It is a beautiful August morning, I was lying on my bed with the dappled sunlight pouring down on me, I am absently skimming a book in hand happily awaiting the days until autumn. I looked up as a quick knock fractured the quietness of the softly chirping birds and slow Sunday traffic, I wonder whether it is coming from my door. Deciding to check anyway I put my book down. Knock Knock, this time it is louder so I jump from my bed and swiftly move to the door a new spring in my foot. My hand turns the brass door knob and I am greeted with a man. I guess he is from Hogwarts judging by his almost flustered and out of place presence.

He is dressed in a black button up shirt, buttoned stiffly around his neck, and black pants. A mop of straight greasy black hair was planted on his pale head, he was young, but his sour expression caused lines around his mouth and forehead. Onyx eyes met onyx eyes, he sneered at me, this is surprising seeing as I have we have not exchanged a single word or know anything of each-other, well maybe he knows something about me but I can't think of anything that would make him hate me. I sharpened my stare into a glare and look away.

"I see you are not packed" he spat in a very sardonic tone. His sharp voice split the atmosphere, I feel a little confronted, but I wouldn't let him know.

"I haven't had any news for over six months, let alone a warning of your coming" I retorted.

At this his expression changed to something more dangerous, I do retreat this time and decide to obey. I reach under my bed and pull out a small blue drawstring bag. I stuff some jeans, skirts, shirts, socks, underwear and dresses in it. I also drop in some books, pens and paper though I don't think they will be very useful.

He looks back at me his figure is shadowed by the narrow shadow of the wall leaving him in darkness. He turns and leaves my room suddenly, so I follow not knowing what else to do. Professor McGonagall was strict and certainly not someone to cross, but this new man was mean, rude and mean. We walk straight past the office my matron stares at me as we leave the building. This is when he finally gives me some answers.

"My name is Professor Snape you will address me as that or sir, I will not tolerate insolence so if you do not want a years' worth of detention I suggest you mind your words, Miss Barrett" he threatened. It made me angry, I did not like this new professor and hoped I would not see much of him, but my curiosity was blaring so I put on my most innocent, polite voice.

"Please sir, where are we going?" I ask sounding very convincing. The hot sun was pounding down on us as we walked down the vacant streets.

"I will escort you to Diagon Alley, where one of my colleagues will take you" he replied in a voice of monotone with still enough coldness to make me feel uncomfortable.

We continue on a long way; Snape's strides are long, and I struggle to keep up finally we get to a small pub. Wedged between the shops and cafes of the street this pub looks mystic and out of place there is a sign over the door swaying and creaking in the wind it reads "The Leaky Cauldron". Snape enters the building, so I follow, the pubs occupants are strange and different, a man with long brown hair and beard looks at me over his glass and a woman with bright purple eyes winks at me. Then a balding man comes out from behind the counter, his eyes are bright unlike Snape's and the dirty tea towel around his waist makes him seem honest.

"Professor, I didn't know you took little uns' around" He says to Snape looking me up and down. "they're smaller every year."

"Circumstances prevented Minerva from collecting her Tom" he replied, then looked at me. "Yes, this one is particularly scrawny."

I narrow my eyes but say nothing.

"Well I hope you enjoy Hogwarts Miss, best days of my life they were" Tom said addressing me now.

"I will" I reply smiling and he smiles back.

"We will be going Miss Barrett, give your bag to Tom you will be staying here until the first of September" Snape sneered at me. I hand my light bag over to Tom who gives me a smile I return. I watch as Snape leaves through the back door.

"Move Barrett!" Snape snapped.

Snape is facing a brick wall with a black stick in his hand which I suppose is his wand, he taps it on a few specific bricks before the walls folds away before my eyes to reveal a beautiful, bustling alley. Snape walks on through the large groups of children, adults and creatures, most of the adults are wearing long cloaks of vibrant colours except for Snape a long flowing black cloak had emerged from his back. The street is lined with small shops with interesting items for sale such as cauldrons, brooms and wands.

"Barrett! Use your eyes!" Snape said grimacing down at me. I realise I have indeed not noticed that Snape has stopped a few steps behind me.

Snape was talking to a man, he was huge, twice my height casting a shadow over me he had a jolly expression though half obscured by his beard, his beetle eyes are shining.

"Halo Veda, my names Rubeus Hagrid though Hagrid 'ill do I'll be takin' yer round diagon alley ter get yer school stuff" Hagrid said looking down at me through his bushy beard, I smile slightly at him still comprehending his size.

Snape turned and left his black cloak billowing behind him, shoppers moving aside he seems to be a constant magnet repelling passers.

"Now we've got a lot ter buy, I guess we can start at flourish and blots ter get yer books and things" Hagrid said cheerfully.

"Hagrid, I don't have any money" I tell him.

"What- oh not ter worry professor McGonagall gave me a couple galleons"

"Galleons?'

"Of course, yer muggle-born don' worry you'll know everythin' soon enough, galleons are wizard money, there's knuts, sickles and galleons." Hagrid explained handing me the coins.

We continue walking and bewildered by my surroundings and of course excited for Hogwarts, then I remember Snape, I really hope he isn't one of my teachers.

"Hagrid, Professor Snape, does he hate everybody because he definitely hates me, and will I have him at school?" I ask.

"I'm sure Snape doesn't hate yer, you've done nothin' wrong he's like that with everyone. He teaches potions so yer will have 'im" Hagrid replied, I sighed I really underestimated how spiteful he could be when I first met him I think to myself, backtalking! I've got too much pride.

We continue down the bright streets of Diagon Alley until we reach a shop named Flourish and Blots.

"Yer have your book list, I'll be out here, I don' really fit inside the shop lots of books waitin' to be knocked over" Hagrid says.

"Okay" I give a small smile.

I push open the door and step inside a small bell tinkering around my ears. The book shop is beautiful two stories of old and new books the smell of parchments fills me, I can see what Hagrid is talking about knocking things over as there are stacks of precariously stacked books everywhere even in the middle of the shop, a man in a pointed hat and red robes approaches me.

"Are you going to Hogwarts?" he asks me.

"Yes, first year I need a history of magic, standard boo-" I start but he is already behind the counter. He comes back a moment later holding an array of different books.

"I also need a quill and ink as well as parchment" I tell him. He ushers me over to a corner of the shop with an assortment of different writing accessories.

"these ones" he points to a box with different sized quills "are our finest Peacock feathered quills, or if you'd like a cheaper alternative ravens do the job nicely."

The man recommends at least seven quills, so I choose the raven feathered ones I also pick up two bottles of ink and a lot of parchment.

"One galleon, 12 sickles and 4 knuts" He says. I look inside my purse and realise I don't know which coins are which, so I give the man my purse hoping he is honest, he pulls out one gold coin, twelve silver coins and four small bronze coins.

"Thank you" I murmured as I struggled through the door with my hands full of heavy books. Hagrid is waiting outside holding two dripping ice-creams.

"Thought this might help with the heat" Hagrid says handing me the large sundae.

"Thanks" I lick the ice-cream joyously "Milk and biscuits, quite delicious actually." Hagrid laughed, he really did have a jolly face, I'm glad some teachers aren't stern like McGonagall or downright mean like Snape.

"Do you teach a subject Hagrid?"

"No, no not me I don't have a perfect record yer see I was expelled in my third year" Hagrid replied.

"What happens if you do get expelled, are there others school where you can go"

"No! if yer get expelled they snap your wand in half they do, you'll never do magic again, that's it may as well make yourself useful as a muggle" Hagrid tells me angrily.

We didn't talk for I while, I wasn't angry just lacking something to say, they silence grew contagious and we didn't speak until we got to a crooked shop in the quieter part of the street.

"look sorry Veda, I just made mistakes when I was young, and I don't want anyone to end up like me"

"I was insensitive I'm fine, sorry" I tell him.

"Well I guess it's time ter get yer wand, I'll wait outside its rather personal" Hagrid pointed at the building in front of us.

"Ollivanders makers of fine wands since 382bc" I read.

A man greets me at the door and ushers me inside.

"Ah Miss Barrett, I remember every wand I ever sold to your family, some turned out better than others" the man said.

"But I'm muggle born Mister-" I say tempting him to give me his name.

"Ollivander, I have been around a long time and you certainly have magical blood and powerful blood at that"

He comes over to me with a tape measurer and notepad, he measures my finger tip to elbow then earlobe to waist obviously rather intrigued.

"black eyes" muttered Mr Ollivander "And white hair, very unusual"

"You are pretty, but your eyes show a past not even you remember" He twitters not really talking to me. I look at him intently curious at how this has to do with my wand. Ollivander has left me standing, his hand running along stacks of rectangular boxes, he pulls a couple out and brings them to his desk.

"I am sure you are destined for a phoenix feather but a dragon heartstring may treat you well, a unicorn hair is useful for main schemes but may go to waste on you. My wands can sense a thirst for success but much more a companion to do it with" He stares at me again. "Elm, Phoenix feather, 10 inches and supple" he hands it to my rigid hand "Give it a wave."

I swing the wand and all the papers on Mr Ollivanders desk fly up in a flurry and come done shredded.

"This wand hates you, it is unclear why there's something about you it doesn't accept" he says handing me another wand "Walnut, Pliant with a phoenix feather core 8 and ¼ inches"

I swing this one and the wand spirts flames everywhere before cracking longways.

"I'm really sorry! I'll pay for it as well" I stammer.

"No need" he hands me another one, similar mishaps continue to occur until Ollivander starts on the dragon heartstring and unicorn hair cores.

"You are destined for great things and maybe it's time to bring out something I was keeping for special circumstances" He walks passed the aisle of wands and up the step stairs at the back of the shop, he comes back with a black box the shape of a coil.

"This was a present from a good friend of mine Gregorovitch, as a friend and fellow wandmaker I helped him in a very difficult time when they were rounding up you know who's followers. He was working for him under the imperius curse, I shed my blood, sweat and tears to get him released from Azkaban, you had no idea who to trust a couple years ago and obviously anybody could claim they were under the imperius curse for some had nobody to fight for truth others like my friend had a couple he had only one therefore I had a choice between what is right and what is easy" He looks down at the caramel coloured wand in his hand. "he promised me the most powerful wand he could craft, this is the result, of course I had no use for it, the wand choses the wizard Miss Barrett" he looks me up and down.

"And I think this might be yours, Cyprus wood with a thestral hair core, that is not one I stock nor Gregorovitch, deemed a little dangerous. Too many people with a thestral hair wand would lead to disaster. 13 and ¾ inches swishy."

I grasp the wand and feel a tingle through my body, I flick it slightly and the room lights up with blinding golden light every bit of furniture levitates an inch from the floor, so I flick it again and the furniture is back on the floor.

As quickly as I had my wand it is snatched away by Mr Ollivander.

"This wand has chosen you, Miss Barrett it has accepted you" Ollivander says, staring at me his face contorting "You must understand the power in this wand, power many dream to possess, you must not abuse this power, or you will hurt yourself and others, keep your mind unmoved and your thoughts pure and this wand will lead you to greatness"

I pay for my wand and turn to leave when Mr Ollivander calls.

"Don't be tempted by empty promises of power, the greatest power is love and you can find that in everyone but not by yourself."

"I won't be" I say before opening the door "I promise."

Hagrid was waiting outside the shop with a couple of bags at his feet, He stood up as he saw me.

"Blimey Veda, yer took yer time I guess wands can be pickier than humans sometimes', I just went next door to get some slug pellets" Hagrid said.

"Hagrid, I have a question"

"Ask away can't promise I can answer anythin' though"

"Mr Ollivander said something about someone called you know who, and I don't know who, do you know who he means." I ask innocently though my words are long and dragged out almost testing him.

"Yer don' know about you know who" He asks bewildered.

"I don't know who" I ask getting raged.

"Don't loose yer head, you know who-" I glare at him my black eyes blazing "Voldemort his name was Voldemort, we do not speak 'is name most are still afraid' though no uns' seen him for a year"

"But why are people so afraid of Voldemort" I ask.

"Shh, some wizards go bad and he went as bad as yer could go. He had power, he gathered followers, and no-one survived when he decided to kill em'. Well so we thought until young Harry Potter, a little under a year ago he set out to kill Harry, both 'is parents we killed with a flick of his wand he tried to kill Harry too but the curse rebounded onto him. Nobody has seen Voldemort since, his followers have mostly been imprisoned and the world has moved on from those dark times."

"So if Voldemort is dead why are people still so scared of him"

"Not dead, I believe he's still out there too weak to carry on, waitin', there's not enough human in 'im to die" Hagrid replied.

"Why didn't anyone stop him, I mean couldn't the police have a man hunt or something, not everyone could be a follower and we have magic how hard could it be" I say hastily, one man couldn't get away with so much without being caught. Hagrid turns to look at me.

"They had magic too yer know, look here, you have hav' no idea how bad thins were" Hagrid bellowed "we were scared if anyone stood up to him he'd come for our families, he'd torture us."

"There must have been someone out there who wasn't scared, somebody willing to risk being tortured or killed, for the greater good"

"A lot of us did fight and died and some of the best of us died, it was a war good against evil"

"Did you fight, I would've"

Hagrid turns away from me sharply and walks ahead. It seems that I've touched a nerve, wizards think differently, more like me. First Snape and now Hagrid I'll have to back down a bit.

We walked in silence for a little while, Hagrid lead me to shops where I bought potions supplies, cauldrons and even a telescope. I then got my school robes from Madam Malkin's with matching pointed hats.

We got back to the leaky cauldron after what seemed like an eternity, my cheeks red from the sun and my hair pulling from its pony tail. School starts in a few days and I couldn't be more excited, but I knew it would not be enjoyable if I had no friends, I'll be kind and friendly and try not to test peoples temper or nerve.

"I honestly don't know what to say to you Veda, I can't tell what your intentions are but I hope you choose the right path I've seen kids like you change and I've warned you friends are not worth sacrificing for power" That message Hagrid gave me was deep and similar to Ollivanders. I will be good at school, I will keep my friends, if I find any, at topmost priority. I certainly won't be manipulated by power and I will stay strong, I want to tell him all this, but it doesn't come out as that, all is say is-

"Trust me"