds, then they can have children that share DNA with all three partners." I said. "Well, if a woman has two soul bonds, no idea about if a guy has two partners. That would be a bit hard, I suppose."
"So you're the cousin that gave Artemis grief for the majority of her life away from Hogwarts before us?" Victor said, drawing himself up to his full height.
"Victor!" I said, in warning. "Dudley said sorry." I reminded him.
I could feel that both he and Logan weren't satisfied. I looked at Logan. "Don't you start either!"
Tala and Blake sniggered at my warning to their fathers.
"So, where are you off to?" Dudley asked.
"Diagon. Got to pick up school supplies for the twins. They start their first year this year."
"Well, take care, I need to go, I'm late for work. It was nice seeing you again Artemis, sorry for running you over."
"See you Dudley, and it's alright." I said. With that, he hurried off. "Well, that was unexpected." I mused aloud. I held out my hands for the twins to take. "Come on."
"Are you alright, darlin'?" Logan asked.
"I'm fine, Logan. You know that. We share the same healing factor, so even if I had been hurt, I'd be fine now."
"I was just worried."
"I know you were, Logan." I said, smiling at him. "Now, we aren't far away. Everyone brace yourselves, because I have no idea what to expect."
We walked onto Charring Cross, and towards the Leaky Cauldron. The pub was still just as small and dingy as I remembered it, and we walked through the bar quickly trying not to be noticed. We were successful. When at the entrance of Diagon Alley, I pulled out my wand. I really didn't need a wand, but sometimes I liked to feel the piece of wood in my hand. I tapped the right brick in the wall, and the bricks began to slide away, forming an archway.
The bustling and bright Diagon Alley was revealed. We stepped into it, and headed down the Alley.
"Where first?" Tala asked, bouncing, and letting go of my hand, to grasp Victor's
"Gringotts." I said. "We need to exchange some money, or go down to the Potter Vaults, and then we can start shopping."
"Oh, I want to go to the Vaults! Please!" Tala said.
"Definitely! I want to see what the ride is like! If it's anything like at Orlando!" Blake said. The both of them had been hooked on speed ever since we'd taken them to Orlando Studios, and they had gone on any ride that they were tall enough for.
I laughed. "Alright then." I said. "I'm sure we could go down to the vaults."
You're spoiling them. Victor said.
Am not. I said indignantly. I heard both his, and Logan's mental chuckles, and decided to ignore them for now.
We hurried up to the towering white marble building, and I nodded to the goblin guards respectfully on the way in. I looked for an available teller, and smiled when I saw the one goblin that was available. I led the way towards him. When I reached the counter, I spoke in flawless Gobbledygook. "Greetings, Griphook, honoured teller. I wish to ask for your assistance this day."
Griphook looked up from his paperwork and smiled at me. "Greetings Lady Potter. I would be glad to assist you." He replied in gobbledygook, before switching to English. "What can I help you and your family with today, Artemis?"
"We wish to visit one of the Potter Vaults, to withdraw money for Blake's and Tala's school supplies, please Griphook."
"Of course." Griphook said, nodding. He switched the sign at his desk to closed, and then jumped down from his seat. "Follow me please." He said.
Griphook led us down the corridors, and to a cart. We all crammed into the cart, with Tala having to sit on Victor's lap. The cart set off at a fast pace, and headed down towards the main Potter Vault. Blake and Tala laughed the whole way down at the speed. When the cart pulled to a halt, Logan got out first, and then Blake, then me, then Tala, and finally Victor.
"Key please." Griphook said.
I handed over the key, and Griphook opened the door to the Vault. Galleons, Sickles and Knuts were piled high, and so were gems of every kind. There were also clothes, and paintings in the vault. I pulled my purse out of my bag, and started putting coins in it.
"Wow." I heard Blake say. I looked at him, and saw him staring around, his blue eyes wide. The colour of his eyes was Victor's, but their shape was the same as mine. Blake's black hair was in the same style as Logan's, but he had hints of all three of us in him, just like his sister. Tala's brown hair was the same length mine had been at her age, and her green eyes were the same colour as mine, but the shape of them was Logan's. Tala was also looking round the vault in wonder. I straightened up, having filled my purse with more than enough money, and I turned towards my family, and friend.
"Well, I've picked up enough money. Come on." I said.
Tala's and Blake's eyes lit up at the thought of going back in the cart, and experiencing the thrill of speed once again. The cart ride back was uneventful, and when we got back to the main atrium of Gringotts, we thanked Griphook, and parted ways with the goblin.
We walked back out onto the Alley. "Right then." I said. "Let's start with wands, and then we'll see what to get from there. Ollivanders, then."
The shop was the same as I remembered, and it was empty. When the door closed behind Victor, I became aware of the approaching presence of Ollivander.
"Ah, I was wondering if I would be seeing you two." The old man said, appearing behind the counter, his silvery eyes, orbs.
"Hello, Mr. Ollivander." I said.
"Lady Potter, how nice of you to return to Britain, once more. Holly and Phoenix feather, wasn't it?"
"Yes. The tail feather was from Fawkes, my familiar." I said.
"Yes, I remember perfectly. Now, let's see about your son and daughter, shall we?" He pulled two tape measures from his pocket. He set them to measuring Blake and Tala, while Victor, Logan and I observed. I stood between my two mates, holding their hands.
Soon, Ollivander was pulling boxes off the shelves and handing wands to the twins. The results were havoc, half the shop was in ruin, before the twins got their wands, but Ollivander seemed to be in seventh heaven.
"You two are just as tricky as your mother, if I remember correctly. Now, let's see, maybe a more… rare, core." Ollivander disappeared behind the shelves, and came back with two boxes.
"Now, this is cherry wood with a hair from a Cat Sìth." He said, handing the wand to Tala. Then he handed another to Blake. "This is Oak, with a core of Cù Sìth."
Blake and Tala waved their wands. The room warmed, but soon went back to normal.
"Hmm…" Ollivander said. "Perhaps if the wands had something else added. A couple of drops of blood from each parent, perhaps."
"Do you think it would work?" I asked.
"Oh, definitely." Ollivander said. He disappeared behind the counter, and came back with a silver dagger, and a beaker. "Several drops each, if you would." He said, holding the beaker and dagger out. I accepted it, and handed Logan the beaker. I ran the dagger across my palm, and let my blood flow into the beaker, until the wound healed over. Logan I then cut Logan's palm, and he caught the blood in the beaker, where it mixed with my own. Then it was Victor's turn. I cut his palm with the dagger, and held the beaker under his hand, catching the blood, and mixing it with Logan's, and my own.
I handed both items back to Ollivander then, and he took the two wands off Tala and Blake. He chanted in a language I failed to recognise, and then poured the blood over the wands, where it was absorbed, and then he handed the wands back to the twins. Once more they waved their wands, the room lit up, and the heat increased. I could practically taste the magic in the air.
Their wands had been found. "We'll take them." I said. "How much?"
"Ten Galleons each and I'll throw in wand holsters. Hungarian Horntail."
Victor, Logan and I laughed. We paid, and as promised also received the holsters. We then left the store to visit the other stores in Diagon Alley.
A/N: I will finish up the rest of the visit to Diagon next chapter, but for now, I am going to bed, but I wanted to update. I hope you enjoyed, and thank you to Purple 'N' Blue Wings for the idea of how to personalise the wands.
