Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, even though I wish I did

Chapter Seven: Finishing Up

Harry and Snape left Flourish and Blott's some time later, Snape's pockets protesting at the amount of shrunken items inside.

He motioned to a shop where Harry could get a trunk, and Harry walked inside eagerly. It didn't take long for Harry to find a suitable trunk.

The wood was a deep yellow, the metal bands were striking red. The inside was covered in green silk which flashed an iridescent looked it over appreciatively. The boy had good taste.

After it was purchased, Harry asked to put his things inside. Snape obliged him, and Harry started packing next to the door of the shop they had just left.

Once Harry was finished (He made sure everything was in perfect) he stood up and smiled at Snape.

"What else do I need, sir?" Snape checked the school-supply list, on which he had crossed out items they had purchased.

He went down the list with his eyes. "Last thing is a wand," he said, folding the list up and checking the time one his pocket watch.

"If it doesn't take too long, we might stop and see about getting you an Owl."

Harry looked up at him with wide eyes. "Owl, sir?"

Snape nodded. "Unless you'd prefer a cat. I will not allow you to purchase a toad." Harry nodded excitedly. He hoped getting a wand would take long.

With Snape behind him, Harry entered Ollivander's Wand Shop.

He blinked and let his eyes get used to the semi-darkness that filled the shop, so unlike the bright and shining street outside.

Harry looked around. It was deadly silent. He could hear his heart beating in his chest.

"Hello," said a willowy voice that belonged to someone he could not see. His heartbeat tripped it's cadence.

Harry took a leap of faith. "Hello," he said back into the dusty shop.

A small, hunched man came out from a back room. His lamp-like eyes lit on Harry's forehead. "Ah, Mr. Potter, I was wondering when I might see you here."

Harry was only vaguely aware of Snape sitting in a small chair and setting his trunk, which was charmed to be as light as a feather, down beside him.

He nodded. "Yeah, I need a wand."

Ollivander nodded back. "Of course, dear boy. Right this way, if you please." He motioned for Harry to follow him back towards the desk in the back of the shop.

Harry followed, albeit reluctantly. Ollivander taped a tape measure with his wand and it sprung to life, just as the one in Madam Malkin's had. This one, though, was not measuring his inseam, but the most unlikely places. Around the top of his head, between each nostril, and from eyebrow to eyebrow. He gave an involuntary yelp as it wiggled into his shoe to measure around his foot.

After he was sure he had been measured from every conceivable angle, even the length of his hair, Ollivander came back with a single care-worn looking box.

"I think this should do it, Mr. Potter." he pulled out the wand inside and handed it to Harry. Instantly, Harry felt a warmth spread up his arm.

"That was fast," commented Snape from his chair, where Harry had all but forgotten him.

Ollivander nodded, seemingly to himself. "Yes, I thought it might be that one," he said. Snape got up and looked at it.

Harry was too wrapped up in staring at the thing to listen. His own wand. His very own magic wand!

"You see, young man, that wand had a brother."

Harry looked up for once. "A brother?" he asked, confused.

Ollivander nodded while Snape stiffened, fearing where the conversation might go.

"Yes, the core of that wand came from a Phoenix, who gave only one other feather for a wand core. The wand in question gave you that scar." He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry looked down at the wand in his hand. He almost wanted to feel revulsion, so he could cast it away, but the warmth in his fingers felt to complete as if he had been waiting for it without realizing it.

Snape felt a headache coming on. 'Of course Harry Potter would end up with a shared core to that of Voldemort's wand,' he chastised himself as though he were going mad. 'It's the most obvious thing in the world.'

Harry paid for his wand, and they were out in the blinding light of the street again. He checked his watch and Harry waited for his ruling.

Snape closed the pocket watch and slid it back into his pant's pocket, remembering then that he was in Muggle clothing. 'Much too late to worry about it now,' he thought.

"I suppose we can have a poke around," he finally said and Harry broke into a giant grin. He had the patients to walk with Snape to the store, and immediately was in awe over every bird in the place.

A few minuets later, Harry was holding a large cage in which rested a snowy owl. Harry was alternatively beaming at Snape and the owl.

Snape was off in his own world, contemplating all he had learned that day. He was snapped back to reality when Harry spoke.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, focusing back in Harry.

"I asked what I should name her," Harry said, holding up the cage with the owl, which was sleeping peacefully.

"I don't know," said Snape. "You can name her whatever you like." Harry decided to get a nice sounding name out of one of his textbooks when he got the chance.

Snape held onto Harry's trunk as they walked back out of Diagon Alley. The Leaky Cauldron erupted back into a frenzy as Harry and Snape walked back in. As they detached themselves from the throng, Harry shook his head.

"That's going to get old," he said.

Snape snorted a laugh. "It already has for me." Harry ducked his head. "Don't worry about it," Snape waved his hand as though to wave away Harry's worry.

The walk back to the Orphanage was a slow one. Neither Harry nor Snape seemed eager to return.

They talked about Hogwarts, Harry asking excited questions. After answering a question about the individual heads of houses, they found themselves back at the front gates.

"I'll help you get the trink into your room, but then I have to go," said Snape

Harry nodded. "Will I see you again?" He asked.

"Of course. I do teach at Hogwarts." Harry shook his head. "I meant...before then..." He looked away, blushing slightly.

Snape resisted rolling his eyes. "No doubt Dumbledore wishes me to take you to the train station."

He had, of course, no way of knowing if Dumbledore had such designs, but he kind of wished he did. Talking to Harry outside of the usual Teacher-Student set up had been surprisingly fun, despite the things he had learned about the boy.

As they walked up to the front door, Ms. Cole opened it expectantly. "Oh, Harry dear. Good to have you back."

Snape nodded. "Back in one piece, even," he said. Ms. Cole smiled lightly.

"Well, what do we have here?" she asked, bending down to peer into the cage. "An owl? Quite the exotic pet, Harry."

Snape spoke before Harry could say anything. "The school encourages exotic pets such as these. It gives greater scope of the world, as opposed to a simple house-cat or such."

Ms. Cole nodded as though this were as plain as day. "Well, we're about to have dinner, Harry. Get your things put away."

Harry nodded and led Snape back to his room. Snape set down the trunk at the foot of Harry's bed, and Harry set the cage on the small writing desk.

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Harry said. Snape felt odd to be addressed this way before remembering he was, indeed, Harry's professor.

"My pleasure, Mr. Potter," he said, formally. "I must return to Hogwarts, but I'll be back on the first to take you to Kings Cross."

Harry nodded excitedly. Snape eyed him, then gave a light nod before leaving. Harry flopped onto his bed, showing the restraint to stop from jumping up and down on it.

AN: Sorry about the long wait! This chapter was a pain to write. It went through several transitions before I scrapped the whole thing and rewrote it. I'll try to update on a more regular schedule from now on. Also, sorry for the short chapter. My chapters tend to be more bunched up, with longer paragraphs than other stories, where it's just a few lines and then a , maybe they are as long? I don't know. Cheers, folks. This Chapter has been retrofitted to fit later chapters.