Hi all,

So, exploring Diagon Alley today, and Harry gets another familiar. I enjoy the obligatory shopping trip, but I don't like it when they drag on, so most of it will be covered in one chapter.


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Chapter 6


Congratulations

You have discovered a magical dimension separate from the real world. Diagon Alley has been added to the Map.


Harry turned to Tom, the barkeep. "Excuse me, but does this area still exist in the real world?"

Tom smiled, showing off a set of yellow teeth. "Very perceptive, young sir. Some magical areas in Britain do not exist in the physical world but in a separate dimension.

"What!? How is that possible?" Hermione demanded.

"I'm merely a barkeep, miss. You would have to ask someone else more knowledgeable than myself. Now, have a good day." Tom disappeared back into the courtyard, and the four made their way inside.

Harry turned his head rapidly to take in the sights as they followed the narrow cobblestone path down the alley. The area was bustling with people, mainly witches and wizards, but also non-magical, based on their clothing and the look of confusion on their faces.

Harry couldn't blame them. Diagon Alley looked like a location taken straight from the seventeenth century, except with the extra fantastical element of magic added into the mix.

"We need to go to Gringotts Bank," Darius said, "to exchange some pounds for wizarding money. Harry, do you have enough money for your supplies?"

"I asked my Aunt Petunia," Harry replied distractedly, still looking around, with excitement. Beside him, Hermione was acting the same. "My parents left me some money at Gringotts; otherwise, I will have to exchange my money for wizarding money as well."

"Okay, we will take care of that first," Jane said.

"Where's Celeste," Hermione asked curiously.

"Off exploring somewhere," Harry replied. "She didn't want to come because she was afraid she would be discovered with all the wizards concentrated here."

Off to the side, he spotted a store with a cauldron sitting outside, with a sign proclaiming a sale on 'Eye of Newts.' What the hell was that? "So, have you been here before?" Harry asked.

"Once. I had my eleventh birthday last September," Hermione pouted. "But you must turn eleven before the first of September to be qualified to attend Hogwarts. I have wanted to visit the alley several times since then, but my parents wouldn't let me. I was only allowed a few books to read from Flourish and Blotts."

"We have always argued with Hermione about this," Jane told Harry wryly. "Since Hogwarts doesn't offer a non-magical education, we wanted her to focus on getting her ahead on working towards finishing her secondary education at least, but we hope that she is interested in completing her A levels and going to University as well."

"Makes sense," Harry nodded. "I might have to look at options to continue as well. It would suck if I dismissed everything I learned just to fit into the magical world."

Hermione huffed. "I could have been learning both."

They continued past some kids with their faces glued to the display window of a shop called 'Quality Quidditch Supplies.' It looked like they sold brooms. Maybe he was missing something cause why would they be excited about brooms. Then again, wizards could be a bunch of weirdos. Wait, did he just insult himself?

Harry wanted to check the place out, but Hermione grabbed his hand when he started to drift off towards the store. Harry looked at her in confusion, but she was looking the other way at a sign next to an empty lot. "Look, Harry. They are building an Adventures Guild. I'd like to know what that's supposed to be. "

Harry got a strange notion that it was related to the Dungeons, but he kept quiet.

They stopped in front of a massive white marble building with steps leading up to a set of large bronze doors. Harry looked at the two green creatures dressed in silver armour, standing guard at the door and freaked out. He almost conjured a {Fireball} in reflex but reconsidered when he saw the massive axes hanging off their backs. He wondered what loot they would drop.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione asked, waving a hand in his face.

"What are they?" Harry asked, and one of the guards turned his head and looked at him as if he heard Harry speaking. He opened his mouth in a grin, revealing sharp fangs. They were undoubtedly one of the ugliest monsters that he had seen before.

"They are Goblins," Hermione said. "They own and operate the wizarding bank. I hear they make even better warriors than bankers, so I wouldn't even think about stealing from them." She pointed to a sign next to the door.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

Right. Gringotts is, basically, a high-level Dungeon with plenty of loot but incredible danger. Harry followed the Grangers up the stairs and tried observing the Goblins as he walked inside, but he only got question marks. Yep, they are high-level monsters.

Harry almost slapped himself. He should stop referring to them as monsters, or he may accidentally say it out loud at some point. They didn't look like they were the type to ask for an apology first before removing your head from your shoulders.

Inside was a vast, opulent room with a counter running the length of the back wall. Numerous goblins were standing on raised platforms behind the counter, either serving a wizard or involved in a task like counting gold coins with an old-fashioned abacus.

They approached an unoccupied Goblin writing something on a parchment with a huge feather. Harry was about to tell the Goblin they were waiting to be served, but Hermione stepped on his foot. He turned to her in confusion, but she shook her head and motioned him to wait.

Eventually, the Goblin stopped writing and peered down at them with glittering black eyes. "I am Nadkor. How may Gringotts help you today?" His voice was guttural, but his pronunciation of English was flawless.

"Well, we need to exchange some pounds for wizarding money," Darius said nervously. Apparently, the Goblins freaked him out just as much as they did Harry. "Also, I believe this boy has an account with your bank, but we are not completely sure."

Nadkor looked at Harry with narrowed eyes. "What is your name, Wizard?"

Harry sidled closer and spoke in a quiet voice. "My name is Harry Potter. I would rather not advertise to the other wizards that I am here."

"Do you have your key?" Nadkor asked, not reacting to his name.

"Key? I wasn't aware I needed one," Harry replied, confused.

Nadkor sneered, reached under the counter, and produced a small piece of parchment and a knife. "I will need seven drops of blood to reveal you're true identity. Be warned; if you have lied about your name, there will be repercussions."

Harry had to quickly access the settings in the Menu to turn off his Energy temporarily; otherwise, it would take a lot of effort for him to cut himself. Taking the knife, he cut his finger and let the blood drop onto the parchment. When he was finished, he reactivated his Energy, and his finger began to heal almost immediately.

Harry observed the parchment as he waited for it to work.


Blood Identifier Parchment | Enchanted Item | Uncommon | Lv. 25

Description: A piece of enchanted parchment created by the Goblins that reveals the identity of a magical being through their blood. It has many protections against magical concealment methods and cannot be fooled easily.

Understanding of Gobbledegook and Goblin Runes needed to decipher enchantments.


"You are indeed Harry Potter," Nadkor said. "You have two vaults with Gringotts. First, you have your trust vault, which your parents set up for you when you were born. You have complete access to the gold inside. The other is the Potter Family vault, which you can only access when you reach your majority. As the sole heir to the Potter Family, you may have access to your account statements for the family vault, but you need to first talk to your Account Manager."

"Uh," Harry said dumbly, a bit overwhelmed. "Can I make an appointment to see my account manager next week? I only need access to my trust vault for now."

Nadkor nodded, noting it down on parchment. "I will contact your Account Manager and set up an appointment while you're retrieving your gold. Come see me before you leave. Now, I will extract the blood on the parchment to create a new key. It will cost you five galleons from your trust vault."

He took a mould out from below the counter. Nadkor snapped his fingers, and the blood peeled off the parchment and settled into the mould. Harry watched, astonished, as the basic key shape changed once his blood interacted with it before settling on a new form.

"That was so cool," Hermione squealed.

Nadkor snapped his fingers again, and the depression filled with a liquid metal that looked like copper, and once it was complete, he closed the mould. A hissing sound emerged, and he placed it off to the side.

"Never leave your blood anywhere for others to find," Nadkor lectured. "Someone may use it to harm you in some way, like using it in a dark ritual."

Harry and Hermione nodded, taking the words to heart. Nadkor turned to the Grangers. "The key should only take a moment, but while we wait, you may as well exchange your currency. Time is money, after all."

Jane nodded and took out her purse. "What is the exchange rate between pounds and wizarding money?"

"One hundred pounds is worth one Galleon, which is worth ten Sickles or one hundred Knuts."

"How much is needed for my daughter's Hogwarts supplies?" Jane questioned.

"About twelve to fifteen galleons," Nadkor said. "The most expensive item is her wand, which is seven galleons, but that is supposed to last forever, as long she takes care of it."

"Right," Jane replied, unfazed by the amount. "I would like to exchange for twenty-five galleons, please."

Nadkor exchanged the money and then took the key out of the mould. He handed it to Harry. "Make sure to take good care of it. Do not give it to anyone else because it implies that you have permitted them to take money from your trust vault. The Potter Family vault is different because you have to be physically there in person and it cannot be opened with a key."

Harry nodded. "Where do I go to access my vault?"

Nadkor called out to another Goblin, who walked over. "This is Griphook. He will take you to get your gold."

"We will wait for you here," Darius said. They walked over to some seats arranged in the corner for patrons of the bank.

"Are you coming, Hermione?" Harry asked. She nodded, and they followed Griphook to a side room where a pair of modified minecarts were waiting. They climbed in, and Griphook pulled a lever.

The minecarts accelerated quickly, and Hermione screamed in terror. Harry grinned, leaned out of the minecart, and looked around as they entered a vast cavern. The track twisted and turned, and it felt like they would rip right off the track at the speed they travelled. Hermione clutched onto Harry in terror and almost deafened him with her voice.

They entered a tunnel and began to slow down. They passed several solid doors before they came to a stop.

"Vault 687," Griphook called, climbing out of the minecart. "Key, young wizard." Harry handed him the key, and the Goblin placed it in the keyhole, and with a click, the door swung open, revealing a large pile of Galleons.

"Merlin's saggy tits," Harry breathed. Dammit, Tonks had him saying it now.

"Language, Harry," Hermione called half-heartedly from the minecart. She was clutching her stomach and looked ready to vomit.

Harry turned to Griphook. "Just how much money is in here?"

Griphook pointed to a ledger hanging inside the doorway. Harry looked at the amount and shook his head in disbelief. There were over ten thousand Galleons in here. That amounted to one million pounds. Going from having nothing to being a millionaire instantly made him feel faint.

"Do you have anything I can use to hold the Galleons?" Harry finally asked.

Griphook grinned and opened his vest, retrieving a small white bag with drawstrings. "Mokeskin Pouch. It has expansion charms on the inside that allow you to store a lot of items inside without it ever getting heavy. Put a drop of blood on it, and it becomes yours, and no one else can open it and steal anything. Only four Galleons."

It would make for a good disguise, as he could hardly reveal the abilities of his inventory. "Hmm, expensive. How much room does the bag have? And can it only store small items?"

Griphook pulled the bag open and it continued to expand until the hole was big enough for an adult to climb into.

"Wow," Hermione exclaimed.

"This is the lowest grade of the Moleskin Pouch, but it can store up to three metres squared worth of items."

"I'll like to buy two if you have another one," Harry said. Picking up some gold coins, he exchanged them with the happy Goblin. He probably had been ripped off, but Harry didn't really care at the moment, drunk on his newly discovered wealth. He piled a considerable amount of Galleons into his pouch and returned to the cart.

"Here," Harry said, handing her the other pouch.

"Harry, it's too much," Hermione protested, refusing to take the bag.

"Well, your birthday is in September, right? Consider it an early birthday present."

Hermione hesitated but finally consented. "Well, it looks like I have to get something for your birthday too."

They returned to the surface, and after seeing Nadkor for his appointment, joined Grangers and left the bank.

"What do we need for your school supplies?" Jane asked.

Hermione pulled out her school list and started reciting it verbatim. "We should get our uniforms first," she said bossily. "They can take our measurements, and we do our other shopping while we wait for them to be ready."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry saluted, earning him a shoulder slap.

They entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. An older heavyset woman greeted them. "Hello, dears. I'm Madam Malkin, the proprietor of the store. Hogwarts?"

She told them to stand on the stools and took their measurements. "It will take two hours for the uniform to be ready. You may pay now or when you return."

After paying the bill, they headed outside and continued their shopping. They brought themselves a trunk next, even though they had their Mokeskin Pouches. Hermione said they should be kept for more essential items, besdes Hermione liked the idea of more traditional storage to keep things organised.

Next, they brought all their Potion equipment and ingredients. Thankfully, they already had a Hogwarts school supply prepared, but Harry purchased an extra three sets of ingredients so he could begin practising. Hermione thought about getting extra ingredients, but it appeared she wanted to save her money for something else.

Harry spotted a display of about three dozen ingredients that were separate from the others. His eyes widened when he spotted the familiar sight of Witches Caps. "What are these ingredients for?" Harry asked the shopkeeper behind the counter.

"These are the new ingredients discovered in the Dungeons," the shopkeeper walked up to him enthusiastically. "Wizards come in here and sell them to me, but because they are so new, the prices are still relatively high. Only Potion Masters buy them because they are excited about the possibilities for entirely new potions they may be able to invent. Thankfully, we have stasis charms; otherwise, most of these would spoil."

"How much for the entire lot on display?" Harry asked straightforwardly.

The shopkeeper's eyes widened, and he looked at ingredients that amounted to at least a few hundred in total. "Twenty-three galleons," he finally said. "That's with a discount as well."

"I'll buy them," Harry said firmly. The shopkeeper nodded and quickly started wrapping the ingredients up with enthusiasm.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?" Darius asked, concerned.

"I want to experiment on my own," Harry said. "Who knows? I may discover a recipe that will make me lots of Galleons."

"But potions are dangerous," Hermione protested. "You could potentially hurt yourself or worse."

"I suggest you visit Oswald Wards and Enchantments," the shopkeeper suggested. "They have plenty of protective enchantments to keep you safe while you are creating potions."

"Thanks for the advice." Harry paid the shopkeeper, who helped him store the ingredients in his pouch, and they left the store.

"Harry, what did he mean about Dungeons?" Hermione asked curiously. The adults appeared interested in the answer as well.

Harry told them all he knew about the Dungeons, and Hermione looked excited. However, the parents seemed concerned, as they could understand the ramifications more clearly than an eleven-old girl enamored with the magical world.

"That sounds concerning. I wonder if the non-magical government knows about the potential danger," Jane said.

"I wouldn't be surprised that wizards claimed ownership of the Dungeons," Harry said cynically. "If that's the case, then it probably falls under the Statute of Secrecy."

Jane shook her head in frustration. "But they should be made aware. What if a Dungeon were to erupt in a populated area? The casualties would be immense. There would be no hiding the Statute of Secrecy anymore."

Harry snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot to tell you that I'm meeting some distant relatives for lunch at The Leaky Cauldron. You are welcome to join us and ask them questions. They will probably know more about the subject than I do."

"That sounds like a plan," Darius approved. "We have to wait for the uniforms anyway. What's next on the list?"

"A telescope," Hermione said.

After searching the shop and finding no modern telescopes, they decided not to buy them in Diagon Alley.

"Let's get our wands next," Hermione jumped in excitement. As they were passing a store selling owls, Harry paused as he felt attracted to something inside the store. Looking through the window, he tried to find the reason for the odd feeling welling up inside him.

"Is something the matter?" Jane asked, coming to stand next to him.

"Sorry, but something tells me I need to go inside," Harry said. He pointed down the street, where Ollivander's Wand shop was located. "Why don't you get Hermione's wand first, and I will join you soon."

"If you're sure," Jane nodded hesitantly. The three Grangers carried on, and Harry entered Eeylops Owl Emporium.

There must have been two hundred cages with owls scattered haphazardly around the store, with many different sizes and species. The owls hooted at him as Harry walked down the aisle, who following the odd feeling towards the back, which was a lot dimmer then the front of the store.

Harry heard a hoot and spotted a lone cage with a snowy white owl peering at him with amber eyes. Harry stepped up to the cage and placed his fingers through the bars.

"Hello there, young sir," a man approached him. "How may I―be careful of that owl, she's a bloody menace."

Harry ignored him, and the owl reached down and nipped his finger, drawing some blood. She collected some in her beak, and a notification appeared.


Congratulations!

You have bonded with your second familiar!


? ~ Bond: 30

Snowy Owl ~ Uncommon

Level: 1 [0%] AP: 0 | HP: 33/33 | Mana: 100/100 |

STR: 3 | END: 7 | AGI: 10 | INT: 9 | MAG: 5 | PER: 8 |

Defence - Physical: 5 | Magical Defence: 5 |

Status Resist - Confusion: 50% | Amnesia: 100% |

Weaknesses - Slash, Blunt, Pierce: 50% | Blind: 70% | Stun: 50% |

Affinities - Wind: 30%

Description: The Snowy Owl is a large white bird native to the northern Arctic regions of North America. An owl that is unusually smart and took to training as a post owl quickly. However, she is fiercely independent and will not be owned by just anyone.


The owl hopped onto his arm, and Harry brought her close to stroke her feathers. "Hello, girl. You are the loveliest owl in the entire world."

'Of course, I am. Don't you dare forget it, hatchling.'

Harry blinked in surprise, and a smile bloomed on his face.

'Have to find a name for you, befitting a queen.'

"Well, I must say I don't see that very often," the man chattered excitedly. "No wonder she didn't warm up to anybody. She was waiting for a certain human to bond with; how extraordinary."

"How much?" Harry asked.

"Three Galleons. I know she's expensive, but she is a rare breed in Britain and uncommonly smart. However, you should get the standard supplies for an owl, like a cage and some owl treats. Oh, and a nice stand for her to roost on, too."

Harry was suckered out of a total of four Galleons, but he considered it worth the price. After placing the items away in his pouch, he walked out with his new familiar perched on his shoulder.

As he walked out of the store, he almost ran into a boy with pale blonde hair and an arrogant expression on his face.

"Watch where you are going, mudblood," he sneered.

'What an unpleasant human.'

Harry looked at the boy with narrow eyes. He could tell he wasn't going to get along with the boy.

"What does mudblood mean?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"It means dirty blood. You have no magical heritage like me, which makes you inferior."

"Idiot," Harry stated. He decided to use {Observation} on him to find out the identity of the stupid boy.


Draco Malfoy | Age: 11 | Magic: Active | Condition: Healthy

Description: Draco Malfoy is a pureblood and elitist snob. He has been raised to be spoiled and entitled, believing he is superior to those who are not pureblood. He is a bully with sadistic tendencies and looks to be following the same path as his father, who was one of Lord Voldemort's closest supporters and a Death Eater.

Title: Pureblood Supremacist.

Level: 6

HP: 120/120 | Regen: 6 per hour

Mana: 80/80 | Regen: 4 per hour

Attributes

DEX:7 VIT: 6 MAG: 4 INT:9 WIL:5 PER:4 CHA: 2

Control: 77%


So much for his vaunted superiority. Hermione had better Attributes than him by a fair margin. He wondered what Draco would say if he mentioned that aloud.

"You remind me of someone," Harry mused. "Oh, yes. My muggle cousin is a bully and a thoroughly unpleasant boy. Maybe you guys should meet and become friends. You have so much in common."

"Why, you filthy little mudblood. Wait to I tell my father about..."

"Enough, Draco," a man placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please show some sort of decorum in public."

The boy flushed. "Sorry, father."

The man was an older version of the boy, just more intimidating, except for the long blonde hair and effeminate face that made him like a lady. He was dressed in expensive black robes lined with silver trim and ridiculous garish pointed shoes.

"Tne name is Lucius Malfoy. I suggest you don't upset your betters, boy."

So this was the Death Eater, one of Lord Voldemort's supporters. How was he still walking around a free man? Unlike his son, Harry could tell that this man held real power. However, a hint of rebellion rose in Harry, and he wondered if he could push the man's buttons.

"The name is Potter. Harry Potter." That surprised them, he could tell. "Tell me, Lucy. What have you been up to lately? Have you been servicing any Dark—ahem—serving any Dark Lords recently? Because everybody already knows how you love to get on your knees before powerful Dark Wizards. If it were me, who debased myself like that, then I would want to die."

Lucius gripped his cane in anger, and he appeared to be about ready to hurt him.

"Wotcher, Harry. What's going on here?"

Tonks appeared behind Lucius, who relaxed his grip on his cane. He grabbed Draco and sneered at Harry before storming off.

"That was the funniest shit I have ever heard," Tonks snorted. "However, it's not wise to make an enemy of the Malfoys. Lucius has the ear of Fudge, the Minister of Magic."

"Hello, Tonks," Harry ruffled his hair sheepishly. "I let my anger get the best of me. What do you mean he has the ear of the minister?"

"He uses his gold to bribe the minister just like he bribed his way out of prison."

"And you want to work for the Ministry?" Harry asked skeptically.

"I know, it sounds strange. But there are a lot of good people as well that fight against injustice. Take my boss, for example. Madam Bones is the Director of Law and Magical Enforcement and probably one of the few in the Ministry who is not corrupt."

"Yeah, you're not selling me on your argument," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Are you ready to have lunch?" Tonks questioned.

"I still need to get my wand, and I'm here with someone. I wanted to ask if they could join us for lunch."

"Who is it?"

"Remember I told you about a friend I had who is a witch? She is a muggleborn and she is here with her parents, getting her school supplies."

"I don't see any problem with them joining, but I would like to meet them," Tonks looked around. "Where are they?"

"Getting her wand," Harry started walking towards Ollivander's.

Harry opened the door and saw Hermione waving a wand around in frustration. A trail of blue sparks erupted from the wand and vanished a shelf stacked with boxes. Her parents stood next to the door, looking cautiously at their daughter.

"Oh, bother," Hermione muttered. "Sorry about that."

"No matter," an old man said, flicking his wand and repairing the shelf instantly. He snatched the wand from her and began searching through another stack of boxes.

Darius leaned down and whispered in a loud voice. "I think Hermione is trying to take us out. She almost got us three times by waving her wand around. Do you think that she is mad at us? Maybe we deprived her by not buying her enough books?"

Harry and Tonks chuckled while Hermione spun around and glared at her father. Harry could swear that her bushy hair bristled in anger like a living entity. The old man poked her with another wand to get her attention.

"Leave her alone," Jane scolded Darius. "Harry, are you going to introduce your friends?"

"Right," Harry said. "This is Tonks, my second cousin. She is training to be an Auror. A magical policeman," Harry added, seeing their confused look. "Tonks, this is Darius and Jane Granger and their daughter, Hermione. They are dentists. Which is..."

"I know what a dentist is, Harry," Tonks interrupted, turning to the Grangers. "My father is a muggleborn. So, I know a lot about the non-magical side. Hello, it's nice to meet you."

Harry pointed to the owl sitting on his shoulder. "This beautiful lady is my new familiar. I havn't got a name for her yet, as choosing her name is going to be important.'

They settled in to wait. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long as the next wand Hermione chose was the right match.

"Ten and three-quarter inches long, made of vine wood and possessing a dragon heartstring as a magical core," the old man commented. "That will be seven Galleons."

Jane stepped forward to pay the man while Hermione rushed over and hugged Harry. "Isn't it beautiful?" Hermione asked, showing off her wand.

"Yeah," Harry shrugged, having no sense of aesthetics.

"Beautiful," Darius echoed, with the same dumb expression.

Hermione rolled her eyes but soon was distracted by Tonks, who was watching them with amusement. "Hello, it's nice to meet one of Harry's relatives."

"Hello, Hermione. So what made you become friends with this little rascal?"

"I still think he has the potential to be a good friend," Hermione mused, grabbing her chin and inspecting Harry with a gimlet eye. "He just needs some training."

Everyone laughed, and Harry sniffed, stepping forward to obtain his wand.

"Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Ollivander, a wand crafter and the owner of this fine establishment. I have eagerly awaited your arrival."

Harry froze, then took a step back. "How do you know my name?"

"I have my ways," Olivander said, turning towards the others. "Can I speak to Mr Potter alone? It is a matter of utmost privacy."

"What's the matter?" Tonks asked.

"I don't think Mr Potter will like it if I reveal his secret," Ollivander replied.

"It's fine guys," Harry said, shooing them out the door.

"You're a Mage," Ollivander said finally after locking the door and flipping the sign to closed.

"What makes you say that?" Harry eyed him cautiously.

"The Ollivander family has always been known to have wizards with Mage Sight. It allows me to see the quality and quantity of your magic. Yours is too dense for a wizard."

"Are you going to tell anyone?"

"Why would I do that? It's been centuries since Britain last saw a Mage. If the Ministry and other parties find out about your abilities, then they will endeavor to acquire you. By persuasion or force."

"Thank you," Harry relaxed slightly. "But I still need a wand."

Ollivander shook his head. "There is no wand here that would last a week with your magic." He shuffled off and returned a few minutes later with a wand. "Eleven inches, made of holly and possessing a single feather from a Phoenix."

"And?"

Ollivander grabbed a parchment and quill and scribbled down an address on the parchment. "Use this wand as a decoy, but don't rely on it too much. You need to visit this address if you want a wand that stands up to the rigours of your magic."

Harry pocketed the parchment and took out his Mokeskin pouch.

Ollivander waved his hand. "Don't worry about payment. Since you won't get much use out of the wand. I would be ashamed to take gold for it."

Harry pointed at the wand holsters hanging on the wall. "Can I get two wand holsters?"

"8 Sickles," Ollivander retrieved them for Harry.

"I don't know how else to thank you," Harry frowned, not liking that he was indebted to someone.

"Just fulfil your own potential," Ollivander replied. "That is thanks enough."

Harry left the store and rejoined the others.

"Is everything okay, Harry?" Tonks asked.

"It's fine," Harry said, waving his wand around. He gave a wand holster to Hermione.

"Harry," Hermione said, in a tone of voice that told him he was in trouble.

"You can pay me back," Harry shrugged. "It was only four Sickles. Where else are you going to put your wand? In your back pocket?"

"Fine," Hermione huffed.

Everyone followed Tonks as she marched along the street towards The Leaky Cauldron.

"We still have to get our books," Hermione protested as they passed Flourish and Blotts. It is evident that this was the store she was most eager to visit.

"It's not going anywhere, Hermione," Jane laughed.

"Harry asked if you join us for lunch," Tonks said. "You are very welcome. It's only my parents and me."

"We would be happy to join you for lunch," Darius said, ignoring Hermione's imploring look.

"Great,' Tonks said. "then let's go."


So what do you think? Next chapter, Harry meets the Tonks and experiments with Potions.

Cheers.