Holding her hand, Narcissa led Persephone through a crowd of grimy looking men and women, nodded curtly at bald and toothless barman, and crossed strait to the back of the bar. "I never use this entrance" Narcissa whispered "three up and two across I believe" she continued while taking a thin pointed stick out of her cloak and tapping a brick three times.
Suddenly the wall began to quiver and a small hole appeared where Narcissa had tapped. It grew into a grand and ample archway revealing what Persephone could only assume was Diagon Alley.
"Well?" said Narcissa, "What do you think?"
"It's amazing!" Persephone answered. Her drop jawed expression was curling into a wide grin of sheer wonderment.
"Let's get your robes" Narcissa suggested, taking Persephone's hand once more and leading her through the archway.
"Must I wear robes at Hogwarts?" Persephone questioned, glancing around at the robe clad people bustling around the alley.
"Oh yes!" said Narcissa in a scandalized tone. "We can't have you going around in muggle clothing anymore my dear. Your mother was a Black! That's a very old wizarding name, and we Blacks do not allow our children to go around is muggle rags."
Just then they reached a shop called "Madam Malkin's" and entered. Madam Malkin, a small, plump woman, looked up from a mess of pins and needles saying "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy, Hogwarts I presume?" She then stood Persephone on a small stool and threw a long black robe over her head.
They left the shop with more clothes than Persephone had ever owned. Plain black robes, Persephone learned were uniforms for Hogwarts, were only a fraction of what they purchased. Narcissa selected many other robes, crafted from beautiful fabrics, for her niece and did not allow the small girl to leave in the tattered sundress in which she had arrived. Instead, she exited the shop in a beautiful, silky, emerald robe.
"Thank you so much Aunt Cissy! I cannot believe this is all mine!" Persephone said, smiling up at her aunt. "I've never had anything this beautiful and expensive!" Her face fell slightly, "I'll never be able to repay you." She said, looking down
"Oh my dear niece" Narcissa began "seeing you so happy is repayment enough! Plus-" she continued, wrapping her arm around the little girl's shoulders, "you've got to learn to enjoy the finer things in life. You will want for nothing now that you're with me."
They walked past an ice cream parlor called "Florean Fortescue's" and Narcissa stopped briefly before continuing. Persephone saw a boy, maybe a few years older than her, sitting at a table outside eating a sundae. He had rather untidy black hair, and glasses. "I thought we might stop for ice cream" said Narcissa, "but I think we'd better wait until after we've got your wand."
And so they kept walking until they reached a narrow, shabby looking store. The sign on the door read "Ollivander: maker of fine wands since 382 B.C." A bell jingled when they opened the door and a tall, thin, old man appeared from behind a row of shelves. "Ah, Miss. Lestrange!" he said to Persephone. "I'd hoped to see you. It seems like only yesterday your mother was in here purchasing her wand. Walnut and dragon heartstring, 12 ¾ inches, unyielding. Nearly blew up the place first time she touched it." He chuckled. "And your lovely aunt, elm wood and unicorn hair, 12 ½ inches, surprisingly swishy. How nice to see you Mrs. Malfoy."
"Always a pleasure, Mr. Ollivander." She replied haughtily
"I trust your son is happy with his wand? Hawthorn and unicorn hair, 10 inches precisely, reasonably springy if I remember correctly."
Narcissa smiled coolly. "Yes, Draco is quite happy with his wand."
"Interesting he favored a shorter wand, well, I say he favored, but of course it's really the want that chooses the wizard."
Ollivander then handed a lovely reddish wand to Persephone. "Rosewood and phoenix feather, 13 and a half inches, relatively pliable." He said jovially. But to Persephone's dismay, when she waved it, it blasted a hole through the carpet. "I think not" Said Olivander with a chuckle and handed her another wand.
After what seemed like quite a long time of trying out different wands, Ollivander said, "I wonder" and pulled out a dusty old box. It had not been on a shelf, but instead, in Ollivanders work shop. "Miss Lestrange, I must warn you, this is not an Ollivander Wand. I only use unicorn hair, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings for my wand cores. I purchased this wand from a friend in Germany years ago. I intended to study its properties and its core, thestral hair."
Persephone heard a sharp intake of breath from behind her. "Thestral hair, Mr. Ollivander" began Narcissa, "That's hardly suitable for a young-"
But before she could finish, Persephone had the wand in her hands. She felt a warm current flow up her left arm as her fingers tightened against the wood. She held it above her head and brought it down in a harsh chop. Bright green and silver sparks shot from the wand tip and showered the room.
"Curious" said Ollivander, smiling unnervingly at Persephone. "Sycamore and thestral hair, 10 ¼ inches, slightly illusive. This wand Miss Lestrange is very, very old. It is the brother of a very famous, very powerful wand…" he trailed off, "…but no matter. The wand chooses the wizard, and I will not deny a wand its chosen owner."
Narcissa looked uneasy as Persephone glanced up at her. "Very well, Mr. Olivander." She said before paying him and exiting the shop.
The two next went to a bookstore called "Flourish and Blotts" where books filled the room so thoroughly that they were piled like mountains. After getting Persephone's schoolbooks and supplies, they sat outside Flaurean Fortescues and shared the largest sundae Perspehone had ever seen.
"It's a shame your cousin Draco couldn't join us today" Narcissa said between scoops of ice cream. "He would have loved to see the Fire Bolt in the window at 'Quality Quidditch Supplies.' But it's probably for the best." She continued. "He might have convinced me to buy it!" she giggles.
"What's Quidditch?" Persephone questioned. She wanted to learn all she could about the wizarding world.
Narcissa only looked surprised for a moment before saying "My my, there is so much we must teach you before you go to Hogwarts. Quidditch is a wizarding sport. It's played on broomsticks up in the air and that Fire Bold in the window is the fastest broom in the world." Her expression darkened imperceptibly before saying, "Draco and I will have to fill you in about many things before you go to school. We wouldn't want people to think you a mudblood." She sneered slightly on that last word.
Persephone did not know what a "mudblood" was but she could tell it was not good. "Professor Snape says I'm a pure blood." She said with some conviction, having inferred that this was a good thing.
Narcissa's face lit up with pride. "Yes my dear, you most certainly are. Be proud of that Persephone, for these days it's a rarity."
Persephone did not want to leave, but she had to admit to herself that she was exhausted from her day of shopping. On the way back to St. Margaret's, Narcissa pulled Persephone into her arms and said, "I wish you could come home with me." Persephone leaned into her aunt's embrace, wishing the same thing.
"Me too." She said weakly
"But," started Narcissa, composing herself, "I promise you will be able to stay with us for the Christmas Holiday. The Minister has already given his approval. He and Lucius are on quite good terms lately since Lucius has made a few generous donations to the ministry."
They pulled up in front of St. Margaret's and Persephone got out of the car and waved goodbye to her aunt from the front stoop of the building. When the car pulled away, she sunk to the ground, bags in hand, and took out her wand, just to look at of course. 13 days she thought, and then I'll be free.