Chapter 2

"I don't understand why you couldn't wait, though. I would've liked to see the kind of man Hogwarts has hired since my death, and you were supposed to tell me; yesterday evening."

Cecilia rolled her eyes. "If you come today, you'll get to meet him a little. Though I guess I can't talk to you then, since I can't seem mad, can I? Not in front of the headmaster, anyway. But muggles are a whole other story."

"Yes, because madness to a muggle is a perfectly rational decision."

Cecilia laughed as she dipped her toes into the lake again. "Are you gonna come? To Hogwarts, I mean, with me?"

"Who else would talk to you?"

Cecilia laughed again, and slipped her feet back out of the water to put her shoes back on. Around her, the smell of summer was everywhere. Trees were still in full bloom, obvious since it was still far from Autumn. She was glad. She didn't much like autumn. It was the beginning of August, an early morning in august at that, and Cecilia was enjoying the joys of summer in the small secluded woods and lake as she always did.

She was waiting for noon, when Professor Dupree would return and take her to Diagon alley, an event which she'd been looking forward to since her birthday on July 25th. Or even before that, weeks of waiting for her birthday. She'd received the letter exactly on the 31st, supposedly odd but then, the headmaster had arrived the same day she got it so it made little difference to her.

At noon, she started back to the orphanage with Severus in tow. They returned just as Professor Dupree stepped out of his shiny black Prius. He greeted her with a nod before turning to Sister Leah.

"The school allows for a certain type of supplies that you'd be unfamiliar with, my ladies, so I figured it best that we bring Cecilia to a more fitting establishment that can handle her future needs. Of course, that won't need to be sorted out quite now. I will keep her supplies with me, and she will return here until the time when she must leave for school. We have a group home situated for her come the year's end. Before then, I will arrange the papers with you."

Cecilia blocked out the rest of the conversation as she smiled excitedly at the Prius. Not only was she going to diagon alley, she'd get to see the inside of an expensive car!

She waved to the sisters as she climbed into the passenger seat, and watched as the Professor started it up. "So wizards drive cars?"

Professor Dupree laughed. "Some, yes. Though a lot find they know nothing about the muggle world and in result know nothing about their tools. I was muggleborn, so I get it. A lot like you, in that way."

Cecilia nodded and went back to silence. From the corner of her eye, she saw Dupree frown but he remained silent. They stopped at a small bar, which Dupree gently ushered her into. She was immediatedly bombarded with the smell of beer, and looking around she noticed the gruff men guffawing loudly to one another. The place was very dark, and appeared to be made of old, dirty stone. She couldn't have imagined the likes of it.

"If it isn't the young professor Dupree!" one of the men called, he face alight in laughter as he held up his beer. The liquid sloshed out around his wrist and onto his lap, though he appeared not to notice. He was fairly old, by the looks of it, with graying hair and a wrinkled face. Though he didn't act old, he was young by the look of his eyes.

"Hello, Robert, old friend! How's the wife?"

The man, Robert, looked a little solemn then. "A little put out as of late, I'm afraid."

Dupree nodded solemnly before leading Cecilia to a brick wall at the side of the pub. There was an odd dent in it, and she wished Severus had been there to explain it. He told her he'd meet her there, since he didn't feel comfortable riding in the car.

Dupree took out his wand and tapped it against the bricks in a pattern. She looked at him confused, and he returned it with a smile.

"Watch now."

She watched as the bricks began to rearrange themselves, and move to the sides. Through the growing hole she could see what looked like a crowded street. She smiled excited and wrung her hands together in anticipation.

'This is it,' she thought excitedly and waited until all the bricks were moved. Dupree put his hand on her back and nudge her forward a little. She leapt gratefully out into the light, the smell of beer left far behind her.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Cecilia!"

She looked around and immediately noticed the brightest store on the street, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. She was mildly intrigued, but turned her attention to look at other things. The street was bright with colors of wizarding signs, which added to the old look of the majority of the stores. Many people, including children tailing behind their parents, lined the streets. A lot of teenagers surrounded particular stores, which Dupree was quick to point out.

"I'll give you a little tour after we finish getting your supplies, if there's time. I'm sure there are things you'd love to see while you're here."

"Ah, yes, like the ever intriguing Weasley joke store."

Cecilia almost burst into laughter at the choice of arrival Severus had made, but she schooled her face so as not to bring notice to herself by any others.

"Tell him you want a pet, Cecilia, so he'll take you to get one."

Cecilia looked up at Dupree. "May I get a pet first?"

Dupree smiled at her. "Of course. One of the many reasons we are having you moved from the muggle orphanage. They wouldn't allow for it, would they?"

Cecilia shrugged as she followed him to a store on the right side of the street. Outside children surrounded the window talking excitedly about the animals within. He opened the door for her and she was surrounded by a large number of animals she'd never seen in person till then. She grinned as she looked around, admiring the many animals and their beauty.

It was a large black cat that caught her eye. He was big, as previously stated, larger than any of the other cats. His fur was long and straight, and held small strips of brown without any particular kind of pattern. She immediately recognized his beauty and approached him.

It was then she remembered she hadn't changed her money to gallons.

"So, you want this one?" Dupree stood behind her while looking in on the cat. Then he pulled the amount of gallons needed in order to pay for it, and turned to the wizard who owned the place.

Cecilia felt wretched as they left, feeling as if she should have been able to pay for it herself.

"He would've paid whether you had the money or not, you know," Severus whispered beside her. "The school pays specifically for those who are unfortunate."

Cecilia nodded glumly but it didn't make her feel better.

Cecilia was in a happier mood once they'd finished getting all the necessary supplies and she was on her way to the only shop they had yet to visit. It was Olivander's, though it was run by a different wizard by that time. Inside, the shop had changed very little. Cecilia could see hundreds of boxes containing wands. Dupree and Cecilia were greeted by Lexus Wright, the new wand master in Diagon Alley. He was extremely thin, and wore an old cloak with a few holes. His face was long and thin, his jaw bones stuck out under his eyes. In Cecilia's opinion, he was rather creepy.

He looked at her a moment, uncertain as to who she was. Unlike Olivander, Lexus had very little ability with knowing who was who. Dupree introduced her quietly and Lexus began to measure her, and ask her random questions that seemed rather pointless?

"And what is your favorite part of a tree?"

"The trunk."

"If you had to pick between and apple, grape, and banana, which would it be?"

"Grape."

Then he stopped, and began to look through the wands. This skill was one he managed well, at least. Something he'd mastered was the guessing that came with wandlore. His reputation preceded him as that. Once he knew who you were, the first wand he gave you was usually your wand. And this was true for Cecilia, as well.

He turned toward her again, the wand in hand. "Try this one please." He put it in her hand, and nodded as she stared at it. "Excellent, it suits you well. I can hear it choosing you. Now, your wand is 12.5" Yew, Dragon Heartstring, a popular core, but perfect for jinxes and hexes. Use it well."