an: wow, thirty five chapters... I can't believe I've been working on this thing for more than a year. Many thanks to everyone who reads, and really big chocolate chip cookies (the really good kind that Glinda bakes) to everyone who has and will review[ed]. You guys ROCK!

Chapter 35

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

My forty-third birthday was highlighted with blizzard conditions in the highlands. Having grown up in New England, I was used to seeing snow on my birthday. My students were well behaved the entire day. The house elves treated me to fish and chips for lunch, and made me a beautiful cake at supper. All in all, it was one of the best birthdays in my adult recollection. After supper, Neville, Terry and Dare took me into Hogsmeade for drinks. I introduced them to fire whisky and Coke. We returned to the castle around ten. Minerva had given me the night off from my usual Tuesday patrol, I was looking forward to a quiet night, and a long mirror chat with Charlie. Charlie had had to go to Wales for the week, because of some issues with the new dragon keeper trainees.

I returned to my room and charmed the lights up, Charlie was laying on my bed, with Pitch sleeping on his chest. "Happy birthday, love," he said, startling me a bit.

When I found my voice, I said, "hi Charlie. Did the trainees start behaving already?"

He got up and moved the still sleeping Pitch to my pillow. "Not really," he answered, "but, when Sam and Tony found out that it was your birthday, the told me to get my arse off the reserve and visit you. They both say 'hello', by the way. Sam wants to know if you're tired of dealing with the human hatchlings yet. He wants you to come to Wales to take care of his hatchlings" I hadn't realized that I'd been searching for Gwennie with most experienced dragonoligist in Britain, who also happened to be the director of the reserve. He'd been offered Charlie's position at the Ministry, but

practically begged Charlie to take the job. Charlie Weasley was the dragon keeper who also happened to be a people person. Sam MacKinsey preferred dragons to people. "Gwennie's doing well," he continued, "but, Sam swears she misses you."

"How sweet, I'll have to visit the reserve, maybe over Easter break."

"I think that she'd like that, I know that Sam would. The 'old man' has a bit of a crush." Charlie got this mock serious look on his face, "I don't need to get nervous, do I?" he asked with a grin.

"No," I assured him, "not at all."

"Excellent then. Oh yeah," he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. " I got this from Ollivander yesterday, It's about the wand he made from your hair. It's kind of weird." He handed me the note written on Ollivander's stationary.

"Mr Weasley," it started. "I have completed the wand you commissioned with the core material you provided. I would like to request that when you cone to retrieve your new wand, if you would beso kind as to bring Professor Goode with you. I believe that she and I have some matters to discuss that would be of extreme interest to her. Respectfully, Ollivander."

"You're right, that is kind of weird," I agreed, I returned to note.

"I thought so, too. But, I suppose- Saturday, then?"

"Sure."

"You have patrol on Friday night?" I nodded. "The weather is still supposed to be horrid. I've pretty much parked the bike for the winter, Mum made me promise not have it out again till spring."

"I'm not surprised, Molly told me she hated that thing. I'll use the staff floo to get to London. I'll meet you at the Leaky Cauldron, say, noon?"

"Noon at the Leaky it is then, now..." He pulled me into his arms. "How about we celebrate your birthday," he asked as he nuzzled my neck.

Saturday, February 18, 2012.

Ollivader greeted us at the door to his shop. "Ah, Mr Weasley, and the lovely professor, I've been expecting you."

"Hello Mr Ollivander," I said. "Charlie showed me your note, is there something wrong with the new wand?"

He hesitated for a moment before answering. "Nothing wrong, exactly, just unexpected, a bit of a complication as it were." He led us over to the counter. "Mr Weasley, you provided me with three strands of the professors hair, each approximately forty inches in length, tied together into a lock. I presented three lengths of different woods to chose from. During the melding process, the strands un-knotted themselves and each chose a different length of wood. There are now three wands with the professor's hair as their cores."

"Oh," I said, a bit stunned.

Ollivander presented a silk lined tray to us with the three wands. He handed the first to Charlie.

"Oak, thirteen and one half inches." Charlie gave it a wave and put yet another scorch mark in Ollivander's floor. "Not for you, Mr Weasley."

"I whole-heartedly agree," Charlie said, putting the wand back in the tray.

Ollivander gave him the second. "This is mahogany, fifteen inches." It made a lightning like bolt that fried a houseplant.

"Not bloody likely," Charlie said, almost dropping the wand. "Third time's the charm?" he smiled, nervously. I nodded encouragingly.

As Ollivander presented the third wand it flew into Charlie's hand. "That's more like it," Charlie grinned, admiring the organic lines of the striped wood.

"That is American tiger maple, fourteen and one half inches. I had a feeling about that one." the wand maker explained the woods origins. "I traded some wood with an american wand maker. The tiger maple is very prized and very rare. When the maples are harvested, only a precious few have these beautiful stripes, and they cannot be predicted which trees will have them, not even with spells.

You have a rare treasure, Mr Weasley." Ollivander glanced at me for a mopment. "Two rare treausres, I think," he said with a wink.

"I couldn't agree more," Charlie grinned as he admired the wand.

"As, I have never before dealt with a wand of this ilk, I can only guess at all it's properties. Very good for charm work, and possibly transfiguration, as well. It IS very fire resistant, I've tested them all for that property. I think that you have a very excellent wand for a dragon keeper."

"They're beautiful," I commented, admiring the ornate carvings on the oak and the mahogany.

Ollivander had left the tiger maple, relying on the natural markings in the wood to give it, it's form and beauty. The oak was carved with intricate knot work, and the mahogany had stylized dragons carved into it. I went to pick up the mahogany to more closely study the carvings, as soon as my fingers touched the wood, I felt waves of power rippling through the wand. The wood warmed considerably in my hand.

"Please professor," Ollivander said as he gently took the wand from me. "I don't know how the wand will behave in your hands," he explained. "The world has never seen a wand in the hands of it's core's donator. That may not be a good idea."

"Certainly," I replied. "I understand."

"Now here is the more pressing question, Professor," the old wand maker said to me. "The tiger maple had found it's wizard." He smiled at Charlie. "What shall we do with the other two wands?"

"I don't understand," I said.

"As we had only expected one wand to come from your hair, there are now three. Would you like me to destroy the extras? I shall, if you prefer."

I thought about it for a minute. "Don't destroy them," I finally said. "They're beautiful objects. They deserve to find their own wizards."

"Are you sure, love?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, I am." I assured him. I had a funny feelings they'd find good homes.

a/n: So, who do you think they will chose?