Chapter 4

(with unaswered questions, banking and Thestrals)

With signed papers and nod which looked like a blessing from Mrs. Carter Severus accompanied by the girl and the dog stood before the house. Well at least the whole thing went smootly he thought and turned his eyes to the pair behind him.

„Few rules. No shouting, no questions, no delays. You will walk by my side, the dog on the leash and will be silent unless spoken to. I can asure you that I take no great pleasure in accompanying you to the shopping but it has to be done."

The girl nodded and tightly gripped the leash. The dog obediently sitting by her side. Well at least they both know how to behave.

„Any questions now before we get there?" He asked impatiently.

The girl looked at him thoughtfully before opening her mouth.

„Yes sir. I have some saved money from my work at neighbors. Will I be allowed to buy something for them?"

Simple request he had to give it to her. Well they have to visit Gringotts anyway to collect the money from the school funds so exchanging muggle money aswell will not be that bad.

„Yes. As long as it is something allowed by the school rules and reasonable." Snape said slowly and waved his wand and right after that a large purple dubble-decker arrived.

„Get in." He ordered her and watched her taking one armchair seat next to window.

„Diagon Alley." Snape growled at the driver and his assistant and payed for both of them and the dog off course.

The countryside swirlded behind the window and the bus jumped from one place to another. Hastings subburb, some scottish village, seaside cottage, black and deep forest somewhere in Wales, peacefull, countryside town with red-brick houses and then finally London.

„Diagon Alley." The assistant boy shouted excitedly giving Severus one curious look which then fell to the girl who stood behind him.

„Never knew you got daughter proffesor." The tall imbecile said while scratching his nose.

„That is non of your bussiness." Snape growled in his most icy tone and waved at the girl and the dog to hurry out of the car. „Mind you off course not to let your mouth talk too much about it though." He almost whispered to the boy whose face got a lot paler colour and the three of them stopped before Leaky Cauldron.

What a nonsence. Severus looked at the girl with kind of dissgust. When he'd thought about it she does have same hair and eye colour. He sneered at that and continued walking right to the inn. This bloody bussiness will leave gossips he was sure about it. Now Dumbledore will pay twice.

After entering the pub which was surprisingly full even though the early weekend morning. The entire place went silent as if someone used silencing charms.

Great. Severus resignately sighed in his head and looked at his unfortunate company. The girl stared wide eyed at the bartender who was just in the middle of cleaning glasses, his hand holding the wand and the rug working all by itself.

„I said no delays." He silently snarled at the girl tightly gripping her shoulder and navigating her out of the place in a split of a second.

„Now….is there something you did not understand when I gave you the rules?" He asked kind of irritated. Yes maybe it wasn't entirely her fault. After all it was the first time she saw magic at work. Well aside her random accidents. But still he could not afford to be delayed or suspected that he is her father.

„I am sorry sir." She said in kind of hushed tone and from her expression he saw that she meant it. Well at least the girl can appologize for her own faults.

He only nodded in response and drew out his wand tapping with it at the right brick and then the arched entrance to the Diagon Alley appeared.

„Just stay close, if you get yourself lost Miss Carter be assured I will not go looking out for you." Severus said now in his perfectly emotionless voice and the three of them walked right into the bright sun light.

XX

The Fate followed them with close look and in its mind all kinds of thoughts swirled like clouds in the storm. There has to be some kind of way to make this trip more entertaining for itself and maybe a little more irritating for Severus Snape. After all the Fate is known for having kind of twisted sense of humor and making people angry or dissappointed or even better irritate them to no end is its speciality.

So after working its head out it came up with few events which might bring more excitment to all gathered. But for that the Fate needed another person. The one and only most despised by Severus Snape. Off course The boy who lived, and when the Fate thought about it more and took into account all those times his most hatefull enemy the Luck helped the boy, the nick name should have been The boy how lived again and again and again. Not that the Fate wanted this boy hurt, but it was kind of annoying to prepare all those meetings with all kinds of odds and then Luck appears herself out of nowhere and spoils all the fun by giving the boy all those riddiculous advantages.

But as the Fate knows much about the future after all it is part of its responsibility it also knew that one day the ultimate meeting will happen for the boy and the Fate decided to talk to the Luck about it and maybe see to it that when that time will come she will not interfiere.

And after those exhausting thoughts the Fate reached down to the Earth, more precisely to the first floor of Leaky Cauldron and found out mind of The boy who lived…again. And with carefullness of its own gave him sudden urge to wake up and go shopping this morning.

And the Fate grinned. If everything will go as planned this day might bring him more fun in his eternity of boredom.

XX

Misti couldn't belive her eyes. Actually right now she wished to have at least one more pair of them. All those people walking or rushing by in strange colourfull robes. And the shops. She never seen anything like this. The owls flying by with envelopes in their beaks or in their claws. Bookstores filled with books large as tables or small as finger nails. The books which moved by themselves and were trying to bite each other. The books wich vanished only to appear in different places.

Oh and toys. The shop windows were filled with all kinds of toys. Walking teddy bears which winked at the customers. Small dragons which looked alive and were sitting proudly in the cages. Small fireworks exploading in windows. And among all of this all kinds of herbs, magical stones, powders and vials filled with colourfull liquids.

And the sweetshops. The icecream pilled so high she could not see over it. With flavours she never dreamed before. Snow, Mushroom, Spinach, Bacon, Fish, Levitating, Fiery, Invisibiliting, she only had few moments to go over the different and in some cases disgusting flavours. But proffesor walked so fast that she had to almost run beside him not to be left behind and she silently wished to visit each of the stores.

Then she noticed one small shop with window filled with different kinds of crystal balls but instead to be filled with imitation of falling snow and some ugly castle these were full of strange light and in its mids the galaxies and planets moved. She so wanted to stay and look more carefully but one irritated growling sound from proffesor returned her to reality and she and Snacks rushed to catch up with him.

Proffesor Snape made his way through the crowd and Misti could notice that some of the people gave him looks full of anger but mostly looked kind of terrified and left him enough space to walk comfortably through the street. She was right at his heels too terrified to get lost. After all she had no idea where exactly they were right now and how to get back home and what was more important she didn't want to burden proffesor with herself too much. He was kind enough to get her shopping, which was much more than mom or gran ever did. And with him the whole trip seemed like more fun than to be dragged by her older brothers who took all her money and always bought what was needed keeping the rest of her savings for themselves.

But proffesor Snape promised she could buy something. And with that happy thought Misti had to skip around happily and notice large white building appear at the end of the street. In golden large letters it read: Gingotts Bank. And at the door Misti noticed two small men. Well at least she thought those were men but after looking at them more closely she soon found out that both had too large heads with sharp pointy ears and teeth, their hands short with long fingers ending with what looked like some sort of claws or really lond and dirty nails.

They all walked past them and entered large marble hall and without any word proceeded towards one of the strange men. He gave proffesor one curious look and folded his hands on the large book which was laying on the desk in front of him.

„How can I help you sir?" the small man asked in strange accented voice and produced something akin to smile which only made his sharp teeth more visible.

„I need to widraw some of the school funds and I also need to exchange money." Proffesor said in neutral kind of boring tone.

„At your service sir. How much money do you wish to widraw from the school vault?"

Proffesor looked thoughtfull for a second and then pulled large yellowish parchment from his pocket. Judging by the seal it was a copy of a letter he gave her earlier Misti thought and her hand slipped into her pocket just to make sure that the envelope is still there.

„60 galleons will be enough." Proffesor said finaly after scanning the content of the letter.

„Very well. Just proceed to the window seven for the exchange and I will bring the money in few minutes." The small man said with what looked like faked smile and dissappeared in one of the doors behind his table.

„How much money do you have?" Proffesor asked.

Misti dug deep to the pocket in her trousers and opened her palm in which layed few coins.

„Erm 14 pounds sir."

XX

14 pounds? Severus had to hide his surprise. But then he remembered his own pride when he earned his first money from slaving whole summer in the gardens of his more furtunate neighbors.

He only nodded silently at the sum and took the muggle coins from the girls hand. She watched him with kind of content smile, bouncing excitedly at her heels watching with amazed eyes everything going around her.

Silly child. Severus thought and walked to the next counter and as if acting on someone's orders his hand dissappeared in one of his pockets, leaving the slightly dirty coins there and unnoticed by the girl pulling out a brand new two twenty pounds banknotes.

„Do you have a wish sir?" A goblin asked him in that annoying fake servilling voice and gave him kind of icy smile. He hated to deal with these monsters. After all he knew very well how well organized and capable they are and whatever might wizarding population say he never felt comfortable having his life savings in care of these creatures.

„I'd like to exchange some muggle money." Severus said in neutral tone and handed the banknotes over to the clerk with his left hand obscuring the girl's vision.

The goblin only nodded and widrew large book from his table and dark moneybag. Severus never cared too much for the exchange rate of muggle money but when he received 15 galleons it took him with kind of surprise. Well at least it is a kind of reasonable sum to give the girl.

He exchanged nods and some well placed goodbyes with the goblin and gave the girl her money.

„Here it is. And I will really appreciate if you would spend the money on something reasonable."

She only gave him one happy nod and hid the money in one of her pockets. They all exited the bank and Severus looked into the list of school requirements. The books, that should be easy, robes…well he will have to endure some time in the second hand clothes shop, potions supplies, he can buy that quite easily and lastly the wand. Oh yes and the students can bring with themselves a cat, owl or a toad. Well he will have to talk to Dumbledore about the dog but he was resolute at making it work, not for the girl but because it'll make some trouble for the headmaster and right now Severus wanted nothing more than give him trouble.

„Well first we will go buy you a school robes and then books and potions supplies." Severus announced to the girl and started to walk briskly towards the exit.

The sun was shining brightly and the morning promised another day full of sweat and sunburns. They arrived in front of the store with hand-me-down clothes at ten o'clock and he slowly pushed the girl through the door gripping the dog leash. He was certainly not prepared for another exclamation about his „daughter".

The dog stood there looking at the door where his mistress dissappeared and Severus had time to think things through. They will not be finished with the shopping before noon so he should propably think of someplace to get a lunch. If anything he hated when children did not eat properly. He himself learned the hard way how important it is to have a decent meal three times a day. And he certainly did not want any of his students even if this girl might end up being ignorant hot-headed Griffindor to grow up behing ill looking like he was and because of that often a victim of bullies.

XX

„Good morning sweetheart." A motherly voice echoed from the cashier and plump lady with thick, small, grey locks on her gead gave Misti a warm smile.

„Hello." She only answered kind of nervous and looked around the shop. The walls were lined with clothes hangers on which hanged different kinds of robes. Some of them colourful with linings and even fur decorations but mostly they were pure black.

„Need some school robes I guess?" the woman smiled again and walked right to where black robes and pointy hats were.

„First year right?" she asked from the mids of black robes.

„Yes madam." Misti answered now more nervous than before. What if she asks her something she doesn't know about this school? Somehow after seeing all those people out there walking by the street not amazed by everything at all left her with fear that she might never get used to this magic bussiness and look like an idiot when someone asks her questions.

The ringing of a little bell above the entrance brought her from her musings and she saw tall blonde man dressed in very strangely looking mustard yellow robes followed by a blonde girl with dreamy eyes.

„Ah hello there, will be with you in a moment, just found out right robes for this little missy and I am all yours." The shop lady told the newcomers and with hands full of dark robes, skirts and blouses walked to the cashier.

„You're going to Hogwarts this year?" the dreamy eyed girl asked suddenly in soft voice.

„Erm yes…" Misti answered kind of nervously. It was strange talking to someone she never met before and the girl looked quite strange with what she supposed were radish as earrings and necklace made from bottle stoppers.

„I'm Luna Lovegood, do you know to which House they will sort you?" Luna continued and started to play with her earrings.

„Misti Carter and no.. I mean no one told me anything about it." Misti said with a little sheepish grin. The girl looked like she will not laugh at her for not knowing anything about the Houses or the school.

„Ah well then I hope you will enjoy the sorting." She kind of skipped towards one of the hangers and started to try various hats on her head.

„It will be eleven galleons sweetheart." The lady interupted her little conversation for which Misti was kind of glad. She took the bag with all the clothes, payed the money and hurriedly left the store.

It was all so strange really. She so felt like not belonging here and so many questions ran through her head that she wished to at least ask about few of them the proffesor but he told her no questions. So with deep sigh Misti walked silently beside him her head hunged down her cheerful mood vanishing with the speed of a light.

XX

He saw her exiting the store with head hung down and not looking everywhere anymore as if something happened. And Severus Snape despite everything what was known about him cared in some ways about people in his responsibility. And being dutyfull man he started thinking what might have happened. Trully could it have been Lovegoods bringing the girl into this gloom mood?

He wanted to save the trip to buy a wand until last taking care of it just before they'll leave the street and he'll be rid of her for good. Because Severus knew that there is nothing more annoying than first year with new wand and loads of questions but now when he saw her so down he acted as if someone else pushed him and stopped his brisk walk for a while.

„Miss Carter the wandmaker is right behind the corner so we will make a little change in the plans and buy it first."

The girl nodded politely her mouth shut. Seemingly she was following his orders. What a strange behavior from a child. So far Severus only encountered children who were loud, unruly and spoiled. Without manners and without ounce of brains. Well except Granger and her know-it-all frustrating habit to answer every question and brew perfectly every potion he assigned her. But if Severus hated something more than stupidity if was a lack of imagination and own ideas and precise following of books to the last letter. So no even Granger wasn't able to impress him. Oh he remembered Lily and her love for potions. How she could invent new ways to make them, add new ingrediences to surprass some of the negative side effects or bring out more of the positive quallities.

They'd spend hours even days leaning over the books and inventing new potions and sometimes ending with nothing more than useless goo but even that times they laughed together trying to figure out what went wrong.

Non of his students had these quallities and Severus silently sighed at the gloom prospect that non will ever have them.

They entered the old and musty smelling store together, he pushed the girl towards the counter while Severus seated himself to the small chair beside the window, looking out to the crowded street and only half listening to the conversation as Mr. Ollivander took charge.

XX

Misti had absolutely no idea what was required from her and so after she was pushed towards the counter her eyes scanned hundreds if not thousands of small long boxes pilled up towards the ceilling and suddenly very old man with strange pale eyes emerged from the back of the shop and without even telling her „good day" he pointed his wand towards what looked like a normal tailor meter. It suddenly came to life looking like sort of a snake and began to measure her from head to toes, her arm lenght, the distance between her shoulderblades and finaly even the distance between her noseholes.

The old man then gave the proffesor one long thoughtfull look before dissappearing in the back of his store.

„Well try this one Ms. Carter." He handed her a narrow wand from light brown wood. Misti took it and started to wonder how the shopkeeper knew her name when he took the wand from her hand shaking his head and taking out another one.

„This one might be better, Cherry wood and unicorn hair, very flexible." He said and Misti had no idea what is he talking about. She grabbed the wand and looked at the polished surface but same as before it was taken out of her hand and replaced with another.

„Oak, dragon heart not so flexible."

„Try this one. Phoenix feather, Birch wood, strong."

„Or this one…"

It took ages. It seemed that whatever wand Misti took to her hand it was not the thing the old man was looking for, but with every vain attempt his mood brightened.

„I see you are very demanding customer." He smiled and seemed much more delighted than when they entered.

He then gave another long look towards proffesor Snape and emerged from the back of the shop with very slim dark box.

„Why don't you try this one Ms. Carter." He handed her polished wand crafted from some very dark wood. In the instant her fingers touched the surface Misti could feel tingling and warm sensation through her whole body.

„Ah yes. 21 inches, very flexible. Yew wood and the core from the hair of Thestral. Not usual combination but it works, sometimes."

She could see proffesor snaping his head towards them in the instant the shopkeeper said the parameters of the wand and giving her a long stern look.

„It will be ten galleons Ms. Carter." The old man smiled and she watched proffesor getting up from the chair, almost throwing the money on the counter and gripping her shoulder with almost painful grip dragging her quickly out of the shop. She only barely managed to hold Snack's leash before they strode in hellish speed through the crowds.

Something made proffesor extremely angry and she was afraid to even look at him. Asking him what happened was out of question then.