Chapter 3: Briggs and the Feline
The morning felt as if it had come quite quickly. Phil opened his eyes suddenly. He heard a noise, and it sounded much like an owl. The morning sun was shining through his window, and he was just able to see, on the tree just outside, three owls perched on one large limb. Each of the owls was looking in the window.
"What? Why are there owls outside my… Oh, yeah…" Phil, still dazed, remembered how the owl yesterday had delivered a letter. He somehow knew these owls had new letters for him.
Phil suddenly had the same feeling as he did yesterday. The owls might have brought a message from St. Mungo's… His mother might have died…
Phil slowly rolled out of bed, and stepped lightly over to his window. Unlatching, and pulling it open, the owls quickly jumped off their perch, and flew straight inside. Each dropped a letter on the floor, generally in the same spot, then turned and flew straight out again, each being quite obviously tired and aggravated. Strangely however, one of the owls didn't leave. Once it had gotten out of the window, it sat back on the tree, waiting, as it stared in at Phil.
Phil closed and latched his window, then turned to the letters. Each was the same size and shape. He knew they all must be from Hogwarts. He stepped to them, and bent over to pick them up. He was right, each one was addressed to: "To Mr. P. Ellis, Bedroom Atop the Stairs, 5. East Farthing Drive, South Londing, London, ENGLAND".
This time he wouldn't tell his father of the letters. Stashing two of them under his pillow, he jumped onto his bed, and quickly tore open the third. Pulling out a short piece of parchment, and a longer piece beneath it, Phil began to read.
Phil was shocked. He was appalled to learn it. Phillip Ellis, the most boringly normal person alive, was a wizard. He was stunned for the longest time, until he realized it. His mother and father were keeping something from him, and that something could have been that he was a wizard. He would be attending Hogwarts? And the list of books and supplies were to learn magic? He couldn't believe it. He was so happy."HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Ellis,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins September 1. We await your owl as soon as possible, for the deadline has come and gone. When the owl has been received, you will be allowed to board the Hogwarts Express.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress."
Phil jumped off the bed, and dashed for the door. He would tell his father straight away! Suddenly he stopped. He remembered how his father reacted to the same letter last night. If he told his father, he could get very mad. Phil wasn't sure what to do. He walked over to his desk, and set the letter down on it.
What did this mean now? What was he going to do, if he couldn't tell his father? How would he get to Hogwarts? This was going to be hard.
First, Phil knew he must write the letter to Hogwarts, to tell them that he received their letter, and that he would try his best to attend. But then if he needed to send them an "owl" was that like sending a letter with an owl, like the ones he had received? He assumed so. But where would he find an owl?
Then he saw the owl that was still perched outside of his window.
"Of course!" Phil said, as he ran over, and opened the window. The bird flew in, knowing that Phil was going to send a letter with him. "That was why you waited, wasn't it? Smart bird, you are."
Phil did his best to search for any kind of paper to write on. He found an old notebook, that was tucked away inside of his desk, and pulled it out. Ripping out a piece of paper, Phil grabbed a pen off of his desk.
Writing the most formal and thankful letter he could, he quickly scrawled the letter to Hogwarts.
Minutes later, he attached the letter to the owl's foot, with a small piece of string. Hopping up to the window, the bird turned back at Phil.
"Shoo! Go!" Phil waved his arms at the bird, but it didn't move, it just sat, looking at him. "Go! What are waiting for!" Phil realized then that the bird was waiting for something, but for what, he didn't know.
Phil grabbed the notebook he left out, and opened the drawer to the desk, to put it away, when suddenly he realized that he should write another letter. That would be the way he would get to Hogwarts! It was simple! He would just write a letter asking for help! It was a good idea, so Phil opened the notebook, and ripped out another page.
Picking up his pen, Phil began to write a letter to Thomas Porden.
"Dear Mr. Porden,
He folded the page up, and on the back side, he wrote to his best knowledge, the location Porden would be at St. Mungo's. He stood up, and stepped over to the owl. He quickly tied the letter around its leg, and the bird immediately flew off, out of the window.This is Phil Ellis. I know that this may seem out of the blue, but you are the only wizard I really know. I was wondering if you could take me to buy supplies for school at Hogwarts. I have just been accepted, and today is the beginning of the first term. So if you have any time at all, you wouldn't mind helping me out, would you? Thank you,
Phil."
Phil was relived that the bird had stayed. It really must have been one smart owl.
He quickly got dressed, and walked out of the door, and down the stairs at the end of the hall. He could tell this was going to be a long day ahead of him.
Phil went into the kitchen, to see what he could find to eat, when he looked up at the clock. It read 7:21 A.M. It was strange that he was up so early. He never usually got up before his father left for work.
Just then, his father came down the stairs. So began the brief awkward silence between the two. Phil wasn't thinking of telling his father that he was accepted into Hogwarts, because he already knew. Phil was concentrating on not looking suspicious. He found some corn flakes in the cupboard, and poured himself a large bowl.
Suddenly, Phil realized something. His father wouldn't see him for a long time, if he up and left for Hogwarts. That's when he decided to tell him. He turned to his father, after sitting down in a chair at the counter. His father was straightening his tie in a nearby mirror. Phil thought of how he should start what he had to say.
"Um, dad?"
"Yeah?" said his father, still fixing his suit, not turning to look.
"You know that letter that you read last night?"
His father stopped, and looked at Phil.
"Yeah. I know. What about it?"
"Well, I got, um, three of them this morning, and, I uh, read it." Phil was waiting for his father to start getting angry. But why was it his business to not tell Phil he was a wizard? Why did he need to hide it?
"Phil. I am sorry." Mr. Ellis' expression never changed. He didn't frown or yell or get mad at all. "I am sorry I didn't tell you. Your mother and I never imagined that you would turn out to be a wizard. We found out, um, about a month ago, when your first letter arrived."
"Why didn't you tell me then? Why is it such a big secret?" Phil said, starting to get angry himself.
"Phil, there is so much that I wish I could tell you, but I don't think you should know yet. We didn't expect you to be a wizard, so we thought it was fine, until we discovered you were. Now everything is different. I thought maybe that if I didn't tell you, and we lasted just one more day, you wouldn't have to go to that school. I wish I could tell you the rest, but you are too young to be troubled by it…"
"What? Dad, why can't you tell me? Why don't you want me to go to that school?"
"Phil, it's very complicated. Someday I'll tell you when you need to know, but right now, I would just ask that you please do not go to that school." Phil's father said.
"It's too late. I've already decided to go. If you can't tell me why I shouldn't go, then I am going. I'm sorry. I want to do this." Phil looked down at his cereal. "I wrote a letter to Thomas Porden, and I asked him to come get me. I don't know him very well, but he's going to take me to get my supplies, and send me off to Hogwarts."
"Phil. You have to be sure about this. There is a lot you are getting yourself into now. Be sure you will be ready, because someday you'll learn, and all this is going to become much, much harder for you. But I think you may be too young to understand." Mr. Ellis explained.
"I want to do this, dad." Phil replied.
"I'm running late. But Phil. I won't be seeing you for a long time if you go. If you want, you can come home for the holidays. I'll still be here." Phil's father stepped over to Phil. He wrapped his arms around him and gave him a hug. "I'll miss you Phil."
"I'll miss you too." Phil suddenly felt bad for his father. He would be leaving him all by himself, to worry about his mom. Suddenly, the words 'I'll still be here' didn't sit right with Phil. He knew his mother was going to die, but, for his father to say that made it a reality.
His father stepped back. "You know Phil, for an eleven year old, you are very mature. Goodbye."
He turned, and walked out of the door. He was already fifteen minutes late for work.
Phil sat, wondering how sad his father might be now. Phil barely ate the rest of his cereal, yet he still sat in the chair, looking down at it. It was now 7:30. He was about to get up, and go take a shower, when suddenly, there was a knock at the front door.
Phil wondered who it could be as he got out of the chair, and walked out to the front hall. Through the window in the door, Phil could just see the figure of a tall man with brown hair.
He stepped to the door, and opened it. Thomas Porden stood on his porch, with a large grin across his face.
"We have to hurry, your train leaves at eleven o' clock." he said.
"Oh, wow, I better hurry! Come in! I'll get dressed, and then we'll go!" Phil turned and ran up the stairs and down the hall to his room.
Porden stood in the front hall waiting for Phil to get ready. As he looked around the house, he took in everything with great detail. He never told Phil, but he knew his mother in the past. He wasn't planning on telling him soon either, for he knew it would upset him.
"Phil! You better pack your things! I don't think we'll have time to come back!" Porden yelled up the stairs.
"Right!" Phil called back down.
Minutes later, Phil came hustling down the stairs with a large bag of clothes. He was now wearing a light blue sweater, with black pants, having changed out of his pajamas.
"Phil, do you have a trunk by chance?" Porden asked, eyeing the bag. "There is going to be lot of supplies to bring."
"Uh, my mum has one, but I think its up in her closet. Wait here, I'll get it." Phil answered, as he set down his bag.
"Wait, Phil, do you have a fireplace?" Porden quickly asked, starting to feel a little rushed.
"Yeah, in the living room." Phil said, as he ran up the stairs.
"Good, that'll be a lot faster…" Porden said to himself.
Phil reached his parents bedroom, and he made for the closet. He quickly opened it, and found the trunk, hidden in the back. It was his mothers, but he had only really seen it in the closet. She never seemed to use it. He pulled at it, and it came out easily. Carefully, Phil dragged it out of the room, and down the hall. As brought the trunk down the stairs, he noticed that Porden was in the living room. He had already moved his bag.
Phil pulled it as best he could off of the stairs, and into the living room. Mr. Porden had already started a fire in the fireplace. Phil stepped over to the side of him, and put down the trunk. Quickly he unlatched the small locks, and swung it open. As he leaned over to grab his bag, to empty the few clothes into the trunk, he noticed something. Inside the trunk sat a large sack. It was about the size of a grapefruit. Phil grabbed, it and opened it up. Inside was a beautiful pile of silver and gold coins.
"What in the world are these?" asked Phil.
Porden turned to look. "Ah, I was about to ask if you had any. That's wizarding money, Phil, it's the stuff we'll be using to buy your supplies. Lucky find, if you ask me. Looks to be pretty full too!" he chuckled then turned back to the fire.
Phil put the sack of coins into his pocket and the bag of clothes into the trunk, to make it half full.
"Ready?" Porden asked.
"Are we traveling by magic fire?" Phil asked, looking up.
"You mean floo powder? Well, yes we are, heh." Porden chuckled again.
"Oh, I've got some in the kitchen if you---"
"No, I have some here, don't worry." Porden interrupted.
Phil stood up, and pulled the trunk closer to him. He brought it over to the front of the fireplace.
"Where to?" he asked.
"Diagon Alley, my friend." Porden said, smiling once more.
He pulled a small bottle of floo powder out of his pocket. He threw a handful of it into the fire, and it burst into a green fire. "After you, he said to Phil."
Phil turned to Porden. "Mr. Porden? Thank you. I barely even know you, but you proved to be a true friend." He looked away and stepped into the fire. Pulling the trunk in behind him, he looked briefly at Porden, who was smiling widely.
"Phil, just wait for me, once you get there. Okay?" Porden said.
Phil nodded, then clearly said, "Diagon Alley!".
He was gone in a large green flash.
It was the same WOOSH-ing feeling he got every time he traveled by the Floo Network. Almost two minutes later, Phil shot out from a fireplace outside, in an open cobble stone road. The fireplace was connected to a building, and a there was a brick wall to his left.
A few seconds later, Porden shot out of the fireplace, just missing Phil's leg.
"It's eight o' clock! We better be quick!" Porden exclaimed, as he stood himself up, brushing loads of soot off of his cloak. "Do you have a wand yet, Phil?"
"A wand? You mean like a magic wand?"
"Perhaps you don't…" Porden reached into the folds of his cloak, and pulled out a sleek black wand. "This is the entrance to Diagon Alley, Phil. Behind us is the Leaky Cauldron, that's a mighty good place to stay if you ever need somewhere. I'll show you how to open the door…"
Porden turned to the brick wall. He raised his wand, and tapped a series of five bricks. They seemed to be the most randomly chosen ones, but obviously Porden knew what he was doing, for the brick wall began to move. It slowly pulled away to either side, brick by brick.
The wall gave way to a large busy scene, of hundreds of witches and wizards bustling about, entering and exiting shops, and generally speaking quite loudly. They swiftly stepped past the threshold, and to the side of the crowd, against the side of a shop.
"Phil, we'll have to split up, if we ever hope to make it to the train on time. If you need help, just ask any of the witches or wizards you see, they are generally quite kind." Porden winked at Phil. "Now, let me see that list of yours."
Phil reached into his pocket, and pulled out the folded list. Handing it to Porden, he looked about to take in the sights. There were old witches and wizards bringing young children through the crowd, and there were children, that looked about Phil's age running around the sides of the cobblestone road, dashing to the different stores.
"Alright. I'll handle your books, there don't seem to be too many. And I'll also take care of your cauldron, phials, telescope and brass scales; those should all be at Malidron's. All that leaves you with your uniform, and your wand. Like I say, if you need any help, just ask anyone." He handed Phil the list. Porden then quickly turned away, so he could get started on his list, but he then turned back to Phil. "Oh, and meet me right here, no later than nine-thirty. Good luck." And he was gone.
Phil looked down at the list.
"A wand…" Phil said to himself. "I think I'll start with that. He slid his trunk under a nearby table, hidden beneath a table cloth.
Phil stepped away from the spot, and found an open area he was able to move through. This was the most amazing place he had ever seen. There were so many strange things to see, it hard for him to concentrate on his task.
As he stepped across the thick stone, he passed an interesting shop. It was the Magical Menagerie. He tried his best to see through the window, as he walked on. He could see a few cages near the front, but he couldn't make out much more. He decided he would try to come back to it, before he left.
He began walking faster, until he realized he had absolutely no clue where he go to find a wand. The large crowds made it even more difficult to see the shop signs, much less the any part of the road. He stopped, and began to scope the area, when suddenly, someone smashed into him from behind. Phil fell to the ground, in a painful heap.
"Ow! Watch it! Don't stop right in the road!" said a voice, obviously coming from the body sprawled out on top of Phil. It was a boy, who looked around Phil's age. The boy rolled over, off of Phil, and bent down to help him up.
"Thanks. And sorry, I was just stopped to look for something." Phil's face reddened slightly, as he began to slowly walk toward the side of the small group being held up behind them. He boy followed him to the side of the road, and then turned to Phil.
"You seem to be new here. You look a little out of place. Lost perhaps?" the boy asked.
"Um, well, yeah, I am new here, and yes, I am kinda lost. Not lost, but just haven't found anything." Phil replied, glancing away from the strange boy. The boy was about Phil's height, and had the same sort of scrawny features about him. His strange black hair, that shone dark brown in the light, was long enough to be twisted and mashed in every direction. His dark blue eyes were shining in the sunlight as well.
"What shop are you looking for? Maybe I can help. Almost done with my shopping. I only need my uniform, and I'll be off to the Hogwarts Express." the boy said. "Bit of a late shopper as well, eh?"
"I guess. Well, I am looking for a wand. Where could I buy one of those?" Phil asked, looking down at his list, then up at the street.
"Ah, Ollivander's. He'll fix you up with a wand right away. Follow me." the seemingly arrogant boy replied, leading the way, as Phil followed him down the street. "My name's Peregrine Briggs by the way." he said, turning his head back as they walked.
"My name's Phillip Ellis." Phil replied, watching his step, as they crossed a stack of cauldrons.
After about a minute of walking through the street, they came to a small shop on the corner of a building. Atop the door was a sign that read: 'Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.' The two boys entered the shabby shop, stepping across the thin threshold into the small dark room. Quietly they both approached the counter towards the back.
Suddenly a tall, thin, old looking wizard popped out from behind the rows of small boxes behind the counter.
"How may I help you boys today?" Mr. Ollivander asked.
"Well, I've already got my wand, but my friend here needs to buy his." Peregrine replied.
For a second, Phil was shocked that the boy would have called him his friend. He had never really had any friends growing up in South Londing, and to suddenly have made one in just minutes was new to him.
"And what is your name young man?" Ollivander asked Phil.
"Phillip Ellis."
"Ah, I see. Now, I'm going to have to take some measurements before I can give you the right wand." He pulled out a tape measure from behind the shelves, and dropped onto the counter.
The tape measure then slid off the table on its own, and began to measure Phil and many random places. It measure him from his shoulder to writs armpit to the floor, around his head, from his finger to his armpit, and few more seconds later, it flopped back onto the table all on its own.
Ollivander then turned to his boxes and began shifting through them. "Ah," He said, grabbing one under a pile on the left, and opened the box up, bringing it close to Phil. Phil picked it up out of the box, and held it awkwardly. "Willow and unicorn hair, eleven inches. Now, just give it a flick, and we'll see if its right for you…"
Phil raised it high, not quite knowing what he was doing. Peregrine slowly backed away, as not get hit by anything. Phil waved the wand through the air in no apparent direction, and slowly, out of the wand, pure white snow began to drift out towards the ground. Phil was amazed that he had just done his first bit of magic. But to everyone's surprise, as the snow fell onto the counter, and down to the floor, it burst suddenly into large blue flames.
Ollivander quickly pulled out his own wand, from a pocket inside of his robes, and shouted a strange incantation. Phil and Peregrine jumped back, as a blast of light came out of his wand. It struck the fire, and dissolved it quickly, before anything could be too badly burned.
"Not yours I'd wager," said Ollivander, laughing to himself, because Phil and Peregrine both had a look of horror across their faces. Handing the wand back to Mr. Ollivander, Phil looked at Peregrine. His face began to smile, but in a nervous way. Phil smiled to himself as well. A few seconds later, Ollivander handed Phil a new wand.
This time, as Phil touched the handle, it felt strangely warm and light in in his fingers. "Pine and dragon heartstring , fourteen inches, this may work better." Ollivander explained.
Phil brought the wand up just as high, and quickly threw his arm forward, swishing the wand quickly through the dusty air. A sudden burst of silvery blue light came shooting out of the wand. It lingered in the air, then slowly swirled away.
"Wonderful match! You're an easy customer it would seem! For this wand, that will be seven galleons." Phil wasn't sure what that meant. Ollivander grabbed Phil's wand and put it back in its box.
Was a galleon a piece of that wizarding money? Phil turned to Peregrine, as he pulled out his sack of coins. "Can you help me with these?" Phil asked. Peregrine smiled, and stepped over.
Opening the small pouch, he handed it to Peregrine.
Peregrine, searched through the coins, and pulled out seven gold pieces. "These are gold galleons Phillip, heh, just remember that." Peregrine smiled wider at Phil, and handed Ollivander the coins.
"Thank you your business young men." Ollivander said, as he turned back to his boxes.
Giving the sack of money back to Phil, they left the shop.
"I see that you're not in a wizarding family, are you? Are you a muggle born?" Peregrine asked, as they walked across the road. Phil was following Peregrine once more.
"Um, my mum's a witch, but my dad isn't. And what is a muggle?" Phil asked.
"Oh, a muggle is anyone who isn't a wizard or witch. Your dad would be a muggle then. I take it you were raised a muggle right?"
"Yeah, I was." said Phil looking away from Peregrine. "Where are we headed?" Phil asked.
"Well, I'm headed for Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Get me Hogwarts robes." he replied.
About half an hour later, the two boys left Madam Malkin's with a pile of robes and other Hogwarts uniform pieces.
"Ah, Phil, there's my mum, I've got go." He put out a hand, and Phil shook it. "Maybe I'll see you on the train. We'll have to hurry though, it's almost nine thirty! Train leaves at eleven!" Peregrine turned, and was gone.
Phil did his best to find his way back through the streets, and finally found a familiar sign. The Magical Menagerie. He did want to go in, and maybe see what he could. He only had a few minutes before he had to meet Porden, however, so had to be quick about it. He crossed a crowd of young witches, that were running the other direction, and stepped over to the shop.
Inside was a madhouse of cages, loud squeaks, screeching, flailing birds and animals, and a bustle of witches and wizards in the back corner. Phil looked around at the cages, and saw creatures he had never seen in his life. As he walked among the strange animals, all of which were jumping and acting like crazy baboons, he finally came to a cage which held a slender, quiet cat. It was all black, and had radiant green eyes. It sat up, in a silent pose, among all of the wild thrashing creatures. It lazily looked over at Phil, and stared at him.
Ten minutes later, he left the shop with a small kennel. He knew he had completely jumped to it, but it was what he needed. The black cat that was just trapped inside that crazy shop, was now trapped inside a moving cage, that was being held up by Phil, headed straight to where Porden was standing.
Phil looked across the clearing area, over at Porden, who had obviously been waiting for a few minutes. Porden had already pulled Phil's trunk out of its temporary hiding place, and smiling at Phil and his new cat.