July 24th 1937
Melanie Macmillan Black smiled as she watched her son, Harrison, grin madly at the letter. He had been waiting for this for so long, to be able to join his sister Lucretia at Hogwarts. "We'll go in an hour to pick up your supplies and your sister's." Harrison nodded, minutes later he had disapparated into Muggle London. "Tom, do you have your letter?" Harrison asked. Tom nodded, eyes wide, he wanted this even more than Harrison, to finally know that it was real and he was a part of it. "I have to go, my mother is taking me to get supplies in an hour but I just wanted to check in with you first." He nodded frantically, "go!" With that, Harrison left, leaving Tom to stare at the letter in his hand.
Dumbledore originally thought he was lucky, he could escape the bleak discussions on Gellert Grindelwald and the memories that came with it. Not only that, but he would be able to make some poor orphanage boy's day by showing him the Wizarding World. That was until he stepped into the Wool's Orphanage, his good mood decreased even further as Mrs. Cole said that in early years, she had suspected him of terrorizing the other children. 'Surely,' he reassured himself, 'it wouldn't be that bad, maybe she has him confused with another boy.' Still, with each creaky step towards the door of room 27, he felt less and less certain. "Hello Tom, my name is Professor Dumbledore, I am a professor at Hogwarts school for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was sent to inform muggleborns like yourself about our world. Hogwarts has 4 houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin and you are sorted when you get there. For classes, you have Transfiguration, charms, potions, herbology, defense agains the dark arts, and history of magic. Finally, you will also have flying lessons..." Tom was completely and utterly bored by Dumbledore. Harrison had already explained in much more depth than Dumbledore about the subjects, even showing him examples wandlessly. 'Thank g-d,' Tom thought, 'he's finally taking me to get my supplies, he must've been talking for at least 30 minutes. "Now, let's get your supplies that you will need for your classes." Dumbledore finished.
Instead of taking Tom to Gringotts, Dumbledore gave him the required 15 galleons that the school provided to orphans. Tom wanted to sneer at the measly amount but he had to accept it, Harrison had told him that wands, at cheapest, tended to be 10-15 galleons alone. But Harrison had also reassured him that he would share his money with him. Tom planned on keeping an eye on all the expenditures so he could pay Harrison back at a later date. As they were walking along Dumbledore ran into an old friend, and they shortly after they had merged with the crowd. Soon, Tom found himself on a different road by himself, the shops progressing on had started to look shadier and shadier. At one point he bumped into a young boy, almost the same age as him. The boy glared at him, "what are you doing mudblood?" Tom's left eye twitched, "I'm-" but he was interrupted by the boy punching him in the stomach. Tom fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of his skinny body. "Did you just try to talk back to me mudblood?" Tom didn't bother answering, but the boy didn't notice. "My name is Alphard Black, from the most Noble and Ancient house of Black, my family is probably the oldest family in the wizarding world today. "Who's this Alphard?" A girl asked, the same age as the boy named Alphard. "This is some mud blood filth, Walburga." 2 other members joined, "Alphard, what's going on?" He grinned at Harrison, moving out of the way to show him. "It's a mud blood I found!" Harrison had his pureblood mask on the second he saw Tom's face. "Alphard, you can't go around punching mud bloods..." Alphard frowned, even though Harrison was younger, Harrison was more mature and Alphard respected him. "He bumped into me!" He protested, glancing back, a little more ashamed at seeing a boy younger than himself on the ground because of him. "Apologize and then take Orion back to mother," Harrison responded diplomatically. "Sorry..." he said, before taking the little boy's hand and walking away. Harrison raised an eyebrow at Walburga, she huffed before turning around and yelling, "Alphy! Wait up! I'm a lady! I can't be expected to run!"
As soon as she was out of sight, Harrison helped Tom up. "What are you doing here Tom?" He asked, concerned. 'Where was Dumbledore?' He wondered. Tom's face turned to anger, "Dumbledore forgot about me after he met some friend of his." Harry frowned, "Tom, have you gotten your supplies yet?" Tom shook his head. "Let's get your wand first." Tom's face lit up at this, he would be able to do magic, no more practicing movements with a stick or memorizing what each incantation did!
When they walked into Ollivander's, Gervaise Ollivander looked up, "hello, how can I help the both of you?" "We're here to get our wands!" Tom said eagerly. Gervais smiled, "who first then?" Tom's smile almost faltered if not for Harrison teaching him how to hold a pureblood mask. Harrison had shown him this world, he would still be lost in Diagon Alley, being called mud blood and having no idea the significance of it without him. But, Harrison, ever the shrewd friend, put a halt to Tom's thought processes. "Tom's first." "Let's try a springy mahogany wand. Eleven and a one-half inches long. The core is dragon bone." A wand box caught on fire. With a wave of his wand he said "Aguamenti... no, no, no, how about this, it's a poplar wand. Eleven and one-quarter inches long. It has a core of phoenix tail feather." When Tom waved the wand, a warmth came from the wand before it cracked in half. "Garrick, do you understand what just happened?" Gervais quizzed. Harry hadn't even noticed Garrick standing behind the counter for he was too short for even the tip of his head to come above it. Garrick Ollivander nodded, "the wand responded to the phoenix tail feather, but it isn't from the right phoenix, also it rejected the poplar wood." Gervais nodded, "try this, it's yew wood, 13 and a half inches, and a phoenix feather I got very recently." As soon as Tom touched it, the room flared with a sudden light and warmth emanating from the wand. "Yes, yes! Now, on to young Harrison here." He looked at Harry for a moment before saying, "you're a lot like your friend, I wonder..." he took out a box from behind the counter, "holly, 11 inches, and phoenix feather," he said expectantly, before handing Harry the wand. The wand created a mini sun inside the shop. Harrison smiled at the familiar sensation of warmth, 'hello old friend.' But his smile slowly turned into a frown as the wand starting turning cold, then cracks started to appear, running along the length of the wand. Gervais quickly took the wand from Harry, curious, "do you understand why it's curious Garrick?" He questioned, Garrick replied, "no, why is it curious?" Gervais looked Harry in the eye, "your magical core is too powerful for simply one type of wood and one core to handle, come with me."
Gervais led Harrison into a dark room, it was difficult to see anything. "Close your eyes, and walk in the direction that you feel is calling to you." Harry turned left a little and walked forward a few steps before walking into a pedestal. Gervais walked over and picked up the long, thin twig. "Alder wood, interesting... one second." He quickly picked up all the rest of the various twigs from their spots and replaced them with possible wand cores. Then Ollivander repeated the instructions while making Harry stand in the middle of the room again. This time Harry turned around and reached for his core. It was cool and smooth. A vial of some sort? Gervais saw that Harrison had chosen and he took it from him, but not before commenting, "hmm... basilisk venom." Finally, he led Harry to the counter again. "Very well, Mr. Black and Mr. Riddle, when you finish picking up the rest of your supplies, come back here, I'll have your wands ready by then.
Harrison and Tom went to Timothy's Trunks to get Tom a trunk, even though it wasn't as nice has Harrison's it still had an expanded bottom and was weightless. The 2 boys then met up with Alphard and the rest, for ice-cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. After that, they headed over to Scribbulus Writing Instruments for quills, paper, and ink. Then they went to Twilfitt and Tatting's. There, Harry bought plenty of standard black robes with silver trimming, a few fur winter robes, and a few dress robes for the multitude of balls and parties the Black heir would be expected to attend. Afterwards, they went to Madame Malkin's Robe's for All Occasions for their Hogwarts Robes. Shortly after they went to Potage's Cauldron shop and then Slug & Jigger's Apothecary for their potions supplies. Subsequently going to Flourish and Botts for their school books, however since Harrison and Tom spent over an hour there, Alphard and the rest decided to go to Quality Quiditch Supplies.
Finally, they returned to Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands. "Ah Mr. Black and Mr. Riddle, I was just able to finish.
Mr. Riddle, your 13 and a half Yew and phoenix feather wand, that will be 16 galleons." As Tom counted out the galleons, Ollivander turned to look at Harrison, "and your now 13 and a half, holly and alder, and phoenix feather fused with basilisk venom wand. That will be 42 galleons." Tom's eyes widened, was Ollivander trying to rob Harry? "No Tom, basilisk venom is extremely expensive and I'm honestly surprised Mr. Ollivander didn't make me pay more for my wand." Harrison whispered. They payed Gervais, thanked him, then left. Sometime while they were walking, Tom heard someone say, "Mr. Riddle! There you are! What were you thinking running off like that?" The 2 boys turned around to see Dumbledore walking towards them. "Professor Dumbledore is it?" Harrison asked, and before Dumbledore could respond he continued, "thank you for taking time out of your day for bringing Tom to Diagon Alley. I know you must be extremely busy especially with school about to come up. Don't worry, Tom and I were able to buy all of our things." Dumbledore stared at Harrison, he never approved of the Black Family, they were extremely dark and known blood purists. However, Dumbledore was interested in Harrison, he had hung out all day with a muggleborn, not only that, but he was extremely respectful and polite. Perhaps he was the black sheep of the most Ancient and Noble House of Black, Dumbledore snickered at the thought. "Well, I'm sure your parents are probably worried about where you are, so you should go home now. Mr. Riddle, I have business at Hogwarts so if you don't mind...?" Dumbledore held out his arm to Tom. Tom nodded at Harrison, "thank you," the look said. Then they Disapparated.
Harrison walked over to Eeylops Owl Emporium, it was a tradition in the Black Family, that when the child is off to Hogwarts, the parents take their son or daughter to Diagon Alley to buy an owl. However that wouldn't be happening for at least another couple of weeks. No, he was getting an owl for Tom as a going to Hogwarts present. The second the store clerk saw Harrison's pale skin, black hair, and grey eyes she knew he was a pureblood. She took Harry to one of the back rooms where they held owls that they bred just for rich families. There was a handsome grey owl there, he was huge. "How much is he?" Harry asked. She glanced at the owl, "60 galleons, pure-bred," Harry nodded. 5 minutes later he walked out with huge grey owl, Harry put him into the bedroom compartment of his trunk.
It was getting late, the sun was going down and Harry knew his parents were expecting him home for dinner soon. As he was walking down Diagon Alley, he walked past a young man, probably only a year or so out of Hogwarts. The man was looked very forlorn as he closed up his cart. "What's the matter?" Harry asked. While he looked surprised to be talking to a kid, he supposed that it wouldn't hurt to respond. "Quality Quiditch Supplies rejected my broomstick design, I'm trying to raise money for funding but there aren't really any other British competing Quiditch companies." He sighed. "Can I see your design?" Harrison asked. He took out a long sheet of rolled up paper, on it was a sketched diagram of a broomstick with arrows pointing at certain points describing what enchantments and materials it would be made out of. All in all, it looked very familiar... "what's your name kid?" He asked, "Harrison Black." The man almost spat out the cup of tea he had started to drink, Black was a very rich and famous (or rather infamous) family. "What's your name?" "Ethan, Ethan Spudmore." Then Harry knew why the broomstick looked so familiar, it struck him like a bolt of lightning. "What's the name of the broomstick?" Ethan had a sheepish look on his face, "I don't really have one, I thought Quality Quiditch Supplies might have one but..." his voice trailed off. "Listen, Ethan, I like your design, and I think your good at making brooms. I would love to fund you, however, my parents are expecting me-" Ethan sighed, his last chance had just disappeared. "But, I am not going away to Hogwarts until September 1st, while that is only a few weeks away, I'm more than certain I can find time to meet with you about it and discuss it." Ethan smiled, "thank you, thank you so much." Harrison nodded. "I'll send you my owl."
It wasn't until much later, that Ethan realized he had been speaking with an 11 year old. An 11 year old who's willing to fund you, Ethan corrected himself, don't look a gift unicorn in the mouth.
Around the same time Ethan was thinking to himself about Harrison, Harrison was thinking about Ethan. 'Damn, I literally told the grandfather of the creator of the Firebolt that I'd fund his broom..."
Author's Note:
- I took the wand descriptions from the potter more website, but Alder is basically said to be for advanced witches and wizards
- I took what Gervais said from- wow, it deleted the url, basically Seventh Sanctum- Wand generator
- Garrick Ollivander is the Ollivander that Harry Potter meets in the books, Gervais is his father
- Twilfitt and Tatting's is a clothing store for purebloods
- Randolph Spudmore (maker of the firebolt) was the son of Able Spudmore, who part-owned Ellerby and Spudmore's, it was a broomstick making company, I'm having Ethan be the father of Able Spudmore
