Chapter 4

A couple days after their birthday, Alfred and Madeline were on their way to Diagon Ally. It was strange at first for everyone to wrap their heads around the fact that they were wizards. It did explain all the strange stuff the twins were able to do. Their parents were rather relieved to hear that they would learn to control their powers so that they wouldn't have strange accidents again.

They had to meet Professor Longbottom in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Alfred and Madeline spotted both rather quickly and had to point it out to their parents. After showing them how to get in and how to change their Muggle money to Wizard money and explaining it (Winona almost screamed when she saw the goblins at Gringotts and made an account for the twins), Professor Longbottom had to leave quickly for an emergency. He assured them that there were plenty of witches and wizards who would help them if they needed it and ran off, yelling something about hoping to see them in Gryffindor.

"I think we should get our wands first!" Alfred declared.

"We should get our books." Madeline said, but no one seemed to hear her as Alfred was prancing and both her parents were looking at the school list.

"We should probably get your clothes first." Dr. Jones said, ignoring her kids groans. "Then after that we can get your books, then your school supplies and then your wands."

"Can we get a pet too?" Alfred asked.

"We'll see." Both parents said.

The Wizard World was amazing to the twins. They had seen things they never even imagined, surrounded by so many witches and wizards dressed in robes of different colors (one of them was even a color changing one!) who were all very kind and helped them find the shops they needed when they asked. "Ah, I love seeing the reaction of Muggleborns when they look around," one of the wizards said as he walked away. They knew from Professor Longbottom that the term meant they were just from non-wizard families.

The twins both agreed the clothing shop called Madam Malkins Robe Shop was to be last, but their parents forced them in anyways. "First years, eh?" Madam Malkin herself asked as soon as she saw them walk in and ushered the twins. "I'm almost done with this young gentleman, then we'll get started with you two." She ran back to fit a young man.

He was probably the strictest looking eleven-year-old the twins ever saw, with his blonde hair slicked back and having a tight expression as three kids near him that looked older were talking to him. The albino kid spoke in German, which the younger responded back annoyed. There were two other kids near the albino; one being a boy with short brown hair wearing green robes and the other having silky blonde hair and wearing purple robes. The three spotted another boy with impressive eyebrows and got mischievous smiles. "Oh, Kirkland!" The blond boy in the purple robes called in a French accent. "Fancy messing up another potion again in school? I heard the boils made an improvement to your face!"

Kirkland's green eyes flared, but before he could say anything a tall redheaded boy lead him out by the shoulder. The trio laughed as the younger blonde finally finished getting his robes fitted and dragging the three out of the store. The twins looked at each other and shrugged before getting fitted for their robes (trying to ignore the fact that their mother was taking pictures and exclaiming she was going to hang them on the wall) and leaving to explore Diagon Alley more. They stopped off at Florish and Blotts to look for books, Alfred deciding to go on his own. Currently he had only three out of the eight books that he needed and was looking for 'A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration' but couldn't seem to find it anywhere. Alfred felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around, coming face to face with a brunette boy who had a curl coming out of the left side of his head and was smiling at the American.

"Do you need help?" He asked in a high, silvery voice that had an Italian accent.

Alfred blinked. "Uh, yeah. I don't know where to find these books." Alfred showed him the lsit and the other boy beamed.

"I'm a first year too!" The other boy exclaimed. "I was going to go to the school in Italy, but since my grandpa is the deputy headmaster, I get to go to Hogwarts!" He held his hand out. "I'm Feliciano Vargas!"

Alfred shook his hand. "Alfred Jones. Thanks for helping me; I just found out I was a wizard like a few days ago."

"Everything must be so confusing to you, then! I would be if I were you." Feliciano reached a book and handed it to him. "Is it true that Muggle pictures don't move?"

Alfred looked at him incredulously. "Do wizard pictures move?" The Italian just handed him a book, where on the cover a man was waving up to him. "No way."

"It's cool, huh?"

"This is awesome!" Alfred exclaimed. "'Charms for Beginners'? Cool."

"I want to find a book about Quidditch!" Feliciano noticed the blank look on Alfred's face. "It's a sport that we play where we fly on broomsticks."

Alfred was shocked even more. "You actually fly on broomsticks?"

"The two boys talked excitedly about the wizard world. Feliciano told Alfred more about Hogwarts and the four houses they could be sorted to ("My older brother says we have to fight giants!"). Alfred hoped he could get into Gryffindor, since it seemed like that's where all the heroes came from. Their conversation finally ended when an older boy who looked similar to Feliciano, only with a sour expression, came and got him.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts, Alfred!"

"See ya, Feli!" Alfred waved back as Maddie came, holding her stack of books.

"Who was that?"

"That was my new friend, Feli. Hey, did you know we can fly on broomsticks?"


The twins walked out of the pet store, proudly holding their new pets. Madeline was holding a snowy white owl who she decided to christen Kuma…something. Kumacheckers? Kumajiro? She would remember later the young witch was too happy, looking lovingly at the tiny white owl sleeping in his cage. Winona reluctantly bought him, making Madeline and Alfred promise they would write as often as possible.

Alfred himself got a tiny, brown Maine coon kitten with a fluffy black collar. He stared at the kitten for what seemed like a long time until he held him up Lion King style and dubbed it Steve ("For Steve Rodgers! The best hero ever!"). Alfred from the cats loud meowing and climbing all over Alfred, it was clear they were going to be lifelong companions.

Finally, however, the moment came that the twins had been looking forward to this entire trip; they would finally be getting their wands. They found the sign, 'Olivanders Wand Shop. Opened since 300.'

"This shop is old," they heard Mr. Jones whistle.

They both ran into the door, where a man was waiting for them behind the counter. He was a very peculiar man, with a shock of white hair sticking up like Einstein and silvery wide eyes hyper focused on the twins. He smiled as they walked in and stood in front of the desks, and they could see the lines of old age more clearly. "First year at Hogwarts?" His smile grew larger when they nodded and he pointed at Alfred. "I'm Olivander. Let's get you squared away first." Alfred looked at his parents, who gave an encouraging nod, and walked forward. Olivander examined the boy, then walked to the back of the room and pulled out a box. "Give this one a try. Alfred stood there with the wand in his hand not knowing what to do. "Give it a wave!"

Before Alfred could even raise his hand Olivander took the wand away, muttering about it not being the right one. "Hey!"

Olivander came back with a different wand and handed it to him. "Try this one." Alfred stared at the old wizard with distrust before waving his wand, this time the chairs that his parents were sitting on breaking. "No, I suppose that will not work either," Olivander muttered while the boy hastily put the wand on the counter. "Maybe mermaid hair." And that's how it went; Alfred would wave a wand (if the old man let him) and would break something or cause some sort of strong blow. Olivander would keep handing him wands and looking patiently at Alfred. "You and your sister will be tricky ones, I can already tell."

His face suddenly lit up and walked to a shelf nearby, pulling out a box and handing Alfred the wand. "I have faith in this one."

Alfred, already wondering if some mistake was made and he actually wasn't a wizard, took the wand carefully. Already, he felt a warmth go through his hand. When he waved the wand a shower of red and blue sparks flew from the very tip of it. It felt…right.

"Dogwood with Phoenix feather core, thirteen and three-quarter inches, hard." Olivander said. "That wand would be very good for charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now your turn." He said, pointing to Madeline.

Madeline, who had previously been laughing at her brother's attempts was now looking frightened as she walked up and took Alfred's place. When she was handed her first wand, a strong wind blew around making papers fly up in the air. Like with her twin, Madeline had a hard time with her wand. When Olivander took away what seemed to be her tenth wand, she looked at him sadly. "I think there's a mistake. I'm not sure if I'm magical enough."

The shop keeper smiled at her. "You will find one soon enough," he reassured her as he handed her another wand. "After all, the wand chooses the wizard." As soon as Madeline grabbed her wand, a warm breeze was in the shop. She had the same warm feeling Alfred did where the wand felt that it was right in her hands. "Pear with dragon core, twelve and a half inches, slightly springy. Very nice wand for transfiguration."

The twins stared at their wands while their parents paid for their wands. Afterword, they went to the ice cream shop, where they enjoyed the best ice cream that could put Muggle shops out of business.

They already liked it here.


A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews and follows, it makes me happy to see them!
Game time! Next chapter is when they finally get to the Hogwarts Express! Anyone who can guess the closest who the twins will meet on the train will get a shoutout!