Chapter 3
As Daxius stepped in, he noticed that it was quite a dusty place, and the only decorations to be a vase in the corner. Daxius then saw a bell on the counter, and, moving to ring it, was suddenly greeted by an old man with silvery-grey eyes. Something about him made you think he knew all your secrets and was prosecuting you.
"Hello, Daxius.... old Sing sent word that you would be arriving.... I remember him well.... came for his wand when I was merely a boy.... wand of bamboo, phoenix core, 12 inches, quite flexible...." murmured the old man.
"Uh...." said Daxius, not quite sure how to reply.
"Ollivanders, Mr. Ollivanders, 185th generation of fine wand-makers since 382 BC. What is your wand hand? Right-hand? Then try this wand, Baltic and Unicorn hair, 8 inches, whippy." said Ollivanders.
Daxius grabbed the wand and moved to wave it when Ollivanders snatched it from his hand.
"Not quite it, eh? Here, Ash and Phoenix feather, 10 ½ inches, springy."
Once again, it was snatched away quite suddenly. They went on like this for about a quarter of an hour, until....
"Here, Willow and Dragon heartstring, 9 inches, strong and flexible."
Looking as though he highly doubted that this was the right wand, Ollivanders handed Daxius the willow wand. As Daxius swung the wand high, he brought it swishing down and a tornado of Red and White sparks came flying down.
"Well, well, well," said Ollivanders. "I must congratulate you, Mr. Chang, as you have just bought yourself one of our most potent wands. That will be seven galleons, please."
Taking this as a compliment, Daxius paid for the wand and stepped out with Flitwick at his side.
"Well, that's the wand bought," announced Flitwick.
"It says here on my parchment that I'll be needing ink supplies and books," said Daxius.
"Well, On to Flourish and Blotts!" declared Flitwick.
They headed to a store with a large blue banner and stepped inside. They went to the stationary section and Daxius chose 10 bottles of black ink, and a bottle of special ink that allowed you to write a letter in red, then the next in yellow, then blue, purple, light green and orange last. They took out 10 scrolls of basic parchment and a falcon feather quill to write with. Then they went to the bookshelves and selected Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them, 49th edition, A History of Magic, Standard Book of Spells, grade 1, 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical theory, A Beginners guide to Transfiguration, Magical Drafts and Potions, and The Dark Forces; A Guide to self-protection. Daxius flipped through 'A standard book of spells' and tried out a spell.
"Avis," intoned Daxius, and, with a bang that sent many customers cowering, out shot a Raven and it flew out the window, cawing and screeching.
"Oh, Bravo Daxius, your first spell!" squeaked Flitwick.
Daxius looked at his wand.
"Can I buy another book for a read?" he asked Flitwick.
"Of course!" cried a delighted Flitwick. "You're destined to be in RavenClaw, I'll say!"
Daxius went to choose another book. One of them caught his eye.
"1000 Basic Charms and Hexes," he read aloud.
He then went to pay for his books and went out of the shop, Flitwick not far behind.
"To Madam Malkins, then," declared Flitwick.
They moved to a clothes shop with a cloak on display. The sign next to it read "Dragonskin cloaks for prize! Ask inside for Details!"
When they went inside, they asked the lady about the cloak.
"Oh, you just have to catch all the pixies in the amount of time given in the egg-timer. Gildy over there has been trying all week." She gestured over to a blonde child of about 9. "The entry fee is a Galleon, though."
Daxius gave her the money and then was led into a small backroom. the woman tapped a cage, aying 'Alohomora' and the lock sprang open. She quickly closed the door and said in a muffled voice "You have 5 minutes!"
Daxius turned. Facing him were 20 electric-blue impy-looking things, baring their fangs and talking in their high, chittering voices. One of them boldly flew up to Daxius and pulled on his hair.
"Ow!" he cried. He trid to curse them but they were too quick. He remembered back to the chapter in '1000 Basic Carms and Hexes' titled Immobilising Spells. He shouted them all in quick succession. "Immobulus!" "Petrificus Totalus!" "Wingify Mortis!" "Skelegros Wibbly!"
The pixies were hit by the widespreading spells. Daxius sighed in relief. He scooped up the pixies, put them back in their cage and locked it up. He then opened the door to present the cage of pixies to Madan Malkin.
"Congratulations!" she cried. "I'll go get your prize right now!"While he was waiting the blonde child staggered out of the other backroom, covered in pixies.
"Peskipiksi Pesternomi!!!" he cried valiantly. The Pixies took no notice and merely goaded him, yelling 'Locky! Locky!' in their high squeaks.
"You're evil! All of you! Eeeeevillll!!!" he sobbed. Then the egg-timer ran out and the pixies flew back into their cage as they had, apparently, been trained to do. The boy ran out of the shop crying. Daxius laughed to himself. The pixies had been rather gentle with the boy, just tweaking his ears and poking him in the nose.
Madam Malkin came back with a shiny, brand-new Dragonskin cloak.
"I'll also be needing 3 plain robes and a hat, gloves and a winter cloak." murmured Daxius, marvelling at his new cloak.
Telling her of the blonde boys' encounter as he was measured for robe size caused Madam Malkin to laugh heartily.
"That child is simply spoilt!" she declared affectionately.
Daxius then tried on a hat and paid the lady 4 Galleons and 22 Sickles."I think we'll go on to the Apothecary now." said Flitwick.