Harry and Manny woke up the next day, feeling refreshed, and waiting for the looks on the faces of those who did decide to move on to third-year spells. While they did so, the first-years really should've waited before doing so. The reason should be apparent soon enough..

At the breakfast table- today, being a Saturday, was spent at the Gryffindor table- Neville, Susan, Hannah and Hermione, along with the other members of the study group, were groaning as they sat in their mini-huddles.

"And why did none of you listen to me when I said that it was a bad idea to move so fast?" Manny questioned, amused

"You talk like you knew the consequences beforehand, Harry!" Neville groaned, sending a glare his way, as did the others.

"Well, I discovered the consequences of this foolish action last month myself… And I made progress in days, rather than weeks- being bedridden is never fun!"

Manny remembered the growing pains they experienced for the day after they practised the third-year spells with a grimace… Though the increase in power was soo worth it!

Susan and Hermione immediately started checking his body for any unusual effects, while Neville and Hannah winced.

"Trust me it's more of a growing pain now… Though refrain from using your magic for now… Speaking of, Neville, we gotta go to McGonagall soon!" Harry spoke up.

"Right, let's go!" Neville perked up, remembering Harry's promise. They stood up, Neville reminded of his pain, and headed up to McGonagall at the breakfast table.

"Professor" Harry said, taking the lead, "Would you have time right now for us? It's just, we have a request for you." He played the slightly meek child rather well. Neville was still learning, but he was fairly certain that he could speak without much fear.

Minerva was slightly flummoxed. Not even a week and she had to do something for the first years… she sighed. She had just finished breakfast anyway. "Follow me, Messrs Potter and Longbottom, we'll discuss this in my office."

She led them to her office, which was next to her classroom. It was lightly decorated in Gryffindor colours. "Now then" she began in a disapproving tone. "What is this 'request' you speak of?"

Harry nudged Neville, who stepped forward and spoke. "Ma'am, my Gran has been remiss in my care- she seems to think that my father's wand would work perfectly for me… That is clearly not the case, since my performance in class was mostly due to Harry's tutelage. As such, we wish to visit Ollivander's wand shop in Diagon Alley today. If it helps, we are willing to accept you chaperoning us."

"I'm accompanying Neville, because he asked for moral support. Also, I wish to meet my account manager at Gringotts, to check on the state of affairs of the Potter family accounts. I have a letter from the manager of the account at Gringotts, allowing me to visit, though he seems slightly angry at me for some unfathomable reason." The letter was worded angrily on purpose, since it was meant to reinforce the idea of Dumbledore's plans succeeding.

Minerva was considering the request… and found it agreeable. She mentally noted a need to send Augusta a Howler later…

"Very well, boys. This is more of an essential journey after all. We shall go by Floo, to expedite the process, though I am sorry to say that Professor Dumbledore has expressly forbidden you from meeting any Gringotts goblins for any reason, Mr. Potter."

"That's all right, though would you mind giving that in writing? I would need to send that to the goblins to explain my unfortunate absence." Harry said, sounding morose… though on the inside, he and Manny were grinning. Perfect, more evidence against Dumbles!

Neville was confused, but didn't comment on it. After a rough explanation of Floo to a (pretend) clueless Harry, they went to Diagon Alley. Arriving at Ollivander's, Minerva let the two students go in, but refused to go in herself, citing that while Harry had permission, she preferred not to intrude on a wand-choosing session… Not that either were complaining, Ollivander's habit of remembering people by their wands is a disadvantage. Minerva did mention going to the Leaky to drink some gillywater…

As they entered the shop, Manny recollected the first time they'd entered Ollivander's…

Flashback

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," said Harry.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes had the creep factor. Though there was the glint of mischief.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where . . ."

Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "13½ 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. . . ."

He shook his head and then spotted Hagrid. "Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again. . . . Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Ollivander, suddenly stern.

"Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" said Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.

"Hmmm," said Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er — well, I'm ambidextrous," said took it in stride "Hold out your arms. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander 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 Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Harry already knew that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. 9 inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. 7 inches. Quite whippy. Try —"

Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Ollivander. "No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, 8½ inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, 11 inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers, but it seemed dull. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well . . . how curious . . . how very curious . . ."

He put the wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious . . . curious . . ."

"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"

Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. 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 — why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry grimaced at that. "Yes, 13½ inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember. . . . I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter. . . . After all, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

"But of course, there is still an element of incompleteness… I must ask Hagrid to leave the premises now, since I feel this part is more private than intended." Ollivander intoned. Hagrid, seeing nothing wrong with this, left.

"Now, then, Mr. Potter, to find you your second wand." At HArry's surprised look, the old man laughed. "Multiple wand holders are rare, as they should be, since their power is considered mature in the old times… However, in your case, I dare say it would help…" Having already tried close to 70 wands, Harry was unsure, but he did accede.

Of course, it took 100 wands cumulatively tried and failed for the second wand to zoom toward him and then give a rainbow spark splash- to Ollivander's surprise.

"8½ inches, Walnut, Willow, Cherry and Mahogany in conjunction with each other, and a phoenix feather and Thunderbird feather core… but quite supple and grippy for a wand. This is a rare wand that combines four woods into one wand seamlessly- one of only two wands that I have made. Maybe you'll find the owner of the other one…"

Harry was sure Ollivander was a bit too knowledgeable on history… something for later. He paid 7 Galleons for his wands, and Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

As Manny returns to reality, Harry decides to speak up. "Hello, Mr. Ollivander. I see that you're working well as usual."

Ollivander blinks. "Mr. Potter… This is a surprise, indeed. I never expected you to come in anytime soon. Any problems?"

"No, I'm here as moral support for Neville here."

Ollivander saw Neville just then, and so "Mr. Longbottom, I was expecting you earlier. Care to explain why you are only coming now?" He seemed offended at the delay.

"U-um, my Gran felt that my father's wand would work perfectly well for me, so she handed me that." Neville only stammered due to the creep factor. Improvement.

Olllivander huffed and said "At least you're here now. Now then, which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right-handed…" "He'll be trying for a second wand as well, if that's alright with you." Harry interjected, smiling, as Ollivander acceded, surprised as he was..

Sure enough, while the first wand was easily found (10", cherry, Unicorn hair core and rather stiff), the second wand took longer, until Manny lost patience and brought out his second wand with a significant look at Ollivander, who nodded and brought the other wand out. Immediately a second rainbow spark show indicated the bonding. Ollivander looked happy, but thoughtful.

"8½ inches, Alder, Holly, Mahogany and Willow in conjunction with each other, and a phoenix feather and White River Monster spine, also rather supple and grippy. The only other wand as unique as the one you have now, is what Mr. Potter has now. Should you and Mr. Potter work together, Mr. Longbottom, the havoc you would wreak on your enemies is worthy of fear and awe in equal measure" Ollivander looked at the two like he almost revered them…

"I must say that your wands are rather unique- almost no wand ever has been recorded to use two cores, let alone two of them."He clarified. Then he told them what happened. "The phoenix that gave the tail feathers for the two wands was accompanied by a thunderbird and a dead White River Monster. They seemed to know what to do when they flamed in front of me. The phoenix sang of a pair of children who would become brothers in all but blood, who were destined for these wands. Even more unheard of is the use of multiple woods to make a wand- these wands are rather unheard of. It is rare that two people so dissimilar each have brother wands… How long will you two take to rise as the greatest duo to ever exist, I wonder…"

Neville was almost overwhelmed with the potential that he seemed to exhibit. And so it was that Harry paid for Neville's wand, and for dual holsters for them both, before he steered them out. The wand was a standard 7 Galleons while each dual holster cost 10 Galleons and 2 Sickles- a fair price given the enchantments placed on them.

"Neville," Harry began in a firm whisper once they were out and he had calmed down from the shock. "We need to hide the other wand of ours. Put this on and place both wands in them! Now!" He handed Neville one of the dual holsters, having done it with his already.

Neville had placed the holster and placed his second wand, but before he could place his cherry wand, a hand grabbed his wrist rather painfully.

AN:

So sorry, but my reaction fic gave me tunnel vision. I'm temporarily placing that on hold to update my other fics, so rest assured... though updates will be more sporadic than before. I'll probably do Decades of Evolution next, then The Redo-ttebayo!. Arifureta is still on hold- I need to reread the LN for anything to pan out there.

ANYWAY, Read and Review!

Seiichi is Bonkers at the Races!