After their conversation, Professor McGonagall cleared their departure with the orphanage staff using the official paperwork she had brought with her. Stepping into a side alley by the orphanage, she explained to Marcus what apparition was and the importance of him keeping hold of her at all times during the travel.
Marcus, deciding to hold back the question he had about apparition for now, agreed and hooked his arm around her elbow, and then suddenly-
POP
They were now in another alleyway. Marcus stumbled some, leaned against the wall, and felt extremely nauseous.
Professor McGonagall rubbed his back and told him, "A wizard's first time apparating can be disorienting and nauseating. Breathe, Mr. Castle."
Marcus recovered, and they made their way across the street via the crosswalk. Ahead of them, Marcus saw the famous sign of the 'Leaky Cauldron,' and the corners of his lips lifted up in a slight smile.
McGonagall opened the door for him, and they both entered the Leaky Cauldron. Inside the establishment, some of the patrons waved at the Professor, along with the barkeep. The professor smiled at them but quickly ushered me along to the back alley, where she then pulled out her wand and faced a brick wall.
"Now, Mr. Castle, this is the entrance to Diagon Alley. Watch closely and remember which brick I tap for when you need to get back here again."
She then tapped a brick that, from the trash can, was three up and two across.
Then the bricks began to ripple.
This was unlike anything Marcus had ever seen before; he felt as if he was watching reality get told 'fuck you.'
But the sight beyond the bricks was even grander. For, as the bricks began to part more and more, he saw a truly magical sight: broomsticks, cauldrons, and a sign labeled 'Potion ingredients sold here! SALE on Gillyweed, 17 sickles per vial.' For Marcus, this is when he truly knew he had entered the Wizarding World.
Professor McGonagall and Marcus walked through the portal, and the bricks began to close back up. Straightening her robes, Professor McGonagall said to Marcus, "Welcome to Diagon Alley, Mr. Castle. You will stay with me at all times, as I will be your guide. Is this clear?" Professor McGonagall asked, her expression stern, but Marcus could see the concern in her eyes.
Marcus replied, "Crystal clear, Professor, and if we do somehow lose each other, I'll give you a holler."
McGonagall, perplexed, asked, "Mr. Castle, you are American, correct? From which part do you hail from?"
Marcus smiled and replied, "I am from the southeastern United States, Professor, more specifically the State of Georgia. I assume you don't meet many people from my region?"
McGonagall responded, "Indeed, Mr. Castle, I do not. Thank you for sating my curiosity. Pull out your list, please, the one that was included within your letter."
Marcus did so, looking at the list once more:
First-year students would require:
Uniform
Three sets of plain work robes (black).
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.
One pair of protective gloves (dragonhide or similar).
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings).
Please note that all students' clothes should carry name tags at all times.
Books
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment
1 Wand
1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
Marcus glanced up from the list and asked Professor McGonagall where they were going first. The Professor responded, "We are going to get you fitted for your robes, Mr. Castle, at Madam Malkin's. This is where you will go in the future for your clothing needs while at Hogwarts."
And so Marcus was fitted with his daily robes, his winter cloak, and he was able to buy a pair of leather boots with Professor McGonagall's permission. They also bought the gloves while they were there. Overall, Marcus thought that student clothes don't seem to differ so far from muggle ones, at least in terms of enchantment. The style was, of course, drastically different.
After exiting Madam Malkin's, Professor McGonagall and Marcus went to the bookstore as their next point of interest. Marcus, spying some interesting titles yet knowing he couldn't buy them yet, asked the professor for a piece of paper and a pen. Interested, the professor asked why. Marcus explained, "As I am on a tight budget right now, yet I see titles that interest me, I wish to write down the names of these volumes and go after them in the future. I love to collect books and knowledge I find useful."
The professor, upon hearing Marcus' explanation, smiled and took out two feathers from her robes. Marcus thought, 'wait, quills,' and proceeded to transfigure one of them into parchment. The professor then handed the parchment and quill to Marcus. Marcus quickly set to work.
He wrote down three titles that caught his eye, along with the names of their authors:
Wizarding Britain Politics and Culture after the Defeat of Grindelwald by Giles Corey VII
An Everyman's Guide to Useful Charms by Wilson Afton
Wandlore: An Introduction by Katerina Gregorovitch
McGonagall, watching him write down these titles, looked bemused at his choice of further study.
"I admire your dedication to studying, Mr. Castle. Perhaps you may go into Ravenclaw..." she mused.
Marcus, knowing he had to speak up here, said, "Ravenclaw, professor?"
McGonagall explained further, "Ravenclaw is one of the four houses of Hogwarts, where you will be sorted along with your peers at the welcoming ceremony on September 1st. The other three houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. Each house is suited to a different personality, with the Ravenclaw's having a penchant for studying more than the other houses. Of course, these are just stereotypes, and each person is a combination of all the traits of the houses, some more prevalent than others. Never forget this, Mr. Castle."
Marcus nodded, "Of course. Thank you for the explanation, Professor."
The professor nodded, "Come along then, Mr. Castle. Let us finish gathering your textbooks."
After they had finished gathering the textbooks, and the professor had paid for them, she shrunk them and put them in her robes for now.
Continuing their shopping spree, they also bought a trunk for Marcus to store his school supplies and bought him a standard set of potions ingredients for the year, along with a telescope and a cauldron from the neighboring stores.
McGonagall asked Marcus if he wanted a pet, and Marcus, knowing that he had to focus on himself right now, declined but said he would think about it for the future.
Finally, the time that Marcus had been waiting for arrived, and Professor McGonagall and himself were in front of Ollivander's Wands.
They went inside, and there he was.
Garrick Ollivander.
Ollivander, sensing someone was behind him, turned and saw the professor and Marcus.
"Ah, Professor McGonagall! Fir, 14", Rigid, and Dragon Heartstring, correct?"
"Yes, Mr. Olivander, quite. I have with me my charge today, Marcus Castle. He needs a wand. His first one, in fact."
Ollivander then shifted his gaze to me, and I saw surprise, yet excitement within his grey eyes.
"Oho! Well then, Mr. Castle, let's get you a wand, shall we?"
"Yes, sir, Mr. Ollivander," Marcus replied.
While Ollivander was getting Marcus' measurements, he handed a box to him.
"Hmm... try this one," Olivander said, presenting to Marcus an opened box with a wand inside made of a dark brown wood. Marcus grabbed it, and some glass broke nearby.
"No, no, try this one," Olivander said. And said again. And again. This continued for some time.
Eventually, Olivander smiled at Marcus and said, "One moment, this wand is on the top of the shelves."
Ollivander climbed his ladder, grabbed the box, and came back down.
"Try this one!" He presented the opened box to Marcus.
Inside was a tannish wand, about a foot long, with streaks of black running through it.
Marcus picked it up and felt whole.
Suddenly, the wand shot out a white orb and a black orb. These orbs went to opposite sides of the room and they both began to spin around each other rapidly, rapidly approaching each other but never touching. Suddenly, they joined. Black mixed with white, and an ethereal note seemed to echo within the chests of all who were present. The mixed orb retreated back into the wand, seemingly content.
Olivander, stunned, suddenly shouted, "You did it! Congratulations, Mr. Castle, that wand will serve you very well. Very well indeed."
McGonagall rounded on Ollivander and demanded to know what had just happened, while Marcus just... felt content.
"Easy professor, easy. I shall explain." He eyed Marcus again, meaning the explanation was for his benefit.
"Your wand, Mr. Castle, is made from the wood of a Baobab tree that was struck by lightning during a horrific thunderstorm in the Congo during the 1970s. Somehow, despite being struck by lightning, the tree grew stronger, and a sample was taken to make the wand you see before you now. Good for healing magic and curses. Your core is made from the tail hair of a thestral—"
"A thestral!?" McGonagall gasped.
"Yes, Professor, a thestral. Mr. Castle, a thestral is a horse-like creature that can only be seen by those who have seen death. For you to have the tail hair of a thestral in your wand, at this age, it means you, somehow during your life so far, have come face to face with death and walked away with an understanding of it far greater than most will ever know."
Marcus gulped, but a better understanding of the wand was now on his mind.
"Anything else I should know?" Marcus asked.
Ollivander responded, "Only that, like you, the wand is flexible. Be careful of the magic you introduce to it and yourself. Oh, and it is also 12 inches. Finally, this wand I did not make myself. Everything I have told you was told to me by a friend who, during my travels to central Africa, gave this wand to me and told me 'someone will claim this wand one day who has true understanding.' What that last part means, I haven't a clue. Your total is 7 galleons. Would you like a wand polishing kit?"
Marcus, after absorbing all this information, nodded and also asked for a holster to safely store his wand, and with McGonagall's approval, the total came to 8 galleons, and they paid and were about to leave.
As they were about to leave, Ollivander said one final piece of advice.
"Stay true to yourself, Mr. Castle, the wand will guide your way."
And then they were back out on the streets of Diagon Alley.
With the shopping finished, McGonagall took Marcus back to the orphanage and warned him about not using magic outside of school until he reached the age of majority, which, in their world, she explained, was 17 years old.
McGonagall also assured Marcus that she would be checking in on him every few weekends before the start of the next school year to ensure he was following these rules.
Marcus and Professor McGonagall then went their separate ways, with Marcus bringing his supplies back to his room.
Tired from the day and all the new information he had absorbed, he fell asleep on his bed.
And then he dreamed of a black and white orb, rotating. Calling him. Reassuring him.
When Marcus' roommate walked in, he noticed that Marcus was smiling and said, "Sweet dreams, buddy..."
Then they both fell asleep.
