Chapter 4:
One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Alicia stared at everything, unsure as to what to do first or what was more important. Harry was no different.
"Oh how about the owls? Oh no robes would be smart! Oh! Oh! A wand! No the book store!" Alicia muttered as she took several steps in the different directions and pointed, no idea what was most important or more exciting.
"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Alicia turned and nodded immediately.
"Listen, Harry, Alicia, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick.
"Of course." the two nodded, and so Harry and Alicia entered Madam Malkin's shop alone.
Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
"Hogwarts, dears?" she said, when Harry started to speak.
"Yes please." Alicia managed to say before she continued
"Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."
In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. Alicia was placed up as well, there were just enough hands for her not to wait, and the same happened to her.
"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"
"Yes," said Alicia and Harry.
"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."
"I think I'd like to just buy one for next year, or for holidays. I'd rather a brand new one." Alicia smiled, it was hard to do so, the boy reminder her of Harry's spoiled cousin, but she didn't need to make any enemies before the year even began. He smirked in a nod and Harry looked at her, she shrugged as he looked away.
"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.
"No," said Harry.
"Not yet."
"Play Quidditch at all?"
"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be. Alicia assumed it was some sort of game.
"I do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my House, and I must say, I agree."
"What team's your favourite?" The boy babbled something that didn't make any sense to either of them and quickly continued
"Know what House you'll be in yet?"
"No," said Harry, Alicia could tell he felt left out and silly for not knowing these things.
"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
"What is it you don't like about Hufflepuff?" Alicia asked, the word twisting her face in confusion as she said it.
Harry looked at her again, surprised she could carry the conversation.
"They're full of the doughnuts." the boy sneered, smirking slightly but rolling his eyes. Alicia didn't have an answer for that but her eyes narrowed slightly. Harry looked at her and she pull a face that caused him to smirk slightly.
"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at three large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.
"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."
"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"
"Servant?" Alicia spat the word, slightly irritated the boy would call anyone that.
"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.
"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage — lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."
"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.
"He's done a fine job at looking after us." Alicia nodded, her face hard.
"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"
"They're dead," said Harry and Alicia shortly. They shared a glance but didn't expand, Alicia didn't know what happened with either parents, and Harry probably didn't want to go into detail.
"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"
"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean." and Alicia nodded
"Are you two siblings then?" the boy asked. The two looked at him confused
"No?" they answered
"Strange, you look like siblings." Harry and Alicia shared a confused look but the boy didn't seem to care, he just continued.
"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?" The boy said. Harry didn't get to answer as Madam Malkin spoke.
"That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.
"You as well sweetie." Alicia smiled as she looked at the robes and stepped down.
"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.
"I hope not." Alicia muttered to Harry as they paid for the uniforms.
"How did you know about all that?" Harry asked
"What?"
"Quidditch, and Hufflepuff?"
"I didn't." she shrugged "I just, asked questions that made it look like I knew." she grinned.
"I feel left out, not knowing."
"That's why I want my books." Alicia grinned
"But you love books," he reminded her
"I like to learn and I hate not knowing all these things. I will not be going to Hogwarts this clueless." she said determined
"Think you could help me out?" Harry asked
"Of course." she smiled as they reached Hagrid. They handed them an ice-cream each.
Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).
"What's up?" said Hagrid.
"Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"
"Yes, is it a game?" Alicia said immediately interested.
"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!"
"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.
"— and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —"
"Yer not from a Muggle family. Neither of yah are." he pointed to them "If he'd known who yeh were — he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"
"So what is Quidditch?"
"Why is Harry famous?" Alicia asked again
"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules." Alicia sighed at his answer
"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"
"School Houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —"
"Doughnuts." Alicia remembered the boy saying.
"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily.
"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."
"Vol—, sorry — You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"
"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.
"You-know-who?" Alicia asked
"The wizard that killed Harry's parents." Hagrid answered
"Harry's parents are murdered?!" Alicia asked stunned
"Tried killin' Harry too." Alicia looked at him stunned "That's where he got his scar."
"What scar?"
"This one." Harry raised his fringe to show the lightning snapped scar on his forehead.
"I have a funny scar like that." Alicia smiled
"Really?" Harry asked
"Yes," she moved her hair to expose a wonky cross shaped scar on her neck. "Had it since I was born." she shrugged as they moved to the book store. Harry didn't get to say anything as Alicia was inside the bookstore within a blink.
The shop was called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all.
Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Counter-curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.
"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."
"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."
Alicia had all her school books within the minute as well as Harry's which she shoved into his hands to distract him from the curses book.
"You don't want to get into trouble before we start do you." she was grinning though and she went to find some other books for her own curiosity.
She bought a few history books, a few extra spell books and also another potions, magical creatures and transfiguration book.
"You need all those?" Harry asked as she carried the pile to the front desk.
"No of course not." she said as though it was a stupid question. "I want all these." she corrected with a grin "I am going to need something to do for the next month or so and I want to know everything! It's so exciting!" she said jumping around slightly. She paid for all the books and Hagrid helped her carry them all.
"I don't even know which one to start with." she said looking at the ones in her hands.
"How 'bout we finish yeh shopping first." Hagrid smiled.
Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron
"It says pewter on yer list"
"But gold looks prettier." Alicia admitted with a giggle, though she'd picked up a pewter one herself. They each got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling.
While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry and Alicia, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes, five Knuts a scoop. Alicia asked about everything she could see, by the end of it Harry had to drag her from the room, over the smell, much to the store owners appreciation.
"I just want to know everything." she exclaimed again.
Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.
"Just yer wand left — oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."
"Oh my god!" Alicia all but shouted "Me either, oh…" she started looking at all the shops, spinning on her heal, hoping something would stand out.
"You don't have to —"
"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at — an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."
Alicia frowned, claiming that was a good thing.
"Oh I'll buy you the cauldron!" she beamed
"No." Hagrid disagreed, making her frown deeply.
"Come on Alicia, I need to get you a gift also." Hagrid claimed, causing Harry to look at her surprised as Alicia's cheeks burned red.
"What?" he asked
"Uh…"
"It's Alicia's birthday too, didn' yeh know that?" Hagrid asked
"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked her
"You didn't ask." she smiled
"I'll get yeh both an owl then." Alicia beamed but it sunk again
"I still don't know what to get you." she grumbled to Harry
"Me either." he had the bigger trouble though
"Oh I know!" Alicia beamed, her eyes bright "I'll buy your wand for you."
"No," Harry began to shake his head
"Done! And I'd like to see you stop me." she said strongly. Harry knew he'd never get her to change her mind.
"Alright, then I'll buy yours in exchange." he said, Alicia blinked and grinned
"Deal." she nodded and shook his hand.
Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. Alicia on the other hand had a bird that closely resembled her, it had black feathers, a couple of random white ones thrown in down it's back, and bright green eyes. Harry couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell. Alicia said it in excitement, happy to have her own pet.
"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."
The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.
A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait.
Alicia felt that calling out through the shop was not allowed. The room was as quiet as a library and the very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.
"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair. Alicia spun around to see who'd spoken.
An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.
"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.
"Good day." Alicia smiled
"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."
Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. Alicia watched feeling a little awkward also, it was strange to watch.
"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."
Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose.
"And that's where…"
Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.
"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"
"Ahem," Alicia coughed. Ollivander turned to her and smiled.
"Ah, Alicia Evans." Mr Ollivander's eyes looked between the two "I remember your parents quite well. You do look like your mother, beautiful women. However the dark hair comes from your father." he nodded but left it at that as he turned to Hagrid.
"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"
"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.
"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.
"Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.
"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.
"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry and Alicia noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke. She gave Harry a look and he understood it.
"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now — Mr. Potter. Ms Evans. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"
"Er — well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.
"Same." Alicia nodded
"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."
Harry suddenly realised that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.
The measuring tape moved to Alicia next and measured all of the measurements as it had on Harry. She watched it interestingly before Mr Ollivander spoke.
"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."
Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.
"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"
Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.
"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."
Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.
"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."
Harry took the wand. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"
He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious…curious…"
"Curious?" Alicia questioned, getting slightly annoyed by the wand maker's mumbles.
"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"
Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.
"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."
Harry swallowed.
"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."
Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He went to pay but Alicia immediate pushed in and gave Ollivander seven gold Galleons for his wand.
"It's a birthday gift." Alicia smiled when Ollivander looked at her curiously.
"Well Ms Evans, your turn." and he returned to the shelves.
"Unicorn, Oak, nine inches." she took the wand and it was gone from her hand.
"Dragon heartstring, cherry, eleven and a half inches." She took that and held it for a minute before Ollivander snatched it.
"No surprise you both would be difficult." he muttered
"Why?" Alicia asked before she could stop herself. Ollivander however had moved to the back of the shop somewhere. Alicia turned to Hagrid but he was staring at something outside that he seemed very interested in. She narrowed her eyes as Ollivander came back. He took another wand from it's box and handed it to her slowly.
Alicia, seeing his hesitance took it. Heat flooded through her fingers and filled her body, similar happened as to Harry, sparks shot out of the end of the wand and exploded like fireworks.
"Well, that's interesting." Ollivander was smiling though
"Why?" Alicia wondered
"Though it is not the same wand of Mr Potter's here, holly, unusually mixed with cherry, and phoenix feather, twelve inches. Very similar." he nodded as he wrapped the box. Alicia and Harry shared a look
"Is there a reason for that?" Alicia asked slowly. Ollivander smiled but did not answered as he requested the money. Harry paid and Ollivander smiled at him.
"Birthday present?" he asked. They nodded, not bothering to be surprised as to how he guessed.
"Well I'd say that's a good day." Alicia smiled as she, Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, the sun now hanging low in the sky.
They left the Leaky Cauldron, not empty compared to earlier and towards the Underground. People stared at the two owls in their cages, their strangely wrapped parcels and a few books sitting in their cauldrons. Alicia was itching to pick one up and read it but the covers would draw attention more then the owls.
None of them spoke until they got to Paddington station.
"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," Hagrid said.
He bought Harry and Alicia each a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.
"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. Alicia looked at him also. Harry was quiet for a while.
"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol—, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died."
"You can't be blamed for that Harry." Alicia rolled her eyes "Everyone knows you disappeared into the muggle world or you would have been in their news all the time. Seeing as that boy didn't recognise you, I'm going to say that didn't happen."
Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.
"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact."
"Come on Harry, we're going together." Alicia nudged him giddily. Harry smiled slightly before turning to them both.
"So who's this Vol— guy?" she asked "Or, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. What a mouthful." she muttered, Harry leaned in towards her and whispered
"Voldemort."
"Voldemort?" Hagrid shivered slightly
"They don't like the name." Harry shrugged
"Why? It's just a name." she thought. Harry nodded in agreeing.
Hagrid helped the two onto a train that would take them both back to Surrey, assuming the Dursley's had returned that was, and Hagrid gave both kids an envelope.
"Yer tickets fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me… See yeh soon, Harry. Good bye Alicia."
"Bye Hagrid." Alicia waved before the train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.
"Oh this is so real! I'm so excited!" Alicia said under her breath to keep those in the cart from hearing her.
"Aren't you worried?" Harry asked
"No, I have plenty of books to help me get at least the basics and I'm sure not everyone could be like that boy in Madam Malkin's Robes. So, why worry?" Alicia wondered "Plus, I've got you, so I'm not alone, and currently we're both in the same boat." Harry nodded, feeling slightly better then he had before.
Until he remembered he had to return to the Dursley's.
