Diagon Alley, Part 2

We turned our attention to Mr Ollivander.

"I've been expecting you Mr Potter" Ollivander said quietly as he walked towards us, leading the way through the shop. James and I looked at each other before following. "Please hold out your wand arm, please" said Ollivander as he turned around and faced James. James obediently held out his right arm and a tape measure started measuring it. I soon noticed that the tape measure was moving on its own, by magic.

After a few minutes of James getting measured, Ollivander stopped and the tape measure dropped to the ground.

"Wonderful, now Mr Potter, try this wand. It's Maple and Dragon Heartstring. Nine inches. Flexible" he handed a wand to James who flicked it casually, nothing happened. Ollivander snatched it back and handed James a different wand. "Beechwood and unicorn hair, seven inches, Whippy" James swished it but was soon snatched back by Ollivander, who was shaking his head. James looked back at me and smiled, embarrassed. I smiled back as he turned back around only to have another wand shoved into his hand. "Okay, try this. Mahogany and phoenix feather, eleven inches, pliable" as James touched the wand a small ball of sparks came from the end of the wand. Mr Ollivander smiled and clapped his hands together. "Excellent! That wand is great for Transfiguration. I'll just pack it up for you" he took the wand and put it into its box. James stepped back and pushed me lightly towards Ollivander.

"Now what's your name Miss?" Ollivander asked me, his pale eyes staring straight into mine.

"Evans, Lily Evans"

"Well Miss Evans, please hold out your wand arm" I held my arm out and the tape measure started measuring. After a few minutes the tape measure dropped and Ollivander turned around to find wands. "Try this, holly and unicorn hair, ten inches, swishy" I took the wand and flicked it. Nothing happened. The wand was snatched from my hand and a new wand was shoved into it. "Ebony and dragon heartstring, eight inches, flexible" I swished it and still nothing happened. Ollivander took the wand and thought for a few seconds. "Hmm, what about this one, willow and unicorn hair, ten and a quarter inches, swishy. Great for charm work" he handed it to me and instantly my hand felt warm with the wand in my hand. I flicked the wand and a ball of sparks shot out of the end. I heard James sigh in relief and Ollivander clap his hands together again. He took my wand and put it back in its box.

Five minutes and seven galleons (little gold coins) later James and I left Ollivander's store with two brand new wands in our hands. James' parents were waiting for us holding a stack of thick books each. They led us into a shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. As soon as we walked inside, a small witch walked up to them.

"Hogwarts, darls?" she said as we smiled at her. We nodded and she led us to two platforms which were next to two boys already getting their robes fitted. One of the boys was the boy Sirius and next to him was a boy with sandy brown, short hair and a worn out face. Next to the Sirius boy, his mother stood. Katrina and Harry patted our shoulders and left the shop, just as Mrs Black sniffed the air disapprovingly and left, leaving Sirius alone to get fitted. We stood onto the platforms as two women threw robes over our heads and started pinning cloth together. There was an awkward silence until James decided to break the ice.

"So, what houses do you hope to be in?" he asked no one exactly.

"Gryffindor" the tired-looking boy answered simply. "What about you?" he looked over at James and I. James thought about it before he spoke.

"Same. Gryffindor, like my dad. Where dwell the brave at heart!" he said majestically. I couldn't help but giggle and all three of the boys looked at me, James with a smile on his face.

"What about you, bright eyes? What house are you going to be in?" Sirius asked he seemed frustrated.

"Um, Gryffindor I guessed, wherever James is" I muttered and looked down at the floor, waiting for the laugh. It never came.

"You muggleborn?" Sirius asked his tone lighter than it was before, a smile playing at his lips.

"Yeah. What about you?" I turned my attention to the sandy-haired boy.

"I wouldn't mind what house I'm in as long as it's not Hufflepuff and definitely not Slytherin" he replied, a slight tone of disgust in his voice when he mentioned Slytherin.

"My whole families in Slytherin" Sirius muttered.

"Damn, sorry mate" James and sandy-haired boy said. Sirius then smiled.

"But hey, I might change the tradition. Oh I'm Sirius by the way, Sirius Black" he smiled at us.

"Remus Lupin"

"James Potter and this is Lily Evans" I smiled and waved casually.

"So what's your 'blood status' guys?" Sirius asked, quoting his words with his fingers.

"Pure" said James.

"Muggle" I said.

"Half" said Remus.

"Pure. I'm from the Noble House of Black" Sirius said, with a disgusted tone. We were interrupted by the helpers waving their wands and the robes shrunk. We took them off as Madam Malkin took off Remus' and Sirius' robes, duplicated and packed them with a swish of her wand. We jumped off the platforms and paid for the robes. We left the store and found James' parents. We started walking through Diagon Alley to try and fine Remus' parents or even Sirius' mother. James ended up stopping at a shop that was full of broomsticks and gloves. The shop was called Quality Quidditch Supplies. James walked inside the shop with Remus, Sirius and I following him until he stopped at a broomstick with a large sign saying "Nimbus 1900" and a price tag. James was staring at it with a bunch of other kids, and soon Katrina and Harry pulled him away, promising him he could get it when he's put on the Quidditch team.

When James stopped trying to get back to the Nimbus broom, Katrina and Harry informed us that they had bought everything we needed; parchment, quills, ink, wand polish, everything. We left Diagon Alley and decided to have lunch at The Leaky Cauldron, we invited Remus and Sirius to stay and eat with us. Sirius is a great guy, even though his mother doesn't seem to like me or the Potters for that matter. Sirius told me it was because his family are all about being pureblood, and if you didn't listen to the family rules (don't marry muggles, don't disgrace the family etc.) you'd get blasted off the family tree and disowned.

When we finished lunch and finally departed ways from Remus and Sirius, we got home and I showed mum and dad all the books we have gotten. They seemed amazed by the fact that the pictures moved, and that everything really was real. I showed Petunia my Defence against the Dark Arts book and she screamed when a Dementor glided through the frame of the picture.

From the time I got my Hogwarts letter until 1st September arrived, Petunia had stayed in her room, and didn't show any acknowledgement that I was there, not like I minded as I spent most of my time at James' place. The Potter Manor was seriously huge! It was large on the outside, but James soon told me that his parents had done a concealment charm and expanded the house, so instead of three floors there were five.

The rest of the month went fast, and before we knew it, it was September 1st and it was time to leave the Muggle world and go to Hogwarts.

Oh God.