A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you're all having a good day! 3 Don't forget about the poll I've put up on my profile! If you'd like to go check it out, the question is about when the wizarding world should find out about Harry! I'd really love to hear your feedback and have a great day! I'm so excited for these next chapters as things are finally picking up in the story as we get into Harry's first year at Hogwarts!
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(Harry POV)
This shop was shabby and narrow, peeling old letters above the door read, 'Olivanders, Makers of fine wands since 382 B.C.' In the window sat a single dusty wand on top of an old looking purple cushion. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as we entered.
It was a tiny place, empty except for a single spindly chair, which Amber ran over and sat in, beginning to giggle and spin as she did. It felt weird as we stood there and I looked at Henry, who seemed to agree that this shop was very odd and reminiscent of a very strict library.
It didn't take us long however, before we were distracted by the vibe of the place by the rows upon rows of boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling in what it seemed to be every which way we looked. The back of my neck prickled and I reached up to touch it as Henry did the same. Like our very bodies, the dust and cobwebs in here seemed to tingle and sparkle with secret magic that not even the most skilled could probably explain.
"Good afternoon." Said a soft voice.
Everyone jumped and Amber immediately stopped her spinning and jumped from the chair, probably worried she might get into trouble.
An old man was now standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.
"Hello." Henry and I said together, my voice a bit quieter than his as nerves raced through me.
"Ah, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon." His eyes suddenly moved from me to Henry, then to Uncle Zander and Aunt Rose and suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, I made sure he couldn't read my thoughts. Did he know who I was? Could he see through the disguise? No, he shouldn't be able to, right?
"What's your name?" His eyes were on me again and through his words, I sensed a certain amount of amusement that made me extremely uncomfortable.
"James Zander Darken." Luckily, I was confident in my answer as this was the name I used everywhere but at home, so it technically felt like my real name to an extent.
"Yes, okay. Let's see if we can't find a wand for you." He kept looking at me and as I looked back, I really wished he'd blink. Those eyes of his were pretty creepy. "Your father, Zander." He glanced at Uncle Zander, who looked a little uncomfortable himself. "He favors an Apple wooded wand, 12¼ inches, unicorn hair. Yes, truly a wand of light, but I said he favored that wand when really, it is the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."
He turned away suddenly, after seemingly looking right into my soul and as he did I let out a breath. "What is your wand arm?" The question was directed at both Henry and I and immediately, we both held up our right hands. "That's it, hold them out." Pulling out a measuring tape as we did as directed, he began to measure us, from head to toe, shoulder to elbow, elbow to fingertip, I was even surprised when he measured around my head, between my eyebrows and from my nose to my outstretched fingertips.
"Every Olivander wand has a core that comes from a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, Phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same and of course, you will never get quite the same results with another wizard's wand."
As the tape measure continued to measure on its own now, I watched as Mr. Ollivander moved to the boxes now and took some down. "That will do!" He suddenly said and as the tape measure fell to a heap on the floor, Henry and I jumped about a foot in the air.
"Alright then boys, try this one." He handed us each a wand as he said, "Mr. James, you've got beach wood and dragon heartstring, nine inches, nice and flexible and you, Mr. Henry, you've got a Mahogany with Dragon heartstring, ten inches slightly flexible. Go on now, give it a wave."
In unison, Henry and I waved our wands but not even a second had passed before they were snatched from us by the wand maker, who shook his head, "Maple, Phoenix feather and seven inches for you." He handed me a wand, then, "Ash wood, dragon Heartstring and nine inches for you." Henry took the wand given to him. Immediately, mine was snatched away again as Mr. Ollivander shook his head once more.
"No. No. Mahogany and—" I jumped as Henry tried waving his wand and suddenly set fire to Sirius's robes. He yelped as Uncle Zander put them out and his wand too was snatched, along with mine once more as Henry had jumped, I'd shattered the window, which was immediately repaired by Mr. Ollivander.
We tried and tried, but nothing was happening— or all the wrong things were happening, until finally, Henry waved a wand he was given and a beautiful shower of purple and blue sparks came out. "Perfect!" Mr. Ollivander clapped. "Just perfect, Acacia wood, yes. I can see that for you and Unicorn Hair, 11⅓ inches, very flexible. Yes, this wand will serve you well."
As I continued to try wand after wand, I became increasingly jealous of my brother, who in comparison to me, had found his wand incredibly fast and meanwhile, my tried pile was growing ever bigger on the spindly chair, but despite what I was feeling, the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled off the shelves, the happier he was beginning to be. "Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we will find the perfect match here, somewhere."
He stopped for a moment and looked from me to Henry and then looking to Uncle Zander and Aunt Rose, he muttered, "I wonder…" he looked back at the shelves upon shelves of boxes. "Yes! Why not? Unusual combination… Holly and Phoenix Feather, eleven inches, nice and supple…"
I took the next wand he handed me with great care, worried as to why Mr. Ollivander seemed so reverent about this particular wand, but as soon as I touched the thing, my heart leapt. There was a sudden warmth, like nothing I'd ever felt before that spread through my fingers. Immediately, I felt and knew what I should do; I raised the wand and brought it swishing down through the musty air.
As soon as I did so, a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, shooting dancing spots of light all around the room. I grinned as Amber and Henry whooped and cheered and Uncle Zander, Aunt Rose and Sirius looked Proud.
I laughed and grinned back, but suddenly something felt off and turning, I looked at Mr. Ollivander, who was giving me the most peculiar of looks. "Well. Well. Well. Isn't this Curious? Yes, very Curious… very curious indeed."
I handed him my wand so he could box it and as he did, he continued to mutter about how curious this was. "Excuse me?" I decided to speak up, my stomach turning, "I don't mean to interrupt, but what's curious?"
He turned and looked at me with those pale, moon-like eyes of his and as he did, he spoke very quietly. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Darken. Every single one, and it just so happens that the Phoenix, who's tail feather is in your wand, gave another, just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined to have this wand, when it's brother, why it's brother… well, it gave Harry Potter his scar, wherever he is." He gave me a piercing look, but I kept my mind closed, just in case and as I turned to go pay, I gave a look at my uncle, who was looking at Ollivander with the oddest look.
"I don't know how you fit into the puzzle of all of this Mr. Darken, but you are destined for great things. Yes, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, yes, but great!" Chills running down my spine, I paid seven gold galleons for my wand after Henry, then left with my family.
