Chapter 2
"Pine and Dragons"
They walked inside the shop, opening the door to hear a little bell sound as they walked inside. A man appeared on a ladder, which he abandoned a moment later as he stepped up to meet the witches.
"Hello Minerva. Another Muggle-born, I see," the gray-haired man said with a small smile, and his smile grew when he noticed the small feline resting on the little witch's shoulders. "Might I ask, what's your name child, and that of your small feline?" The man said now fully turning to Anna, noticing the way Anna gripped Minerva's hand tighter upon being addressed. "No need to be frightened." Anna nodded and her grip visibly loosened.
"Go on." Minnie ushered, bringing Anna in front of her, so Anna could face the man herself.
Anna took a deep breath and held out her hand, which the man took. "My name's Tassiyanna Cloud, sir, and this is Spirit." Anna said pointing her free hand to her resting feline, Spirit purred in approval.
"Well Miss Cloud, my name is Mr. Ollivander, I'm the wandmaker and owner of this shop. I take it your visiting me for your wand, aren't you?" Mr Ollivander asked the young witch, who nodded politely. He brought her to the middle of the room and told her to put Spirit down for a moment so he could mesure her. She obeyed, giving Spirit to Minnie, the Professor held onto the feline with care, Spirit taking immediate liking to the older witch and sensing her ability to transform into an animal almost instantly. Mr. Ollivander mesured Anna's head, thumb to wrist, wrist to shoulder, thumb to shoulder, shoulder to floor, and finally, knee to floor. He seemed satisfied when he said. "I'll be right back, I'll grab three wands that I think best suit you and you will try them each, giving each one a quick flick, the right one will feel just that, right; like warm water touching your fingers." And with that, he disappeared into the back of his shop.
Spirit jumped out of Minerva's arms and back into Annie's the moment Mr. Ollivander disappeared into the back, taking her now favoured sleeping spot back on her young owners shoulders. Mr. Ollivander could be heard rummaging around in the back of the shop. The rummaging stopped suddenly and he returned with three identical large boxes. He placed the boxes down in front of the small witch, opening each box to reveal a new wand in each, all similar in length, but different in colour. "Go ahead Annie, take one and give it a flick." Minnie said from behind her.
"What will happen if it isn't the right one? What will happen when I give it a flick?" Anna asked curiosity creeping in.
"We'll see when you do it." Mr. Ollivander replied.
Anna grabbed the wand on her right. A beautiful black wand, with small carvings that looked like runes on the handle and what looked to be like a small jewel at the bottom. Nervously Anna gave it a flick and a vase smashed, causing Spirit to mewl loudly and jump off Annie's shoulder. "Sorry Spirit." Anna whispered quietly to her kitten, whom had found refuge behind Mr. Ollivander. Anna put the wand back and gave Mr. Ollivander a small smile. "I guess that answers my question about what will happen." She said with a laugh. Minnie and Mr. Ollivander joined in on the laugh. Mr. Ollivander nodded and gave Annie a smile in return, gesturing to try another.
Anna went, this time, for the wand on her left. A vinewood wand, that also had similar carvings of runes on the handle like the first, but this time no jewel. Anna gave the wand a nervous flick and she heard something from the back room, like boxes falling off shelves. She quickly put the vinewood wand back in its box and shook her head with a smile.
She took a deep breath and looked at the final wand, the wand in the middle. Somehow just looking at it felt right. She took the pine wood wand into her hand and immediately felt warmth fill her fingers. The wand had carvings on the handle, like the other two wands did and a small assortment of jewels, of sapphires, at the bottom of the handle surrounded by small halos of diamonds. "This feels... perfect!" She exclaimed beaming at the wandmaker and Minnie, whom both gave her a smile at her happiness upon finally finding her wand. Spirit jumped back up onto her shoulders and purred as she rubbed her little black head against Anna's cheek, proud her owner had found her wand.
Ollivander smiled. "Pine Wood, exactly ten inches, the core of a dragon heartstring, and slightly springy in flexibility. The small rune translates to: Beauty, Determination and Recognition. The sapphires, I didn't know until just now, mean: The Eye of the Beholder meaning your eyes, my dear. If you were to say, travel back in time and attend Hogwarts a second time leaving this wand in the past, this wand would still be taken by you if you came back. That's how devoted this wand is to you, I can feel the magic radiating off of your wand." He said matter-of-factly.
"Sir, you talk about wands as if they have feelings." Anna said looking into the blue-eyed wandmaker, but the mention of time-travel had piqued her interest, making her ocean blue eyes sparkle like the sapphires from her wand.
Ollivander smiled at the young witch and stated simply, a twinkle in his eye. "The wand chooses the witch, Miss Cloud." She beamed brightly at the wandmaker, her eyes flashing violet, which he returned the beaming smile. "Minerva, may I speak to you for a moment?" Ollivander added looking to the older witch, whom was smiling lovingly at Anna in a motherly way, proud of Anna for finding her wand.
Minerva nodded and told Anna to go wait outside for her, but Mr. Ollivander said it was fine that she could stay and have a look around. The young witch smiled a big bright smile at the mention of exploring the shop.
Ollivander let her walk past him on her way towards the back. She looked at the various boxes and found most of them on the floor, from the mishap with the vinewood wand. Luckily none of the wands had left their boxes. Anna sat and read the labels on each and everyone of the fallen boxes before putting them into a neat pile one on top of the other. Spirit had jumped off her shoulder to allow the little witch to stretch her arms, absentmindedly petting the small black, green eyed feline once in a while. Anna looked at the next labelled box and read it aloud to Spirit.
""Maple, eleven inch, unicorn hair core, unbending flexibility." Not bad, huh Spirit?... Spi? What are you doing over there you little sneak?" Anna asked her curious kitten with a whole-hearted laugh. Spirit rubbed her black face against a box, Anna grabbed the box and sat down, the feline rubbing her head against her. Anna read the label aloud. ""Holly, ten and three-quarter inch, phoenix feather core, unyielding flexibility." Sounds like the wand of a hero, eh Spi? Is that what you smelled, the feather of the phoenix?" Looking down at Spirit once again, and once again the sneaky little feline had disappeared, but reappeared from around the corner with a large wand box in her mouth, Anna laughed out loud at Spirits actions, and the largeness of the box in her little kittens mouth. "Found something interesting, eh?" The kitten dropped the box in Anna's hand, and gave her an offended hiss.
"I'm just joking Spi. You did look quite ridiculous though." Anna said with a laugh, Spirit nudged her hand to read the label, gesturing for her to never speak of it again, but Anna was never going to let the little kitten forget that. Anna obliged and read the label aloud once again. "Oh! This sounds like a good one!" Anna exclaimed catching the little felines attention before she had almost gotten away with sneaking around the corner once again. "Get over here you little sneak, should've named you Sneak instead of Spirit but I had a name for you the moment I saw you. So yea this one says: "Willow, twelve inches, unicorn core, unbending flexibility." Not bad. Nice find, Spi."
"Some kitten you've got there, Miss Cloud," Mr. Ollivander said quietly from behind her. She turned and looked at him giving a curt nod and a finger to her lips she motioned for him to watch, seeing as Spirit had disappeared once again around the corner before Mr. Ollivander had appeared.
The small kitten came around the corner, with yet another large box in her mouth looking ridiculous, she accidentally dropped the box when she spotted Mr. Ollivander watching. Anna laughed and stood up walking over to her small feline. Picking her up, along with the box her kitten had brought. She put Spirit around her shoulders to rest and the kitten quickly obliged, as the little witch handed the box to the wizard.
""Rosewood, ten and three-quarter inch, Veela core, yielding flexibility." Very good find, this core is extremely rare, as well as the phoenix core she found earlier, the most common are Unicorn and Dragon cores. But beautiful all the same." Mr. Ollivander said, putting the wand on a shelf to put away later. "And thank you for cleaning up the mess from the vine wand, it sounded awfully messy, none of the wands escaped their boxes?" Anna shook her head, a smile on her face happy to help the old wandmaker. "Come along dear, Minerva said, you should be going." Anna nodded and followed Mr. Ollivander to the front of the shop where Minnie sat waiting.
At the sight of the little witch, Minnie let out a sigh of relief, standing up with a smile. "Have fun exploring?" The older witch asked the little one, who nodded vigorously with a beaming smile, her blue eyes flashing violet yet once again, making the older witch give Mr. Ollivander a knowing smile, which he returned. They bid him farewell, but Anna also turned and gave him a quick hug and a small Thank you before returning to Minnie, taking her hand, leaving the comfort of the small wand shop. Just as the large family of gingers reappeared to enter the shop. She finally caught sight of the identical redheaded twin boys.
"Come on, you two, we haven't all day. Fred! Stop teasing your brother!" A plump redheaded witch scolded her son.
"He's not Fred, I am." One of the twins replied.
She sighed and said, "Oh! Sorry George."
Anna silently giggled at the scene, but was being pulled along by Minnie. The impact of Minnie's tug frightened Spirit, causing the small feline to jump off Annie's shoulders and run, startled. "Spirit!" Anna cried catching the ginger family's attention as Annie let go of Minnie's hand to chase after her cat, a redheaded boy caught the small, struggling black furred, green eyed, feline. Walking to meet her halfway, one of the twins handed her back her kitten. "Thank you." Anna said with a small smile, taking her kitten back. He smiled back at her and returned to his family, Anna returning to Minnie, taking the older witches hand once again. Replacing Spirit on her shoulders calming down the startled kitten.
As the two witches left, Annie couldn't help but overhear. "Only joking, I am Fred." As both twins disappeared into the shop before their mother strangled them.
"Come on dear, it's getting late, we've been shopping all day, we'll come back tomorrow to set an account up for you, alright? Let's get you home to Hogwarts, and get some sleep." Anna nodded as she rubbed both of her eyes like a cat would.
Her eyes widened as she remembered her wand. "Did you grab my wand?" She asked Minnie, her small voice suddenly in a panic. Calmly Minerva nodded, pulling the pine wood wand from her bag, that seemed not heavy at all, even if it was carrying all of Annie's supplies. Anna sighed in relief at the sight of her wand.
The two witches left Diagon Alley and were back in the Leaky Cauldron, Minerva asked Tom to use the Floo to go back to Hogwarts, saying she was taking the youngster with her. Tom nodded without question and ushered the witches to follow him. They followed him to his office where a hearty fire was going, Tom put out the fire and bowed to the ladies to enter. Annie was confused, but Minerva gave her a reassuring smile. The older witch took a handful of a powder-like substance. Anna did as told and stood beside the older witch, still holding her hand tightly, Anna let go for a moment to grab Spirit off of her shoulders and hold onto the small kitten tightly.
Annie once again grabbed Minerva's hand and nodded meaning she was ready, though she didn't know what was about to happen. Minerva nodded to her and gave her a beautiful smile that made the older witch look years younger. The older witch then threw down the powder and yelled "Hogwarts!" and they were engulfed in green flames, landing in another fireplace a moment later. Spirit didn't react, but seemed too shocked to do anything, her big green eyes wider than usual. As was Annie, the flames had almost made her scream, her blue eyes were almost bulging out of her head, her jaw practically to the floor.
Minnie took her gently by the hand leading her out of the fire place, brushing the soot from her now black, charred clothes. She was still in shock, Minerva fed her tea and biscuits, a saucer of milk for Spirit, to calm their nerves. It had worked. Anna visibly relaxed, as did Spirit.
"My apologies, dear, I should have warned you, that we'd be engulfed in flames." Minerva said, a small frown appeared.
"It was better than when we'd arrived." Anna clearly stated making the older witch laugh and nod, remembering Anna's shock and excitement.
"That was called Apparating, you'll learn it once you turn sixteen, the age acquired in order to learn it."
"Like a license?" Anna asked.
The older witch nodded, making Anna beam with excitement. "Now it's late come I've already set up a temporary room for you, we leave once again tomorrow morning, early. We'll set your account up tomorrow, when we're done we can get some ice-cream then we'll come back here. Yes, we'll be using the Floo Network, for both ways. Then you and Spirit can explore the castle."
Minerva brought Annie up a small set of stairs to a small corridor, a room on one end and a second on the other. Minnie went to the right bringing the young witch along. Annie opened the door the find a small room, a trunk at the end of a large four poster, full of the things she and Minnie had bought that day. A smaller bed appeared beside Annie's bed, which Annie knew right away was for Spirit.
"Spirit!" Anna called, the little black feline appearing the moment she was called. The moment the little kitten saw the room, she ran and jumped into Annie's arms, excited that she finally had a real home. Annie layed on her bed, Spirit in her arms, the little witch fell asleep in seconds.
Minerva smiled and tucked the little witch in, turning the lights off, closed the door leaving a small crack to illuminate the small room; it landed on the little witch's face illuminating her soft features, making her look even younger. Her small kitten was sleeping in her arms, faintly purring. When Minerva went to sleep that night, she slept with a smile.
Here's Chapter 2, there's more to come. So stick around for more. Give it a review if you like it. T. T. Zoldy