4.) School Supplies
Donald landed with a thump, almost losing his balance and quickly exited the fire. Looking down he saw he was completely covered with soot. He realised he was in some sort of wizarding pub and saw his Aunt Ginny talking to the barman. Seeing Donald Ginny hurried over and tapped him on the head with her wand causing the soot to disappear. Minutes later the rest of the Potters and Dursleys arrived. Donald saw that his mother looked ill and almost laughed at his fathers expression when Uncle Harry tapped him with his wand.
"Why are we in a bar," Mrs.Dursley questioned, "It's really not a place for children."
Uncle Harry looked over at her and replied, "We're not stopping her, just passing through.
Looking out of the open door Donald realised they were in central London. He headed for the door but Matthew pulled his arm and told him, "This way, that goes to muggle London."
Uncle Harry led the way out to a small courtyard behind the building. Ignoring the strange looks the Dursleys were giving him, he took out his wand and tapped tapped one of the bricks. The wall seemed to part making way for an archway. A long, crooked, cobbled street could be seen.
"Wow," muttered Madeline echoing Donald's thoughts.
There were people everywhere and all of them were wearing the same strange robes as Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. There were shops that sold cauldrons, potions ingredients, potions, books, wands and almost any other thing Donald could think of. Matthew went to lead Donald over to a shop labelled Quality Quidditch Supplies but Aunt Ginny stopped him.
"We have to go to the bank first, and anyway first years aren't allowed brooms."
Matthew rolled his eyes and muttered to Donald, "She won't let me buy my own broom. I've flown Dad's a lot but apparently I'm not old enough. Lucy's got one and she doesn't even play Quidditch."
As they approached the end of the long street Donald noticed a large, white, marble building. "That's Gringotts," Matthew explained, "The only wizarding bank and its run by goblins."
As they entered Donald read the inscription on the door and shuddered. "Dunno why anyone would ever try to rob this bank," he muttered to Matthew. The walked forward to the nearest free goblin. Donald thought he looked a bit like the house elf, Dobby, except larger and not as wrinkly.
"Dudley," Uncle Harry said to his father, "the goblin here will help you exchange some of your money into our currency while we go down to our vault."
"I'll stay and help Uncle Dudley," Lily told a frightened looking Dudley, "I don't much like those cart rides."
After exchanging a large amount of pounds for wizarding gold the Dursleys and Lily headed to the ice-cream shop over the road and waited for the rest of the Potters to emerge from the bank. Donald took out his booklist for the first time and read;
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for daywear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
Practical Defence for the First Year by Harry Potter
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Looking up Donald saw Uncle Harry and his family emerge from the bank. He noticed that almost every person in the street stared at him. Some ran up and shook his hand or asked for autographs.
"Is your Dad famous or something?" he asked Lily.
"Unfortunately yes," she sighed, "has been ever since he was one year old. A dark wizard tried to kill him but the curse backfired giving him his scar. The wizard returned fourteen years later and when Dad was seventeen he got rid of him for good. Dad hates the attention but."
Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny walked towards the Dursleys. Ginny was scolding the twins for misbehaving in the cart. "But I just wanted to see the dragon," one of them complained.
"Robes first," Uncle Harry said as they headed next door to a store named Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, "Donald and Harry will need some and Lily's outgrown hers as well."
An old, friendly looking woman, who funnily enough was named Madam Malkin, got the three students to stand on stools while she measured them, though Donald noticed that the measuring seemed to be happening all by itself while she simply talked to them.
"You'll be in Griffindor of course," she said to Matthew, "just like your parents and sister."
"What's Griffindor?" asked Donald, feeling stupid.
"Oh, you'll be muggleborn then. Griffindor is a school house. There are four, Griffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Each values a different trait. Griffindor values bravery, Ravenclaw intelligence, Hufflepuff loyalty and Slytherin cunning." Madam Malkin answered while observing the tape measure that was measuring around Donald's forehead for some reason.
"What house were you in," Donald was curious,
"Hufflepuff, the best house in my opinion but don't let your friends here hear that," the old woman guestured towards the Potters. "Finished,"
Madam Malkin handed each of them a bundle of robes and Donald paid her some of his galleons and sickles. "Have a great year," she called out as they left. Donald and Matthew had great fun finding their school supplies, Donald was particularly interested in potions as he was intrigued by the strange ingredients, though his mother had to leave the store because of the 'horrid smell'.
The bookshop was interesting. Donald thought the books looked so interesting and he couldn't wait to read them. He bought himself an extra book called Hogwarts a History – Revised by a Mrs Hermione Weasley. He planned to read this one first so that he wouldn't feel so stupid when the Potters discussed the different aspects of the school. Uncle Harry had great fun teasing his daughter when she went to get her Care of Magical Creatures book – The Monster Book of Monsters. The shopkeeper made Lily get the book herself out of a cage because he himself wouldn't touch it.
"I can't believe Hagrid still sets that book after all these years," he chuckled.
Finally the only thing Donald and Matthew were missing were their wands. Donald vaguely wondered how you picked a wand. Did you just pick one that looks good or what? They entered a run down looking shop called Olivanders, Donald was sure he wouldn't have even noticed the shop if Uncle Harry hadn't pointed it out. The store itself wasn't very big so the rest only Harry, Matthew and Donald entered and the rest made there way back to The Leaky Cauldron for a drink. Mr Olivander was an ancient looking man. He sat behind the counter in an old looking wheelchair.
"Morning Mr. Olivander," Harry greeted the strange looking man, "Legs feeling any better today?"
"A bit," the creepy looking, silver haired man replied, "I'm just glad that those Deatheaters who kept me hostage for all those years are locked up in Azkaban. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches wasn't it Mr. Potter, excellent for advanced spells?"
"Yes, I see your memory is just as good as ever sir"
Mr. Olivander glanced over at the two boys as though he had only just realised they were there. Ah, young Matthew Potter, I thought I'd see you soon and who is this?" Mr. Olivander squinted his eyes at Donald.
"Donald Dursley sir, my father was Mr. Potters cousin," Dudley answered.
"Dursley, you must be on Lily's side of the family. Never thought I'd see another one from there."
"Who's Lily?" Donald asked Uncle Harry quietly while a small tape measure measured between his nostrals and the length of his arms.
"My mother," Harry replied, "she was your Grandma Petunias sister and an excellent witch."
"Enough," Mr Olivander told his tape measures, which were currently measuring the width of Donald and Matthews fingernails. They fell to the floor and without even looking at the measurements Mr Olivander handed Donald a wand saying, "We'll start with you Mr. Dursley, ash with a unicorn hair, nine and three quarter inches try"
Donald took the wand feeling stupid and raised it but before he even had chance to wave it Mr. Olivander had snatched it out of his hand and handed him oak, phoenix feather, eleven and a half inches. Donald tried many wands and felt more and more stupid. Was something wrong, was something meant to be happening? He scowled at the amused looks on Matthew and Uncle Harry's faces. Finally Olivander handed him Eucalyptus, phoenix feather, twelve and an eighth inches and Donald felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He gave the wand a flick and bright green and yellow fireworks exploded from the end causing an unexpecting Matthew to jump up in shock.
"Well Done," Mr. Olivander congratulated Donald as he wrapped the wand, quite superb. A very powerful wand that is, excellent for jinxes." Donald heard Uncle Harry chuckle this.
"Never let me get on your bad side then," he whispered to Donald as Matthew tried wands, "your Aunt Ginny has a wand that is excellent for jinxes and trust me you never want to be on the wrong side of her bat bogey hex."
Suddenly the wand Matthew was holding (willow, dragon heartstring, 7 and a third inches) let out a large bang and a cloud of blue bubbles erupted out of the end. "There we go Mr. Potter, quite a good wand, good for warding properties, though you won't need to do that until you move into a house of your own."
Donald and Matthew said goodbye to Mr. Olivander and headed off to the leaky cauldron. "Glad to be out of there," Matthew muttered to Donald, "That guy gave me the creeps." Donald nodded in agreement.
After flooing back to the Potter residence Uncle Harry took the Dursley's back home. "See you on the train," Matthew called out as the car reversed out of the driveway. Donald opened his copy of Hogwarts – A History Revised and began to learn of his new school on the way home.