The kitchen of the mansion upon Hedley estate was fully equipped and quite large. This room was the home of the Hedley house elf Zerum who happily walked around the kitchen as meals were magically prepared for the family and he cleaned the large mansion. Zerum was always happy to help his masters and mistresses. They treated him kindly and well. Zerum watched on as the Hedley's stood in front of the kitchen fireplace.
The fireplace was so large that a tall human, such as Craig, could stand in it rather comfortably with plenty of room left to spare. "Right," said Craig, "I'll shoot through first and wait on the other side and pull the kids through." Craig reached into a flowerpot that sat on the outside of the fireplace as Zerum lit a fire with a snap of his fingers. Craig brought his hand out and threw the powder into the flames, turning the flames green.
Craig walked into the flames, his honey coloured robes being licked by the flames but not burning him. "Diagon Alley!" with his shout, Craig was engulfed by the flames and he had disappeared. "Okay," said Louise "You're next Melissa." Melissa, her blond hair tied in a ponytail and wearing her Ravenclaw robes, walked into the flames next and like her father shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and like her father disappeared into the emerald flames.
Joshua was nervous. This was his first time travelling via the Floo Network. He gripped his mothers sky blue robes. "Mom, I'm scared." Louise knelt so she could look into her son's eyes. "It's okay my child. I was also scared to travel with Floo Powder at first, you'll be fine." "But… what if I get stuck?" "Your father will be there to pull you out. I promise." Joshua looked at the flames. He took a deep breath and stepped into the fire. It's okay he thought Dad will catch me. With bravery in his voice, Joshua shouted; "Diagon Alley!"
Joshua felt his world dissolve and he felt himself tumbling through space. His vision, green from the flames, was met by brief flashes of other homes from fireplaces. Joshua felt himself start to get sick when suddenly two strong hands grabbed him and pulled. When Joshua opened his eyes to have his vision blocked by folds of yellow fabric, for his father was holding onto him tightly. "Got you." Craig laughed as his son hugged him in relief. Louise shortly popped into existence from the fireplace and the family of four walked out of the Leaky Cauldron and stood before a large alley wall. Louise ran her wand across the bricks and they fell away to reveal Diagon Alley.
Joshua let his eyes wander around the alley, taking everything in that he could. He walked alongside his mother as they traversed down the Alley. "Craig, why don't you draw the gold from the vault and I'll take Joshua to Madam Malkin's to get fitted for robes so long? I've got enough gold on me for that at least." "Sounds like a plan of action. I'll meet you there." Craig hurried away in the direction of Gringotts Bank while Louise turned herself and her children into Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions.
Once entering the store, a light tingling sound alerted a kind old woman in the back room that she had a customer. "I'll be with you shortly," Louise and her children waited patiently for Madam Malkin to finish. They didn't have to wait long for the old witch drew back a curtain to reveal a family of four. They all looked nervous, the two daughters even more so. Joshua noticed that none of them wore robes. The father quickly paid Madam Malkin and ushered his family out of the store.
"That can I do for you today Mrs Hedley?" "We're here to fit Joshua for his robes Madam Malkin, he's off to Hogwarts this year." "Oh, how lovely! Right this way dearie." Joshua followed the aged woman to the back of her store and stood on a stepping stool. "Hold your arms out just like that and we'll be finished in no time." Joshua smiled as he watched the magical tape measure zip and fly around him, taking his measurements. Like Madam Malkin said, it didn't take long before he was standing in front of the store again while his mother paid for his new robes. "Okay, now we just wait." Again, it wasn't long before Joshua saw his father weaving through the crowds making his way to his family. "Alright, let's have some fun my boy."
The Hedley family was laden with school supplies for both children, Craig carrying the brunt of the load while Melissa and Louise carried the books. "Can I not carry at least one thing?" Joshua was annoyed that no one would let him help, "No it's fine thank you. What's the last thing we need to get on your list?" Joshua looked at the list once more and his eyes lit up. "My wand. That's the last thing." The family made their way to Ollivander's wand shop.
Joshua entered first and looked around in awe. He came into Ollivander's every time he was here at Diagon Alley, but he still couldn't come to terms with how amazing it all was. Joshua continued to look until he felt a gaze on him. He turned to look at the old man who had seemed to pop into existence. "Ah, so it's finally your turn." Before Joshua could say anything Mr. Ollivander had disappeared again. He appeared a moment later with a long box in his hand. "Let's give this one a go, shall we?" He handed Joshua the long box who opened it eagerly. "Ash with unicorn hair. 10 inches and springy flexibility." Joshua waved the wand and the chair in the corner of the room blew apart. "Sorry." Joshua whispered. Ollivander quickly repaired his chair and moaned, "hmm, this will probably be another tricky one,"
Joshua was fed up with how long it was taking to find his wand. Not because he was impatient, he was just tired of destroying poor Ollivanders store. The mountain of wands in the corner was quite large by now. Ollivander appeared to ponder for a moment and stalked off up the stairs to the higher levels of his shelves. He came back with another box and hesitantly gave it to Joshua. Joshua just barely touched the wand when he suddenly felt a warmth run through him. "I should have known," laughed the old wizard, "Oak wood, phoenix feather core. 13 and three quarter inches, rigid flexibility. A rather odd first wand but it chose you. Joshua looked at his wand. The dark wood, accentuated by inlaid silver shone and complimented the sapphire gems spiralling in thin lines around the centre of the wand. It's beautiful he thought, I finally have my own wand.
Joshua couldn't help but stare at his wand along the way back to the entrance of Diagon Alley, he absolutely loved it. He was distracted however when he heard Pssst! Joshua stopped and looked around but spotted no one. He was about to continue walking when again he heard it but somehow louder this time. Psst! Joshua investigated again but this time was stopped when he saw the flutter of brilliant white wings. Before Joshua sat a snowy in a silver cage. It's brilliantly blue eyes somehow gazing into his mind and soul. Joshua was standing in front of the window display now, watching the owl and the owl watching him. "He was brought back to the present when he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder. "Mum, can I get that owl please?" Louise looked at the owl, then her son, "No Joshua, we've already spent quite a lot today and I don't think we need another owl." "Please mum? You got Melissa that extra book of spells for her first year. Consider it an early birthday present please?" Louise looked into her son's pleading blue eyes. He never asked for much and she did buy her daughter that book. "Alright, we can get the owl."
Moments later Joshua was holding the owls cage, who seemed to be chirping happily. "What will you call her?" Joshua once again gazed into the owl's eyes and a name popped into his head instantly. "Athena. Her name is Athena."