Diagon Alley
"Richard darling, it's time to get up."
Rich vaguely heard the sound of his mom's voice as he lay there still trying to draw himself into consciousness. He had slept rather well for being in such a strange place.
"Ok, Mom I'm up", he said as he sat up to scan the grey room and saw the other twin bed across from his, it's occupant from last night having already vacated it.
"Did you sleep well Ricky? It took me quite a while to wake you."
"Yeah I did."
"Well then go get ready to go and meet the rest of us down stairs for a little breakfast before we head out shopping. You and I are going to get to see the legendary Diagon Alley today for the first time. Your little friend Kate can't stop talking about how excited she is to go to all the wizarding shops. Honestly, I think you'll be more excited to see the bank…I forget what it's called…I hear its run by goblins."
Rick turned to his mother with an earnest look of amazement on his face and said, "Really?"
"That's what they tell me. Now get dressed we'll be leaving soon." With that the red headed woman left the room and shut the door behind her.
'Goblin's? Really? Well, that's cool.' Rick thought to himself as he pulled on a blue t-shirt and jeans. He looked under the bed to find his shoes that he didn't even remember taking off last night and once he found them, dragged them on bolted out the door and headed down the stairs to the bar area, assuming that this was where his mother meant when she told him to meet then downstairs.
"Good morning Rick," came the voice of Mrs. Beckett, "sit down and have some eggs and toast here before we go."
"You're going to need the energy young man," said Mr. Beckett, "trust me, these women," he gestured to his wife and daughter, "can shop for hours. We might have a hard time keeping up." The man laughed quietly at his little joke and continued to drink his coffee.
"Hey, Rick, you as excited as I am?" said Kate from across that table. "I can't wait to go to Ollivander's. I wonder what mine will be like."
"Wonder what your what will be like?" asked Rick in earnest.
"Oh, I forgot you don't know who Ollivander is. He's the best wand maker out there. Surely you knew that you had to get a wand."
Sure enough a wand had been on his school supply list but he hadn't really thought about it too much. He thought all wands were pretty much the same. It hadn't occurred to him that wands had variable characteristics.
"Any way we'll be going there today. You can get your wand then too. Mom says that you don't choose a wand, it chooses you. Isn't that right, Mom?"
"Sure is sweetheart" Johanna replied. "Rick you appear to be done eating, shall we head out everyone?"
"Yes, I daresay we should." Martha agreed.
"Alright, so how do we get there?"
"I'm so glad you asked Rick," Kate responded with a devilish grin on her face.
Rick just closed his mouth and starred at her, wondering why she could be so amused by this. He just followed the rest of them out the back door of the pub which led into a small alleyway backed by a solid brick wall. Rick peered up and down the alley, honestly a bit confused. Kate was excited about this? Then suddenly Mrs. Beckett stepped up to the brick wall pulled her wand out and stared tapping a pattern out on the bricks. For a second nothing happened. Then a few of the bricks stared to sink back into the wall and others began twisting in a pattern that appeared practiced. Rick watched in awe at what he was seeing. The wall had, in a few short moments, shifted apart and opened up into a busy alley filled with shops and people.
"Welcome everyone, to Diagon Alley." Johanna said with a small proud smile.
There was something very historical and old fashioned about the place and Rick couldn't help but marvel as he looked up at all the store windows and the people walking by in clothing he was terribly unfamiliar with. He saw a few owls fly over head and suddenly remembered the owl that had delivered his letter. He had heard Mrs. Beckett mention that many people in the wizarding world kept them as pets to carry their mail and thought it might be pretty cool to have one of his own.
"Richard, can you come back to Earth please," said Martha waving a hand in front of her son's face. Rick hadn't noticed that he was zoning out. "We have to go over to Gringotts to exchange our money for Wizard coins. Otherwise we won't be able to get you any school supplies."
They continued down to the end of the crowded street, weaving in and out of witches and wizards going this way and that, finally coming to a large white building that appeared to build in a crooked fashion. On the front in bold letters read: Gringotts. 'This must be the place.' thought Rick as the five of them walked through the tall white marble columns just outside the door. As soon as they walked through the door they were greeted by, sure enough, a small rather ugly creature with pointy ears, glasses, and almost no hair. 'Goblin,' Rick smiled and continued to look down at the strange being.
"Hello," said the goblin, "Can I offer you folks some assistance."
"Yes, we need to make a withdrawal from my vault and exchange some Muggle money." Johanna said politely.
The goblin looked up at them with understanding and said, "follow me".
He led them down a long aisle in the magnificent lobby that was filled with other goblins working behind high desks. He finally stopped at the end of the counter and stepped to what must have been his station. "Name?" he asked.
"Johanna Beckett,"
"Ah here we are," he said looking through a ledger and finding the name. "Do you have your key?"
"Of course" Johanna reached into her pocket a produced an ornate bronze key with the number 1200 on its front and back.
"Thank you, come this way"
The goblin directed them down a corridor to a small platform. Sitting there was cart not quite large enough to fit all five of them plus the goblin so there pulled up a second cart right behind the first one. Rick wasn't sure what to make of this, but like many things in this world he assumed he was going to have to just go with it. After being told to get in the Becketts climbed into the first cart while Rick and Martha took the second one with the goblin. It was at this moment Rick decided to get bold.
"Excuse me, what's your name?" he asked to creature.
"Griphook," he replied without really looking back at Rick.
Suddenly the carts began to move down the dark tracks that Rick was completely oblivious as to where they led. I t must have been magic that pulled the carts along. Rick noticed when Kate looked back at him for a fleeting moment and he smiled to himself. The carts led them down into a cavern, twisting and curving along the tracks through the tunnel. Unfortunately they were also traveling at a speed that made it impossible to look around at one's surroundings. They finally stopped abruptly at a spot lit by a bright torch hanging against the wall.
"Key please," said Griphook to Mrs. Beckett and she handed over the small key to him.
With a click the door to the vault unlocked and the door creaked open. Inside Rick could a several stacks of gold, silver, and bronze coins. Baffled, he was about to ask about the money when Kate nudged him.
"That's what wizard money looks like." She informed him, "the gold ones are called galleons, the silver ones are sickles and the bronze ones are knuts."
"How do you do that?" Rick asked with a tone of irritation and surprise.
"Do what?"
"Manage to know what I'm thinking and answer my questions before I ask them."
Kate smiled devilishly, "your face gave you away".
Rick's jaw lay slack at this comment but he quickly shut it and tried to fix his expression from befuddled to bored though he truly did want to know more. He didn't want to give Kate the satisfaction of knowing that she knew so much more that he did.
Then he saw Mrs. Beckett reach down reach into the vault and extract a pile of coins, putting them into a small brown pouch. The next thing he knew they were heading back toward the lobby.
"Ugh," said Martha as they all stepped out of the carts, "I do believe I may be sick."
"Yeah, Mom you're starting to turn green."
Luckily after a few moments and some very deep breaths his mother's nausea subsided and Rick was able to relax. Johanna helped them determine how much money to exchange to take Rick school shopping and Griphook handed over a brown pouch very much like the one Johanna had. It was full of wizard money that Rick was all too eager to examine more closely.
Kate was beginning to look almost bored. She stood by her father who just smiled as if knowing that they would be moving on soon and was trying to reassure the kids that it wouldn't be long now.
"Alright, looks like we're all set," Martha said to the two eleven-year-olds. "Ready to go get your wands?"
"You bet I am," Kate grinned from ear to ear. "I've been waiting so long for this day."
"Yeah, I guess so." Rick said to the group as they walked out into the marble steps leading out of Gringotts.
The group made their way back through the throng of people to a tiny shop on the left side of the street. The sign above the door had been carved into the building and read: Ollivander's.
A shiver ran up Rick's spine as he walked in the front door and heard the small bell ring upon their entrance. It wasn't a bad shiver, but it left him feeling nervous and excited at the same time. Anticipation was surely a cruel injustice. He found himself wondering what would be involved in finding him a wand.
Rick looked around the tiny shop and saw a tall old man with wild white hair standing behind the front counter. "Well hello there," the man said to the group. Mr. Beckett nodded a silent hello to the man and Kate just beamed with glee.
"Hello, you must be Mr. Ollivander," Rick inquired.
"Why yes I am young man. Am I right in assuming that you are in here looking for your first wand?"
"Yes, me and Kate here," Rick threw a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the girl standing closely behind him.
"And these must be your parents."
He shook hands with Martha. "Pleasure to meet you ma'am. I don't believe I have ever seen you in my shop before. I remember every wand I have ever sold."
Martha smiled shyly, "Well you wouldn't, I'm a muggle you see. My son Richard here is starting Hogwarts next week. His father was a wizard."
"Well, I'm not one to judge. Every person that wishes to purchase a wand from me is welcome in my shop."
He then turned to the Becketts and upon looking directly at Johanna, there seemed to be twinkle of recognition in the man's eyes.
"Johanna. Birch, dragon heartstring, 10 and ½ inches." Mr. Ollivander recalled.
"Yes! That's amazing."
"Like I said, I remember every wand I've ever sold. Now, who this enchanting young lady?" looking down at Kate's small form.
"This is my daughter, Kate. And this is my husband Jim."
"Lovely to meet you all," Mr. Ollivander turned around promptly and headed for the shelves behind him lined from top to bottom with long, narrow boxes and started pulling a few from the shelves. "Let's see here. Ah."
The man gave his own wand a wave and a flexible tape measure flew through the air toward the group. With another flick of his wand the enchanted object began measuring every angle of Rick's body. Rick's reaction brought on giggles from Kate until the tape measure moved on to her and she immediately stopped her compulsive laughter.
Mr. Ollivander turned back to Rick pulling a wand out of one of the boxes and handing it to him. Rick, taking the wand in hand got a weird chill go down his spine as the wand slipped into his hand. In the back of his mind he knew that he really was a wizard and this really was a wand but his rational brain kept trying to tell that this was just a piece of wood. 'Screw that' he thought, 'I finally have my hands on a real magic wand'.
"Well, give it a wave." Mr. Ollivander said.
Rick look around momentarily then gripped the wand a little tighter and give it a little swish. The lights flickered and a few pieces of parchment that had been sitting on the desk hovered slightly and dropped to the floor.
"Cool. That's the first bit of magic I've ever done…well, knowingly."
"Interesting" said the wand maker with a look of approval. "We shall see. Kate, why don't you try this one," he handed Kate a different wand.
Rick watched intently as took the wand in hand, suddenly looking very nervous. Her parents looked at her expectantly. She gave the wand flick and blue sparks flew out of the end. Kate jumped back quickly out of surprise. Everyone except Mr. Ollivander flinched slightly at this.
The old man looked at the two kids thoughtfully and finally said, "Switch"
"What?" Rick and Kate said together.
"Switch" he repeated, "the wands switch them."
The two looked at each other and then reached out their hands, trading the wands they were wielding.
"As soon as the two wands changed hands a surge of energy passed between the two and then silence. Everyone held their breath for a moment and then with a shout Mr. Ollivander spoke, "I think we have it." His tone quieted, "Mr. Castle your wand is 11 ¼ inches, made from the Cherry tree, the core is the most interesting part. It is actually one I have only ever made two other wands from. This wand has the tail feather of a great horned owl. Now, in the wizarding world we generally only use owls to carry the post but a few owls in history have proven to have magical power bestowed upon them. I was fortunate in my youth to come across one of these owls in my search for wand making materials. I normally only use unicorn hair, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstring in my wands so you can see why this particular wand would be unique. Mr. Castle," Rick had been looking at the wise looking man the entire time, "the wand chooses the wizard. I do believe this wand has chosen you." Mr. Ollivander smiled and then turned to Kate. "Ms. Beckett, you wand, is 10 ¼ inches, Ash, with a core of unicorn hair."
Kate beamed and looked down at her brand new wand and Rick realized at that moment that he and Kate might actually have something in common. 'Wow what a concept?'
Hazzaaa! Finally this chapter is done. Took forever but I finally got it finished. Yay! Reviews would really be helpful you guys. I want desperately to know what you think. Yes I know that Owl feathers aren't typically used in Ollivander's wands I just really wanted Castle's wand to be significant to his character and it's the only thing that I thought really fit him. Let's see who can guess why the cherry wood wand is important.