Author's Note: Wow, the response to this fiction has been amazing so far! Thank you to everyone who has favorited, added this to their alerts, and most especially reviewed! I really appreciate it.

Have a Happy New Year!

No Trigger Warnings

Chapter 7

Just as Harry predicted, Hermione hopped up onto the stool next to him for her robe fitting.

"Hi, Hermione!"

"Hi, Harry," she said, with a smile.

"Isn't all of this amazing?"

"It really is. I am so excited to start learning magic. I want to learn everything about this world! I'm curious as to why the goblins control the wizard's wealth."

Harry shrugged. It really was a good question. He had a feeling it was because goblins were masters of finance, but muggles had financial people that were very smart. Did wizards simply not want to bother when there were perfectly good goblins available? "Did you take a cart to a vault? Wasn't it brilliant?"

"Yes, it was a lot of fun. My parents didn't appreciate it as much though," she replied with a giggle. "My dad's still shaking a little.

"Hey, do you mind if I tag along with you? I've never had a friend before."

She grinned at him. "Sure! I've never really had a friend before either."

Once they were fitted, the Grangers seemed thrilled that their daughter had already found a friend and readily included him in their shopping group. They went to the Apothecary to buy ingredients and Hermione and Harry went around to look at all of the gross stuff.

"I'm not really squeamish, but are we really expected to make potions with this stuff and drink it?" Hermione said, staring into a barrel of rat's eyeballs with a horrified look on her face.

"I guess so," Harry replied peering at the bat spleens. "I've never really thought about it like that. I might have some trouble drinking potions then."

"Let's try not to ever drink potions."

"Yes, let's."

They got what they hoped was a year's supply of ingredients and then their cauldrons. Hermione's parents decided that a trip to the trunk store was next, because the bags of both children were becoming too numerous to carry.

Hermione settled on a very simple trunk, but Harry, thinking back on his year in the woods, glanced around. There were simple trunks like his first, but there were other trunks that were like Moody's which opened to a different container depending on the key used. He didn't need anything too complicated, but it would be nice to hide some of his more private stuff, like his Invisibility cloak, presuming Dumbledore would give it to him for Christmas this year. He finally settled on a wheeled trunk with three keys, one key which opened up into a functioning wardrobe with hangers, a cavernous hole like Moody's case, and a few hidden compartments. It set him back quite a bit, but he felt it would be worth it in the end.

Next they bought their telescopes and then a pair of scales for weighing ingredients. Next, they decided to get their wands and then Harry suggested exploring Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"We have to save the bookstore for last," Mrs. Granger said. "Hermione would spend all day in there if she could."

"I would too," Harry replied.

They walked into Ollivanders and a hush fell on the group instantly in the dim quiet of the shop. Harry felt like his breath had been stolen from him. Since he had been practicing his wandless magic, he had become more in tune with his magical well and could sense magic a little easier. He remembered being unsettled by this place the first time, but now the store practically seemed to be buzzing with pent up magic.

"Good afternoon," a low voice called out from the dim shadows. Hermione actually jumped and gasped. "Oh, I apologize for startling you. I am Garrick Ollivander, the proprietor of this shop. My family makes all the wands available here." He looked around at them all before settling on Harry. "Harry Potter, I knew I would see you soon. It seems like your mother was in here only yesterday purchasing her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, unicorn hair, and made of willow. Nice for charms work. Your father on the other hand preferred a mahogany wand, dragon heartstring, eleven inches long. Powerful. Good for Transfiguration."

"And that's where…" Ollivander brushed aside his hair to see the lightning scar. "I'm afraid that I sold the wand that did that. Powerful wand. Yew, thirteen inches, phoenix feather. Powerful wand and in the wrong hands. If I had known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"

He finally moved onto Hermione and Harry couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Why hello there, young miss. And you are?"

"Hermione Granger," she said quietly as she hesitantly held out her hand.

"It is lovely to meet you. And you are?" Ollivander said, moving onto her parents. They also seemed unnerved, but they gave their names and shook hands.

"Let's start with you first, Ms. Granger. I have a feeling you'll be easier than our friend Mr. Potter over there. Now, hold out your wand-arm."

He went on to explain the basics of the wands he made, keeping up a rambling narrative as the tape measurement eventually started measuring her itself. He pulled down a wand and headed over, "Holly and unicorn hair, 8 ½ long. Give it a swish."

She waved it and he snatched it away. "No, no, not quite right. Redwood and phoenix feather, 11 inches. Very powerful wand."

Again, though, she produced nothing and Ollivander took it away and then came back. "Birch and unicorn hair, 9 ¾ inches. Very sturdy. Go on, try it."

Still nothing and he took it away. "How about this one? Vine and dragon heartstring, 10 ¾ inches. Nice and supple."

She grinned as she took it and waved it enthusiastically, producing a shower of blue and green sparks.

"Bravo! Well done," Ollivander cried as though she had just produced the most astounding magic on Earth. Her parents gasped and cried as well, clapping enthusiastically. "Now, for your wand, Mr. Potter." He was put to the tape measurement as Mr. Ollivander began collecting wands.

Just as before, it felt like they were going through half the store as he was handed wand after wand, swishing them experimentally before they were snatched from his hand. Harry was becoming impatient and had to restrain himself from asking for his holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches.

Finally, after another ten minutes of swishing wands, Ollivander came around to his wand. Harry almost sighed as it was placed in his hand, feeling the familiar warmth. It felt like a long lost friend rejoining him again. He slashed with the wand and it spewed the red and gold sparks. Everyone in the shop cheered once more and then Ollivander pulled out two boxes and began packing their wands.

"Curious...curious, curious, curious…"

"I'm sorry, but what is it?" Harry asked.

Mr. Ollivander gave him a piercing look and said, "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single one. It just so happens that the phoenix who gave me the wand in your feather gave me another feather. Just one other. It's curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand, for it's brother...it's brother gave you that scar."

Even already knowing that the words were chilling. Before his seventh year, he had never told Hermione or Ron the circumstances surrounding his wand and it was a little unsettling that not only did Hermione hear this now, but so did her parents. She gasped in horror and looked up at her parents, who looked scared themselves.

"Thank you," Harry muttered as he took his package.

Once they left, he said, "I'm sorry that took so long."

"That's okay, Harry. Finding the right wand is important," she said.

"So can we still go to the Owl Emporium?"

"Of course," Mrs. Granger said. They seem subdued.

Harry felt his good cheer return as he wandered among the owl cages. There were Short-eared, Tawny, tiny little Screeches, Barn, Great Horned, Boreal, Eagle, Barred, Saw-Whet, Spotted and Great Gray, but he could not see any Snowy owls. His heart began pounding as he searched and searched. Where was Hedwig? Did someone buy her between now and the day before? He felt his throat start to close up and tried to push that aside.

What am I even thinking about? I'm only allowed one animal; I can't leave Cloud behind. It was stupid to come in here expecting to buy an owl. Harry thought, but it didn't cheer him. Hedwig had been one of his first friends upon entering the magical world and it was the only thing at the Dursleys that didn't flinch upon seeing him. It now seemed Cloud was that thing.

"Aren't they all lovely?" Hermione said. "Mum, dad, can I get an owl for my birthday?" She gave them her biggest eyes.

The Granger's looked at each other uneasily.

"Darling, you wanted extra books from the magical world for your birthday. We agreed, remember?"

Hermione was torn. "But how will I write to you?"

"Let's ask Professor McGonagall about that," Mr. Granger said.

"Okay," Hermione replied. "What about you, Harry? Are you getting an owl."

"An owl would be great, but…I - I already have a cat. I'm going to take him. We should probably get to the bookstore; I know I want more than my school books. "

They sensed his mood and moved on without comment. Hermione was looking at him with sympathy, but the moment they stepped into the bookstore, her attention was immediately diverted and she squealed.

"Now hold on there, missy, we're going to get your school books first and then you can look around," Mr. Granger said.

She could barely contain herself as she went to the front display with all of the school books. She didn't have the list in her hand, but she didn't hesitate as she grabbed books. Harry hadn't memorized his school list, but he knew for a fact that Standard Book of Spells 4-5 was certainly not on the list nor was Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Harry just picked his school books, but once he'd put them on his trunk, he started circulating the store. While he knew Hermione was going to practically swallow Hogwarts: A History, he went ahead and picked it up. It wouldn't hurt to know more about Hogwarts. He smirked as he found the book Hagrid wouldn't let him buy and grabbed it. Maybe he couldn't use it on Dudley, but he could certainly use it on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He also grabbed Dark Magic: A Compendium of Defense Spells, Purebloods and Muggleborns: A Society of Symbiance and Strife, and to be less serious Fire and Flight: A Book About Dragons.

When he moved to check out, Hermione was still wandering around the shop, pulling books down from the shelves here and there. Her parents would occasionally make some comment, which caused her face to crumble, and she'd reluctantly put a book back. By the time Harry got done buying his books, Hermione was in line with no less than twenty.

"Your mom said you're getting these books for your birthday. When is it?"

"September 19th. I'll be twelve."

"Wow, I'm almost a whole year younger than you. My birthday was yesterday actually."

"Happy birthday, Harry!"

"Thanks."

"Are you both ready to go? It's almost fifteen till one. We should probably head to the beginning of the alley."

Harry wished he could make his trunk feather light as he pulled it up the alley. His books felt like they added a metric ton and even with wheels he strained. Mr. Granger offered to help, but he waved it off. He'd need to haul this home, so he might as well get used to it.

Professor McGonagall was already waiting. She was like a rock in a wild sea, as people moved around her. They were the first to return and she inquired about their shopping and smiled at their enthusiasm, particularly Hermione's when she described the extra books she bought.

While they waited, Hermione sidled up to Harry in a rather shy manner and she said, "Harry, I hope you don't find me too nosy, but I wanted to ask….about what Mr. Ollivander said to you. He spoke to you like he knew you and he mentioned…" She couldn't seem to find the right words.

"It's alright, Hermione. Professor McGonagall told me this morning that I'm apparently famous in the wizarding world. My parents were murdered by a dark wizard called Voldemort. Most people in the world refer to him as You-Know-Who, because they're afraid to use his name, so you should probably not say it. Anyway, she said that no one has ever survived the killing curse, except for me. I survived the killing curse and apparently that destroyed Voldemort. He hasn't been seen since."

Hermione paled at his explanation and she said, "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's alright. You should know now that you're in the wizarding world, since I have a feeling everyone else knows.

She stepped away from and began a whispered conversation with her parents, no doubt telling them what she had found out. He did his best to ignore them. He didn't need nor want their pity.

Once everyone had found the spot, McGonagall said, "Now, this is not yet the end of the tour. We have one more place to go: the Companion Sanctuary."

Harry raised his eyebrows and thought back to his letter. It mentioned companions, but it hadn't really described them. It looked like he was finally getting some questions answered.

"In our world, there are a rare few who manage to find their animal companions. There is little that we know of companions, but this is what we do know: animal companions can be any of the known species on Earth, except for most magical ones. All animal companions have a certain magical signature that differentiates them from regular animals. You can communicate with your animal companions through telepathy."

Harry felt his heart racing. Animals that can talk to you? He wished desperately to run back and buy a book about these companions.

"Some things are less known about animal companions and are highly speculative. It is thought, however, that every animal companion has the same magical signature as their witch or wizard counterpart. Companions do, in fact, augment a witch or wizard's power and most of the documented pairs go onto to do extraordinary feats of magic. Now, because of the benefits to witches and wizards, the Ministry of Magic has a sanctuary of animals with the known magical signature of a companion and it is required, at the age of eleven, for all children to visit the Sanctuary to see if they can find their companion. After this, it is not required but highly recommended to make visits every year to see if you can find your companion. The Sanctuary is added to and the animals are cycled through between wizarding governments. Please follow me, and I shall show you the Ministry of Magic and the Companion Sanctuary."