Chapter 3

July 15, 1991

Disclaimer-JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, and everything to do with Harry Potter.

Jacob's next rational thought was, Whoa? How am I supposed to get into Diagon Alley without a wand? He decided to go downstairs and ask Tom the barman.

"Of course," he said when asked. "In fact, I was helping another young man with the same issue. He led them into the back.

"Watch this. I think you'll like it."

Jacob knew what he was going to do. He tapped her wand against the center brick and they watched as it transformed itself into the entrance to Diagon Alley.

Jacob saw it coming, but his mouth was agape.

That music should be playing, he thought, referring to Diagon Alley's theme music from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"I think I'm good shopping by myself," he heard himself say to Tom.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "Diagon Alley may be a little confusing. Especially considering you have never been inside the Wizarding World before."

"No, I'm good. I have a feeling these signs will be helpful." He pointed to a sign that read Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shoppe.

"Thank you for helping me get here though. I never would have found it, nor would I be able to open the alley entrance due to me not having a wand."

"In that case, I will leave you to your shopping, and I will see you at Hogwarts. Here are three hundred Galleons and a bag for your things, this should be sufficient for your shopping."

He turned and walked out into the Leaky Cauldron.

At that moment he looked up at the back of the Leaky cauldron and saw a very familiar figure with longish brown hair, but shrugged it off.

Jacob watched the figure go, still thinking it looked familiar. then turned his attention to the alley. Where should I go first? Oooh, probably should start with my wand.

He looked for the sign and he found it. Ollivanders-Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. Jacob entered the dusty old shop. The bell changed, and unlike Harry's experience, Garrick Ollivander appeared immediately.

"Hello," he spoke in his creaky old voice. "Starting at Hogwarts?"

"Uh, yes sir." This really was a surreal experience for Jacob, and he was amazed at how straight his voice was.

"Now, let's see your measurements." He brought out his magic measuring tape, which started to record. While it was busy, Ollivander was pulling wands from the wall. "Let's see..here. English Oak wood, twelve and a half inches, dragon heartstring," he bent it, "unyielding." Jacob immediately recognized it as his friend Stephen's Pottermore wand, and he knew it would not suit him. He took it anyway.

"Give it a wave," he was told, so he did. A crash of glass told Ollivander what Jacob already knew. The wand was not for him.

"Nope, nope, definitely not."

"Sorry, sir."

"Don't be sorry, dear boy, I can fix it in a jiffy. Besides, the wand chooses the wizard, and that wand was obviously destined for someone else. How about this wand? Sycamore wood," Jacob mentally gasped, "Ten and three quarters inches," another gasp, "Unicorn hair," Jacob's heart was racing as Ollivander bent the wand, "brittle flexibility." Jacob thought he was going to faint. This matched his exact Pottermore wand description, and as he took the wand and felt the warmth that Harry felt when he first touched his, his hands shook and Ollivander announced, "We have a winner! That'll be 10 galleons." Jacob handed Ollivander the gold, and left the shop.

Flourish and Blotts, then Madame Malkin's.

As he crossed the street to the magical bookstore, he noticed Ron Weasley with his family looking at brooms over at Quality Quidditch Supplies. He decided he'd wait until he got to Hogwarts to say hello, and entered Flourish and Blotts.

He looked over the list. He decided he'd start with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, considering he just watched the movie, and the author, Newt Scamander, was a Hufflepuff himself. He smiled as he traced his fingers over the magizoologist's name. Next, onto A History of Magic by Bathtilda Bagshot. Jacob frowned at the book's cover as he remembered what became of the old witch.

He found the Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk and Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling. Jacob looked at the second half of his list. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phydilla Spore, Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection. As he reached for the last book, he wasn't paying attention to his bag and the contents of it tipped out onto the floor. A blonde haired girl with pigtails noticed and started picking them up with him. When all the books were back in the bag, Jacob thanked her. It was only when she stood up that Jacob realized he was talking to Hannah Abbott, of Hufflepuff. Jacob blushed slightly at realizing this, as he had a bit of a crush on her.

"You're welcome," she said, then she noticed that there was no emblem on his robes. "Another first year? I've seen like six of them so far. What house are you hoping to get?"

"Hufflepuff," he told her.

"Wow! Finally I met another one. I found about three hopeful Gryffindors, a Slytherin, and a Ravenclaw. But no Hufflepuffs. That's the house I want. Hannah Abbott by the way."

"Oh hi, Hannah. I'm Jacob Petrarca. You know what?"

"What?"

"I think you will be a Hufflepuff," he smiled.

"Oh, thanks! See you at school!"

She turned and left the shop. Jacob followed her, in a daze when he left the shop, and headed for Madam Malkin's.

"Let's see, dear," she greeted him. "First year?"

"Yes ma'am."

"In that case I will need to measure you," she told him. "Fifty-five inches tall,..."

When she was done, she handed Jacob his robes and he handed her 15 galleons.

Jacob got the rest of his things then decided to add an owl to that list. As he entered the Magical Menagerie, he saw a handsome brown owl. He decided he didn't want to copy Harry and get a snowy, so he made his way to the brown owl. The owl flew down on his arm, right on cue.

He bought it for 14 Galleons and started to decide on a name.

Hmm….maybe…. Aaron? Aaron Judge? As a way of remembering where I came from...no….let's see... something magical...Newt, yes, that would do, yes, us Hufflepuffs have to stick together.

"I'll call you Newt."

Bit of a longer chapter...and yes I am a Yankees fan so that's where Aaron Judge came from. Rate and review, I'd like feedback!