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Last update before I go off on holiday!

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Chapter Eight

Diagon Alley

Cottage View, Godric's Hollow, West Country, England

25th July 2015

"Alright, I'm off to collect Uncle Dudley, Aunt Laura and the kids now," Lea informed her family as she pulled on her dark purple cloak. Combined with the long purple robe she wore underneath and the heeled black ankle boots she looked like the perfect stereotype of a witch. All that was missing was the hat. "I want you three ready to go when we get home," she jabbed her wand in the direction of her husband and twin sons, creating a shower of red and gold sparks.

"We will be," George crossed his heart with an expression of mock seriousness on his face. Lea rolled her eyes, then looked down at her daughter, who was tugging on her skirt.

"Yes, Darling? What is it?" Lea glanced at the cloak. She still had five minutes before she had to arrive at the Dursleys' house and her car had a Portkey function (one of the benefits of being the Saviour of the Wizarding World was that she had access to things that were usually reserved for top Ministry officials), so she should be okay.

"I want to come to Diagon," Lily complained. "Why don't Reggie and I get to come?"

Lea sighed. This was the fourth time today that they'd gone through this and it wasn't even eleven o'clock yet! Still, she determinedly clung to her patience as she crouched so Lily didn't have to look up to meet her gaze. "We've talked about this already, Darling," Lea reminded her youngest. "This is a special day for the twins, and they want just the four of us and the Dursleys to go to Diagon. And anyway, remember what we said after last time? You ran off in the middle of Diagon, so the next time we went, Daddy and I said you couldn't come. You have to prove we can trust you to stay with us before you can go again."

Lily crossed her naturally tanned arms and sulked, but Lea let it be, straightening and looking at the clock again.

"Oh, darn it," she cursed. "I gotta go. I love you all, I'll be back soon. Boys, George, be ready to go!"

She rushed out the door leading to the garage and sat down in the magically modified lilac Fiat 500. Once she was within, she pressed the tip of her wand into the place where you would put the key in a regular car and twisted it, turning on the car. Then she spoke the Portkey activation, concentrating on the Dursleys' address. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

"Alright, we'll have to go in pairs, otherwise Laura and Dudley won't be able to use the Floo, and this'll be Jas' first time so it's easy to get lost," Lea began briskly, clapping her hands together. "So, this is what we'll do. I'll take Jas, Jamie take your Aunt Laura and Freddie will take Uncle Dudley. Okay?" George was gone already, having Apparated ahead to open the Floo to the shop that he otherwise kept closed for security reasons.

"You're sure this is safe?" Laura asked uneasily, eyeing the small fire flickering in the ornate dark oak fireplace emblazoned with the Potter and Black crests.

"Completely," Lea assured her immediately. "Believe me, I've done it a thousand and two times. The fire is charmed not to burn."

"Alright," Laura murmured, despite her instinctive fear.

"We trust you," Dudley added, smiling at his cousin, who returned the expression. She couldn't deny it felt good to have a positive connection with some of her mother's relatives.

"It's not going to be like the Portkey or Apparation, is it?" Jas asked miserably. Both experiences had been utterly horrid, even with the Stomach Soothers her new aunt had given them afterwards. Lea gave her an apologetic look, causing Jas to groan.

"I'm sorry sweetheart," the older witch apologized. "But except for flying, all forms of magical transport pretty much suck. But it's much quicker at least, and I'll give you more Stomach Soothers when we get there, alright?"

"I guess," the young girl said glumly.

"Don't worry Jazzy," Freddie piped up brightly. "It'll only be a moment, then we'll be at Dad's shop. It's the coolest place in the world!"

"Yeah," Jamie agreed. "There's-"

"Thank you boys, but wouldn't you rather show her than tell?" Lea spoke up, giving a fond look to her boys, mischievous they may have been, but cruel they were not, and she was proud of them for their caring natures. They nodded reluctantly, pouting for a minute before perking up. This was, after all, a big day.

Lea felt tears well up and she sniffed, pulling her twins into a tight hug and kissing their heads. "Oh, I can't believe you're off to Hogwarts already!" She moaned. "Where did my little babies go?"

"Mu-um," the pair groaned in unison.

"I know, I know!" She released them and wiped her eyes with the heel of her palm, sniffing and regaining her composure. James, the more tender-hearted of the pair (the one more like George, while Freddie was just like his namesake in every way save colouring) softened and gave her a quick hug.

"We'll always be your boys, Mum," he promised her before releasing her again and heading over to the Floo, holding his hand out to Laura with a dramatic bow. "Aunt Laura, if you would do me the great honour," he said in an over-the-top manner, making them all laugh.

Laura gave a mock curtsey, delighting the twins, and held out her hand. "It is I who would be honoured, Lord James," she replied with a grin. Jamie chuckled happily and helped her step inside the grate, clutching a fistful of Floo Powder. Lea smiled discreetly when she saw the startled relief on Laura's expression when she felt nothing worse than a tickle from the fire. Lea winked at her and patted the holster holding her wand. Laura smiled back and mouthed a thanks as Jamie, who himself often got woozy from the dizzying whirl of the Floo, although he was even more careful than clumsy Teddy as a result, braced himself for the trip.

"Hang tight, Auntie!" He urged, throwing the powder into the flames as he called out "Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes!" The pair disappeared in a flash of green, making Jas and Dudley gasp in amazement, causing Freddie to grin and Lea to smile softly, remembering when she was in their position.

"Ready? Freddie, take your uncle next, and Jas and I'll go last and see you there. Straight to WWW, no detours, understood young man? Otherwise you'll be headed straight home and your brother'll get his wand while you have to wait."

Freddie shook his head rapidly, eyes wide. "Misbehave?" He gasped, clutching a hand to his chest. "Why, Mother dear, you wound me deeply. I would never!"

Lea scoffed and planted her hands on her hips. "Yeah, and the sky's green," she retorted. "Now, off with you, go on." She waved her hands at him, ushering him and Dudley into the fireplace. They disappeared in a flash of green and the dark-haired witch turned to her young cousin. "Ready to go, sweetheart?"

Jas swallowed thickly, then nodded nervously. "I guess," she muttered. Lea smiled at her and took her hand, guiding her into the large fireplace and throwing down a fistful of Floo Powder.

"Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes!"

Diagon Alley, England

Diagon Alley was amazing. In spite of her instinctive nerves about magic, even Jas was awestruck by the colourful, busy little shopping square.

They had arrived in George's shop, which was so brightly coloured that it hurt Jas' eyes, and Lea'd had to drag her sons away with threats to send them home in order to persuade them to leave without browsing. Then they'd popped into a white marble building to allow Dudley to exchange some Muggle money for Wizarding, and from there to Madam Malkin's and Flourish and Blotts to get "the boring part", as Freddie put it, out of the way. Lea had added a few extra books for both Jas and her parents in order to help them understand the Magical World better and give Jas some background information that would help in her classes. After that they'd stopped at the Apothecary, which had made Jas feel a bit ill with its' eyeballs and livers (Potions was definitely not going to be her favourite class, that was for sure) and at Scrivenshaft's for parchment, quills, and so on. Now, at last, they were at the exciting part. Even Jas was looking forward to it, despite her lingering reservations. She'd only had three Mind Healing sessions so far after all. These things took time.

It was time for the young trio to buy their wands.

"A wixen's wand," Lea lectured them formally as they stood in front of Ollivander's, "Is their most important possession. You never, ever, touch another's wand, or ask to touch it, without permission. It's a great violation with legal penalties attached once you're of age. Your wand is an extension of your soul, as much a part of you as your heart. Always respect and care for it. Understand?"

The children were wide-eyed. Even Freddie was solemn as they nodded their heads.

"Alright then," Lea suddenly relaxed into her usual smile. "Let's go get your wands, shall we? In we go!"

The group bustled inside the shop, gazing around. The inside of the shop was, admittedly, a bit of a let down. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair. The shelves were lined with thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of Jas' neck prickled. Despite the disappointing appearance, the very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Frederick and James Potter-Black, I wondered when I'd be seeing you two here," an ancient looking old man with a scarred face and moon-like eyes came hobbling up, trailed by a man in his twenties with the same eyes and a blonde goatee.

"Mr. Ollivander," Aunt Lea said respectfully.

"You're looking better than the last time we saw each other," Uncle George added with a strained smile, looking a bit uncomfortable for some reason.

The man smiled back grimly. "Well I should hope so, given your wife had just saved me from the best part of a year's captivity by Lord Voldemort," he replied. Jas was puzzled, and she noticed Aunt Lea's smile had gotten rather fixed at Ollivander's words.

"Shall we get on with things then?" The elder witch asked in an overly bright voice. "The boys and Jas need their wands."

"Indeed they do, indeed they do," Ollivander nodded. He gestured at his assistant. "This is my great-nephew and apprentice, Gerald Ollivander," he introduced. "Gerald, measure the children please. I assume you're a relative of Lady Potter-Black then?" He said to Jas. "You look like a blonde-haired, blue-version of Lily Evans Potter, may she rest in piece."

"Uhm, Daddy and Aunt Lea are cousins," Jas stammered, puzzled by the measuring tape that was (on its own!) measuring literally everything down to the length of her nose.

"I thought so," Ollivander nodded. "How are your wands, by the way?" He asked the two adult wixen. "George Potter née Weasley, seven and a quarter inches, dragon heartstring, ash, correct?"

"That's right, and it's working as wonderfully as the day I bought it," Uncle George confirmed, withdrawing his wand from its' holster and swishing it to create a spray of red and gold sparks.

"And you, Lady Potter-Black?" He said, turning to her. "eleven inches, rosewood, phoenix heartstring. I wouldn't forget that wand. A special wand, that one."

"Correct as ever, Mr. Ollivander," Aunt Lea murmured. "It's doing well. I wouldn't last without it. Now, how about the children?"

"Yes," Mr. Ollivander muttered. "The children. Yes." He turned to them and Jas gulped at the look in his strange eyes.

An hour and a half later and they were walking out, wand boxes and care kits clutched tight to their chests. Due to the nature of the wands, they couldn't be shrunken with the rest of their purchases, and truthfully Jas didn't want to let it go.

Jamie had a twelve-inch wand made of oak with a unicorn heartstring, loyal and good for Transfiguration work according to Ollivander, while Freddie's was also a twelve-inch oak, but his had a dragon heartstring core instead of a unicorn, the only difference. They even looked alike, but Freddie's was better for Defence.

Then there was Jas' wand. Ten inches, cherry with a unicorn hair for a core. Good for Charms work. The moment she held it for the first time, Jas knew it was hers. She felt complete somehow, holding it.

For the first time, she began to be truly excited to be going to Hogwarts.