Chapter 8:
"What happened to him Sirius?" Tonks asked nervously as she continued to pinch the cheeks of a dazed Harry, "Did he hit his head on a bad curse?"
"I don't know how to describe what happened," Sirius said with a shrug as he ordered a triple scoop chocolate ice-cream from Florean's and began counting his fingers, "First, we went shopping for a wand, second, Harry got his wrist slit, third, he had his blood sucked, and fourth, he was snogged senseless by a bloody vampire. I believe that was his first too from his reaction."
"HE WAS WHAT?" Tonks screamed as she began to strangle Harry, who did not react, "I trusted him with you for only two hours and you got him raped?"
"Hey, it wasn't my fault! The woman jumped on him before I had the time to react… Well and then I was stunned for a few minutes before I could do anything. And I am the guardian here! Only I get to trust Harry with other people!"
"Well you are a bloody awful guardian!" Tonks screamed while stomping her feet childishly, but her expression betrayed her amusement of the current predicament, "All his first times were supposed to be with me! Come on Harry! We are gonna rent a room, and I will take all your other first times!"
"Whaa?" Harry blurted as he resisted Tonks' death grip, "Where are we? Where did Selene go?"
"Harry, pup," Sirius said barely holding back his laughter, "We left that place half an hour ago. We even picked up the robes we ordered after we left. Don't you remember?"
Harry blushed at the comment and shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"Now you are safe in my arms," Tonks cried dramatically, catching the attention of everyone in the ice-cream parlour, "I won't let that wicked woman have her nasty way with you anymore!"
"Umm, I don't think that would be necessary," Harry murmured, "I'm never going back there… never… But I still need a wand."
"That's easy!" Tonks giggled as she dragged Harry out the shop, "Ollivander makes the best wands in Britain! I dunno why that mad dog took you to some pitiful shop with a crazy vampire."
"Wait!" Sirius screamed from within Florean's. "I still haven't paid for my ice cream!"
"We'll meet you back here in an hour or two!" Tonks screamed back as she continued away from the shop, "If not, then don't wait up!"
Turning her attention to Harry, she caught his arm and held him tightly by her side as she half dragged him to the front of the musty old wand shop.
"Get in there, Harry," Tonks nudged as her gaze fixated on her feet which fiddled aimlessly, "Ollivander will get you a wand."
"You're not coming?" Harry asked, appearing mostly recovered from his previous shock.
"Ugh… the guy gives me the creeps," Tonks answered with a blush, "I kinda had an incident in his shop… but that's unimportant! I will meet you out here when you finish, and try not to take too long!"
Harry sighed and shook his head at her antics. Not allowing her words to get to him, he quickly hopped into the shop, but found that he had to agree a bit with the girl. The shop was a mess. Each step Harry took was carefully maneuvered so that he didn't step on wand, paper or… things that were best left undescribed. Arriving at the counter, Harry heard the rustling of boxes and the quick footsteps coming from deeper within the shop.
"Harry Potter at last!" the ruffled haired old man who reminded Harry of Einstein said as he stepped behind the counter, "I would have certainly bet that you would go to Selene! And, by the state of your wrist, I see that you have!"
"How did you... And you must be…" Harry left his question hanging. He was surprised to find that like Selene, the old man already knew he would arrive.
"Where are my manners," the old man said with a frown, "I am Garrick, Garrick Ollivander, or so I think…"
That last statement slightly uneased the already distraught boy. There was something in his voice which gave an impression of great age.
"Or so you think?"
"Names are beside the point. Call me Al for all I care."
"That's… very nice?" Harry answered, unsure of the proper response to such a statement.
"People come and go," Ollivander said with sudden solemnness, "They ask for wands but nothing more. Spoken names are only titles, but magic and spirit are what makes a person unique. When you truly begin to understand, that is when you realize you understand nothing at all. Sometimes the simplest of things have the most complex stories behind them. I infer that Selene must have mentioned she could not create nor does she possess a wand suitable for you?"
Harry nodded, slightly concerned at the sudden change of his attitude and speech.
"I am sorry to inform you that I too do not have a suitable wand for you," Ollivander said with a small grin.
"How would you know?" Harry inquired in slight desperation, "Surely the two of you can't tell simply from appearance that if there or if there is not a wand suitable for me. I see that almost everyone in the alley possesses a wand, so finding a wand for a person should not be so difficult."
"You are edging close to the truth, but still your knowledge has yet to grow. If all that you seek is a wand, then choose any of the ones I have in this shop and I will gladly sell it to you."
"But there is no bond," Harry sighed in defeat.
"The wand chooses the wizard," Ollivander nodded, "You will understand one day. A wand is not just a vessel for the application of magic, it is also what shapes your core; it is a mentor, to state simply."
"And why am I an exception? I do not get to perform magic just because I can't find this 'mentor'?"
"How can a student teach the master?" Ollivander whispered.
"I don't understand…"
"Nor should you" the old man interrupted sharply, "It is not yet your time. But all will be clear soon enough – sooner than we might hope."
"Do all of you speak so cryptically?" Harry asked in annoyance. The old man gave him many things to ponder, and a great deal more to understand.
"Only the ones who know what they are actually saying," laughed Ollivander, "Or the crazies. To explain plainly, wand makers must be able to see magic as though it has substance. That is the only way for us to bind magically powerful conductors into stationary vessels. Each wand has a potential, and it will be filled by the wielder. But when a wand has too much potential or a wielder too much power, then the incompatibility occurs. This is an oversimplification, but the general abstract is true."
"So, because… I have too much power – which I truly doubt – I cannot utilize, no, bond with a wand?" Harry pressed.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you cannot perform magic," Ollivander said with a smile, "The golden age of magic was when no vessels were exploited, and true magic based on pure intent was performed. The path will be paved in hardships, but if you stay true, you will not come to regret it."
"The wand is merely a tool?" Harry asked, "You make it sound as though a focal point for magic, a template with restricted functions."
"You are very wise," Ollivander said with a sad smiled, one full of indecipherable nostalgia. "To the majority, the wand is their best ally, but to a select few, a wand will only be a hindrance from true greatness."
"And you believe I'm in the select-few category?" harry scoffed in disbelief.
"I don't just believe, I know," Ollivander stated sternly, "Although no wand will be able to assist you in advancing your magic, there are still vessels you can use to ease the flow of your magic, but they are unfortunately very rare."
"I understand," Harry nodded, "Thank you for your time and for the... enlightenment."
As Harry was about to leave, Ollivander reached beneath the counter and pulled out an old and dusty leather case.
"Before you leave, master Potter," Ollivander said with hesitation, "Could you please satisfy an old man's curiosity?"
Harry considered for a moment before responding, but he relented with a nod.
"As long as its within my abilities."
Ollivander's eyes shined brightly at the response and eagerly, but carefully, lifted the lid of the case, revealing a thin white wand, unnaturally perfect, which looked more like smoothed white marble. It had no design, for it was a simple white rod with rounded tips, uniform in diameter, but even with its minimalistic nature, a primal power radiated from within.
"Would you please," Ollivander unflinchingly stared at the boy like so many other customers before him, "Give this a gentle wave?"
Although slightly cautious, Harry had not yet truly held a wand. His curiosity and fascination urged him to grasp it within his hands. Harry ran a finger down the cold, smooth surface of the wand. A gentle numbness, like light stings from an electric current, travelled up his arm and sent shivers down his spine. Slowly, he dug four fingers under the wand and lifted it from its confines. As he fully wrapped his hand around the powerful object firmly and waved it in a fluid circular motion, a sudden surge of energy sparked through his body bouncing from nerve to nerve. Instantly blinded by a white flash in his eyes, Harry's vision blurred as he swayed for balance. His ears were slammed with a fusion of melodies; some where unnaturally foreign, unearthly sounds which were never meant to be, and others, sounds distant and distorted, could barely be distinguished.
"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy... Not Harry!Not Harry! Please — I'll do anything..."
"Master Harry… can you hear me…"
"Why… Don't you understand! It was for you! It was always you…"
"You better put the wand down now…"
"Is this your answer… No… I do not… want your apologies! Let… this severe our bond… I care not about the pain you foolish woman! My arm… Ha, how poetic…"
"You need to let go!"
"It's bound… The magic… Flowing fierce like a river… Now unstoppable…"
A sudden jolt of coldness spread across Harry's body as he felt the object leave his hands. His mind instantly cleared and the dizziness saturated. Harry numbly flexed the fingers which had just grasped the wand. Looking at Ollivander, the boy saw a quick closing of the box lid and the powerful artifact shielded from view.
"What was that?" Harry whispered, trying to make sense of the voices.
"What did you feel?" Ollivander asked urgently.
Harry paused and evaluated what had just happened before responding. His reaction to this wand was atypical, or else Ollivander would not have insisted upon this experimentation, and the voices must hold unimaginable importance: importance he did not yet understand, therefore they must remain secrets that were not divulged.
"I felt a gently warmth," Harry began, but quickly realizing it was the wrong answer based on the look of disbelief spread across the face of the old man, "And then a jolt, a cold sensation, spread over me."
"Anything else?" Ollivander pressed, leaning uncomfortably closer to Harry, "Any sounds, visions or… voices?"
"None of that," Harry replied quicker than he would have liked, "Well maybe some strange sounds, but nothing distinguishable. I should really get going. Its getting late."
"Yes… yes…" The wand-maker muttered nonchalantly as he waved his arm, "Strange… very strange indeed…"
Seeing the sign of dismissal, Harry gladly took the cue and stormed out of the shop. Upon exiting the doors, Harry turned to the corner, away from the shop windows, and slid onto the ground, panting heavily for breath.
"Harry!" Tonks cried in concern as she knelt before the boy, "What's wrong? Did your wand make such a big reaction? Its normal… don't worry."
"No, Tonks, its not normal," Harry said bitterly, "I didn't get a wand."
"Oh… wait… what?" The red-haired girl asked as she helped Harry back to his feet.
"Its something complicated about how my magic and something are incompatible," Harry lied, "I'm not so sure myself. I'll be able to use wands and all, but he said that it would be detrimental if I do."
"How is using a wand detrimental?" Tonks said in exasperation, "You can't direct and manipulate magic without it! Only the most powerful wizards can use wandless magic, but even they require loads of experience and practice."
Harry shrugged but offered no immediate response. Though he would not admit it, he had a childish sense of anticipation to owning a wand, and now that anticipation was replaced by bitterness.
From the day's encounters, too many incidences now seemed more than mere coincidences to him, and he was not ready to tell these thoughts to Tonks. "Let's worry about all that stuff later. Now fulfill your job as my wizarding world guide and show me the rest of Diagon Alley!"
"Yes sir!" Tonks smirked with a mock salute and hooked her arm around Harry's. She could sense the unease and sullen mood of the boy, so she thought of the only thing that would cheer him up. Little did Harry know that he was about to return to Gringott's to refill his money bottomless pouch, and will be returning more times than he could count on his fingers.
Note and Spoilers:
Thanks for the reviews and continue to do so if you like or dislike something. I do not get offended easily so feel free to type your mind away.
Just limit the swearing plz (every time I read written profanity I always imagine a very hairy gorilla throwing poop at the screen - not a pretty sight)
Concerning Sirius and Spoilers: I believe I might not have done him justice. To me, this version of Sirius is very complex. Currently, his Psyche is reverted to one of a childish and carefree nature. His backstory was not explored since no character would logically bring it up. He was released early from Azkaban, thus he never had the outlet/ goal to vent his delirium and hate due to his being unaware of Peter's survival. The only method he could deploy to protect himself from his suffering is by becoming the childish version of himself before all the negative events occured. He does not appear at all bothered by the death of his friends and his time in Azkaban due to his selecting to omit those memories. This constant state of ignorance and childishness juxstaposes the constant state of anguish he had experienced in Azkaban. His character will progress a lot as the plot moves on, and I have big plans for Sirius. Please be patient.
Concerning Selene and Spoilers: I really like her and the plans I have for her. I would not have introduced a new character if I do not believe that her creation is essential. I need her limitless potential and history, aspects which are unhindered by the fleeting nature of a regular human life or the confines of a predetermined template. I don't plan overly sexualizing her beyond this point, and the role she will serve goes beyond a simple romantic relationship.
I apologize in advance for any mistakes. I forgot my laptop at home and now I'm half a globe away from the safety of my computer. Phone typing is not fun.
