The blond swallowed, tapping at the letter in his shirt pocket for reassurance, apprehensive at what lay before him. The building didn't appear like much. It was narrow and shabby, thin golden letters worn to the point of becoming close to unreadable. Ollivanders. A single wand lay displayed in the dusty window.
Dudley stumbled in after his cousin and uncle, a tingly bell announcing their presence. Blue eyes blinked in surprise at the inside. The only light shone through the dusty display window at the bottom of the shop. Dusty and silent, the shelves went up high, blending into the dim. It felt as though he had just entered a library from ages ago. But instead of ancient and mysterious tomes, thousands of boxes lay piled up the shelved walls. Each promised its own type of mystery inside. And an answer Dudley dreaded.
The leftover space was tiny, not giving much room to move about. There was a single chair. None of them took it. Harry was too excitable, head spinning every which way after seeing no one by the register. Uncle James was a bit more subdued than his son, chuckling at Harry and then looking back to give Dudley a reassuring smile. It didn't do much.
"Come check it out Dudley," Harry called out suddenly. Startled, he turned his head to see what his cousin was pointing at and glanced back to the register before heading over to see. Harry's voice lowered, whispering and full of enthusiasm. "Look at all the different kinds of woods and cores and lengths. This one says it's a color. Ebony. Or is there such a thing as tree named after black…"
Dudley nodded. Before he could speak up, Harry was already trying to pry the lid up far enough to take a peek inside without removing it from the shelf. His cousin was using him as a shield. Curious at what might happen around a wand not already belonging to someone else, Dudley shuffled to cover more of Harry from James.
This was it. A wand. Would a wand even choose him? Or would the wands sense something different about him? That he wasn't supposed to be here and didn't belong?
"Good afternoon," said a soft voice.
Harry and Dudley jumped, both set of hands shoving the lid back onto the ebony wand box and spinning around. Uncle James snorted, laughing at them. But Dudley and his cousin's attention were focused on someone else.
An old man with eyes like the pale moon stood at the back of the shop. Where did he come from? Dudley shifted, trying to spot any door. "Hello," Harry said awkwardly. Glancing over at his cousin, Dudley frowned at the fidgeting, until he realized Harry was doing it only to wipe off his dusty fingers. Continuing the charade, Harry clumsily stepped forward. "I'm looking for a wand, my first wand and—"
"Ah yes. Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon Harry Potter."
Startled, Harry's head sprang up to stare at the old man. Dudley took a look back at his uncle. James was giving the man an unamused look, shaking his head. That was odd. Dudley looked back to the unknown man roving closer to his cousin. The old man hadn't even looked at Uncle James.
"How'd you know—"
"You have your mother's eyes. Seems only yesterday she was in here herself buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father on the other hand favored a mahogany wand, eleven inches, pliable, little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it. It's really the wand that chooses the wizard of course."
"Hello Ollivander," James spoke up. Even in his voice, Dudley could tell his uncle regretted doing that.
The silvery eyes slid across the small area, finding Uncle James. "Ah yes. James Potter. How is the mahogany wand serving you in all this time? I always found it to be a strange one to find itself in a young child's hands due to—"
"It serves me just fine," James cut in tersely. "We're here to find my son and nephew's wands today, no theatrics needed."
"Fascinating," the old man commented airily. His gaze fell onto Dudley. The blond ducked behind Harry at the sight of those wide eyes shining at him. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you in here. Seems like just yesterday your mother was in here as well. She had quite a smug attitude at each wand that didn't choose Lily Evans. Yes, yes. It allowed me to see willow was the option for her. It was unwarranted, that insecurity."
Blue eyes went wide.
"Much like yours," Ollivander mused to himself. His eyes fixated solidly back to Harry, who stood, bristling, in front of Dudley. "Well now Mister Potter, let me see."
"Huh?" Harry inched back into Dudley. "See what?"
Ollivander pulled out a tape measurer with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"
"Er. My right arm I guess? I'm right handed."
"Hold out your arm."
Dudley watched carefully as Ollivander measured from shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and around his cousin's head. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of powerful magic substance Mister Potter. And Mister…?"
"Dursley," Dudley answered cautiously. The old man continued his spiel without acknowledging the response.
"We use unicorns hair, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same. Just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. Arm Mister Dursley."
Dudley went wide eyed at realizing the tape measurer moved on its own. It went from Harry's face to flying over to measure the length of Dudley's arm. Blue and green eyes met each other. Oblivious, Ollivander moved along the shelves. "And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand. That will do."
And the tape measurer, which had been measuring between Dudley's nostrils, fell into a heap on the floor. He rubbed his nose, staring at it near his feet. It didn't move. What was the point of all those weird measurements?
"All right Mister Potter. Try this one. Beech wood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches, nice and flexible. Mister Dursley, here you are. Sycamore wood and unicorn hair. Ten inches, stretchy. Just take it and give it a wave." Wide iridescent eyes shone impatiently at them.
Harry stood, staring unsure at Ollivander, holding the offered wand. Giving his cousin a nervous look, Dudley took the other wand. Green eyes lit up and Harry grinned suddenly. He jabbed the wand through the air.
Ollivander snatched it away, putting another into Harry's hand. "Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches, quite whippy. Try. Mister Dursley, give it a wave already. No, no."
Both Dudley and Harry had wands pulled out of their hands. Realizing neither of them had done something with the wands, Dudley let out a small sigh of relief. This was normal. Normal. He touched his shirt pocket to hear the reassuring crinkle. "Mister Dursley, let's give this willow and unicorn one a try, Eleven and a half inches, durable."
He swallowed, staring steely eyed at the next wand. There were thousands here. Could it be possible?
"Here, ebony and unicorn hair. Eight and a half inches, springy, go on. Go on, try it out."
Then spruce and dogwood and red oak followed for Harry. A pear and cedar for Dudley. Ollivander appearing ecstatic and intrigued by a maple when Dudley said it felt warm, digging out more for him to try. One after another after another of wands were waved, jabbed, and swished. Ollivander appeared more and more excited as their piles of tried wands grew higher and higher rather than frustrated. Frustrated and feeling hopeless, Dudley eyed across the shelves of the shop. What if he never found a wand?
"Tricky customers, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere. I wonder now. Yes, why not. Unusual combination. Holly and phoenix feather. Eleven inches, nice and supple."
He took the wand and went wide eyed. This one felt warm too. Hopeful, Dudley gave it a wave. Green flickered from the tip. Uncle James cheered loudly from behind him.
"Woah! You did something with that one Dud! Let me see," Harry requested.
Stunned, Dudley lowered the wand and opened his hand so he and his cousin could get a better look. Harry leaned in close. "What'd you say this one was," he asked Ollivander. Harry picked it up from Dudley's palm and held it up to the man. "Holly and phoenix feather, right? Not mapl—Ack!"
The old man was quicker than he looked, side stepping where the wand was pointed. Red and green sparked from the wand, sending spots of light dancing on the walls.
A much bigger reaction than the flicker Dudley produced.
His whole heart sank.
No.
The wand knew somehow. That he was fake. Boosted magic through him only because of Harry. He wasn't going to find a wand. He wasn't going to find a wand. The wand knew he wasn't supposed to be here, letter or not. A knockoff.
Dudley staggered back.
Harry's head spun around, staring at the blond, green eyes wide in a panic. "Dudley! I—" His cousin broke off, breathing rapidly, face pale.
"Oh bravo, oh yes indeed. Very good. Well, well, how curious. How very curious. Curious. Curious."
"It's not curious," Harry shouted with a stamp of his foot. He glared up at Ollivander. "What's curious about it? That it doesn't know how to properly choose an owner?"
The old man bent at the waist, setting his pale stare straight into his cousin. Harry, not Dudley. His uncle's hands rested supportively on his shoulders, squeezing slightly. Numb, Dudley fell back into the comforting hold. "I remember every wand I've ever sold Mister Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather. Just one other. It is very curious—"
"Ollivander," James snapped. His hands on Dudley's shoulders tightened painfully. "It's not from Fawkes, is it?"
"Fawkes?"
Dudley and Harry's voices echoed in dumbfounded unison. The core of this wand came from the phoenix that was partial to Albus? The one that trilled and flew to them during visits because they scratched it just so?
"It is indeed. Curious how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard remember. I think we must expect great things from you Mister Potter. After all, your wand's brother did great things. Terrible, yes, but great."
James's hold became so tight, that Dudley yanked himself away from his uncle. Stumbling because of his left foot, the blond straightened angrily, blue eyes watery. One of these wands had to choose him, right? He was a wizard. Even if how it happened was far more curious and strange than the wand Ollivander was speaking about. Dudley was still a wizard.
His heart shot back up and throbbed in his chest.
It wasn't Harry who fixed his mum's favorite vase. Dudley had flown a broom, it was amazing. And received a letter. He had to keep trying! Prove that he did belong!
Thrusting his hand into the discarded pile he hadn't tried, Dudley pulled out one and slashed it through the air. Warm, the wand pulsated in his hand. Glimmering green and blue arcs followed the path of his arm. Just as brilliant as the sparks Harry made before.
Dudley gripped the wand tight, mouth gapping wide.
His cousin hooted wildly, bouncing over with a mad grin. "Hey wand! You chose Dudley, remember that! There." Harry nodded, satisfied with his telling off. "Now that one knows better."
"The rowan with dragon heartstring?"
Ollivander's voice broke in, leaning close to study the wand and then to stare captivated at Dudley. His cousin puffed himself up in front of him. But the old man bent over anyway and the two inched close together.
"Interesting combination," the man ruminated. His round eyes peered unblinkingly at Dudley. "I cannot recall a single instance where one of my rowan wands has gone on to do evil in the world. No dark witch or wizard owned a rowan wand. However, your wand Mister Dursley was fitted with dragon heartstring and dragon tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts. One just as likely to hide themselves as often as they would shield others and as often as they would lash out. While both perceptive and unsure, they are filled with a drive for the better. Eleven inches and resilient."
Uncle James let out a long sigh. "Ignore Ollivander. He does this to everyone. How much are the two wands?"
After paying fourteen gold gallons, his uncle directed both boys out of the shop and back into the sunlit alley. James rubbed at his arms. "I think I forgot just how much Ollivander creeped me out even when I was a kid. He's very…theatrical? Fanatical? Fascinated?"
"Unsettling," Dudley offered. Black hair bobbed beside the blond.
"Yes," both son and father agreed loudly. "Jinx!"
"Oh," Harry squealed. "I can actually jinx you now!"
James burst into laughter. "With what Harry?"
"My wand!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I stand corrected," James snickered. "How?"
Green eyes blinked. His face fell at realizing a wand did not equal being able to do the jinx.
The blond prodded his cousin's side, leaning over to whisper and grinning at how Harry's face suddenly lit up. Dashing out in front of his father, Harry smirked mischievously up through his bangs as he hopped along backwards. When Harry made for the other side of James, Dudley moved as well, two sets of feet sticking out.
"Trip jinx!" His cousin hollered gleefully. He grabbed Dudley's arm and dragged him down the paved road. "Come on Dudley!"
Somehow, Dudley wasn't surprised to find Harry pulling out a gallon from his pants pocket when they reached a shop that sold sweets. But today he finally found out how Harry brought his stash home. Dudley quickly copied Harry's example. He tied two sets of cloth bags up with strings by his knees. The left one gave Dudley a bit of a problem, but in the end, his bags of Chocolate Frogs stayed nicely under the baggy pant legs.
He touched the letter in his shirt pocket. Not even Ollivander's strange words and behavior ruined his uplifted mood on finding his own wand. The rest of the shopping day didn't seem nearly as scary anymore. Dudley's hand fell from the pocket and pointed across the alley. With matching grins, the two boys raced off again.
Author's Note: Like Dudley, I hold some apprehension. The all important wand. For both boys in this 'What If' story. I think I'm going to hear all about everyone reading into the wands, so I think I'll ask on anyone reading into the houses. Thank you to the favorites and follows and to the reviewers Alicia Olivia Mirza, buford12, and FFcrazy15.