~*~Dark Rituals~*~

"How did you know who that boy was?" Miss Macmillan enquired when they were some distance away. Harry had stopped striding away and allowed Miss Macmillan to lead him towards Olivanders. They still needed a wand.

"Newspaper." Hadrian said shortly. He talked exactly like his grandfather would hardly go over well.

"Ah."

They didn't say anything more as they started going into the shop, the soft jingle of bells announcing their arrival. Behind the counter was an old man with intense green eyes. Pale green really. His wrinkled face hadn't seemed to change from the last time Hadrian was here.

"Mr. Harry Potter." Olivander said. "Well met." He pushed his spectacles on his nose further. "Well met indeed."

"Mr. Olivander." Miss Macmilland interrupted, "Mr. Potter requires a wand."

"Ah, Miss Macmillan. Rowan and Phoenix feather, eleven and three quarters, nice and flexible. Great wand for protective enchantments. And I quite believe the saying that there has never been a rowan wand that has gone out to do evil in the world."

Miss Macmillan blushed, a nice pink colour that brought life to her flat cheeks.

"Mr. Potter." He nodded. "Could you hold out your wand arm?"

Harry lifted his right arm and measuring tapes zoomed out from the dusty shelves behind him. Busily they measured his forearm, his fingers, his wrist, and then his height. While this was happening, Mr. Olivander was happily humming to himself. Putting his hand in some boxes he brought out a pale white wand.

Harry grasped it but nothing happened. "Nope." Mr. Olivander decided. "Try this one."

A nice brown wand with blue threads in the wood grain. "No."

A deep brown wood with knots every few centimeters. "Not this one."

The wand selecting process continued.

One wand after another was placed in his hand, but none felt right. Then finally, a thin, deep wood wand was placed in his hands. It had streaks of dark red through it black-brown wood. There was no notch or lines for a handle, the wand merely was thick in diameter at one end and grew thinner as it extended. The wand was slightly curved and performed one single twist for the entirety of its length. When Harry's fingers touched it, a light shone from within it, giving the room a warm pink glow, dancing red and yellow sparks flying out of the end.

"Ah!" Olivander clapped. "What a curious choice! Curious indeed!"

"I'm sorry, but what is curious?"

"Cherry and dragon heartstring. It just happens that I have only sold one other wand of this combination. That was to a very happy Chinese woman who had travelled around the world for her wand."

"Er."

"The cherry wood is rare, and of a strange power. If paired with dragon heartstring, as in this case, it should never be paired with a wizard that does not have exceptional self-control and strength of mind."

"I think it is safe to expect great things from you, Mr. Potter. Strange, but great."

Hadrian left that store with a feeling of dread. No matter what he did he could not shake it off.

"Why do you think he called me 'Harry' Potter?" Hadrian asked Miss Macmillan.

"Did he?" She blinked. "I don't know."

"In fact, he knew my name before you introduced me."

"Well he probably knew your parents." She continued. "And it is rare for a magical child to grow up with muggles."

"Other than mudbloods?"

At this, Miss Macmillan shifted uncomfortably. "That is a very offensive word, Hadrian. You should use it with more caution. If at all. But to answer your question, muggleborns are given their letters a year before those born in the magical world, to be tutored before they arrive at Hogwarts, and given that time to decide whether becoming part of the magical world is what they desire."

"What happens if they don't want to be magic?"

"Their magic is bound by a safe process and their knowledge of this world is obviated."

"Is it uncommon, people like me?"

"Not that uncommon, I'm afraid. There were a lot of orphans after the war. A few ended up with muggle relatives. You would have been given the same option as the muggleborns, if we had found you. Excuse me." She moved to change the bricks to let them out into the leaky cauldron.

"Now, absolutely no magic before school. Keep your wand on you at all times. Here is your ticket for the Hogwarts Express. It leaves September the 1st. You can arrange your own transportation, right?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, that's it for now I assume. I do have a gift for you. A sort of proper welcome into the Wizarding World." From inside her robes she produced a small metal object that she waved her wand at, and it enlarged to be a metal cage holding the most beautiful, pure white snowy owl. "She's a little temperamental…" Miss Macmillan trailed off as Harry launched himself and hugged her. "Oh. That's quite alright dear."

It was rare for people to genuinely get him things without expecting anything back. And the busy stressed out girl in front of him had taken the time to do so. It was touching. "Thank you." Hadrian said once he was a few steps back again.

"You're welcome, Hadrian." The lady gave him a rather fond smile. "I will see you on September the first then. And around at Hogwarts. If you get sorted into Gryffindor, you will see even more of me."

"Bye, Miss Macmillan."

The lady waved as Harry left the leaky cauldron, lightly dragging his trunk with him.

~*~HPLV~*~

A/N: What do you think? I had to do some research to decide on Harry's wand.

Longer A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing! Christmas and New Years has been so hectic I wanted to get this up sooner but the things to do never ends! I haven't been on my computer for three days until last night-THAT was how busy things were. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!