Chapter 2: Shopping
The next day James's parents took him into London to buy his school stuff. As they sat on the train speeding on their way to St. Pancras, he looked bemusedly at his letter.
"Dad?"
"Yeah."
"Where in London are we going to find all of this I mean, no shops that I know of sell these things."
His dad smiled.
"Don't worry son, there are special places we can go to."
"Oh."
They got to the station at about 11am and walked through the streets of London until they stopped outside a tiny pub called 'The Leaky Cauldron'. They walked in and James was startled at how many people knew his parents. He's never seen these men and women before but they all seemed to know his family.
"Alright John?" the bartender asked his dad.
"Not bad Tom, just taking James to buy his school stuff."
The man smiled kindly at James.
"First year at Hogwarts son?" he asked.
"Err..yeah. Did you go there as well Mr. Tom?"
The bartender laughed.
"Aye, I did. And it's just Tom to you lad."
"Come on James, we'd better get going. It was nice seeing you Tom."
"And you John."
"Goodbye Mr. Just Tom." James said as they went out the back door
"Good bye Mr. James." He heard from inside.
James looked around. He was in a small courtyard with a dustbin in a corner.
"Dad, why are we here? I thought we'd come to my school stuff?"
His dad just walked forwards and started tapping a brick with a small wooden stick.
Suddenly the bricks moved aside to create a large archway in the middle of the wall. James stared in amazement at what lay before him. He was standing at the end of a very long street with a large white building at the other end. There were various shops along the sides of the street. James's dad looked at him.
"So what's the first thing on the list kiddo?"
"Well, the first thing…"
James and his parents spent about three hours going around the shops buying the things that he needed, and at lunch they stopped to have an ice cream at the ice-cream shop.
"Have we got everything?" his mother, Melinda, asked. James scanned the letter.
"There's only one thing left. A wand."
"Ah yes, I'd almost forgotten that. Come on James, we'll go and get it while your fathers ogling at racing brooms." They walked to the end of the street and stopped at a tiny shop next the bank, Gringotts. James craned his neck to read the writing that was above the doorframe. 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.' They walked in and James's mum whispered into his ear,
"I'll be back in a minute, there's something I've forgotten to buy."
Before James could object his mum was already out the door and walking down the street.
"Thanks mum!" he muttered to himself. He took a few tentative steps into the shop.
"Er, hello?"
"Ah, Mr Potter! Welcome!" James span round top see a very old man walk round a stack of thin, velvet covered boxes towards him. "Well now, which is your wand arm?"
James silently stuck his right hand out in front of him. Mr. Ollivander stared to measure him, all the time muttering under his breath.
"Hum, willow? No, too courageous. Maple? No, not the right complexion."
He turned and running his fingers over the boxes he pulled out about three. Turning back to face James he took the first one out and handed it to James.
"Here we are, beechwood and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches."
James looked out the wand in his hand, then looked up at Mr. Ollivander stupidly.
"Go on boy, give it a wave." He said impatiently. Feeling very stupid, James waved it about in front of him. Only to have it snatched out of his hand by Mr. Ollivander.
"No, no. That won't do at all. Here, ebony and phoenix feather, ten inches."
James raised it but Mr. Ollivander took it almost immediately. He put it back in its box and then looked thoughtfully at the last one he had taken off the shelf. He took it, and hesitantly gave it to James.
"Here, mahogany and dragon heartstring, eleven inches." As James took it he felt warmth in his fingers, he raised it in front of him and pointing it towards the open door he shot a white stag onto the street. The people outside all stopped what they were doing and stared at the animal until James walked out with his wand in his hand. He walked up to it and, stroking its neck he whispered into its ear. It snickered, licked his face and dispersed into a cloud of, well, cloudiness. James turned and walked back into the shop where his mother and father were both waiting for him. His mother looked at him in astonishment.
"What? How!"
James looked at her in surprise.
"What's wrong mum? Did I do something wrong?" He looked so crestfallen that she burst out laughing.
"No, nothing's wrong son, you just surprised me that's all. Look what I got." She said taking something from behind her back.
James gaped at it.
"Wow! A real owl! Is it for me?"
"Yes she is for you. What are you going to call her?"
James looked at the owl for a minute, taking in her creamy-white plumage.
"Lily." He answered. His mum and dad traded looks and smiled.
"Whatever you say son."
Yey! Another chapter done! Please review!!!
Dari