Disclaimer: I can claim no ownership of Harry Potter. (Not in this life anyway)

A/N: Well this is a bit longer than my average chapter sooooo I hope you enjoy!

Ch. 2: A New Friend and an Old Wand

When Jane awoke the next morning, it took her a while to remember exactly what had transpired the previous day. When she did remember though, she could not help the huge grin that crept up her face.
Deciding she should head down for breakfast, Jane quickly changed and ran downstairs, eager to get the informing of her parents over with.
When she reached the dining room, Jane quickly assessed the situation. Her mother was looking over some files while munching on a bowl of cereal, her father was busy scanning some health magazines while eating a pile of eggs, and her sister was currently reading the back of a cereal box. Deciding that it would be best not to mention anything until after her sister left, Jane sat down and nervously started munching slowly on a strip of bacon.
Eventually, Emily seemed to get bored with the cereal box and announced that she was going to watch some TV. Jane took this as her cue to start speaking.
"Mom? Dad?"
Her parents looked up slightly from what they were doing.
Jane took a deep breath before speaking, "LastnightIgotaletterofacceptancetoamagicalboardingschool IntwodaysI'llbeleavingwithsomeonetogoandgetmyschoolthings." Jane paused here before taking another breath and continuing, "Term starts September first and I'll be leaving and won't return till Christmas."
Her parents continued to stare at her, blinking.
"So, can I go?" she asked nervously.
"Sure sweetie, whatever," her mother answered before she and Jane's father went back to what they'd formerly been doing.
Jane was ecstatic as she ran back upstairs. There was still a part of her though, that was saddened that her parents weren't taking more of an effort to fully understand what she was getting herself into.
"Oh, well,"Jane thought as she re-entered her room, "The important thing is that they said 'yes'".

The next two days passed slowly for Jane. Too slowly, in her belief. Of course, she was still nervous. Heck, by the time day three came around, Jane was nothing but a bundle of nerves. But she didn't let that keep her from being the first one to reach the door the moment it rang at ten o'clock Saturday morning.
There, standing before her, was a middle-aged man with a kind smile.
"Hello," he said, "I'm Mr. Helson."
"Nice to meet you," Jane responded, "I'm Jane."
"Are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Yeah can we leave now?"
Mr. Helson laughed. "Are you sure your parents don't want to come," he asked.
Jane thought about this for a second. The truth was, she had never really bothered asking them. It didn't matter anyway. They were at work. "They had to work," she responded simply.
"Ahhh, well too bad. We might as well go then."
Jane was about to ask how they were going to get there but looking around him she spotted a new-looking car in her driveway.. Honestly she was a little disappointed. Jane had been hoping that they might have been using Floo Powder or some other magical mode of transportation, but she shrugged it off deciding that there would be plenty of magic in her life from that point on.
The car ride was full of questions. Most were from Jane about the magical world but some were from Mr. Helson about herself.
"Do you know what house you want to be in?" he asked. Jane thought for a moment before answering, "I think I would prefer Gryffindor. Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad either but I'm not that smart so I suppose next would be Hufflepuff."
Mr. Helson laughed again. "Well to tell you the truth I was in Ravenclaw and I didn't think I was that smart either until the sorting hat told me so."
Suddenly the car stopped and they both got out in front of a small building squeezed in-between two larger ones.
"Welcome Jane," Mr. Helson said, "to the Leaky Cauldron."
Jane felt her mouth drop open. Sure she had figured this was where they would go but seeing a place you've only read about and didn't even know existed until three days ago was a big deal.
As they headed inside, Mr. Helson led her to a table in the back with three people sitting at it.
One was a middle-aged woman, the next was a teenage boy, and then there was a young girl around Jane's age.
"Jane, let me introduce you to my family," Mr. Helson said, "This is my wife Sara and these are our children Harrison and Serena. Serena will be starting her first year at Hogwarts as well."
Jane stopped when Serena looked up at her. Piercing, aquamarine eyes met her own bright, stormy blue ones. That along with her long, wavy midnight black hair made Serena look like a goddess to Jane. She was everything Jane was not. Beautiful, talented, as Jane could tell by the drawing of a tiger she had been working on, and she also seemed to hold an air about her that commanded attention and respect.
Jane relaxed a bit when Serena's eyes softened and she smiled warmly.
"It's nice to meet you," she said in an equally soft voice.
"You too," Jane responded.
"Well we better get going," Mr. Helson said, "Lots to buy."
Everyone nodded and they all headed towards the back where Mr. Helson brought out his wand and tapped some bricks while Jane stared.
Jane had always dreamed about what Diagon Alley would look like but nothing could of prepared her for her actual viewing of it. There were people everywhere and shops lined the streets with vendors calling out things she'd never heard of.
Somehow, Jane found herself alone with Serena as Mr. And Mrs. Helson went to exchange her money and Harrison went off with a group of his friends.
As they walked together along the alley, Jane spotted a Quidditch store with a rather large crowd of boys standing and ogling at the window showcasing the latest broom model.
"Guess Quidditch really is as popular as I've heard," she thought to herself not realizing that she'd spoken aloud.
"Oh yes, Quidditch is the world to some people. I don't play much myself but I do follow the Flying Arrows. They have a 4 and 1 record this season," Serena told her.
Jane smiled at her and soon the two girls were so involved in their Quidditch talk that neither noticed the two boys approaching their direction until it was too late.
"Hey watch where you're going!" one of the boys yelled as she bumped into him and was knocked to the ground.
"Well I'm sorry but you don't have to be so rude about it!" Jane yelled as she rubbed her hip.
"Whatever," the boy said while he brushed off his clothing as if something disgusting had touched it. He then caught sight of Serena and his scowling face was turned into a large smile. "Hey Serena I didn't see you there. What'cha doin here?" he asked.
Serena scowled at him. "Probably the same as you David. Jane and I are getting our school supplies."
"Jane?" the other boy asked suddenly speaking. "Yeah that's me," Jane said getting up, "And who may I ask are you?" She then caught sight of who she was talking to and her eyes widened. "Eric!" she cried as she tackled him with a hug.
Serena and David stared at them both. "How do you two know each other?" David asked.
"He's only my best friend since I was like three," Jane answered.
David looked puzzled and Jane couldn't help but notice that his eyebrows furrowed in a cute little way on his handsome face when he was confused.
"Well then how come you never mentioned her?" he asked Eric.
Now it was Eric's turn to look confused. "I did remember. I was just telling you how I wanted to go see my best friend before we left because we weren't going to the same school. Guess I was wrong."
David's face suddenly held a look of realization. "Oh so you mean this is the girl that..." he never got to finish because Eric suddenly put a hand over his mouth.
"Well we should be going," he said in a nervous voice, "Maybe we could meet up later for ice cream or something. Bye!" He then dragged David away and Jane looked back at Serena who she was surprised to see was staring at her with wide eyes.
"What?" she asked.
"You know Eric Masters!?"
Jane looked confused. "Yeah why?"
"Well not only is he part of one of the richest and most prestigious pureblood wizarding families next to David's; he's totally cute!"
Jane merely shrugged. "Well I didn't even know he was a wizard until today and the fact that he's cute I feel is just plain gross because he's like my brother. Besides, I think that that David guy likes you."
Serena wrinkled her nose at this. "Uh, don't remind me. I really don't like him. Most of the time he acts so stuck up or otherwise he's busy playing pranks on people. It's really annoying."
Jane was about to respond when Serena's parents suddenly appeared and they decided to start their school shopping.
After getting their robes, potions ingredients, telescopes, phials, and scales; Serena and Jane decided to go get their wands while Mr. and Mrs. Helson went to get their books.
As they approached the wand shop, Jane stopped for a second wanting to remember the moment and looked at the store.
(A/N: Okay here I'm going to use a quote from the first book.)
"The shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window."
 Serena then called to her and they entered the shop with the sound of a bell tinkling somewhere in the back as they opened the door.
Looking around, Jane saw that the description in the book was true. The shop was small and musty and was wall to wall wands.
Just as Jane was about to ask if they should call for him, Mr. Ollivander appeared.
"Ahh Miss. Helson, I was wondering when I might see you. It seems like just yesterday that your father was in here buying his first wand. Thirteen inch, oak, dragon heartstring, nice and sturdy," he sighed and seemed to drift off for a second before coming back. "So which one of you wants to go first?" he asked, "Come on and stick out your wand arm."
Jane took a deep breath, preparing herself to go first and get it over with but Serena beat her to the punch. She stepped forward bravely and stuck out her right arm.
Mr. Ollivander used a tape measure to take measurements before turning back into the store. He returned a minute later with a long, slim box.
"Ten and a quarter inches, maple, phoenix heather, nice and flexible."
Serena took hold of the wand and gave it a wave. As soon as she did, a jar full of quills exploded sending them everywhere.
"Nope that's not it," Mr. Ollivander commented.
He returned to the back of the store only to come back a second later with another wand.
"Here we are, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go ahead try it."
This time Serena's wand glowed for a second when she waved it before shooting out gold sparks.
Mr. Ollivander smiled. "Ah there you have it. Second try, excellent. Alright you next Miss....?"
"Adams," Jane filled in, "Jane Adams."
"Very well Miss. Adams. Stick out your wand arm please."
Jane stuck out her right hand and immediately the tape measure leapt into action and started measuring every inch of her while Mr. Ollivander returned to the back of the shop.
A while later he returned with another slim box.
"Maple, phoenix heather, quite whippy; try."
Jane closed her hand around the wand and gave it a wave. The wand shot out a red beam that flew to a picture on the wall and disintegrated it instantly.
"No, I say we need one more powerful," Mr. Ollivander stated before heading, once again, to the back of the store.
They tried many more wands that day and all the while Mr. Ollivander kept glancing nervously at the window. Finally, after two hours and about 150 wands, he threw up his hands as if in defeat and headed towards the window.
Jane watched curiously as he slowly lifted up the musty, old purple cushion with a rather old looking wand lying on it that she had seen earlier. He brought it over to her and stood there a moment before finally speaking.
"I gave up on selling this wand long ago. No one had the power to make it do anything, but I've tried all my best wands on you and none of them can handle your power. This is a wand who's core is made with the stem of a spiritflower. It's cover is that of a willow tree. Nine and a half inches, sturdy yet flexible, whippy yet powerful. This is probably the finest wand I've ever made. It's been sitting in that window a long time without an owner," Mr. Ollivander spoke all this without looking into her eyes. Now he looked straight into them, "With this wand great things can be expected from it's owner. Greater perhaps, than even Dumbledore himself."
He then pushed the cushion in Jane's direction with Serena looking on in awe. Jane studied the wand before touching it. It was beautiful. It had long vines carved into the handle and it gleamed in the dim light as if emitting a soft glow of its own.
Jane reached out carefully and grasped the wand. The moment she did a whole row of wands came flying down from their shelves.
"Nope, I guess not, "Mr. Ollivander said before reaching to take back the wand. The moment he touched it though an invisable force knocked him back as if the wand had shocked him. "What is this?" he asked himself.
Suddenly, as if it was a delayed reaction, the wand started to glow and Jane as well. The lights started flickering and the walls started shaking. Jane tried to let go of the wand but found she couldn't. She was starting to panic when, suddenly, it stopped. Everything was completely still. Then, a huge shower of sparks emitted from the wand. They were every color you could imagine and each had enough light power to light up the whole room causing the total effect to be blinding before, that too stopped and once again everything was still.
Nobody spoke for a while and everything remained completely still and completely silent until Serena summed it up in one word.
"Wow."
Jane looked over at her and nodded slowly as the color that had drained from her cheeks started to slowly return.
"Well Miss. Adams I do believe we found your wand," Mr. Ollivander said as he recovered from his shock. "And I must ask you to be careful with it because, in the wrong hands, that wand could cause disaster."
Jane nodded and then the girls paid for there wands and left. On the way to the bookstore Jane suddenly stopped Serena.
"Look I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about that," she said nervously, "I would rather people not know."
Serena nodded in silent understanding and the girls resumed walking.
The day ended with both girls buying their pet (A sleek black cat for Serena named Luna and a snowy white owl with a single black stripe on either wing for Jane named Gemini) and a promise between the girls to owl each other over the remainder of the break.
Jane lay on her bed that night while Gemini was out hunting thinking of what her future would hold. As she fell asleep, she made one single wish.
"I wish that this will all still be real when I wake up tomorrow," she mumbled as sleep overtook her.

A/N: Okay well there you go. I hope you enjoyed it and remember: Review- it makes the heat more bearable.