Chapter 4

From reading the Harry Potter books, I knew that Merlin was a famous and powerful wizard. Heck, even muggles who didn't read the Harry Potter books knew who he was. I stared at the wand. My wand. My destined wand. This was amazing! Me? I'd always dreamt I would go on an adventure or have something special happen, but I didn't think that it would be this big. Evil was after me? I was in danger at all times. Whoa!

Professor Rowling paid for my wand, looking and dazed as I felt. I think Mr. Olivanders sold it to me cheap. We walked out and Professor Rowling looked at her list.

"Well that's everything. Unless you want to buy an owl of course. It's probably a good idea. You certainly have enough money. You can always use the school owls but having your own owl is better. They're more attuned to you."

"Okay. Let's go get and owl." I whispered, still dazed. Professor Rowling sighed, took my hand, and started to drag me along. I snapped back to reality (which sounds weird enough since this is a HARRY POTTER PLACE) and struggled to get to my feet.

The owl shop, Eeylops Owl Emporium, was huge! It had so many owls that they were all a blur of feathers and beaks. I looked around the dim building. There were some stairs in the back corner to a second level. The professor was talking to someone so I quietly wandered around, looking at the owls, amazed. They flew around free and if you held you arm out, 5 of them would try to land on it at the same time. I was a petting a tawny brown one and decided to look at the second level to see if there were anymore owls. They tawny brown owl fluttered away as I ascended the steps.

Almost instantly the noise stopped. There was a young woman leaning over a work table. As she sat up, I saw the most magnificent owl of all. The lady saw me and quickly said, "You're not allowed up here! Go downstairs NOW!"

"Sorry." I apologized. "There wasn't a sign or anything. I thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong!" She snapped at me. Someone was sure cranky today. "Go back down!" She ordered.

"But that owl…"

"Now!" She pointed to the stairs. One glance at her stern eyes told me to give up. I started to walk down the stairs and the noise instantly returned. I cringed at the sudden volume. I heard something following me. I looked back. It was the magnificent owl. She landed on my shoulder.

"Mom!" The young lady cried, running down after it.

"This is your mom?" I asked in disbelief.

She nodded slowly. "She's an animagus. She got stuck in owl form."

I stared at her. People could get stuck in their animagus form. This owl was really that lady's mother.

Suddenly the owl slid into a human shape and grew to human size. It became a lady somewhere in her 60s.

Her jaw dropped. "But how…" She stammered. I was stuck. And neither of you were holding a wand. How'd I change back? I…" she spotted the wand in my pocket and gasped. "The wand of Merlin!"

As she said this, I saw Professor Rowling coming over.

"Ashley, let's get going. Have you chosen an owl yet?" she asked.

"This girl," The lady's mother started, "changed me back to my true form when I was stuck in my animagus shape. Without touching her wand!" The whole shop quieted down to watch.

"C'mon." Murmured Professor Rowling, pulling me outside as fast as she could.

"But what about an owl?" I asked.

"Use the school ones. Now put your hand in the pocket with the portkey. I put my hand in and instantly we were off. Seconds later my feet touched ground again. Professor Rowling led me to the Hospital Wing. "Get changed into your robes. The other students will be here soon. Pack up also." She said as if she had a major headache. "I need to speak to Dumbledore.