3 3. Shopping

"Now Harry we Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a ..... pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them, Gringotts carts."

Happy to have some peace, I simply walked in and as in canon met Draco Malfoy. And yeah, I dont think I will ever like the boy. I simply responded as original Harry would have. Just then I saw Hagrid with two ice cream cones, after leaving with my new robes, which I declined with the some excuses. CONSTANT VIGILENCE! as they say it.

Next we bought quills and then listed books from flourish and blotts. we purchased my potion materials from the apothecary and then Hagrid insisted on gifting me a pet.

I really like Hedwig, she is a beautiful and intelligent owl and we have established some sort of connection between each other. I just have to get her checked for all sort of charms like tracking charms etc but I'm still very happy to have her.

The last thing in our shopping list was the wand. For that we went to the magical Britain's only legal and best wandmake, our friendly neighborhood ollivander.

After entering the shop we found an old man was standing before us, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," I said.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter."

"You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to me. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that we were almost nose to nose. I could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where …"

just as his fingers were about to touch my scar, I moved back a little and ran behind Hagrid.

"Hagrid why did you make me come here. Quickly call the magical police, we have a pedophyle here."

"What....? "" X2

"Wha da ya mean arry? " asked Hagrid bewildered.

"Hagrid, you do not know??.. My teacher, Miss Lewis taught us that if some adult tries to touch kids weirdly and without permission then we should quickly run and inform police about it."

"No Harry... Mr. Ollivander is a respected person and the best wandmaker."

"Oh.. " "It's still creepy" I mumbled loudly enough that both of them heard it.

Ollivander coughed awkwardly. "Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er — well, I'm right-handed, but dont first need to make something like a licence? "🤨

"License? For what?? " Asked a very confused and annoyed wandmaker.

"Well.. you know.. for the wand." I said as if it's obvious.

"No Mr. Potter. You wont need any license to carry a wand if you are not a witch or wizard."

"Whoa... you mean to say that one does not need any kind of permission to carry such a dangerous weapon. In the outside world if you want to carry such dangerous weapons like guns or swords than you need a permit from the authorities."😱

"But wand is not a weapon. " ollivander shouted frustrated.

"one can throw fireballs, cut someone, kill or subue someone with a wand, right? "😒 I looked at him as if he is a fool making him and Hagrid freeze at my statement.

They were stunned to realise that I was right.

"Look mr. Potter, I dont care about these things. Please complete your purchase so that I can tend to my other customers." Ollivander said after a moment of calming down.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured me from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head.

Ollivander made me try many, many wands without success.

"hmm— I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." I tried the wand and it connected to me.

Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well … how curious … how very curious …"

He put my wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious … curious …"

He looked at me expectant that I would ask him about it but I just looked at him and opened my coin pouch to withdraw the amount required completely ignoring the man and his antics.

He coughed to hide his embarrassment(the second time) and continued shamelessly. "I every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."

I just looked at him with a deadpan expression.😑 Before he could continue his drivel, I spoke,

" Do you have some kind of holster or sheath for it?" "And some kind of manual on how to keep it at its best.. "

He was speechless at my attitude and just put a wand holster, a wand maintenance kit and a manual on the table top.

"That would be 20 gallons, thank you."

Giving him the money, I existed the shop with a still stunned Hagrid. Hagrid took me to the Paddington station where Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.

"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me. … See yeh soon, Harry." The train pulled out of the station.