The Parent Trap

Chapter Three: A trip to Diagon Alley.

By Clayre

Evie Dumbledore led her uncle towards the snow white building that towered over the other shops and houses that were crammed into the busy streets of Diagon Alley. She didn't even look twice at the goblin that was standing on the steps outside the bank wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold as they passed it. Aberforth nodded his head at the goblin as it bowed to them as they passed. They walked through the silver doors and took in the sight before them. Hundreds of goblins darted around quickly, getting on with their work. Some were sitting on tall stools while others were scribbling on pieces of parchment. Aberforth led his niece up to the counter.

"Morning," Aberforth greeted the elderly looking goblin. "We have come to make a withdrawal from Evelyn Dumbledore's vault."

Evie wrinkled her nose up in disgust as her uncle used her formal name. She had decided from an early age that she would be known as Evie. She watched as the goblin regarded both her and her uncle for a moment before speaking.

"Do you have her key, Sir?" he asked as he looked at them both.

"I do," said Aberforth as he rooted around in his pockets for a moment before remembering that he had put the key on his chain around his neck. Aberforth proudly dangled the small golden key in front of the goblins' face.

"Everything seems to be in order," the goblin said as he looked at the key closely. "I will have someone take you down to the vaults. Hoptrick!"

Hoptrick, who was another goblin, was immediately by their side. He raised a hand with long fingers and pointed towards one of the doors leading off the busy hallway. They walked into a narrow corridor that was dark, the only light coming from the torches that hung on the walls. Evie grabbed Aberforth's hand. She was a little unsure of where she was going. Usually she would wait in the hall while her father withdrew his money from his vault.

They walked down the sloping corridor till they reached an open room that had cart tracks that led into the awaiting darkness. A cart was waiting for them and Aberforth lifted Evie up into it before joining her. The goblin sat in the front but didn't seem to be steering as the cart moved forward. They hurled into the darkness and Evie closed her eyes shut. She didn't want to watch where she was going. She could feel the cart rattling around her as they took bend after bend. She began to feel sick and clung on to the sides of the cart.

"Evie, we can get out now!" whispered Aberforth as he touched her shoulder.

Evie stepped out of the cart and leaned on Aberforth as she regained her composure, hoping that they wouldn't have to travel by cart again. Aberforth smiled softly down at his niece. She reminded him so much of his sister-in-law. Minerva hated the Gringotts carts. She would either refuse to go in one or transform into a small tabby cat for the ride. Aberforth's thoughts were broken into by a gasp from Evie. The goblin had opened her vault and she was gazing at all her money.

"Wow!" she gasped

"Come on missy," urged Aberforth. "Let's get enough for what you need and maybe a bit extra for an ice cream."

He helped her pile some gold, silver and bronze coins into her little bag before having to literally push her out of the vault before she filled her pockets. Reluctantly, Evie got back into the cart and they hurled into the darkness again. They soon found themselves standing out in the brightness of the sun filled busy streets of Diagon Alley. Evie clutched her moneybag tightly to her side as she looked around. She was full of excitement and she couldn't wait to attend Hogwarts as a student.

Although she had lived there for the whole eleven years of her life, being a student would be different. Her uncle guided her through the congested street and led her into Flourish and Blotts as she looked around at the shelves stacked with different sized books. She had been in this shop many times but had always been drawn the children's preschool books. Now she was here looking for proper schoolbooks. She pulled out her book list and started to scale the shelves for the books she needed. She had always loved books and her uncle had told her that her mother had been the same way.

It didn't take her long to find the books she needed and she proudly carried them towards her uncle. He didn't make them smaller as she thought he would but he did offer to carry them for her. Aberforth had never been overly gifted at magic. His wand skills left a lot to be desired but he had excelled in subjects such as Care of Magical Creatures and Herbiology at school.

Their next stop was the Apothecary. The smells in the shop made Evie want to hold her breath. She wasn't sure that she would be able to stomach the potions lessons at Hogwarts. She had a weak stomach when it came to horrid smells. They purchased a basic potions ingredient kit as well as some scales. Evie didn't need to buy a cauldron because she was going to use her fathers old one, which had been passed down through generations of Dumbledores.

Aberforth led Evie towards a narrow and shabby looking shop with flaky gold writing on the door. Evie was able to read the name of the shop: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. She suddenly became very excited. She had dreamed of holding her own wand for years now and in a while, she would have one. Getting a wand meant a lot to the wizarding children because it was a passage into the next stage of life. It meant they were going to learn how to control their magical abilities. Aberforth opened the door and the small twinkling of a bell signalled their entrance. Evie walked in and stared at the thousands of narrow boxes that were piled on top of one another.

"Welcome!" came a soft voice of an elderly man with soft, alert eyes.

"Hello!" answered Evie with a wide smile as she stepped forward.

"I have been expecting you Evelyn," he continued. "You have your father's eyes. I hope he is well. I remember sitting on a stool watching as my father measured your father's wand arm. My father said that he would amount to great things. I recall his wand as having been eleven inches long, springy, made of maple with a heartstring of a dragon. Very powerful"

Evie shrugged her shoulders, as she had no idea what her father's wand was made of. She had never thought about asking him. She watched Mr. Ollivander step towards her and then looked at her closely.

"Your mother favoured the ebony wand. Nine and a half inches, pliable and excellent for transfiguration and charms. Well, when I said she favoured that is not directly true, the wand chooses its' owner Evelyn."

Evie looked at the older man with interest. She liked hearing about her mother from other people. She didn't dare ask her father because he was always got so upset. She knew that at times he found it hard looking at his own daughter because of the resemblance.

"Well, now Miss Dumbledore" said Ollivander had he rooted around his pockets before pulling out a silver tape measure, "which is your wand arm?"

Evie indicated that her wand arm would be her left arm, she was rather happy that she was left-handed because she didn't now many people who were. Aberforth was left-handed but that was the only person she knew of. She held her arm out and watched as Ollivander measured from her shoulder to her fingers, wrist to elbow, knee to elbow and then around her head. She wasn't sure if all that was necessary but she stood still and waited for the outcome.

"Right then," said Ollivander as he placed his fingertips against his mouth before turning his back to her and walking towards the boxes. He pulled down four boxes and carried them over to her. "Try this one. Yew and unicorn hair. Nine inches long and swishy."

Evie looked at Ollivander and then at Aberforth, who indicated that she needed to wave it. Nothing happened and Ollivander quickly took it from her hands.

"Willow with phoenix tail feather. Eight inches and excellent for charm work."

Evie took hold of the wand and suddenly felt a warming sensation flow through her body. She raised it up slightly and moved her wrist. Red and green sparks shot from the end and Aberforth clapped his hands.

"A wand has chosen you," said Ollivander with a weary smile. "Congratulations and make sure you look after it."

Evie nodded as she passed it back to the elderly gentleman. She watched with interest as he placed it back into the box and wrapped that up in brown paper. She paid for her wand and then smiled at Ollivander as he bowed them out of his shop. They only had one more shop to go to and that was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Ollivander watched them walk away from his shop and wondered what wand would choose the other daughter of Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall.

to be continued