Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Title: The Poet's Wish

Author: ReadingRed

Beta: DukeBrymin

Chapter Ten: The Wands

Harry, Ginny, Teddy, and Finley entered Ollivander's wand shop. The shadowy interior put all four on edge. Harry felt vulnerable without his wand and he was sure Ginny felt the same. The sooner they got their wands back the better. Ollivander slipped behind the counter from who knows where. Harry always hated the man's mannerisms, why did a shop keeper have to be so creepy?

"Well, well, well. I can honestly say I have never encountered this situation before. I know that you are indeed Harry Potter, although I have no idea how you've come to be so old. I was not expecting you for another few years and even then you should've been a child. And you, Ginny Weasley… no not Weasley… Potter, Ginny Potter. Unexpected to say the least. And as for the young ones… I'm at a loss, I do not recognize them from any of the families I'm familiar with." Ollivander paused and looked intently down at Teddy and Finley. Switching his gaze from the boys to Harry he asked, "Magical adoption or are they from abroad?"

Both Harry and Ginny were taken aback by the older man's question. He took their silence as an answer in itself.

"I see. Well, no matter. I assume you are here for wands? It isn't often children their ages are brought in to purchase wands. But let's get started, shall we?" Ollivander didn't wait for an answer. He turned and disappeared in the rows and rows of wands.

Finley and Teddy looked up at Harry and arched their left eyebrows in an identical manner. Harry laughed; they looked so much like Ginny when they did that.

Before Harry could say anything Ollivander returned with an armful of wand boxes. He set them gently on the counter and motioned Teddy to come forward.

"Youngest first, please" he said.

Teddy went up to the counter without fear. He reached out and took the wand from Ollivander, with a flick his wrist the wood paneling flew off the wall.

Ollivander yanked the wand out of Teddy's hand, saying "No, no, not it at all". He handed another wand to Teddy and again Teddy flicked the wand, this time it wasn't the walls that were damaged, it was the ceiling. Cracks appeared, spider-webbing their way across the room. Harry waved his hand and repaired the ceiling. He hated to use wandless magic in front of Ollivander, but he saw no other choice. Ollivander merely raised his eyebrows and went back to finding Teddy a wand.

Finally after six more wands they found the one that was meant for the little boy.

"Ash, 9 5/8 inches, dragon heartstring, pleasantly springy, good for transfiguration. A nice wand if I do say so myself."

Teddy seemed happy to have a wand back in his hand, even if it wasn't the one he was used to.

Harry wasn't surprised that a different wand had chosen Teddy this time, after all, Teddy was a different child.

By adopting Finley they had all merged in a sense, it was the same reason why their appearances had changed. When a magical adoption takes place everyone in the family shares their DNA, not just the parents sharing DNA with their new child.

The magic involved chooses who receives which traits and it always makes sure to keep the people in their correct positions. Parents never become siblings and children never become parents genetically.

While Harry didn't completely understand how the spell works, he did know that people didn't leave the same as they were before they spell.

Next Ollivander called Finley before him. Harry held his breath; he knew Finley would receive the Holly wand, and yet he couldn't stop himself from wishing it would end differently. He wished that the little boy would not have to carry that burden. It was more than any child should have to cope with.

"Sir, would you mind letting him try the 11-inch holly wand with the phoenix feather core. I have a feeling that it might choose him." Harry said, forcing the words out. There was no point putting off the inevitable.

Ollivander cast a strange look at Harry, but after a moment gave a swift nod and darted off to the back of the store.

Ginny reached out and took Harry's hand. They both knew what these next few minutes could mean.

Ollivander came back a few moments later with a very familiar black box in his hands. He set it down gently on the counter and pulled out the wand.

As he handed it to Finley, Ginny and Harry both held their breath.

Finley's small fingers wrapped around the wand and he looked over his shoulder at Harry. In the next moment a gust of wind, accompanied by a bright light, swept through the room. Finley's hair swayed gently with the breeze and his smile was so bright and joyful, Harry wished it would never leave his face.

He knew Finley was just happy to get a sign that he truly did have magic. Harry and Ginny, though, felt as if their hearts were breaking. Finley turned back to grin first at Teddy and then at Ollivander. Ginny took the opportunity to wipe a tear from her eye.

Ollivander looked at Harry and asked, "I suppose you know what this means?"

Harry couldn't manage a verbal reply. He nodded. Ginny looked up at Harry and said in a low, emotional voice, "Let's just get our wands and leave. I can't… I need… please, Harry."

Harry nodded and stepped forward. He put a hand on both Teddy and Finley's shoulders. "Ollivander, my wife and I both need wands. Our last wands were both ash, mine with Phoenix feather core, hers with unicorn hair. You can bring those out if you'd like but I doubt they'll choose us again. They weren't our first wands, there's no telling what wands will choose us this time."

Ollivander nodded and retreated once again into the rows of shelves. He returned moments later, his arms laden with wands. He set the wand boxes down on the counter and motioned for Ginny to come forward.

"I have an idea," he said. "It might not work, but I think it's worth trying. If you would please, hold your wand hand over the wands. Try to sense the wand that was meant for you. Take it slow and if all goes well you'll find your wand."

Ginny did as he requested. Holding her right hand over the stacks of wand boxes she tried to sense the wands with her magic. Slowly she moved her hand from one stack to another, and then to yet another. In this stack she felt something familiar. She pulled the stack toward her and ran her hand down the length of it. When she was nearing the end of the stack she stopped.

It was there, her wand. Keeping a hand on the top of the stack she pulled the box free. She flipped open the top and took the wand out. She felt the magic race up her arm and the unfamiliar wand become a little more comfortable in her hand.

"Magnificent!" Ollivander said. "Dragon heartstring, mahogany 10 ¼ inches makes it perfect for Charms"

"Well, you're next, you're next," he said to Harry.

Not wanting to waste any time, Harry stuck his hand over the boxes and moved gently from one stack to another. It took even less time to find his wand; it was in the second stack, third box from the top.

"Willow, 11 inches, the core is made with a hair from the mane of a Sphinx. Sturdy with a liking for defense I'd say." Ollivander informed him.

After paying for the wands, the family left the store, ready to be free from the old man and all that he represented. He was proof that, no matter how much they wanted it to be different, some things just had to stay the same.