Diagon Alley Part II

"Dudley?"

Blinking again, Harry stared, to make sure that he was seeing this right. Yes, it was his cousin, though he had changed a lot over the years. Gone was the dangerously overweight boy that looked more like a beach ball then an actually child. Taller then him, Dudley was still bigger then him, but he was just plump instead. His blonde hair was no longer plastered to his head, and instead was rather full and wild, though certainly not as bad as his.

"Blimey, it is you," Dudley breathed. "Whoa... I never thought I'd see you again."

Gulping, Harry scrambled up. Even though it had been years, he still remembered how Dudley use to get him in trouble with his former guardians. On purpose. "What... What are you doing here, Dudley?" he asked, his gaze meeting the still watery blue eyes as his former cousin stood. It didn't matter if he was afraid of him still. He wouldn't let his cousin hurt him again.

"Who is this, Harry?" asked Elysia, placing a protective hand on his shoulder. He looked up to her. That's right, he had his mother would protect him.

"This is my cousin, Dudley," Harry finally answered, and he wasn't surprised by the low growl that Elysia gave, earning shocked looks not just from Dudley, but Lupin. "Its okay, Mum. Really."

"Wha - Mum?" said Dudley with surprise, glancing between him and Elysia.

"There you are!" Slightly out of breathe, a young woman jogged up to them, smiling brightly even as she leaned forward and rested her hands on her knee's. She looked to be in her early thirties, with dark gold hair that looked even more wild then his and dark blue eyes that were slightly hidden by oval glasses. "I told you not to run off like that, Dudley, I was thought I lost you!" she said chidingly, Harry almost expected her to shake a finger at him. She finally noticed them, and stood straight, a slight blush on her face. "Oh, hello! Did you make some friends already, Dudley?" She bowed, then winced and tried to slip into a curtsy without stopping. "My name is Elle, Elle Ashworth, and I guess you've already meet my son, Dudley. Pleased to meet you all."

"Son?" said both Harry and Elysia.

"Well, I call him that, but he's not truly my son," said Elle with another blush, brushing back her bangs. "Though I wish he was. Actually, I'm just his guardian till he's of age." She gave a little sniffle. "I'll be so sad when he turns seventeen -"

"Elle," mumbled Dudley. "This is Harry," he said, stressing the name. "The - err - cousin I told you about..."

"Oh..." Elle suddenly went silent, her smile went sad, and glanced over him for a long moment. "You're... that Harry Potter..." she said, though it wasn't harshly, or admiringly. More like she was curious.

Still, Harry winced, ready for her to act like Madam Malkin had. But instead, she brightened her smile again. "A pleasure, Harry. And this is..."

"Elysia, his adoptive mother," said the werewolf, bowing. "And our guide, Remus Lupin. He's helping us with our shopping for Hogwarts."

"Oh, you're going to Hogwarts as well! Splendid!" said Elle happily. "We were just doing the same! I knew Dudley would have to go to some sort of school to help him control his magic, but I certainly didn't expect a letter from there! I was planning on sending him to Durmstrang, but now he'll be closer, so I won't get so worried about him, so that's just fine with me! And now my baby will know someone there, I didn't want him to be all alone."

As Elle kissed Dudley on the head, ignoring his flush and slight squirm, Harry got the feeling that she babbled a lot when she was nervous. It also didn't seem like she knew how Dudley treated him...

"Mum," Dudley whined, sounding a bit like his old self, blushing a bit more when he realized he slipped and called her 'mum' in front of Harry. "You're embarrassing me..."

"Oh, sorry, dear," said Elle, though it didn't sound like she regretted it. "Won't happen again, promise."

"Wait, when did you get magic?" asked Harry, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. "How..."

"... When the wizards came to ask my parents where you went, I guess I freaked out so much I used magic to start throwing my toys at one of them," mumbled Dursley. "So they placed me with their version of children services, and then Elle instead of a Muggle orphanage..."

Harry held back a snort.

"Well, we must be on our way," said Elle suddenly, "we haven't gotten a thing on our list yet. But before we do... Dudley," said the golden haired women, crossing her arms loosely and looking down at her ward, giving him a firm look that told him she wouldn't take no for an answer. "Isn't there something you need to say to Harry?"

"... Sorry for being such a prat, Harry," Dudley finally said, even though he said it while looking down at his shoes, so he didn't see the look shock on Harry's face, almost completely mirrored by Elysia. "I knew - even back then - that it wasn't right to treat you that way. But my mum and dad were always so proud of me when I... when I did something to hurt you. And that's all I wanted, for them to be pleased with me. I thought if I didn't, then they'd treat me like they did you... I'm really sorry."

Again, there was a long moment of silence, and Harry glanced up at Elle. It seemed she wasn't blind to Dudley's past, after all. "Its alright, Dudley," he finally said. "It was a long time ago... I can't say I forgive you right away. But I do accept your apology."

Dudley smiled weakly, and Elle patted his shoulder. "See, dear? Not to hard at all. So sorry we have to rush - I hope we get to talk again sometime! Bye-bye!"

"Bye, Harry... And happy birthday."

Blinking, Harry barely managed to wave to them. Dudley remembered his birthday? His cousin really had changed a lot...

"She certainly does talk a lot, doesn't she?" said Elysia as she watched them go past and into Madam Malkin's. Then she glanced down at her son. "Are you, alright, Harry?"

"Yeah... actually, I am," said Harry, surprising himself. He wasn't scared of Dudley, not anymore. He could defend himself more now then when he was five. He could turn into a wolf, for Mother Moon's sake, and even use magic! And his cousin had actually apologized, and he accepted that he might not be forgiven. That certainly showed that he had grown up. And maybe, just maybe, seeing his cousin at Hogwarts would be alright...

"Well," said Lupin, clearing his throat and speaking up for the first time. "Why don't we go on? We also have a lot to shop for."

The group moved on, each shop like a new adventure. They found quills and ink at Scribbulus Writing Implements, and Harry was pleased to find ink that changed color. Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore, was a place where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books. While Lupin talked with the cashier about the first-year books, Harry couldn't help but dart around the store, like a kid in a candy shop. He'd never seen so many books in his life. Even Elysia was staring at some with awe, having never even see a bound book before, all the clans knowledge scattered on random papers. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be the only reading his school books this summer.

After buying a pewter cauldron from Potage's Cauldron Shop, plus a brass scale, phials, and collapsible telescope from Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, they stopped at one of the nearby restaurants to eat a early lunch. Harry was more then pleased to get some ice cream for dessert from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour that was across the street, treating himself to a scoop of rainbow coloured ice cream that tasted like a different flavour with each bite or lick. The day was so going so well (save for the sudden meeting with Dudley), he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

When they were done, they visited the Apothecary. Elysia refused to enter the minute the door opened, the smell of bad eggs and rotten cabbage almost making her sick. Even though it wasn't much better for Harry, he felt the place was so interesting that it made up for its smell. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. He added a few simple things to their items, things that he knew Arianna would love to have in stock.

"Well, it looks like all that's left is your wand!" said Lupin cheerfully.

The grin on Harry's face was almost blinding. Was it possible to be even more excited? "Where do we go to get that?" he asked.

"Right over there, to Ollivanders," Lupin said as he pointed out the store. "No better place in England."

Harry stared at the store. For a place to buy wands, it was rather narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. He really hoped that wasn't the only one there.

A tinkling bell rang softly as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, with barely enough room for them, let alone the spindly chair in the corner. Harry felt strange, like it would be wrong to talk without some sort of permission. Almost like a library. Swallowing, his throat suddenly dry, he instead glanced over the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. At one point, he felt the back of his neck prickle, like there was something sacred here and he should be carefully not to disturb it.

It was due to his sharp sense of smell that Harry was alerted to the shop owners presence. He turned to the scent of the wood and something sharp just as the man spoke. "Good afternoon," he said in an soft tone that reminded him of worn fabric. He was skinny, with wild white hair and eyes like the Mother Moon, large and silver orbs that shone through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander," said Lupin, a little startled at his sudden appearance. "Nice to see you."

"Remus Lupin... Ash, unicorn hair, thirteen inches. Does well with light spells," Ollivander said without batting an eye before glancing over Elysia. He gave a small hum before then turning to Harry. "Ah... Harry Potter. Yes, yes, I knew that I'd be seeing you soon." He smiled slowly, while Harry wondered how he knew who he was, his scar was hidden. "It seems only yesterday that your mother was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow with a phoenix feather. Nice wand for charm work."

Harry really wished Ollivanders would blink, but he can't help but feel a little happier that someone was talking about his parents. "How do you remember all that?" he asked.

"I have an excellent memory, even for my old age. I remember every wand I ever sold, Mr. Potter, and every person I sold them to. You have her eyes," Ollivander said with a tilt of his head. "Though you do look more like your father. Now he favored a mahogany wand with dragon heart string. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration." He chuckled, as if remembering an inside joke. "Well, I say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

"I didn't know that," said Harry. He was getting a little freaked out, but really interested at the same time. Ollivander had stepped up, so close that they were almost nose to nose, and he could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where..." Ollivander lifted his hand, and let a long, white finger brush over the lighting bolt scar on Harry's forehead. At his side, Elysia gave a low growl. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."

"Oh..." breathed out Harry. He never really thought about the wizard that gave him the scar, killed his parents. A dark figure that only existed in the back of his mind, or in a forgotten story. But Ollivander had somehow just made him seem so much more real...

Ollivander shook his head, snapping himself out of his sadness. "But enough about that. You're here for a wand, not to listen to me babble on like the old man I am." He pulled a measuring tape with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Err, I'm right-handed, I guess?" said Harry.

"Hold out your arm, please. That's it." Ollivander measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he started to explain, "Every one of my wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two wands are the same, just as no two magical creatures are the same." He nodded and walked off to the shelves, flitting around them. "And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." Pausing a moment, he glanced back. "Alright, that will do."

The measuring tape, which had been moving on its own and measuring the distance between his nostrils, fell to the floor.

"Right then." Ollivander held out a box. "Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Taking the wand, Harry waved it around a bit, felling a bit foolish, but Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once, holding out another wand. "Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try again." But not a moment later, it too was snatched back. "No, no. Here, try this one, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, then."

Again and again, Harry tried every wand that Ollivander handed to him, and the pile getting higher and higher. He guessed that he was suppose to feel something, but he didn't sense anything from the sticks, and he was starting to wonder if he'd ever find one that suited him. Maybe not surprisingly, Ollivander was getting more excited as time passed. He probably thought this was an excellent challenge for him.

"Tricky customer, eh?" Ollivander chuckled. "Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere." He was darted between the remaining boxes, and suddenly paused. "I wonder, now... yes, why not?" He turned to Harry. "Try this. Its an unusual combination, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Nodding, an exhausted Harry took the wand. Suddenly, he felt a warmth in his fingers, and he was no longer tired. He raised the wand above his head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air. The warmth grew, and stream of green sparks, like grass and leaves, shot from the end, like a firework, falling around them like rain.

Everyone in the shop clapped, smiles wide. "Amazing, cub!" said Elysia, wrapping her arms around him and kissing the top of his head. "That was beautiful."

"How curious.." said Ollivander as his smile turned into a small frown. "How very curious…"

"Excuse me, sir?" asked Harry as shop owner took his wand, wrapping it in brown paper while he continued to mutter under his breath. "What's curious?"

Ollivander turned to Harry, fixing him with his pale stare. "As I said before, I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter," he said solemnly. "Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather. Just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother..." he lifted his hand and pointed to his forehead, "gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed, and the grip Elysia had on him shoulder tightened, as if she could protect him from the dead wizard. "Is that so, sir?" he said in a whisper.

"Yes. His wand was thirteen-and-a-half inches, with yew and the brother phoenix feather. You two are connected in more ways then one. Its curious indeed how these things happen..."

"Is it possible to - err - pick another wand?" asked Elysia. "One that's not connected to... him?"

"I'm afraid not, ma'am. There will be no other that will work as well with him. The wand chooses the wizard, remember..." Ollivander closed his eyes briefly, it was the first time that Harry saw him blink, before he bowed to him. "I think great things will come from you, Mr. Potter. Great things..."

A few minutes later, the three were quietly making their way down the street, Lupin silently guiding them to the Magical Menagerie, where they would find Harry a pet. Said boy couldn't help but glance back at the wand shop. He had tried to pay from his wand, but Ollivanders wouldn't have it, refusing to take his money. It made Harry embarrassed, but with a look from Elysia, he just thanked him and left the shop as soon as possible, happily keeping his wand in the bag he carried.

Moving around a group of red-heads that had to be related, the group entered the pet store, and Harry was assaulted by familiar sounds and scents. Cats, rodents, birds, reptiles, even a few small dogs and a large glass tank full of toads. Every pet Harry could think of was in the large store, screeching and howling and yowling.

"Take a look around, Harry," said Lupin with a kind smile. "See what you like."

Nodding, Harry walked around the store, his gaze always moving. But after a few minutes, he realized finding a pet was going to be harder then he thought. The cats were immediately dismissed, they wouldn't stop hissing at him, their fur bristling. Dogs weren't on the list, plus they all were scared of him; whimpering and pushing themselves into corners. Both animal types could probably smell the scent of wolves on him.

Birds weren't too bad, but the list said owls, and none of these were owls. Parrots, parakeets, cockatiels, canaries, finches, and so many other types of colorful birds that he didn't know. They all sang when Harry approached, their songs mixing together to make a beautiful sound. It was almost like being back home in the forest, when the birds greeted the morning. He listened to them for a long minute before moving onto the reptiles, already knowing he wouldn't chose any rodents or toads.

Creatures with smooth scales were kept behind glass; lizards, turtles, and snakes. Moving to the closest and largest tank, bigger then him, Harry watched as tiny snakes, long as his forearm, slithered around what he guessed was their mother, which was probably longer then him. He had rarely seen snakes in the forest, and none like these. They all had pitch black scales that were spotted occasionally with shimmering gold or bright silver, with a complete silver coat on the top of the mother's head. All their eyes matched their shiner scales.

"Mother, this dark human smells strange," said a young boy's voice. Harry blinked, and glanced around him, wondering who said that. He didn't smell that bad, did he?

"Behave, child," said a soothing voice, sounding like it belonged to a woman. "The human's can not help how they smell."

"Is he going to take us?"

"Mother, don't let him take us!"

"I don't want to leave!"

"Ssh. I will not let the human take you easily." Inside the tank, the mother snake suddenly turned to look at him, its pink tongue darting out of its mouth to taste the air before it showed off its fangs, hissing dangerously. "Just try and take my children, you will be harmed greatly, I promise you. Just like I bit the master of the store."

"What?" said Harry, alarmed, and he took a step back, and tripped over something, stumbling to the floor and falling on his bum. Did that snake just talk to him?

Shutting its mouth with an almost audibly snap, the snake moved forward, till its nose was touching the glass. "You understand me, child? You understand the tongue of snakes?"

Before answer, Harry glanced around to make sure no one could see or hear him talking with a snake. "Uh... No - I mean yes? Maybe?" He shook his head as he stood back up. "I'm going crazy. I have to be." Oh and look, now he was talking to himself. Now he really was crazy.

"Foolish boy, you are as crazy as I am," hissed the snake. "And believe me, I am certain that I am not crazy."

"But its impossible. People just can't talk to snakes," said Harry. "I mean... can they?" There was little he knew about the magical world, after all.

"It is very rare for a human, even with the gift of magic, to speak with us," spoke the snake. "But not impossible. You are a Snake Speaker, child." Unblinking silver eyes, much like Ollivanders, took him in with curiosity. "My mother told me stories about the Speakers, but I never thought I would see one of my own."

"A Speaker?"

"A real one?"

"Let me see!"

"Don't push, I want to see!"

All the little snakes moved up to the glass, all of them trying to see him at once. The chatter was starting to make Harry dizzy, and he was just about to clap his hands over his ears when the mother hissed sharply.

"Enough, children! You are overwhelming the Speaker!" She gently pushed them back, ignoring their protest, and bowed her head to Harry. "My apologizes."

"Its alright," shrugged Harry.

"Now tell me, what is a Speaker doing here? Are you here to pick a companion?" The snake seemed to straighten up. "Any of my children would be proud to become your ally."

"Oh, no, I'm sorry. I mean, I would love to," which was true, "but I don't think I can't take a snake to Hogwarts," said Harry. "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize," hissed the snake gently, and Harry swore, if she could smirk, she would. "I am happy enough to have meet a Speaker in my lifetime." She gazed into his eyes, and suddenly, all he could see was silver as something warm wrapped around his mind. "And I have a feeling we shall me again, young savior."

"What did you -"

"If you are ever in need of help," rushed on the snake, not letting him ask his question, "while you are at Hogwarts, look for us in the twisted tree. That is where my kind gather."

"Twisted tree?" Harry didn't understand, and he wanted to ask more questions -

"Oi, kid! You alright?"

Snapping out of the warmth, Harry turned to the clerk that was marching up to him. "You better not get to close to these, kid," said the man, pushing him back to the front. "Those Aeolus snakes can get kind of moody sometimes, and I don't need this ta be the one time that glass breaks."

"Aeolus snakes, sir?" "said Harry, rolling the strange name around in his mouth

"Yeah. Usually, I don't even sell 'em, but there's been a high demand for 'em by those who want a rare and magical pet." The clerk snorted. "Damn rich people. Don't know what someone would want such a dangerous pet, venom spewin' and magic usin', but whatever, I get paid," he muttered, walking off to help a customer.

"Ah, there you, Harry," said Lupin. "Did you find a pet?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm starting to think of an owl, but they don't sell any here." He glanced around. "Where's Elysia?"

"She's waiting outside." Lupin shook his head. "I don't think she's very happy with me at the moment... Now, if you want an owl, there's another shop we can try down the road."

Even though he was curious, about Elysia's sudden anger and his sudden ability to talk with snakes, Harry just nodded a let Lupin lead him. His mother joined them when they exited the shop, glaring at their guide momentarily before turning her attention to the sights around her, chattering with him about the many things they had seen today.

The task of picking out an owl wasn't hard at all. At Eeylops Owl Emporium, there was a beautiful snowy white owl with black markings had caught his attention immediately. And it seemed to take a liking to him as well, flying down to him from a perch and rest on his shoulder, rubbing its beck against his cheek. They quickly bought the owl - a female, he was told - and bought everything they needed for her. Elysia also assured him that the owl would be able to fly freely at home.

Speaking of home.

"It was nice to see you again, Harry," said Lupin with his ever present kind smile. They had taken the Knight Bus home, and it was now sitting idly by while waiting for him to say their goodbyes. Elysia was standing off to the side, ignoring their guide even as he shook hands with Harry. "Feel free to contact me anytime. Your owl will find me wherever I am currently staying, I'm sure."

To Harry's surprise, Elysia gave a 'hmph', not even trying to hide her glare.

"I'll do that, sir," said Harry with his own smile. "Thank you for bringing me and my mom out here. Hope I get to see you soon."

Both Harry and Elysia climbed onto the Knight Bus, and as soon as the bus was in motion, the young wizard turned to his mother. "What's going on, Mum? Why were you suddenly so angry with Lupin? What did he do?"

Sighing, Elysia glanced towards him. "It seems a bit rude now, but... while you were searching for a pet, I asked Lupin why he smelled so sickly. I wondered if he was ill. He said no, though he did feel this way when the full moon came closer. I said that I didn't understand, since werewolves should feel wonderful under the Mother Moon's light. Then he admitted to me that he took a potion. He... He took Wolfsbane."

"I don't get it," said Harry with a frown. "What's wrong with it?"

"... Even deep in the woods, we have heard of this potion, that supposedly helps," Elysia spat that word out, "through the transformation phase, supposedly keeps their mind in tact. The one thing we've heard is that the most important, and potent, ingredient is aconite."

"Aconite?" Arianna had told him about that. It was like a drug for a werewolves, in either form. It made one numb, in both mind and body, and impulsive enough to even kill someone. If taken too much or too long, it could make you sick, sometimes go insane, and eventually kill you. "But why would he take that?"

"He doesn't enjoy his werewolf form, apparently," snapped Elysia, and then she sighed. "I don't know, Harry, I just... I got so angry that he didn't appreciate his gift. I'm having a lot of doubts about him being your guardian."

"I understand, Mum," said Harry as he snuggled into her. "But still, can you try and well... be nice to him, at least? He still was one of my parents friends, and I like him."

"... Alright, cub," said Elysia with a nod, dropping a kiss on top of his head. "I'll try, for you."

Smiling, Harry closed his eyes to take a nap, and thought that even with the sudden meeting of his cousin, this probably was one of the best days of his life.