Chapter 2: Wand Orders
"We're here to speak with Ollivander," an imposing man dressed in an immaculate muggle suit and tie demanded from in front of the counter. Next to him was a teenage boy with badly-combed hair and an apologetic expression.
Julius Snape, at the young age of twelve, took in the man's imposing posture with an impassive expression. In the short twelve years of his life, he knew what a real roll of power was without even concentrating, and this man did not have it. He knew how to sense it even when it was very tightly controlled as to not leak out to casual senses of magic born or muggle, and this man did not have control anymore than Julius was a Hufflepuff. Summoning the emotionless demeanor of his father and the professional smile of his mother's public face he lifted his chin to address the newest customer to Ollivander's store. "I am afraid that Master Ollivander has stepped out for a few minutes on business," Julius replied with as much professional sugar he could muster. "May I… help you?" Julius found himself channeling his father's tightly reined drone and silently wondered if it was genetic. Considering his mother sometimes did a perfect rendition of his father's drone, maybe he was doubly condemned.
"We need a replacement," the man said curtly. He shoved the young boy beside him up towards the counter.
The young boy smiled slightly and a bit sheepishly.
Julius raised a brow. The boy was familiar. He was slightly older than he was, but he recognized him from Hogwart's. Flipping through the mental yearbook in his brain, Julius fell into the habit his parents did in recognizing last name with ease and first name with minor difficulty. Nichols was his surname, but what was his given name?
As if to save Julius the trouble, the man in the suit said, "Show him the stick, Darron."
Julius squelched the immediate curl of his lips into disdain that was threatening to overcome his face. He wasn't ashamed of his muggle grandparents by any means, but they at least they showed the wizarding ways respect.
Darron Nichols placed his broken wand on the counter with an apologetic face. Darron knew who Julius was far easier than Julius would know him. Every student of Hogwart's knew every member of the Snape family like they knew the names of their teachers.
Julius picked up the wand with his pale hands and ran his fingers down the shaft, feeling every crack that ran down the wood. The core of the wand was unstable and flared as his hands went over it. Kneazle whisker made up the core. That was hardly worth the effort of carving the wand blank. The wand itself looked mechanically turned upon of the muggle wood-shop tools he had seen in his grandfather's hobby shop. The wood was green, harvested early and not allowed to dry properly. Julius fought every instinct in his body to throw the wand into vanishing solvent and cackle gleefully as he rubbed his hands together.
"This wand was not created here," Julius stated calmly. "A replacement for its like will not be possible, however, you may find a wand here that is more… suited to you, Mr. Nichols."
Darron's eyes widened as he realized Julius recognized him.
Julius gave Darron an appraising look that seemed to bore into him. His eyes flickered from his hands to his shoulders, across his face, and then stayed upon his eyes. "Wait here please," Julius said with a sniff, turned on his heels and disappeared into the aisles of the wand shop.
"A strange boy," Darron's father snorted. "Is he an Ollivander?"
Darron shook his head. "No, but he knows his wands, father."
Darron's father frowned. "He looks younger than you."
Darron shook his head adamantly. "Age isn't everything, father," he said softly. "Especially with his family."
Julius returned with a couple of boxes in his arms and placed them on the counter. He pulled out one from the box and handed it to Darron.
The moment the wand touched Darron, the boy hissed in pain and Julius took it back quickly. He raised his eyebrow with curiosity. That was a definitive no.
Julius placed the wand back in the box and picked out another. Darron took it tentatively, afraid, perhaps, that the wand would attempt bad things upon his person, but the wand simply did nothing. Even after being encouraged to wave the wand, Julius eyed the wand as one would a lazy child. "No, definitely not that one either." He took it back and picked up the next box.
Julius handed Darron another wand and waited. The boy flicked the wand and Julius felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise and one of Garrick's favorite vases shattered. Julius pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing the space between his eyes. "Here, let me take that please, thank you," Julius grasped the wand, pausing to glare at it. He felt the wand vibrate in his hand, almost sheepishly, as if in apology.
Placing the petulant wand into the box, he pulled out another from the box and extended it to Darron. As the wand settled in Darron's hand, Julius let out a soft sigh of relief, already feeling the warmth emanate from the wand's core.
Darron flicked the wand and there was a warm flash of light as the wand found where it wanted to be.
"The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Nichols," Julius repeated the words of his Master. "That wand has chosen you. 11.7 inches long. Unicorn tail hair from a dappled mare with radiant blue eyes."
Darron's wand hand seemed to tremble. "I've never felt this from a wand before."
Julius tilted his head. "A wizard can attempt to use any wand, I fear, but that does not guarantee results. That wand, however, will be loyal to you for life."
Julius eyed Darron with a sniff and dug behind the counter, pulling out a wooden wand case. "I would also recommend this to protect your investment any time it is not in your hand." Julius set the case down on the counter. "Not everyone uses case, but you may find it… helpful for your purposes." Julius was well aware of Darron Nichol's propensity to have very bad things happen to his wands. If the reason he had come visiting the shop was any indicator, his reputation for wand abuse was far more true than he had believed previously.
"Do you really need to have a case for a stick, Darron?" his father gave him a look that seemed to hint of far more lack concern for his son's needs than monetary value.
"Please, father," Darron pleaded. "I'd really rather not have to replace this one like the others."
Mr. Nichols seemed resigned. "Very well. How much for the stick and the case?"
Julius tilted his head, "Seven galleons for the wand, Mr. Nichols. Two for the case. You will find the case is charmed to resist crushing and is also water-tight. It is resistant to flames and cold, but I would not recommend throwing it into a volcano or dropping it into the Arctic Sea."
"Nine galleons for that?" Mr. Nichols scowled.
Julius' corner of his mouth twitched. "Yes, Sir."
Mr. Nichols shook his head, dug through his coin purse, and counted out nine galleons, placing them in Julius' open palm.
Julius scanned his palm, visually counting the coins and then placed them into the register. He handed the case to Darron with a nod. "Thank you for visiting Ollivanders and Sons," he said softly, pulling on his happier professional face to cover up his distaste for Darron's father.
The pair left without a word, but Darron gave Julius a smile as he left. As soon as they were out of sight, Julius slumped slightly, giving a sigh of relief.
"That was a very good match you made, Julius," Ollivander said with a chuckle as he materialized from the aisles. "That wand was waiting a good part of twenty years for the right wizard, and you remembered its story perfectly."
Julius smiled genuinely at his Master. "Welcome back, Master," he said warmly.
Ollivander sighed as he stared at his broken vase. "Let me guess," he speculated. "That wand." He pointed a finger at the box on the counter.
Julius closed his eyes. "Yes, Master."
"One day, that wand will find someone it likes," Garrick sighed. "And perhaps, I will be able to go a week without having to repair my vase." Ollivander waved his wand at the broken vase, assembling it back together and stuffing the dirt and de-potted plant back into it.
"How long were you watching me, Master?" Julius asked, rolling his eyes towards Ollivander with curiosity.
"Oh, pretty much from the point Mr. Nichols told his son to 'hand you the stick,' I suppose," Ollivander admitted. "You were doing just fine, Julius, and you picked out the same wands I would have to give him." Ollivander picked up the boxes on the counter and began to file them away.
Excited peeping came from under the counter, and Julius grinned, kneeling down to pick up the phoenix chick who had dutifully kept her beak shut the entire time the Nichols had visited the store. "'Ello, you," Julius purred. "You did so well hiding under there, Ember."
The happy chick peeped, opening her mouth wide for a reward for her efforts. It was only fair, after all. Being quiet took a lot of work!
Julius beamed at the chick and offered up a slice of an apricot and then a piece of green pepper.
Ember peeped happily, scrambling out of his hands to hop onto his chest and clamboring up his apprentice robes to settle on his shoulder. She attempted a warble she had heard from her parents, but it sounded slightly like bubbles being blown in milk. Her dark red and orange head fluff perked up with her excitement.
Julius melted at her attempt and cooed at her, scratching her downy chin and smiling. The baby phoenix peeped happily and snuggled into his collar.
"Ah,I see Ember was making herself at home under the counter again," Ollivander said with a smile. "She's going to be said when she won't be able to fit on that shelf in a few months."
Julius chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she'll still try. This morning she stuffed herself in between the wand boxes in aisle 4 by the moving ladder."
Ollivander's eyes twinkled. "Such mischief from a little bird who hasn't even feathered out yet."
"Mum says that's when they are the most precocious," Julius said with a grin.
"She would know," Ollivander agreed. "So would your father, I suppose."
"Dad says the shower is getting 'full of steam-induced fluff balls,'" Julius chuckled.
"The new chicks have an affinity to the shower already?" Ollivander asked.
Julius nodded. "If any one of us are in the shower, Prince and Pyre will fly in to join you if they are around. The chicks will kick up a fuss and try to scramble to the bathroom too, now."
Ollivander chortled. "How amusing."
Julius nodded. "Professor Mitchell says Keegan loves the shower too."
"How is Wayne doing with his little phoenix?" Ollivander asked.
"He says it's like having another Master demanding his time at all hours of the day," Julius grinned.
Ollivander nodded smugly. "Ah, isn't this the night you are supposed to meet up with your Aunt McGonagall?"
"Yes, Master," Julius nodded. "Did you need me to do anything else before I go?"
"No, Julius," Garrick said with a shake of his head. "Have fun and give Minerva my regards."
Julius beamed. "Yes, Master! Goodnight!" he headed towards the back of the store and stepped into the floo, disappearing.
Ollivander smiled as he stared at where his apprentice had disappeared. "Goodnight, young Julius," he replied softly.