Parts of this are word for word from the first book which I own a copy of but nothing more in case you thought I did. Also this chapter is slightly skippy because I just want to get on with the plot now.
"Shouldn't we have reached Halloween by now?" Asks Hermione at breakfast. Everyone looks at her confusedly and she frowns.
"It's just that it feels like we've been here for ages." She adds defensively, going back to her food. Ron and Neville look to Harry who shrugs clueless.
That evening Harry is back in the chamber with the locked door. He unpicks the first layer of warding on the door and sighs at the thick wad of magic still in the way.
"Why can't these things be easy." The spells don't react and the boy focuses on remembering the layout of this next layer. When he has finished he reconstructs the first layer above the rest.
Professor Tim again takes only one student to teach for the next lesson. He brushes aside Hermione's bitter complaints and directs the Ravenclaw from last week to lead the class.
Needless to say the results are interesting.
The boy stands, a wide grin on his face despite his obvious tiredness. Professor Tim leaves into the side room with his latest student.
"Tim is the best." He says, still smiling and staring at a point behind all of the students in the class.
"Don't you mean Professor Tim?" Hermione leans forwards over her desk, eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. Ron rolls his eyes.
"Tim is the best and you should trust Tim." States the boy firmly. He doesn't seem to even see Hermione as his head tilts in her direction. The girl scowls and another Ravenclaw cuts in.
"Um- what about whatever Professor Tim taught you James?" James tilts his head, mouth fixed as a grin. Harry starts to feel unnerved.
"Tim is great."
Hermione stands, her chair screeching across the stone and leaves. Everyone stares at the door. Everyone except James.
"Trust in Tim." Gryffindor decides the lesson is a lost cause and leave the Ravenclaws to deal with their mentally awol member. Harry, Ron and Neville pack up Hermione's stuff for her, somehow managing to fit everything back into the bag.
"That is the most impressive thing she's ever done." Says Ron grinning. He quickly frowns when he picks up her repacked bag.
"How the bloody hell does she carry this around every day?" He drops it back to the floor and Harry wraps a weight lessening charm around it, lifting it over his shoulder.
"She'll be in the library won't she?" Neville nods and Ron stares at him in amazement.
"How?" Harry smiles.
"Weight lessening charm- makes it a lot easier to carry things." Ron grins.
"You've got to teach me that mate!" Neville smiles.
"Me too." Even Ron comes to their study session in the library for that lesson- granted he only concentrates for five seconds but it's an improvement.
That evening McGonagall approaches the group while they are eating and passes Harry a note.
"Your meeting time for your appointment with Mr. Ollivander. Please do be prompt Mr. Potter." The boy nods, unfolding the parchment.
"Why would you need an appointment with Ollivander, Harry?" Asks Neville curiously as the Professor leaves back to the teachers' table. Harry frowns, apparently the meeting meant missing at least some of his Transfiguration lesson.
"My wand isn't working as well for me as it should- at least that's what the Professors think." Ron and Neville both look down, obviously thinking about their own malfunctioning wands. The meal continues on quietly for the small group.
The next day Harry meets Professor McGonagall in the Entrance Hall. The weird man from the wand shop grins excitedly when he sees him.
"Black walnut and phoenix feather, eleven inches, quite supple- I hear it's not been working as well as it should be." Harry nods.
"No." The mad man only grins wider.
"Well- let's see it then!" Professor McGonagall nods to Harry without smiling. The boy passes over his wand and the man instantly begins inspecting it.
"Do you think Ron and Neville's wands could be looked at too Professor?" Harry asks quietly. The Professor is about to speak when the old wandmaker interrupts.
"Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom? Didn't have either of them in for their wands." He comments loudly. McGonagall looks shocked.
"You mean they're both using inadequate wands?" She asks, frowning. The wandmaker gives Harry's wand a wave and observes the fountain of flashing lights which pour out of the end.
"Oh?" He frowns confusedly before returning to the conversation, a lot more solemn.
"I expect so- family heritage and all that sometimes." He passes the wand back over to Harry, "Now you wave that- go on." Under Ollivander's intense gaze Harry flicks the wand. There's a loud crack and a fireball erupts from the end of the wand, crackling as it hits the wall with a thud.
The portraits start to scream and before anything can burn Harry clamps down on the rogue magic, pulling it apart so it disperses harmlessly. McGonagall just stares bewildered and the old man rubs his chin.
"Yes, yes. I've seen this before. Only in wizards seven or eight times your age or from some survivors of the worse wizarding wars but I know it when I see it. You've outgrown your wand Mr. Potter." He nods to himself. Professor McGonagall frowns.
"What do you mean?" She asks sharply. Ollivander sucks in a breath.
"Well sometimes when a wizard spends a lot of time without a wand to work with their magic surpasses it. When I sell a wand it comes with a power limitation so beginners don't hurt themselves. With this wand the limitation has absorbed everything it can and has been burned through. There are safety features beyond this to prevent adults from surpassing the capabilities so easily and ensure that they get a long life from their wand. These wands adapt over time but when there is too much of a power difference between uses it causes the wand to overload. As magic is more malleable in its pure form-as you know- the best thing for individuals with overloaded wands to do is to give up using their wand and rely instead on their wandless magic as they clearly have the capability to do so. There is a possibility if a wizard shares a strong enough connection with a wand to reign in their power and slowly accustom the wand to their new power levels. This is not advised because it limits the potential of the wizard however I don't think it could apply in Mr. Potter's case anyway." The Professor sighs.
"Thank you Ollivander. Your help has been most appreciated. I will try and arrange sessions for a wand choosing with Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom as their earliest convenience." Ollivander grins.
"No problem Minerva. I hope to see them soon- you know how an individual's potential can be harmed by an unsuited wand. Goodbye for now." Professor McGonagall nods her farewell and looks down at Harry.
"Only your father's son could be this inconvenient." Harry smiles sheepishly.