Review please. Winds of encouragement sailing through the medow of my thoughts.
Chapter Three
Diagon Ally
Draco Malfoy was getting impatient with the witch who was taking an extraordinary long time pinning up his robes to the correct length when he heard the bell chime, signaling that new customers had entered Madam Malkin's shop. 'Oh good, I hope father or mother has returned to keep me company' he thought. But it wasn't either of his parents; it was two other boys close to his own age. Both had black hair, but one's was more of a messy mop while the other's was shoulder length and wavier. The slightly taller boy, who was still shorter than Draco himself, had green eyes and glasses and looked incredibly nervous, while the shorter had crystal blue and almost radiated confidence. 'Well at least it's some people to talk to' Draco thought eyeing the seamstress as she led the taller boy onto a stool next to him. The shorter boy stayed close by and eyed Draco for a moment, before turning back to his friend.
"Hello," Draco finally said, "Hogwarts, too?
"Indeed." The shorter boy answered giving Draco a small nod, the other boy, prevented from looking at Draco properly by Madam Malkin, and simply craned his neck to try as far as she would allow, getting a look at Draco.
"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," Draco said tiredly. "Then I'm going to drag them off to take a look at racing brooms. I still don't see why first years can't bring theirs. I think I'll try and bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." Neither boy reacted much to that so Draco continued on "Have either of you got your own brooms?"
"I did at one point," the shorter boy commented absently, "But it was a long time ago and I got to busy to replace it when it wore out." Meanwhile the taller boy on the stool just stood quietly. Draco decided to press the smaller boy instead.
"Played Quidditch at all when you had it?"
"Not really," the boy responded, "didn't really have enough friends to play it properly with," nodding knowingly at the other boy; he continued "Harry here was really my only friend for a while now, isn't that right Harry?" Draco could tell the boy was trying to include his friend, but seeing how the boy didn't seem to want to respond, Draco continued to ignore him.
"Well, I do, Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house team, and I must say I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"
"Quite cocky in your abilities aren't you?" the other boy countered grinning at Draco, "Actually I have a pretty good idea what house I'll be in. But I think I'll wait for the hat to decide before I shoot down its suggestion, it's only fair, don't you think?" both Draco and the other boy snorted at that.
Draco was starting to like this boy quite a bit, his quiet friend, he wasn't sure about, but he decided he would wait before passing judgment, for now. "Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they," he grunted, "But I know I'll be in Slytherin, all my family has been, imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
"Would depend I guess, although I doubt either of us will go into Hufflepuff. Were both far too intelligent and cunning to be sorted in with that lot I believe." The boy said lazily. The taller boy, Harry, kept stealing glances between his friend and Draco, and Draco thought he could see a bit of confusion mixed with the nervous fear the boy was displaying.
Draco thought it might be time to bring the conversation to more recent topics. "So, are you two here with anybody?"
"No" the shorter boy responded "Just us two."
"Why is that?" Draco asked almost genuinely concerned. It wasn't that usual for underage wizards or witches to go anywhere without a parent or guardian around. "Don't your parents care that you're here alone?"
The shorter boy glanced nervously at Harry, and then recovered quickly. "Our parents are dead," he said quietly.
"Faykan…" Harry started but Draco accidentally cut him off. "Oh I'm sorry to hear that." He said as sincerely as he could. Faykan gave him a small smile. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"
Faykan stiffened immediately, "Yes, they were." He said shortly.
Before Draco could continue with his thoughts, Madam Malkin said to Harry with a smile, "Your done dear, you can wait right there while I measure up your friend."
As the two boys switched Draco got a good look at the boy called Harry. He looked thin, and the clothes he was wearing appeared to be at least four sizes too large for him. But before he could say anything, Faykan continued the conversation where it left off.
"Why did you ask us if our parents were wizarding kind, seems a very rude thing to say."
Draco was taken aback slightly; clearly this boy had a spine larger than his body. However seeing how it didn't affect either of the brothers, he assumed they might be brothers, he answered truthfully:
"I just don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same; they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families... What's your surname, anyway?"
The shorter boy frowned, but appeared to be pondering how he was going to answer. A moment later he responded, "Well, to answer your questions in order asked: yes, I do think they should let the 'other' sort in, if what you mean are half bloods and muggleborns, yes, I think their just the same, yes, I can imagine that they could never have heard of Hogwarts, no, I don't think we should only let the 'pureblood' families be the only ones with magical learning since they're slowly dying out. And finally…" he paused and looked at Harry, seeking permission. Harry shrugged not seeing how it could hurt, and Faykan continued, "I am Faykan Undol 'the eighth', and he, is Harry Potter, Ouch!" he said jumping as a shocked Madam Malkin accidentally jabbed him with a needle.
Draco was thunderstruck, not only did this boy think all his pureblood ideals were rubbish, but he WAS a pureblood, and his friend, his FRIEND was HARY POTTER!
"You're Harry Potter!" Draco said, turning to look at the other boy, jaw hanging a foot off the floor.
"Yes." Harry replied coolly.
"And," Faykan added, "Harry here has grown up with muggles for the last ten years, so what do you say to that Mr. I'm-A-Pure-Blood-Elitist-Prat!"
Horrified, Draco started to backpedal like made "Well… Um… I…" he stammered not finding anything he could say that could alleviate the situation.
"It's alright," Faykan said finally. "Firstly you didn't know, and secondly it won't matter, since Harry and I will more than likely be in Gryffindor like his parents."
With that Faykan hopped off the stool, as Madam Malkin had finished with him as well, and the two boys made their way to leave, after paying for their robes, which were to be owled to Mrs. Figg's house in Little Whinging.
"Wait, please!" Draco called out after them, but Faykan only sternly replied. "See you at Hogwarts, I suppose." And he walked off.
Draco scowled, angry at himself for messing up so badly. 'Damn it,' he thought.
~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~
Harry was really quiet after the whole 'Malkin' event, as Faykan deemed it, as he was still rubbing the spot where she had accidently stabbed him. He spent a good half hour explaining everything that was talked about inside the store, from Quidditch, which Harry learned was a game played on broomsticks, to Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff, which were three of the four houses at Hogwarts.
After meeting the pale pointed faced boy, Harry decided he didn't like him a whole lot, but Faykan said not to judge him too harshly, as purebloods unfortunately tended to teach their children to be a bit stuck up and rude.
Afterward, they went to a bookshop called Flourish and Blotts and bought all their required books for the year. Faykan literally had to drag Harry away from some of the more advanced spell books, saying he wasn't even close to ready to touch, let alone read those books. The two friends then bought their cauldrons and potion supplies, visited the Apothecary for the ingredients they would need. Then finally, the two boys wandered over toward the last shop they needed anything from, Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.. Before they went in, Harry felt the familiar tug on his wrist as Faykan dragged him back to a dark shop that said on a sign over it 'Eeylops Owl Emporium'.
"Why are we going in here Faykan?" Harry asked, as the list said pets were only optional.
"We're going to go get you your birthday present, of course!" Faykan said excitedly. He pushed Harry inside and basically ordered him to choose an owl for his gift. Harry, slightly embarrassed, eyed a beautiful snowy owl resting peacefully with its head under its wing. Faykan noticed Harry's looks of wonder as he watched the white bird sleep and poked him in the ribs.
"Is that the one you want Harry?" he quested. Harry wanted to say yes so badly, but he didn't want to make Faykan pay too much just for a simple pet. But, before he could tear his eyes away, Faykan reached over and picked up the cage, carrying it to the front desk and purchased the bird for him. As they left Harry could only stammer his thanks until Faykan stopped him by placing a hand over his mouth.
"Enough Harry, I was more than happy to buy her for you. You're my best friend and I NEVER; want you to think you aren't worth any material possession, provided it's within reasonably limits of one thousand galleons or less." He said with a chuckle.
As they entered Ollivanders, the two boys heard the tinkling of a bell ring somewhere in the back of the store, and for a moment or two the milled about in the front, neither wanting to really sit on the spindly chair nearby, as it looked really old and fragile. They were both so in awe of the pure sensation of magic around where there were that they didn't notice an old man walk up to the other side of the counter until he cleared his voice, making them jump slightly.
"Good afternoon," he said in a soft voice.
"Hello," said Harry, who was closer to the man.
"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."
Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. 'Those silvery eyes are a bit creepy' Harry thought. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand, eleven inches, pliable, a little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it but it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."
Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. "And that's where..."
Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.
"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly.
"Thirteen and a half inches, yew, powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."
He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Faykan.
"I'm sorry dear boy, but I'm afraid I don't know who you are." Mr. Ollivander said greatly troubled, "Who are your parents?"
Clearing his throat, Faykan said "They were Lord Faykan Undol the seventh and Lady Tari, sir."
Mr. Ollivander stared at Faykan in the eye for a moment, and then rocked back on his heels slightly, shaking his head. "Hmm, I don't believe your family has ever bought their wands from me before. However, I'll never turn down new business." He said smiling slightly
"Well, now, Mr. Potter, Mr. Undol. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which are your wand arms?"
"Err, well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.
"Left…" Faykan said confidently.
"Hold out your arms. That's it." He measured both Harry and Faykan from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We mainly use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons, but we have other, rarer cores. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."
After he measured them in every conceivable way, he finally bustled into the back of his shop, pulling down many different long thin boxes. When he had gathered two or three full armloads onto the front desk, he started opening them one by one and handing the wands to either boy as he rattled off the wood, length and core of each wand. What felt like an hour later, Faykan finally had a wand that Mr. Ollivander seemed satisfied with, 'Elm and giant eagle feather, eleven inches, rather rigid, good for defensive magic' he had said. When Faykan waved it as instructed by Mr. Ollivander, a shower of blue, green, and silver sparks came cascading out of the end. Harry on the other hand, took considerably longer, until, muttering about tricky customers; Mr. Ollivander pulled out a dusty box out of the very back of the store, and walked around to stand next to Harry. Pulling out the wand he handed it gingerly to Harry.
Harry took the wand. He felt sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.
Faykan whooped in delight and Mr. Ollivander said "Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"
When Harry had asked him what he meant by 'curious' and Mr. Ollivander explained that he could remember every single wand he ever sold, and that the phoenix feather core of Harry's new wand was a brother to the wand that gave him his scar. Since Faykan had already explained about how Harry had received that scar, he couldn't help himself when he muttered "Voldemort."
"We do not speak his name." Mr. Ollivander said (at that Faykan scoffed loudly but Mr. Ollivander ignored it) and he explained that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had done great things, terrible, but great and that he expected Harry to also be destined for great things.
Harry was quiet for the entire trip back to Mrs. Figg's house in Little Whinging. Faykan didn't disturb him, seeming to know that Harry wanted time to mull over the days events. As Harry climbed into the second guest room's bed at the Figg residence he couldn't help but wonder why everyone seemed to be afraid of Voldemort's name, except for Faykan of course. He was just thinking about how brave people must view Faykan to be to say the name no one else would when he drifted off to sleep.