"You know you could have just warned me!" Harry whispered from the other side of the food shelf in the pet store.

"I thought ya already knew!"

"How was I supposed to know the bank was run by little green men?" Harry glanced the display of pink mouses doing what seemed to be a jig, then kept moving.

"Well yer sister knew a bit abou' Hogwarts. I guess I jus' forgot." Through the shelf Harry could see Hagrid looking longingly at a tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell and that for some reason was kept in a strong glass case.

He pulled the cloak he had bought when getting fitted for robes closer. "I don't know where Cristina heard that, but it's no reason to assume I know anything!"

"Well ya still didn't have ta keep asking what kind of meat they ate!"

Harry stuck his finger into a cage with what seemed to be small blue panthers, then quickly pulled it out when they attempted to bite it off. "Little bastards," he mumbled. He looked to Hagrid. "Things with sharp pointy teeth like to eat meat. Those orcs' mouths were full of them. I was just making sure I wasn't in any danger."

"They don't eat humans! And they're not orcs! They're goblins!"

"Well I wouldn't know that, since no one told me about them!" He shook his head. "Let's just forget it. I think I want to buy a pet."

Hagrid's face immediately brightened. "Ooh! How bout those snow panthers?"

Harry looked to the blue cats that had nearly bitten off his appendage. "No."

"Well, uh, those snakes are pretty neat lookin'."

The raven haired boy remembered the tittering snakes he had passed earlier and shook his head.

"An owl, maybe? Or-don't tell anyone I said this, but they might sell some dark phoenixes in Knockturn Alley. I got a dragon egg there once- "

He tried his best to hide his shock and sighed, "Aren't there any normal-ish animals here?"

"Normal?"

"Yeah. Like a dog or a cat, maybe?"

Hagrid hummed and turned to look around, "Well I wouldn't suggest a kneazle, which are like really smart cats. Bloody boring if ya ask me. There are some crups and albino dogs over there, though."

Harry followed his gaze to the far corner of the store and quickly went over to the assorted cages. Most of the larger canines were all white, but the smallest species were an assorted range of colors.

"What's a crup?"

Hagrid pointed a bloated finger to the small dogs.

"They look just like my friend, Isabella's, dog. What's so special about them?"

"Well they're extremely loyal ta wizards. Most don't get along well at all with Muggles, too. So if ya get one ask for one that isn't so it won't try to gobble up tha lassie. And there's the tail."

Harry moved slightly so he could see the forked tail of the nearest hyper dog. "That's

pretty cool, actually. A bit demonic, but neat. Hmm. Why are these other ones albino?"

"Albino dogs can chase off a bunch of magical pest that'll settle around your house. Mighty useful. I got a black boarhound myself, though, and we get along jus' fine."

Harry studied the tallest of the dogs. "A boarhound, huh? That sounds good." He looked back to the crup. "But so does the little guy..."

"We still got ta get yer wand, Harry. Pick one."

Harry bit his lip as his eyes flew from one canine to the other. "I don't like making decisions..."

Harry wound the tough black leash around his left wrist for a third time as he attempted to pull his new boarhound closer in the crowded street. His right arm cradled a smaller magical pup to his chest. After all, why make a decision when you can just have everything? And besides, Cristina did say to bring her back something.

Hagrid walked ahead of the teen, leading him to the Ollivander's Wands shop, and effectively clearing a smooth pathway through the crowd for him. The boarhound seemed to be somewhat leashed trained already, as it it was making a half-arsed effort to follow. Hmm, he really should name them...eh, for now he'd just call the big one Big Dog and the little one...Satan? Yeah, Satan. It fit with the wicked tail.

Hagrid took Big Dog and Satan from him as they got to the front door and Harry was sent in by himself.

A small bell chimed as he stepped into the dim and narrow shop. The moment the door closed behind him an elderly white haired man shuffled out of the back. Harry took a cautious step back as the man, Mr. Ollivander probably, stopped just short of colliding with him. The bespectacled man peered intently at him, eyes roaming over his face, before finally landing on his scar. His intense presence melted away, however, as he shook his head bemusedly and held out a hand.

"Mr. Potter, I presume?"

Harry shrugged uneasily as he grasped the gnarled hand, "Brown, technically, but yeah I guess."

"Ah, of course. Brown, Brown, Brown..."

"Um, yeah. Brown." He pulled his hand away.

"You wouldn't happen to know a Ms. Brown would you?"

"Well, yes. I know lots of Ms. Brown's. My sister, cousins, aunts; it's kinda my name. I run into a bunch of them around holidays, unfortunately."

"Right, of course. Pardon me. I'm Ollivander. Now, you didn't come in here to chat did you? Let's find you a wand."

Ollivander moved to one of the many shelves and quickly pulled out a long, thin wooden box. He delicately opened it and pulled out a dark wand.

"Give this a wave."

The moment Harry touched it several dangerous looking sparks flew out wildly.

"My eye!" Harry distantly felt the object being snatched out of his hand.

"Hmm, that won't do. That won't do..."

Fortunately, nothing else would Harry in the eye that day. Unfortunately finding a wand to a lot longer than either of them seemed to anticipate. After ten minutes and after 6 wands the first family with a new Hogwarts student came in. Another five minutes and another family came. An hour later and Harry could barely move his arm enough to wave the wands.

"Hurry up!"

Harry growled at the unknown voice in the crowd. "I'm doing the best I can!"

"Well either find a wand or admit your a bloody squib and get out of here!"

Despite not knowing what a squib was Harry whipped around in a vain effort to find the owner. Somehow he quickly found the owner, a sneering stick of a man, and hollered back.

"How about this bloody squib goes back there and puts his bloody foot up your bloody-"

"Bring it on you sack of-"

"Try this one, Mr. Potter. Vinewood with dragon heartstring. Twelve and a half inches."

Harry snatched the wand from Ollivander, who to his slight amusement had been looking positively giddy. Without even bothering to wave it he turned around and chucked it at the rude man. To his disappointment, it missed his hair by centimeters and went neatly into the shelf above him.

"Give me another!"

The shopkeeper popped up next to him. "Here you go. Ash with a Siren's vocal-"

Harry tossed it and smirked as it grazed the man's cheek.

"Is that the best you got you little-!"

"Almost...Got anything else like it?"

"You know I think you would have been a better match for the holly one I had to give your brother. A pity you weren't there to claim it. Hmm...how about this. Jarrah with a Siren's vocal cord. Eleven inches."

Harry snatched it up and, taking a small notice of the buzzing his hand felt from the contact, threw it.

"Bloody hell! MY EYE!"

"I'll take that one, please." After stuffing the required amount of wizarding money Hagrid had given him into the man's hand he quickly ran to the nearly crying man who was huddled on the floor and picked up his new wand. Even through his sniffles the man managed to sneer as Harry turned his back to him.

"About bloody time, you poof."

For a moment Harry prepared to walk out the door. His professors always told him to be the better man whenever he could. Though, they probably weren't his professors anymore were they?

He spun around and kicked the man in the leg. "Your mum's a squib." Harry then proceeded to get lost in the crowd and get out the door before the man realized he could use magic to kick his arse.

It was easy to find Hagrid's massive form settled on a bench once Harry got out of the shop. The crup, Satan, was prancing around on his massive chest and Big Dog, or B.D., was sitting on the ground, head constantly swiveling from side to side as he watched everyone pass.

Harry walked up and hesitantly patted the possible giant's shoulder. "Hey, I'm done. Are you awake?"

A wet snore was his answer. Harry shook his head as he picked up Satan and grabbed B.D.'s leash. These wizard people make a huge fuss over finding him, then when they do they send a huge, clutzy, whiskey smelling, falling asleep on the job man to take care of him and introduce him to the secret world? Insane.

Satan squirmed in his arm and sloppily licked his face.

"Ugh." Despite his disgust he looked fondly at the black and brown face of the mostly white dog then to the white one at his feet. "You're lucky you're better company at least. I wouldn't let Hagrid slobber on my face and get away with it." He looked around and spotted a pair of pretty twins about to walk past him. "Would let them, though."

The one on the left, closest to him, glanced up, then smiled.

"What an adorable puppy!" She squealed as she headed towards him, pulling along her sister who had her arm linked with the other. The other cooed as she saw the dogs. "Ahh."

Harry couldn't help but let loose a small smirk as the first twin stroked the crup that was cradled to his chest and the second leaned down slightly to pet the one at his feet.

"I'm Parvati," said the one whose attention was on 'Satan'.

"Harrison." He grinned. Who needed talking snakes and phoenixes?