Chapter 13- Diaries, Kittens, Wands, and a Letter...

 Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all sat happily chatting while they sat outside at Florean Fortescue's in Diagon Alley. Mrs. Weasley had decided that an outing would serve both the purpose of celebrating and that of gathering school supplies they needed. Fred and George had already headed off declining the offer of ice cream, an unusual thing for them. Harry had no doubts about where they were headed. They'd mentioned something about a market space for rent. The bangs and pops that had frequently been emitted from their room over the course of the summer were evidence that they were indeed putting the thousand galleons to use. The four of them finished their ice creams and promised to meet Mr. and Mrs. Weasley at six o'clock in the Leaky Cauldron. Before they left Mrs. Weasley called Ginny back quickly.

"What kind of birthday cake do you want dear?" she questioned, "I have to head over to Marie and Louie's to pick up the ingredients."

 The four of them headed off after Ginny asked her mother to make a white cake with strawberry icing. They ventured into the shops to pick up potions ingredients and then robes. When they entered Flourish and Blott's Harry was left with Ginny on one side of the store while Ron followed Hermione in her search for an Arithmancy book.

"So tomorrows your birthday?" Harry asked dumbly.

"Uh-huh," replied Ginny, not looking up from the shelf she was flipping through.

"Why didn't you mention it?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I dunno."

"Well you have to tell me what you want now," he grinned.

"Oh," she exclaimed, "You don't have to get me anything!"

"I don't have to, but I want to," he stated firmly. "So is there anything in particular you want or are you going to make me guess?"

She sighed and plucked the book she had been looking for off the shelf. "You're impossible you know."

"I know," he replied.

 They met Ron and Hermione at the front of the store where they all paid for their books and then left the shop to visit Eyelops and then the Apothecary for potions supplies. Things were a lot easy to carry this year as Hermione had taken advantage of being allowed to do magic and shrunken most of the bags for them. They made a stop at Quality Quidditch Supplies and after Hermione and Ginny managed to drag the drooling boys away they found themselves outside of Nicole's Notes.  Ron groaned when they entered but Harry looked around in interest. Shelves of different books and stationary filled the store.

"So what are we here for exactly?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Oh it's an idea Ginny and I came up with," she replied. "We're both going to get enchanted diaries and I'm going to pick up some stationary to give my Mum next Christmas."

"Oh. So how exactly do they work?" he asked. He was confused. He was surprised that Ginny would be willing to even go near one after her experience in her first year.

"Don't look at me as if I'd grown two heads!" exclaimed Ginny, "It's something I have to deal with. Anyway, the way they work is that many people decide they want to share their life experience so they volunteer to donate their memories to the diaries. Then the diaries take on their personalities. They're great for giving advice."

"Wow," replied Harry, "So how many people have done this?"

"Tons," replied Hermione, "Let's look at the list over there and see who's available."

 As they walked over to the table with Ron still complaining about how he'd rather have been left to drool over a new racing broom a young witch with blonde hair greeted them with a smile.

"I'm Nicole," she told them cheerily, "What exactly are you looking for today?"

"Enchanted diaries," Hermione informed.

"How many are you going to need?" the witch asked.

"Two," Hermione began to say but was cut off by Harry.

"Three," he informed the girl behind the counter then turned and grinned at a shocked Hermione and Ginny. "It sounds like a good idea, besides I could use all the advice I can get."

 Nicole pulled three pieces of paper from a box at the counter and handed them three quills to use. The top of the paper was covered with a list of names.

"You can find out which personality you want by talking to them," the shopkeeper informed them, "Just tap a name to start a conversation with one of them."

 Harry looked at the list and saw that there were just as many wizards as witches on there. He began to go through the different names while Ron read over his shoulder and smirking and laughing at him as one of the voices began to rattle about cosmetics. Harry quickly switched names and tried a few more. He also saw some names that he thought were muggle. He asked Nicole about them and she informed them that some of the memories were actually from muggles and had been specially requested from them. Hermione was the first to find a personality that satisfied her and began to look at different covers and page designs to choose from. Harry and Ginny took a bit longer deciding before finally joining Hermione at the counter where designs were displayed.

"How about this one Harry?" Ron said holding up an emerald cover and mimicking Mrs. Weasley, "After all, it does match your eyes."

 Harry ignored him and found a simple black cover instead. Hermione took a scarlet one and Ginny a light purple. Harry opted for plain parchment while Hermione chose paper with border designs in scarlet and Ginny in light purple. Nicole began to assemble the books explaining each step. Soon they were finished and she explained how they had to activate them.

"When you first write in it the book will ask for you to choose a password. Be careful what you choose because it's very difficult to get a new one. Try to think of something that won't be easily guessed."

 Ginny announced that she had to go to Ollivander's after they exited the shop.

"I've been using a hand me down wand and Mum's finally letting me get a new one," she told them.

"Why don't we split up?" said Harry, "I can take this git over to Quality Quidditch Supplies and you and Hermione can go find you a wand."

 Ron agreed quickly though he attested against being called a git. Harry just dragged him along down the Alley.

"We'll meet you two in Ollivander's in an hour," Harry called and then they walked off. Ron was dismayed when he realized they weren't heading for the Quidditch shop at all.

"Harry mate," he cried out, "We're going to look at brooms remember."

"No we aren't," he stated, "I need to get your sister a present."

 Ignoring Ron's pleading he dragged him along until he'd reached the shop 4 stores down from Ollivander's. He looked around at the various animals on display and wondered what Ginny would like. He decided against and owl being that she had Pig to deliver her mail anyway. His eyes rested instead on a row of cages all containing kittens. He reached his hand through the cage and stroked a few but one immediately caught his attention. She was a small fluffy cat covered in grey and white fur with a striped pattern, and her eyes were a light green color. Harry lifted her out of the cage and she swatted a paw at him before hopping on to his shoulder where she began preening herself. He grabbed a a pale blue collar with a matching lead, and a cat carrier quickly. He grabbed a bag of food and a bowl as well. Ron followed him up to the counter where he paid for his purchase. Now the problem came with hiding the cat.

"I need to keep you hidden," he told the furry thing in the basket.

"You could just silencing charm it," said Ron, "Then no one would notice her moving around."

 Harry cast a quick silencing charm on the bag after putting the cat and carrier into.

"That should do but they're bound to ask what we bought," said Harry.

 They made a short stop at Quality Quidditch Supplies where Harry purchased some new quidditch guards and placed them on top of his other purchases hiding the cat carrier from view. The guards he'd used in his first year had become extremely worn and were now practically useless. Ron, in a much better mood now that he'd gotten his fill of gazing at displays, followed Harry out of the store and down the street to Ollivander's.

 They entered the shop expecting to find Hermione and Ginny already waiting but were surprised at the sight that met them. Ginny was standing trying wand after wand and a pile much larger than what Harry had gone through was stacked behind her. Mr. Ollivander was handing her wand after wand but none of them seemed to fit.

"Oh there you are Harry," said Hermione.

"I'm afraid we aren't ready yet," Ginny apologized, "I've been through at least fifty wands now."

"I noticed," said Ron, "I think you've managed to beat George on this one."

"George?" questioned Harry.

"Yeah George went through tons before he finally found one that suited him," Ron explained, "Kind of funny that in the end the one he got was brother wand to Fred's. Both of them had hairs from the same unicorn."

"Brother wands are still rare though aren't they," said Harry.

"Yeah," said Ron, "But I suppose it kind of fits for them. I don't think they've spent more than three days apart from each other in their lives. You'd think they'd drive each other crazy."

"Yeah," said Harry, trying not to think about who had the wand brother to his. He was certain he and Voldemort had anything but brotherly feelings toward each other. Meanwhile Ginny was having little success.

"How about this, oak with...No that doesn't seem to be it. How about..." Mr. Ollivander continued to present her with different wands.

"Ah," said Mr. Ollivander, "I wonder..."

"Wonder what," questioned Ginny.

"Try this one, ten and a quarter inches long, willow and unicorn's hair," Mr. Ollivander said handing her a wand he'd removed from a velvet case beneath the counter.

 Ginny reached out and took the wand.

"I'm afraid not," she told him. Before handing the wand back she put it in her other hand so she could use her right hand to brush back a stray piece of hair. All of a sudden she felt a rush of warmth and energy course through as sparks flew out of the wand held in her left hand.

"But I'm not even left handed," she said aloud.

"Curious..." said Mr. Ollivander. "Most curious."

"What's curious?" questioned Ginny.

 The scene seemed extremely familiar to Harry. He thought back to the day he'd bought his own wand and how much he'd changed since then.

"I think," said Mr. Ollivander, "That because this wand had a previous owner, and that owner was left-handed, that the wand will continue to work in its wielders left hand. Try a simple spell for us and see if you have any trouble with it."

 Ginny developed a mischievous glint and he could see her eyeing him.

"Wingardium Leviosa." Harry was lifted up from where he stood and was hovering precariously close to the ceiling. Finally she lowered him to the ground.

"Excellent," said Mr. Ollivander, "Any difficulties using your other hand?"

"No," said Ginny, "It just seems natural now. I'll take it."

"Ah good," said Mr. Ollivander, looking at her with those somewhat creepy blue eyes, "We can expect great things from you Ms. Weasley. Very great things."

"I used to think Dumbledore was off his rocker," Ron told them, "But that man really takes the cake."

 They laughed at his comments and headed back to meet the rest of the Weasley clan. Soon they had flooed back to the Burrow and stowed their bags in their respective rooms. The four friends found themselves sitting in the living room cozied into the couches. Ron was reading a new chess strategy book while Harry, Hermione, and Ginny examined the journals they had purchased. Harry sat with a quill in one hand while stroking Crookshanks with another. He began to fill in the information as the journal asked him.

Name? Harry Potter

Age: 15

Birthday? July 31rst

Ah just the other day then, Happy Birthday

Thanks

He continued to fill out the information then sealed the book so that it couldn't be opened again without the password. He'd come up with a clever one too if he did say so himself.

 The comfortable silence was soon broken as an owl flew into the room to land on Harry's shoulder. After having its burden relieved the owl flew away, leaving Harry with an envelope addressed to him in the handwriting of one Albus Dumbledore. All his friends looked up in interest as he began to open the letter. He began to read it aloud to his friends.

Dear Harry,

 I am sure that by now you are anxious to hear who your new guardians will be. I believe I have the perfect solution...