The Leaky Cauldron was the grubbiest pub Ophelia had ever been to. Strange people dressed in all sorts of strange clothes and hats quietly chattered in the dimly lit pub with a hearty aroma drifting in the small pub.
Ophelia was squeezed between Severus and Lily, all in their best clothes. They all had warm bowls of soup and bread in front of them and quietly ate while Professor Mcgonagall quietly talked to Tom the Bartender. As Ophelia half-heartedly ate her hearty meat and potato soup, she examined the people in the bar curiously. She noticed in the corner of the room, a woman was sipping her tea while a book flipped through pages in front of her. A girl giggled at her parents as she changed her face somehow. Ophelia swore she even saw a man that more resembled a giant walk to the back of the pub!
"Can I have your bread?" Lily asked softly. Ophelia barely registered, handing her the softly baked bread as she kept her eyes on a woman walking around with a silver and indigo snake wrapped around her neck.
"How's it tasting?" Mcgonagall asked, as Tom disappeared towards the bar.
"Very good," Severus said solemnly.
"I enjoyed it," Lily said, scooping the last of her soup with Ophelia's bread.
"Not hungry," Ophelia whispered, eyes widening as there was a massive booming sound coming from the back, towards the kitchen. A tiny, strange looking creature came from the kitchen and started an argument with Tom the Bartender even as a dark haired young man stumbled out from the kitchen looking dazed.
Professor Mcgonagall gave a little sigh and pulled out a ticking pocket watch. "Perhaps we should begin shopping, hmm?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ophelia grinned, hand touching the pouch that held the strange coins they'd swapped at Gringotts. It was one of the first things the professor had done when they'd first entered the Alley, along with fetching their books (and Ophelia was pleased when the professor allowed them to choose two books that looked interesting to them), potions supplies and owls.
Ophelia's brand new owl, a barn owl with far too intelligent brown eyes, was already shipped to Ophelia's home along with her books and such. The owl still didn't have a confirmed name but Ophelia was debating on a few such as Athena or Morgana. Athena was the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology which seemed to suit the intelligent bird and Morgana was a famous witch known for her intelligence and powerful magic. She'd read about Morgana in one of her newest books, The Greatest Witches and Wizards of the Old Age. From what Ophelia understood, they still needed robes, wands and other assorted things. The plan (she thought) was one of them would be dropped off at Madam Malkin while the other two got their wands. Ophelia had already volunteered to get fitted while Severus and Lily got their wands. It was worth it to see Lily's grateful grin and the rare smile on Severus' face.
Professor Mcgonagall threw down a few of the golden galleons and motioned for the three to follow her towards the back entrance of the pub. The entrance led to a grimy alley. Against a brick wall, there were a few overflowing trash cans in front of the brick wall. Professor Mcgonagall pulled a long wand from her robes and tapped the bricks in a particular way, one that Ophelia had memorized the first time they'd entered the Alley.
Madam Malkin's shop was in the center of Diagon Alley and on top of the shop where there would be a roof, was a long witches hat. A bay window showcased several beautiful robes in different colors but the main display were black sets of Hogwarts robes. Inside, the shop looked even more beautiful. A dainty witch in her twenties wearing mauve robes was measuring a boy around Ophelia's age but stopped to greet them when they entered.
"Miss Granger needs to be measured," Professor Mcgonagall said firmly. "I'm taking Mr. Snape and Miss Evans to get their wands. If she's done with her fitting and we haven't returned, just send her to Ollivanders."
"Of course, Professor," Madam Malkin chirped as she took the offered galleons. "Here, dear, stand here, please. I'll be right back, dear."
Madam Malkin disappeared leaving Ophelia standing next to the boy. He was a tall boy with wild black hair, warm hazel eyes and a pair of round glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.
"Hogwarts, too?" The boy asked lazily, poking a pair of floating measuring tape.
"Uh, yes, f-first year," Ophelia said, straightening her back. "I'm Ophelia Granger."
"James Potter," James said brightly. "I don't recognize Granger. Muggleborn, I'm guessing?" Ophelia remembered Professor Mcgonagall's strict discussion of the cons and pros of blood purity and hesitantly nodded. "Mum says muggleborns are always the best wizards and witches because they don't have magic growing up. Might be right, but bloody hell am I excited for Hogwarts. Hoping for Gryffindor."
"Headmaster Dumbledore was a Gryffindor, right?" Ophelia asked, remembering her quick glance into one of the history books.
"That's right," James said excitedly. "So was Dad. Mum was a 'Claw which wouldn't be too terrible, I s'pose, but I'd die if I were a Slytherin." He scowled. "Bunch of Death Eaters."
Ophelia mouthed the phase a little uncomfortably. Professor Mcgonagall hadn't said anything about "Death Eaters". She didn't have any time to come up with a response as Madam Malkin returned with a bounce in her step. The young witch observed the floating measuring in front of James for a moment before waving her hand and letting the tape drop into her hands.
"Alright, Mr. Potter, you're all done, dearie." Madam Malkin said cheerfully. James hopped down with a grin on his face and turned to face Ophelia.
"I'll save a spot on the train for you," He said cheerfully. "Hope to see you there, Lia!"
"My name is -" Ophelia started but James had already disappeared from the room. She watched him greet two adults outside of the shop, a man who looked like a near copy of James and a ginger woman wearing fine blue robes. "-Ophelia." Ophelia said dully.
"Alright, dear, should we get started?" Madam Malkin asked. Ophelia nodded in reply, still watching the happy Potter family walk down the alley road.
The next thirty minutes were spent getting measured and pinned with nice black fabric. Ophelia half talked to Madam Malkin while she watched families stride past the shop. James and his family walked by after ten minutes, and ten minutes after that a family of blondes walked by wearing emerald green. In her head, she made of stupid stories of those families, stories that always ended up better than her own situation. By the time Professor Mcgonagall had arrived, Ophelia was hopping off the platform and thanking Madam Malkin for her time.
Professor Mcgonagall chatted with Madam Malkin while they filled out owl-delivery paperwork for Ophelia and Ophelia gave Severus and Lily, who were carrying thin boxes that held their new wands, the rundown on the boy she'd met. Both seemed disgusted by the boy's description of Slytherin house being full of "Death Eaters" and Severus quietly explained that they were servants of the current dark lord, Lord Voldemort or You-Know-Who.
"Ready?" Professor Mcgonagall asked after leaving Lily and Severus to get fitted.
"Yes, ma'am." Ophelia said politely. They approached the wand shop, a grubby and dark looking place, and had to wait as the blonde family exited. The older man paused at the sight of Professor Mcgonagall and cleared his throat.
"Minevra, how nice to see you." The man drawled, raising an eyebrow towards Ophelia. His silver gaze made Ophelia shudder and wanted to hide behind the professor.
"Abraxas." Professor Mcgonagall said coldly. "I assume this is your son, Lucius?"
"Yes," Abraxas said calmly. "You remember Adina."
The woman, pale haired and beautiful, gave both of them an icy smile. The boy who looked to be Ophelia's age just looked uncomfortable as he shifted his weight from one leg to another. Ophelia offered him an awkward smile and to her excitement, he gave her one back.
"And who is this?" Abraxas asked pointedly. "Another one of your muggleborn charity cases?" Ophelia shrank back again and barely had time to catch Lucius' grimace.
"If you wish to be uncivilized, then there is no point to this conversation." Professor Mcgonagall said coldly. She turned to Lucius. "I hope to see you at Hogwarts in September, Mr. Malfoy." He barely had time to nod before Adina Malfoy yanked him by the arm and drug him away from shop entrance.
"Malfoys," Professor Mcgonagall grumbled. She turned to Ophelia and motioned towards the door. "Come along, Miss Granger."
And so Miss Granger came along.
The shop was dusty and old. Stacks of wand boxes covered the floor, making the large space seem cramped. An old man was quietly organizing one stack before they entered but began moving towards them with surprisingly fast speed when they entered.
"Minevra Mcgonagall." The man rasped. The professor straightened up to stare him in the eye coolly. "9 ½ inches, fir wood with a dragon heartstring core, correct?"
"Yes," Professor Mcgonagall said calmly.
"Has it treated you well?" The man asked.
"Yes, Mr. Ollivander." Professor Mcgonagall replied.
"Good, good," Mr. Ollivander turned to Ophelia with narrowed moon-like eyes. "A muggleborn." He whispered. "Good, good." He waved his hand and more floating measure tapes appeared and began measuring all parts of her (including the bridge of her nose and her ankles) while he began poking through different boxes. "Hmm," He muttered, pulling a box from the bottom of a stack out. Ophelia squeaked when the stack toppled, Ollivander oblivious as he handed her a pale wand. "10 inches, ash wood with the core of a phoenix feather."
Ophelia took the wand hesitantly and with Ollivander's insistence, gave a little wave. For a moment, nothing happened and then a red flame shot out and hit one of the dim lanterns with a boom.
"Perhaps not that one," Professor Mcgonagall said dryly.
"Yes, yes, perhaps not." Ollivander grumbled. And so it began.
Ophelia barely recalled how many wands she went through; it had to be at least past twenty or so. After the tenth failed wand, she was near in tears. Maybe she wasn't a witch. Maybe she was just a failure. Finally, Ollivander returned with a thin black box.
"Perhaps, perhaps," Ollivander muttered. "13 ½ inches, made of elm with the core of a dragon heartstring."
The wand itself was beautiful, the hilt made of twisting wand that somehow was easier to grip than the others. It was a long wand too and holding it didn't just make Ophelia feel proud, but very powerful as well. With a deep breath, she waved the wand. With a single wave, silver and scarlet sparks shot out in a way that looked very much like muggle fireworks.
"Ah, a perfect fit." Ollivander said proudly even as Mcgonagall handed him a few of the galleons. "Congratulations, Miss Granger." He leaned close to her. "You will do many, many great things. Let's just hope they happen to be good."
With that morbid statement, Ophelia Granger, Witch-In-Training, took her leave.