Disclaimer: I do not own anything except any possible O.C.s

A/N: This story is going to be four parts Please let me know what you think. Happy reading!

Chapter 2: Al & Rose – 2017

"Blimey we chose a rotten day to go shopping!" a tall man with brilliant red hair and more than his share of freckles proclaimed while wiping his feet on a welcome mat that read The Apothecary. He shook off his rather large umbrella before pulling the door closed behind him.

"Oh Ronald, you know this was the only day I could get off work. Besides we hardly knew it was to rain today when we planned this trip ages ago," a woman with some of the bushiest brown hair around and a kind smile retorted while drying them off with a wave of her wand. She seemed a bit ruffled and worse for wear, but once dry, loads more cheerful.

"I know that Hermione, I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were. In fact, I probably wouldn't have married you in the first place if I thought you were," she responded in matter-of-fact way with a sort of private smile in his direction.

"Will you two stop, you're being disgusting," A short woman with the same flaming hair as the man called across the store. They had more than hair color in common though. As she turned from the counter their similar features became more pronounced and it was easier to tell they were related. "Did you really have to marry my good-for-nothing brother Mione?" she joked.

"Oi! Thanks Ginny! Who you calling good-for-nothing by the way?" he grumbled in her direction as the two women laughed.

"You gawky. I've got the potions kits here," she took the packages and tossed one to her brother. "I told Harry we'd meet him and the kids at Ollivander's at three and seeing as we're already late I took the liberty of getting Rosie's for you. You can pay me back some other time with a nice night of babysitting. I do hope he's not upset about being left with the five of them for longer than planned," she added with a nervous look on her face. Shaking her head she asked, "Did you get her present?"

"Yeah, I've got it here," her brother said holding up a cat carrier. As the carrier swayed he upset whatever was inside. A high-pitched mewling noise could be heard over the pounding of the rain on the shop windows. "I think Rosie will really like the kitten we picked out for her. She's a bit of a mix, but I think she's got mostly tabby in her. That's her favorite."

"Sounds brilliant, I'm sure she'll love it Ron," they stepped out into the rain, all three of them huddling up underneath the Ron's giant umbrella. "Besides," she continued screaming over the wind and rain, "Rosie is mad about cats and her mother helped pick it out. If anything she'll have picked out something Rosie will enjoy."

"Oh ha-ha. You're so clever Gin," he responded in a dry voice as they hurried down the street towards an old and shabby shop. Two children, one with bushy auburn hair, and the other with exceedingly untidy jet-black, still sopping-wet, hair were already standing with their wand arms out being measured by free floating tapes. Another younger two children with bright red hair and a slightly older dark haired boy sat watching from off to the side. They were sat next to an older bespectacled man with the same messy black hair as the boy currently being measured. "Sorry were late. Took a bit longer than expected." He watched as Hermione waved her wand once more drying everyone in the shop.

"That's all right Daddy," the bushy haired girl said looking at them with a bright smile lighting up her young and eager face. She let out an excited squeak as she saw what he was carrying. "Is that for me?" she questioned turning away from her measuring tape causing it to fall to the floor with a soft thump.

"Yes, but you'll have to wait until you've found your wand. We don't want to hold up the shop," her mother said. She scanned around the dingy room now full to the brim with the five children and four adults, not counting the two old shop clerks. It was just as she remembered it from her own trip in as a child. The air was still filled with dust and the uncanny feeling of magic. The shelves were still packed high with wands, some of which, judging from the inch thick dirt on top of them, looked as if they hadn't been touched in the last century. There was one key difference from her personal experience, however. There used to only be one man behind the counter and now there were two. "We thought since Grandpa and Grandma had gotten you the first two volumes of The Encyclopedia of Wand Movements for your birthday instead of a pet we'd get her for you as a sort of going away present."

"Oh thank you! I'd rather let Al go first though – may I hold her?" the girl, Rose, asked eagerly as she stared at the container.

"Oh, all right sweetheart. Just make sure to keep a good hold on her. You don't want her getting loose." She responded as her husband handed the carrier over to his daughter.

The boy with jet black hair looked around at the boxes wondering which one would hold his wand inside completely ignoring his cousin's excitement at receiving a cat from her parents. Their grandparents had not given him a set of encyclopedias for his own birthday, choosing instead to stick with their semi-tradition of buying their grandchildren a pet. He had been elated when they brought out an owl for him. He had been dreading the thought of having to borrow James' owl at school, and the mockery that would inevitably ensue from his brother each time he asked.

"Here you are son – Blackthorn, twelve inches exactly, with a phoenix feather core. Good for dueling and combat." He looked in surprised at the wand he had been handed. It felt funny in his grasp and he nearly dropped it before it was wrenched out of his hands and replaced with a, "Cedar, eleven and three quarter inches, reasonably pliant with unicorn hair. Lethal." This man, Adalbert, must think I'm some form of warrior in the making, Al thought as he took the frightening sounding wand in his hand. He was reasonably aware of his parents, little sister, and younger cousin Hugo all staring at him. He wasn't very good at being the center of attention. "Nope, no, that doesn't seem to be the proper fit for you. Here, give this one a wave." Al did as he was told reddening as he heard his brother snort at his blunder. A few stacks of receipts had lit fire on the counter in front of him.

The wand was torn quickly out of his hand as the older Mr. Ollivander quickly put out the fire. "It's quite alright, not the first to cause a disturbance in our shop Mr. Potter," he said noticing that Al had been watching him with an embarrassed expression.

"Why did that happen, sir?" Al questioned. James was always teasing him for asking so many all the time, "You'll be in Ravenclaw for sure, asking all those ridiculous questions!" He had teased him silly last week after Kingsley had come for dinner and Al had bombarded him with one after another.

"When an uncomplimentary pair arises; blunders, wills, and trials are always the highest," the elder man responded in a singsong voice and with a penetrating look at him.

Al nodded, "Er, all right then. Sure," he wasn't sure he liked the oldest Mr. Ollivander much; he was a bit creepy. He took the next wand. He wasn't so much as able to let out his breath when it was taken back.

"Twelve and seven eighth inches exactly, cherry wood, dragon heartstring core, brittle. Exceptionally powerful," Al gulped. He didn't feel exceptionally powerful at the moment. Truth be told, the closer Hogwarts got, the more terrified and nervous he became.

He glanced over at his brother who mouthed, "Don't be such a Hufflepuff," at him. He sighed. James seemed to think Gryffindor was Al's least likely house. He'd been telling him for weeks the reasons he fit best in all the other houses. He contented himself with the thought that at least two of his cousins were in Ravenclaw, and Teddy had been a Hufflepuff and so was Freddy, so it couldn't be so bad. As long as he wasn't in Slytherin he thought he'd be fine. He was sure James would never let him live down being sorted into there. He grasped the wand and blinked rapidly. This must have been what everyone meant. "You'll just know when it's right," James had said earlier in the day, "You'll feel it."

The wand made an odd clicking noise and shot a bit of mist out the end. He grinned relieved it was over. Everyone clapped while the younger Mr. Ollivander exclaimed, "I expect we will be hearing of some particularly spectacular wand work from you, Mr. Potter." Al turned, still grinning, towards the chairs. He did it. He had his wand. The first step to becoming a proper wizard was over, and he'd only had to try about a handful of wands to find his right fit whereas James had had to try loads a few years ago. Plus they hadn't told him how powerful or spectacular they thought he'd be.

Rose put her new kitten gingerly back into her crate before stepping forward. She could hear her aunt and uncle congratulating her cousin but she blocked that out. She could do this. She knew realistically it could take a rather long time to find the proper wand, but she didn't care as long as she didn't get something awful like elder. James had been teasing Al all through lunch when he thought the adults weren't listening about how he was sure Al would end up with an elder wand and be cursed forever. She knew logically James had just been trying to frighten him, but just the same she didn't want one – just in case.

"Rowan, phoenix feather, whippy, thirteen inches – give or take a centimeter – excellent for charm work. Nice and easy now," Adalbert said handing over her first wand to try, "that does it. No, sorry that one doesn't seem a good fit. Here try this one." He handed her one that looked oddly like carved ivory. Snatching it back he said, "Here, this is a nice one. That does it. No, I suppose not that one either."

This continued for long enough that there was soon a rather large pile of discarded wands in front of her. Her little brother, Hugo, began teasing her, "Look at 'er! She's already tried 'bout 'alf the shop. Maybe you just weren't meant fer a wan' Rosie." Her cheeks burnt and she had to fight the urge to tell him to shut it.

"Sssh Hugo, be quite. Don't be rude to your sister. There's a wand for her here somewhere, she just has to find it," her mother said sternly before Rose could respond herself.

"You are a tricky one aren't you Miss. Weasley," the younger Mr. Ollivander said. He didn't seem frustrated though. On the contrary he seemed positively giddy, and was practically bouncing around the crowded shop. Rose was having trouble feeling as pleased about her predicament as he obviously was; she was secretly thinking Hugo was right. Would they have to go to another wand shop and see if they had what she needed there or would she just have to live without one and learn to do wandless magic? "I think," he looked over into the region of the store most covered in dirt and dust. There were cobwebs she could easily see from where she stood. "You don't think…?" he asked his father.

"I'm sorry. Don't think what exactly?" she asked nervously, her voice raising a few octaves. She was feeling a rather large knot forming in her stomach and was beginning to feel a bit queasy.

"It's alright Rosie, there's a wand for you here somewhere. Some witches just take longer than others," Her father said coming up behind her and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She nodded not trusting herself to speak.

Adalbert climbed down off a ladder opening up a rather old looking box with an odd yellow stain on it. He carefully pulled the wand out and handed it to her, "Try this one. Eleven and three fifth inches, willow with a dittany stalk core," she looked rather surprised at him. She'd never heard of such a core and her family had told her Ollivander's only used what was seen as the best objects for their cores: phoenix feather, dragon heartstrings, and unicorn hairs. "Not to worry dear," he responded to her surprised face, "this wand, should it chose you, will work admirably and be most loyal, I should think." She nodded and took it from him. It was the most curious sensation. It was like the wand warmed her from the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes. A few green sparks flew out and Mr. Ollivander ducked, laughing obviously pleased. He and his father clapped excitedly.

"That wand has been in this shop since it was crafted by my great-grandfather," the older Mr. Ollivander said, "excellent for healing. Should you choose to go down that path, of course." He looked around at the other shocked faces in the shop, "Not to worry, not to worry. I expect this wand will be quite useful to her and they shall form quite a strong bond."

Rose nodded as her family began to congratulate her on her at-long-last found wand. She couldn't help but beam back at them relief flooding through her. She had thought she wouldn't be finding a wand for one desperate moment earlier, but now she had loads of new schoolbooks to read, she had a brand new cat, and she had a brand new wand of her very own. Their family braved the storm one last time to make their way back to The Leaky Cauldron to take their leave. Both Al and Rose felt privately they'd had a very successful day and even the poring rain couldn't wash their smiles away.

a/n: So I know I gave Rose a weird core, but I've always liked the idea of one of the Weasleys ending up with an uncommon or unusual core at some point. Fluer had an unusual core and was still extremely powerful so I don't think this is a personal reflection on Rose as a witch [at least in my opinion :)]. And while I know it's Gerrick Ollivander's policy to not use anything but what is seen as one of the best three cores; the Ollivander family apparently didn't always operate this way and I imagine there'd still be at least a few wands with unusual cores left in the shop from generations of past wand makers. That's just a bit of an explanation behind why I broke away from the normal unicorn hair, dragon heartstrings, phoenix feather bit for her. Let me know if you like it, think its crazy, or just how you feel about it.