Chapter 2

An hour later, we had gotten my robes and were walking into Uncle George's shop, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. It was a lot larger than I remembered it, but I hadn't been there in couple of years. I walked ahead of Mother, her hand on my shoulder, and we filed past rows and rows of pranking material.

"George?" called my mother. She still had a slight French accent, so the G's were slurred.

"Back here!" called Uncle George, and we headed to the back room. "Hey, how's my Victa?" he asked when he saw us. Victa was what everybody called me, mostly because it was difficult to say my name correctly without the proper accent. Uncle George stood up and held out his hand for me to shake. I eyed it warily, because he used to love tricking me with his handshakes.

"Don't worry, no tricks, this time," Uncle George said with a smile. I smiled back and shook his hand. He turned to Mother and she embraced him and kissed him once on each cheek, making his single ear turn red (he'd lost the other in a battle before the Great Victory. He could have used one of his artificial ears that he produced, but he claimed that having only one ear made him look "dashing."). I suppressed a laugh.

"So, Victa, you're heading to Hogwarts, eh?" Uncle George asked. I nodded eagerly. "Yes, Angelica will be starting there in a couple years," he said, referring to his daughter. "Well, you'll be needing some of my wonderful supplies, I'm sure!" he spread his arms out in reference to his store.

"George," Mother warned. I laughed when Uncle George rolled his eyes and ignored her.

"I'll give you a few Skiving Snackboxes for your leisure, and maybe even a Pygmy Puff?"

Mother sent him a piercing look, which he carefully avoided, and I turned to her. "Please, Mother?" I asked, widening my big blue eyes. She looked back at me with a look that said, No, no, no, but I persisted. She sighed. "Alright. But no Pygmy Puff. I'm taking you to ze apothecary after zis."

I smiled and laughed when Uncle George exclaimed, "Brilliant!" and swept out of the room, his plum robes trailing behind him. Fifteen minutes later, I had a bagful of treats in my arms and a smile on my face, and we were heading out from Uncle George's shop. We walked toward the apothecary, where I would be allowed to pick out my first pet. After searching through many animals, I chose a golden owl. I named her Vanna, and bought her plenty of owl treats.

Throughout the rest of the day, we stopped at every place I needed to go to get my things. Mother even took me to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor for a dessert. The place was run by the original Florean Fortescue's grandson.

Now, it was time to go find my wand.

"Do we go to Ollivander's Mother?" I asked.

"No, my darling, we are going to a very special place to get your wand…" Mother said.

Before I could answer, Mother said, "Hold tight to me," and I was being squeezed again. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a whole new world! We were still in an alley, but the pathway was made of bricks and all the walls around us were clean and whitewashed.

"Welcome to France, ma chérie!" Mother cried, spreading out her arms. I gasped.

"Mother!" I cried.

"Come, follow me! The wand shop is zis way!" she said. She grasped my hand and led my along the alleyway. Before long, we entered a charming blue store that looked spotless.

"Madame Deveraux!" called Mother.

"I am 'ere!" called a woman as she bustled out of the back room. She was full-figured but seemed friendly. "Ah! Fleur Delacour! It 'as been too long!"

"Indeed, for I am no longer Fleur Delacour, but Fleur Weasley. And zis is my daughter, Victoire."

"My goodness! How charming!" cried Madame Deveraux. "I am assuming you need a wand?"

I nodded eagerly. "Merci-beaucoup!" I said.

"Lovely dear, I have just ze wand for you!" said Madame Deveraux exclaimed. She hurried into the back room and came out quickly again, carrying a wand box.

"Zis is 13 inches (exceptionally long for a wand), made of rosewood, like your muzzer's, and with a veela 'air core, as well. Try it!"

I took the wand and gave it a wave. The flowers in a vase nearby, which had been closed up, opened. I squealed.

"Brilliant!" Madame Deveraux cried, and Mother clapped her hands.

"How wonderful, darling!" she said. She gave me a hug as I cradled my new wand.

"Thank you, so much!" I said to Madame Deveraux, and she curtsied.

"My pleasure," she said.

By the time Mother Apparated us both back home, I was exhausted. I went up to my room, which had a lilac, floral pattern. I sprawled out on my soft, downy bed and let out a deep sigh. A few minutes later, my mother appeared in the doorway.

"Victoire, ma chérie," she said tenderly. "Are you tired?"

I looked up and nodded.

"Only one more week until you go to 'Ogwarts!" she exclaimed, and I nodded eagerly.

"I can't wait," I said.