{Year 1} Shopping at Diagon Alley
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Malfoy,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of allnecessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
* * *
"First stop, wands." Lucius said, with only a hint of excitement that can be barely distinguished, "A wand is something every wizard requires, it is what enhance our magic to the fullest, making it easier for us to use for our purposes."
Draco can tell that he is quite excited about his son finally getting a wand, despite trying not to show it directly in a bustling place like Diagon Alley. He can’t disagree with that, he is also curious about what wand would choose him.
He have a feeling that something unusual will happen inside the wand shop...especially due to his…special situation. Since it’s his “second life” and all…
"Wait. I would like to go in alone, Father."
"Is that so?" Lucius Malfoy raised his eyebrows. Draco can sense his disappointment, so he quickly changed the subject to divert the man's focus.
"Father, I still need to get some books at Flourish and Blotts, and preferably a copy of all the books from first year to fifth year. You can also get my Potion supplies and other necessities. I'll get my wand and then go get fitted for my school robes at Madam Malkin's. We can meet up at Diagon Alley's Floo Network in an hour or so."
Lucius was surprised by his son's sudden but well thought out demands, but decided in the end to just follow what he said. He trusts him to be able to complete what he needs to do and making sure he keeps up the dignity of a Malfoy.
'He's such a mature child! He barely just turned eleven but he can already shop on his own now! Time flies by so quickly…he was only just a little…’ *Proud Malfoy Father Thoughts*
Draco walked inside the wand shop after confirming that his father disappeared into the crowds.
Past the doors that creaked slightly and in the room filled with shelves holding countless boxes, an old man with bright silvery eyes was at the counter. Fiddling with trinkets and wiping down wands, is the famed Garrick Ollivander.
"My, my, who do have here? Mr. Malfoy? You look just like your father."
"Hello Mr. Ollivander. I'm sure that I don't need to clarify the purpose of my visit."
"Straight-forward and blunt. So, which is your wand arm?"
"I'm ambidextrous." Which really had helped him before in his last life…
"A rare customer! Let's take your measurement now.” Ollivander cheerfully began his work, taking out a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket.
The tape measure soon started to measure on its own. Draco calmly let the tape measure do its job as the shopkeeper went from shelve to shelve, gathering boxes of wands.
After the tape measure settle down on the floor, Ollivander came over to Draco with the wand boxes.
"Cherry and dragon heartstring. Eleven inches. Fairly flexible." Ollivander handed a wand to Draco. "Now try it out."
"Lumos." The wand lit brightly up at the tip.
Ollivander was surprised, "It seems like you can already cast some spells Mr. Malfoy. I'm also surprised that you can use the wand with no problem."
"I…can feel sort of a faint connection with it, but I don't think it is the correct one for me."
"Why yes, it is the wand that chooses the wizard, but of course, the wizard must also accept the wand. Here's another wand. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy."
After going through quite a large number of wands, Ollivander became progressively more enthusiastic and excited.
"Quite a picky customer. All the wands seems to be compatible for you Mr. Malfoy, but it seems like there you want one that's perfect for you. Fir and phoenix feather. Nine inches. Quite unyielding."
"I have all day." Draco reassured him as he whirled the wand, then he handed it back to Ollivander.
Ollivander chuckled, taking out another box. "Here, try this one. Silver lime and Curupira hair. Twelve inches. Elegantly fine."
"I'm assuming that it's genuine silver lime and not a scam. Curupira hair is also an interesting wand core."
"It seems like you have some knowledge about wands! And yes, this is indeed genuine silver lime. The Curupira hair is from a wizard that saved a Brazilian Curupira. The Brazilian Curupira was grateful and gifted one of its hair to the wizard. The wizard then decided to donate it to Ollivanders, as the wizard himself love wands and also got his wand from here."
"There are plenty of books in the Malfoy Manor, I just happen to stumble upon them. That wizard was sure generous and kind, that hair could’ve been worth a lot. But he choose to donate it to a cause he follows anyway."
"Those who wishes to give back even if they aren’t bound to are indeed noble. Well, take a try Mr. Malfoy."
"Lumos." Draco said the Wand-Lighting Charm's incantation. This time, he felt a connection unlike the other ones.
It was...still magical…but also comforting.
It’s exactly what he’s looking for.
Ollivander looks at Draco expectantly, "So, what about it?"
Draco smiled, "It's the right one."
"Ah! Congratulation Mr Malfoy. You know, your the pickiest customer I ever had! I sincerely didn't expect it, you had gone through 365 wands before finally settling on this one! And it's also a quite unique wand at that, Curupira hair is for powerful and unpredictable wizards. You probably have an exciting and unusual future waiting for you."
"Thank you Mr. Ollivander, that’s quite an interesting evaluation. Now, how much do I need to pay for this particular wand?” Draco honestly hopes his future wouldn’t be too exciting thoigh.
It would be nice to have a stable life for once…he already has enough from the hell environment he lived through previously.
"Seven galleons! All my wands costs seven galleons, regardless of what kind of materials were used to make the wand." Ollivander replied brightly.
Draco paid seven galleons and bide farewell to the enthusiastic silver-eyed old man.
”Silver lime and Curupira hair huh." Draco muttered, pondering on what Ollivander said about this wand as he was on his way to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasion.
* * *
Harry walked inside Madam Malkin's shop, feeling nervous about being left alone in an unfamiliar place.
A smiling witch dressed all in mauve greeted him, "Hogwarts, dear? Got the lot here—another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."
Harry looked over to the back of the shop.
A silvery-blonde boy with an expressionless face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.
The blonde boy looked straight in front of him, at particularly nothing with blank eyes. The boy moved swiftly when the witch pinning his robe told him so, otherwise, he didn't move or do anything at all. Despite this, he seems to hold unusual charisma, and Harry can't help but be drawn to it as his eyes wander to stare at him dazedly.
He continued to stare even as the boy got down from his stool and paid for his uniforms at the front desk.
While the boy was about to turn around and head toward the door, his silver eyes suddenly made eye contact with Harry's green ones.
"You know, it's rude to just stare at someone." The blonde said in a disinterested and lazy tone, catching the brunette off guard. It was due to both his silky voice and the sudden interaction.
Embarrassed, Harry quickly apologized, "S-sorry! Something just suddenly came over me and I just—"
"Whatever," The blonde interrupted him. "I'll let this go by lightly since I'm in a good mood today. But still, since you kept staring at me, you'll have to…compensate for it."
The boy said that in the same tone too, with not a spark of any wavering emotions.
Madam Malkin noticed the confrontation and quickly tried to stop the potential commotion, "Now, Mr. Malfoy—"
"This doesn't concern you, Madam Malkin." The boy—Malfoy?—interrupted Madam Malkin as well. He then turned to Harry, "Anyways, to compensate, chat with me."
Harry and Madam Malkin were both stunned after hearing the boy's demand. Madam Malkin especially, as she knew who the boy is. She had thought the young Malfoy would had made a more extreme demand.
"You can continue with the fitting, Madam Malkin, I’ll take another set of that other option you mentioned earlier."
Madam Malkin snapped back to focus at the pale boy's words, and hurriedly went to collect more materials to continue the job.
After they settled down again, there was a momentary silence. Until the rustling of cloth returned as both of their fittings continued.
Harry looked at the boy nervously, unsure about what to talk about.
Draco was the one to initiate the conversation, "So, are you a first year as well?"
"Ah?"
"I'm asking about whether it's going to be your first year at Hogwarts."
"Ah, yes."
"Same here. What house do you think you'll be sorted into?"
"What?"
"Do you think you'll be in Hufflepuff? My father seems to despise Hufflepuff quite a bit, but I think it is a nice house, although it's not my ideal one. Father dislike it, so I guess I should make sure I don't get in it, but I doubt that I'll be a Hufflepuff anyway."
The boy kept his indifferent demeanor even as he chatted with Harry.
"I'm pretty sure I'll be in Slytherin, it's the house that matches me the best. I sincerely hope that I won't get in the other houses, it's like a tradition for everyone in my family to be in Slytherin. I have a relative that got sorted into Gryffindor, he was despised by his mother and even removed from the family tree."
Harry don't know what the boy is talking about, so he just continued to listen. The other’s voice is nice and he really doesn’t want to be a bother by just…well, asking questions that he should probably know the answers to.
"You don't seem to be very talkative huh." There was something new in the apathetic tone of the pleasant voice, and it was dissatisfaction.
"Ha...I just don't…get along with others that well..." Also because he just doesn’t know anything he should about the Wizard life…he only found out just today…
"Since you don't want to talk about houses, what do you think about playing Quidditch?"
"Ah?"
"Are you not interested? Most first year students would all be interested in Quidditch, especially boys. There will be complaints about how first years were not allowed to play and whatnot." The boy asked Harry.
"Uhh..." This is getting increasingly awkward on his end here…because he doesn’t know anything…
"Is that...who I think it is?" Harry quickly followed the boy’s gaze to see what he was looking at, the felt relieved that it was something he can actually answer.
It’s also a plus that he didn’t had to answer those questions that he doesn’t have any knowledge about…
It was Hagrid that caught the blonde’s attention. He was standing by the front window, grinning at Harry. He pointed at two large ice cream cones to show he couldn't come in.
"That’s Hagrid," Harry told the boy, pleased that he finally had something to talk with the boy about. "He works at Hogwarts."
"I thought so. Rubeus Hagrid..."
"He's the gamekeeper."
"I guess he's with you?"
"Yes."
"Hmm...I should leave now. To be honest, it wasn't very fun to talk to you. I guess I shouldn't have raised my expectations..."
Before Harry could fully register his words, the other boy already paid for the other set of clothings and had exited the shop.
* * *
Harry was rather quiet as he ate the chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts ice cream Hagrid had bought him.
"What's up?" said Hagrid.
"Nothing…" Harry lied, and wonders why he did.
They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote.
When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"
"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know—not knowin' about Quidditch!"
"Don't make me feel worse," Harry grumbled.
He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's. He made sure to exclude the boy's name though, he doesn't think that he should poke into his identity because from Madam Malkin's reaction, the boy seem to be someone important...
From experience, Harry knows to not poke into things he shouldn’t. It wasn’t like he had actively tried to, it was because it just happens.
At least now he actually knows why, though it is uncertain whether coming to this different world of wizards is even the best for him when he hasn’t known about it ever since…basically all that he could remember.
It has only been his first day in this new world, and while still unbeknownst to him, Harry Potter himself is changing. He’s no longer the boy in the cupboard, the one abandoned scrawny child who was a good for nothing freak.
Just like how he is slowly starting to actually just…do what he want. Something he never got to do, despite all those times he was accused of trying to do something “freaky”.
Talking with Hagrid is an example of this change. Would he had been able to freely express his own thoughts like this when he was with the Dursleys?
"—he seems like he was disappointed."
"If he'd known who yeh were—he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh!"
"So what is Quidditch?"
"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like—like soccer in the Muggle world—everyone follows Quidditch—played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls—sorta hard ter explain the rules."
"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"
"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but—"
"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff." said Harry gloomily.
"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one. The boy yeh met doesn't seem to be a bad one, but who knows?"
"Vol-, sorry. You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?" And the boy…? He didn’t seem evil despite his aloofness…but still, his parents’ killer was in Slytherin?
"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.
They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these.
Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue- Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.
It was a nice trip for Harry in the end, and he got to see and learn so many new things as he starts his new life in the Wizarding World.
As he enters the place where he will become a new self.