Loyalty Knows No Bounds Year 1
Author: xoxWolfGirlxox
Rating T (to be safe)
Disclaimer: In no way, shape, or form, do I own Harry Potter.
Summary: Left at an orphanage by the Dursley's, Harry is adopted into a family whose loyalty to each other knows no bounds. What will people do when they realize Harry isn't the Gryffindor lion they expected
Reviews are greatly appreciated if you have the time
A/N2: This chapter has been edited and reposted (9/14/08) along with every other chapter in the story. The formatting had been drastically changed so it should be easier to read but very little of the plot has changed. Just the format and some grammatical and spelling issues I saw after reading it again. A new chapter will be coming out soon I just wanted to do this first to get back into the story. Thanks for not giving up on me you guys are great!
Chapter 4: Diagon Alley
The rest of the summer flew by without much excitement, the exception being Kayla's 11th birthday that was incidentally on the 11th of August. Finally, it was the 26th of August, the day Harry and Kayla had been waiting for, their trip to Diagon Alley. Harry and Kayla eagerly bounded down the stairs and rushed into the kitchen at 8:00 am, completely dressed and ready to go.
"Can we go now?" they eagerly asked their parents who was drinking coffee at the table.
Mr. and Mrs. Alden laughed at the twin looks of excitement on their children's faces.
"How bout the two of you eat some breakfast so you don't faint once we finally get there. Just be patient for a little while longer kids." Mr. Alden instructed.
Mrs. Alden snorted slightly and said," You're one to talk Jason you're just as excited as they are."
Mr. Alden pouted while his children laughed.
"I can't help it if you never took me to Diagon Alley," he whined, "I'm anxious to see the world my wife and children will be living in."
"It's your world too Dad, muggle or not you're family and our world is your world." Harry told his father sincerely.
Kayla smiled and said," Harry is right Dad I don't care if your muggle either, whatever world I live in you will always belong to."
Mrs. Alden smiled while Mr. Alden looked at both his children with a twinkle in his eye.
"Well let's stop taking up our time talking, the sooner we eat the sooner we will get there." Mrs. Alden stated.
With that Mr. Alden, Harry, and Kayla began wolfing down their breakfast while Mrs. Alden looked on slightly disapprovingly. Even though she disapproved she was unable to keep the smile off her face. Once breakfast was finished the family piled into their gold van and set off for a day of shopping. Mrs. Alden parked the car outside a strange and old looking pub. As she and her children got out Mr. Alden remained in the car looking extremely confused.
"Why are we stopping in front of a bare piece of street?" He asked.
"What are you talking about Dad? We are right in front of an old building." Kayla informed him.
"What old building?" He asked again.
The old building right there," She said while pointing to it.
"Hold on a minute before you all wear yourselves out arguing." Mrs. Alden told them.
She went on to explain that Mr. Alden wouldn't be able to see the building until a wizard or witch led him in. It was a safety precaution against muggles accidentally entering Diagon Alley. With that explanation out of the way Mrs. Alden grabbed her husband's hand and led him into the Leaky Cauldron while their children trailed in behind them.
Once inside Mrs. Alden took a quick glance around and moved into a darker corner of the room.
"Come here Harry," She ordered gently. Mrs. Alden took out a make-up kit and proceeded to put muggle cover-up over the vivid scar on Harry's forehead.
"It will allow us to have a normal day of shopping without you getting mobbed by inconsiderate and obnoxious people," she said in a shaper voice then she had meant to.
"Do you think I could wear the cover up when I'm at Hogwarts?" Harry asked hopefully.
"It's your choice," His mother told him. "Well enough sitting around we have a lot of shopping to do, follow me."
Mrs. Alden led her family through the crowded pub and out the back door, pausing briefly to say hello to Tom, the barman.
"Mom, why are we standing in front of a brick wall?" Kayla questioned bluntly.
Mrs. Alden laughed and told her daughter, "Lesson One Kayla, in the wizarding world very few things are what they seem."
With that, Mrs. Alden took out her wand tapped a brick on the wall. The bricks began to shift and in a matter of moments had formed an archway leading into one of the most spectacular sites in the wizarding world.
"Welcome" she said, "To Diagon Alley."
Their first stop of the day was Gringotts, the wizard bank. As their mother led the way to Gringotts, Harry and Kayla looked around in awe at the number of amazing stores in the alley. They tried to keep track of all the names of the stores but it was proving too difficult.
Mrs. Alden sensing her children's frustration calmly told them, "Relax kids, we will go to all the stores after we get some money out of the bank."
Finally they arrived at the large white building and after pausing inside to read the message on the wall, walked over to a free goblin.
"Vault 360 please," Mrs. Alden told the goblin.
The goblin nodded and a short while later they were on a cart being sped away to their vault. As the cart stopped in front of the vault they were are going to. Mrs. Alden got out and scooped up handfuls of each type of coin, placing them in a pouch.
"That should last a while," She said.
After seeing the looks of amazement on her children's faces she quickly explained about the different types of coins and their values. After the wild ride on the cart returned the family to the main floor of the bank, they got off and walked outside ready to do some serious shopping.
"So kids, where to first?" Mrs. Alden asked her amazed children.
"Olivander's" Harry replied.
"No, Flourish and Blotts "Kayla uttered quickly before her mother could reply.
"Olivander's!"
"Flourish and Blotts!"
"Olivander's!"
"Flourish and Blotts"
"Enough!" their father exclaimed. His patience for their bickering running dangerously thin.
"I know you kids are excited but let's try to behave. Now why don't we get the books and quills and other things you will need for school first, then we can get your wands." He suggested.
"Alright," Harry and Kayla agreed.
The family entered Flourish and Blotts and with a quick look at Harry's booklist got two sets of all the books they needed. Mrs. Alden also let her kids each pick out an additional 2 books.
Harry choose Quidditch Through the Ages and The Animal Within a book about becoming an animagus. When Harry had seen that some wizards could turn into animals he was immediately fascinated.
Kayla choose Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and a book called, The Pranksters Bible: Spells and Charms For Pulling Off Your Every Prank and though her mother had given her a disapproving look, in the end allowed her to get it.
After makings stops at Madam Malkin's Robe Shop for robes, the Apothecary for potions supplies, and several other shops they managed to get all the needed supplies, all that remained was their wands. As the family stood outside Olivander's Wand shop Harry took a deep breath, this was what he had been waiting for all day. They stepped inside and waited for what seemed like mere seconds before a low raspy voice made Kayla jump.
"Ah Ms. Jasper wonderful to see you again, are you well?" a white haired man questioned. She smiled at the older man and replied,
"Yes quite well Mr. Olivander though its Mrs. Alden now."
"Then I would be correct in assuming that these are your children." He stated.
"Correct," She said simply.
"Delightful, well now who's first?" he asked.
"Ladies first," Their father said with a gleeful smile plainly ignoring the evil look Harry was shooting him.
Kayla stepped up and after telling him that her right arm was her wand arm began being measured. Soon the tape measures fell off her and Olivander offered her a wand to try.
She stood there for a moment just looking until Olivander told her, "Give it a wave."
She had barley even begun to wave it before Olivander snatched it back muttering, "Not right at all."
This process continued for some time going through many different woods and cores.
Finally he said, "Hmm a tricky costumer but I have an idea."
He went into the back and a little while later returned holding a wand.
"Ebony and unicorn hair 10 inches," he informed then, a fine wand indeed.
She grasped the wand and a warm fuzzy feeling enveloped her, and after giving it a wave vivid yellow and black sparks shot out of the wand.
"I did it!" she exclaimed triumphantly turning to face her parents.
"Great job sis," Harry told her a happy smile on his face.
Her parents offered their congratulations and then it was Harry's turn to find a wand. His wand arm, right like his sisters was measured along with other parts of his body until the tape measures fell off. While his sister seemed to have taken a while to find the perfect wand, Harry was taking forever. Piles of unsuccessful wand littered the tables around him while Olivander kept looking at him oddly. Finally Olivander told Harry to wait and excused himself to the far back of the shop, returning a few minuets later holding a dusty box. He opened the box to revel a glorious pitch-black wand; so black it appeared to glow.
"Ebony, 10 ½ inches containing the tail feather of a phoenix," he told the family.
Harry reached out and took the wand out of the box. As soon as his hand touched the wand he knew this was it. He felt complete, like a little piece of him that had been mysteriously stolen was suddenly returned. He waved the wand and marvelous yellow and black sparks descended from it. Kayla gave an excited squeal and ran to hug her brother. Mr. Alden smiled while Mrs. Alden let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. It was Olivanders voice that brought the family out of their celebrations.
"Curious, how extraordinarily curious," He stated to no one in particular.
Mrs. Alden asked, " What's curious?"
" Both of these wands" he told her while gesturing to Harry and Kayla's wands.
At Mrs. Alden's confused look he delved into a deeper explanation.
"Your daughter's wand is made out the same wood as yours and contains the same core. Not terribly uncommon as parents and children can often be similar. The curious bit is that the unicorn that I got the hair from is the daughter of the unicorn whose hair resides in your wand. Obviously this is very rare. When one has half-blood parents it is as I said not uncommon to have the same wood or core or even both, though that is more common in pureblooded families but certainly not a core from the same immediate family of animal as ones parent." He explained.
Mrs. Alden was shocked but did her best to hide it while asking her next question, "What about Harry's?"
"Your son's wand is what has me completely baffled. Most phoenixes only give one tail feather however the phoenix whose tail feather resides in young Harry's wand gave another feather, one other. It baffles me that your son was destined for this wand when its brother gave young Harry Potter his scar." He finished.
Mrs. Alden's world was spinning around her and she only vaguely felt her husband's hand on her shoulder.
"But that means that Harry's brother wand belonged to..." She trailed off unable to finish.
"I'm afraid so" He told her gently.
She walked hurriedly over to her son, her frantic strides quickly covering the distance. She pulled him into a hug before defensively informing Olivander, "I guess this means I have very special children."
"That it does Mrs. Alden, That it does," was all Olivander would say.
After paying for the wands the shocked family of four left the shop.
"What do you think all that means Mom?" Harry asked.
"It means your special, both of you just like I told Olivander." She said in a no nonsense voice that let Harry know the topic was defiantly not up for discussion.
"Now we have one more stop to go," Mrs. Alden told her children.
"But we have all our school stuff" Harry said looking confused.
Looking at his face Mrs. Alden smiled," Yes, you have all the things you need for school however, if you think I'm letting you go away for months at a time with no way to contact me your out of your mind."
With those words she led her children to Eeylop's Owl and Creatures Emporium.
"You can each get an owl as a birthday/going away to school present."
She watched her children's faces light up as they stuttered their thanks. After much debating and decision making both Harry and Kayla had chosen their owl. Harry had picked a beautiful snowy owl, a female, while Kayla had chosen a wonderful, regal looking male eagle owl.
After they left the store with the supplies they'd need to take care of the owls as well as the owls themselves their Mother asked them," What are you going to name your owls?"
Harry stopped and pulled Kayla aside. They talked in a whisper for a few moments until they finally turned to face their parents.
"We are brother and sister even though we don't look exactly alike, even though we don't have the same birth parents. We will always be brother and sister, our owls, though they look different are now also brother and sister. That is why we decided to name them after another pair of brother and sister." Harry told his parents.
"Well," their father said, "What are their names."
"Harry's snowy owl is named Artemis and my eagle owl is named Apollo." She told them," Apollo after the Greek god of the Sun and Artemis after the Greek Goddess of the moon."
Their parents smiled and told them that Artemis and Apollo were fine names. The family resumed walking and eventually reached their car. As they started the long drive home each member of the family had different thoughts running through their head. Harry and Kayla thought about going away to school and Mr. Alden thought about having to let go enough to let his kids go to school. However, Mrs. Alden couldn't get Olivander's words out of her head.
There was too much weirdness about the wands even in the wizarding world to let the situation go unchecked. It would require some more though and possibly some research but for now she let the thought go. She would worry about it after her children left, in the meantime she would spend the time she had left before the end of summer with her children. Precious time she realized, precious little time she had left until she had to let them go.
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If All Else Fails, Howl At The Moon
xoxWolfGirlxox