'Italicized words with single quotation marks indicate thoughts.'

Chapter 5

Willow and Snape had arrived in London without incident. The journey from Sunnydale to London was instantaneous with the help of the portkey. Inter-dimensional traveling was slightly disorienting for Willow as she felt her body snap back to reality. The sensation was very unsettling, causing her tummy to turn with nausea and her head to swirl. She found herself clinging to Snape's robes for balance much to his displeasure. The old professor was forced to take hold of the girl's shoulder and steady her before she brought him down to the floor with her.

Willow's first adventure into the Wizardry World wasn't all that exciting and more than slightly disappointing. The weather was cold and dreary; a complete contrast to what she was use to in Sunnydale where the sun seemed to shine all year around. They were currently standing outside a pub called The Leaky Cauldron. The old building that housed the pub was in disrepair, and the sign that hung above the door was worn and shabby. It was nothing much to look at really, and the inside wasn't much better. It looked like an ordinary pub, well accept for the people dressed in robes and tall pointy hats.

All conversation seemed to cease as the occupants turned to stare at the newcomers. A few patrons gave Snape and Willow a quizzical look but they quickly returned to their own conversations when Snape sneered at them. Snape led Willow to a dark empty booth in the back and order a glass of butterbeer for her and tea for himself. Snape seemed content at sipping his tea quietly while Willow nursed the sweet beverage in her hands. They sat there in companion silence while Willow discretely looked around the room. Willow frowned at what she saw. The place didn't look all that extraordinary and she found herself wondering why they were here.

When she could no longer take the silence or stemmed the flow of questions that seemed to burn in her head Willow finally spoke. "I not saying this isn't nice and all but why are me here?" questioned Willow.

Snape sat his teacup on the table and studied Willow carefully with his piercing black eyes as if he was reading her thoughts. "Believe it or not Ms. Rosenberg, but this pub is one of many gateways into the Wizardry World. It serves as buffer between our world and the muggle one. Surely you didn't expect to see a large sign advertising the secret entrance to the Wizardry World," snorted Snape.

"No, but I was expecting something a little less…ordinary," answered Willow disappointedly as she waved her hand around her gloomy surroundings.

"Come with me," said Snape abruptly as stood up from his seat and threw a couple of coins on the table.

Willow followed the wizard obediently as he strode to the back of the pub, through a wooden door that led them into dark alley behind the building.

Willow looked at Snape quizzically as he pulled out his wand from his long sleeve and tap the brick wall while mumbling, "three up and two across."

The bricks fell away one by one into nothingness until a large opening revealed the hidden doorway into the Wizardry World. Willow peered through the opening from behind Snape's long dark robes and what she saw left her wide eyed and speechless. Just beyond the opening was a long cobble stone street bustling with people with bright colorful shops lining the street on both sides.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley Ms. Willow Rosenberg," announced Snape smugly.

"Come along. We need to buy your school supplies before we head to Hogwarts," said Snape as he headed purposely down the street without even looking back to make sure Willow was following him.

Willow trailed behind Snape distractedly, trying in vain to absorb everything that went on around her. Willow was in awe. Everything seemed so much brighter and busier than the alley they had just left behind. It was truly a different world from where she came from and it left her feeling slightly overwhelmed.

Willow was so distracted that she nearly bumped into Snape's back when he abruptly stopped in front of her. Willow looked up to see that they were standing in front of a large white building with GRINGOTT'S printed in big bold letters over the door.

"Where are we?" asked Willow curiously.

"This is Gringott's Wizarding Bank. We need funds to buy your supplies."

"B… but I don't have much money," confessed Willow. She had only brought what she had left in her saving which turned out to be not much money at all. She had no ideal how much it cost to go to Hogwarts but she was hoping that she would be able to get a job while she was at school to help pay for the cost.

"The Headmaster was kind enough to offer to pay for anything you might need during the school year," replied Snape.

"But I couldn't take his money…," protested Willow frantically.

"Think of it as a scholarship," interrupted Snape as they walked inside the bank.

Willow squeaked in surprise when an ugly little man in a three piece suit ran in front of her. Willow grabbed Snape's arm in fear when she realized that the whole building was crawling with creatures. "Demons!" shrieked Willow in fear.

Snape pried Willow's shaky hands away from his arm. This was the second time today the girl had reached out for him. The whole experience was quite new for him considering he was the most hated professor in Hogwarts and students normally didn't seek him out. He was usually a source of fear not comfort. Snape guessed that the girl's reaction towards him was normal considering that he was only person she knew here. Snape was confident that once she made some friends of her own she would probably stop seeking his company.

"No actually they're goblins. They own the bank. I know that demons are a common occurrence from where you come from, but please remember although the Wizard World does have it own share of… darkness we do not have demons here," answered Snape.

Once they had completed their business at Gringotts Snape took Willow to get the rest of her supplies. As they walked down the street Willow notice the odd looks people were giving her. That was when she noticed that mostly everyone was wearing robes and tall pointy hats and Willow began to feel slightly out of place with her fuzzy yellow sweater and sneakers.

Snape watched from the side of his face as the girl seemed to shrink into herself. "What is the matter?" signed Snape in annoyance.

"I don't exactly fit in. Do I?" said Willow sadly with her eyes cast down to the ground.

Severus gave the redhead a long thoughtful look and took in her bright clothes and brilliant copper red hair. "Nonsense, no more than any Weasley and their brood have been running about this place for generations," drawled Snape indifferently.

Willow's entire face lit up at Snape's words and she gave the wizard a bright sunny smile. Snape groaned at the effect his words seemed to have on the child. He didn't know why he kept comforting the girl but it seemed to be compulsive.

After they had obtained all of Willow's books, robes and supplies it was with great anticipation that Willow entered the last shop, Ollivander's Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. The door chimed as Willow and Snape entered the small dusty shop. The walls were lined with rows and rows of long narrowed boxes. A small man with grey hair and a wrinkled face greeted them cheerfully from the other side of the counter. "Well hello Professor Snape. I haven't seen you in quite a while how is that wand of yours…hmm," asked the small tiny little man. After Snape grunted his greeting the small man turn his full attention onto Willow. The man was no taller than Willow which was quite short for a man.

"Ah Ms. Rosenberg I have heard much about you. You're rather a fascinating case. Let see if we can find a wand for a witch with such a unique background. Now give me your wand arm," said Ollivander patiently as he pulled out his measuring tape.

Willow had no ideal which arm was her wand arm and she looked at man in confusion. After a moment of thought she gave him her right arm. Ollivander pulled the measuring tape against Willow's arm long ways, side ways and ever which way possible. Willow squeaked in surprise when the tape measure continued to measure her arm as Ollivander walked away.

"Here try this oak, nine inches, dragon scale core a very sturdy wand," said Ollivander as he handed Willow a long white stick. "Well give it a wave," encouraged Ollivander.

Willow shrugged her shoulders in confusion and waved the wand carelessly in the air. Suddenly there was loud boom and the front display window exploded sending shards of glass everywhere causing some of the pedestrians on the street outside to scurry away for cover. Snape stood next to the door, impassively as ever, flicking bits and pieces of glass off his robes.

"Oh no no no… that won't do at all," murmured the old man.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry," shouted Willow in alarm.

Ollivander waved Willow's apology away. "Don't worry about it dear it happens all the time," reinsured the funny little man as he handed Willow another wand. "Try this one ,maple, twelve inches, unicorn hair."

Willow grabbed the wand apprehensively and held her breath as she cautiously waved the wand in the air. White lighting shot through the tip and hit the counter causing it to catch on fire. Ollivander waved the small blaze away with the palm of his hand leaving the surface charred and smothering. "Well lets try another one, shall we."

Two hours and over two dozen wands later Willow was exhausted and more than frustrated. "Hmm…what should we try next," murmured the wand maker quietly as he scrunched up his furry brow in thought. "Maybe…no… but… perhaps it's worth a try," mumbled Ollivander under his breath as he scurried to the back of the shop, disappearing among the shelves. A few minutes later he returned carrying a long black box reverently.

"This one is very special. I've only sold two wands before with the same magical core," whispered Ollivander. The wand maker gave Willow one last look before he handed her a dark grey wand. It was long and slender and the wood was so warped that it seemed to twist upon itself. But despite it appearance the surface was smooth to the touch. As soon as Willow grabbed the wand a warm fuzzy feeling spread through Willow's body causing her skin to glow with a unnatural golden hue and Willow knew instantly that this was her wand.

"What is it made of," breathed Willow in awe as she gently brushed her fingertips over the smooth dark wood.

"That wand was made from the fallen branches of the Whomping Willow tree and its core…a single phoenix feather," explained Ollivander.

Snape paled. It had to be a coincidence that Willow's wand shared the same core with Harry Potter's and Voldermont's. He had no ideal what affect this new development would have on Willow's safety, but it didn't bode well with convincing the Ministry that Willow wasn't a threat to the Wizardry World.

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