Author's Note: Sassy and Morgan Le Faye seem to have picked up on last chapter's
title-clue (Sibling Rivalry), but dashara, galtxtr, Luni and qwert
either missed the significance -- or maybe they're just too circumspect
to commit themselves until all the facts are in. In either case, the
answer follows, in no uncertain terms, in: A "Tail" of Two Wands.
***
"I still can't believe they let us come without a teacher," Ron said as he and Hermione stepped through a door into a small, dimly-lighted shop. From somewhere in the gloomy recesses, a bell tinkled, announcing their presence.
"I'm a Prefect," Hermione said impatiently. "It's no different than going to Hogsmeade."
"Oh yes it is," Ron said as he brushed soot from his hair, creating a dirty gray cloud around his head that nearly made him sneeze. "Hogsmeade is only a short walk from the castle. Diagon Alley is a long way from Hogwarts."
"Not by Floo, it isn't," Hermione returned as she absently brushed soot from her shoulders. She did not look at Ron as she spoke. Her head was swiveling in every direction, taking in the endless rows of long, narrow boxes lining the dusty shelves from floor to ceiling.
With no slightest sound to announce his coming, an old wizard appeared before them. He was not so old as Dumbledore, but his white hair and silver eyes gave him a ghost-like appearance, rather like Professor Binns with a touch more coloring.
"Ah, students," Mr. Ollivander said brightly. "But not first years, surely. Purchasing replacement wands, then?" His pale eyes fell on Ron with sudden recognition. "Ah, but you, at least, have already done so, have you not? A year ago last Summer, if memory serves."
"Uh...yeah," Ron said. "My wand got snapped, and my parents bought me a new one."
"Willow and unicorn hair," Mr. Ollivander said without a moment's hesitation. "Fourteen inches. It chose you most decisively, as I recall."
Mr. Ollivander turned to Hermione.
"The new wand is for you, then, my dear?"
"No," Hermione said, drawing her wand and holding it before her. Ron pulled out his wand and held it up next to Hermione's. Mr. Ollivander's moon-like eyes flitted from Ron's wand to Hermione's and back again.
"Oh, my, yes," Mr. Ollivander said slowly. He took Ron's wand first, examined it briefly, then shifted it to his left hand so as to examine Hermione's wand in like manner. At length he held the two wands before him, twirled them between his fingers, sighted down their lengths. He waved each in turn, producing red and gold sparks, respectively. Then, his eyes narrowing, he touched the tips of the wands together. They recoiled with a snapping sound as of a wizard cracker popping.
"Brother wands," Mr. Ollivander breathed. "Unquestionably."
"Do you know anything about them?" Hermione asked.
A look of mild offense drifted across Mr. Ollivander's colorless face, passing almost as quickly as it came. With an unmistakable note of pride in his voice, he said, "I myself plucked the tail hairs that went into these wands. I recall it as if it were yesterday. I was taking a brief holiday in Hogsmeade -- it was exactly twenty years ago next month -- I had just taken tea with Professor Dumbledore, and I decided to take a stroll along the perimeter of the Forbidden Forest ere departing. One never knows when a magical creature will make an appearance, and fate often steps in when one least expects.
"So it was that day. I spied a truly magnificent unicorn lingering at the very edge of the wood. I had not seen so exquisite a specimen in many a year, and I knew I must essay to pluck at least one tail hair. As you may know, unicorns are somewhat skittish around males, so my hopes were not high. But I was determined at the very least to make the attempt.
"To my absolute delight, the mare -- for so I determined her to be -- stood perfectly still, as if she knew I meant her no harm. Did I not know better, I would have said that her eyes possessed an almost human understanding. Howbeit, I very gently plucked a tail hair; and then, knowing as I did that I might never encounter so fine a creature again, I made so bold as to snatch a second hair. She regarded me for a moment, then flicked her tail and bounded away.
"I have made numerous visits to Hogwarts since then," Mr. Ollivander said dreamily. "I returned only last year, in fact. But of that particular unicorn I have seen no trace. Nor, I think, shall I ever."
Sighing through a wan smile, Mr. Ollivander returned Ron's and Hermione's wands.
"You are housemates?" he ventured, his manner once more one of friendly formality.
"Gryffindor," Ron said. "Fifth Year."
"And close, I perceive," Mr. Ollivander smiled.
"Since Halloween of First Year," Hermione said, remembering the day Ron and Harry had saved her from certain death at the hands of a mountain troll, cementing their friendship for all time.
"For two friends to come by brother wands speaks of a very special bond," Mr. Ollivander said. "It is, of course, the wand that chooses the witch or wizard. It is not by chance that these wands fell to you. There is a common destiny linking you, I think. Only time will tell how profound that destiny may prove. But I think it is safe to say that the two of you are inextricably linked to some great purpose. Indeed, yes."
Hermione had a very strange look on her face as she and Ron walked back to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo back to Hogwarts. Ron's face bore an equally curious look. But whereas Hermione appeared to be wrestling with nameless thoughts of great complexity, Ron's concentration seemed to be centered on a single goal: To keep himself from grinning from ear to ear.
***
Author's Note: The mystery of the wands is solved -- or is it? A final clue is contained herein for those who can read between the lines. But you won't have long to wait. All questions are answered in the next (and final) chapter, fittingly titled: Myrtle's Secret. Don't miss it!
Aside to galtxtr: I'm enjoying our verbal tennis match. As it is once again my serve, I refer you to the scene (in A Wish Your Heart Makes) where Harry and Ron (minus Hermione) sip butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks. When Ron inquires as to Hermione's absence, Harry replies that she "had to do something special. Said she wanted to surprise me." When Harry learned later that Hermione had rented a broomstick, he simply put two and two together. It was an assumption on his part, true. But he knew her so well, he was sure there could be no other answer. And he was right!
Thanks for paying such close attention. Good reviews are worth their weight in wizard gold, so keep them coming. (And that goes for everyone!) Later!
"I still can't believe they let us come without a teacher," Ron said as he and Hermione stepped through a door into a small, dimly-lighted shop. From somewhere in the gloomy recesses, a bell tinkled, announcing their presence.
"I'm a Prefect," Hermione said impatiently. "It's no different than going to Hogsmeade."
"Oh yes it is," Ron said as he brushed soot from his hair, creating a dirty gray cloud around his head that nearly made him sneeze. "Hogsmeade is only a short walk from the castle. Diagon Alley is a long way from Hogwarts."
"Not by Floo, it isn't," Hermione returned as she absently brushed soot from her shoulders. She did not look at Ron as she spoke. Her head was swiveling in every direction, taking in the endless rows of long, narrow boxes lining the dusty shelves from floor to ceiling.
With no slightest sound to announce his coming, an old wizard appeared before them. He was not so old as Dumbledore, but his white hair and silver eyes gave him a ghost-like appearance, rather like Professor Binns with a touch more coloring.
"Ah, students," Mr. Ollivander said brightly. "But not first years, surely. Purchasing replacement wands, then?" His pale eyes fell on Ron with sudden recognition. "Ah, but you, at least, have already done so, have you not? A year ago last Summer, if memory serves."
"Uh...yeah," Ron said. "My wand got snapped, and my parents bought me a new one."
"Willow and unicorn hair," Mr. Ollivander said without a moment's hesitation. "Fourteen inches. It chose you most decisively, as I recall."
Mr. Ollivander turned to Hermione.
"The new wand is for you, then, my dear?"
"No," Hermione said, drawing her wand and holding it before her. Ron pulled out his wand and held it up next to Hermione's. Mr. Ollivander's moon-like eyes flitted from Ron's wand to Hermione's and back again.
"Oh, my, yes," Mr. Ollivander said slowly. He took Ron's wand first, examined it briefly, then shifted it to his left hand so as to examine Hermione's wand in like manner. At length he held the two wands before him, twirled them between his fingers, sighted down their lengths. He waved each in turn, producing red and gold sparks, respectively. Then, his eyes narrowing, he touched the tips of the wands together. They recoiled with a snapping sound as of a wizard cracker popping.
"Brother wands," Mr. Ollivander breathed. "Unquestionably."
"Do you know anything about them?" Hermione asked.
A look of mild offense drifted across Mr. Ollivander's colorless face, passing almost as quickly as it came. With an unmistakable note of pride in his voice, he said, "I myself plucked the tail hairs that went into these wands. I recall it as if it were yesterday. I was taking a brief holiday in Hogsmeade -- it was exactly twenty years ago next month -- I had just taken tea with Professor Dumbledore, and I decided to take a stroll along the perimeter of the Forbidden Forest ere departing. One never knows when a magical creature will make an appearance, and fate often steps in when one least expects.
"So it was that day. I spied a truly magnificent unicorn lingering at the very edge of the wood. I had not seen so exquisite a specimen in many a year, and I knew I must essay to pluck at least one tail hair. As you may know, unicorns are somewhat skittish around males, so my hopes were not high. But I was determined at the very least to make the attempt.
"To my absolute delight, the mare -- for so I determined her to be -- stood perfectly still, as if she knew I meant her no harm. Did I not know better, I would have said that her eyes possessed an almost human understanding. Howbeit, I very gently plucked a tail hair; and then, knowing as I did that I might never encounter so fine a creature again, I made so bold as to snatch a second hair. She regarded me for a moment, then flicked her tail and bounded away.
"I have made numerous visits to Hogwarts since then," Mr. Ollivander said dreamily. "I returned only last year, in fact. But of that particular unicorn I have seen no trace. Nor, I think, shall I ever."
Sighing through a wan smile, Mr. Ollivander returned Ron's and Hermione's wands.
"You are housemates?" he ventured, his manner once more one of friendly formality.
"Gryffindor," Ron said. "Fifth Year."
"And close, I perceive," Mr. Ollivander smiled.
"Since Halloween of First Year," Hermione said, remembering the day Ron and Harry had saved her from certain death at the hands of a mountain troll, cementing their friendship for all time.
"For two friends to come by brother wands speaks of a very special bond," Mr. Ollivander said. "It is, of course, the wand that chooses the witch or wizard. It is not by chance that these wands fell to you. There is a common destiny linking you, I think. Only time will tell how profound that destiny may prove. But I think it is safe to say that the two of you are inextricably linked to some great purpose. Indeed, yes."
Hermione had a very strange look on her face as she and Ron walked back to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo back to Hogwarts. Ron's face bore an equally curious look. But whereas Hermione appeared to be wrestling with nameless thoughts of great complexity, Ron's concentration seemed to be centered on a single goal: To keep himself from grinning from ear to ear.
Author's Note: The mystery of the wands is solved -- or is it? A final clue is contained herein for those who can read between the lines. But you won't have long to wait. All questions are answered in the next (and final) chapter, fittingly titled: Myrtle's Secret. Don't miss it!
Aside to galtxtr: I'm enjoying our verbal tennis match. As it is once again my serve, I refer you to the scene (in A Wish Your Heart Makes) where Harry and Ron (minus Hermione) sip butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks. When Ron inquires as to Hermione's absence, Harry replies that she "had to do something special. Said she wanted to surprise me." When Harry learned later that Hermione had rented a broomstick, he simply put two and two together. It was an assumption on his part, true. But he knew her so well, he was sure there could be no other answer. And he was right!
Thanks for paying such close attention. Good reviews are worth their weight in wizard gold, so keep them coming. (And that goes for everyone!) Later!
