Chapter 4: A Wizard's Wand... and some Shopping
When Alexis woke up the next day, he felt invigorated. Not really sure why, but he had a hunch that he would have a very fruitful year, full of surprises. Kane, who slept by his side every night, was roused from his pleasurable dreams by Alexis' movements. He looked at his owner with an annoyed look on his face and reluctantly left the bed. With a wry smile, Kane's owner followed suit.
Still in his pyjama, Alexis went to the second floor's bathroom, Kane already in his shoulder. What followed was the less likely situation to see in a bathroom when your pet is inside. Kane was extremely obedient of Alexis' words, which were never orders. Hence, Alexis was able to make use of every piece of the magical creatures care kit that Luna gifted him. First, Alexis brushed his teeth and Kane's, then he opened the shower and made sure to have warm water. Then they took a bath in which, without even an ounce of struggle, Alexis brushed Kane's fur and feathers. After the bath, Kane just enjoyed the blow dryer as Alexis used the other brush. In the end, Alexis looked fresh while Kane's fur and feathers looked glossy and smooth.
Once they made their way downstairs, Hannah and Neville were already waiting for them, breakfast in the table and a single, unsurprising letter in front of Alexis' plate. Without waiting giving anyone the chance to say anything, Alexis couldn't help but shoot straight for the letter andtear it open. Its contents were just as expected.
"Mr. Alexis Longbottom
Second Floor Bedroom
37C King's Gate
Aberdeen
Dear Mr. Longbottom,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Your sincerely, Filius Flitwick Deputy Headmaster"
"Yes! Finally! I can get a wand!" shouted Alexis in excitement making Kane, who was about to lull back to sleep, jump from his shoulder in fright. Alexis' parents were smiling warmly, seeing their only child being so excited about something that was bound to happen. They still were happy to see him acting as such, after all, the last month he had been acting a bit too mature for his age. That was the reason why they appreciated the few moments their child actually acted like one.
Alexis himself was too engrossed in the task of reading the letter for the tenth time over, as if it were to disappear should he let it go for a second. It took the Longbottoms a lot of talking -and perhaps a little bit of bribing- to convince him to stop. Later on during the day they would visit the Diagon Alley, were they would accompany Alexis to buy everything he needed.
*
They spent the rest of the morning planning the schedule for shopping, which somehow ended up as Hannah's task. Though it wasn't that weird, considering that women are usually the ones who like to go shopping the most. Before leaving their abode, they decided to have a filling dinner, since they would be spending most of the day outside. After Alexis helped Hannah wash the dishes, he went upstairs to change into something that wasn't a pyjama. When he went back down, his parents were already waiting for him by the fire with a pouch in hand.
Kane jumped on his shoulder and wrapped himself around Alexis' neck, as he always did. Then, his father went to the chimney and, as he threw the Floo Powder in it, he said loudly and clearly "Diagon Alley!"
His son followed suit, teleporting both himself and Kane. What greeted him was the sight of The Leaky Cauldron, but it looked a lot better when compared to the version described in the books and seen in the movies. Time, as one could guess, had affected the place positively. It looked clean and even the overall structure of the place had a fresh feel to it. As if the entire place had been rebuilt not long ago. That is when another burst of fire was heard, and Hannah appeared behind her son.
"Let's go already, we need to make good use of our time" she said while pushing Alexis forwards softly. After crossing the magical wall that separated muggle society from the Diagon Alley, Alexis finally understood how different the modern Magical World was when compared to his knowledge. Even if magic was the same, everything else wasn't. The buildings looked modernized, many following the architectural standards of the 21st Century.
Once he finished marveling at the sight of the Diagon Alley, a pleasure his parents allowed him to enjoy, they went on the biggest shopping spree that Alexis had ever seen -in both his life and movies. From "Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions" to "Flourish and Blotts", the Longbottoms toured the entirety of the Diagon Alley. Alexis could've sworn that, hadn't they already bought everything they needed, his mother would've gotten them into the Knockturn Alley. Once his robes, books and other supplies were bought and ordered, his parents took them to the one store in the Diagon Alley every wizard and witch entered.
It was supposed to be, if you were lucky, a one time visit. Once you went inside, you would be able to find your partner for the rest of your life. "Ollivander's". Neville and Hannah told Alexis to go inside and get his wand, leaving him with enough money to pay for it. They in turn would be going to buy a last minute necessity for him. Wearily, as the owner of the shop was known to try and surprise the children that went inside, Alexis made his way inside.
*
The interior of the place looked nothing like he remembered it. The Diagon Alley, in spite of the many changes he could spot, still looked the same. After all, they were only changes. But "Ollivander's" didn't look like itself at all. Even if the outside looked only a little bit more polished, the inside had a total makeover. The once disordered columns of boxes were now orderly places in their corresponding shelves. Every wand was ordered by the type of wood as the main division, and the sub-division of each was according to the material of its core. Even Alexis, who had no previous work experience, could understand the effort one would've had to put into ordering so many wands.
"Here to get your wand, young wizard?" asked a voice, making Alexis jump in fright at the unexpected question. He had totally forgotten about his initial weariness, being too focused on how different the shop looked. After a few short breaths in which he calmed down, he looked at the person that had spoken. It looked like a man in his fourties, too young to be the Garrick Ollivander.
"If you were wondering who I am, I am the current shopkeeper, Maverick Ollivander" was the answer to the unasked question that just threatened to leave Alexis' mouth. Swallowing hard at the sudden mind games, which he was sure wasn't Legilimency, he decided to just go with the flow. There was no need to be reserved.
"Good Evening, I'm Alexis Longbottom, and I came to get my first wand" Alexis said politely, before realizing he didn't really greet poitely and deciding to correct his mistake before it was noticed "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ollivander"
After nodding and muttering a few words to himself, Maverick came closer to Alexis and, much like his grandfather -or whatever Garrick was to him- began taking measures of his arms, neck, torso and even his ear. Alexis assumed it was just a show, a façade of sorts, to cover whatever magical analysis they did on the person to see what kind of wands could potentially work. Once done with his measurings, Maverick went to grab a few boxes in the different shelves.
The wands that he had brought were, according to him, some of his more capricious works. Temperamental wands that hadn't worked with anyone in the last ten or so years. Alexis, one by one, tried them all. Alder wood and Dragon Heartstring, sixteen inches. Didn't work. Acacia wood and Phoenix Feather, thirteen inches. Didn't work. Black Walnut wood and Unicon Hair, nine inches. Didn't work. Alexis went through what he felt were all the wands in the store, but none had chosen him. Scared that he might end up wandless, he looked at Maverick with eyes full of hope.
"You are, Mr. Longbottom, the trickiest customer we've had in this store since my grandfather sold his first wand to Harry Potter" he said with excitement clear in his voice. It would seem that the Ollivanders were all a bunch of crazy people, generation to generation. But it was thanks to that craziness that they excelled in their craft.
"Come with me to the back, It would seem like I have to make a wand unique to you, Mr. Longbottom" once he said his piece, Maverick motioned Alexis to go through the door to the back of the store, probably were all the magic happened. Once there, he showed him a few blocks of unused wood. He asked Alexis to close his eyes and think about the place were he felt safest, at his strongest. Alexis followed the intructions given, and closed his eyes.
What came to his mind was the Scamander's Reserve. The clear were he met Kane, who he could hear purring in his shoulder, as if he could also see the place and felt the same way he did. Without any instructions from Ollivander, Alexis moved his hand aimlessly. He felt a rough surface against his palm and opened his eyes. He caught Ollivander looking at Kane with twinkling eyes, but the man quickly cmoposed himself.
"Blackthorn, curious indeed. You see Mr. Longbottom, Blackthorn wands are usually meant for warriors" Maverick said with a smirk "I guess you would know better than me what that means"
The next part of the process was the same as he had done for the wood, but this time with the cores. Three different materials were placed in front of him, but none called to him. He knew were he was and how he felt, but his hand never reached either of the presented materials. Though it did reach something. It was a furry surface Alexis knew all too well. Kane's feathered mane.
"It would seem, Mr. Longbottom, that you are more connected to these creature, than any of the materials" said the wandmaker with clear excitement in his voice. How long had it been since he had a challenge when it came to making wands? He continued, a lot calmer but still as excited "Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure to ever see such a magnificent creature"
"That would be because it was just recently discovered, Mr. Ollivander" Alexis answered, without a shed of distrust for the man "I just happen to be very good with magical creatures, and this guy took a liking to me"
"Well, Mr. Longbottom, if you want your wand made, you'll have to ask him for one of his feathers" said Maverick, with a tone that suggested no way out of it. Alexis, reluctantly, looked at Kane who was on his shoulder. The Gairean in question seemed to understand what was required and presented his head to Alexis, as if telling him to pluck whichever feather he liked the most. To his surprise, the feather left Kane's head without any sort of struggle. That was something he would have to tell Luna later on.
"I'll send you your wand tomorrow, Mr. Longbottom. Please leave your address and do tell me this creature's race" were the last words Maverick said before Alexis left the store.
*
Once outside, he found his parents looking at him with clear confusion and worry. They asked him why he didn't have a wand in hand, and he simply decided to explain what transpired inside the store. How no wand wanted to be used by him, his worry, the process of choosing materials and Kane's feather. Hannah and Neville looked at each other with a look that pretty much said 'Oh no, we have a Harry Potter in our house'. Alexis decided to shift the topic of their conversation, and asked what they had gone to get before he went inside "Ollivander's".
"Well, we thought that you might need one, as you can't send Kane with a letter, poor kitty" said Hannah while Neville stood to the side, showing the majestic owl that was hidden behind his body. It was a beautiful Eagle Owl, but it had a difference to the other of its species. This owl was, instead of the usual brown or black with white and creamy highlights, white with grey and black highlights. It looked a lot like Hedwig, but bigger and more imposing than refined. Alexis looked at it with stars in his eyes, and hugged his parents out of excitement.
"Thank you mom, dad!"
In such a manner, the day of shopping came to an end. Not before Alexis convinced his parents to get him some ice-cream from Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlour, of course. Alas, the evening had arrived, and the Longbottoms had to go back home.
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