Chapter Two: Back to Diagon Alley
Harry couldn't say that he blamed his parents for not fully understanding the incident that took place at the zoo since he hardly could explain it himself even though he was there when it happened. However, since he wasn't in Hogwarts yet and he didn't even have his wand they were completely forgiving since all it had been was accidental magic.
Finally, the day before Harry's eleventh birthday had arrived and both of his parents promised him that his best friend Ron Weasley could spend the night. They had been staying up until the clock turned midnight and now Harry was officially eleven. That afternoon after lunch while Lily had Harry's birthday cake in the oven a tawny owl started tapping her beak on the window and Severus just simply grinned.
"I bet I know what that is." He said as he opened the window and let the owl in before it swooped inside the house and landed on the dining room table with an envelope addressed to Harry on it. "Yep, just as I thought." He began. "Harry, it's for you!" He called and smiled as Harry quickly hurried over to grab his letter and a rather wide grin stretched a crossed his face as he started to tear the envelope open and allowed the letter to slowly unfold inside the palm of his hand.
Then he beamed as he started reading the letter aloud. "Dear Mr. Snape, we are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September first and we await your owl no later than July 31st." He read and that's when he suddenly remembered and slapped his forehead.
"Oh that's right! I'm getting on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow!" He exclaimed. "Don't you think they could have given me a bit more time to prepare?" He questioned.
"Yeah, you would think, but the way that the owling system is set up every eleven-year-old witch and wizard gets their acceptance letter on their actual birthday. I do believe that I will need to speak to Dumbledore about that." His father began. "Anyways, don't worry Harry, I can take you to Diagon Alley to get you everything that you will need this year for school." He told him while smiling rather warmly and lovingly at him.
True to his word Severus took Harry back to Diagon Alley and first he made a withdrawal from Harry's bank account at Gringotts. Even though that Harry was bigger now since the last time they had visited there, he still was quite a bit unsure about the goblins that were working there. Even though he tried to mind his own business he couldn't help but overhearing this year's conversation that his father had been having with Griphook about some unusual wrapped package that he had to deliver to Dumbledore once they got to Hogwarts.
After they shopped around for all of his books Harry was about to get the item that he had been most desperately wanting for years,.. his wand. Although he was also looking forward to the day six years from now where he would be learning how to do magic without it as well when he became a seventh year.
That's when suddenly Severus squatted down in front of his son. "Tell ya what Harry? You go ahead and go inside and get your wand and when you come back I'll have your birthday present waiting for you." He told him with a grin as Harry grinned back at him while his father slowly rose to his feet again.
"Okay." He replied with a nod before he turned around and started walking straight towards Ollivanders. As he pushed the door open and went inside he found to his complete and utter shock that it was empty. "Umm,.. hullo?" He questioned before an older wizard appeared before him. "Excuse me are you Mr. Ollivander?" Harry asked him as the wizard slowly nodded.
"And I know exactly who you are Mr. Potter. You look exactly like your father." He told him.
"Thanks, but my last name has been Snape for the past six years now. Anyways, I need a wand." Harry told him while Mr. Ollivander simply just smiled at him.
"Well, it just so happens that you have come to the right place Mr. Snape." He told him before he started heading towards the shelf where all of the wands were stored. Afterwards he slid open a box that contained a nine and a half oak wooded wand with Veela hair as the core and gave it to Harry to try. After he gave it a wave a bunch of wands started flying out of their boxes making Harry give a nervous gulp.
"Sorry." He apologized.
"That's alright, no matter. Let's try this one." Mr. Ollivander told him before handing him a different wand. This one was ten inches with vine for the wand wood and dragon heartstring for the core. After Harry gave this wand a try he wound up accidentally shattering what appeared to be a highly expensive vase.
"Well Mr. Snape, you seem to be a rather difficult customer." Mr. Ollivander began and that's when suddenly he stumbled upon another wand. "Hmm,.. I wonder." He said to himself as he found himself looking at another wand. This one was eleven inches and made out of a holly wood tree and a phoenix feather in its core.
As soon as Harry touched this wand red sparks shot out its tip. "Hmm,.. curious." Mr. Ollivander began. "Very curious."
"Sorry, but what's curious?" Harry questioned him.
"I've remembered every wand I ever sold Mr. Snape and the phoenix whose feather resides in your wand gave another feather, but just one other. It is curious that you shall be destined for this wand, when its brother gave you that scar." He explained while pointing to the lightning bolt shaped scar upon Harry's forehead making Harry gulp as he now understood who Mr. Ollivander was referring to,.. Voldemort.
