Chapter 3Getting Around

Anamika woke up to the sound of twittering birds; it was a joyful change from the noisy city life she had been living. She sat up in bed and yawned; she never did like waking up but felt well rested. The events of the past day came rushing to her, she blinked and wondered what her mother might be up to, probably nothing because time wasn't moving back home. Still, she felt homesick and felt her throat tighten with tears, she realised that she was going to be in this unknown land indefinitely, a place where she was different and foreign to people in more ways than one. What if people made fun of her for not knowing magic? For having an accent? The world was full of spiteful people, she knew that. She guessed she would just have to steel herself up for some unsavoury people and comments, it's not like these people mattered to her, not at all, she was going to have her best shield in place and not let anyone pierce it.

She heard the door opening and in walked Lily,

"Oh! You are up!" she smiled.

"Yeah, slept till late haven't I? So is it still morning?"

"Haha, it's still morning, none of us except James is an early riser, it's just around ten, clean up and there's breakfast waiting. You can use the bathroom outside in the passage."

"Okay, thanks, I'll see you outside."

Anamika got out of bed, looking for slippers, then realising she had none, she picked up the jeans and shirt left for her and trudged towards the bathroom. She bent down to pick up the jeans she dropped and bumped into something, someone more appropriately she realised, she looked up and saw that it was not just any someone, it was a some guy, with a T-shirt stuck around his face, she straightened up and said sorry.

Much to her relief and chagrin the guy finally pulled his shirt down, revealing a pair of frowning green eyes and a pursed mouth, over all the guy was quite a knock out but his annoyed look really ruined the effect.

"Can you watch you are going miss?"

"Uh, I'm sorry, I was picking this up so didn't see you" she said pointing to the jeans.

"Aah, so you have met my currently uncouth son Albus huh."

"Oh good morning Mr. Potter..."

"Good morning kiddo, you clean up and join us for breakfast alright." He smiled and sat down at the dining table.

After a bath Anamika settled down to eat her breakfast, her tummy was grumbling, she was really glad that her appetite hadn't done the disappearing act it regularly did!

"So Anamika, after breakfast we are going to take you to get you a wand and other stuff you will need."

"Oh mom I need to get new robes, Al didn't you want a new cauldron? Let's all go please!" begged Lily.

"Not a bad idea Lily, we'll ask Hermione and Rose to come along too!"

"Uh, well if you want a big crowd then alright..."

They all donned their robes; Anamika felt uncomfortable wearing them but what the heck, when in Rome...

Lily side along apparated with her mother, Anamika with Harry while Albus who was of age apparated himself, they all met up the Weasleys in Diagon Alley. The place was even better than the movies! The grey cobbled street twisted and curved with shops lining its sides. Colourful window displays claiming to sell potions that could cure you of heartbreak, quills that made your writing grammatically correct and fire resistant robes. It was looking at the moving photographs and sparkling plants that made her realise the reality of the situation; it all overwhelmed her and she felt like curling into a ball and hiding in a corner. She felt her eyes widen with wonder and apprehension. She couldn't stop thinking about the fact that she was borrowing money from perfect strangers, it was disconcerting and gnawed at her conscience. She decided to broach the topic with Ginny, uh-Mrs Potter,

"Um, Mrs Potter?" she found it very strange to address someone that way.

"Yes dear?"

"Um, about my expenses hear, I wouldn't feel comfortable borrowing from you like this, is there anything I could do to pay you back? Any work you need done?"

"Oh dear, Harry was right about you, he thought you might get uncomfortable about such things, I talked to my brother, he runs a joke shop, he said that he could do with someone handling sales etc. If you want you can help him at the shop and we are even." Ginny smiled at the girl, the poor child looked worried. While her family wasn't rich, she never had to depend on anyone for money so she understood how odd it must be for the child.

"Hmm...I guess that's fair. Thank you so much, I really feel bad about imposing like this.."

"Oh forget it, come on let's start shopping!"

As they hopped from shop to shop Anamika felt fatigued, shopping was never really her forte but she really needed the clothes. Everyone had finally gotten what they needed when Ginny proclaimed,

"Oh! We haven't got you your wand yet, come on let's visit Olivander's, I hear he has a new apprentice, I can't believe he has continued to work into such an old age! "

They continued to walk down the lane and entered a shop that had warm wooden walls stacks of boxes lining the walls…a long ladder stood at one end while an old man sat on what presumably was a stool and flipped through a voluminous book with old tattered pages, Anamika looked at her companions, wondering how to draw the attention of the shop keeper. Albus cleared his throat, "Ahem, Mr Olivander, sir?"

"Huh, Oh Lily! Albus! I see you have brought a friend along, how can I help you children? Need a new wand?"

Looking at everyone's awkward faces Al took the initiative to talk and said,

"Um well Mr Olivander, I don't know if you have heard yet but we have a guest over at our place, Miss Anamika here needs to get her very first wand. I know she looks a bit too old to be getting her first one but well accidents happen eh?"

Anamika grew red as a tide of emotion washed over her, she couldn't decipher whether it was anger, embarrassment, hurt or some other negative feeling. Albus was being clearly condescending and mean but hadn't she expected people to do that? But she hadn't expected any of the Potter's to do that to her, she had always imagined while reading the books that Albus would be a comforting person like his namesake. But evidently he took after the namesake of his middle name. She sighed and shakily spoke,

"I was hoping you could um, help me in getting my first wand, I am a late bloomer I guess so here I am!"

"Everyone is welcome here children, come on, let's get started."

Olivander pottered over to the stacks of boxes, pulling several such ones out.

"Here give this a shake, don't be scared just notice how the wand feels in your hand."

Anamika gingerly took the wand into her hand, worrying that it will slip out of her sweaty hands and waved it like she had seen in the movies. The tense moment turned out to be very anti-climactic as nothing happened, not even a whisper. Disappointment pierced her gut and brought tears to her eyes, there it was, just as she had thought, she wasn't capable of any kind of magic.

Olivander saw the look of dejection on her face and quickly said," Very well, this is not the one for you, why don't you try another one, it's a brand new English Oak with a dragon heartstring core…"

Anamika tried a number of wands, twenty two to be exact but none of them gave the desired result, one or two gave a destructive bang, but with the others there was no reaction. She felt as though she was holding a stick. Just as she had decided to refuse to try anymore and just leave a young man about a few years older than her came running into the room,

"Mr Olivander! The mermaid core just caught fire! It's burning green! Please hur…"

He looked even more stricken when he realised that they had company and continued,

"Oh, I am sorry but you I need you to see this…"

"Oh Thomas you need not worry, cores from the water tend to burn when subjected to treatment, ah well since you are here meet our customers here, this is Mr Albus and Miss Lily Potter, this is their guest Miss…?"

"Anamika, I am Indian…"

"Yes, the young lady needs a wand and we haven't found the right one yet, or should I say the right one hasn't found her yet. You wait here Thomas, I will just be out."

Albus was getting tired of standing here; he had to buy new robes for this season of Quidditch, after all the captain couldn't be looking shabby. It wasn't that he was vain, he left the pretty boy stuff to Malfoy but this was his last chance to prove himself in the Gryffindor team, prove himself as a Potter. He tried out various strategies in his head while he walked to down the Alley.

Lily wondered what the devil had gotten into her brother, she was used to his moods once in a while but since Anamika had come last night he was going out of his way to be mean and sullen. Oh well it was good that he had left.

Anamika was glad that Al left; he was the rain in her dark depressing day. She looked around the shop, smiled at the guy Thomas, who could be the apprentice Mrs Potter was talking about.

"So, you are the girl who's staying with the Potters huh? Very tactless of me but yes, I have heard all about it, word travels like wild fire, especially if people floo to tell you about it!" Thomas grinned.

Anamika laughed, she liked his humour, "Yeh I suppose it does. So are you the apprentice here?"

"Yes, that's me, muggle born wand maker of the future. So this is your first wand right? Don't worry it takes time sometimes, Mr Olivander is the best, he has to have something in here for you."

"That is sweet of you to say so Thomas but let's see if we can deliver on our promise eh boy? Here miss, place your hand on this tablet…"

Anamika placed her hand on what looked like a clay tablet lined with wood which felt warm, like it had just been ironed or kept in the sun.

"That's it, don't be shy, keep your hand there for a minute, wait for it to get to know you and…"

Suddenly she felt the warmth shoot into her arm and fill her with a feeling akin to being warmed by the sun on a cold winter morning. She looked towards Lily and saw her gaping; confused she turned to Olivander and saw him looking at her with an odd speculative smile while he said,

"I knew it, this one has already chosen her, even before it has come alive, look at yourself child, and you will know what I mean."

Anamika looked at herself and saw that her hand, in fact her entire body was glowing; she gave a surprised laugh and pulled back her hand.

"Yes, this wand has chosen you, we haven't completed making it yet, this was its rough form, but I had a feeling it would suit you. It is the first time one of my twin cores woods have accepted a witch or wizard. This one is a particular pet project of mine, you see because I have not only used entwined cores of centaur tail hair and phoenix feather but also dual wood of Elm and English Oak, don't ask me how I did that, can't reveal my trade secrets can I?"

"I am sorry but did you say centaur tail hair?" Lily gasped incredulously.

"Yes Lily dear, I know centaurs are people like us, proud creatures, but the hair I used was willingly given, so don't worry it will bring no curse to your friend here."

"But Mr Olivander you said it's not ready yet?" Anamika asked.

"Yes but it will be by next week at the most! It is simmering, and now that it has found you it will be eager to greet you!"

"Very right Thomas, if you ladies will be alright coming back a week from now, I will have your wand ready miss, but I should tell you, don't refrain from trying out your magic, you have a lot to make up and your wand will enjoy being met by an experienced witch. Off you go now."

"Thank you Mr Olivander…" the girls muttered and left.

The joined the rest of the family and proceeded home.

Anamika began her lessons with the Potters and Weasleys, as it is usual with beginners, mostly children; she was able to perform magic without a wand. But after all that they had seen, it failed to surprise them, they presumed that once she practised magic through her wand, the less controllable magic through her hand would stop revealing itself.

Owing to the books, Anamika had knowledge of most basic spells and charms, but uttering them and making them happen was a whole different deal that required practise and hard work. By the end of the week she could do simple levitating, illuminating spells and other simple charms. Her teachers waited for her to acquire her wand before doing other more complex spells and starting on potions.

Harry taught her the spells, Ginny helped her with simple charms while George was to instruct her with more complex ones, Hermione had pledged to make her a master potion brewer while Victoire and Teddy were taking care of other more theoretical subjects.

The week dragged on and finally the day arrived to collect her wand….