Severus's seventh birthday was on a Saturday, and Sallius had plans.
Severus was woken by a house elf, which handed him his best robe and instructed him that he was to meet his father in the front hall at precisely 9:30. He dressed quickly, and grabbed the slice of toast and jam that had been left for him. After he had eaten it, he rushed into his bathroom to wipe the smear of jam off his robe and wash, and ran down the stairs. He was going so fast that he almost crashed headlong into his mother.
'Severus,' she murmured (she never spoke loudly, but always in a soft, demure tone), 'Why do you insist on hurtling about the place like a mad thing? It is most undignified.'
'I'm sorry, mother,' he said breathlessly, 'I'm supposed to meet father.'
'I know, don't worry. Happy birthday, sweet one.'
She bent over to give him a hug.
'Seven already? Good lord, it feels like just yesterday that you were. . .' her gaze misted over, just for a moment. Then she shook her head, and smiled.
'Well. Off you trot then. I'll see you later.'
She kissed him on the top of his head, and swept away towards her bedroom.
Severus watched her retreating form for a minute, then sped off towards the front hall, where his father joined him not a second after 9:30. He beckoned his son to join him in the carriage waiting outside. Severus clambered in after him, and they set off at a jolt. Sallius remained silent. After a few minutes, Severus plucked up the courage to ask him 'Please sir, where are we going?'
Sallius turned to him, a small smile on his face. 'We're going into town.'
Severus would have liked to know more, but his father had already turned back to face the window, and he didn't dare disturb him again.
After about forty five minutes, the carriage stopped.
Severus climbed out and surveyed his surroundings. He was in the middle of a large high street, shops lining both sides. There were more people there, bustling about, than Severus had ever seen in his life. His father appeared behind him and, forgetting himself for a second, he clutched his arm. Sallius, mildly surprised, looked down to see his scared-looking son looking back up at him, his face framed by over-long black hair. He made a mental note to have that Kiana woman cut the boy's hair as soon as possible. Severus released the man's arm and turned away, embarrassed.
They started walking briskly down the street, and soon stopped outside a large shop. There was no writing on the sign, and the window looked dirty and empty.
'This. . . This is it?' inquired Severus, uncertainly.
'Remember, boy, nothing is what it seems,' came the response as they entered.
Inside was a tiny, very dark room. Severus could see nothing, but he was led through to the other side. His father took out his wand and muttered some words, and part of the wall melted away. Sallius led the boy through the opening, and into a lighter, airier room.
'Mr Snape?' came a watery voice from behind them.
'That's right. We're here for the wand.'
A flood of realisation hit Severus. He was going to get a wand! He wanted to jump about, but he stayed by his father's side, and turned around to face the man who had spoken.
'You may call me Lanas,' he said, 'Now, follow me.'
His father gave him a little push, and he followed the pallid Lanas to the other side of the room, where he took down a large box from a shelf. He put it down on the counter, opened it and took out ten wands of varying lengths, widths and shades.
'Now, Mr. Snape, here's what I want you to do. Look at these wands. Really look at them. You should be drawn to one in particular. When you find that you are, I want you to pick it up and give it a wave. Take as long as you want. Can you do that for me?'
Severus nodded.
Sallius and Lanas stood back to give him space. Severus looked at the wands in front of him. The one second from the left was darker than the others, and thinner. He liked that one. He picked it up and waved it around a bit. Silver and black sparks came shooting out of the end. At the time he didn't even think to wonder how the sparks could be black, but the question puzzled him afterwards.
Lanas clapped his hands together and the other four wands flew back into the box, which flew back onto the shelf.
'Ah. I though it might be that one,' he said, 'Ebony and the fang of a imyotis viperidae/i. More commonly known as a sundazton. Not that it is commonly known, though. The species is only found here and in Ghana, you know.
Severus waved the wand again. He liked making the sparks. His father paid eighteen Renils, and they left the shop.
The next place they went was a restaurant. It was quite early for lunch, but they were both hungry. Sallius told him he could order whatever he wanted, so he decided on a steak and chips, with salad, which appeared instantly before him. Sallius had salmon. They ate in relative silence, with Sallius occasionally warning him of the dangers of over-use of a wand, or correcting his table manners.
After they had finished, and before they ordered pudding, He taught Severus how to use the accio charm. He caught on very quickly, and before long everything that had been on the table was in Severus's lap, as well as the fork of the woman at the next table. Sallius returned the fork, uttering profuse apologies, and turned back to his son.
'Now, you must never do things like that,' he said sternly, a half smile on his face.
They finished their meal and returned to the house, where Severus eagerly rushed out to show Pedra his new wand.
Severus was woken by a house elf, which handed him his best robe and instructed him that he was to meet his father in the front hall at precisely 9:30. He dressed quickly, and grabbed the slice of toast and jam that had been left for him. After he had eaten it, he rushed into his bathroom to wipe the smear of jam off his robe and wash, and ran down the stairs. He was going so fast that he almost crashed headlong into his mother.
'Severus,' she murmured (she never spoke loudly, but always in a soft, demure tone), 'Why do you insist on hurtling about the place like a mad thing? It is most undignified.'
'I'm sorry, mother,' he said breathlessly, 'I'm supposed to meet father.'
'I know, don't worry. Happy birthday, sweet one.'
She bent over to give him a hug.
'Seven already? Good lord, it feels like just yesterday that you were. . .' her gaze misted over, just for a moment. Then she shook her head, and smiled.
'Well. Off you trot then. I'll see you later.'
She kissed him on the top of his head, and swept away towards her bedroom.
Severus watched her retreating form for a minute, then sped off towards the front hall, where his father joined him not a second after 9:30. He beckoned his son to join him in the carriage waiting outside. Severus clambered in after him, and they set off at a jolt. Sallius remained silent. After a few minutes, Severus plucked up the courage to ask him 'Please sir, where are we going?'
Sallius turned to him, a small smile on his face. 'We're going into town.'
Severus would have liked to know more, but his father had already turned back to face the window, and he didn't dare disturb him again.
After about forty five minutes, the carriage stopped.
Severus climbed out and surveyed his surroundings. He was in the middle of a large high street, shops lining both sides. There were more people there, bustling about, than Severus had ever seen in his life. His father appeared behind him and, forgetting himself for a second, he clutched his arm. Sallius, mildly surprised, looked down to see his scared-looking son looking back up at him, his face framed by over-long black hair. He made a mental note to have that Kiana woman cut the boy's hair as soon as possible. Severus released the man's arm and turned away, embarrassed.
They started walking briskly down the street, and soon stopped outside a large shop. There was no writing on the sign, and the window looked dirty and empty.
'This. . . This is it?' inquired Severus, uncertainly.
'Remember, boy, nothing is what it seems,' came the response as they entered.
Inside was a tiny, very dark room. Severus could see nothing, but he was led through to the other side. His father took out his wand and muttered some words, and part of the wall melted away. Sallius led the boy through the opening, and into a lighter, airier room.
'Mr Snape?' came a watery voice from behind them.
'That's right. We're here for the wand.'
A flood of realisation hit Severus. He was going to get a wand! He wanted to jump about, but he stayed by his father's side, and turned around to face the man who had spoken.
'You may call me Lanas,' he said, 'Now, follow me.'
His father gave him a little push, and he followed the pallid Lanas to the other side of the room, where he took down a large box from a shelf. He put it down on the counter, opened it and took out ten wands of varying lengths, widths and shades.
'Now, Mr. Snape, here's what I want you to do. Look at these wands. Really look at them. You should be drawn to one in particular. When you find that you are, I want you to pick it up and give it a wave. Take as long as you want. Can you do that for me?'
Severus nodded.
Sallius and Lanas stood back to give him space. Severus looked at the wands in front of him. The one second from the left was darker than the others, and thinner. He liked that one. He picked it up and waved it around a bit. Silver and black sparks came shooting out of the end. At the time he didn't even think to wonder how the sparks could be black, but the question puzzled him afterwards.
Lanas clapped his hands together and the other four wands flew back into the box, which flew back onto the shelf.
'Ah. I though it might be that one,' he said, 'Ebony and the fang of a imyotis viperidae/i. More commonly known as a sundazton. Not that it is commonly known, though. The species is only found here and in Ghana, you know.
Severus waved the wand again. He liked making the sparks. His father paid eighteen Renils, and they left the shop.
The next place they went was a restaurant. It was quite early for lunch, but they were both hungry. Sallius told him he could order whatever he wanted, so he decided on a steak and chips, with salad, which appeared instantly before him. Sallius had salmon. They ate in relative silence, with Sallius occasionally warning him of the dangers of over-use of a wand, or correcting his table manners.
After they had finished, and before they ordered pudding, He taught Severus how to use the accio charm. He caught on very quickly, and before long everything that had been on the table was in Severus's lap, as well as the fork of the woman at the next table. Sallius returned the fork, uttering profuse apologies, and turned back to his son.
'Now, you must never do things like that,' he said sternly, a half smile on his face.
They finished their meal and returned to the house, where Severus eagerly rushed out to show Pedra his new wand.