In the leaky cauldren, the day was just beginning. Nobody commented on the family as they strode through the fireplace, heading straight to the back. Lucius met them in Gringotts, a hand on their shoulders the warmest greeting he'd give the two children in public.
"Narcissa will go and get the galleons needed for your supplies." he remarked to the two of them, before nodding towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occassions. "Draco, go on ahead to get fitted. The sooner it's done, the sooner the two of you can go home and pack."
With a nod, Draco strolled to the store, a smirk on his lips. Celesta, on the other hand, was told to wait for her Mother, as they'd need to grab underthings as well. Once Narcissa returned, a small bag filled with coins, the three headed down the street, splitting up. Lucius stopped in Flourish and Blotts, Narcissa, Luli, and she went straight to Ollivander's.
While Draco would be getting a traditional Malfoy approved wand, Celesta had begged her Mother to let the wand choose her. She sniffed at the dust in the store, her mother paying for Draco's wand, before finally the old man, Ollivander, turned to little Celesta.
"Ah...Celesta Malfoy...first year, yes?" he replied in his shaky voice, gesturing her to step up to the counter. An enchanted tap measure started to flit around the young girl's body, measuring the length between her fingers, her neck and back, as well as the distance between her eyes, her elbow and wrist.
While the tape measured worked, Celesta watched silently as Ollivander, moving quite quickly for such an old looking man, taking down boxes. "Enough of that!" he seemed to scold, the tape measure falling to the counter swiftly. Returning to the counter with a stack of long and thin boxes, some looking old and tattered, he opened the top one, putting it in Celesta's hand. "Go ahead and try this. Elm wood, Unicorn hair core, nine inches and three quarters, flexible. Just give it a flick." he remarked.
Almost immediately, it was taken out of her hands. "No, no...far too unstable." Was all Ollivander stated, humming gently and taking out similar wands from the pile. "Hm...perhaps...no, no..." he muttered to himself, going through the boxes he'd originally grabbed, letting Celesta try some wands. Either they were snatched too quickly out of her hands, or they spouted unlikeable results. One even set fire to Narcissa's robes, put out immediately by a nonverbal charm.
Finally, Ollivander abandoned the original pile, delving deep into his shelves for several minutes. "Here we go!" was heard before he reappeared, a dusty old box in his hands. "One of the last my father made." he remarked almost fondly. "Acacia wood, Pheonix Feather core, ten inches exactly and unyielding." After he spoke, he held out the red colored wand, the handle having fine filigree carved into the wood.
As soon as her pale fingers wrapped around it, she was filled with a warm glow, silver sparks dancing from the tip of her wand. A smile came to her lips as Narcissa finally stepped forward. "A great wand, for a great young lady." she spoke, ordering a holster to be made, able to go from wrist to thigh, as well as a polishing kit for the children. "Luli, go ahead home and make sure lunch is started," Narcissa said as she waited for the needed supplies. With a nod and a loud 'POP', the elf disappeared.
Nine galleons later, they headed out of the shop, passing a giant with a boy just heading into Ollivanders. They didn't pay them any mind as they saw Lucius and Dracohanding Draco his wand, which unsurprisingly matched well with him, the boy slipping it into his own holster. Parting ways, Draco and Lucius to look at brooms and Narcissa and Celesta to get robes.
"We'll meet up outside the Emporium." Lucius stated, eying Celesta's wand for a moment before nodding and finally following Draco's urgent whining.
Once in Madam Malkin's, Celesta was measured for her Hogwarts robes first, then taken to the back to be measured for her bras. While still considered flat, not yet more than an A cup size, she'd graduated from undershirts to training bras. It wasn't much longer before Narcissa was paying for the clothing, a charm shrinking them to fit in her bag. "Come Celesta, time to meet your father at the Emporium." she said softly, her dignified voice strong and slightly cold even if affectionate in only her ears.
Lucius and Draco were already outside, the latter having not gotten a broom despite his begging, but he seemed to have been appeased, crooning at his Eagle Owl. "Look Celesta, I got an owl. Her name is will be Thalassa," he went on, Lucius putting a hand on his shoulder when it seemed he was getting too loud and boastful.
"Now Draco, let Celesta get her own familiar. As Draco chose an owl, you two may share, should you choose another familiar." Lucius murmured to her, a small and slightly affecionate smile on his lips. Turning to her mother, he nodded. "We'll head home first, her books and potion supplies will be on her bed," were his last words, a brush of his palm against her Mother's cheek and a pat on Celeta's braided head and then he and Draco were off.
At first, nothing appealed to her. Definately not the toads, nor any of the owls. The cats looked promising to her, and so she slowly drifted among the cages. Finally, towards the back, she found what called to her the most. "This one, Mother." she said, reaching her hand into the cage where a white Kumigo, or nine-tailed fox, nestled into the offered hand, a quiet yip leaving it's lips. Looking around to make sure nobody overheard, she nodded towards it. "With it around, I can shift and go by unnoticed." she added quietly.
Narcissa pursed her lips, but eventually nodded. "I'll get the owner." she murmured, leaving Celesta to bond with the creature. Drawing it from it's cage, she lifted the adolescent female and hugged her close, the child's hand brushing through her fur.
"You'll be Maera." she murmured into the fox's ears, the fur twitching against her lips. Almost too soon, she made her way to the front where Narcissa was waiting with supplies for Maera, having purchased the fox and needed materials.
"Let's go home." Narcissa said fondly, watching as Maera settled herself on Celesta's shoulders.
Once home, the elves were intructed on how to care for Maera at home, including extra vaccumming, as soon the kit would start shedding. Lucius had nodded, writing immediately to the Headmaster of the newest animal to be allowed. Seeing as they were fiercely protective of their Masters, but non aggressive, he'd gotten a reply back within a week, having no choice but to allow the Kumigo to roam the halls.
The next four weeks passed differently for the children raised as twins. Draco practised his flying, reading books when the weather became too dreary to fly. He'd owl Vincent and Gregory, arranging to sit with them on the train ride. For Celesta, she practiced potions until they were perfect for the first year curriculum, Narcissa needing to get new supplies every few days. When waiting for potions to finish brewing, she caught up on transfiguration and Defense against the Dark arts, only reading for the moment. Though growing in a magical household, they weren't to practice their spellwork without supervision, leaving that to an hour each before dinner with their parents.
And finally August 31st arrived, the two first years checked and double checked their trunks before bringing them down to Lucius, who'd be dropping them off at the platform the next day.
"Goodnight children." he said after levitating the trunks to the door.
"Goodnight Father." they had replied, before heading to bed.
Author's Note: Finally, am I right?! Can I just say I cannot WAIT until the next chapter. Sadly, you guys might have to wait a day or two for the next chapter. I never thought I'd get this much done, and in one day! Hope you guys enjoyed, and please follow or review if you guys liked it!