A/N: I'm not making money from this. This is J.K's world, I'm just playing in it.
The portkey felt like a hook attaching itself behind her navel and tugging. When she landed, she stumbled a bit but quickly regained her balance. The shop resembled a muggle store somewhat, there were racks of clothes spread around the room, and clothes hanging the walls. She was lucky in that the shop was completely empty, save one bored employee reading a book at the till.
Alexandra approached the desk and coughed. The girl looked up and quickly shut her book. "Madame, what can I do for you today?" she asked nervously, not noticing the House rings she wore.
"I'd like to speak to the owner if they're here?" she replied, smiling warmly at the nervous girl, who nodded and rushed off into a back room, returning quickly with a slender woman who looked to be in her mid-forties. "Good afternoon, I am Madame Twilfitt, the owner of the shop. What can I do for you?" she said politely, casting an eye at her robes and muggle clothing.
"My name is Alexandra Potter-Black. I've just claimed Headship of House Black and temporary Headship of House Potter. However, I am in need of a full formal wardrobe suitable for my position and the Wizengamot." She explained, gesturing sheepishly to her clothes. Madame Twilfitt's jaw dropped, and the employee grinned.
"Merlin, this is fantastic!" she exclaimed. "My name is Laura, and it's an honour to meet you, my Lady! I'm so excited, it's been a while since we had a full wardrobe like this!"
Alexandra laughed, and pulled off her robe. "Well, I'm glad you think so, Laura. I want to make an impression at the next Wizengamot meeting- it's been a long time since the Potter and Black seats had an occupant."
Madame Twilfitt shook herself out of her shock, and began dictating to Laura, who jotted what she said down on spare parchment and used a muggle pen.
"Well, we'll need robes with both crests on, Acromantula silk of course, and I think for the first appearance we'll need to go all black with the clothes. So, a black shirt, blazer and skirt, you have a good figure so that's an advantage, and of course black heeled shoes. No stockings, I think. For the later meetings more neutral colours but well-made and sharp."
This continued for a few minutes before Laura was sent to close the shop: "Your first public appearance must be controlled, the people will see what you want them to see only." Alexandra was measured and then pushed into a changing room, and ordered into clothes that were judged by Madame Twilfitt and Laura, who was a muggleborn with a good idea of public reactions.
Two hours later, Alexandra apparated to Ollivander's laden down with shrunken purchases and lighter of a few hundred Galleons. She entered the shop hesitantly and tapped the bell that sat on the desk. "Mr Ollivander? Are you here?" she called. The man in question appeared in front of her like…well, like magic, and she stepped back in shock.
"Ah, Alexandra Potter. I wondered when I'd be seeing you. Nine years too late." He said, giving her disapproving look, and turning to select a wand box.
"Yes, well, we were in Europe when I turned 11, so we purchased from Gregorovitch. It's been broken since then, so I am in need of another." She said, glancing around the shop. Well this place is creepy as hell, she thought, thank Merlin that this will be relatively quick.
"Here, Miss Potter. Try this one. 12 inches, pine with unicorn hair." He presented a deep brown wand to her, which he picked up and flicked. She jumped as a book on a shelf ripped itself apart.
Over the next quarter of an hour, Ollivander produced numerous unsuitable wands to her, before her magic finally settled on a 12 ¾ inch wand, made of acacia wood and with dragon heartstring. As soon as she touched it, the wood emitted a soft glow that lit the room, and her House rings glowed. She could feel her magic settle into the wand, and it felt almost…happy to have found her, if that was possible.
She paid and left the dark shop, apparating to the doorstep of Flourish and Blotts. Once she had reached a deserted corner of the shop, she put a glamour over herself that changed her hair from black to blonde, and her brown eyes to light blue. Once the glamour was in place, she began searching for some good reads for both her and Harry. In the Transfiguration she picked up Becoming an Animagus, Animagus Meditation, Transformation: an Animagus' Guide. She was eager to learn this skill so that she could offer it to Harry as well. Alexandra also picked up some books in household spells, duelling, battle magic, pureblood etiquette, the Wizengamot explained, family magic and dark curses. She wanted to begin training for Harry and possibly Neville as well next week at the latest. She was determined to make sure Harry was ready for Voldemort when he came.
She exited the shop a few Galleons later, and headed for a nondescript luggage shop, where she bought two large dragonhide trunk embedded with security spells that held various compartments for books, clothes, potion ingredients, delicate items and Quidditch gear. She packed her formal wear and books into one of the trunks in the shop, and applied a featherlight charm and a shrinking charm to both and put them in her pockets. Alexandra made a stop at the stationery shop next to the bookshop and purchased copious amounts of parchment, ink, quills and sand, and she strolled up the Alley, heading to the Leaky Cauldron, where she grabbed a quick lunch and headed into Muggle London.
With the help of a sales assistant, she bought a casual Muggle wardrobe and two Muggle suits in a department store, then went to a sports shop to buy workout gear and a pair of Nikes. She picked up a few t-shirts and tank tops plus shorts and leggings. A sweatshirt not unlike the red one she had woken up in caught her eye and she added that to her haul as well as a few sports bras. She would bring Harry here tomorrow or the day after to get the same sort of thing, it was not widely known that physical endurance played a big part in a duel, it would allow you to dodge spells for longer, and she knew it was a good idea to stay in shape. As a Muggle she had played a lot of sport, and enjoyed long runs every morning. It was something she would have to pick up when she and Harry moved.
She found a quiet side alley off the street that she was walking along, and apparated back to Diagon Alley, and walked down to Florean Fortescue's for an ice cream. As she licked the ice cream, the Owl Emporium caught her eye, and she went in. The shop was dark and stank of animals, but she pushed through. She knew that post owls were magical beings so she stood in the middle of the shop and closed her eyes, mentally feeling out with her magic, until she felt a connection. Eyes opened, she followed the feeling until she arrived at the perch of a tawny owl. She grinned at the owl.
"Wonderful. I'm Alexandra Potter-Black. I suppose you'd like to be my owl then?" she asked holding out her arm. She knew she probably looked a bit stupid, introducing herself to an owl, but it had long been known that owls understood human languages, something that was ignored by most. The owl hooted and glided down to rest on her arm and nibbled her ear gently.
"I'll find a name for you when we get back to the apartment, but for now you'll have to wait." She paid a few Galleons for her owl and some treats and a perch, which she shrunk and pocketed. Alexandra didn't want to buy a cage, he was more than capable of flying anywhere he wanted. They left the shop and together they walked back to her gifted apartment.
Once there, the evening passed quickly and she ordered dinner from a Muggle Chinese restaurant which she had to go and pick up. As she ate, she read her new book on household charms, and practiced them, much to the amusement of her owl. She eventually named him Sirius, after the man who made her his undisputed Heir, and she and Sirius were very excited to meet Harry. The evening quickly passed into night and she packed the apartment into her trunk. The only things left out was a grey Armani suit and black Louboutins. She wanted to make a firm impression on the Dursleys when she arrived and a good impression on Harry.
An owl had already arrived from Ragnok, the Goblin King, who expressed his anger and his support of her situation and his offer of an audience in the coming weeks, and she had replied with his owl stating her thanks, and gratefulness for such an audience. Another owl had come with a letter from Nurlor, suggesting that she call a family meeting for House Black as soon as possible to discuss changes and that the wards on the British residencies were finished and she replied to him thanking him for his advice and help.
The day had taken a lot out of her, so she changed into her new pyjamas after a shower, and fell into her bed and a dreamless sleep.