04 Shopping
Occurs during Chapter 5 – Diagon Alley
You take a look at the list of items you need for school and discuss the options with Professor McGonagall.
“So this just leaves either Eeylops Owl Emporium or Magical Menagerie for your pet. What would you like dear?” says Professor McGonagall after some time.
“I would love an owl! Toads sound a bit useless and well I’m more of a dog person than a cat person” you respond.
For some reason the professor looked slightly offended but you have no idea how.
“Eeylops Owl Emporium it is then. So, you want your wand first then we must go to Ollivanders”.
You and your parents follow in the professor’s wake as the busy people street seems to part around her. She must be well respected. The giant man from Gringotts was just walking away from Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, alone this time. He nods to Professor McGonagall as you pass. He looked a bit ill, almost like he had been on a rollercoaster.
After a few minutes you arrive at Ollivanders. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.
Professor McGonagall turns to you and says. “Your parents and I will stay outside. It is best without a crowd when being chosen by your wand.”
“I thought I was choosing my wand? Not the other way around.” you reply.
“You’ll see” says the professor and points you inside.
You open the door and a bell rings in the distance. There is a small chair in the corner of the room and a counter. The shop is small and is much like a very quiet and dusty library, except instead of books there were thousands of narrow but long boxes stacked up to the ceiling.
It’s certainly not a shop not designed for browsing.
“Good afternoon” came a softly spoken voice. You jump as the man appears from the back room.
An old man with wide, pale eyes stands before you.
“I have come to choose my wand. I think?” You say.
“Muggle born I see.” replies Ollivander.
“How did you know that?”
“It’s well known that the wand chooses the wizard. Also, Professor McGonagall is standing right outside and she only escorts Muggleborns. Don’t worry, you are in safe hands here.”
You start to think why coming from a muggle family should make you worry when Ollivander pulls a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. “Which is your wand arm?”
“I guess it’s my right? That’s what I write with,” you reply.
Ollivander takes a breath and says “Every Ollivander wand has a core of 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 such good results with another wizard’s wand.”
Ollivander pulls your right arm out straight. The tape measures you from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, round your head and between your nostrils. All on it’s own.
Ollivander rummages around the shelves using a ladder to reach up high. He pulls out several boxes while he talks to himself.
“Try this one,” he says. “Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy.”
You pick it up and feel it in your hand but Ollivander grabs it again.
“No, no – here, try this. Chestnut and Unicorn hair. Ten inches, nice and supple.”
As you pick up this wand something feels different. There is a sudden warmth in your fingers. As you raise the wand red sparks jump out like fireworks.
Ollivander claps and cries “Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, very good. I’ll be interested to see what magic you both get up to.”
Ollivander puts the wand back in its box and wraps it in brown paper.
“Now remember. You must not do magic outside of school,” Ollivander says.
You hand over seven gold galleons and can’t help but leave with a smile on your face as professor McGonagall and your parents beam at you.
Next you head to Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions.
As you and your parents enter the shop you are greeted by Madam Malkin who is a squat, smiling witch dressed all in light purple.
Before you can say anything she says “Hogwarts, dear? Got the lot here. It’s a very busy time for new students. Had three today already. One young lady being fitted up just now, in fact.”
At the back of the shop behind a set of curtains was a girl with curly, chest length golden hair with a pink bow. She was standing on a footstool as a second witch struggled to pin up her long robes. She was bouncing up and down in barely contained excitement. Madam Malkin stands you on a stool next to her, slips a long robe over your head and begins to pin it to the correct length.
‘Hi ‘ she said excitedly. ‘Is it your first time at Hogwarts too?’
‘Yes’ you reply. ‘I have no idea what it’s like, do you?’
‘Only from what my parents have said. I hear Divination is fun but you can’t do that until your third year. Charms sounds fun though.’
Divination? Charms. You have a puzzled look on your face as you realise you probably won’t be doing Humanities or Geography ever again.
Seeing your puzzled face the girl says ‘My name is Lavender, Lavender Brown’.
You tell her your name and Lavender just squeals in excitement. ‘Oooh maybe we’ll be in the same house. I just can’t wait!’
Before you can answer that you are more terrified than excited, Madam Malkin says, ‘That’s you done, my dear,’. You head out around the curtain and show off your fancy new robes to your parents who smile at you broadly, a slight tear in your mum’s eye. You pay and head out of the shop with your new robes.
You head to Potage’s Cauldron Shop, Slug & Jiggers Apothecary and Scribbulus Writing Instruments where you find a rather nice Quill made with an eagle feather. You are surprised to hear there are so many types including Self-Inking Quills.
Next you head to Flourish and Blotts. The shop is filled from floor to ceiling with books ranging from postage stamps to paving slabs in size. The smell of paper fills your nostrils and calms your nerves. As you browse around looking for your books you spot some really scary titles and wonder if there is a dark side to magic you haven’t seen, yet.
You walk out with
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
As you walk into Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment there is a vast array of Scales, Telescopes, Globes and star charts. With Professor McGonagall preferring to stay outside you browse with your parents. There is a boy and his father also shopping, he has short white blond hair that matches his fathers in colour but not in length. The fathers hair was straight and came half way down his back in length. They didn’t look particularly friendly.
Your parents are busy handing over the money for your shopping. As you pick up your telescope, crystal phials and brass scales you accidentally bump into the boy.
He and his father look down their noses at you,the father says to the boy “Not to worry Draco. Looks like there is at least one mudblood coming to Hogwarts this year”. You have no idea what they are talking about but it can’t be good.
As you leave the shop Professor McGonagall says ‘Our final stop is Eeylops Owl Emporium for your Owl. You all walk down the street and pass the giant man and spectacled boy.
‘Oh, good afternoon professor. I didn’t know you were escorting new students today.’ said the giant man.
‘Good afternoon Hagrid,’ said the professor. ‘All going well with our young Mr Potter?’
As they continue their discussion you are impressed that the professor can remember new student names already.
You arrive at Eeylops Owl Emporium and the first thing that hits you is the smell, it’s rather potent. There is a vast array of owls, Barn Owls, Screech Owls, Tawny, Brown and many more. Finally you choose a rather cute looking Brown Fish Owl.
‘What would you like to call him?’ says your father.
‘I have no idea. I’ll have a think after dinner later.’ you reply.
The whole day has been exhausting. Professor McGonagall congratulates you on your new purchases. ‘Here is your train ticket to Hogwarts. Kings Cross, Platform 9 ¾ on the first of September. It’s between platforms 9 and 10. If you have any questions just send a letter with your Owl, they will do the rest.’
You take the professor at their word about the platform number as you have never got the train there before.
You all depart for home, feet aching and more than a little more excited to see what that wand can do.
Later in the evening after dinner you look at your Owl and think about what to call them.
You also look at your new books, perhaps you will read one tonight. One particular book takes your fancy.
What do you call your Owl and which book stands out to you?
Votes are Closed
Name your owl. [Odin]
What book stands out to you? [Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them]
