~ Diagon Alley ~

Harry took a deep breath and entered the hustle and bustle of daily life in the Alley.  It had been so long since he'd been around people that it was strange at first.  He felt a little suffocated at first, as people jostled him as they went about their business. 

Suddenly he felt someone hit the back of his head sharply.  He turned to see a pair of middle-aged witches glaring at him.

"How on earth could you leave that wonderful husband of yours in the lurch like that?" one of them said indignantly.

"All I have to say is – you'd better have a very good reason for your actions, young man," the other woman said primly.

"Uh, I do?" Harry said uncertainly as he rubbed his head. 

Another witch interrupted her shopping to join the other women. 

"So he's back, is he?" she said irritably.  "Thinks he can just waltz back into the wizarding world like nothing happened, eh?"

"No," Harry protested, feeling awfully confused.  He was used to being adored by the general public, not abused.  It appeared that Draco was now the Golden Child of the wizarding world. 

"Huh," the first woman said doubtfully.  "That poor Draco has had to raise your son all alone for TWO years."

"How could you, Harry?" another woman chimed in.  "How could you leave him like that?"

"I didn't," Harry said futilely.

"Deatbeat Dad," someone at the back of the now growing crowd yelled.  Others cheered.

"Hey, now that's a bit unfair," Harry said, starting to get annoyed. 

"Oh, and how fair was it when you just up and left Draco and poor little Daniel?" someone else yelled at him.

There was really only one thing he could do, so Harry ran, insults flying after him all the way down to Olivander's.

A bell tinkled as he entered the store.  He glanced around but the musty shop appeared to be empty.  Suddenly a shadow appeared between the shelves. 

"Ah, Mr Potter, what can I do for you?" Mr Olivander asked as he came into view.

"I need a new wand, Sir," Harry replied.

"Oh?  And what happened to your old wand?"

"It was snapped," Harry said, grimacing as he remembered that horrible moment when Eve had broken his wand in half.

"Well, let's see what we can do about finding you a new wand," Mr Olivander said as he walked between the shelves, his fingers lingering by some boxes before he would change his mind and continue looking.

"Mr Olivander," Harry called out.  He was reluctant to let this go any further without informing the other wizard of his current financial status.  "I'm afraid I can't pay you today."

"I don't expect payment straight away, dear boy," Mr Olivander said, in a tone that suggested he thought this should be obvious.  "Whenever you get the money will be fine."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said, relieved that at least something had gone right today.

"Aha, perhaps this one," Mr Olivander said cheerfully as he carefully pulled the box out from between the many others that surrounded it.

Harry, meanwhile, was working very hard to control himself and not snap at the elderly man.  He was just so eager to get to Hogwarts and hold Draco and Daniel. 

Mr Olivander handed him a wand, saying, "Oak, 9 ½ inches, unicorn hair."

Harry waved the wand around and was not surprised when an entire wall of wand boxes flew out all over the floor. 

"I think not," Mr Olivander said, and he pulled out his own wand and charmed the boxes back onto the shelves.  "Now, let me see."

He handed Harry another wand, this one was made of mahogany, 10 inches, with a core of centaur blood.

Again this wand was obviously not intended for Harry, as yet more wands fell to the floor and this time the shelves went with them.

Mr Olivander quickly charmed away the mess and turned back to his contemplation of wands.

"Oh, I know the one for you, Mr Potter," Mr Olivander said, his eyes twinkling mysteriously.  He pulled out a box almost reverently.  "This is a rare wand, the only one I have of this wood.  It is carved from a Ghost Gum, a native tree of Australia.  A beautiful white wood, 12 inches, with a dragon heartstring core."

He passed the wand to Harry, who took it in his right hand and immediately felt the power of the wand flow through him.  He waved the wand and a shower of gold and silver sparks flew from the end of the wand.

"The perfect wand for you Mr Potter," Mr Olivander was saying.  "A wand so rare for a wizard with rare power.  What better wand for the wizard who defeated He Who Still Must Not Be Named?"

Harry thanked him and quickly left the store.  Without pausing to do anything else, he apparated to Hogsmeade.

~ Hogwarts ~

Harry practically ran the entire way from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts, stopping only when he entered the Entrance Hall.  There he stopped, catching his breath, unsure of where to go first. 

He was surprised to see students wandering around out of school uniform before he realised that it must be the weekend.  He hadn't had to worry about what day it was for so long. 

"Harry?"

Before Harry could turn towards the voice, he was spun around and engulfed in Ron's arms.  He hugged his best friend tightly.  Ron let go of him and Harry stared in awe at Isabella who was being carried by Hermione.  The little girl had grown so much. 

"Uh, hi," Harry said lamely.  Now that that he was here, he didn't really know what to do.  He wanted to see Draco so desperately; surely Ron and Hermione would know where he was.

Without saying a word to him, Hermione thrust Isabella into Ron's arms and tore off out of the castle.  Harry watched her go with a frown on his face.

"Where's she off to?" he wondered.

"Probably gone to warn Draco," Ron said.  "Where have you been, Harry?  We've been worried sick!"

"Draco's out there?" he said, walking back towards the door.

Ron followed him.  "Yeah, he's by the lake.  But Harry, I think you should wait…"

Harry didn't listen.  He pulled open the doors and headed off towards the lake, with Ron trailing after him. 

TBC