Chapter 4 is here, released today instead of tomorrow. Sorry about the problems with chapter 3 but it was out of my hands. Lots of other writers had the same problem. Anyway, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Bleach. I'm just letting you all see inside my crazy mind to see what the two look like fused together.

Image Disclaimer: Image by FrAgMenT from deviantART

4 - Old Friends and New Ones?

One crazy ride later and the group found themselves being roughly shoved outside.

"And don't come back for a while," called the goblins as they shut the doors on them. Ichigo and Tatsuki looked slightly confused at the past chain of events while Kisuke and Isshin seemed to accept it grudgingly.

"And we didn't even get to find out what happened," Ichigo muttered as they walked down the street. "Why were they so… aggressive with us? If anything, they wanted us gone from the moment we entered."

"Some people are wary of our family," said Kisuke. "Not much we can do about it, though the goblins were acting much more aggressively than normal. To let us skip the line like that is normally unheard of. I see what Tom meant but what caused it?"

"Enough about that," Exclaimed Isshin, his face filled with excitement. "We have stuff to buy."

"You do realise that we're the ones going to Hogwarts." Tatsuki gestured towards herself and Ichigo.

The group seemed content to ignore Isshin's protests as they approached 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'. As they entered the shop, they were greeted by the lady herself as she worked on some robes for one of her customers.

"You two here for Hogwarts?" she asked politely, looking up from the work she was doing. The two nodded before she gestured them towards some footstools. The moment they stepped on them, they found a long robe being thrown over their heads while she began to quickly adjust it to the right lengths.

While Madam Malkin worked, they two looked towards the person she had just been working on. He was dark skinned with a golden medallion around his neck, shaped like a coin. What really drew their attention though was his size. He wasn't fat or wide, no. It was the other axis.

"First year," Tatsuki asked hesitantly.

The boy simple nodded.

"A first year with that height," thought Ichigo in shock. "He's practically a giant to us." The assessment was quite accurate. Even next to adults, he seemed much older than he was.

At this moment, an old man walked in, looking quite similar to the boy. "Are you done yet Yasutora?"

"Yes Abuelo," the boy said as he stepped down off the stool. He gave a quick nod to Tatsuki and Ichigo before going off with his grandfather somewhere. The two watched the giant of a boy leave before giving each other a quick glance.

"He was…"

"I know."

"There you go dears," Madam Malkin said as she let them down from the stools. "All done. Much easier than he was. I swear, what are you children eating now days."

She continued her rant slightly as they too left, seeing Isshin and Kisuke outside who had somehow not only obtained parchment and quills for them, but also were eating ice cream as they waited.

"About time you two," exclaimed Kisuke as he finished off his ice cream. "Books next and then possibly wands after. Isshin can get the cauldrons and ingredients while we are getting books."

"Hey," protested Isshin childishly. "Why do I have to?"

His protests feel on deaf ears as the three had already walked away, leaving him standing there holding an ice cream cone. Accepting it grudgingly, he went the opposite way towards the apothecary first while the others approached 'Flourish and Blotts'. The three scattered as they went to collect the books, Ichigo finding himself near the back.

"Where is it," muttered Ichigo as he searched for the transfiguration textbook. His eyes scanned the shelf until they fell stopped at a book. It wasn't the book he was looking for though. He felt like he was in a trance, his hand slowly reaching towards the book as if it was calling to him. His hand was almost touching it when his arm was grabbed. He snapped out of the trance and spun round, finding himself facing his uncle.

"Ichigo," said Kisuke concerned. "We've got everyone. Didn't you hear us?"

Ichigo shook his head while Kisuke turned to look at the book Ichigo had been reaching towards. He withheld his shock though as he led Ichigo away towards Tatsuki, his mind contemplating on why Ichigo had reached towards that book.

They met Isshin outside where he was redirected again to get their gloves and telescopes while they stopped to get an owl. Tatsuki and Ichigo had decided to split one since they could just send the letters together and Isshin would make sure her mum got hers. They finally settled with a small brown barn owl which Tatsuki named Kon. They finally meet up with Isshin again and headed off to their final destination. Ollivanders.

The shop looked slightly smaller than most, and definitely older. There were some slight burns and scratches on the walls, the only sign that the shop had been hit during the war. The windows were filled with dust, a single wand being the only thing that could be seen through them, resting on a faded purple cushion. A sign hung above the door saying 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC'.

Ichigo slowly opened the door, a bell ringing as they entered. While the shop was small, they could see shelves packed full of wands all the way up to the ceiling. Ichigo wasn't sure how they were sorted because there was no arrangement to the colours of the boxes and he couldn't see any labels on the boxes.

Ahead of them stood an old man with pale eyes, though in the darkness of the shop, they were more like small moons. This was the man known as Ollivander.

With him though were two other customers. One seemed to be another old man, while the one with him was a young eleven year old boy.

"Very good," said Ollivander, his voice travelling through the shop. "Ten and a half inches long with unicorn hair, sealed in aspen wood. Very good for the charms master and duelist. Quite different from yours Souken. Unicorn hair, apple wood, and twelve and half inches if I remember correctly. The myth about apple wood definitely seems to be true for you."

"Souken?" Isshin and Kisuke's jaws dropped as the old man turned to look at them.

"Ah," he greeted warmly. "Well this is a surprise. I haven't seen you two in ten years."

"We could say the same to you," said Kisuke as he approached the man. "Still working on your dream."

Souken simply smiled up at the man. "I'm still breathing aren't I. As long as that happens, I won't ever give up." His expression turned sombre as he looked towards Isshin. "I am so sorry for your loss. Masaki was a wonderful woman. I still remember the days where she was just a little girl, running around and asking a million questions about the wonders of magic."

"I know," said Isshin gravely. "It's been two years but I doubt the pain will ever go."

"It's for the best," responded Souken. "Pain helps us grow stronger. In my experience, it is better to have love and lost than to have never loved at all. The only way to get rid of the pain would to be to forget the one we loved and that itself would cause even more pain. I remember the two of you getting married. The looks on your faces were just pure joy. Losing that memory would be like slicing your own throat."

"I know." Isshin's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Wait a minute. You were at our wedding? I don't remember you being there."

"Oh, that little detail," said Souken with a laugh. "Masaki sent me an invite but you know what the others would say if I attended. They had already decided to have nothing to do with her when she said she was marrying you so I had to charm myself so they wouldn't see me if anyone was watching. Our two families really need to calm down sometimes. In a lot of ways, we are actually quite similar."

"You know who the old heads are," joked Isshin. "Father is a bit more lenient than your head is but even so, he is still blinded by his sense of duty. It doesn't help that you lot caused some problems in the past."

"The past is the past and the future is the future. We should not let the actions of others define our own. If anything, we were the ones at fault. We refused to understand and left no choice but conflict."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Kisuke said, "But I'm not sure how long it will be until someone gets severely hurt." Souken and Isshin turned to look at what Kisuke meant and saw Ichigo and the other boy arguing, Tatsuki standing back slightly but still had her hands clenched like she was ready to punch something. Or someone.

"Ah," said Souken, seeing the problem. "Uryuu was subjected to a fair bit of prejudice against you lot. He's still a child so he doesn't yet understand that they are just words and not truth.

"Doesn't Ryuken try to stop it? He is his father after all."

At this Souken looked away slightly, as if seeing something they couldn't. "Ryuken has been a bit… estranged from others lately. This extended to Uryuu to a degree when he started taking the others' views. He has gone as far as to stop using his abilities, saying that it does nothing but cause more pain and misery than help and would rather do things without them. I think he is still working at St Mungo's but he won't even talk to me anymore."

Isshin shook his head in acceptance. "He always was a strange one but I can't completely doubt his reasoning. I'll visit him though. See if I can get him talking again. It's not a pleasant feeling when a father and son become unable to interact."

"Thank you Isshin." Souken didn't need Isshin to say which father and son he meant as he turned to his grandson. He didn't need to. "Come on Uryuu," he said as he headed for the door. Uryuu turned towards his grandfather and ran out after him, giving the two Soul Reapers a sneer as he ran past.

Ollivander finally stepped forward after patiently waiting for the other occupants to have caught up. "I wondered when you lot might show up," he exclaimed, a childlike grin on his face. "After just having that boy, I get this one as well. And the Boy Who Lived yesterday as well, it's like Christmas and a birthday all rolled into one."

Isshin was about to say something when a flash could be seen from the backroom.

"Ah," said Ollivander. "So he did show up. I thought he would but I wasn't certain."

The door to the back opened and out stepped Genryusai, his wooden staff hitting the floor as he walked. The air in the room even seemed heavier due to his very presence. "You were expecting me I believe."

"Of course," said Ollivander. "Have no fear about anyone sensing or seeing you here. This shop is intended for privacy. Buying a wand can be quite a private affair for some. Only that wand in the window can be seen and the room itself doesn't let any energy out that can be traced. Your identity is safe here."

"Good," replied Genryusai as he turned towards Isshin. "I trust it is okay that I get to see the wand that chooses my grandson." Even though it sounded like he was asked, his voice caused it to sound more like it had already been decided.

"Of course father," Isshin muttered softly as he turned to Ollivander.

Sensing his cue, Ollivander turned towards the two children. "Ladies first I think. Drawing a tape measure from god knows where, he let it go and watched as it extended and retracted around Tatsuki, measuring all kinds of things, from her arms to her feet to her toes to her eyes. "Which is your wand arm?" he asked as he moved towards the shelves.

Tatsuki looked at him questioningly until Kisuke helped her out.

"Your dominant hand."

"Ah," she quickly replied. "Okay. I'm right handed."
"Muggleborn I take it," Ollivander said. "I don't remember selling a wand to your parents."

"How do you know?"

Ollivander looked up from the shelves towards her. "I remember every want that I have ever sold. Every wand that I have ever made. I have a knack for sensing people, recognising their traits. It's a crucial thing for a wand maker like myself. Saves us a lot of time in searching. Your presence is unfamiliar compared with that previous boy and the one next to you. But of course, muggleborns are normally more fun. Harder to pick out a wand out when you have little to go on. Try this one."

Quickly grabbing a wand from behind him, he passed it over to her.

"Dragon heartstring, Alder wood, eight and a quarter inches. Give it a try."

Tatsuki did as she was told and gave the wand a flick. Almost instantly, a whole shelf of wands came crashing down. "Sorry," she exclaimed as she felt the wand get snatched from her grip.

"Sorry," Ollivander said happily. "Don't be. From that reaction, I can tell that you will be a tricky one. Such a powerful reaction is good. Your magic won't settle for a lazy or weak wand. No, it wants something complex. Definitely a dragon heartstring but what is the wood that it wants."

Tatsuki let the wand maker chatter to himself as he looked through wands. He gave her a few more to try but each ended with similar results. Finally, he brought out a wand nearer the back.

"Try this one," he said as he handed her a jet black wand." She gave it a hesitant flick and was surprised to feel a warmth spread through her body. "Excellent," exclaimed Ollivander as he looked at the wand. "Dragon heartstring, eleven inches, made of ebony. Very good with transfiguration and combat magic. Wands made of this wood normally like those who are true to themselves. Seven Galleons please."

Tatsuki handed over the money as Ollivander turned his attention to his new victim. "Customer," thought Tatsuki, correcting herself. "Hopefully Ichigo will have an easier time than me."

"Let's see," said Ollivander as he watched the tape measure work. "What is your wand hand?"

"Right," Ichigo began to say before his dad interrupted him.

"Left," Isshin said, ignoring his son's glare.

"Are you certain," said Ollivander. "Wands are always best in the dominant hand. Unless of course, you have another focus that takes dominance?"

Ollivander would have said more but he caught the look Genryusai was sending him and held out his hand, the tap measure returning to it.

"Let's start simple then," he said as he brought out a wand. "Your father used a wand of dogwood, twelve inches and phoenix feather. Let's see how you react to a similar one." He handed Ichigo a wand and let him wave it. It turned out to be a terrible mistake. No sooner had Ichigo waved it had the nearby shelves all been blasted backwards from the wand.

Ichigo looked shocked at the result while Tatsuki was half amazed, half worried. Ollivander had said that a bad reaction meant something good but there had to be a limit when a wrong wand causes such damage.

"Definitely not," Ollivander said as he took the wand away. "Tricky customer aren't you, just like the girl. No doubt the core is right. The phoenix feathers have always bonded particularly with your family. While most don't like their tendency to show initiative, you lot embrace it. So what wood does the wand need?"

Ollivander took to pacing as he looked through wands, calling out as he did.

"Kisuke used beech but I doubt that would work. Your grandfather had a particularly strong wood known as elder but that will refuse you no doubt. It only accepts the strongest around you so as long as you are weaker than him, one would never accept you. Maybe cherry?"

He rushed back out and handed Ichigo another wand. Just as he was about to give it a flick, he found it snatched out of his hand and replaced with another. The process repeated again and again as Ollivander tried wand after wand, seeming to know whether the wand would work from Ichigo just holding it. After a few more, he turned to the back and retreated there, looking for something. Ichigo looked around worriedly but saw that his father just looked bored, not upset. Finally, Ollivander found the wand he was looking for.

"Try this. Phoenix feather, ten and a half inches but made of cedar."

Ichigo did as he was told and tried it out. The moment he touched it, he felt the wind swirl slightly before settling, the wand resting peacefully in his hand.

"Very good," said Ollivander as he looked from the wand to Ichigo. "Cedar wood was what it needed it seems. My father would always tell me how you can't fool someone who owns a cedar wand. I believe something different though. Anyone can be fooled. I just wouldn't want to fool the wielder of a cedar wand. Trust me when I say that I have never once met the owner of a cedar wand whom I would care to cross. Especially if harm was done to those they love. These wielders normally have a strong sense of character but most of all, an unusual strong loyalty. Yes, I expect great things from you Ichigo Kurosaki.

Ichigo froze slightly at his statement. "How do you know my name?"

Ollivander just smiled. "Seven Galleons please.

Ichigo handed over the money and turned to his grandfather who was heading for the back. He looked down at Ichigo proudly before leaving as swiftly as he arrived. Isshin turned towards Ichigo and Tatsuki as Genryusai left.

"Well then," he said as he looked at the two. "Did you get everything?"

The two nodded quickly.

"Good then. We've best be off then. Till the next time Ollivander."

Ollivander waved as the group left the shop. "How curious," he muttered as they got further away. "First a Quincy appears for the first time in ten years. Moments later, a Soul Reaper does the same thing. And for them to be in the same year, this world will undoubtedly change. Will things end the same like the last time something like this happened, or will they end for the better this time."

Shutting the door, he turned back to the shelves and began tidying the mess. After all, it wasn't worth dwelling on what could be right now. Look too far forward and your very actions to get there could cause different results than you intended. You didn't need to be a seer to understand that. Albus Dumbledore knew that better than most.

"Yes," thought Ollivander as heard the bell go again. "Better to focus on the here and now. And at the moment, someone else needs a wand and I will supply them with one. Like always. I wonder if this one will be as tricky as the last." Slowly he turned around to come face to face with brown haired man wearing glasses followed by a dark haired eleven year old boy.

"Hello," the voice said. "I believe Kugo here needs a wand."

Ollivander just smiled uneasily at the man. "Of course Sosuke."

And there we go. Another chapter done. I hope I portrayed Souken well here. As for Uryuu, his attitude will change. He's more like a stronger Malfoy at the moment for Ichigo. He's only eleven remember and eleven year olds can be very impressionable, especially with who he would have lived with.

Chapter 5 is coming along nicely. It's the start of Hogwarts everyone. Just the Hogwarts express currently but it may stretch into the sorting ceremony. It depends how much more is needed to reach the chapter's minimum amount of words.

I got all the wand woods off Pottermore. I must have spend an hour looking through all the different descriptions, narrowing the list down, and then finally picking the one that I thought suited them the best. I didn't want to create some combination of woods or an ultra special core from a mythical creature. Ollivander uses the three cores for a reason. I don't mind when other cores are used in stories but it annoys me when they go over the top with it.

As for the reason I choose those woods and cores, look on Pottermore. If people want me to go into a big description though, let me know. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you want to know within reason.

Anyway, till the next time. I've been Takei. Thanks for reading.