Harry Potter – The Boy Who Squibbed
By Volderose
Harry Potter's life had been changing drastically lately. He had just arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he would be spending the next few years learning how to be a wizard. It all sounded terribly exciting to him, but recent occurrences kept replaying in his head . . .
The night that Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, had exploded into Uncle Vernon's island shack and told Harry he was a wizard definitely stuck out in Harry's mind. Hagrid had told him all about Hogwarts and how Harry was a wizard, just as his parents had been – then Hagrid asked him a question.
"Did yeh ever make anything 'appen? Anything you couldn't explain when you were angry or scared?"
Harry furrowed his brow thoughtfully and looked back at Hagrid who raised his eyebrows and nodded at Harry knowingly.
"Actually . . ." Harry said after a moment of thought. "I haven't."
"What?" Hagrid asked perplexedly as he stood up from his seat on the sofa. "Nothing at all? No hair growing rapidly or shrinking sweaters or vanishing glass??"
"No." said Harry simply. "I've led a very normal life."
Hagrid looked baffled. "Are you sure?"
Harry looked strangely at Hagrid. "I'm pretty sure."
That was definitely a weird point in Harry's recent time line. The next one was when Hagrid took him to the wand shop in Diagon Alley. The man there, Mr. Ollivander, was pleased to see Harry.
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter." He climbed off his ladder and walked over to a shelf full of wands where he began to rummage through them. "Seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in there buying their first wands. Ah!" he pulled out a long box from the selection, brought it over to Harry and opened the lid revealing a wooden wand.
"Here we are." he said as he took it out for Harry to see and then handed it to Harry.
Harry stared at the man as if questioning what to do until he finally said, "Well, give it a wave!"
Harry startled and then flicked the wand towards a shelf of wands in boxes.
Nothing happened.
"What the?" said Mr. Ollivander as he tramped over to Harry and snatched the wand from him. "Must be dysfunctional!" he waved the wand towards the same shelf of wands and boxes flew out of their places, creating a huge mess. "Or not."
He climbed another ladder and pulled another box off of a higher shelf. "Perhaps . . . this." He handed the wand to Harry, who took it and waved it nonchalantly towards a glass vase with flowers. Once again, nothing happened.
Harry waved the wand about and pointed it at the vase over and over again, but still nothing happened.
Mr. Ollivander looked angry as he stomped over to Harry and snatched the wand from him. "What is with these today??" he said more to himself than Harry. He waved the wand at the vase and caused it to explode, sending water and flowers all over the place. He roared and snapped the wand in half over his leg and then threw the two pieces to the floor by the glass shards. "LET'S TRY ONE MORE TIME!" he yelled between breaths.
Harry backed away slowly, for a nice old man, Mr. Ollivander was acting very violent and Harry was getting scared.
Mr. Ollivander paced down an isle of wands and then abruptly stopped and slowly turned to face the shelves of wands. He gradually pulled out a long black box and Harry heard him thinking out loud."
"I wonder . . . ."
Mr. Ollivander opened the box as he walked back towards Harry with more of a jovial jump in his step. He handed the wand to Harry, and Harry took it.
Mr. Ollivander must have mistaken the look on Harry's face. As soon as Harry took the wand, he had squinted and gasped because he suddenly had the urge to use the bathroom really bad. However, when Harry had scrunched up his face, Mr. Ollivander eyed him with an intent stare. "Curious, very curious." he said.
Harry swallowed hard and started to do a mild I-have-to-pee dance, "Sorry, but what's curious?"
Mr. Ollivander took the wand back and looked Harry in the eye. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. It so happens that the phoenix, whose tail feather resides in you wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this one . . ."
Destined? Thought Harry. He thinks this wand was destined for me? I didn't even feel anything magical! I just have to pee!! Oh well, no use making him all angry again . . . let's just play along.
"When its brother gave you that scar."
Yes, thought Harry as he looked around his Hogwarts dormitory. That was definitely another weird thing that happened to him, but the last was the worst. . . .
"Excuse me!" said Harry as he cautiously pushed his luggage cart towards a red-headed lady. "Could . . . could you tell me how to . . ."
"How to get onto the platform?" she asked with a warm, motherly smile. Harry nodded thankfully.
"Not to worry, dear! It's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well!" she motioned to a red-headed boy, Harry's age, who smiled and nodded at Harry.
She continued, "Now all you've got to do . . ." she pointed and began gesturing. "Is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten."
Harry nodded.
"Best to do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous." she winked at him.
The little girl who was with them smiled at him, "Good luck." she said.
Harry pushed his cart forward and lined it up so that it was heading straight towards the platform. He took a deep breath and then BAM! He started running. He shut his eyes, and before he knew it . . . he was spread eagle on the ground and his owl was squawking loudly. He had hit the solid wall at full force.
"OH DEAR!" said the lady as she and her son and daughter ran over to Harry. "Are you alright, dear?"
Harry groggily sat up and adjusted his glasses. "I . . . I think so . . ."
"Oh, the Muggle protection charm must be over-reacting." said the lady as she helped Harry to his feet. "See, they charm this wall to prevent Muggles from accidentally leaning against it and discovering our platform! Sometimes it mal-functions. You must be a Muggle-born, you poor dear." She smiled motherly at him, but didn't give him a chance to speak up.
But . . . but my parents were both a witch and a wizard! Thought Harry. That can't be right. Oh well, this whole wizarding thing is new to me anyways. I'll bet it just takes some time to get used to.
Fortunately, with the help of the nice lady who had introduced herself as Mrs. Weasley, he had eventually gotten onto the platform and was now at Hogwarts. The sorting ceremony had named him a Gryffindor and he was now in his dormitory getting ready for bed. Classes started tomorrow and he didn't know what to expect. He was sure, whatever it was, that this year would be an interesting one.
