Harry couldn't help but stand there. Even though Ollivanders was certainly the shabbiest shop so far, it had to be the most magical. Harry could feel the power even standing outside. The small wand on the baby blue cushion made him smile.
A sliver of nostalgia swirled through him; the last time he had his wand seemed so long ago. It had been broken, leaving him with nothing. Harry had felt fractured when that happened. No other wand could replace his own.
"I know yer nervous Harry, but you've gotta go in some time..." Harry smiled sheepishly at Hagrid, knowing he'd been just staring.
"Sorry..." Harry mumbled halfheartedly, and Hagrid chuckled.
"Give me Ehno, and ye can go in. Ain't no sense in waiting." Harry sighed; even though he had done this before, he felt nervous. He knew his wand was in there somewhere, but he still felt the unexplainable butterflies. Harry handed the owl to Hagrid, and he took Ehno carefully.
"Go in now." Harry shot a slightly sour look to the half-giant, and Hagrid just grinned wider. Harry took a deep breath and started for the shop. A little bell rang when he opened the door; it reminded Harry of wind-chimes. Hagrid didn't follow him inside.
The very air smelt of magic; Harry knew the scent. It always had been a subtle, brief thing, but here the smell was so powerful. The smell was almost like the pages of an old book, comforting and powerful. But it was also spicy and at the same time sweet. Harry breathed it in. The only other place that had that smell was Hogwarts.
"Good afternoon." Harry still jumped at the airy voice. He'd forgotten where he was for a moment, he'd also forgotten about Ollivander. Harry turned around and was greeted by the sight of the old man. He had fluffy white hair that clung to his skull, and he was relatively thin.
His eyes were big and pale like moons, his clothes were just as shabby as his shop. Harry didn't recall him well; the last time he'd heard of the man was when he was abducted by Voldemort.
"Good afternoon, sir." Harry gave the man a small smile. He was peculiar; Harry remembered he used to be afraid of strange things. He had grown out of it, but it all took time to get used to when he first came to the wizarding world. The man returned the smile with one of his own.
"I thought I'd be getting a visit from you, Harry Potter, though I didn't expect you to be quite so old." Harry's brow furrowed; he was pretty sure he looked like an eleven-year-old boy.
"Old?" Harry couldn't crush the impulse to question the man. His confusion brought curiosity.
"Yes, old Harry. I see it in your eyes, and I see it in your magic. I also see a darkness in you, one that can only be brought on by age and hardship. Your older than even your true years, Harry." Harry just stood there, his mouth agape. Sure, the man had always been a bit too knowledgeable.
Now though, he might as well be reading Harry's mind. Harry snapped his mouth closed and let a guarded look slide onto his features. Rio seemed to sense a change in Harry's mood as he shifted slightly.
"I don't know what you're talking about sir, you must be mistaken." Harry said it without emotion, a certain coldness lacing the words. He didn't like this man digging into his personal business, but this coldness was something else new.
"No need for defense Harry, I only tell you what I see and sense. You have great promise but great darkness. You can fall into the light or the dark, you've got to make that choice." The air was left still with his heavy words. Harry let himself absorb the terms for a minute.
Harry knew he had changed; he was his own person now. But he felt ripped open. The man had somehow figured out his entire self in just a few seconds. He had even revealed things Harry didn't even know. Harry brushed off the coming anger; it wouldn't do him any good.
"Alright, try this one." Harry hadn't even noticed Ollivander had moved. He took the wand carefully from the man's hand and was instantly confused. This wand was darker than his own, yet it felt right. It felt better than he recalled his own wand to feel.
A beautiful stream of green and gold sparks flew from the wand when he swished it. Ollivander smiled knowingly, his pale eyes shining. Harry looked at him confused; Harry became aware of his heart beating rapidly.
"Ebony and a rather special phoenix feather, eleven inches, rigid." That answered none of Harry's questions; it only gave him a dozen more. He stared down at the wand in utter confusion. This was the one thing he didn't expect to change.
"I said your different, Harry, I predicted you would be, and I made a different wand. This wand will assist you far better, and it still has the feather you need." Harry stared into Ollivanders eyes; this just wasn't right. But he could feel, deep down, it was his.
"But..." Harry tried, a feeling of loss and shock taking him.
"It's your wand." Harry looked into the man's eyes for a long time. Harry let his eyes close for a short time. He opened them again and looked down to the dark wand. He had been looking forward to reuniting with his old wand, but in truth, what did he expect?
Already there had been so many changes to his timeline, so many things that will continue to change. He had to accept that he, too, had changed. He couldn't have the same wand anymore. This one felt right anyway, right like the one of holly could never manage.
He felt the darkness in this wand though, he couldn't lie and say he wasn't scared of it. It made the darkness in himself more potent, but it was him, and this wand was his. There was no changing that; he had to accept it. He wouldn't want to change it anyway; after all, he was finally indeed Harry now.
"How much?" Mumbled Harry, he pretended not to notice Ollivanders sigh of relief.
"Seven galleons and a promise." Harry looked up from his wand to the old man. He was now behind the counter of his shop.
"What promise?" Ollivanders eyes went slightly milky.
"Promise me you'll stay true, Harry. No matter what true is to you." Harry honestly didn't understand the man's asking. But as Harry set the galleons on the table, he spoke anyway.
"I've already made that promise to myself, but I'll keep it for you as well." Harry felt even if he didn't know this man, it would strengthen the promise he'd already made. He was sometimes scared of himself, but he had to know him for him.
The man smiled as Harry put the galleons down on the counter. Harry didn't return the gesture but instead gave him a nod of his head. Harry left the shop with unlike how he entered. Instead of feeling butterflies, he felt a hard stone sitting at the bottom of his stomach.
Harry felt like he'd been given a sharp slap across the cheek along with a cold helping of realization. No matter how much he hated being manipulated, this was fresh. He didn't yet know himself, and he couldn't help but fear the unknown. Harry saw Hagrid's grinning face and forced a half-hearted smile.
Harry had to brood now; this new bit of information he'd been fed was just too big to chew all at once. Ollivander said there were two roads he could take, one of darkness and one of light. And if Harry was torn, the light had already betrayed him. But the dark would stab him as soon as he looked away.
Why couldn't there be some middle ground? Some way to not choose either side. For now, he didn't have to make a choice. But if it ever came down to it, what would he choose? Harry wouldn't. He'd somehow kill Voldemort but still make it clear he wasn't on the light side.
Maybe he could play both sides? For now, he didn't know how to do that. Possibly one day, but for now, he only could hope it wouldn't come to choosing sides. Hagrid had been admiring his wand.
"Alright, I think it about time to get yer home." Harry nodded absently, not really listening to Hagrid. He was still lost in his thoughts by the time they'd arrived back at the Dursleys. He only noticed where he was when Ehno hooted at him obnoxiously.
Hagrid had pounded on the door once, and now he was waiting for someone to open it. Petunia stuck her head out after a minute; her eyes widened at the sight of Hagrid. Hagrid moved away from the door as Petunia surprisingly opened it.
"I didn't expect him back..." Petunia said; Harry thought he heard a little bit of fear in her tone. Hagrid motioned for Harry to come toward the door and handed Harry Ehno.
"Goodbye, Harry. I'll see you in a month!" Harry waved Hagrid goodbye as he was rushed into the house by Petunia. She most likely didn't want her neighbors to see all his weird belongings.
"You've been given Dudley's playroom." And with that, she swooped away, leaving Harry by the front door. He guessed Dudley was out with his friends and Vernon was at work. The house was strangely quiet.
Harry trod up the stairs, carrying Ehno and bags of his school things. He'd remembered finding an old trunk in Dudley's room that he used; Harry hoped it was still there. When he opened the room, he was still shocked at the number of broken toys and knickknacks.
He decided he would move all of them out when he got the chance. This would have to be his home for the next while. He poked Rio through his pant leg, and he wiggled a little.
"What the hell is that for? I was having a good dream!" Harry laughed; the snake always had a way of making him do so. Harry put the leg Rio was curled around on the bed, letting the viper crawl onto the creaky mattress.
Harry removed his leg from the bed, ignoring the evil side-eye from Rio. He moved over to Ehno and picked the cage up, placing the watchful owl on the small desk in the room. He looked around in the closet for the heavy trunk and found it, the old, tattered leather familiar immediately.
Harry hefted it over to the bed, where Rio had been trying to get comfortable. The snake slithered quickly away from the large object, the end of his tail almost getting crushed.
"First you interrupt my sleep, and now you try to kill me?" Huffed the snake grumpily, Harry wondered why he seemed in such a bad mood.
"Don't be silly, Rio. We both know I was not trying to kill you. What's with you?" Rio sighed and grumbled a little. Watching Harry as he put his books into the large trunk.
"I suppose I'm both nervous at going to this magical school and upset about those poor snakes." Harry had almost forgotten about the snakes, but of course, Rio wouldn't. Rio had always seemed such a carefree snake, though, to see a side to him that worried about anything was unexpected.
"I'm sorry about those snakes, Rio, but there was nothing we could have done. And about Hogwarts, I'm nervous too. But I can promise you'll feel right at home there." Harry looked sincerely into Rio's silted eyes, and Rio seemed grateful.
The snake wasn't fully comforted, but Harry had done his best. Rio curled up and, within minutes, was asleep. Harry sighed at the prone figure of the snake; he hadn't even thought about how Rio was feeling. What kind of friend was he? Harry continued packing as he thought. The rough parts of it all were just starting to begin. Harry honestly didn't know if he was prepared.
In an effort to finish this chapter in ended up being hella long...I apologize but at least we can get a move on now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I thought it would be best if I changed his wand as Harry is not the same person anymore. I did a bunch of wand research for this so...
-Lemon Nugget
