Robes & Wands
Morning came and went with owls carrying magick news papers and flying motorbikes and pubs full of people too interested in Holly and Harry and goblins with railways and bank vaults full of stacks of gold taller than even Hagrid.
By the time they found themselves back out on the street of Diagon Alley, it was nearing noon. Hagrid looked a bit green as he said, “might as well get yer robes… listen, yeh two, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up and the leaky cauldron? I hate them gringotts carts…”
She exchanged a glance with Harry, holding a quick silent conversation, before nodding to him. “Sure thing, Hagrid.” Harry said, taking Holly’s hand and heading for the shop.
Madam Malkin, Holly thought, was quite inviting, with her broad smile and cheerful but muted Mauve robes. “Hogwarts, dearies?” She checked, when Harry opened his mouth. “Got the lot here, another young man being fitted up just now, in fact.” She told Harry, reassuringly. She looked at Holly and her smile softened just a fraction. “I'll grab the skirts for you, as well, hon.” She promised.
She scurried off to grab a pile of plain black skirts, before hurrying back and ushering them to the back, where another boy their age was stood upon a footstool. He was pale and sharp faced, with silvery hair.
“Hello,” said the boy. “Hogwarts too?”
“Yes.” Holly said at the same time as her brother. Then she added, “I’m not sure if I'm more excited or nervous, though.”
The boy looked at her in a strange way as if torn between a sneer and something else… something more open. “Well, I suppose it is rather unpleasant to think that you could be sorted into Hufflepuff.” He decided, in a tone of voice that was just as strange as his expression.
“Hufflepuff?” Harry asked.
“I know!” The boy agreed with an eye-roll. “I think I’d leave if I were sorted there.” He went on, “no, it's got to be Slytherin for me. My whole families been sorted there.”
Holly glanced at Harry, bewildered, and they exchanged confused looks. What was a Hufflepuff? What on earth was a Slytherin? Holly decided she’d ask Hagrid about it later.
Madam Malkin, who had finished with Harry and moved on to Holly, tutted. “You look just like your parents, you do, but quite a bit smaller than they were at your age. Best I leave an inch or so in the waist in case the kitchens can manage to get some meat on those bones” she muttered to herself. Then, stepping back to look from another angle, she asked Holly, “have anything for your hair?”
Holly shook her head. All she had was an old piece of string she used to tie it off at the ends when Aunt Petunia made her braid it while she did chores around the house.
“Follow me then,” Madam Malkin instructed. She led Holly back towards the middle of the shop where she had a section filled with accessories. All different colors and kinds. It was quite overwhelming, really. Madam Malkin seemed to know that though, because she never made Holly choose anything. She set three pairs of tights in Holly’s hands, a satiny black headband, a set of black hair ribbons and a little lilac bag labeled “witches only”. “That is in case you get your moon at school. Can't imagine anyone’s thought to pack you something like that, what with your mother being gone.”
Holly looked at the bag in confusion, not at all sure what a moon was. “Don't worry dear, there's a pamphlet inside.” Madam Malkin assured. “And if you have any questions you can always ask a female teacher, alright?”
Confused, but grateful, Holly nodded up at the shop-keep. “Thank you,” she said, taking in all the things Madam Malkin had rounded up for her.
Madam Malkin smiled. “Oh, I almost forgot, you’ll be needing these, as well…” she waved her wand, “acio!” She said, and a few satin bags floated over to them. “Considering the state of the clothes you two are wearing, I'd say you're in need of some new undergarments as well, but don’t worry, I’ll leave the pastels to you.” She said with a wink, setting the lavender, dusty pink, and soft yellow satin bags in Holly’s cart before waving her wand and sending the deep red, dark blue, and gray ones in Harry’s direction. “And that's you done, let's go get your brother and have you on your way, shall we?”
Holly and Harry paid for their loads, thanked Madam Malkin, and went to meet up with Haggrid for lunch. They told him all about the boy they’d met and Madam Malkin and how excited they were to have their school robes because they had only ever gotten to wear Duddly’s old clothes and-
They gathered the rest of their school supplies quicker than the robe fittings. Soon, they each had cauldrons, books, scales, crystal phials, and telescopes. All that was left was their wands and their familiars. “Tell yeh's what, seein’ as I still haven't gotten yeh’s yer birthday presents, I'll Get yer animals.” Haggrid decided. “Yeh go on an’ get yer wands. I’ll see yeh’s back here in an hour.”
Holly glanced at Harry, uncertain. “Are you sure, Hagrid? You don’t need to get us anything…” Holly said, cautiously.
Harry nodded beside her. “You don’t have to…” he tried.
Hagrid huffed. “I want ta, now, off with ya, ta Olivander’s. Ain't no place better!”
The wand shop seemed empty at first, until a bell chimed and an old man popped up out of nowhere. He had big, moon-like eyes that seemed just a little too intently focused on her brother’s scar. “Ah yes,” he said, drawing his eerie gaze over to Holly. “Yes, yes. I thought I’d be seeing the two of you soon. You are the spitting image of your parents. Seems only yesterday Lily and James were in here buying their first wands… Your mother carried a good wand for charm work. Ten and a quarter inches, swishy. Willow, I believe. Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more powerful and excellent for transfiguration. Well I say your father favored it - It's really the wand that chooses the witch or wizard, of course.
Holly blinked at the overload of information.
Olivandar nodded at her as though she had asked him something. “Yes ladies first, mmm.. yes, Holly for you miss Holly, I imagine… hmm… yes, yes, flexible, Indeed, like your mothers… hmm perhaps… hadn't planned on selling this one but I suspect it may be…” Olivandar wandered into the back, out of earshot, for a moment. He returned, carrying two dusty old boxes, one black and innocuous, and the other a faded blue. He opened the blue box, revealing a delicate looking wand of a near-white, but still natural color. It had a simple straight shape with a quartz hilt pointing up, into the wand. They blended together so seamlessly it was a wonder they had not grown together. Or, perhaps they had, in some rarity of nature. “Well, give it a whirl!” Olivander encouraged.
Holly picked up the wand. Immediately, she felt warm. It was as though all her bruises and scrapes hurt just a little less. She even felt more energized. And then, there came the soft, sweet melody from the wand, like a hymn sung on Christmas or a lullaby, long forgotten.
Olivandar beamed. “Indeed, I thought so.” He affirmed. “Holly. Ten and a half inches. Swishy, like your mother’s. The core is interesting as it's not one I would normally use. Truly I had just meant to experiment with it, but it seemed the one- yes, dittany stalk, amplified by a quartz hilt. Good for healing magic, and charms too, I imagine. It ought to be loyal, that wand.”
Holly ran her fingers along the wood. It was perfect, she thought.It seemed to think the same of her.
“And now you, Mr. Potter…” Olivander handed Harry at least a dozen wands, each with more violent effects than the last, until finally, he thrummed his hands over the black box from before. “Tricky customer, eh? I had a feeling. Come now, give this one a go.” He handed Harry the black box, a strange look on his face as he did so.
Harry opened the box to reveal a sturdier, more rustic style wand than Holly’s, with a branch-like hilt and light wood that matched her own. The wand emitted a bright glow at the touch of his hand, and a warm hum filled the room.
“Interesting, very interesting.” Olivandar said.
“Mr. Ollivander?”
“Holly, like your sister’s- same tree, too, I'm quite sure… eleven inches. Phoenix feather core, quite the unusual pairing for a Holly wand... it shares a brother, you know. The phoenix that gave that feather gave only one other - paired with yew, thirteen and a half inches… I’m sorry to say I sold it. Couldn't have known then of course… but yes, it is very interesting indeed, Mr. Potter, that the brother of your wand should be the one that gave you that scar.” Olivandar said.
Holly felt chills run down her spine. Harry had gone quite pale at the discovery.
“Yes, Mr. Potter, I think we can expect great things from you. After all, he-who-must-not-be-named did great things- Terrible! But great.” Olivandar continued.
Holly felt a little sick at that.
An air of uncertainty hung over the pair as they waited for Hagrid outside. “Do you… erm… that is… you don’t think it means i’ll be…” Harry looked down at his wand, clearly unsettled. Objectively, it was a handsome wand, strong looking in a way Holly’s just wasn’t, but that seemed right, in Holly’s mind. He was far more athletic than she was, and definitely nicer, too.
“No,” Holly said, thoughtfully. “I don’t know what it means, but I don’t think it means your evil.”
“Course yer not! Why would yeh ever think such a thing?” Hagrid boomed from just behind them, making both of them jump.
“It’s nothing,” Harry said, quickly, turning around to face the friendly giant. Holly followed suit.
In his right hand, Haggrid held a bird cage with a beautiful snowy owl, sleeping under her wing. He handed it to Harry. In his left hand, he cradled a small, fuzzy… thing. It wasn’t a kitten, Holly was sure of that. And seeing as the only other approved pets were toads and owls, she was fairly sure it was not something she could bring with her. “Hagrid,” she asked, cautiously, “what is that?”
Hagrid beamed. “‘Ts a puffskein. Don’ worry. They won't mind yeh havin’ ‘er. She’s harmless. Most magick folk grow up with ‘em.” Hagrid explained. He handed the little ball of fur to Holly. It had big green eyes, a cat-like nose, and a mouth. No body. No limbs. Jno ears that Holly could see… “I thought yee’d like ‘er.” Hagrid added, looking a bit uncertain now.
Holly took the Puffskein from him and held it up to her face so they were eye-to-eye. “Hello, PuffPotter. I’m Holly.” she said to it, not entirely sure if she meant to call it that or if she meant to call it puffskein or puffball or something normal(ish).
“Puffpotter?” Harry asked, incredulous. “PUFFPOTTER!” he hollered, laughing at her expense now.
Hagrid’s eyes danced with amusement, and pride. “Harry,” he said, nudging Holly’s brother just a tad too hard, but meaning it goodnaturedly. “What’r ‘bout yer owl? What’r yeh callin’ ‘er?”
Harry contemplated this for a moment, looking at his new companion with wonder. “Mm… I need to get to know her, I think.” he decided.