Harry, Daphne and Tora walked into the bank. Harry told the nearest teller he was there for an appointment with Goldaxe. The teller activated a rune on his desk before asking them to be seated.
The group waited for a couple minutes before a goblin dressed in an impressive pinstripe suit came over and introduced himself as Silvertooth. The trio followed Silvertooth to a decent sized conference room where they were seated and asked to wait for Goldaxe.
After several minutes, Goldaxe entered with a rather tall woman behind him. The woman introduced herself as Kyoko Takamiya.
"Ms. Takamiya is a renowned wand maker from Japan. She was kind enough to accept our offer and craft your wand Mr. Potter." Goldaxe said
"Thank you for coming all this way, ma'am." Harry said
"Thank me once your wand is crafted, and please call me Kyoko. I never was once for honorifics and such. Reckon I drove my parents mad. Now I've seen and sampled several of your local wandmaker's creations. They are passable for schoolchildren, but to my understanding, you have the need for something even better. So come let us begin."
Kyoko pulled several shrunken trunks out of her pockets and began laying them out and unshrinking them. Inside several trunks lay countless jars of magical materials. In several other lay many blocks of different woods as well as a couple blocks of stones and metals.
"Now, if I could have everyone but Harry stand back by the door, please." Kyoko asked
Once Tora, Daphne, and Goldaxe stepped back, Kyoko continued.
"Harry come place your hands on the edge of each trunk and channel your magic. It'll be better if you close your eyes. Let your magic see for you. Let it guide you."
Harry walked up to the first trunk. Looking inside he saw many blocks of different stones. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath he channeled his magic into the metal plates around the edge of the trunk. Daphne watched with rapt attention as the trunk seemed to glow with the thrum of Harry's magic. Tora and Goldaxe also looked on in curiosity.
Kyoko watched the trunks like a hawk analyzing the reactions to Harry. As he kept pushing his magic into the trunk it enveloped every stone causing most to rattle in place. Several stones cracked while one in particular started floating a couple centimeters above the rest.
Kyoko snatched it out of the air and set it aside before putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"That's enough, you can move on to the next trunk." she told him
Harry snapped out of his trance like state before nodding and moving to the next one. Looking down this one contained blocks of metal. Harry took another deep breath before repeating his actions. Just like before his magic enveloped the trunk giving it a soft glow. Many of the blocks rattled, several even started drooping at the corners as if they were melting.
Once more a single block began floating before Kyoko grabbed it. She then let Harry know to move on. This time there were two trunks contain blocks of wood. She had him place a hand on each while instructing him to push his magic a little further across both trunks.
Doing as directed Harry focused as the wood blocks started rattling once more. Many of them cracked and splintered. Two block floated this time before Kyoko once again retrieved them.
"Very good, now that you've chosen your wand base we can move on to selecting its core." she said
Harry moved over to the other trunks and repeated the process on each one. Not a single jar reacted in a positive manner. The contents of each jar would rattle wildly as if trying to escape. It wasn't until Harry touched the final trunk that a jar containing a large black feather started to float producing a soft purple glow.
Without warning Harry lurched forward. The jar containing the feather also jump from it's spot and collided with Harry's chest. Staggering back a couple steps Harry clutched the jar tightly in an attempt to stop it's movemes. Kyoko watched with a sharp look in her eye.
"Quite curious. You wouldn't happen to have any magical items upon your person would you Harry?" Kyoko asked
"Um, just my wand and I guess my necklace." he replied
"Please pull both of them out."
Harry did as he was told and as soon as his wand cleared his sleeve it jumped from his hand and stuck itself to the side of the jar. Pulling his necklace out of his shirt yielded a similar result. The dragon spike ripped itself from the leather cord and stuck itself opposite his wand. It was only then that the jar seemed to settle down in his hands.
"Quite curious indeed. Tell me Harry, what core resides within your wand?" Kyoko asked staring intently at the jar
"Phoenix feather."
"And your necklace. What is it exactly?"
"Um it's a tail spike from an Elder Hungarian Horntail. It's from the dragon I killed in the first task of the Triwizard tournament." he explained sheepishly
"Most fascinating. And do you know what kind of feather resides in the jar?"
"Not a clue."
"In that jar sits a feather from perhaps one of the largest thunderbirds ever recorded. What is so interesting is not the fact that your wand will contain three cores but more so what those three cores are. Phoenixes are heavily associated with fire, life and rebirth. Thunderbirds are quite the opposite. They're associated with rainstorms, lightning and death. While dragons in old mythology are considered a balance of the two. Pair that with the materials for your wand base and you'll have quite a powerful wand Mr. Potter." Kyoko explained
"What's the wand base made of?" Harry asked
"Your wand base is made up of four materials. Obsidian, platinum, ebony wood and bloodwood. Muggles believe that many materials hold certain symbolic significance. And for us magicals even more so. Obsidian symbolizes power and resilience. Platinum represents purity as well as resilience. Ebony wood is a symbol of power and purity but also balance. And bloodwood means rebirth and healing."
"So what does all of that mean together?"
"Together your wand becomes a symbol of strength and resilience, as well as your purity of heart and your rebirth of your new life. It's clear to me that you've recently started upon a new path in life and your new wand will help you every step of the way." Kyoko said
"That's quite the wand you'll have there." Tora said
Harry turned at the sound of her voice. He almost forgot they were there.
"Indeed it is. Come back within the hour and your wand will be finished." Kyoko informed them as she walked away with the jar containing the three cores
Harry, Tora and Daphne left the bank and walked down Diagon alley. As they passed Fortescue's Harry suggested they stop for some ice cream.
"So after we get my wand made where are we off to go get Daphne's?" Harry asked
"It's a bit of a surprise but I will say we have to take a portkey there." Tora said
Harry couldn't help the groan that escaped him. Daphne giggled at his despair while Tora looked confused before raising a singular eyebrow in askance.
"Harry is about as graceful as a mountain troll when it comes to magical travel mother. The only thing he seems to have any skill with is a broomstick." Daphne explained
"Well we'll have to change that then."
"Don't bother. I spent days flooing back and forth from the Leaky Cauldron to Three Broomsticks back before third year. Nothing helps, pretty sure I'm cursed." Harry lamented
"Well maybe portkeys are better for you." Tora offered
Daphne snorted causing her mother to give her a curious look.
"The night he took me from the castle, we took a portkey to the bank. Now, granted he was carrying me on his back but he landed face first." Daphne explained
"Yes, yes we get it, I suck at magical travel. Can we get going we'll have to pick up my wand soon."
"Very well. We can head back now and pick up our portkey. Then once we have your wand we can leave." Tora said
The trio made their way back into the bank where Tora asked to be escorted down the the Greengrass vaults. After the ride down Tora asked Daphne to wait outside with Harry while she grabbed the portkey. As they make their way back up to the lobby the goblin leading them was intercepted by another.
"You've been summoned to Goldaxe's office, I'll escort you there." the goblin said
Upon entering Goldaxe's office the original goblin bowed and left. Goldaxe was behind his desk filing paperwork while Kyoko sat in the chairs opposite sipping on some tea.
"Come sit, Ms. Takamiya has finished your wand. All that's left is bonding your wand to yourself as well as payment." Goldaxe spoke not even looking up
Tora and Daphne took a seat on the couch off to the side while Harry claimed the other seat opposite of Goldaxe. Kyoko presented a mahogany box line in velvet to Harry. Opening the box Harry laid eyes on one of the most magnificent wands he had ever seen.
The wand was black as night with a deep blood red handle. Platinum capped the butt of the handle and ran up the length in sporadic patterns reminding Harry of lightning. As Harry picked the wand up it seemed to thrum audibly with power as red, blue and purple sparks flickered out of the tip.
Daphne watched awestruck having never seen let alone heard a wand react as such. Kyoko was positively giddy in how well the wand bonded to Harry. Tora looked like several puzzle pieces had finally dropped into place. Goldaxe was still doing his paperwork not caring much for wizards and their wands, even if said wizard was Mr. Potter.
Harry couldn't tear his eyes away from the wand. He had never felt so complete. Never so sure of himself. Looking up he had the biggest smile he could ever remember.
"I don't even have the words to explain how thankful I am. My old wand never felt even a fraction of how this wand feels." Harry said
"That's the power of a properly made custom wand Harry. Treasure it well for no other wand coupd hope to compare." Kyoko said softly
"Goldaxe, whatever this costs, take 15% extra and split it between yourself and Ms. Takamiya. Such fine craftsmanship deserves recognition and without you she wouldn't be here." Harry said gazing once more at the wand in his hand before he holsters it
Tora and Daphne made there way over to Harry as they said their goodbyes. Harry and the Greengrass women made their way out of the bank and back to the Leaky Cauldron. Flooing back to the Greengrass Estate Harry once more came stumbling out of the fireplace. Tora quickly caught him and held him upright.
Brushing the soot off his shoulders and pushing his bangs out of his eyes Tora couldn't help the light chuckle as he blushed and awkwardly stepped back. Unfortunately he stepped backwards right into Daphne.
"Ever the bumbling barbarian Harry. And I'll thank you to not make him all flustered mother. If that's anyone's job it's mine." Daphne said
Daphne's mind then caught up to the words she just spoke and her face did its best impression of a tomato. Hiding her atomic blush Daphne ran off to her room.
"Mrs. Greengrass can I ask you something?"
"Sure Harry but it'll have to be in my office. There's a couple of things I need to tend to before we take that portkey." Tora replied
Harry followed her up to her office before sitting down.
"I wanted to ask about Daphne."
"What about her?" Tora asked pausing to look at him
"Well, I'm not sure where to start. Admittedly this is the first year we've really interacted with each other. And at first she had this snobby princess persona and she'd only call me by my last name." He explained
"Sounds like Daphne to me. While she wasn't a spoiled child by any means she did develop an attitude towards certain things. But while that does sound like her its not the entirety of who she is. That's how she acts around the general public and strangers. It's like a defense mechanism of sorts."
"Yea I understand that, because after a while she started to I don't know, warm up to me I guess. She would still act all high and mighty with me but i could tell it was just that, an act. Then during our time in the goblin chamber we really got to know each other. I found myself craving every second spent with her no matter what we did. I especially noticed this when I was teaching her the animagus transformation. Then there was the time we almost kissed." he finished in almost a whisper
"Oh, a kiss you say. Please tell me more." Tora said, grinning like the cat who caught the canary
"Uh well it was just before we left. We were talking and we started a tickle fight and we fell off the couch. She landed on top of me and our faces were not even inches apart and it felt like we were both leaning in for a kiss before we got interrupted. Admittedly part of me really wanted to kiss her and it still does. But I'm not sure if it was just a heat of the moment thing or if maybe she feels the same way."
"Are you saying you have a crush on Daphne?"
"I'm not entirely sure. I've never felt this way about anyone before. Sure I went on a couple dates with this girl in Hawaii but it was more like two friends hanging out than anything." he tried clarifying
"And how did Daphne react to you going on these dates?"
"Um well she said she didn't care but everytime I got back she was all cold towards me and usually continued that behavior well into the next day." He said scratching the back of his head
"Oh Harry you poor, poor fool." Tora chuckled
"What? What did I do wrong?" Harry asked slightly panicked
"Well to start if you tell Daphne I said any of this not only will I deny it. I will have retribution when you least expect it. But as I was saying I have it from an incredibly reliable source that Daphne is head over heels in love with you. Now the timeline for when is a bit foggy but is seems like to me when you were out on these dates she was just coming to terms that she felt such a way towards you."
"I guess that explains some of her weirder behavior." Harry said trying to cope with the fact someone allegedly loves him
"Weird behavior? What kind of weird behavior?"
"Well there were plenty of times she'd act all princessy, calling me a brute and such that should be lucky to worship the ground she walks on. Usually I'd play into it even more calling her Mistress and she'd blush heavily and then ignore me for the next hour or so. Even in the chamber she would do that , though she did start using my name more." He explained
"Tell me Harry, how do you feel about her. Describe it to me as detailed as possible."
"I'm not sure exactly. Physically I think she's beautiful, her silver-white hair shines like fresh snow. Her eyes are captivating, one like a burning ember and the other like winter personified. I could gaze into her eyes for hours and never be tired. When we would talk I've never felt so relaxed. If I had to compare it to anything it would be like flying. When she's near it's like all the worries in my life fade away to nothing. I feel weightless and free. Like I can do anything." Harry finished softly
"Harry if I may be so bold. I'd say you're in love with her. What you described, how you described it, it sounds like love. Now come we still have to go get Daphne's wand made." Tora said a large smile on her face
-TGE-
Daphne quickly ran away from her mothers office. She came to see when they would be leaving and happened to overhear the tail end of their discussion.
'Harry loves me? That's a good thing right? Then why does the thought of confessing my own feelings seem like it got infinitely harder' Daphne thought
AN: this chapter is longer than i usually do but not by much. i will be trying to write slightly longer chapters overall but dont expect much difference. also i will probably skip most of the wand building process for daphne as its not terribly important but i will describe and explain her own custom wand. so assume the process is the same if not similar.
until next, enjoy:)